Cutting candles with a bandsaw

[Jeff Skory]

Weird question for a woodworking forum but.... :( I need some advice.

My brother makes candles for a living. Upon pulling the pillar candles out of the molds they tend to have slightly uneven bottoms. So he saws the bottoms off so they will stand up straight.

He is currently using a neighbors tablesaw with the standard miter that comes with it. For most of the candles he has to make two passes because some of them are 6" tall.

DANGEROUS! DANGEROUS! DANGEROUS!

I'm afraid he's in for an accident one of these days.

As you might imagine he does not make a whole lot as a candlemaker.

I would like to purchase a bandsaw for him to get the job done in a much safer manner.

Grizzly has a Meat Cutting bandsaw for sale that has a sliding table and a 9" cutting height. This sounds perfect from the standpoint that it will handle any size candle he makes and the sliding table would not only make it quite safe but prevent the candle from getting scuffed from pushing it across the table.

However -- when I asked Grizzly about it their response was that they had never heard of cutting candles with a bandsaw before and could not recommend it.

Are they just trying to cover their butts?

I think this should work, but I thought I would run it past you guys before plunking down $350.

Thanks guys.

Jeff Skory

[Chris Padilla]

Wow...we get all kinds in here! :)

When I first read your post, I didn't think it would be a big deal but I have some other thoughts:

What about a compound miter saw? However, even the big 12" ones can't handle 6" dia.

Then I thought about a metal cutting bandsaw...the kind that you bring the blade into the pipe. Dunno if they're cheaper than $350 and I'm pretty sure they can handle 6" dia. all day long.

Finally, I'm like, "It's a friggin' candle!!" At worst, some experimentation with cutting speed and the right bandsaw blade (tpi) might be looked at but overall, how could using a BS possibly not work?? Sounds perfect to me!

He might need to pay attention to wax build-up both on the blade and the tires (perhaps they might start slipping??) but that is about it.

How about making your brother some kind of safe jig for holding the candles while making two passes to cut them on the TS?

[Jim DeLaney]

Weird question for a woodworking forum but.... :( I need some advice.

My brother makes candles for a living. Upon pulling the pillar candles out of the molds they tend to have slightly uneven bottoms. So he saws the bottoms off so they will stand up straight.


I would like to purchase a bandsaw for him to get the job done in a much safer manner.

I think this should work, but I thought I would run it past you guys before plunking down $350.


I've never tried it, but don't see why it wouldn't work quite well.

I'd make a sled to ride in the miter slot of the BS, so that the sides of the candle don't get scuffed, and would use a fairly coarse blade. Nearly any bandsaw ought to work quite well, I'd think.

For cheap, what about a 14" saw from Horrible Fright (Harbor Freight)? Not the best saw for precision woodwork, but it should handle the candles okay.

As for the wax on the blades, iI use paraffin wax to lube my BS blades occasionally...

[Rob Littleton]

Now forgive me if this is stupid idea, but would a cheese cutter theory work? I mean, a tight thin wire (maybe heated) mounted to something like a guilitine. I think back to my youth and seem to recall my mother having something like this.

Might have to make something like this but hey, like I said, forgive me if I'm off somewhere I shouldnt be.......

[Rob Littleton]

Now forgive me if this is stupid idea, but would a cheese cutter theory work? I mean, a tight thin wire (maybe heated) mounted to something like a guilitine. I think back to my youth and seem to recall my mother having something like this.

Might have to make something like this but hey, like I said, forgive me if I'm off somewhere I shouldnt be.......

Did I forget THE WICK.........

check this out http://www.degroate.com/cutter.html

[Chris Padilla]

Rob,

Not bad, not bad. I like it! :D Judging by the pics, I'd say the blade is about 8" long.

Jeff,

Pick up this baby and make him a nice miter box to keep the ends square! We just saved you like $280!! :D Paypal will work fine for us...my Bay Area buddy Rob and I work as a team here. :D ;)

[Jeff Skory]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. It's much appreciated.

I ran across that knife in my search to see if anyone else had any info on bandsaws and candles (which came up empty). I think that knife would work well for a hobbyist, but for someone who is pumping out large quantities of candles I don't think it would be quick enough.

Jim, you mentioned that I should use a fairly coarse blade. Why is this?

[Jim DeLaney]

Jim, you mentioned that I should use a fairly coarse blade. Why is this?


