Simple and Easy Wax Melting

Many projects may call for melted wax.  You could want to make candles, emergency lighting, camp fire lighters and much more.  It is great to know how to melt wax in a simple and safe way.  Check out these tips to accomplish a great melted wax. 

Start with a double boiler.  I would use an old can in a sauce pan so you can discard the can when you are done.  Saves on clean up.

Make sure the pot that the wax will go in is clean and completely dry.

Break up the paraffin block with a hammer and/or ice pick so that you have smaller chunks to work with. In many cases, you can use old candles.

Make a double boiler by filling half of a large saucepan with water and placing a smaller saucepan or a coffee can inside. No water should be in the smaller pot.

Put several chunks of wax into the top of the double boiler and set the heat on high.

Stir the wax frequently as it heats.

Use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the wax. The melting point of paraffin is about 125 degrees F.  With some projects you may only need to watch for the wax to be barely melted.  The thermometer will not be needed.

Prepare to pour the wax when it reaches its pouring temperature. This depends on the mold material. Metal molds require the wax to be between 180 and 200 degrees F. For paper cartons, glass, rubber, etc., the pouring temperature is 130 to 150 degrees F.