number2of7 Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 A few months back I purchased some votive molds and wick pins from CS. They don't fit snug and move back and forth within the mold, and no matter hard I try, I can't get them centered. Every time I pour, they shift or something.I've sent CS an email, but thought I'd also come to y'all for help. Is there a trick that I don't know about? I'm certain I'm holding my mouth right so I'm not sure what else there is HELP!!Thank You! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Well I have wick pins from Candlewic for votives. They arrived slightly bent. I find myself pretty much pouring and waiting till the skin forms before straightening some of them. None of pins fits snuggly in the bottom. Close, but there's still give that a pin can be moved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 I didn't figure I was going to get out of this easy....thanks Scented! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circle Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Tried wick pins once for pillars, NEVER again. They are never straight and sometimes they stick to the wax, never to be removed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I use wickpins for both pillars and votives and seldom have problems with centering. I do not assume that these are precisely self-centering! I check the centering of each wick pin before the candle has set up. With votives, I have noticed that there are two kinds of wickpins that look similar. One is flat bottomed and the other is slightly concave. I like the concave ones better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 With votives, I have noticed that there are two kinds of wickpins that look similar. One is flat bottomed and the other is slightly concave. I like the concave ones better.The ones I purchased were flat....may hunt for some concave ones. Thanks so much!Do any of you NOT use wick pins? If so, how do you get them perfectly centered? Trying to eyeball that many votives would have me going nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I think some folks who make loads of 'em use drill presses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamR Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 A few months back I purchased some votive molds and wick pins from CS. They don't fit snug and move back and forth within the mold, and no matter hard I try, I can't get them centered. Every time I pour, they shift or something.HELP!!Thank You!I have found that turning the wick pins slightly will give me a better centered wickpin. Try repositioning them before pouring, you'd be amazed how 'off' these can be.PamR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I use wick pins for votives. However, because they do move, I now have drilled holes in the bottom of the molds and run the wick through just like pillars. That way I have the pretty top in the octagon and square votives that I wouldn't have with wick pins. Doesn't take that more time to do it that way either.Rae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMary Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I think some folks who make loads of 'em use drill presses. I have a rigged drill press! I bought a dremel and use this concoction my hubs and I came up with to drill them. I never could get the wick pins to work, not for centering really. A few problems for me came up. They were a PITA to get out of the votive and they always left this tiny crumbly lip around where they met the bottom. It took more time to smooth them out (and not always evenly) than it does to pour it now and just drill a hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I quit using wick pins after the first use. I was so steamed when they wouldn't center and my wicks ended up all off center.Later I tried a special custom wick with wick tabs that center themselves. They work perfect. Will never go back to using wick pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 I quit using wick pins after the first use. I was so steamed when they wouldn't center and my wicks ended up all off center.Later I tried a special custom wick with wick tabs that center themselves. They work perfect. Will never go back to using wick pins.You're gonna have to forgive my ignorance, as I'm a container candle gal and votives are new to me....how do you keep the wick from shifting after you pour the wax? The wicks I use fit perfectly down in the bottom of the molds, so they would work if I could just figure out how to keep them still. With my containers, I use wick centering tools, but I don't fill all the way to the top like you do on a votive...What am I missing?? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredron Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 There is an easy way to tell if the wick pin is square to the base. Take an ordinary 3" x 5" index card, (which has 4 square corners) and cut an angle across 1 side which will clear the base of the wick pin. Place the wick pin on a flat surface with the pin facing up, and slide the card with the cutout up to the pin. Do this in 4 different directions to determine if the pin is not square. If it isn't, hold the base firmly to the surface and push the pin slightly in the direction needed, and check again. It doesn't take much time to do a bunch of them, and if you don't throw them around, you'll only have to do it once.For those of you who say the pins stick to the candle, if you'll push them out before the candle is cold, they push out easily, but I've never had one stick even if the votive is cold. I wipe a little mold release on mine, only the first time I use a new pin, and never again after thatFredron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Numbers ... there's a special wick assembly out there that you can use. It has vents in it for lack of a better description. You drop them in the cup and they apparently find a way to center themselves. The base is larger than most. As for those who have wick pins stick in the candle, I haven't had that problem, I press the top of the pin against something, it releases and sometimes it takes a little harder push to get it out. I don't and haven't used mold release on them. Well I did one time and it stuck. Each to their own method that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin146 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I hated my wick pinsThey never worked right. I was allways off. Now I buy wicks with the wick centering tabs and they work great. No more off centered wicks. I get mine from WSP. Regina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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