(no subject)

[johnpalmer]

Wow... have I been untalkative here.

Good news: I got some new candle molds in time for holiday gift giving. Bad news: how the *heck* am I going to thread a wick through these two?

I opened up the box from CandleWic, and looked inside to see a six-pointed star candle mold (I thought I'd bought a *5* pointed one, but, oh well) and two... uh... well...

Two large, thick, unpointed... well, see, I think they're made of silicone. And they're molds for tapers. You know, long candles that people could jokingly call phallic-shaped?

Dirty-minded humor aside, there's a tiny, wick-sized hole in the base. I guess I'll hit a fabric shop and try to find a *really* long needle with enough of an eye to thread a wick through the base of these molds.

(Oh, great. And I'm just imagining going up to the saleswoman. "Let me show you why I need this really long needle." Do I have any Seattle friends who can stand bail for me, just in case, and whose senses of humor do *not* extend towards getting a friend listed as a sex offender?)

The star mold, that won't be a big deal; it's a clear plastic that's kin to lexan, I think. (It's listed as being polycarbonate, and IIRC, lexan is a polycarbonate.) But, the others, well... I just won't borrow trouble until I find out if I can find long enough needles.

Comments

taper mold threading trick

[glinda-w.livejournal.com]

(well, it's what I've used for that reproduction colonial one, anyway)

dip the wick in the hot wax, run your fingers over it to straighten it, and sorta 'point' the end; let it cool until stiff, thread through. piece of the proverbial cake, then. :)

--g

Re: taper mold threading trick

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

Well... re-read the description. Imagine trying to stick a wax-stiffened bit of wick through a stiff, wiggly, silicone-y hole that's so small that you don't need mold sealer....

I came up with two solutions... first, I found some *long* upholstry needles. Problem solved! I also got some beading wire, which, in the fullness of time, I'd have taped some wick to, and used it to draw the wick through. (I tried hooking it, but the back side of the hook seemed too sharp, and likely to cut the silicone.)

Now... well, now I'm upset. The candles are just barely too thick to stick in a taper holder! grumblegrumblegrumble.

They work wonderfully, otherwise... wax simply does not stick to these molds. Once the candle's cooled, grab the wick, and pull, and, just like instructions say, you can thread the wick in so you're ready for another candle.

Re: taper mold threading trick

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Most of the tapers I *buy* are too thick for candle holders. I generally wind up melting the base down a bit to jam it in. So it sounds like you've made The Right Thing, you clever boy, you...

[kightp.livejournal.com]

A needle will just make you crazy, even if you can find one long enough.

I'm not visualizing (or much of anything else involving brain power) very6 well, but Glinda's suggestion sounds like the best plan to me ...

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

A needle will *make* me crazy? :-)

But, darlin', I had no problem with a needle at all. I took my 12" upholstry needle, threaded some wick through it, pushed it through the hole, and grabbed the other end of the needle with a pair of pliers (thankfully, the mold was a 12" mold - if it'd been taller, I'd have needed needle-nosed pliers), and pulled it through. What's the problem? :-)

[kightp.livejournal.com]

See, now, you neglected to mention the *pliers* part.

Point taken on the "make you crazy" part, however. (-;

[beki.livejournal.com]

If you can get your hand in there, you can get a needle with a fat eye in it to take the wick thread. It doesnt need to be long unless you cant get your hand through.

My mom used to make the candles in tins she bent herself and she used a wooden spoon at the top to tie the wick around so it would lie straight when she poured in the hot wax.

Would that method work for you? I may have some needles with eye holes big enough for you to use...

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

That's what I used... but this was a bit trickier. See, these are wobbly silicone molds... I wasn't kidding when I referenced how they looked like sex toys. I finally found a long enough needle (12 inches!) that would let me push the needle through until I could grab it with pliers.

[shipofools999.livejournal.com]

Not sure exactly what you need but if all you need to do is thread the hole at the end of a long tube, then this idea may help. What you will need is something long (stick) with a clip or a hole on the end to catch the wick. You put the stick through the hole, catch the wick and pull it through and down to the end. At the fabric store, there is a long metal device for turning cloth tubing inside out that I think could do the trick.
I hope this makes sense.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

I might have to see if I can find one, if I lose the long needles (or get one that's even longer). The trouble is, the hole at the end of the mold is a pinhole... I'm not sure what would go through it safely.

I was going to use some copper beading wire... the trouble is, once I made a hook/eye, I was afraid I'd tear the mold pulling it back through with the wick. I finally decided that tape (Or gluing the wick to the wire, if superglue will stick fabric to metal) would be my best bet. But, the needles worked fine, so that was best. I just hope I can tie a non-slipping knot so I can use the wick that's already there to pull more through.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

How to tie a Bowline (http://www.42brghtn.mistral.co.uk/knots/42ktbowl.html). Never slips, easy to untie.

Everything I need to know I learned in Girl Scouts...