grneyeldy Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Ok, so this is a probably a dumb question but I have to ask. I have seen 3 different ways to wick a votive and would like to know the best/easier way. 1 - pouring the wax into the mold and then inserting the tabbed wick when wax forms a skin 2- using glue dots and afixing the wick before pouring wax or 3- using wick pinsI was going to do my first candles tonight and have since gotten myself confused as to the best way to wick a votive TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leisa2003 Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I have never used glue dots, seems to me that it would be hard to get the votive out of the mold. I could never get my wick straight when waiting for it to form a skin then inserting the wick. So, I now use wick pins and I love it,..it's easy to get the votive out and my wicks are always straight.Hope this helps!!:smiley2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Wick pins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grneyeldy Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 ok...so, now lets say that the person asking the ? does not have the said wick pins which would be the better option? Not sure why I left that out of the OP, sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in KY Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Do not use glue dots, at least if your thinking of sticking the wick to the bottom of the mold. Never heard of glue dots used in pouring votives. Guess the only option is to wait after pouring and then insert the wick..... I use wick pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grneyeldy Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 (edited) Sharon - I had watched a bunch of tutorial videos online and a few of them showed using glue dots. Another one demonstrated dipping the tabbed wick into to hot wax and secure it to the mold, then pour. I realize I am probably putting much more thought and concern into this than necessary but I would like to do what I can so that my first attempt is not too discouraging Edited November 7, 2010 by grneyeldy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnkthailand Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Ok - since said person doesn't have wick pins we will tell you what we did for a year until we got wick pins. We poured 7 votives per pound of pillar blend wax - so we took a board, drilled holes in it the size of these little small magnets (like 1/4" round - found them at Wally World). Then we put our votive cups on top of the the hole with the magnet in it. Then set your wick into the cup and center using a popsicle stick. TRUST me - if your using votive cups they will slice you open faster than a meat processor. NEXT - prepare wax as directed by manufacturer and pour into cups. LASTLY - the key to straight wicks. We took clear plastic disposible coctail cups - or anything that will fit over top of your votive cup and drilled a hole in the center. Thread the wick through the top, center and bend over to hold in place. Worked like a charm - until we discovered wick pins on here.... When you decide to go to wick pins - and most likely you will. You get what you pay for. We bought some from one supplier, much cheaper BUT they were simply a nail driven through a metal disk. Didn't work anything as well as the ones for 30% more cost from another supplier. And the silicone mold spray they recommend really does work. Sorry to be so long winded but we struggled with many variations of the above process and finally perfected with a net cost of about $10. BUT wick pins are so much less labor intensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grneyeldy Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 (edited) lol...that does sound pretty labor intensive but I love that there seem to be so many ways to improvise But I am getting kind of anxious and guess I am just going to try wicking after the was is poured. Those are the instructions given with the kit that I purchased anyways...it just doesn't seem like the most effective way to do it and I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist (and/or OCD and/or anal retentive...lol) at times:rolleyes2. We will see. Now if only I could get my little ones outta my kitchen! lol Edited November 7, 2010 by grneyeldy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Save yourself a lot of trouble and headaches and just get wick pins. You will see how much easier they are to make the wicks centered correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplybeelightful Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Buy wick pins!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn624 Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 yup, wick pins all the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin146 Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Yup buy wick pins. There the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxxcandles Posted November 11, 2010 Share Posted November 11, 2010 Just ordered wick pins myself and they came in yesterday. I can't wait to try votives with them this weekend. I would always stress waiting for the wax to set just right to add the wick so I am looking forward to using the wick pins and enjoying making votives that much more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Let me point out another advantage to wick pins: testing different wicks. Since all your votives will have none to begin with, you test one with one wick, if that doesn't work, then you stick a different wick in the next one to test. If you don't use wick pins, then you probably would have dropped the same wick in several to begin with and have a lot of rigmarole remelting, recreating into something else (like firestarters or tarts), if you don't just write them off for loss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grneyeldy Posted November 19, 2010 Author Share Posted November 19, 2010 very good point...if for no other reason, ease of testing seems to be a good one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Buy wick pins or buy some self-centering wicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Buy wick pins or buy some self-centering wicksDitto. I have used both. If I am making just a few I use wick pins. When making large volumes of votives I use centering wicks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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