Make Shot Glass Candles

If you're at a loss for what to do with your growing shot glass collection, get creative and turn them into interesting candles. It's a great alternative to letting them gather dust in a cabinet, allows you to show off your collection, and helps create atmosphere with a funky flare. Here's how!

Steps

  1. Break up all your old, half burned candles into a measuring cup. You can use discolored wax if you are planning on adding some wax dye.
  2. Place the measuring cup into a pan of boiling water until the wax melts.
  3. Watch to see when the wax has almost completely melted. At this point, you will be able to add the wax dye (if your original wax is discolored).
  4. Place the wicks inside the shot glasses. Make sure you only use glass shot glasses or any other thick glass. Put a small drop of glue on the tip, and press that into the bottom center of the glass to make sure the wick stays put.
  5. When the wax has melted down, pour the wax into each shot glass. Be careful not to submerge the entire wick.
  6. When the wax is almost completely set, move the wick into the center of the glass and then leave it to fully set. Wax contracts as it cools, so you may need to do pour more wax after the candle has set.
  7. Finished!



Tips

  • If you're going to recycle candles, recycle them into the same type of candle––i.e. recycle tapers into tapers, pillars into pillars, container candles into container candles. Pre-tabbed wicks are safest, and can be found at just about any craft or hobby shop (Michaels, Hobby Lobby, A.C. Moore, and so forth).
  • Tie the wick around a toothpick. When you lay the toothpick across the shot glass the wick will hang down in the middle. Trim away all but 1/4 inch (6.35mm) of the wick before you light it.
  • Thicker shot glasses make safer candles.
  • Use different dyes or colors for different types of glasses. Use some green wax to form an olive, and put a toothpick through it while it is melted. Add this to the Martini glass wax, and allow it to set along with the wax inside the glass.
  • Wax crayons are pretty good for dyeing candles, although they can stop it from burning if you use too much.
  • Don't worry about breaking the glass, Most shot glasses are made of Borosilicate and are thus heat resistant

Warnings

  • Be sure to use a heat resistant container for melting the wax. Acrylic or hard plastic will deform.
  • You should really use solid and heavy glass for this. Be very careful as some glass will break from heat and this is a fire hazard.
  • If the candle burns all the way to the bottom of the glass or the flame touches the sides, the glass could crack.
  • Wax doesn't boil, it combusts, so be sure you don't heat your wax to a degree above the melting point of the wax.
  • Container candles are made from a softer wax than pillars and tapers. The heat build-up in container candles like this could cause the glasses to shatter, which at best would send hot liquid wax all over whatever surface the item was sitting on. At worst, it could cause a fire!
  • Don't use plastic shot glasses. They may melt away.
  • Candle making is a lot of fun, but you need to know what you're doing or you could end up giving a dangerous gift. Be careful!

Things You'll Need

  • A shot glass or any thick glass
  • An old measuring jug
  • Pan
  • Wax
  • Wax dye in various colors
  • Wick
  • A small drop of fast-dry glue

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Sources and Citations

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