Old Fools Journal: Naked Candle Making

Here on the homestead today the temperature topped out about 36 degrees F (28*C) so you know I didn't spend a great deal of time outdoors. In fact my longest trip was a 30 foot (9m) round trip walk to the mailbox. The kilt was not the best choice of outdoor wear. It's been a long time since I've had goose bumps on my butt like that.
It was a good day to find an indoor project that involved heat. Above you see my "Laboratory" for making candles but today it will be the rebuilding of candles. This is also where I do my cloning, re-awakening of the dead and food preparation.

The tools today are for candle making. The blue thing in the upper left hand corner is a coffee cup warmer given me by my dear friend Missy about 8 years ago. It is handy. It's good for warming up a dead brain by keeping the coffee warm and it melts that "pot pie" tin of left over old candle pieces. It's just warm enough to keep paraffin flowing without getting anywhere near the flash point. The paraffin is just liquid so I can pick up the tin with my bare hands.

The candle to the right is at an end and was poured into the tin right after the pic was taken. The next one is just finished and is made of old candle pieces. It is burning nicely while I write this. The next one is a refurbish that is not working out that well so will probably be melted down at the next session. There is candle wick yarn from the thrift store, 100 foot for 35 cents American. Then there are the tools, an old cheese knife, bamboo chopsticks, wooden toothpick, bamboo skewer, wooden clothespin, straightened paperclip and scissors. The paper plate is optional but makes clean up much easier. The bamboo chopsticks and skewer are acquired at the Asian grocery and are essential tools in any kitchen, galley or laboratory. The clothes pin came from China but it is destined for the firepit. The Chinese just do not have the hang of clothespins yet. The shape is fine, the spring is fine, the wood is fine but it just doesn't work. It flies apart at the slightest provocation. I'm looking for another source. I use a lot of wooden clothes pins for everything but hanging clothes.
Candles satisfy some primeval need I have for an open fire. It seems I especially need it in winter. I think I am not far removed from the cave.
Raw material. 5.5 pounds (2.5k) paraffin. It was free so I might as well make candles of it. When that's used up I want to try some beeswax. I think beeswax is the bee version of earwax. Hmm earwax candles. Nah.

More bicycle innertubes
I finished wrapping my outdoor faucets with bicycle inner-tubes. I used up all the bubble wrap that stuff came wrapped in this year. I wouldn't go buy the stuff but I hate to just throw stuff away without getting at least one more ride. I left the stem on for a statement.

PS:The new candle wick fell over against the side of the glass and with a loud pop sent a chunk of the glass about 4 feet on to the carpet and commenced to melt its way toward the center of the earth. I'm sure glad it didn't land in my lap.