How to Make Candle Molds
The best thing about making your own candle molds is that there are no rules. Any simple object with a depression in it can be used to form a candle. Those who make candles on a regular basis likely know how to use common household items as candle molds. But here's a different technique: You can also make unusual candle molds in almost any shape you desire using silicone rubber. It's an easy medium to prepare and use, and the mold you create will be practically indestructible and will produce many candles. The silicone rubber is available in a trial-size package that consists of two bottles labeled "Part A" and "Part B," and is available at art and hobby shops. Consider using gourds with interesting shapes to make beautiful fall candle molds with this project.
Things You'll Need
- Wooden block, about 6 inches by 1 inch by ½ inch
- 3- to 4-inch screw
- Fancy gourd
- Disposable quart container
- Masking tape
- Trial-size Oomoo 30 Molding Rubber
- Two large glass mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- Scissors
- Utility or craft knife
Instructions
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Drive a 3- to 4-inch screw completely through the center of a 6- by 1- by ½-inch piece of wood to make a mount for holding the gourd. Examine the gourd and choose a top and bottom. Twist about ½ inch of the tip of the screw into the bottom of the gourd. Your model is now mounted.
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2
Turn the mounted gourd upside-down and suspend it into the top of a disposable quart-size container. Set the wood mount across the opening. The top of the gourd should be about ¼ inch from the bottom of the inside of the container. Adjust its position on the screw if need be. Secure the wood into place with masking tape so your model doesn't move once the silicone rubber is poured.
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3
Open both bottles, parts A and B, of the silicone rubber and pour them into a large glass mixing bowl at the same time. This will make the thick materials easier to blend. Part A is pink and Part B is blue. Keep shaking the bottles against the sides of the bowl to completely empty them. Stir briskly with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides often, until the color of the mixture becomes uniformly purple. Don't use a whisk, which promotes the formation of excess air bubbles. Pour it into a separate glass bowl to check the uniformity of the color.
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4
Pour the silicone rubber mixture into the disposable quart container very slowly to prevent air bubbles from forming. Let it flow up and over the top of your model, covering it with about ½ inch of rubber. Allow the rubber to set and cure at room temperature for seven to eight hours.
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5
Use scissors to carefully cut the plastic container and peel it away from the rubber candle mold. Use a utility or craft knife to cut a single straight slit in the mold to remove the model from it. Make your cut from the center of the top to the center of the bottom. Cut a small dime-size hole in the middle of the top to later pour your candle wax into the mold.
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