The Recycapple Candle

[Nifty]

Ok, as an experiment, I took a tea candle and then poured some melted wax from old candles around it into a little jar, and once solid lit the candle.

Seemed to be working fine... but then it got to the point where it seemed that the wax was drowning the flame:

 

[Hinotori]

I used to do some candle stuff decades ago. Wick size and type needs to be adjusted for wax type and candle width. That effects how well it burns. Wicks were often soaked in borax water then dried before use. It makes them burn with less smoke.

Paraffin is the worst for smoke and indoor pollution. It's a petroleum product. Most of the plant waxes are very clean. Beeswax is good.

I haven't actually used animal fats, but I have made button lamps and oil lamps with olive oil and a cottonball twisted into a wick. Short wicks for that or it smokes.

 

[Hinotori]

I only have beeswax, bayberry, and soy candles here. The first two have their own nice scent. Real bayberry is hard to get and expensive. Pale green.

 

[flowerbug]

I've been experimenting. I took a "Taper Candle" (box from IKEA) and broke it in half, put the halves in a jar and poured in the melted candles.

Seems to be working well.

... the other experiments... not so much.


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most of those look like those little tea light candle wicks which may not really be able to do much at all.

 

[flowerbug]

Yeah, you are correct. I'm going to try re-melting the others and putting 3 of the taper candles in the new one... that should solve the problem

the one with two in it seems to be working ok. i'd be a bit worried with that much heat and wax and well, flames... if those break i hope you have them on a safe surface...

 

[wyoDreamer]

x2 to what @flowerbug said. You have to watch out for temperature with candles. Different waxes and different scents added to the wax will affect how the candle burns. Some burn hotter than others.

Also, I would not advise using 3 taper candles in a jar. That is a lot of heat.

Did you try just one taper candle in a jar with your melted wax mix around it?

 

[Hinotori]

Even commercial companies get it wrong with heat and glass. So don't feel bad.

Saw this today.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/22/us/hallmark-candle-recall/index.html

 

[Nifty]

Ugh....

So, back to the drawing board? How hot is "too hot"? I can even use my laser thermometer to get a good heat reading.

I want to be careful, but I also don't want to be making decisions where there isn't really a legit danger.

 

[Hinotori]

I repect that something like bayberry is hard to get. You pay for work and rarity of ingredient.

I got the eight inch tapers I have on sale for $10 for 2. It was a good price. I only burn them on special occasions, usually this time of year. Finding someplace that sells the real thing though is horrid. On Amazon too many sellers of "bayberry" candles are selling scented paraffin.

Hubby sent me a video of traditional handmade Japanese candles. From wax tree all the way through. I'm going to order a few of the expensive things so I can try them.

 

[flowerbug]

Ugh....

So, back to the drawing board? How hot is "too hot"? I can even use my laser thermometer to get a good heat reading.

I want to be careful, but I also don't want to be making decisions where there isn't really a legit danger.

i would always have a fireproof tray under any candle no matter the reputation of the glass or wax or my thoughts on it.

wood/paper starts getting charred and thinking about burning at 450F+ but may take some time to actually catch. i much prefer to not burn a place down. knowing my own clutzyness even if i'm sitting right there with a candle i still don't want it to be near anything else or on any other surface that is flammable without protection. hot wax can hurt and even a small flame can burn badly enough... and by example i mean something like me watching the candle and then deciding to get up for a cup of tea and somehow my foot bumps the table and the candle shakes and falls over or the one bumps into other or ... well i can't always predict how chaos ensues, but it happens...