(no subject)

As some of you know, I make candles. I was getting frustrated over a particular problem I was having.

I have two candle molds used for making tapers. They're polyethylene, or urethane, or something. Some rubbery substance that candle wax doesn't stick to, so they're really easy to use for candle making. They also look too much like blunted sex toys for public display, but that's neither here nor there.

But they are just a bit too wide at the base. The candles that come out of them don't fit in standard taper holders.

Friday, I was thinking about this, frustrated that it would be senseless for me to buy more of those molds - I've been wanting to buy more molds for when I get into "make candles for gifts" mode - because of this. And was thinking. "If only there was some way to warm the candles up, so that I could mold the base. If only there was, say, some hot liquid I could put them in that would not damage the wax, but would warm the wax enough to make it able to be shaped. Boiling water won't work, because the wax would go into the water and ruin the pan. Dag nabbit, this isn't going to work! Ah well, I might as well give up, and stop pouring the hot, liquid wax into those taper molds, and pour that hot, liquid wax into other molds, because I'll never find a hot liquid that I could dip these candles into to... uh, yeah, right."

Okay, my thought process didn't go *exactly* like that. In fact, it was helped along by a friend who dips tapers, and mentioned that, while dipping the tapers, you can shape them with your hand.

I've tried it, and it works. It's ugly - the base has a bumped up ridge that isn't very pretty - but I mostly make my candles so they can be lit and give off light, not so they can be pretty. Good thing, too... they're not, you know, *ugly*, but I'm never going to win any awards.

So, Saturday and Sunday, I've done a good bit of candle-making, and I just got the terrible news: Microsoft Sammamish campus is still without power. Alas, I'll have to work from home on Monday. Oh, woe is me, and I have about 17 pounds of wax that I was looking forward to using in a made rush, at night, before bedtime, so I could keep making Christmas gifts before, you know, Christmas.

(no subject)

As some of you know, I make candles. I was getting frustrated over a particular problem I was having.

I have two candle molds used for making tapers. They're polyethylene, or urethane, or something. Some rubbery substance that candle wax doesn't stick to, so they're really easy to use for candle making. They also look too much like blunted sex toys for public display, but that's neither here nor there.

But they are just a bit too wide at the base. The candles that come out of them don't fit in standard taper holders.

Friday, I was thinking about this, frustrated that it would be senseless for me to buy more of those molds - I've been wanting to buy more molds for when I get into "make candles for gifts" mode - because of this. And was thinking. "If only there was some way to warm the candles up, so that I could mold the base. If only there was, say, some hot liquid I could put them in that would not damage the wax, but would warm the wax enough to make it able to be shaped. Boiling water won't work, because the wax would go into the water and ruin the pan. Dag nabbit, this isn't going to work! Ah well, I might as well give up, and stop pouring the hot, liquid wax into those taper molds, and pour that hot, liquid wax into other molds, because I'll never find a hot liquid that I could dip these candles into to... uh, yeah, right."

Okay, my thought process didn't go *exactly* like that. In fact, it was helped along by a friend who dips tapers, and mentioned that, while dipping the tapers, you can shape them with your hand.

I've tried it, and it works. It's ugly - the base has a bumped up ridge that isn't very pretty - but I mostly make my candles so they can be lit and give off light, not so they can be pretty. Good thing, too... they're not, you know, *ugly*, but I'm never going to win any awards.

So, Saturday and Sunday, I've done a good bit of candle-making, and I just got the terrible news: Microsoft Sammamish campus is still without power. Alas, I'll have to work from home on Monday. Oh, woe is me, and I have about 17 pounds of wax that I was looking forward to using in a made rush, at night, before bedtime, so I could keep making Christmas gifts before, you know, Christmas.