Pillar candle questions

[tedh]

Hi Everyone,
I'd like to make my own Advent candles at some point and am slowly working my way to that end.  I've located a mold that will produce 1.5" x 9.5" candles which will work with my Advent wreath.  It took me awhile to find them so if anyone's interested its an online company called Candlemakingsuppllies.net.  It's a round metal mold and they say they will make special order wick pins.  One question I have is if a wick pin would be the best way to go?  I picture trying to push a wick that far (9.5") as being a challenge although any way I picture trying to wick a candle that size appears problematic.  Any thoughts on that?  Also, what size/type wick would be a good starting point for narrowing down the "wick field" in my attemp to find the best wick for that size candle?  I'll probably need to know that to get the right diameter wick pin.  Thank you all in advance.  Ted

My bad, the name of the company is Spiritcrafts.net.  Candlemakingsupplies.net stopped carrying them.  Ted

[riverbee]

ted,
is this the mold?

2.5 Inch x 9.5 Inch Round Metal Mold

can better answer your questions 

EDIT AND ADD:
this is 2 1/2 inch, i didn't 'see' a 1 1/2 inch?

[tedh]

Nope, I need a 1.5" diameter.  By the way, DANG! That was quick!

[riverbee]

lol, can you post a link to the mold?

[tedh]

Oh if only Riverbee, oh if only.  Im assuming that would have something to do with cutting and pasting and mumble, mumble, gigathingies, mumble......

[riverbee]

................

okie dokie! is this it?

round metal candle mold 1.5" in diameter by 9.5" tall

[tedh]

THAT'S IT!!!!

[Lburou]

I think riverbee has a basement full of elves helping her find things on the internet Ted. Wish I had that capability. 

[riverbee]

...........

i am the elf AND a wwb elf with a google magic wand................
that was funny lee!

okay ted, here are my questions for you:

1.  this mold, is the base (the bottom of the mold) the top of the candle? and the top of the mold the bottom of the finished candle? (most are, but one never knows).

2. wick pins, these are handy devices. they typically come with a bit of a concave base to them, meaning the base curves inward (towards the pin). when you set them in, the concave base leaves a little bit of a concave indent in the candle.  would this company's custom made wick pin go on the inside of the mold, or the outside of the mold, with the concave portion and 'pin' going up through the bottom rather than setting in the mold itself? this might be problematic if the mold is the type where the bottom of the mold is the top of your finished candle, and unless you didn't care, the top of the mold could be the top of your finished candle. 
 
also, not sure what 'custom made' wick pins would mean? what does the company mean by this?
the diameter of the 'pin' is most important. this allows one to thread your wicking up through the finished candle after it has set. you must use a wicking needle to thread wicking through the candle, you can't push wicking up through a candle without one.

also, you can use stainless steel welding rod and very thin 'knitting' needles as wick pins. but this depends on the size of the wick you would use to choose the correct size to your wick.
 

3. how clean is your beeswax? i can give you approximate suggestions for the size of the wick you would need to achieve desired burning results without burning your wreath to smithereens or having your candles go out......

lol, i know you are not looking for perfection, and looking for a simple answer, candles aren't always simple....... but i will do my best to help out.

also what do you plan to use for wicking? (i would suggest using bleached square braid).

[tedh]

Just looking at the pic of the mold I assumed that the bottom of the mold was the bottom of the candle.  The top and bottom of the candle should look the same, both flat.
  As far as the wick pins go I've only used the ones with the concave bottom that sit inside the mold so my assumption (love that word) was that the wick pin they offered would also.  Your question as to the diameter of the pin is spot on and a concern of mine.  I think I need to call the company and talk to them.
  A wicking needle?  I'll need to Google that!
   The wax is pretty nice, a deep yellow color and very clean, there's a bit of "stuff" on the bottom that I'll scrape off; I think it comes from the cake pan I use as a catch pan.  Thanks River, Ted
 

[tedh]

If I've got it straight, the wick pin makes the hole in the candle, you thread the wick onto a wicking needle and push that through the hole created by the wick pin.  But, wicks come in different thicknesses so would you need a different wick needle for each size wick or is the eye on the needle large enough to accommodate any size of wick?  How many different diameters do wick pins come in, one for each size wick?  And i thought the hard part would be finding the right wick to use. .  This just keeps getting further and further down the rabbit hole!  Makes me glad I didn't just start ordering stuff.  Ted

[riverbee]

ted:
"Just looking at the pic of the mold I assumed that the bottom of the mold was the bottom of the candle.  The top and bottom of the candle should look the same, both flat."

ask the company, so you know for sure. some of these metal molds will have a rounded or slightly rounded top and the bottom of the mold will be the top of your candle, if it is flat, that's great!

