Illustration: CANDLE MANUFACTORY.
Illustration: CUTTING THE WICKS.
Candles are made of either wax, spermaceti, stearine, or tallow, or
some compound or modification of these; but of whatever they may be
made, they are formed either by dipping or casting, and hence the
names “dips” and “moulds.”
Illustration: HORSE’S HEAD.
Illustration: COOLING FRAME.
When dips are to be made, a quantity of wicks of spun cotton are
prepared by a machine, and doubled so as to form a loop at the top,
through which a stick is passed. A number of wicks are arranged in
a line on each stick, and several sticks placed side by side on a
frame, which is attached to one end of a balance beam (called by the
workmen the “Horse’s Head”), with weights at the other end, according
to the weight of the candles to be made. The frame, with the wicks
upon it, is suspended over a cistern of melted tallow (kept warm by
a small fire or flue), into which it is lowered, so that the wicks
dip into the tallow; this is repeated two or three times, till a
coating of tallow is formed on the wicks, which are then placed aside
to cool while others are served in the same way, and so on, over and
over again, till each frame weighs enough to exactly counterpoise the
weight at the other end of the beam.
Illustration: CANDLE-MOULDS.
Mould candles are made by pouring melted tallow into a wooden trough
in the bottom of which pewter moulds, of the size of the candles
required, are fixed in such a way that they open into the trough by
the ends which correspond to the bottoms of the candles to be cast in
them. The other end of the mould is brought to a point, with a small
hole in it, through which the wick is passed and fastened to a stick
running along the moulds; and as the moulds are placed in two lines,
two sticks are sufficient for the trough. Melted tallow or spermaceti
is poured into the trough, and when cold the superfluous quantity
removed, and the candles drawn out of the moulds.
Wax candles are made by pouring melted wax down the wick till
sufficient has adhered to it, then rolling the candle on a marble
slab till it is even, and afterwards polishing with a cloth.