The Mod Team

Q: What is wicking up and wicking down? A. Wicking up is using a larger size wick for a larger flame. Wicking down is the opposite.

Q: What is a full melt pool? A. For pillars it's usually about 1/2 inch deep with a wall of about 3/8 inch. If the wall is too thin you may have a blowout (hole in the side with wax pouring out) and too thin it will likely tunnel down the center. Ideally the walls should be consumed as it burns down. For containers it's the same depth but no wax on the sides of the container.

Q: Do I need to spray my molds and what can I use? A. You might need to spray plastic molds, but usually you wont need to with metal molds. Both generic Pam (cooking oil spray) and silicone spray work fine. Wipe out any excess after coating.

Q: Can you use EO’s (Essential Oil’s) to scent candles? A. While you can use many EO’s to scent your candles they will not be as strong as FO’s and some EO’s are very costly.

Q: I cant smell the candle I just made, why is that? A. You may have what a lot of us candle makers refer to as candle nose. In other words you have been around the scent so long that your nose has adjusted to smelling it. Either go outside for a walk and clear your sinuses, Sniff some fresh coffee grounds/beans. Or have someone else that was not around during the making of these candles see if they can smell them.

Q: How do I find local suppliers? A. Use this link when trying to find certain suppliers close to you: http://www.craftserver.com/topic/108289-suppliers-by-state-list/?tab=comments#comment-1015415

Q: How do I clean out my pouring pot? A. Pour pots can be cleaned in different ways. One way is to use a chemical cleaner, such as Goo Gone or Goof Off. The most popular way is to heat them and wipe out with paper towels. You can place them upside down in a warm oven on a cookie sheet covered with paper towels t o let the excess wax drain out, just make sure oven isn't high enough to melt the handle. Another way to heat them is aiming a heat gun inside and then wipe with paper towels. paper towels paper-towels speedwell's perpetuals Edit... Revert to "papertowels"

Q: What do I put in my presto pot? A. This is personal preference. Many people only melt wax, weigh out the wax into their pouring pot, then adding necessary additives, dye and FO. You can also melt wax and add UV, other additives, dye and FO.

Q: Which is better dye: Liquid, blocks or chips? A. Another personal preference that you'll have to try to see what you like. Each type has its pros and cons. Many chandlers use more than one type of dye.

Q: How do I cut my wax? A Most people use a hammer and chisel to break hard slabs up into chunks. If you get a case of wax you can prop one end of a slab up on the side of the box, leaving the other end to lie inside on top of the other slabs - and give it a whack. This will keep the chunks of wax clean and contained You can also freeze it for a while and then drop it on the ground. For softer container waxes you can use a knife to cut the slabs up into more managable hunks.

Q:Why do my candles have a rippled surface? A. Too much vybar is usually the cause.

Q: What can I use as a pouring pot? A. Just about anyting that can withstand the heat of the wax. A pyrex measuring cup or even a clean coffee can with the edge pinched for a spout will work.

Q: Can I melt wax in my microwave? I don't have a Presto Pot? A. NO. You can use the double boiler method. Place the wax in a pot that fits inside the larger pot. Fill the larger pot with 6 inces or so of water and put the pot of wax in that pot to melt on the stove.

Q: How do I clean my molds? Soap and water? A. No. Take an old cookie sheet and line it with a double layer of paper towels. Place the molds and wick pins on the cookie sheet and place in the oven 175-200 degrees for about 10 minutes. You can wipe out any residue that remains with a paper towel.

Pillars are free-standing candles. For information on pillars, and how to make a basic pillar candle click here Q: How can I stop my mottled pillars from sweating? A. Two tablespoons stearic per pound of wax helps absorb oil. Alternatively, you can just wipe with paper towels and the sweating should stop in a few days. Q: How do I make a "rustic" pillar? A. The directions for Cold-Pour/Rustic are listed under the heading "Techiques and Ideas" on the left of your screen. Q: How do I make a "mottled" pillar? A. Add at least .5 ounce of fragrance oil or mineral oil per pound of straight paraffin. Pour hot (180 degrees or higher) into a preheated mold and allow it to cool slowly. Preblended waxes will not mottle because they contain vybar, which prevents mottling. Q: How do I make the layers in my pillar tilt? A. After you pour your wax in the mold sind something to set it in at the angle you want while it sets up. An easy and inexpensive holder is a large bowl or pan filled with dry beans, rice, sand, etc. Q: I just unmolded my candles and they have tiny little pinholes all over. What happened? A. When you pour too hot, you can get those holes. Try pouring a little cooler.

Q: I poured a bunch of different colors and scents in the same type jars. Some are burning well and some are not. What's up with that? A. Heavier fragrances and darker colors may require a larger wick. This is why you have to test every color/scent combo.

Q: My candle has been burning for a few hours and their is this giant blob at the top of the wick. What did I do wrong? A. The "blob" is caused by carbon deposits and is commonly known as a mushroom. A mushroom is a gentle reminder that you need to trim your wick. Extinguish the flame and let the candle cool. Trim the wick to 1/4" and relight. Certain types of wicks are more prone to developing mushrooms, zinc in particular.

Q: When I melt the wax, how hot should I let it get? A. Check the specs on your particular wax. Most waxes should not be heated over 200 degrees and heating wax over direct heat can cause a fire.

Q: What kind of thermometor do I need to use? A. Nothing fancy. A candy thermometor is fine.

Q: My candle is stuck in the mold. What do I do? A. Make sure that the mold is cool to the touch. You can place the mold in the fridge or freezer for 15 minutes or so to aid in unmolding. Longer can make the candle crack.

Q: Do I really need to measure the temperature of my wax? A Yes

Q: Can I use continer wax for votives/pillars? A. No. Container wax is generally softer and not suited for other applications.

Q: Why do you pour your tester container candles wickless? A. When testing, it is best to pour wickless. When the candle cools completely, take a skewer or knitting needle and poke a hole down the middle where the wick will go. Take the wick that you want to test, pop it out of its tab, and stick it down in the hole. Go back with a heat gun and zap the hole to fill it in. If you begin testing the wick and don't like the way it is burning, simply pop the wick out and put another one in.

Q: How can I get leftover wax out of my container/pour pot? A. Again, put the container in the warm oven on a cookie sheet. If there is only a small amount of wax in the container, line your cookie sheet with paper towels and put the containers in upside down. The paper towels will absorb the wax as it melts and runs out.

Q: What is a presto pot? A. Click on the link to your left titled "Budget Wax Melter." It is located under "General Info". This will explain what it is, what it is used for, and how to make one. It is a candlemaker's best friend.