Candle making is a fun and rewarding craft. You can make beautiful homemade taper candles to give as gifts or to sell either at a local shop, farmer’s market or even online through your own store or at auction. Of all of the types of candles that you could make, taper candles are probably the easiest although they do require that you purchase some equipment to do the job right.
To make taper candles you will need wax, wicks, a candle making thermometer and a skinny, deep container to melt the wax in for dipping.
When making taper candles you can’t just use an ordinary pot like a kitchen pot since it will not be deep enough to get the needed height for a taper candle. Not only that, but even if you did have a pot that was deep enough it would be much too wide and you would have to melt a ton of wax to fill it deep enough for dipping your wicks.
If you go to a craft or hobby store you can find dipping containers that are designed specifically for making taper candles. These containers are tall and skinny so that you can get your was deep enough for dipping without having to waste extra wax because the pot is too wide.
In addition to your dipping container, you will also need to get a candle making thermometer. Having a thermometer will allow you to be able to tell when the wax has been heated to the ideal temperature for you to start dipping. Candle making thermometers are designed to measure temperatures in the correct temperature range for candle making and also come with a handy clip on the side that will allow you to easily attach it to the inside of your dipping container for hands-free temperature taking.
You’ll also need to get a spool or wick that is specifically sized for taper candles. They also sell wick that is made for pillar candles, so it is important to make sure that you have the correct type for making taper candles. Getting a spool of wick will allow you to cut the wick to the length you want for your candles.
Finally, you will need wax to make your taper candles. Because taper candles are tall and thin, it is best to go with paraffin wax rather than beeswax. Beeswax is much softer than paraffin and can easily get too soft and bend or deform on a hot day.
Once you have gathered all your supplies you are ready to start making your taper candles! The first step is to start melting your wax. To help the wax melt more quickly, break it into smaller pieces and then put it in your melting container. You should never heat wax directly on a burner since this can cause it to get too hot and burst into flames. Instead, use a double boiler technique to heat the wax. Fill a large pot with water and put the melting container inside this pot raised up off the surface so it is not in direct contact with the bottom of the pot. You can use a tile or a trivet to raise the melting container up off the floor of the pot. Then, heat the water in the larger pot to melt the wax.
You may find that you need to add more wax to your container once it starts melting to get the container full enough for dipping. If you want to color your wax you can add wax dye to it. You can also add candle making scents if you want scented taper candles.
While your wax is melting, cut your wick into the length you want for your candles plus about 4-6 inches extra on each wick. Cut at least as many lengths of wick as the number of candles you want to make. Tie one end of each wick around some sort of stick like a dowel, a chopstick, or even a Popsicle stick. This will be the “handle” that you use to dip the candle, and will also help to hang the candle from the drying rack.
You can make a drying rack out of a cardboard box or old tin can that is narrow enough to lay the sticks across and deep enough to suspend the candles in the middle.
Once your wax is heated to about 155-165 degrees Fahrenheit you can dip your candles. Remove your dipping can from the water and place it on a table that is low enough for you to comfortably pull the full length of the candle straight up out of the dipping pot without dislocating your shoulder.
Now you can start dipping your wicks into the dipping wax. At first your wick will just look like it is getting covered with wax, but after a few dips you will see that it is starting to slowly take on the shape of a very skinny taper candle. Continue dipping your candles until they are the thickness that you prefer. Once you have finished dipping your candles, hang them on your drying rack and let them cool completely.
Once the candles have cooled you can trim the wicks down to about 1/2 inch and your candles are ready to use or to haul off to market to sell!
