rachf19 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 OK, this problem is driving me insane, especially since I can't seem to fix it, LOL. I tried reading the votive instructions again and again and again, and I think I'm following them to the T. I also did a search on the board, but am coming up blank. I NEED HELP!!!!When I make my votives and go to do the re-pour, the wax does not evenly coat the top. There are areas of the votive (outside of the shrunken wax area, of course) that the wax just doesn't get to. I thought that my pouring surface was uneven, but it's my kitchen counter... maybe my house is uneven?!??!! I don't know what else to do to try and fix this... Could I be pouring my first pour too high? Would that make a difference? I'm trying pouring lower the first time right now and am impatiently waiting for the time to do the re-pour... Please help before I go insane!!!! TIA, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob in tx Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Are you using the votive molds that are on the rack. Your kithchen counter could be perfectly level and the rack could be slightly warped. I would use a level and check the counter top. Are they all uneven or just a few. If you are using the rack of votives, I would check it after I put it on the counter top. Just curious..Rob in tx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue-NY Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 My opinion is you are pouring the first pour too high. When I first started making votives I did this and had to learn to pour the first level to just below the rim. I did that and when the wax cools it shrunk enough so that I could do a second pour all the way across. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 I think you also might be pouring too high. I pour my votives to just below where the lip starts to curve out. Then the second pour goes on smooth and all the way across. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachf19 Posted March 4, 2006 Author Share Posted March 4, 2006 I am using the single votive molds... I am about to do my re-pour on the one that I poured lower, so we'll see what happens!Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob in tx Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 I think I agree more with Sue-NY and AngelaVa now that they mentioned it. I have not poured votives in a while. I know my rack mounted votives had a warp in it. But the votive molds do have that rim that could cause the wax to shrink unevenly if poured to high. Rob in tx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 There are actually 2 ways to skin this cat. You can make the first pour lower as people are suggesting. Alternatively you can overflow the second pour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane42 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 I had this problem when I started making votives. I was pouring too high, when I tried to do the second pour, it would start to drip off the side I was pouring before it even filled the other side (does that make sense to anyone but me )Anyway, what the others have suggested works well.....leave a little bit of the top of the votive mold showing so the second pour has something to "hold onto".... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rachf19 Posted March 4, 2006 Author Share Posted March 4, 2006 Jane, what you described is exactly what was happening. I poured lower the first time, poured the second time, it covered completely, and it looks good! Top, as for your suggestion, even when I would pour so much the second time that it overflowed all over the newspaper on my counter, it still didn't reach all areas.Pouring lower at first seems to have fixed my newbie problem... Only thing is that the top doesn't end up perfectly level, I still have some shrinkage in the middle, maybe 1/4 inch diameter all around the wick pin... I'm thinking a heat gun can help fix this?? If I try to fill it in, the wax just doesn't look perfect like I would want it to... I'll keep experimenting, maybe I'll make a perfect votive in the next decade or so... LOLAgain, thank you all for your responses!!(edited to fix a silly typo-- sorry, pet peeve!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Top, as for your suggestion, even when I would pour so much the second time that it overflowed all over the newspaper on my counter, it still didn't reach all areas.It's a matter of technique. A quick fast pour (almost a splash) will cover everything and spills over a bit, then you can dribble a little extra to fatten up the top. You'd want to do this on a cookie sheet or aluminum foil.You can overflow both the first and second pours to kinda simulate making them with a dipping frame. It minimizes the sinking around the wick, but it has its downsides such as getting wax on the outside of the mold, needing to melt extra wax and what to do with the leftover from the second pour.Just another way of going about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane42 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 It's a matter of technique. A quick fast pour (almost a splash) will cover everything and spills over a bit, then you can dribble a little extra to fatten up the top. You'd want to do this on a cookie sheet or aluminum foil.You can overflow both the first and second pours to kinda simulate making them with a dipping frame. It minimizes the sinking around the wick, but it has its downsides such as getting wax on the outside of the mold, needing to melt extra wax and what to do with the leftover from the second pour.Just another way of going about it.Yup, I think the "quickness" is the key! When I tried to do the second pour on a votive I poured too high, it made a little waterfall off of the side and no matter how much more I poured, I just lost it off one side...the other side getting nothing. Then I noticed my partner was pouring much quicker, and hers would come out perfect. I just have to stop trying to be so careful and GO FOR IT!!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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