After determining the volume of your mold, melt the amount of wax advised by the maker of the mold you are using. If you are using an improvised mold, such as a milk carton, you will know the volume (i.e., half-pint, pint, quart, etc.). As mentioned earlier, you can mark tin food cans and/or jars with the volume they hold by reading the labels before you soak them off.

Be sure your mold is clean and dry — water in a mold will spoil a candle. Wipe the mold with mold release or salad oil, but use it sparingly, for too much oil will give the finished candle a mottled effect (unless that is your aim).

Next, melt the amount of wax you need in the pot. After the wax has melted, put in additives, such as stearic acid, colorant, and scent. Watch your thermometer carefully and maintain the melted wax at a temperature of l60–l80° Fahrenheit. Adjust heat accordingly.

Rubber Rules

Silicone rubber or “RTV” (room temperature vulcanizing) molds release the candles in them easily and so need extremely little mold release agent or none. You will note that the inner walls of these types of molds have an oily feel naturally. However, take note that natural rubber molds are allergic to stearic acid — it will make pockmarks inside the mold, making it unsuitable for reuse. To harden wax for use in rubber molds, use l to 3 percent of “Micro Hard,” the hardening polymer discussed on p. 104. Vybar is an additive that increases the opacity of wax and helps it to burn more efficiently. Also, Vybar reduces the shrinkage of paraffin wax. It is ideal for candles made in rubber molds. Generally, allow l ounce of Vybar to 20 ounces of paraffin, or other wax. Proportions can vary with need. Disposable molds such as milk cartons don't need mold release agents. You simply cut the cardboard and peel it off.

Wick Preparation

Using a length of wick twice the height of the mold, prime it by dipping into hot wax. (See “Wick Priming,” p. 73.) Thread a wicking needle with the wick and insert the wick through the hole at the top of the mold. Seal it with mold seal, pressing down firmly so that it is firmly attached. (Rubber molds do not need this sealing step.) Then, stick a toothpick through the wick at the base to hold it centered in the mold. Place the mold on top of an upside down cup or bowl, or whatever else will support the mold.

Prepare the Filling

Plan to make a wax blend of l0 percent stearin and 90 per cent paraffin. A rough guide for measuring how much wax you will need is weighing an already-made candle of the same size as the one you are going to make. Melt the stearin by heating it in a small double-boiler, improvised if necessary with two saucepans or a bowl over a saucepan. The stearin is melted when it becomes a clear liquid. If you want a colored candle, next add the colorant you have chosen to the stearin. Don't add too much at once. You can always add more if the color is too pale for your taste. If you do need to add more dye, simply melt a small amount of stearin and put the dye in it before adding to your wax mixture. (Ten percent is not an absolute proportion of stearin to paraffin.)

Transfer the stearin/dye mix to your major melting pot. Add the measured/weighed wax to the pot with the stearin and dye. Heat while stirring until everything is melted and the color is even and smooth. Add whatever scent you have chosen, being sure that it is made for use with candles. Some scents are not only unsuitable for candlemaking but can be dangerous.

Check the Temperature

Heat the wax to l80° Fahrenheit, being very careful not to overheat it. Keep the thermometer inserted into the melting wax until it reaches the correct temperature and stops rising. Remove the melting pot from heat at this point. (You can leave the melting pot in the hot water after removing the pot from the heat source to keep the wax warm enough to work with.)

Make sure your mold has been warmed. When your mold is ready and your wax has reached the correct temperature required for the particular mold — always follow the mold supplier's instructions — you are ready to pour the wax into the mold. Pour slowly and evenly to avoid splashing hot wax on yourself and to avoid air bubbles forming in the wax. Pouring on a slant will help prevent air bubbles. Either pour directly from the melting pot (which should be a pitcher with a handle), or ladle out the wax (warm the ladle first) into the mold. Or, you can ladle wax into a separate pouring jug if you like. Pour smoothly and gently, avoiding any turbulence. Also, be sure to save some wax for the finishing process.

Add the Wick

After you have poured the wax into the candle, wick the mold. If you are using purchased molds, follow the manufacturer's instructions for wicking the mold carefully. (All commercially made candle molds come with detailed instructions on how to wick them.) One-piece molds — metal, acrylic, or rubber — have a hole in the base. You thread your wick through this hole to the top and pull it through the open end. You must then hold the wick taut by tying a rod to it. Two-piece molds — mostly for fancy shapes, like an egg-shape — require you to tape the wick to one half of the mold. You then must pull it tightly across the shape and tape it securely to the opposite end. Finally, you put together the two pieces and insert them into the purchased mold holder, which creates a seal between the two halves.

Wicking a Molded Candle by Suspension

This is a fairly easy method if your mold has a wide mouth, such as a milk carton or a medium to large tin food can. It works best with molds taller than they are wide. Lay a stick — a short dowel, a chopstick, a pencil, even a straight twig — across the top of the empty mold. Tie the wick to it and tie a small weight onto the bottom end. Keep it centered.

Give Your Candles a Bath

Wax shrinks away from the sides of the mold as it cools. To hasten this process, immerse the filled molds in a pan of cold water. Be sure the pan is large enough to hold them without crowding, or the hot molds will heat the water in the pan, defeating the cooling process. Water should not cover the tops of molds. Fill to within ½″ of top of mold.

To determine the right size pan, put the empty molds in it and hold them down while filling the pan with water. Remove the molds — the pan is now ready to use. Don't try to fill the pan with water after you have put the filled molds in it: You may get water into the wax inside the molds, which would ruin the candles.

After you have filled your molds, transfer to the cool water bath that you have already prepared, handling the molds carefully (with mitts or pot holders) so as to not burn yourself — or suddenly drop one!

After the molds are placed in the water bath, place a weight on each one. This will prevent the filled mold from floating upward. The idea is to submerge the entire candle in the water just ½″ from the top rim.