Introduction: Cheese Wax Tea Lights
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About: Head of Science in a busy High School, Web 2.0 geek, husband to a wonderful wife and father to two lovely kids.
Having two younger children and teaching in High School, I come across these little red cheese wax cases on a daily basis. So I decided to see if we could reuse the wax to make a servicable candle.
From other Instructables, the candles that are made end up with small flames and reasonably random burn times. I wanted a commercial grade product that was "as good as new". So we decided to reuse those little aluminium tea lights.
From other Instructables, the candles that are made end up with small flames and reasonably random burn times. I wanted a commercial grade product that was "as good as new". So we decided to reuse those little aluminium tea lights.
Step 1: What You Need...
The kit list for these are all freely available:
1) x2 cheese wax shells
2) x1 used tea light container
3) 5cm / 2 inch of cotton string
4) Source of heat / pan or plastic bag to melt wax
5) Pliers / pincers & a blunt knife
First things first - remove the wick holder from the bottom of the tea-light. It's not glued in, just held down by the melted wax. Use the end of a butter knife to tease it out.
1) x2 cheese wax shells
2) x1 used tea light container
3) 5cm / 2 inch of cotton string
4) Source of heat / pan or plastic bag to melt wax
5) Pliers / pincers & a blunt knife
First things first - remove the wick holder from the bottom of the tea-light. It's not glued in, just held down by the melted wax. Use the end of a butter knife to tease it out.
Step 2: Melting the Wax - Making the Tea-light
The first step is to prepare a source of melted wax.
Either:
Place the solid wax into a food/freezer bag and drop, seal the top and drop into a pan of boiling water. Let the wax melt
OR
Using an old, washed out food tin - remove the paper labels first - place the solid wax inside and place carefully onto the hob. Heat until wax is melted.
Now, carefully pour the melted wax into the empty tea-light.
Let it cool slightly before adding the wick
Either:
Place the solid wax into a food/freezer bag and drop, seal the top and drop into a pan of boiling water. Let the wax melt
OR
Using an old, washed out food tin - remove the paper labels first - place the solid wax inside and place carefully onto the hob. Heat until wax is melted.
Now, carefully pour the melted wax into the empty tea-light.
Let it cool slightly before adding the wick
Step 3: The Wick
Assembling the wick is next.
Take the string and carefully poke it into the wick holder. Use a pair of pliers / pincers to squeeze the holder to secure the wick.
Now dip the wick into melted wax. Dip, remove, dip, remove, dip, remove - three times.
The wax will solidify in seconds.
Take the string and carefully poke it into the wick holder. Use a pair of pliers / pincers to squeeze the holder to secure the wick.
Now dip the wick into melted wax. Dip, remove, dip, remove, dip, remove - three times.
The wax will solidify in seconds.
Step 4: Finishing the Tea-light
Finally, carefully push the new wick into the still liquid wax in the tea-light.
You might need to hold the wick down for a few second until it solidifies enough to hold it tight.
You might need to hold the wick down for a few second until it solidifies enough to hold it tight.
Step 5: Burn the Candle
When the wax has totally solidifiied - I'd give it a few hours, trim the wick to about 2cm and you're ready to enjoy.
Instructable prepared by:
Glen Gilchrist (http://glengilchrist.tumblr.com)
Newport High School
Instructable prepared by:
Glen Gilchrist (http://glengilchrist.tumblr.com)
Newport High School