Your First Dip: Making Elegant Taper Candles

There seems to be two types of candle making enthusiasts in the world: those that dip (make taper candles) and those that pour (pillar candles). There are advantages and disadvantages to both styles, but I believe every candle maker should personally try each method to see which they prefer before committing to either style.

If you are new to candle making, making a taper candle can be a great first foray into homemade candle making. Making taper candles can be a bit more challenging and consuming than pouring pillar candles, but I also think you can learn more about the craft through taper candles, since you will be more in tuned to problems that occur during the dipping process.

Your First Dip: Instructions for Making a Taper Candle

Actually, you won't be making just one taper candle - during the dipping process you will be actually making two candles at a time, and the materials below should suffice for a total of four eight inch taper candles.

What You Need

• 11 ounces of paraffin wax
• 56 inches of wick suitable for one inch diameter wide candles
  
• Wax dye (if you want to color the candles) in whatever color you want
• A 12 inch tall dipping can (you can try to improvise using a large coffee can, if you don't have a cooking pan that will suite your needs)
• Thermometer
• A pan to melt the wax in on the stove (preferably with a lip to make it easier to pour into the dipping pan)
  
• Hot water to fill the dipping can up to within two inches of the top
• Someplace to hang the newly dipped candles while they cool and harden (a broomstick across two chairs with some newspaper underneath is what I do)
  

Instructions

1. Cut the wick into half (two 28 inch lengths)
2. Fill the dipping can with water up to about two inches from the top. Put the dipping can on your stove and heat the water until it is approximately 160-170 degrees fahrenheit. It should remain this temperature throughout the dipping process, so you will want to keep your thermometer handy so you can monitor the temperature
3. Melt the wax and the dye (if using) together in a separate pan, and then pour it on top of the hot water in the dipping can. The wax will create a floating layer of wax on top of the hot water.
4. Take the wick and bend it in half so that there are now two ends facing downwards. Each will be about 14 inches in length when you hold it at the top, and each of these will make one candle. You will want to spread the two ends apart using your fingers at the top so that they don't stick together when dipping (if you find this is difficult, you can try to improvise creating a dipping frame to keep them apart using a wire coathanger).
5. Lower the wicks into the dipping can and then quickly bring them out again. The dip should only take a few seconds. Lay the candles over your broomstick to cool for about thirty seconds. While cooling the first tapers, you can dip the other wick (bent in half as the first) in the same way.
   
6. Repeat step five about ten more times. At this point you will see that the wax is beginning to build up, but if it isn't you need to adjust the dipping temperature or your dipping procedure. If the wax is too hot, of if you are not dipping quick enough, the wax will fail to adhere. On the other hand, if you see long drips of wax forming on the candles, the wax is too cool and needs to be heated up again.
7. After taking stock, if the dipping seems to go on well, continue dipping while constantly monitoring the temperature. Continue dipping until the candles reach one inch in diameter, adding wax to the dipping can as needed.
8. When the candles are an inch long, you can trim the base of the candles (they will have was dripping from them) using scissors if you want. Hang them over the broomstick to cool and harden overnight - and then they are ready to use!

Once you have made your first batch of taper candles, I can guarantee you will never want to purchase them from a store again!