Betty Oppenheimer - The Candlemakers Companion A Complete Guide to Rolling, Pouring, Dipping, and Decorating Your Own Candles

The Candlemakers Companion is very nicely laid out, organized, and easy to follow. If you want to start a candlemaking library, it is a must-have.

Richard Hansen, President
Bitter Creek Candle Supply, Inc.

After being in this business for 29 years, I still refer to The Candlemakers Companion. It is the most comprehensive publication written in the last 25 years. I also refer new and experienced candlemakers to the book for problem solving and general information.

Bob Irving
Dussek Campbell, Inc.

I have told so many candlemakers about this book! It is an exceptional tool.

Michelle Waye, owner
Candle Equipment and Sales, Inc.

A few years back, I was interested in learning the art of hand dipping candles as a hobby and started scouting out information any place I could find it bookstores, libraries, and the internet. There was a fair amount of resource material, but The Candlemakers Companion became my primary tutorial because it was written by an impassioned candlemaker and contained an interesting mix of technical, practical, and creative information. I devoured the entire book, confident that I was ready for my first dip, a yield of just 25 pairs. The first candles were wonderfully primitive and were received with great enthusiasm from friends and family. I was hooked.

With my partner, Gary Briggs, Ive since created and grown a small cottage business that sells hand-dipped tapers to more than 1,500 stores across the United States. Im certainly Betty Oppenheimers greatest fan, and you can be sure that every dipper we hire has mandatory reading of The Candlemakers Companion.

Brian Schnetzer, founder
Aunt Sadies Candlestix

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO ROLLING, POURING,
DIPPING, AND DECORATING YOUR OWN CANDLES

BETTY OPPENHEIMER

The mission of Storey Communications
is to serve our customers by publishing practical information
that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Sonja Hakala and Karen Levy

Cover design by Susan Bernier and Meredith Maker

Cover and interior illustrations by Laura Tedeschi

Text design and production by Susan Bernier

Production assistance by Deborah Daly

Based on an original design by Carol Jessop, Black Trout Design

Indexed by Wordability

Technical assistance from Daniel Junkins

The author thanks Pourette, Barker Candle Supplies, and Dussek-Campbell Wax for their help in providing materials and equipment for candle testing.

Copyright 1997, 2001 by Betty Oppenheimer

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other without written permission from the publisher.

The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Books. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information please contact Storey Books, Schoolhouse Road, Pownal, Vermont 05261.

Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further information, please call the Custom Publishing Department at 1-800-793-9396.

The Candlemakers Companion was first published in 1997. All of the information in the previous edition has been reviewed and revised so that this version represents the most up-to-date information available on the topic of candlemaking.

Printed in the United States by R.R. Donnelley
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Oppenheimer, Betty, 1957

The candlemakers companion: a complete guide to rolling, pouring, dipping, and decorating our own candles / by Betty Oppenheimer. Rev. ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 1-58017-366-7 (alk. paper)

1. Candlemaking. I. Title.

TT896.5.067 2001
745.59332dc21

00-053802

To Joshua Sage and Janette Force of Coyote Found Candles, who had the faith to hire me, immersed me in candle manufacturing, believed in my ideas, and put up with my idiosyncrasies.

To my husband, Irv Mortensen, whose gentle soul and support keep me steady.

To my parents, Elaine, Bert, and Lee, who let me play in messy arts and crafts materials, and who taught me personal accountability and the value of learning as a lifelong process.

To Grandma Kate and Aunt Bert, who practiced the needle and cooking arts every day of their lives, and shared them with me.

To Ottar Larsen and Allan Arnold, who helped me find myself when I was lost.

I thank you all for being a part of my growth, my capabilities, and my life. This book is dedicated not only to those who do crafts, but also to those whose support allows our crafts to flourish.

When you have a taste for exceptional people,
you always end up meeting them everywhere.

Pierre MacOrlan

Please, please, please, burn candles! Too many people save them, look at them, fondle them, keep them wrapped up in a drawer or forever in the same centerpiece holder, never to be burned.

It breaks my heart. Candles look their best when theyre burning. The glow of a beautiful candle, different with every combination of wax and wick, is the source of candlemakings romance, ritual, and pride. I urge you to kindle your candles and your heart.

On a practical level, you will need to burn your candles to test the compatibility of your wax and wick. The more you burn, the less painful it will be to see your work go up in flames, and the more you will appreciate the fruits of your labor. And from a craftspersons point of view, you will want your friends and family to use the gifts you offer.

If theyre burning them, theyll want more. In the industry, we call this repeat business. Lead by example, and burn your work!

My candle burns at both ends:
It will not last the night;
But, ah, my foes, and, oh, my friends
It gives a lovely light!

Edna St. Vincent Millay, First Fig

The ways we humans use the materials available to us on this planet and how we make things work fascinate me. Ive done arts and crafts all of my life; theyre my joy, my relaxation, my grounding. Ive crossed the line between art and science in various fields that are loosely called the practical arts. My interest has taken me into fabric laboratories, goose downprocessing plants, intaglio printing studios, kitchens, industrial laundries, and my own backyard garden. Im a practical person who loves to make beautiful things and Im blessed with a sense of color and design, an analytical mind, and a healthy curiosity.