Fresholi | Melting Pot Café

hopefully this is not on the wrong part of the forum, apologises if it is.

I have posted a help question for my teacup candles on this forum and on the Dish forum to get loads of advice. 

I have received good and constructive advice here but on the Dish someone advised to rethink about making teacup candles.  I am now unsure about making them just in case they are not safe.  I have made a few and used them myself and they have burned well without and cracking of the cups etc.  My question is does anyone else who makes candles what containers do you use? How do you know they are safe? How much testing do you do?

At this rate I will only be making tealights and melts.

I would appreciate any advice or opinons

xxx

Ok - there should be no issue making these. But you have to think about problems when using antique cups. Some of them are very thin bone china and may have had knocks over the years. This will create invisible fissure lines that can and will crack if there is a sudden change in temperature. I know, as my mum collects these and we use them for drinking tea (she thinks there is no need for them to gather dust). The odd one has burst.

This is much more of an issue when using them for their intended purpose though, as a cold cup will get a sudden hot tea added and any invisible fissures cause a problem. With a candle it will be gradual warming and only visible fissure could be a problem, if at all.
Best thing would be to hold the cup at the handle and ping it. If the sound is dull, it has a problem. If it makes a nice, clear sound it should be safe enough for candles - and always sell it with the saucer and advise to never leave a candle unattended.

Earthenware doesn't make a ping, by the way - not sure how safe they are for candles though, so no idea.

Many thanks for that, i didnt really want to use vintage cup as they felt to thin use.  I have found nice modern ones that we are thicker therefore I feel safer?
I do intend to warm the cups slightly and pour cooler and will test these out.

thanks again
x