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| Dinner candles set in mould |
There are many different methods for making candles, depending on
the shape, size, colour or scent which you wish to achieve in the
finished product. One of the most common shapes of candle is the
pillar, which can be made through the use of moulds or by repeatedly
dipping the wick in hot wax. At Connemara Candles, we mostly use
moulds of different shapes and sizes to produce our candles. We also
use a large mechanical mould to make many dinner candles at once.
The most important ingredient in any candle is the wax and there are
many varieties to choose from, each with its own properties. We use
a very high quality paraffin wax, which results in better and safer
candles. Preparing the wax: The required amount
of wax chips are placed in a melting pot and placed on the stove.
Melting the chips and attaining the correct temperature has to be
done carefully so as not to burn the wax or cause a fire. When the
wax has melted, dye and/or scents may be added as required. A small
amount of stearic acid is added which enhances the opacity of the
finished candle, resulting in more vivid colours. Once the
wax has reached the correct temperature (80-85oC 175-185oF for
pillar candles), it will be transferred into a pouring vessel to
make filling the moulds easier. Preparing the moulds:
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| Mould with wick |
Firstly, an appropriately sized wick must be selected for the size
of the candle. The diameter of the wick will affect burning time and
the safety of the candle. The wick is threaded through a small hole
in the bottom of the mould and secured; this becomes the wick at the
top of the finished candle. The other end of the wick is tied
securely across the top of the mould so as to keep it in place until
the wax has fully cooled.Pouring the wax:
When the molten wax has reached the correct temperature, it is
poured into the moulds to the required depth. Wax shrinks in volume
by a small amount as it cools, creating a vacuum. With smaller
candles, this results in a small depression in the level of wax at
the top of the mould. With larger candles however, the wax can
solidify at the top of the mould, so when the main body of wax
cools, air cavities can occur within the candle. In order to prevent
this, air vents have to be made in the candle to accommodate the
natural shrinkage of wax as it cools. The candle is then left to
cool completely. The time taken to cool, will vary depending on the
volume and shape of the candle and other factors. A large pillar
candle will take several hours.
Re-pouring the wax:
When the candle has fully cooled, additional wax is pored into
the mould to compensate for the natural shrinkage of cooling wax;
this is known as the re-pour. Wax remaining from the first pouring
is re-heated to a slightly hotter temperature than for the first
pouring. This higher temperature aids the solid wax and liquid wax
form into one solid mass with no boundary. The candle is then left
to cool completely before removing it from the mould and trimming
the wick.
Hand painting:
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| Hand painting the candles |
A small volume of our candles are individually hand pained. There
is a variety of patterns to choose from including: Butterflies, Ivy,
Tulips and Shamrocks. Coloured wax is used to provide the colours. |
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