"As far as the wick pins go I've only used the ones with the concave bottom that sit inside the mold so my assumption (love that word) was that the wick pin they offered would also. "

could be ted, sometimes these can be placed on the bottom on the outside of the mold. just ask the supplier their suggested use of the wick pin.

wicking needles: these are basically essential to use for threading wicking up through a candle for any candle made with a wick pin. makes the threading quick and a lot easier. 

"If I've got it straight, the wick pin makes the hole in the candle, you thread the wick onto a wicking needle and push that through the hole created by the wick pin.  But, wicks come in different thicknesses so would you need a different wick needle for each size wick or is the eye on the needle large enough to accommodate any size of wick?  How many different diameters do wick pins come in, one for each size wick?" 

you got it! the wick pin makes the hole in the candle, and ya thread the wick onto the base of the needle and push that up through the hole created by the wick pin. you don't need different wick needles, these are made in lengths, just long enough to push your wick up  through. they are slender, for a reason....not sure how to explain this? it's the size of your wick pin to ensure that needle/wicking goes through without a lot of frustration.   wick pin sizes.......i am unsure about this, i think maybe two sizes, one for votives and one for pillar candles. i only use traditional wick pins for my votives and then i use a thin welding rod for another and a thin knitting needle for another mold to match the size of the braided wicks i use for these candles..........  
sorry, i know this doesn't help you.

i guess i would ask the company about the wick pin. it might just be a long pin the same diameter size as what is used for votive candles, just longer, and this would probably work for your candle. what i would do if i were you is figure out what wick size burns the best in these, and go from there and that is the hardest part, the wick pin isn't. you can have a custom wick pin made if possible.  for your candle size using bleached square wick and your wax, i would try 2 or 3 different sizes to figure out what burns the best for you.

try a 4/0 bleached square braid and a 5/0 bleached square braid. either one of these wick sizes should work for your candle..........5/0 if wax is really, really clean, 4/0 if not and 3/0 if not. sometimes we think our wax is cleaner than it is.  it's best to try a couple different wick sizes, and sometimes handy to have different wick sizes on hand. 

hope this helps!

[tedh]

Thanks Riverbee!  I plan to call the company this morning.  Who knew being a chandler could be so intricate?  Ted

[riverbee]

ted, while you are at it, you might ask them what wick size they would recommend, 

[tedh]

I made the call and found the following: the bottom of the mold is the top of the candle, there is a hole in the bottom of the mold to thread the wick through, the mold comes with a "wick bar" used to center the wick prior to pouring wax, the mold also comes with 2 or 3 feet of what she called "small square braid" wick.  I told my wife it would make a nice Christmas present, along with a space shuttle.  Riverbee, thank you so much for all the information, I appreciate it a great deal.  Ted

[riverbee]

a space shuttle? what would you do with a space shuttle ted, oh never mind............

the wick bars are also essential to ensure centering of the wick.  i make my own, but i use silicone molds and use bamboo skewers cut to size, rubber banded together and elevate above the top of the mold so i don't get impressions from the sticks in the bottom of my candle (at the top of the mold) after i poured the wax and it has set.

you might also add to your list a wicking needle. this will aid to get your wick up through the mold, for your candle i would get one longer than 10". you won't be able to push wicking up through that slender mold without one, and you won't be able to fish it up through without frustration and some non-disney language. 

here's another trick to re-wicking a mold, if you are making additional candles with your mold, don't cut the wicking off. after you pour your first candle and let set; once you remove the candle; removal of the candle will pull the wicking up through your mold again, so you don't have to stop and fiddle with using the needle. 

and now you are a chandler......

[tedh]

Thanks Riverbee.  I'm making a list of things to order and will add a long wicking needle to it.  Also, are women telepathic?  My wife asked me the same question about the space shuttle.  I just gave her that knowing look complete with a curt nod of the head.  I think a little mystery is good for our marriage.

[riverbee]

..........

ted, don't think we are telepathic, well maybe, but mention something about a space shuttle, well sorta makes us wonder about what's next....