Making votives with wick pins

[Jillsthings]

Okay, here's a fun question. I've tried making votives, and I'm using the wick pins, but they don't fill up the bottom of the votive mold, so the Ecosoya PB wax is going around the bottom of the wick pin, so trying to get it off is a pain, and also tends to leave crumbly looking sides on the bottom of my votives. Any way to fix this?

Thanks in advance!

[Stella1952]

I use wick pins in my votives. There are two kinds: one is flat and the other is slightly concave. I like the concave ones best as them make a depression that the wick tab fits in perfectly. Demold votives when they are still slightly warm to prevent cracking of the brittle edges. After wicking, a quick run over a hot surface is all that's required to neaten up the edges and melt the wax just enough to "seat" the wick tab. While the wax is still warm, I roll the bottom edge on a countertop to smooth down the sharp, easily cracked edges. Don't wash metal molds in soap & water because it removes the "seasoning" from the metal and causes microscopic oxidation which makes the surface rougher and less likely to release cleanly the next time it's used. Be sure to heat the molds & wipe them out well with a bunched up paper towel so that no residue remains in the bottom edge of the mold to cause accumulated edge problems with the next batch. HTH

[Jillsthings]

Thanks, Stella! I'm going to attempt them again tonight, lol. My first couple came out okay, but since the wax went down over the sides of the base of the wick pin, it was tough getting it off there and ended up cracking the edges a little. I'll try all your suggestions and see what happens. :-) Thanks again!

[Desertrose]

I make palm wax votives and use the flat based wick pins and I find that when it comes time to get the pins out it can be very tricky.

I now heat gun - (just for a few seconds to warm it) the base of the votive and it releases the bottom of the pin FAR more easily.

Without doing this I have found that a few of them stick so firmly that a little chunk of the base of the votive can come out with the base of the pin! Not good!

By doing this I seem to avoid that annoying little "edge bit" and the bottoms are considerably flatter.

You just have to be careful holding the votive while using the heat gun so close to your hand. (I don't have it on the hottest setting)

Edited November 11, 2011 by Desertrose

[robertgibbens]

I put the votive in the freezer for 5 mins. The wax contracts just enough that they slip out with the wick pin each time.

[Stella1952]

When making soy or palm wax votives, they should be demolded while still warm for easiest removal of wick pins, etc. Waiting, putting in the fridge, etc. are not necessary unless you wait too long. When I have a bunch of them to do, I start with the first votive poured and go in order. I demold, twist the candle on the wick pin to loosen it, set it down and go on to the next one. When I finish, I come back to the beginning and remove the wick pins and stick the wick into place. By working in order of pouring, it makes the votives easy to demold & wick.