Just thinking that a very fine-toothed blade would be more likely to clog with wax. The coarser (3 or 4 tpi, maybe?) blade would take of 'flakes' of wax, instead. Just my opinion - as I said, I haven't tried it...

[Jeff Skory]

Just thinking that a very fine-toothed blade would be more likely to clog with wax. The coarser (3 or 4 tpi, maybe?) blade would take of 'flakes' of wax, instead. Just my opinion - as I said, I haven't tried it...

Sounds reasonable. Thanks.

[Jamie Buxton]

How 'bout a hot-wire cutter? These get used in various industries. The last time I used one, I was sculpting plastic foam to make theater sets. Except for the wick, it should work on candles. One way to make a hand-held one is to start with one of those soldering irons that are shaped like a pistol -- the kind with a trigger, two rods sticking out the front, and a loop of wire as the soldering tip. You can replace the standard tip with a longer piece of wire, like a coat hangar. Pull the trigger, and the wire gets darn hot.

[Peter Stahl]

Jeff,

I agree with Jim on the course blade and if it soft wax you could freeze them first which would help the cut.

Pete

[Art Johnson]

Wow...we get all kinds in here! :)

When I first read your post, I didn't think it would be a big deal but I have some other thoughts:

What about a compound miter saw? However, even the big 12" ones can't handle 6" dia.

Then I thought about a metal cutting bandsaw...the kind that you bring the blade into the pipe. Dunno if they're cheaper than $350 and I'm pretty sure they can handle 6" dia. all day long.

Finally, I'm like, "It's a friggin' candle!!" At worst, some experimentation with cutting speed and the right bandsaw blade (tpi) might be looked at but overall, how could using a BS possibly not work?? Sounds perfect to me!

He might need to pay attention to wax build-up both on the blade and the tires (perhaps they might start slipping??) but that is about it.

How about making your brother some kind of safe jig for holding the candles while making two passes to cut them on the TS?

My Dewalt 706 CMS will cut 6" stock standing vertical or 6 5/8" crown molding (angled). That's about the limit, however.

Cheers

Art

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Say folks
Can I throw one more thought into the stew?
How about a saber saw (tiger saw)
One of those hand held things
And then mount it in a home made table
With the blade vertical sticking out of the table, U could use a miter gage with it, to cut the candles.
OR mount it in a hinge thing and hold the candle stationary against a fence and swing the saw down over it.
Eh! I am just engaging brain
Daniel :cool:

[Chris Padilla]

Yeah...a Sawzall!!

Good thinking, Daniel. :)

[Lee Schierer]

You need a beekeeprs capping knife. Mine is electrically heated and cuts right through wax. Capping knife (http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=70&products_id=460) Its a lot cheaper than a bandsaw too!

[Wes Bischel]

Another thought would be a horizontal bandsaw. The part is usually clamped in place and the saw cuts down through it automatically. They usually have an auto off feature to shut down when the cut is done so he can be doing other things while the machine is cutting. I think the little one at HF is on sale for $150 -160. The down side of this is the clamping - I don't know if it would damage the candle or if a custom clamp would be needed.
I would agree with making a sled for the vertical BS. It can cradle the candle, yet still maintain a square cut. If his candles are only 6" consider a smaller unit - they are inexpensive especially if bought used - most people are looking for 14" units and larger so a 12" or a 3 wheel unit might be the ticket - if it has the blade clearence.


Good luck, Wes

[Jeff Skory]

Once again, thanks for all the ideas.

The hot-wire / hot knife ideas are tempting but I don't think they would last with the number of candles he produces nor would they probably be quick enough. Also there will be a wick to get through.

I decided am going to go with the Grizzly meat saw primarily because of the clearance (9") and the sliding tray.

Thank you all for your input. This forum definitely has a great set of people. :)

[Clem Wixted]

... that used to be used to cut the turkey?

This works great for cutting thick foam using only one blade. It just might work for candles.

I use old candle pieces melted down for sealing small pieces of green wood to prevent checking on the ends. I have some wax large pieces and I'll try my carving skills on one to see how it works. It will easily handle six inches.

Clem

[Jeff Skory]

... that used to be used to cut the turkey?

This works great for cutting thick foam using only one blade. It just might work for candles.

I use old candle pieces melted down for sealing small pieces of green wood to prevent checking on the ends. I have some wax large pieces and I'll try my carving skills on one to see how it works. It will easily handle six inches.

