Hello -
When I first got into candles (went through a huge candle phase that lasted only a year, several years ago - and now I'm about to get back into it - yaay!), I decided to invest in the good equipment. Experience had taught me that if I "make do" with scraps from around the house, I will be less likely to have success. So, I bought "real" metal candle molds (that have bases so they won't topple over) and "real" pouring pitchers (they come in a variety of sizes and are nice and lightweight and relatively affordable), etc. I'm also more likely to be excited and interested if I have real equipment (don't know why I'm that way - I guess it makes me feel like I'm some sort of crazy mad scientist with all my gear) and if I can keep these items meant specifically for candle-making all together in a big box (or as it turned out, in a few boxes, all kept in my basement on a table and ready to go when I next need it), it's easier to be used again in a jiffy. If you're using bits and pieces from around your house that have to go back to their specific areas later, it's harder to get them all together again later, if that makes sense. I learned the hard way to buy extras and do this for my camping equipment. Now I no longer have to go on a huge hunt throughout the kitchen and the rest of the house each time I camp cause it's all there - all the duplicates - in boxes ready to go.
I originally used the makeshift double boiler method to make the candles but then as I got better at it (didn't take long at all) I realized I never wanted to make only one or two at a time - especially around the gift-giving season. So I ended up following the advice of others and invested about $60 into one of those converted presto pots, like this:
http://www.prestopotwaxmelter.com/
(they also have them on ebay)
These pots made things a lot simpler as well as cleaner. This way I could always have a big pot of wax going - kept at the right temperature (has a gauge - though you should always have a thermometer ready to test and make sure the gauge isn't off) and I could make as many candles as I wanted at one time. And if there's left over wax in the pot that doesn't get used, that's fine - you just have it there for next time when it can be reheated.
What you do is buy (or use from your home if you have some sitting around) several pour pots (they have spouts) - at least 3. You want more than one because you might dedicate each pour pot to a specific color and/or scent, if you're doing more than one candle at a time or are doing layers (liked for striped candles). It's nice cause you pour the wax from the spigot of the presto pot into your pouring pot/stir pot, and then from there you add your color and scent and stir it together, then pour directly into your mold (always holding back some for repouring later after a sink hole has formed in your firming wax in the mold, and needs to be refilled to the top - but you probably already knew that). Then you have your stovetop (and makeshift double boiler or else real double-boiler) to reheat your left-over wax in that pouring pot, when needed for repour.
Hence, you'll need a couple of cheap pots (one smaller to fit in one larger) as a makeshift double boiler, along with a little metal device of some sort to raise the inner pot from touching the bottom of the larger pot it sits inside of. Get cheap pots at the Goodwill as you'll want to unscrew the handle of the smaller one in order to fit inside the bigger one (unless you can find one without a handle). You can use a metal cookie cutter or else you can use one of these double boiler stand rings (I bought two, as I often have more than one pot ready to go on the stove):
http://www.glorybee.com/shop/Double-Boiler-Stand-Ring.html
Those have been great - I also use them when I melt chocolate, fondu or hollandaise sauce.
So, the other items you'll want are:
- a good digital scale for weighing wax and liquids e.g. fragrance oils (one that has both ounces, grams, pounds and a tare setting, and, and has both batteries or plugs in, and can be used for other hobbies as well such as soap making, including cooking or even weighing packages to determine shipping costs, so it's a worthwhile investment in many cases and they cost around $50 I seem to recall). These types are the most popular (mine has had no issues whatsoever in 9 years of use) and this is a very good deal on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EVHHJC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
- metal molds with bases so they don't easily knock over (also metal works better than the plastic molds), if you want pillar molds. Note that it's always nice to have at least about 6 votive candle molds on hand in case you have extra wax. Or if you only want to make container molds, you won't need pillar molds. And if you do get container molds you will want to make sure you use something like soy wax flakes instead of paraffin (if memory serves) and you'll want to buy pretabbed wicks and wick stickers so you can stick the little metal tabs to the bottom of your container...either that or just use a glue gun if you have one). I think pillar molds are a lot more fun though.
However you can find all kinds of fun containers for container candles, e.g. old glass ones that are mostly used up (you can empty out the old wax by melting - not sure of method but maybe placing upside down on foiled cookie sheet in oven, or heat gun?), or little tin boxes with lids are always fun, or glass baby food jars, tin cans, tea cups, pretty little glass or ceramic bowls, etc.
- wick holder/wick bar that lays across top of mold and holds the wick straight. While you can use something round like a pencil, the ones you can buy for that purpose are better and are cheap. Better cause they lay flat against the mold and won't roll off, and they have a slot to stick the wick in:
http://www.northstar3c.com/shop/Item/710005?gclid=CIuHhqC7-7kCFSU6Qgod62YAlA
- 2 candy glass thermometers or else a digital thermometer with alarm (to let you know when wax has reached desired temp) that can be clipped to the pot unless reads flash-quick. I use candy thermometers and a digital one. Here are examples:
http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/f...mpaignId=T9A&gclid=CNH1_ZO3-7kCFQeCQgodTSwAcQ
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019R4HQQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 (make sure it has a clip)
- A lot of people love and feel they couldn't live without their heat guns. They're not really necessary but once you have one you can't imagine living without it cause it serves many purposes when candle-making. One example is that if your wax has dried and the top of your mold (will later be the bottom of candle once unmolded) is uneven or bumpy, you can just zap it quickly with the heat gun whereas otherwise you would need to place it on a cookie sheet bumpy side down, over a pot of hot steam, in order to let it melt flat. They're also handy for other purposes like removing paint, defrosting freezers, loosening bolts, shrinking shrink wrap, and other crafts:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004TUCV/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
- cookie sheet or two and foil and newspaper to protect surfaces - and always paper towels! Some would say to keep a fire extinguisher near by but I'm not sure that's necessary if you're being careful about not overheating your wax and are using electric rather than flame. Can't hurt though!
- stir sticks (e.g. chopsticks or old, long-enough utensils) which can also be used for poking relief holes as the wax cools
- can of mold release spray is helpful though not always necessary
- wax, any additives you want (e.g. mottling oil if you want the snowflakey, rustic look) or opaque look and hardness that stearin or vybar offers), dye chips for coloring and fragrance oils for scent
- wicks that are the appropriate size and kind per mold
- wick screws and wick seal (like silly putty or gummy tack). Not everyone uses a wick screw (holds wick in place once inserted through the hole in the mold) but you definitely want the wick seal to plug the hole and keep that wax from leaking out.
- wicks that come with wick clips (ready to go) that you insert in your votive molds or container candles
Storage bin and ziplock bags to keep this all in!
Ok that's all I can think of though I'm sure I forgot something! Whew - this is long!
Here's some great info:
http://www.candletech.com/archivedforum/YaBB.cgi.55.html
http://www.candlescience.com/faq/
http://www.candletech.com/candle-making-basics/pillar-candle-instructions/
http://www.candletech.com/calculator/round.php
http://www.candletech.com/calculator/rectangle.php
http://www.peakcandle.com/techniques.aspx
HTH!!
