This newsletter is being sent as an educational service to your Church. This is the fourth in a series of short articles on getting the most out of your altar candles. These will be excerpted from the booklet “The Light in Your Church – A Guide to Carefree Money Saving and Green Use of Candles in the Church” authored by Ross Raby, President of Churchwares Direct. We hope you will find this very useful.
First of all, many people are confused by the nomenclature of church candles. Just what is a “Short Four” or a “Long Two” anyway? And while we’re at it, what makes up a “set” of candles?
A “set” of candles weighs one pound. “Long” and “short” are relative terms of comparative lengths and the numbers refer to the number of candles of a given size and type that make up a “set”. Therefore, a set of “Long Sixes” would consist of six long skinny candles that weighed a total of one pound, while a set of “Short Fours” would consist of four short fat candles that weighed a total of one pound. The bigger the number, the smaller the candle.
Interesting Historical Fact
These designations were legislated by royal decree to prevent unscrupulous candle makers “whipping” the wax into a light air and wax combination! Such candles would burn very quickly, thus cheating the buyer. I suppose unscrupulous practices are nothing new!
Selecting Candles
There is more to selecting candles than just size and shape, however. Understanding the additional significance of manufacturing methods and wax mixtures and the economics of these variables is easy and can enhance the usage of candles in the church and in the home, as well as dramatically reducing costs. Buying smart can save a typical church up to 40% or much more per year!
Click this link to access Churchwares Direct’s wax candle web page.
Candle Manufacturing
How they are Made
There are a variety of ways to manufacture candles, some of the most common methods of which are:
Moulding — As the name implies, a metal hollow mould through which wicking has been pulled taut is filled with molten wax or paraffin and allowed to cool. When the wax has solidified the candle is released from the mould.
Dipping — Dipping is a method used to make tapered dinner candles. A wick is dipped into a container of melted wax or paraffin, then pulled out and allowed to dry. This sequence is repeated over and over again, building up more and more wax on the wick, forming a candle. The tapered effect is the result of dipping progressively shallower each time. The big problem with tapered candles is that because the throat of a follower is a fixed inside diameter, you can’t use a follower to control wax dripping. However, high-quality tapers reduce the amount of dripping by using wax of a higher melting point for the final dippings. This slower burning wax causes a natural cup shape to develop as the candle burns down, creating its own follower.
Extruding — This is a more modern production method and is the most common method used to produce large diameter beeswax candles. A long wick is pulled through the center of a die at a constant rate. Wax, heated to a very soft consistency, is injected into the die to form a continuous candle around the wick. Candles are then cut to length, trimmed, and the desired style of end is formed for the type of socket that will be used.
Pouring — Candles poured into glass jars of different shapes and sizes are usually used in the church as sanctuary lights or votive candles. This is also the type of candle you will most likely find gracing the tables at your favourite bistro. A wick is affixed to the inside of the glass jar and carefully centred on the bottom. Molten paraffin or wax is poured into the jar in a measured amount and the wick is pulled tight to make sure it has remained centred during the pouring. Then the wick is trimmed to about half an inch above the wax.
Although we classify this type as a separate manufacturing method, the jar is in fact a disposable mould. The candle couldn’t function properly without the jar/mould acting as a container for the liquid wax created as the candle burns.
Rolling — This is an old, unreliable way to make candles by hand. First, a layer of molten wax is spilled onto a non-stick surface and allowed to solidify. Then a wick is placed on the wax and the wax is rolled up around the wick. The resulting candle can be very attractive in appearance, with added touches such as unusual patterns on the candles’ surface. However, the candle is irregular in consistency and totally unreliable in performance.
Compacting — This method is another variety of moulded candle crafting. Wax in solid powder or granular form is pushed into a mould with sufficient force to make it conform to the mould’s shape. A wick is then inserted through the center to finish the job. This method is often used for making food warmer candles quickly and in large quantities. The advantage of this process is that, in using solid wax, there is no waiting time for the wax to cool and harden.
We hope that you have found this information useful.
Click this link to access Churchwares Direct’s wax candle web page.