Clem

I'd forgotten about those old things. I'm minutes away from ordering the bandsaw. Hmmm... How soon are you going to test that Clem? :D

[Ray Moser]

Been there, done that. My wife has a Christmas candle with 3 wicks and it is about 6" in diameter. The wicks had burnt down into the candle and the wax would make pools that would put out the fire. We tried to cut off the excess wax on the top with a heated knife and it didn't work. So off to the shop and the bandsaw. It did work but the wax melted onto the blade and I would have to stop, set the candle aside. use a piece of wood and scrape off the wax and then go back to cutting. I finally got thru the candle. There is still wax that I haven't gotten off the blade. In other words it worked, but not real well. I think what would have worked better would have been a hot wire cutter like is used to cut foam rubber. Years ago I made one of those by unwinding a wire wound resistor and used a variable voltage power supply to supply just enough current to get it hot enough to cut foam. I didn't want to go all that trouble again and therefore used the bandsaw. It was OK for a one time job but I sure wouldn't recommend it as a regular means of cutting wax candles. Good luck, Ray

[Jeff Skory]

Been there, done that. My wife has a Christmas candle with 3 wicks and it is about 6" in diameter. The wicks had burnt down into the candle and the wax would make pools that would put out the fire. We tried to cut off the excess wax on the top with a heated knife and it didn't work. So off to the shop and the bandsaw. It did work but the wax melted onto the blade and I would have to stop, set the candle aside. use a piece of wood and scrape off the wax and then go back to cutting. I finally got thru the candle. There is still wax that I haven't gotten off the blade. In other words it worked, but not real well. I think what would have worked better would have been a hot wire cutter like is used to cut foam rubber. Years ago I made one of those by unwinding a wire wound resistor and used a variable voltage power supply to supply just enough current to get it hot enough to cut foam. I didn't want to go all that trouble again and therefore used the bandsaw. It was OK for a one time job but I sure wouldn't recommend it as a regular means of cutting wax candles. Good luck, Ray

Hi Ray,

You're the first person I talked to that has actually done this. As mentioned, my brother manages to get it to work with a tablesaw, but the blade on that is obviously much coarser than on a typical bandsaw blade.

What do you think if I could get the coarsest blade possible for the bandsaw? Do you think that would keep it from gumming up?

[Carl Eyman]

It would be good if you could find a butcher that would let you use his meat saw for a trial. The idea of a meat saw seems good to me because, among other things they are more easily cleanable than a woodworking tool. Harbor freight has them. Also check used food machinery places. Would the kind of meat slicer used in the deli section of your supermarket do the job? The idea of a smooth (no teeth) blade appeals to me. They are made. When I worked in the candy industry we used smooth blades to cut caramel and nougat. Not wax, but heat would melt it. With a smooth blade you can rig a scraper to keep it clean.

Some random thoughts. GoodLuck

[Clem Wixted]

Jeff,

I tried cutting a 4 inch candle with the electric knife. Tried with two blades first and that didn't work. Then I tried it with one blade. That didn't work either.

A few weeks ago I bought a new blade for my bandsaw to do some resawing. It is a 4 tooth half inch blade with hook teeth. I mounted it in the bandsaw and tried again to cut the candle. This candle is a fairly hard wax candle. This blade just walked through with no trouble.

Here are a few observations:

1. The cut is pretty coarse. I just pushed the candle through with no consideration for esthetics. He may want to use a little heat on the bottom of the candle after it is square and straight to make it look a little better. I'm sure he has ways to do this.

2. The sharp coarse blade actually cut the candle with no melting and no wax buildup on the blade. Both the blade and candle were about 55 degrees F when I made the cut.

3. On the fourth or fifth cut I felt the candle try to roll out of my hand a little. Round pieces tend to do that. A sliding table with a way to steady the candle will be good.

Conclusion: I think your idea of a meat saw with a sliding table and the right blade is a winner.

You might even be able to use the meat saw after a successful hunting trip. :)

Clem

[Lynn Kasdorf]

3. On the fourth or fifth cut I felt the candle try to roll out of my hand a little. Round pieces tend to do that. A sliding table with a way to steady the candle will be good.

Conclusion: I think your idea of a meat saw with a sliding table and the right blade is a winner.

Clem

If not a sliding table, a simple sled with a vee carriage to hold the round candle should work.

Somehow, my intuition says that a very narrow, coarse blade would be best. Also, the saw should run slowly. I think wax buildup will be the problem. I bet if you call Timberwolf (Suffolk), they can advise.

