Lolas Lights Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 I got some seamless pillar molds from Peaks and they don't have the holders (I guess that's what you call them.) made on the bottom of them. I'm using the pillar wick pins and when I put the mold sealer on I can't seem to get the darn wick pins centered, and if I luck up and get them centered the mold is uneven... hope I stated that right. How in the world do you do this without the mold stands made on them.. any help would be appreciated. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 What I do is fill a pan with dried beans and sit the mold on that. I use a small level to make sure it's perfectly level. The beans are reuseable. I love this method for mold tilting too!e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Seamless aluminum molds don't have the bases like the tinned molds do.You got the concave ones and not the flat-bottomed, right? If you got the flat ones it will be considerably more difficult to use the wick pins.Assuming you have the concave molds, do the following.1 - Make sure the wick pin is perpendicular to the base. Sometimes they can get a little out of kilter with all the shipping and handling.2 - Wrap a blob of mold sealer around the base of the pin and press in towards where the pin the the base come together. You don't need tons of sealer.3 - Make 3 or 4 little mold sealer beads, smaller than a pea, and stick them evenly around the edge of the base.4 - Slide the mold over the pin and press down firmly. Make sure it's level.One more comment...There may be a misconception that pillar pins are designed to produce the most straight and centered wick. That's not true. The easiest way to ensure a perfectly straight and centered wick is to wick the mold. Pillar pins are simply designed to save time by avoiding having to wick the mold, plus it's generally easier to get a reliable seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 I use a huge gob of mold sealer between the pin and the base - mine's a flat one. I use a little level to get the mold as level as I can, and really squish everything down. Usually as the wax shrinks it pulls the wick pin off angle anyway, so I don't really worry about it until things are really setting up.You can secure the top of the wick pin so it doesn't move, but I don't bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanaE Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Just to throw in a monkey wrench....If I have a flat bottomed pillar mold, I seal the bottom outside of the mold with a wick stickum, cover that with duct tape, and then use a rod with a wick centering tool. That way the bottom doesn't wobble. All of my round molds have a concave bottom, so I can use a blob of mold sealer, push it down hard and it'll sit flat.DanaE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 Stickums seem thick enough to make it wobble, no? An alternate is a couple of pieces of metal tape ("repair tape" from the hardware store) at right angles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolas Lights Posted August 25, 2005 Author Share Posted August 25, 2005 Thanks all. I knew I'd get some good advice from you great chandlers. Now maybe I won't drive myself crazy (well more crazy :rolleyes2 ) trying to level and straighten those things. My son went to the garage and gave me a level so I'm off to a good start. Thanks again. You all are the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 We had a thread discussion on this a week or so ago but don't remember the thread title. Another member posted a pic of how she puts four balls of mold sealer on the pin base & 1 around the pin itself.I also got some of these from Peak..they were flat bottom and the wick pin will not fit inside of them. Tried the balls of mold sealer and it worked perfectly. I set my molds on a cutting board when I pour & use a level on that. If I need to level, I just slip something under the cutting board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dee Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 I mostly use the concave aluminum molds. I use plumbers putty around the wick pin and insert the pin (you don't need alot). Then I push hard down on the mold until I feel that it has sealed. I eye-ball the pin for straightness and level and then slip a handy wooden gizmo that my son made and snap it onto the edge of the tin. He first made a circle of wood and centered a hole for the wick. Then he cut a circular groove in the wood. Then he cut the wood in a strip so I could poke holes in the wax. He made me several and I've been using them a long time. Sure improved the burn. I use the same with hot or cold pour. Hope the picture shows up ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolas Lights Posted August 25, 2005 Author Share Posted August 25, 2005 Would you loan me your son for long enough to make me some of those. Thanks. I'll try to get my son to make some of those. Sounds like it's working great for you. Thanks again. I mostly use the concave aluminum molds. I use plumbers putty around the wick pin and insert the pin (you don't need alot). Then I push hard down on the mold until I feel that it has sealed. I eye-ball the pin for straightness and level and then slip a handy wooden gizmo that my son made and snap it onto the edge of the tin. He first made a circle of wood and centered a hole for the wick. Then he cut a circular groove in the wood. Then he cut the wood in a strip so I could poke holes in the wax. He made me several and I've been using them a long time. Sure improved the burn. I use the same with hot or cold pour. Hope the picture shows up ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 I've got something similar to hold the wick in place like Dee does, but I really don't like the big based wick pins. Too bad most of the smaller based ones I have didn't stay attached much longer. Now I'm back on the hunt for those lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaGA Posted August 25, 2005 Share Posted August 25, 2005 ....and then slip a handy wooden gizmo that my son made and snap it onto the edge of the tin. He first made a circle of wood and centered a hole for the wick. Then he cut a circular groove in the wood. Then he cut the wood in a strip so I could poke holes in the wax. He made me several and I've been using them a long time. Sure improved the burn. I use the same with hot or cold pour. Hope the picture shows up ok.Thanks Dee & son, I really like your gizmo. Gonna try to make something like this for my octogons.Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mozzie Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 the mold is uneven I don't use wick pins so have no input on that score but if I understand you correctly about wobbly bottoms (?!) I use someone else's tip and stand my moulds without holders on a cookie cutter so that all the lumpy bit is in the centre of the cutter and the rest of the mould sits evenly on the edges. HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raginabr Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Another alternative for a gizmo to hold your wick pin in place is a PVC cap. I took my molds with me and went to the local Lowes. I found PVC caps which would fit over the mold. Then I gave them to my DH and told him to drill me a centered hole in each one. I did this when I was centering my own wicks and now that I use a wick pin. It does slow the cooling down a little, but I could have my DH drill bigger holes around the perimeter of the cap. I also really like the caps because when putting the molds into the waterbath I don't have to worry so much about water getting into the wax. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Another alternative for a gizmo to hold your wick pin in place is a PVC cap.Do you not poke relief holes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raginabr Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Yes I poke relief holes. The cap just sits on the top of the mold. I take it off poke the relief holes and put it back on as needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolas Lights Posted August 26, 2005 Author Share Posted August 26, 2005 Good idea. I'm going to Homedepot tomorrow so I can pick up some there. I'm gonna try all these suggestions and see which one I like best. Thanks all, don't know what I'd do without this board, probably still be wondering what in the world I got myself into.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 I really don't like the big based wick pins. Too bad most of the smaller based ones I have didn't stay attached much longer. Now I'm back on the hunt for those lol.Same here! I have one of Bev's (Rsvlbrt) wick pins from when I first started and it has a smaller base. It fits much better in the concave part of the mold but they're hard to find. However, I did find them...somewhere. If you need it Julie let me know and I'll get you a link. I can't remember off the top of my head who sold them. :rolleyes2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrubzz Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 2" base wick pins - http://shop.candlesandsupplies.com/candles/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=Candles&category%5Fname=Mold+Accesories&product%5Fid=WP2%2D5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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