My new candle

I made a candle! (my craft/science/engineering experiment!)
I took wax from a candle my wife had that I had messed up. It was
large. The local craft shop had a sale: 7 (green) candles for $1, this
was cheaper than the wax they were selling. I took 3 regular straight
candles. I went to an electronics parts store and got the smallest
solder wick that they had. I got a regular medium wick from the craft
shop. I used an electric drill to twist the solder wick and the
regular wick into a twisted pair wick. I did take the wire out of the
regular wick, not really knowing if this was needed. I emptied out an
oatmeal box (cylinder, Quaker Oats, 5+inches diameter), cut the top
down to where it could reinforce the bottom, got a washer, tied the
double wick around it, threaded it through the CD hole (AOL has given
me too many) and put that at the bottom of the box. I made 2 balsa
wood cutouts with 4 holes, a center one for the double wick, and 3
more evenly spaced at 1.5inches for the 3 other white candles. I put
these into the oatmeal cylinder/box. It made it into an oval not
circular cross section 'box'. I added 3 brass strips from a hobby shop
so that they would reflect the candlelight and heat. They would not
stay on the side, so I put them so that the balsa wood would hold them
in place. I melted (thanks for the directions: double boil and have
fire extinguisher -- last one not needed that time) two sets of 7
candles, fished out their wicks, added the scent (jasmine and vanilla
– very clean scent with nice after scent) and poured the wax into the
bottom of the 'box'. I had a bit of potassium nitrate for quickly
rotting stumps. I added this in an attempt to nitrate the wax
(science?). The result was that the wax and the nitrate did not
mix/dissolve, and the nitrate was at the bottom of the pan. I let it
sit over night. It was the bottom fifth or so of the 'box'. The 3
extra candles (which would help light thing up and melt the wax
better) went in. Later I tried to press down on them and they kinda
squished.
Next day I removed the balsa wood. I melted the large white candle
that had fruit and berries in it. Much fuss on fishing out the fruit
and berries. Took a while to melt. Added another 5 green candles to
give it color. I doubled over the twisted wick to make a double wick,
tied 2 wicks from the smaller green candles together and put that next
to the main wick and attached it to the top dowel that was holding the
wicks. Added some KNO3. Fished out most of the berries. Added much
scent to the wax. Added the wax all in except the berry and KNO3
covered bottom. It dissolved the 3 standing candles that I had. They
were not secure from above, and slowly sank into the wax.
Disappointment, but I will find their wicks sometime.
Waited one day, found that the wax does solidify from the edges in,
and put in two more candles worth of wax/scent.
Now the candle stands about 8 inches high, about 5+ inches around, and
has a flame of 2 or 3 inches high. The wax melts around the flame for
a diameter of 2.5 inches, and for a depth of at least a half inch. I
have to trim the wick as the flame gets smoky if this is not done, and
the metal will not burn off.
I did not have to use a wax thermometer, but it might have saved the 3
candles. Next time I do this I might drill out the holes for the 3
candles and put them in and re-melt the whole thing somehow
(microwave?).

Sean

(Sean Cleary) wrote in message . com...
I made a candle! (my craft/science/engineering experiment!)

Sean

Ok, reported problems:
The wick is off center.
The metal wick glows and smokes long after I blow it all out.
Positive: the metal wick does not burn, negitive the metal wick does
not self trim by burning. And the candle is far too big (diameter) to
ever melt, or so it seems now.
A positive and negitive: the huge amount of scent added makes the room
smell of waxy scent for a long time after the candle is out. like
days.

Still live and learn.
Sean