Perhaps the standard meat cutting saw and blade is perfect as it stands.

Another idea is simply a miter saw with a large enough blade. If a 12" blade would not do it, there are Hitachi 15" blade chop saws.

[Jeff Skory]

Jeff,

I tried cutting a 4 inch candle with the electric knife. Tried with two blades first and that didn't work. Then I tried it with one blade. That didn't work either.

A few weeks ago I bought a new blade for my bandsaw to do some resawing. It is a 4 tooth half inch blade with hook teeth. I mounted it in the bandsaw and tried again to cut the candle. This candle is a fairly hard wax candle. This blade just walked through with no trouble.

Here are a few observations:

1. The cut is pretty coarse. I just pushed the candle through with no consideration for esthetics. He may want to use a little heat on the bottom of the candle after it is square and straight to make it look a little better. I'm sure he has ways to do this.

2. The sharp coarse blade actually cut the candle with no melting and no wax buildup on the blade. Both the blade and candle were about 55 degrees F when I made the cut.

3. On the fourth or fifth cut I felt the candle try to roll out of my hand a little. Round pieces tend to do that. A sliding table with a way to steady the candle will be good.

Conclusion: I think your idea of a meat saw with a sliding table and the right blade is a winner.

You might even be able to use the meat saw after a successful hunting trip. :)

Clem

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
Clem,

Thank you, thank you, thank you! It sure was nice of you to go to all that trouble to prove that this purchase will work. I feel much, much better about ordering the saw now.

I would have ordered it last night but Grizzly's website went down about an hour after I ordered the bandsaw for my workshop.

Thanks again.

[Jeff Skory]

If not a sliding table, a simple sled with a vee carriage to hold the round candle should work.

Somehow, my intuition says that a very narrow, coarse blade would be best. Also, the saw should run slowly. I think wax buildup will be the problem. I bet if you call Timberwolf (Suffolk), they can advise.

Perhaps the standard meat cutting saw and blade is perfect as it stands.



Clem, I also think the meat cutting saw with the sliding table should work great.

Why did you suggest a 'narrow' coarse blade? I'll probably have him just test out the blade that comes with it first and if that doesn't work I'll contact Timberwolf for ideas.

Thanks again everyone. As I've said, you guys are great! :D

[craig carlson]

I cut up a block of bees wax on my bandsaw once, it cut really well, on the down side every gullet on the blade was filled with wax, the guides were coated in wax, the tires had compressed wax on them under the blade and wax was generally everywhere that I didn't want it to be. Oh well, it was time to put a new blade on and clean/tune up the saw anyway.

Craig Carlson
Sebastopol, Ca.

[Clem Wixted]

I think that my blade and gullets were clean because the wax and blade were COLD when I cut it. By cold I mean about 55 degrees F.

I recall reading a tip one time about grating cheese. The tip was to put the cheese in the freezer for a while to make it hard (firm) before grating. I tried it when I was "elected" to help grate the cheese. Worked great and the cheese didn't gum up the grater.

The same principle may be working wth cold wax. My candle wax was pretty hard either because of the type of wax or the temperature, or both. While I was cutting with the coarse blade little chips were flaking off onto the table.

Another reason the blade may have been clean was because it was a new blade and there may have been some lubricant or rust preserventive on it. I have used it today to cut some Corian and some hardwood blanks out of some small logs, so I will try cutting the candle again and see what happens.

[Jeff Skory]

...so I will try cutting the candle again and see what happens.

Clem,

Don't get your saw all dirty again. I ordered the meat saw for my brother last night, so we'll get his saw dirty when he gets it instead. :D

As far as getting the candles cold - he lives in Florida so I don't think he's going to see too many 55 degree days.

And as far as getting wax all over the saw...that's the only thing he'll be using it for so no worries there.

I'll post a note when he gets it to let you guys know how it worked out for him.

[Jeff Skory]

My brother received the meatsaw that I ordered from Grizzly and has already cut about 125 candles. Works great. He had to make a few minor adjustments and apparently the fence is not very sturdy but he feel much, much safer than he did when operating the tablesaw.

I will be visiting him during spring break vacation so I will get to see the saw in action.

Thanks again to all of you for you help.

[Clem Wixted]

You're a good brother, Jeff.

I'm sure he will love the saw and will be happy to keep all of his fingers while cutting his candles.

Thanks for the report.

Clem