Candlemaking

Wax is extracted from spent honey comb with the heat of the sun in a solar extractor.

For candle dipping, the bath comprises a deep tin, such as a 3-litre olive oil tin, resting in a thermostatically controlled and insulated bain marie set at 70 degrees centigrade.

The candle is started by dipping a length of appropriately sized wick (in this case 3 x 14 strands) in the melted wax.

In between dips the wick is hung up and left to cool for a short while.

Before re-dipping, drips of wax are cut from the bottom. The candles are ready when they are three-quarters of an inch thick half way up their length.

David Heaf's Warré beekeeping index