Dedicated to Candle Making

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Something small in a decent silicone mould. A skep?
Abelos moulds are really good.

snap

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thornes TS 11,15,19,25,44,45,48,49,50 just to give you a few ideas

 

[Erichalfbee]

A word about the oil burner. Having done a trial run don’t use a cheap porcelain one You need a decent clay/terracotta one with a little height or the wax heats up too much and burns.

 

[E&MBees]

Thornes TS 11,15,19,25,44,45,48,49,50 just to give you a few ideas

Thanks for the suggestions. Some of them look really good. I’ll have a look at Abelo too.

 

[E&MBees]

Do I need some silicon spray to make it easier to remove the candle from the mould?
Thanks

 

[MerryBee]

i think the silicone spray is worth buying. A little goes a long way and after making a lot of candles i am still on my first can.
And i have never had a candle stick to the mould.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do I need some silicon spray to make it easier to remove the candle from the mould?
Thanks

to be honest, I seldom use it on the silicone moulds

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do I need some silicon spray to make it easier to remove the candle from the mould?
Thanks

Not on silicone moulds. An extra hand to draw out the handle while you hold the mould apart is sometimes useful.

 

[elainemary]

Love the wax melt ideas. Relate to the minefield of wick sizes. Bought some 3” wide pillar candle moulds (5” tall) to use wax remaining at the end of candle dipping. Burn great at first though found they need a big wick - using Thornes square braided no 9 (they recommend no 8, which I found was too small). However as they burn down they start to struggle unless I pour off excess melted wax at the end of the evening and every few burns trim off the excess wax as the candle burns down leaving narrow ‘shoulders’. Then they burn well again. Has anyone got any other tips re burning / wicking large pillar candles?

Elaine

 

[OXFORDBEE]

snap

I’ve just bought a couple of Abelo candlestick moulds without a hole for the wick to go through. Any suggestions on the best way to make a hole in the mould for a wick?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Love the wax melt ideas. Relate to the minefield of wick sizes. Bought some 3” wide pillar candle moulds (5” tall) to use wax remaining at the end of candle dipping. Burn great at first though found they need a big wick - using Thornes square braided no 9 (they recommend no 8, which I found was too small). However as they burn down they start to struggle unless I pour off excess melted wax at the end of the evening and every few burns trim off the excess wax as the candle burns down leaving narrow ‘shoulders’. Then they burn well again. Has anyone got any other tips re burning / wicking large pillar candles?

Elaine

Most 'recommended' wick sizes are for paraffin wax candles - always use one size larger than that recommended, sometimes two sizes for beeswax

 

[victor meldrew]

Did have a sizing list from CWJ.... somewhere but lost in our move to Cornwall some years ago!

#links or attachments of wick sizes would be greatly appreciated by all I expect.

Chons da

Wicking arrived today . All honey dealt with , so I’ll set my stall up for candle making . Keep me out of SWMBAs hair !

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wicking arrived today . All honey dealt with , so I’ll set my stall up for candle making . Keep me out of SWMBAs hair ! View attachment 22964

Let us know how it goes

 

[MerryBee]

Do I need some silicon spray to make it easier to remove the candle from the mould?
Thanks

I think JBM and Dani are right that its probably not strictly necessary if you are using silicone moulds. But if you want to use any of the plastic, glass, polycarbonate or metal moulds its definitelty worth getting a can.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

also handy for cake making using fancy tins

 

[E&MBees]

Is it possible to layer different coloured wax in the Abelo moulds? My daughter would like to make stripey Christmas candles for her friends.
Thanks

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is it possible to layer different coloured wax in the Abelo moulds? My daughter would like to make stripey Christmas candles for her friends.
Thanks

You could try. I’m not sure how much wax would run into the other. The other thing is that the wax shrinks in the mould as it hardens snd if you put liquid wax on top it might run round the outside of the candle where it’s shrunk away from the mould.
Try it and report back because I’m only guessing

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

As Dani says, if you put the second layer in to soon it will run in and blend with the level below - when my grandmother died we found a candle I had made when nine years old which she had kept - it was a square block candle which (if I remember correctly) was supposed to be two layers, one blue and one yellow, but in fact it ended up being dark jade green at the base, slowly changing to amber at the top!!
same then, if you let one layer cool too much, there's the chance (As per Dani) that the next layer will leach into the gap created as the candle contracts or (especially with pillar candles) that the two layers don't bond together properly.

 

[E&MBees]

Ok thanks. My daughter has a small cylinder mould so will try that first. Will report back with the results!

 

[hemo]

I’ve just bought a couple of Abelo candlestick moulds without a hole for the wick to go through. Any suggestions on the best way to make a hole in the mould for a wick?

One doesn't need a hole, one simply traps the wick in the slit of the silicone mould top which becomes the temporary base of the candle whilst pouring and setting.