moulds                                            index
 

• Moulds come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes. Here are four basic types and some home made ideas.
   

  

•    Metal - One piece and easy to use. They have a hole in the base. The wick comes through here. You secure it with a screw (usually comes with the mould) and seal it from the outside with rubber putty so it doesn't leak wax when you fill the mould. Tie the other end of the wick to a rod or pencil and make taut. Rest the rod over the fill-end (top) of the mould. Now the wick is straight, centred and taut. Finished candles have one seam to shave off with a knife, then polish with a nylon stocking. There are also seamless metal moulds available, and multi-wick metal moulds as well.
   

  Two piece plastic moulds. The novelty figurine candles are usually made with this kind of mould. These are more work than the metal moulds because when your candle comes out of the mould there will be a seam running around it that needs to be hand smoothed off.  Some pigments stain the plastic, and use of high concentrations of scent oils will damage the plastic making them unusable.

  Soft rubber moulds. These are one piece, and easier to use than the two piece rigid plastic moulds. They come in many shapes like the plastic moulds (fruit, figurines, etc.). Cooling wax inside the mould can harden and distort the shape of these sometimes.

  Hard rubber moulds. These are not as long lasting as the other kinds of moulds and can be more expensive. Results are good and they are very easy to use.

  Acrylic and plexiglass moulds.  I have never used this type, but books have indicated that they are easy to use, and produce excellent quality candles. The bonus here would be that you can see your candle through them ....good for making candles with pressed flowers or herbs. I have had good success with just sticking the herbs or flowers on the candle after it comes out of my metal or home made mould.
   

  Other moulds and containers.