Does anyone know how petroleum candles are made or any websites where I can find information about this?

Question

I need this for a science project.

Answer 1

I assume by "petroleum" candles you mean those made with paraffin wax, as opposed to those made with bee's wax or tallow. You can purchase bulk paraffin wax at some hardware stores and some grocery stores. It is frequently used for home canning of fruit preserves. For wicks you'll want some heavy braided (not twisted) cotton string. Look at other candles to estimate the thickness, but thick works better than thin. Get some steel washers you can use for weights to hold the wicks down in the mold. Small amounts of various oil paints (not acrylic) can be used to color the wax while it's molten.

Finding a suitable mold can be difficult. You'll need something that can be disassembled to facilitate removing the hard cooled candle. Wax sticks very well to most anything. Some candles are made by repeatedly dipping a weighted wick into the molten wax, then removing it to let it cool before dipping it again. This is how homemade candles were made centuries ago (using tallow).

During my dippy hippie days, we used to go the beach and dig "far-out" shapes in the wet sand. Then we'd place the wicks, with weights on the their bottoms and tie the upper end to a twig which could be positioned in the sand around the mold to hold the wick vertically. Then we'd CAREFULLY pour the molten wax into the mold. Of course, the resulting candles have sand all over their outer surfaces, but that was part of their charm.

Safety Issues: If you're a kid, you'll need direct participatory adult supervision. Everything about molten wax is dangerous. If you're an adult, don't try this alone. You'll need a helper when things get hairy. Always, always, always wear safety glasses when working with molten wax! Never, never, never melt wax on your kitchen stove! Molten wax is close to its flash point and will spontaneously ignite, when you get it too hot! The last thing your family needs is a flaming sauce pan full of petroleum in the kitchen. Always keep a proper fitting lid nearby. That way, when the wax catches fire (and it probably will) you can just put the lid on the pan to snuff out the fire and calmly and carefully remove the pan from the heat. I strongly recommend that the entire candle making process be done outside, safely away from any buildings. We always used a Coleman camp stove which is, of course, quite portable. It's what you really need to do this with reasonable safety. Coleman stoves also work great at the beach, where the most fun can be had casting very creative sand candles. You can also do this in the backyard with an electric hot plate and a cardboard box full of damp sand.

Good Luck, have fun, and please, please, please be careful!