::sigh:: votives

[LuminousBoutique]

OK.. I've finally had enough customer requests to begin making votives... I put it off for sooo long! lol.

I've never poured votives in cups, just in the votive clamshells, and a few of my customers arent satisfied with them. So I've never bothered with wick pins. Do you think they are worth it, do you bother with them? I've heard they are a huge time saver, but having never poured more than a few at a time (in the clamshells) I'm not really familiar with how they are even used.

[nursenancy]

I've tried wick pins a couple of times, really wanting to like them, but I don't. I make my own wicks and prime them with PB wax, so they're a little rigid. I pour the wax, let it just start to form a skin on the edges and wick them. This way, the tab sticks to the bottom and the wick stays upright. I found wick pins to be a huge pain in the neck, but I know alot of people use them and love them.

[LuminousBoutique]

Thanks nancy, I just cant decide. Maybe I'll buy a few just to try and see what I think. I kept wondering if they left a large enough hole to be an irritant to me, I am so obsessive about my candles i can only imagine getting out my heatgun and gunning each darn votive to make sure there wasnt a hole next to the wick... ugh, haha:laugh2:

[nursenancy]

That's exactly what I didn't like about them. Plus, since I tab my own wicks, it was a huge PITA to get the wick threaded. And, I didn't like the way they left the bottom of the candle. BUT, I put a warning label on each votive, so that I could have lived with....

[simplybeelightful]

I wouldn't make votives without using wick pins. It is so much easier to get the wicks centered and, I always had problems keeping the wicks standing up while the votive cooled, not any more. Just make sure to spray your molds, with the wick pins in, often to keep them from sticking

[NaturallyTru]

I would never again make votives without the wickpins! Such a pain in the a** without them. Maybe the hole depends upon your wax combo? I only have hold issues once in awhile. I do soy and making votives actually makes me happy...I get into a groove with disco music blaring...lol! Also it is hard to find soy votives in my area and people want them...so I make them.

I just tried self centering wicks the last 2 batches and absolutely hate them! Took me longer to do it that way then using wick pins. They stuck in votive and couldn't use pliers to pull on the wick like I do wick pin.

hth,

Trudi

[LuminousBoutique]

thanks for all the opinions guys! I'll try them for sure, and see how it goes

[Faerywren]

<3 wick pins. As a matter of fact I've got Blackberry Sage votives cooling right now! Wick pins and all!

[Stella1952]

I not only use them in pillars & votives, I have found them to be very adaptable for other molds as well. I have less trouble with holes forming next to the wickpins.

Edited October 22, 2010 by Stella1952

[grama]

Here again, wouldn't think of not using my wick pins. When I first started I didn't use them and trying to keep the wick straight and from floating around was a real pita, tried the glue dots and they just stuck to mold and hard to get out then I tried wick pins and OH what a relief they were!!!! :cheesy2:

[nursenancy]

Oh, jeez - maybe I'll have to dig mine out and try them again! I thought about trying self centering wick tabs since I'm almost out right now- CW has them on Ebay pretty cheap, but it's 5 lbs.

Edited October 22, 2010 by nursenancy

[grama]

If they are the same kind I tried I tried them and didn't like them. For them to be self centering the tab has to be as big around as the bottom of votive mold and then the wick has to stand up straight without moving as the wax cools and that ain't gonna happen :smiley2: