Melting & Pouring - Pillar Candles
Whilst the moulds are being wicked the wax granules have been in a sort of bain-marie melting.
Any dye that needs to be added to the wax is added at this time and stirred in. This is dependent on the colour of candles that have been ordered.
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| Melting & Pouring area |
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| Melting jugs in bain-marie |
When the wax reaches 80-84 degrees Centigrade (depending on wax type used) it is ready to pour. But before we do we need to warm the moulds in a heater. They don't need to stay in for long; around 5-10 minutes, raising them to 30-35 degrees Centigrade.
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| Heating the moulds |
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| Wax ready to be melted |
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| Reaching the right temperature |
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| Pouring |
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| Still pouring |
The wax is poured very carefully into the mould so as not to create air bubbles. We fill to to the very top taking care not to spill over. This is then left to cool, usually the next day. As the wax cools it shrinks and visibly dips in the centre. The candles need to be topped up - sometimes several times - being very careful not to come over the level of the original wax.
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| Wax poured to top |
With larger candles the surface skin is pierced to prevent air bubbles inside the finished candle. See below:
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| Topping up - see how the wax has shrunk |
When the candles are totally cooled they are ready for the big reveal.
Sealing putty and tape are removed from the bottom and the wick is again visible. A sharp tap should release the candle, but as often as not the candle needs to be placed in a fridge to cool a little more. It is then easier to release.
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| The Moment of Truth |
This is the moment of truth. Until the candle is actually out of the mould we never know if it is a good candle or not. Some minor blemishes are natural with hand poured candles and we have ways of improving the finish (more on that next time). If they look as though they have been run over by a truck or aren't going to pass my quality control then it's back into the jug to be melted and made again. Sometimes little blemishes such as one teeny drop of water can cause enough of a blemish for me to refuse to send a candle out.
NEXT TIME: It's all about bottoms and finishing off
