Mezz Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Hi, Newbie here with using palm wax, and pillar molds.So, I poured two.1). Can you please suggest household product to help with release?2). Ideas on how to clean the molds would be greatly appreciated.:embarasse Answers are probably staring me in the face, but I'm sleepy. I been a lurker, and thank you for great suggestions and ideas. All the best. Mezz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geekrunner Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Adding stearic should help with release, but you also can try using cooking spray like Pam before pouring the wax in. To clean, you can turn the mold upside down on a paper towel lined cookie sheet and heat in the oven on ab 150* F (or whatever the celsius equivalent is) for a few minutes, then wipe it out with paper towelling when it's cooled down enough to handle.HTH! geek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mezz Posted February 8, 2006 Author Share Posted February 8, 2006 Thanks Geekfirst, i didnt mention that the palm i have is a FROSTED pillar blend.Have steric, but never used it.how much of the steric would i need to use, and would it affect the delibrate frosting of the blend.hmmm, PAM? never seen it in our supermarkets. could you tell me main ingredients? is it a vegetable oil? maybe i have something similar. Oh, and would this affect the overall look of the frosting? thanks, ill try cooking the mold in the oven as you suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geekrunner Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 I'm not really familiar with that, so I'm not certain how stearic will affect the look you want. I do know in general that stearic does aid in mold release.Pam is a brand name of a vegetable no-stick cooking spray that is a low calorie substitute for using butter or margarine. It can be used as a mold release in pillars. Some people have used silicone spray also (for mold release, not cooking )geek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeana Posted February 8, 2006 Share Posted February 8, 2006 Hi, Newbie here with using palm wax, and pillar molds.So, I poured two.1). Can you please suggest household product to help with release?2). Ideas on how to clean the molds would be greatly appreciated.:embarasse Answers are probably staring me in the face, but I'm sleepy. I been a lurker, and thank you for great suggestions and ideas. All the best. MezzI have to use stearic- 5% in my palm wax. This is the only way I can get them out. And they just drop out if I use it. Saves on so much trouble, worth getting it. As for cleaning the molds you can heat gun them and wipe then out with paper towels or stick them in the oven on warm and paper towel them out. Because the stearic makes the wax pull away from the side so well I find I don't need to clean the inside that much. I always have to clean the tops though. I use the cleaner for getting gummy stuff off called "desolvit". Works great to get off tape residue and wax. Then I go over it with alcohol. If I don't do this I will get leaks on the next pour.HTH:cheesy2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mezz Posted February 8, 2006 Author Share Posted February 8, 2006 my new best friends - Geek and JeanaI cooked the molds, and they cleaned up a breeze!As I have the steric, I will try that today - pot on the boil as I type. I'll let you know whether the frosting retains its look.I really like the palm, so I am very happy that you were able to help, as I am of nature, rather lazy when it comes to clean up.I didnt want to have to ditch the palm for pillars.I do love the soy, but not very successful with pillars. Plodding along...., but thats part of the fun of our trade/art/stress relief or not/fun/maddness. Kind of like raising a family.desolvit is another good friend of mine - thanks for that hint. However, i reckon with the alcohol, it could be a matter of, restraint to keep it away from the lips! Really, i dont drink - well at least while making candles.I do love the soy, but not very successful with pillars there.Thanks again, you two.Mezz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeana Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Hey the best time to have a glass of wine (or other alcohol) is when you're boiling up some candles. Actually I was talking about rubbing alcohol for the cleaning the tops of the molds. It gets any grease off and helps the tape stick.If you need help with the soy pillars just ask. Many of us could help with that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 I've made up several batches of palm pillars and votives and had zero trouble with sticking. I did use the palm stearic acid recommended - 1-3 tablespoonfuls per pound of wax. We used the minimum for the first batch and worked our way up to the maximum.We are not using purchased molds right now - using "found" molds like plastic containers, milk cartons, etc. Even the little glass flowerpots make nice molds (be SURE there is no "lip" that bulges inward on the rim of the glass, however, or the candle will hang in the mold). We do clean up the glass "molds" before repouring, but when the others get funky, into the trash they go! I don't NEED more stuff to wash...We, too, heat the molds and wipe them out with paper towels - works very well for soy and palm, although the container soy cleans up the easiest of everything we have tried thus far...I just got in some soy for pillars today - have not made any yet, but the votives I made earlier just dropped out in my hand! We love soy and palm wax - especially palm because of the interesting effects one can achieve with it.Not sure about candlemaking, but one should pay attention to the composition of the mold as well as the casting material when choosing release. Certain agents that work well for metal or abs plastic will eat latex alive, etc.Good luck - hope you're havin' fun!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mezz Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 Jeana - Thought you may have meant rubbing alcohol - lol - got some of that too - use it for many clean up jobs - once again, didnt think for molds - newbie you know:rolleyes2 I have loads of trouble with release of CB135, and a so called 100% soy. the only way i can get them (votives and pillars) out is into the FRRREEZER. how do you get them to release easily?Stella - great ideas - ty so much. i love to recycle, and will take your idea for using as molds - and LOVE the consumable aspect!as you know, i am new to the pillars, and will wait till i am happy with result of standard. wicking is really poopy. Really interested in learning from you, regards to techniques for different effects. Can you please for now just to whet my appetite, name a couple?Tahnsk again.Mezz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeana Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Well the biggest problem you are having with your soy pillars is that you are using container blends to make them. You have to get a pillar blend wax to make a pillar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mezz Posted February 9, 2006 Author Share Posted February 9, 2006 used container blend for votives, and as suggested by the company who sold it to me, added beeswax been a while, but think it was 2 tbls to the pound. since then i have got ecosoya pillar blend.none of them "fall out".I always need to freezer them - that helps. perhaps im expecting too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeana Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 You're not expecting too much. I haven't heard any supplier say to use container blends for votives before. Even though they told you this it doesn't seem to be working. Just stick to the pillar blends for votives.I have been using ecosoya pb for a while now. I had to add another softer wax to it though because it was kind of brittle on its own. The other wax was KY pillar blend. I didn't like either one on its own but blended they work out well. I recently started heating my molds - pillar and votives prior to pouring the wax. I noticed a huge difference. They fall out of the molds and they have a beautiful shiny appearance. I always do a second pour for my votives even though this wax is not supposed to need it. I think they come out prettier if I take that extra step. Preheating the votive molds really helps to eliminate the second pour line. Also I don't know how long you are letting the molds sit. If the weather is warm it can take longer. I generally let mine sit overnight.HTH:cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted February 9, 2006 Share Posted February 9, 2006 Mezz, I would be remiss if I did not qualify my mold choices by cautioning that using "found" molds IS dicey... flexible plastic and cartons are tricky because handling after pouring can put stress on the fragile structure of the cooling candle that later becomes a faultline, leading to the Grand Canyon... I have seen some kool mold lifter rigs here and there that look like they would make handling much easier on the baby candle...Metal or hard plastics (abs, etc.) are more reliable solutions because of the support they give to the candle inside. I use molds a lot in other artistic pursuits and have eaten my share of castings because the mold I was using was too flimsey or (ESPECIALLY!!!) because I couldn't keep my dang HANDS off it!!:rolleyes2 I am my own worst enemy when it comes to cracks...:rolleyes2 My tastes run to rustic things, so I love using "found" materials - more bucks to spend on da smell-goods! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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