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Pure Beeswax Hand-Dipped Tapers
How We Make Them at the Farm

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

Most of our beeswax candlemaking is done with our candle tank. We had to replace it in 2004 so we have a picture of it before we installed it. It is really 4 separate stainless steel tanks that are put in a barrel that is filled with water and kept at 180 degrees. (thermostatically controlled) Raw beeswax is shown added to one of the compartments. The tank is also insulated to help keep the temperature even.

The complete beeswax candle takes about 30 dips into the wax and about 3 hours from start to finish for a 30 pair cycle. It is dipped with a smooth motion to make a smooth surface on the candle. They are hung on a circular rack that holds 5 frames. (30 pairs total)

Each dip into the tank increases the diameter of the candle. By the time we get back to the first dipped candle it is usually cool enough to start the cycle again.

It takes a lot of practice to develop a very smooth motion as you dip the candle into the wax and then pull it out. If you shake it or jerk it you may develop bumps on the candle. As you see, all of our candles are hand crafted and not made by machines. We guarantee each one of them to be unique.

Here you can see the diameter increasing on the pairs of candles.

About half way through the process the frame must be split in half - now each frame will hold 3 pairs and a full cycle around our cooling rack is now 10 frames. If we did not cut the candles free at this point they would get too large and start to touch the sides of the wooden frame. They also start to get quite heavy and hard to hold up.

A sharp knife is used to cut the bottoms free and the two halfs of the wooden frames that are held together with rubber bands are now cut. The sides and bottom of the frames are removed. At this point these frame parts are completey covered with wax and must be cleaned so that we can re-use them.

The five frame pieces to be cleaned are now tied together with wick or rubber bands and put into one of the compartments in our candle tank. This compartment holds mostly water and the frame parts are submerged so that the wax will melt off.

Now each frame holds only 3 pairs of candles and the dipping procedure continues.

Near the end of the candle making session, just before the candles are full size the bottoms need to be trimmed again. If the drip point on the candle at the bottom is too large it would be difficult for you to put them into holders. A sharp knife or razor is used to trim each one.

After this trimming the candles are dipped one or two more times to get the diameter as close to 7/8 inch as we can. The above center picture shows the candles before the last dip and the one on the right is the completed candles.

Pure Beeswax Hand-Dipped Tapers
How We Make Them at the Farm

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

Since we are also grapegrowers and winemakers, this half way point is always a good time for a quick break to replenish our candlemaking energies .......
Now - Back to Candlemaking!

How to order hand dipped beeswax candles

Pure Beeswax Hand-Dipped Tapers How We Make Them at the Farm

Click on any picture to enlarge it.

Since we are also grapegrowers and winemakers, this half way point is always a good time for a quick break to replenish our candlemaking energies ....... Now - Back to Candlemaking!

How to order hand dipped beeswax candles

Pure Beeswax Hand-Dipped Tapers
How We Make Them at the Farm

Since we are also grapegrowers and winemakers, this half way point is always a good time for a quick break to replenish our candlemaking energies .......
Now - Back to Candlemaking!