Need for a Hold-a-Mold

[markewallace]

With the wife's birthday coming up, the kids and I are going to take a shot at embedding a photo in a hurricane shell as shown here.

How necessary is the hold-a-mold? I'm finding it tough to track one down. Is it possible to just make a hold-a-mold myself? Or is there an alternative to a hold-a-mold?

- Mark

[Wick'n'Wax]

I use a weight from a weight training bar, about the size of a saucer plate, just plonk it on top, I can see the sides to see when its thick enough

[Donita]

Mark.....I bought one from Pourette about 12 years ago and tried it and didn't like it at all. I have made thousands and thousands of hurricane candles and my favorite way is to take four Bounty paper towels and fold it into a pot holder size and get it wet. Make two of these. Use these to lift the mold into the water bath. Make sure you have a large enough water bath container so it is east to get it in. I have mostly used 5 gallon buckets, cut down so I don't have to reach way in. I tried gloves and they just get wax all over them. The Bounty are strong and I could use the same two "pot holders" for dozens of candles.......re wet the next day and they were still good. Good luck with your cane. Donita

[markewallace]

Duh. Gee, I guess that would work. Here I was trying to think of ways to hold it down at the base (vis a vis many of the pics I've seen). Hadn't even thought to hold it down from the top.

Thx!

mew

[markewallace]

Mark.....I bought one from Pourette about 12 years ago and tried it and didn't like it at all. I have made thousands and thousands of hurricane candles and my favorite way is to take four Bounty paper towels and fold it into a pot holder size and get it wet. Make two of these. Use these to lift the mold into the water bath. Make sure you have a large enough water bath container so it is east to get it in. I have mostly used 5 gallon buckets, cut down so I don't have to reach way in. I tried gloves and they just get wax all over them. The Bounty are strong and I could use the same two "pot holders" for dozens of candles.......re wet the next day and they were still good. Good luck with your cane. Donita

Donita -

Thanks for the response. That seems a sensible enough way to get the mold in and out. As far as holding the mold down goes (i.e. w/out a hold-a-mold and associated weights), can I just do as Wick'n'Wax suggested and use a plate weight to hold it down? Seems that that would work fine.

- Mark

[Wick'n'Wax]

that works for me mark, but can I just say... Donita is the hurricane queen

[markewallace]

that works for me mark' date=' but can I just say... Donita is the hurricane queen [/quote']

Goodness, no kidding. At "thousands and thousands," ( )I think she qualifies as just that.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Mark

[Wick'n'Wax]

Mark

I can highly recommend Donita's tutorial, she does them for lots of different kinds of candles, they are soooooo easy to follow. They are step by step guides with photographs.

Have a look at some of the candles on her site, you'll get the picture When you unmould that first picture cane, you're hooked lol

[markewallace]

Mark

I can highly recommend Donita's tutorial' date=' she does them for lots of different kinds of candles, they are soooooo easy to follow. They are step by step guides with photographs.

Have a look at some of the candles on her site, you'll get the picture When you unmould that first picture cane, you're hooked lol[/quote']

I'll take a look. Thanks for the tip!

- Mark

[Wick'n'Wax]

you're welcome

[sharyl55]

Mark, first congratulations on making your wife a picture 'cane for her birthday. Donita prefers using the Bounty towels to move the mold to the water bath. I like using gardening gloves with those little knobby things on the palm. Anything works that protects your hands cause that mold will be hot.

Anything you can sit on top of the mold will work. I have a rectangular tupperware type container that I put some chain in. You can use a large can of beans or anything that weighs a couple of pounds.

Some tips on the picture

• Print it out on 24# bright white paper a day in advance
  
• Leave some white paper under your picture as a margin when you cut it out. This will help you position the picture. With that margin you can set the picture down to the bottom of the mold. Makes positioning in the mold so much easier.
  
• Drop your picture in your wax in advance to get the air bubbles out of the paper. Donita leaves hers in the wax until she puts it in the mold. I take mine out, let it dry and then put it in the mold for a while. Helps put a curve in the paper making it easier for me to work with.

