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Aluminum Molds
Aluminum
molds for making freestanding candles are a great investment as an
inexpensive way to extend your line of candles. Jars have become so popular
in recent years, that many candle makers have forgot that pillar candles
add a real touch of beauty to any home’s décor. Pillar candles
offer extremely vibrant colors due to the fact there is no glass blocking
the true color of the candle as seen with the naked eye. The profit margin
on pillar candles may be higher as well because the price of the glass
is removed from the cost of raw materials. Aluminum does not rust, so
you can enjoy your molds for many years.
Selecting your mold can be fun. Candlewic offers many shapes and sizes
depending on which pillar would best complement your existing line of
candles. There are round
molds, triangle
molds, octagon
molds, square
molds, oval
molds, plus many other unique shapes in our designer series of polycarbonate
molds.
There are two wicking techniques that are most commonly employed when
using aluminum molds. You can use the traditional method or the pillar
pin method. Both techniques work well depending on the volume of candles
produced or the amount of labor available.
The traditional method involves the mold, raw
wicking on a spool, a wick
bar, and a rubber
plug. This method is best for lower volume production, or in the instance
when you want to leave a little length of wick on the candle to attach
a bead or a tag. You simply thread the wick through the mold and place
a rubber plug into the small hole to hold the wick in place. Place a wick
bar across the large opening of the mold and wrap the wick around the
bar and pour the wax. After the wax has cooled, the finished product will
have the wick nicely centered down the middle of the candle.
The pillar pin method involves a round mold, a pillar
pin, and a  pre-wick
assembly. This method is better suited for the small to large production
run. Basically, you are making a candle with no wick and inserting a wick
after it cools. There are 2 ways to use the pin. You can either stick
the disc part of the pin down into the mold or stick the pin up through
the mold from the outside bottom. Pour the wax and let cool. When you
are done, you will have a candle with a hole through the center core and
no wick. Take a wick assembly and insert up through the hole and you are
done. The wick will be perfectly centered.
When using aluminum molds, there are a few tips and techniques that will
help you regardless of the method you use.
1. Take good care of your molds. Do not use them for any other use such
as a penholder or thermometer holder because you may scratch the inside,
which will be apparent on the finished candle.
2. By heating or cooling the mold, you can achieve different aesthetic
qualities to the finished mold. Cold molds give a primitive appearance,
while warm molds may give a good gloss.
3. Keep molds level unless a desired layered appearance is trying to be
obtained. By resting the mold on various angles, some neat stripes can
be achieved.
4. Take careful note on the pour temperatures. By adjusting the temperature,
you can control the shrinkage. Pouring too hot produces more shrinkage
and may involve more “topping off”, while pouring too cool
may not give you enough shrinkage therefore making it difficult to de-mold.
5. For making perfect bottoms on your pillars, we highly recommends using
a heated
base leveler and angle
plate for perfectly level pillars every time.
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