Silicone Mould – Cactus

01 · 70-75 °C, NOT 50

The point where the wax reaches the relief

The working point for beeswax is 70-75 °C, below the 85 above which it darkens. There it arrives fluid and reaches the arms and the ribs of the cactus, which is where thick wax stops halfway.

With other waxes the number changes: each material has its own, and the mould itself takes several. The figure above is the one for beeswax.

02 · 87 GRAMS AND A 3 × 10 WICK

Eleven candles to the kilo, a large wick

The finished candle is 10 cm tall and 8.6 across counting the arms, and it takes about 87 g of wax: a kilo gives eleven pieces. It is a single-piece figure, not one for a long run.

The maker specifies a 3 × 10 wick, which is large. The wick is chosen for the section of the body, not for the overall width of the figure: the arms carry no flame.

03 · CLOSE THE MOULD BEFORE POURING

And protect yourself: hot wax burns

It is a mould that opens, so before filling it has to be closed with bands or cord so it does not open along the seam under the weight of the wax. The wick goes in and is lightly tensioned beforehand, and a thin coat of silicone spray helps the unmoulding.

And a warning the sheet already gave and is worth keeping: you are working with wax above seventy degrees. Gloves, a stable surface, and no moving a full container in a hurry.

04 · BEFORE YOU BUY

A large decorative piece, with its technique.