[cast iron]

I'll be doing this out in my shop on a two burner propane camp stove.

What type of pots/pans/containers should I use?

I assume it should be done double boiler style with a larger pot that has boiling water in it and a smaller pot with the wax? I can probably use one of the regular kitchen pots to boil the water in, but what type of container to use for the wax?

What about clean up of the wax container?

Can just use a metal soup can or the like and disgard when done?

Thanks

 

[Cabin Fever]

Use an old metal coffee can. You don't have to clean it, just store it until the next time you want to melt wax.

 

[lickcreek]

I've always done it "double burner" style, with a large pan of water and a coffee can with wax in it, and something in the bottom to keep my can off the bottom of the pan. (i.e. canning jar bands) Then when done with wax, I put the lid back on and store until the next time I need to melt some. But the coffee cans are getting harder to come by.

 

[marvella]

i do it like CF does. just melt in an old can over a LOW flame.

 

[Windy in Kansas]

I use the double boiler method and use a large diameter tin can so that more surface area is exposed to the heat.

I usually bend the sides of the can in order to form a pour spout.

I use a cheap camp style pot lifter to handle the can with. Similar to this one but probably from a discount store for savings. I'll try a photo of it.

 

[Old Vet]

I melt mine in an old coffee can on low heat. Be careful that you don't spill it on the flame because it is flammable. When I used it at work I used an old pan and never tried to clean it up and I used an old electric hot plate to melt it.

 

[Windy in Kansas]

Thanks CF.

 

[Macybaby]

I would not use anything that you want to use for food later, even for the water part. Long ago I made candles and melted a lot of wax - even a little bit dripped into the water by accident can be a bear to get completely cleaned off.

I have two cheap pans I got at Walmart that are dedicated to melting wax. The small one fits into the bigger one. Though it may not matter for your application, you don't normally want to let the water boil because you can end up with water getting into the wax- that can cause problem when using candle molds.

Cathy

 

[radiofish]

I would not use a propane stove for melting wax!!!! That is a disaster waiting to happen!!!

When I make candles, I use an older double boiler on an electric hot plate to melt my wax. Or I use an old beater high walled sauce pan with a coffee can inside to melt wax also, with 3 large machinery nuts to keep the can off of the bottom of the water pan. You can let the leftover wax cool and harden in the coffee can, when finished for future use..

Watch the temperature of the melted wax using an old therometer, to prevent an accidental fire from starting from the melted wax rising above 200 degrees F!!!!!

Are you using the cardboard egg cartons filled with sawdust, then covering them with melted wax method - for homemade firestarters??

 

[cfabe]

I would suggest only using a double boiler setup. I nearly burnt down my parents' house when I was about 10 by melting wax in a coffee can over an electric stove element. Got some wax spilled on the burner somehow, started on fire, caught the wax in the can on fire, couldn't get it out with wet rags or anything, luckily it didn't catch anything else on fire before the fire department got there.

 

[belladulcinea]

I use the coffee can in the pot of boiling water method. Easy and safe.

 

[artificer]

I wouldn't suggest using a propane burner to melt the wax. Flames and molten wax don't mix. Acctually, they mix too well...

That said, we use the gas stove to melt our wax. If you use the gas burner, think about what will happen WHEN it catches fire. How are you going to put it out? How will you contain the flame? Where's your fire extinguisher? Is your work area fire resistant? Have you cleared all of the combustibles from around your work area?

The biggest safety item is to stay calm. If you've prepared properly, when the wax starts on fire, you can just put it out with a cover lid, let it burn out, or use a fire extinguisher. DON'T move the burning pot of wax. We haven't had any wax start on fire, but if you go into it with the idea that it will, you'll be less likely to freak out if a fire starts.

Another option for melting wax is an electric hot pot. Convinient pour spout is an added bonus.

Tin can with a vise-grip is a good choice for small batches.

Michael

 

[Wisconsin Ann]

I 2nd what ya'll have said and DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM YOUR STOVE/WAX!

okay. when melting it, just melt it until it's pourable. doesn't have to be super duper hot, in fact, it's better if it's just pourable temp.

if using a coffee can, you can pinch the lip on one side into a spout.

When i'm melting wax for dipping or for pouring candles, I use a couple of things....I pick up those cheap camping coffee pots at the goodwill stores for $.50 to $1.00. no innards. They make great melters.

I also use the (also cheap at goodwill) electric coffee pots. .... the kind that used to sit on my mom's counter...OR the electric hotpots (look like a small coffeepot without innards). Those (and the coffee pots) will melt wax to 130degrees. and kEEP it there. The best thing about this type of melter is you CAN'T start it on fire. Simply doesn't get hot enough when it's on low.

oh yes..did I mention...DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM YOUR STOVE/WAX? seriously..it only takes a FLASH and you've got wax burning and bubbling and going everywhere. NOT a good thing.

 

[Paul Wheaton]

Thanks to you all talking about it, I did this for the first time last night.

I took a refried bean can and pinched one end a bit to make a bit of a pour spout. Then I put a block of beeswax in and put it in the oven at 240 degrees.

I then filled a paper egg carton with sawdust from the shop floor.

When the wax was melted, I poured it in the little cups and stirred it a bit with a nail.

This morning I burned the first one and it was excellent!

 

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

I think you should sell the farm and move back to the city if it takes this many cautions to melt some wax for firestarters! Vicki

 

[cast iron]

Finally had a chance to work on these fire starters. Made some out of egg cartons and dryer lint, and some out of tp rolls with dryer lint and the paper that the roll comes wrapped in stuffed inside the tube. They burn quite long and are much easier to ignite compared to the commercial paraffin brick fire starters.

I used a coffee can to melt the candles in. Candles were more expensive than I figured they would be, especially at goodwill, compared to walmart. I'm out of egg cartons now but two things this household has a good supply of is tp rolls and dryer lint so I guess I'll be using them from now on. Wish I could find a source for paraffin/candles that was a little more reasonably priced.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Presto fry daddy is great for doing this--If you are on-grid. I have picked up several for $3 at auctions. I use a heated small metal dipper to dip and pour. I use several because I re-melt old candles and make new ones and use a different one for different colors. Just leave wax in it till I need it next time.