This article was written by my mom as a script for demonstrations when she was working at a living history park. I have added some projects so it can be used as a unit study. Let me know if you have any book recommendations that would be good to use with this.
Vocabulary:
wick
saltpeter
tow
hemp
pith
mold
render
tallow
paraffin
bayberry wax
spermaceti
For over 2000 years, candles were man's chief source of light. Originally they were simply made of fat wrapped in a husk of moss or leaves. The fat was lit and burned with a puggent and smokey flame. Still other early lights were made of the oils of seeds and nuts and placed in a crude container such as a ground out stone. Wicks were sometimes contrived of plants fibers such as spun milkweed, loosely woven hemp, tow or cotton which were soaked in limewater, saltpeter, or vinegar to make them burn brighter and longer. Common rushes were sometimes stripped of their outer bark to leave the pith bare and used as a wick. Even pipe cleaners were used because the metal made the candle burn brighter. Today's wicks are much the same; still being contrived of cotton which is braided or woven and sometimes with a thin metal wire running through the center.
PROJECT:MAKE AN OIL LAMP
Candles are formed in two basic ways: by dipping or by molding. Dipped candles were made by repeatedly "dipping" the wick into the melted fat or wax until it was the desired thickness. The candle had to be dipped rapidly, because if it was held in the heated pot too long, it would melt and the dipping would have to be done again. Usually, long wicks were hung over a dowel with both ends dangling down so that two candles would be formed on each end. Wicks were hung along the length of the dowel allowing many candles to be dipped at the same time. Inccidentally, this "candle stick" is what Jack jumped over in the famous nursery rhyme. In between each dip, the candles were cooled by hanging from the dowel or by being dipped in cool water.
PROJECT:MAKE A DIPPED CANDLE
Materials:
2 large coffee cans
large pan (big enough for coffee can to sit comfortably inside)
water
stove
a pound of wax or old candles
1 package of candle wicks (Available at most craft and hobby stores in various sizes. Use a 1/2" wick for a 1/2" candle, a 1" wick is suitable for a 1" candle, etc. A wick that is too large will cause your candle to smoke, too small will cause the flame to go out.)
spoon for stirring
a candy or meat thermometer
sharp knife
2 metal washers
Begin by cutting up your wax in small pieces so it will melt quicker and place it in one of the coffee cans. Fill the other can with cool water. Cut a length of wick 2 times the desired height of the candles plus 4 inches. Tie a metal washer to each end of the wick as weights. Cut a 2 inch piece of cardboard and make a 1/2 in cut on 2 opposite sides. Centering your wick, insert the wick into the niches so that the hanging lengths are equal.
Put the the coffee can of wax into in the large pan and pour water into the pan, leaving enough room for the water to come to a gentle boil. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat. Don't use high heat and never place the can of wax directly on the heat source as it may cause the wax to catch on fire! Melt enough wax in the pot to accommodate the length of your candle, plus 3 or 4 inches. Stir the wax until it is completely melted and it reaches a temperature of 155 F if you are using paraffin or 165F if you are using beeswax. (Test the temperature by placing the thermometer in the center of the melted liquid).
Turn the heat down, but keep the water warm enough to keep the wax at a steady temperature: too cool and your candles will be lumpy, too hot and they will melt off the wick while dipping. Stir frequently. The wax at the bottom will be hotter.
Dip the wick ends into the wax to about 1 inch of the top and hold it there until you don't see any more bubbles escaping. Use a smooth motion and lift the wick straight up out of the wax. Make sure that the wet candles don't touch each other. Dip candles in the cooling can (make sure to let all the water run off before redipping) or hold them above the hot wax to cool before dipping again. Don't let your candle get too cool between dips or the layers will not stick to one another. After cooling the first dip, pull the wicks straight. Dip again to the same level and pull it out slowly but steadily. Don't leave the candles in the hot wax too long or the previous dip will melt off. Allow it to cool again. Dip as before and you should begin to see the wax building up. If it's not, then the dipping wax may be too hot. Try letting it cool down a few degrees before redipping.
Keep dipping and cooling until the candles reach 1/4 inch in diameter at the thickest end. Then cut off the bottom of the candles evenly, taking off the weights.
Keep dipping until the taper is the size you want. It will take about 30-40 dips to make a candle 1 inch in diameter. If lumps occur, roll warm candles on a smooth surface.
Increase the temperature until it reaches 182 F. Dip the pair into the wax one more time for a few seconds. Lift out and let them cool. Use a sharp, heated knife to trim the bottoms to remove excess wax and to create a flat bottom for you candles. Hang candles to cool completely. Trim the wicks to 1/4 inch.
* Never leave children or hot wax unattended! Treat a wax fire as you would a grease fire.
When a candle was molded, the wick was strung through the center of the mold and held through the end hole by a knot or a piece of potato. The piece of potato was cut and pushed onto the end of the mold to provide a seal over the hole. The hot material was poured into the mold and was allowed to cool. The mold was then dipped quickly into hot water, the candles removed, and the wicks trimmed. Most candles sold in the stores today are molded candles. They are appreciate not only for their light, but also for the beauty and atmosphere they provide. Candlemaking has become a fine craft and hobby for many people.
PROJECT:MAKE A MOLDED CANDLE
Make a candle using an empty milk carton as a mold or make a sand candle.
The traditional time for candlemaking was in the autumn. It was then that the sheep or cows were slaughtered and the fat rendered out for soap or candlemaking. Hours were spent boiling down the tallow. Because of the heat and the smell, it was an outside chore. The candles created were not very nice. Tallow candles were prone to buckle in warm weather, burned rapidly, and gave off smoke and unpleasant fumes. Bayberry and beeswax were sometimes used, but were so expensive that the candles made from them were only used by the wealthy or on special occasions. Spermaceti was another material used in candlemaking. It wasn't until the 1850's, when paraffin was discovered that the average family was able to afford bright, steady and smokeless illumination.
PROJECT:RENDER SOME TALLOW | 
