Candle mould - Christmas tree in a bag

01 · THE WAX ARITHMETIC

The ceiling is the cylinder that wraps the figure

The figure is 12 cm tall by 7 cm wide. The cylinder that wraps it, Ø 7 × 12 cm, holds 462 cm³, which at the density of beeswax (0.96 g/cm³) is 443 grams. That is a hard upper limit: no figure fills its own cylinder, and this one less than most, because the tree narrows as it rises.

LYSON puts this figure at around 148 grams. Weigh your first candle and adjust the number to your own wax: it takes a minute and settles your yield for good.

02 · THE WICK, AS A STARTING POINT

3×13 for 7 cm across, and why it may fall short

The maker recommends a 3×13 wick for this figure. Take it as a starting point rather than a guarantee, because beeswax melts higher than paraffin and asks for more wick at the same diameter.

The sign is easy to read: if the first candle digs a well and the flame drowns inside it, the wick was too small and you go up a size. If the pool floods over the edge, there is too much wick.

03 · HOW TO POUR IT

Dry mould, wax at 70-75 °C and cooling without moving it

The mould has to be clean and completely dry. Centre the wick, secure it and pour the molten wax at around 70-75 °C: above 85 °C beeswax starts to darken and you lose exactly the colour that makes a beeswax candle worth having. The mould has a slit: before pouring, close it with rubber bands so the wax does not escape through the join.

Then cool at room temperature without moving the mould, which is what prevents cracks and internal voids. It comes out whole thanks to the flexibility of the silicone; trim the wick to 5-10 mm and fine flashing comes away with a thin blade or with warm fingers.

04 · WHY THIS FIGURE

A tree in a sack is a gift, not just another candle

Cappings wax is the worst exploited by-product of the harvest: it is sold in bulk by the kilo when it could be sold by the piece. A seasonal figure like this one multiplies the value of that same kilo, and it is beeswax, with no dyes and no added fragrance, which is what people buying handmade look for.

05 · BEFORE YOU BUY

A wax mould is not a kitchen mould.