Dipping taper candles

A taper is a long, thin candle built by dipping a wick into melted wax again and again. Each dip adds one thin layer, and the diameter grows only as the layers build up. Even layers come from an even rhythm, not from speed.

Setting up

1. Melt the wax gently in a water bath, as described in melting wax in a water bath, and keep the pot filled to a depth that covers the wick fully.
2. Choose a wick that suits the finished diameter, as set out in choosing and fixing a wick.
3. Cut the wick a little longer than the finished taper. Attach a weight or clip to its lower end so the wick hangs straight.
4. Hold the wick by its tab, not by the wax, whenever it is lowered or lifted.

The dip and cool cycle

1. Lower the wick into the wax in one smooth movement. Pause only briefly at the bottom.
2. Lift it out at the same steady speed, and let the wax drip for a moment.
3. Hang the taper to cool until the new layer is firm to the touch.
4. Repeat the cycle until the taper reaches the wanted thickness.
5. When the taper is fully cool, trim the base flat.

Keep the cycle the same from dip to dip. A change in pace or wax temperature alters every layer that follows.

Faults from speed, temperature and twist

• Dipping too fast gives thin, uneven layers and a wavy surface.
• Wax that is too cool sets in cracked layers.
• Wax that is too hot builds soft layers that sag and drip.
• A wick that twists as it is dipped leaves the taper bent.
• Drips on the base are trimmed away once they are fully cool.

How to tell the taper is even

A correct taper is straight, its layers look even, and its surface is smooth with no sudden ridges. Sight along its length against a plain background to check for bends. Look for a bend as the taper grows, not after it has cooled, because a bent taper cannot be straightened once the wax is fully set. Even layers also show later as an even melt pool when the candle burns, which is described in trimming the wick and burning evenly.