# Wicking Needle



## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

I don't have any metal molds. What I use for my poly or silicone molds is a long wire that is "folded" in half. Poke the folded end thru the mold's wick hole so that you can thread the wick thru the loop (like the eye of a needle) and pull the wick and its tail thru. If your wire is too thin, it will probably be cut by the wick while pulling it thru the hole in the mold. 

With the continuously wicked poly molds, you will need to pull the wick from the outside of the mold to the inside. Not sure if you can do this with metal molds. :scratch:


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## BeeTeach (Nov 10, 2005)

What I have been using is framing wire. I twist a loop at one end and pull through. It is good for a couple pours, usually, before it breaks and you change the wire and twist another. I'll try the folded wire idea. Thanks!


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## Bee Bliss (Jun 9, 2010)

Do you mean thin wires that are twisted around each other to make up a thicker wire to hang pictures? I don't know the gauge of the wire I am using, but I think your wire is too thin. If it is as thin as the wire inside a bread tie, then it's way too thin.

I know I had trouble with wire breaking until I went thicker.


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## candlewren (Oct 26, 2010)

I bought BetterBee.com's wicking needle and it arrived a week ago. It didn't fit through the holes on my vintage metal taper mold. So today when I went to use the mold for the first time I decided to dip my wicking into the wax (about an inch) and let it harden. Then I snipped the end at an angle and was able to thread it through the hole and feed enough wicking until it came through the large end. Then I tied that end onto a wooden skewer. I measured enough wick to go back through another candle mold from tip to butt end and dipped the end in wax again and repeated the process. I covered the wicking at the tips with sealing putty. (Two candles were strung together and I have to snip that part of the wick before unmolding.) With both ends of the same wicking tied onto the skewer I was able to center and tighten them until I was satisfied. It worked pretty well. I expect to do that again the next time.


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

For the old fashioned metal taper molds I use stainless steel tig welding wire, I think it's about .030 diameter, just plain wire. I put a bend in one end and it's thin enough to poke into the braided wick. I thread in and out through all 8 candles, leaving enough slack to adjust and have something to pull on come time to remove candles from mold. It's much faster to run the wick continuosly through all the molds.


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## HONEYDEW (Mar 9, 2007)

I went to the sewing store and bought a four pack of upholstery needles for about 5.00 range from 6inch to 12inch and work great on Mann lake molds


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