Hobby Thread - June 20, 2026 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. For this week, the Wheel of Hobbies (TM) is on fire. It spun and spun and landed on a candle theme for this Hobby Thread.

"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle." St. Francis Of Assisi.

[Photo credit: NoName_13 on Pixabay]

Quick shout out to all the Hordelings that attended the Virginia MoMe. I can now confirm that some of you exist in real life. Thank you for making the trip. Great to spend quality time on a lovely day with the AoS family.

A candle theme? I'm a little surprised myself but enough people mentioned it in the comments last week to tilt the Wheel of Hobbies (TM). But how interesting can candles be???? Let's find out together.

I did not realize that candle making is such a big thing. Based on YouTube videos, approximately half of the world's population is currently involved in candle-making and posting videos about how to do it. Have I missed something that everyone else knows about? Is candle making a cult? Is there a conspiracy to lure new and unsuspecting non-candle makers into the club? And do people really burn this many candles? So many questions...

From my limited research, it seems that the first requirement of candle making is a kitchen. You must repurpose your mixer, pots, stove top and kitchen counter. Seems like you could make cookies instead if you're going to go through all that, but I am a dinosaur with a small brain and have much to learn.

It also seems like many candlemaking videos are oriented to people trying to make a small business out of candlemaking, not just hobbying. I have stayed away from videos that scream "THE TOP 10 THINGS YOU MUST DO IN YOUR CANDLEMAKING BUSINESS" or "I MADE $300,000 LAST YEAR SELLING CANDLES FROM MY BASEMENT!!!!"

Do you make candles? Do you have traditions that involve candles?

What are you hobbying?

Candles are the theme, but the thread is not limited to candles. In fact, anything (legal) you are hobbying is welcome. Even if the theme does not speak to you, you might learn something. If not, find something else or offer something else relating to hobbying. If all of that fails, just check in and say hello.

As per usual Hobby Thread etiquette, keep this thread limited to hobbying. Leave politics and religion to threads elsewhere (unless your hobby is building or restoring churches). Ignore whatever gibberish Kamala is talking about these days. Pants are optional. As always, puns are welcome and encouraged.

Play nice and do not be rude. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls.

There are a bazillion videos on YouTube about how to make candles in your home.

Carving candles?

Step 1: make candles in the most inefficient way possible
Step 2: have French people make the candles
Step 3: sell inefficient French-made candles as a "luxury" item for $660
Step 4: profit!

Prefer your candle making with a little history?

Guess Yankee Candles are a thing?

Asking the important questions - where did the candle wax go?

Time for science!

Do citronella candles work to repel mosquitos?

Citronella and Mosquitoes: What Really Works to Keep Them Away

Citronella oil is extracted from Cymbopogon species - types of lemongrass - and is rich in mosquito-repelling compounds like citronellal, citronellol, and geraniol. These compounds interfere with mosquitoes' ability to locate humans by masking the scents that attract them.

However, the "citronella plant" often found in garden centers (usually a type of scented geranium) contains very little citronella oil and does not offer the same protection unless its leaves are crushed and applied directly - a far cry from the ease of a ready-to-use spray.

Citronella candles and tiki torches are popular for outdoor use, but their range and effectiveness are limited. They may provide mild deterrence in a small radius but are not sufficient for lasting protection, especially if there's even a light breeze.

Similarly, decorative citronella plants add aesthetic value but don't repel mosquitoes unless the plant's oils are actively released. This makes them more of a conversation piece than a serious solution.

For those seeking reliable mosquito relief, citronella-containing sprays and wipes offer several practical options. They contain active concentrations of citronella oil and are designed to be applied directly to the skin, where they provide a more consistent barrier.

I hate mosquitos.

Wax selection seems to be a big deal.

Lots of videos out there but most are unhelpful (at least to me). Soy? Paraffin? Beeswax? Coconut? Palm? Blends? I don't know. Eco-friendly and sustainable? Sorry - I just can't inflict a video on you from a woman named Flower with a septum piercing trying to explain it. It makes my small dino head hurt.

Until I learned about edible candles...now you have my attention.

Where do those funky candle shapes come from? Silicone molds! Can you make candles in silicone molds with beeswax? Yes!

Making wood candlesticks on a lathe. Sounds like a great idea!

There is nothing like singing Silent Night at a Christmas Eve service by candlelight:

German Christmas pyramids are a great use of candles.

Horde Hobbying

Teresa in Fort Worth has been busy stitching a stocking for her young grandson, Niko.

Nice!

Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We did an childhood hobbies theme. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.

Notable comments from last week:

She gets it. Thank you.

Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.

posted by Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

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