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HELP with PVC pipe as candle mold..


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Hi, everyone! I'm new here but I've been making candles for about 2 years. I make tumbler candles with a one pour creamy wax and 100% beeswax taper candles. I love working with beeswax.

I'm a nun in a monastery and would love to make our own candles. Our altar candles are 1.25 x 23. I have tried using a PVC pipe but even with spraying with silicone and freezing the mold the candle is very, very hard to pull out.

Does anyone have any ideas? I would love to get a mold for these but so far haven't found a company who will do it.

The Sisters want me to make our Paschal candle but I have visions of a huge candle I can't get out of the mold!

Thanks!

Sr.M. Catharine

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Just a thought, what if you use wax paper or a silicone wrap of some kind that withstands heat in the mold and then grease the side that would be exposed to the heat of the wax? Just wondering if it would pull out more easily and if it would unwrap.

I'd maybe try spraying with Pam or a cooking spray and see if that works easier than the silicone mold release. Am not about to say it will, but it might be worth a try or some other form of mold release.

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Scented, you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought at one point in time there was a candlemaker from the old CandleTech boards that was making molds out of PVC pipe. If memory serves me right, he would use the wax paper as a liner but he would also spray the paper with a mold release - his candles came out with relative ease. I agree to try with Pam Cooking Spray, just make sure that you wipe the candles down very well before you use them.

Something to consider would be changing waxes - maybe using a paraffin or a paraffin blend with beeswax. From my experience, beeswax is a little bit softer than the paraffin which might explain why the candles are so hard to remove. If you use a paraffin base, the candle would be harder and you should be able to remove the candle easier. It's a theory at best, but might be worth a try.

I will be following this thread closely, I have been interested in making my own molds out of PVC since I saw that it's possible. I'll be picking my fiancé's brain when I can as well, if he comes up with anything that will work, I will be sure to post it here. If we can figure this out, the possibilities are limitless - I can't get the thought out of my head about the beautiful sheen that would be created and those molds would practically be indestructible.

Good luck, Sister - please keep us informed.

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I believe the candles Sr. makes need to be beeswax.

I don't remember on the old board ... might remember later though, currently have my brain wrapped in something else with no room to spare ;)

I THINK ... won't swear on it ... there are some other choices here too ..., but it may require forming. So if wax paper won't work (even taped or glued together type of thing ... soapers use a type of (dang I need my brain cells for this) plastic material that can be cut to fit their molds ... it's in the needlework-ish type of place at a Hobby Lobby (expensive for what little there is though IMO) ... but it can be rolled ... it is flexible enough, however you'll have to deal with making sure you've got the top of your candle mold greased.

Whatever you use you're going to have to grease down (don't slather it to death, but make sure it's greased and evenly coated ... I just think silicone is the wrong thing for type of mold ... if it were all tin, it would be perfect ... however, it isn't. Look for non-absorbing type of materials ... that brings things to mind like those flexible cutting mats at Wal-Mart (again though they may have to be pieced together and that could present other problems) ... but I'd also look into making your own molds.

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I can understand the brain issues, sweetie. I just had UPS show up with a Peak's order, FedEx showed up with a camera case from Amazon and I ordered some samples from Indigo that showed up in the regular mail. I was fine until I started smelling the samples - I'm blaming Indigo on the complete and total train derailment in my head. I have to have linear thought to function some days - they done goofed me all up!

You mentioned tin, that may be another option other than PVC. You can go to any home improvement store and they have sheets of it, it'd just be a matter of having it formed into the correct dimensions and then sealed. I would suspect it would be cheaper than finding a mold online if in the event the PVC doesn't work and you might be able to even have one of the sales representatives shape and seal it for you. Tin is hard to handle from what I'm told so if you go this route, you'll definitely have to find someone that can work with it.

I just glanced down at the bottom of the page and came across this - http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?110520-Homemade-PVC-Pipe-Mold - Candybee used flexible cutting boards from Dollar General for her liners although hers were for soap molds, I'm sure it can be modified for wax.

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Don't use cooking spray. I tried it once and it left little pits in my candle because it bubbles when you spray it on a surface. I agree with Faerywren, I have made molds from pvc pipe before and simply cut the pipe in half, used rubber bands to hold it together and it worked surprisingly well. I made a large square mold once out of a plastic deck post cover. It also worked really good. It can be done!

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You guys are great! Thank you! I have been afraid to cut the pipe in half but now I'm going to give it a try. I haven't gotten to making another candle. Too busy in the soap room! Someone also suggested not only putting it in the freezer but leaving it out for about 20 minutes, bang it on the counter and supposedly it will come out. I'm going to try tomorrow!

 

I'll give you an update as soon as I can!

And yes, the candles are supposed to be 100% beeswax.

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  • 4 weeks later...

UPDATE! I finally made 3  22" candles with pvc pipe. I used cooking spray instead of silicone and it slipped right out. i didn't even have to put it in the freezer! I did only 1 quick spray and it was enough. Hurray!

I recently found out that silicone isn't helpful on plastic such as PVC. 

 

I need 6 for Easter. I have 2 made as I have only 2 molds. But now I know what to do!

 

Thank you everyone!

Sr. Mary Catharine

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

What is the best choice of wick for such long candles? I am also planning a series of long candles from PVC molds, and was looking for the best options for wicking.

 

Thanks, Fiberware

You would have to get spooled wicking in the size of wick you need. Good luck! 

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  • 2 months later...

Okay, folks, my incredibly artistic, but not  computer savvy sister has decided to add candle making to her repertoire.  

She wants to copy an old pillar candle (probably 50 years, at least). which is decorated.  While I have no doubt she can do it, finding a 4" mold that is 18-20" long is the trick.   My DH said "What about PVC pipe?", which is how I got here.

