Apr
17
Written by:
Don Worthley
4/17/2008 8:23 PM
OK, while the pictures are copying, I have to tell you a little story. One of the byproducts of our ice storm was a plate full of candles that we let burn too long that had melted and spilled over the edge of the plate and down the mantle of our fireplace.
Fast forward to last Sunday evening. I see the plate of wax full of half burned candles and large pieces of wax that actually broke away from the stone and brick and I realize that I could make one giant candle out of that mess by just heating the wax over the stove. I'll spare you the details. In fact, let me give you some of the important ingredients of my disaster and you can fill in the gaps.
- wife's sauce pan
- aluminum foil
- water (???...yep)
- burner set to high because low didn't work fast enough
- one loud explosion that I still don't completely understand
- boiling water
- steaming hot towels soaked in boiling water
- broom
- scrub brush
- sore knees
- 5 hours
Hehe, needless to say, I've learned a very valuable lesson. Leave candle making to candle makers!
Tags:
3 comment(s) so far...
"one loud explosion that I still don't completely understand" - Mwwahahahaha, that's never a good sign
By Rip Rowan on
4/25/2008 10:19 PM
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Yeah, I actually think I figured it out. I think the water, which I added to keep the aluminum foil from overheating, reached a superheated state. Since the wax is lighter than the water, it was kind of suck at the bottom of the pan with nowhere to go. That's the best I can think of. When it exploded, the wax flew everywhere. Luckily, my wife was downstairs watching a movie with the kids so I could try to get the worst of it picked up before she entered the kitchen again.
By Don Worthley on
4/25/2008 10:30 PM
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Oh my God! Whatever possessed you to put water in with the wax?!!! Candles don't contain water, end of. It's a long time since your posting, but I hope you've had another go and found out how enjoyable candle making is. I'm totally hooked, and I get wax from all the local churches (from the church candle stumps and all the weird and wonderful stuff left in boxes in the porches). They get it back made into new candles for their fundraising events. It's a great hobby, and saves a lot of expensive waste.
By Jane Mortimer on
7/12/2009 3:56 PM
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