Any container deeper than your mold is tall works for the water bath. I use the plastic pail the kitty litter comes in. Check the temp of the water in the water bath. You want it to be around 80 degrees. I would check the level of the water in the water bath in advance. Put water in the pail, hold your empty mold down in the water to check the level and adjust the water level as needed.

After you have poured out the wax hit the inside of your 'cane with your heat gun to smooth the sides and bottom. I use a butter knife 1st to smooth the sides then the heat gun.

Most important tip of the day. Set that mold aside and DON'T touch it until the next day. The cane should just slip right out. If not set it in the fridge for 5 to 10 minutes.

What wax are you going to use?

Hope you and the kids have fun.

[markewallace]

Mark, first congratulations on making your wife a picture 'cane for her birthday.

Eh, well, don't congratulate me yet. Considering how bad my first candle turned out to be, getting congratulations at this point makes me feel like the blind guy being congratulated prior to his first attempt at defanging a pizzed-off black mamba.

I like using gardening gloves with those little knobby things on the palm.

I might end up going the Bounty route first, since I think we have a bunch of those in the garage. Thanks for the alternate idea though!

Anything you can sit on top of the mold will work.

Excellent. Thanks for confirming that. All of the guidance on the web shows weighting the mold at the base, so I was headed in that direction, but certainly doing it from the top exposes more alternatives.

Thanks for all the tips as well. They are already printed out and put over with the gear for the candle.

What wax are you going to use?

Figured we'd go with the IGI-4627 Comfort Blend due to its smoothness and creaminess.

Just kidding. I have some IGI-1260 on order from Peak.

Hope you and the kids have fun.

I'm sure we will have fun. I just hope the `cane doesn't suck.

Thanks for all of the great advice. I appreciate it.

- Mark

[sharyl55]

Mark, I started out using 1260 for my photo 'canes. I ended up having all sorts of problems and went to Candlewic 5055. I add 1/2 oz pp of micro 180. My candle making book recommended using the micro 180 so the shell wouldn't be so brittle.

Since the picture is already printed go ahead and cut it out and put it in the mold. The paper will pick up some of the curve of the mold which will help.

Donita usually puts tea lights in hers. I use votives but use a heavy glass votive holder. I also put a cork pad under the glass. You could use a small ceramic tile or sand.

Be sure to post a picture when you are done.

[markewallace]

Mark, I started out using 1260 for my photo 'canes. I ended up having all sorts of problems and went to Candlewic 5055.

Well, the 1260 is on order already, so I'm pretty much already committed to it. Nonetheless, I've noted your point re: 5055.

Since the picture is already printed go ahead and cut it out and put it in the mold.

The mold is also on order, but once it comes in next week I'll get it cut out and into the mold as soon as I can.

Donita usually puts tea lights in hers. I use votives but use a heavy glass votive holder. I also put a cork pad under the glass. You could use a small ceramic tile or sand.

I was planning on a votive with a heavy holder, and I already have something for underneath.

Be sure to post a picture when you are done.

Eh, well, I'll just give that a big "maybe" for now. We'll see.

- Mark

[Donita]

Thanks Sharyl for helping this NB out. I do use tealights..... and votives only in a large hurricane. Like 6" diameter. The votives in a glass get hot and the plastic votives cups melt. If a person only burns it for a couple of hours everything goes well....but if you forget and leave it for a long time.....things can really heat up. I have switched to using fuel cells at out restaurant. They do not get hot and you just toss them out when you are finished with them....no mess in a votive glass to deal with. I don't know where you can just buy a few. We buy them by the case. I guess the thing here will be for you to experiment and see what you like. I am a huge fan of Candlewic's waxes. The 5055 is a must for my hurricanes....I am using an IGI wax now since I moved and it is ok. The micro 180 is another must. It keeps little bubbles from forming and makes the wax less brittle. I can't work without it. I have little bendable lead weights that I wrap around the bottom of the mold. However I have used large wrenches on top of the mold. If you use an insert in a mold the wrenches aren't very good. That's when it works best to wrap the bottom with lead or some heavy chain. Hope this helps and good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!! Donita

[bac]

I use 2lb weights to hold down my mold...I also found that tea lights work better than votives !