I have embarked on my candle-making journey and as I am progressing I have found that different waxes have different melting points so it really got me thinking about the temperatures needed to make candles.
Do you need a thermometer to make candles? Yes. When making candles you will need to get the wax to the correct temperature for the 4 stages.
- Heating temperature
- Melting point temperature
- Additive temperature
- Pouring temperature
If you make candles without a thermometer you will not make good candles and will risk personal injury as well.
So can you use just any old thermometer you have lying around? Not really, as we have just seen, you need to know the temperature of your melted wax at all times and to be able to heat it to four specific temperatures for each stage of the making process. Risking ruining the batch of wax or even worse personal injury from overheated wax is just not an option. Let’s take a look at our thermometer choices:
Choosing the Right Thermometer for Melting Wax
There are a few types of thermometers in the market and they are designed for a variety of different uses. Here are a few different types you may find when shopping:
- Sugar thermometer: Commonly used when working with food requiring melted sugar such as jam. Temperature scales are usually from 104°F/40°C to 392°F/200°C. This will work well with your candle projects as the temperatures you will be heating the wax to falls inside these ranges. Most sugar thermometers have both Fahrenheit and Celsius scales making them easy to read. These types of thermometers use Mercury to read the temperature making them quite reliable.
- Meat thermometer: Mostly used for ensuring meat is properly cooked throughout, especially for large joints of meat. Temperature scales usually from 130°F/53°C to 190°F/88°C. Due to the limited required range for cooking meat, this thermometer is not suitable and should never be used as you run the risk of having your wax too hot or too cold. Never risk personal safety by using the wrong tools for a job. These often have a dial for you to gauge how hot the food you are measuring is. Not as reliable as the dial requires many moving parts to move the pointer.
- Digital thermometer: Used for many different types of tasks as the digital range is usually much broader than that of meat or sugar thermometers making ideal for use when working with wax. As they have digital readouts almost all models will switch from Fahrenheit to Celsius and vice versa so reading them will never be a problem.
Safety Considerations when Working with Hot Wax
- Use the correct PPE: Personal Protection Equipment or PPE should always be used. In this case you should use safety glasses which wrap around the sides as well, some heat resistant gloves and suitable thick clothing which covers your body, arms and legs in case of accidental spillage.
- Never leave your hot wax unattended, even for a moment. If you need to leave the area then remove the wax from the heat source. If you really cannot stay and have to leave then ask someone to take over. Remember to explain clearly what you need them to look for and what to do in case of an emergency and most importantly make sure they have suitable PPE for the project.
- Work in a well ventilated area as there will be fumes from the heating process. Even if you are working with high quality waxes you should still avoid inhaling anything if you can avoid it.
- A suitable mask to cover your nose and mouth. Make sure you choose the right mask. A mask with removable filters will be best as you can replace them when needed to keep you safe at all times.
- Keep pets and children out of the area while you are working. It only takes a moment for an accident to happen, especially with unforeseen problems, like a child falling over and bumping you or a pet running into you. Try to keep all distractions to a minimum also. Keep your mobile in your pocket and try to keep clear of social media, it can take attention away from where it’s needed.
- Keep your work space tidy and free from unnecessary objects. As you are working with hot materials you need to make sure you will not knock something over or allow something to know your container of hot wax. Most important when you are getting ready to pour your candles.
Reading your Thermometer Accurately
The issue of trying to find either a chart or an app that lets you convert Fahrenheit to Celsius or Celsius to Fahrenheit can be avoided very easily by getting the right thermometer at the beginning. Getting one that has both scales is highly recommended as is considering a purchase of a digital model. The price of digital thermometers is not so high that you cannot get a great one for a reasonable price so if you can go down the digital route.
Another way to help you avoid any confusion is to try and buy ingredients that are measured on the same scale. Where this is not possible, make some notes beforehand of all the temperatures you will need and convert them to your desired scale. This will make things much easier when you are making the candles. Imagine having to heat the wax to a temperature in Fahrenheit then wait until it cools to a temperature in Celsius, confusing!
Related Questions
Can I use more than one fragrance when making candles? Yes, many people and candle-making companies make candles with more than one perfume. Some Christmas blends, for example, may contain as many as 5 different fragrances mixed together to make a new festive smell. Just remember if you are using more than one perfume you need to scale the measurements accordingly, for example, 60 drops of one fragrance becomes 20 drops each for 3 fragrances. Be mindful of this otherwise, you could end up with a candle you cannot use.
How long before I can use my candles after I have made them? Most candles can be used after about 72 hours but it’s recommended that you leave them for a few days longer, a week is ideal as it gives the wax time to properly harden and for the wax and fragrance to bind together.
I have spare wax left over, can I reuse it? Yes, bear in mind that if you have spare wax which has additives to it then the strength of these additives may fade over time and if you use it as part of a new batch you may need to try and calculate how much the additives have faded and adjust your recipe accordingly.
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