Making tallow candles & wicks

[StormySar]

How does one prepare tallow so that it is clean and pure for candle making?

Is there any way to color tallow candles - food coloring or anything?

What can be used as a wick? I've heard of cotton yarn, is that the type of yarn you'd find at a craft store or would I have to special order it? Could I use cotton string? Would I need to braid it, or just use a single strand?

How would I prepare the wick for the candle? I've heard of using turpentine - is that safe? Will it give off an odor or toxins as it burns?

[cristeen]

To prepare tallow for candle-making would be pretty much the same as rendering it for eating, I would imagine... heating it to allow the impurities to settle and skimming the pure off the top.

You do not want to use a cotton yarn, nor a single strand string. Most wicks are braided, although I don't have any idea how they're treated.

I'd imagine if you do some searching on candle supplies, you should be able to find most of what you need.