Votives sticking in molds

One Idea:
I have had the same problem. Have used Mike and Melanie's procedure with great success. I do, however, have one other thing I have added. I know from experience that when I purchase an iron skillet I have to season it very well before it will do what I want it to do. So, I figured the same thing might be true with votive molds. So, I put all my new molds on a cookie sheet after they have been rubbed on the inside with fine steel wool, wiped out and rubbed down very well with crisco. I set my oven at 200 degrees and leave them in the oven for a couple of hours. I take them out. Wipe them down. Re-coat them with crisco. And put them back into the 200 degree oven for another 2 hours. I allow them to set overnight, then repeat the process again. You want a dark burnt look to your molds. This process may take a few times. But once you have them seasoned, no more sticking problems. It is worth the work. You get beautiful votives after proper seasoning. Try it and see if it works for you.
Carol

Carol & Dan
The Fort Village Chandler's
beth's soy candle co. LLC
bethssoy@ticon.net
Fort Atkinson, WI
920.568.9770

We do not warm our molds before pouring. I remember trying that in the beginning of votive making and for some reason we deciced against it. We try to do things as easy as possible and still make a good product. Hope my information has been helpful.

Hi,
I am the votive maker in our store. We do spray our molds. Just pan release. Nothing special. I think 185 is a good pour temp. Too hot makes cracks, too cold makes sink holes. I only clean my molds when there may be some wax in there. I never put them in water, just wipe out with dry cloth. When I spray the molds I wipe out excess cause it will be bubbly on bottom. Can usually do 2 pours on one spray. Works well for us! Good luck! Votives can be a pain! In case I may be wrong on the temp, 185 is temp set on vat, anyway if there is the beginning of a skim on top of your wax it is too cool.

My husband & I had the same problem and occassionally still do. We tried Mike Throne's idea of a heat lamp--plus still do the heat gun every now and then and it works!!! Try not to "wipe" out the molds. We just heat up the wick pins with our heat gun and let drip dry on their side on a paper towel. I kinda try to get out the wax at the bottom, otherwise I just heat up the mold up and let it run down. The more you use them the more "seasoned" they become. We also found that we have seperate molds for "white" votives than we do colored ones (we marked the bottom with "W"--for white and keep those seperately away. Otherwise, it discolors the white.
Heed Mike's advice--it worked for us! The heat lamp was a life saver!!! Good for jars, too.
Joanna & Randy Ridgeway
Country Basket Candles
Ostrander, OH

In our experience, I think what happens is the temperature difference between the wax and mold is too great or in an area where the outer "shell" of the votive cools to quick and sticks to the mold (we hear that when the mold is seasoned it will work better too). Try to make sure your molds are warmer than the room temperature you are pouring in. You can warm them with a heat gun just prior to pouring or use a heat lamp to pour under. We use a heat lamp to warm our jars and molds. It doesn't take much to make a difference. Make sure the cups are clean by wiping them out. We have used mold release and it does work.
Spacing of the cups can make a difference too. I like to spread them apart so the heat from one does not affect the ones next to it.
This is just from our own experience and I am sure others will have other ideas too.

Good Luck!

Mike Throne
SoyLights
Central States Warehouse