Cutting it lengthwise and using radiator clamps is brilliant.  Wiping (rather than spraying) Pam is also great.

But, two things are problematic:

1) what does one use as a "stopper" for the bottom?  (I assume drilling a hole in it, feeding the spooled candle wick through it, and preumably knotting the end would be the thing to do), and

2)  There is an oval cut-out midway up the candle she has (the old one).   I get that the wick obviously cannot go the length of the candle, so are there any ideas?   I'm thinking a votive-sized cut in. 

But I'm a whiz at over-engineering, and completely non-talented in any artistic endeavor  (we joke that, when talents were handed out in Heaven, Chrissy stood in that line twice - once for herself, and once for me.  I mean, she doesn't even use patterns when sewing, for Pete's sake!)) .

Please help.

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Okay, folks, my incredibly artistic, but not  computer savvy sister has decided to add candle making to her repertoire.  

She wants to copy an old pillar candle (probably 50 years, at least). which is decorated.  While I have no doubt she can do it, finding a 4" mold that is 18-20" long is the trick.   My DH said "What about PVC pipe?", which is how I got here.

Cutting it lengthwise and using radiator clamps is brilliant.  Wiping (rather than spraying) Pam is also great.

But, two things are problematic:

1) what does one use as a "stopper" for the bottom?  (I assume drilling a hole in it, feeding the spooled candle wick through it, and preumably knotting the end would be the thing to do), and

2)  There is an oval cut-out midway up the candle she has (the old one).   I get that the wick obviously cannot go the length of the candle, so are there any ideas?   I'm thinking a votive-sized cut in. 

But I'm a whiz at over-engineering, and completely non-talented in any artistic endeavor  (we joke that, when talents were handed out in Heaven, Chrissy stood in that line twice - once for herself, and once for me.  I mean, she doesn't even use patterns when sewing, for Pete's sake!)) .

Please help.

Pam could leave pock marks and also sticky colored residue on the outside of the candle. I would use a silicone spray instead. 

Wicking if you wanted it to go the length of the candle you would need spooled wick and then prime it if you want. It can be done. 

 

not sure what you mean by oval cut out - is it in the side of the candle? because if so, that could be achieved 2 ways - one with something inside the mold, or you can get vats, dip it and then cut the oval out. 

Cutting the mold length wise would work, but why? I mean, if you season it, it will unmold very easily, and you won't end up with seam lines like you can if you have a 2-piece mold. 

 

For the bottom of the PVC to stop the wax, I would suggest a piece of silicone or something that will create a seal, but you can also poke a hole through for the wick. 

 

Or to avoid the wicking through the mold all together, you could get a wick pin and seal it with putty. But you'd probably have to replace the base on the pin because most are made for 3" wide molds, not 4, but it can be done, I know Peak used to carry pins that tall, (I have 4 of them) but I don't know if they still do, as I've pretty much stopped using pins. 

They also have/had an 20:x3" seamless aluminum mold that you could probably use, but again it is only 3" wide, not 4. 

 

Hope this helps a bit... 

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If we could get a few pictures of the candle she is trying to recreate that would help a lot.  I am thinking with out pics that she is wanting a forever candle if the wick does not go all the way through the candle. You can do that a few ways one use a silicone insert. Another way would be a hole drill just do not speed drill it and chip out the excess wax and place another candle or pour another candle in the hole.

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Vicky_Co and Jcandleattic, et al  - Thank you so much for the responses.  Unfortunately, Chrissy doesn't have a way of forwarding me any photos (she got, but had to return a cell phone, as she was not able to use it.).  Yes, it is a forever candle.   I wish you could see it, as it's a work of art!    The oval hole does go completely through the candle - it's rather large and - if I remember correctly - has an Putti sort of angel or cherub suspended in it.   Old gold glitter, ribbons, pearl-headed pins inserted through gold beads, hand-painted filigree around the hole, set on a hand-carved capital (sp?) with a white wash.

Can/would either of you or others suggest a good, basic candle-making book for beginners?   Chrissy is very visual, so something with photos and/or drawings would be excellent.   And terms, as well.

Read that Pam should be sprayed on a towel and wiped on, rather than sprayed on, to avoid the pocking.  Also read (in this forum) that silicone and PVC don't get along all that well.  

Open for any and all suggestions.  Again, my thanks.

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Sounds like a pretty advanced cut & carve candle - but it's hard to say without knowing what it actually looks like... 

 

you can check out these books, and also search some youtube videos on it. There are some really interesting ones. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Cut-Carve-Candles-Beautiful-Twist/dp/1579904629

 

http://www.amazon.com/Yaley-Books-Dip-Carve-Candles-Book/dp/B00C9MZO9Y/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1XPVJ1S4CJTSMGN06SFJ

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  • 3 years later...
41 minutes ago, Br. Tim said:

smcatharine

 

Do you think you could share your knowledge with this Humble Franciscan, who pleads ignorance in the subject?

 

Thank you

 

Prior@LivingStoneMonastery.org

Hi @Br. Tim - smcatharine hasn't been on the forum in over 2 years. It might be worth bringing up the topic in a new post with a new question. You may be more replies that way. 

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  • 1 year later...

Try cutting a slit from top to bottom along the side of a length of PVC.  Seal the slit with tape (something tough enough to handle heat of wax pour like electrical tape or duct tape.)  use PVC glue to glue a plastic disk onto bottom (plumbing stores make a "knock out" which works great; a PVC pipe cap is too rounded) and drill a wick hole of about 1/8" in center.  Wick the mold as usual, using a piece of tape, hot glue, putty or something to seal the wick hole prior to pouring.  Slit in PVC should allow easy removal of candle from mold without having to use sprays, greases, or papers.

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