Support Services Area

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a question that wasn't answered here? Send your question to us.

Sales & Ordering

Can I get a printed catalog?
We are sorry, but we do not have printed catalogs available. All of our products are listed on our website.

Silicone Molds

Wicking Silicone Molds
To wick the silicone molds, there are a few methods that can be used.

1. Use a 1/8" drill bit and drill the wick hole in the wax piece after it is removed from the mold.

2. Use a wooden skewer or 1/8" wood or metal rod to create a hole in the wax after it has had a chance to set up a bit, but is still a bit soft in the center to push the rod in.

3. Poke a small hole in the mold and insert a wick pin or thread the wick.

For plastic 2-part molds you can wick the mold as follows:
Use methods #1 or #2 described above for silicone molds, or:
Place the wick between the mold halves with excess on either end. Tape or secure the end that will be at the bottom of the mold. Take the end of the wick that is at the pour hole and wrap around a wick bar to hold wick in place when pouring your wax.

We prefer to use #1, it seems to work best for us. #3 is a bit of concern because the wick pin's base or the wick may cause a bit of distortion in the top of the finished candle, since the silicone is a bit flexible and may 'dent in' when set on the wick pins. Also #3 can cause damage to the mold over time.
top

Tiny Air Bubbles or White Ash on Candles

There are few things that may causing this to happen.
If you pour too hot it can cause this, and if you pour too cold, it can do this also. We can't give you a specific temperature range because we have found that different wax formulas will react differently.
It is more than likely a lot of air bubbles that are trapped in the wax itself. You may need to let the wax "cook" for over 10 minutes after the additives, color and fragrance have been added and minimize the amount of stirring prior to pouring. Do not use a wooden object to stir with as wood itself can introduce bubbles to the wax. Another thing that helps to minimize air bubbles is to add a microcrystalline wax additive to the wax.
Other ways to minimize bubbles is to pour slowly and if the opening to the cavity is large enough, use a rod or something like a butter knife/spatula and pour the wax down the rod/knife. Also, tap the sides of the mold to help release any bubbles along the sides.
The only other thing we can think of to do with the molds, themselves, is to put them on a cookie sheet and "bake" them at the lowest setting on your oven, usually warm (170° F-175° F), for 1 hour.
Here are a few suggestions from other silicone mold users.
Don't pour your wax in as fast as possible; and don't pour your wax in real slow.
Too fast will make bubbles happen & too slow will trap bubbles in wax that's already starting to thicken from the air/slow pour speed mix. Pour at a nice, even, steady, pace and aim for the wax to run down the wick (or wick pin or whatever your preferrence for wicking is). "Thunk" your molds shortly after pouring, while everything is still liquid yet - all the way around, everywhere.
The thicker the silicone mold, the harder you need to "thunk."
A floury deposit inside the mould after it hasn't been used for a while:
Wash your mold, use a good liquid dishsoap. Rinse well, let it dry well, spray it with a little silicone spray, THEN have a go at it. (A note on mold releases, the propellants in the spray can cause the mold to swell and shorten their life, we suggest avoiding their use, however 100% silicone from a pump spray bottle works well.)

As an alternative to the silicone spray, you can use a pure silicone fluid and rub the inside of the cavities. This should, also, cure any whitish film or tiny air bubbles on the outside of the wax castings.
The silicone fluid is available in our online store, CLICK HERE.


top

Wax Sticking & Breaking

Regular paraffin usually does not have a problem with silicone molds, however, over time or after several pours, you may notice some wax buildup on the mold. This is usually due to the type and formula of your wax. With paraffin waxes, you would generally, just need to wash the mold with hot soapy water and allow to dry throughly. A 100% silicone mold release can be used with the mold to help extend the amount of time needed between washings of the mold. We see this type of wax build-up/sticking mostly with vegetable waxes like soy wax. Breakage is also most seen with plant or soy waxes as they are a very brittle wax. We suggest when making molded candles that a blend of 50% paraffin/50% soy wax be used (blend amounts can be adjusted to get just the right combination for your application). The paraffin will give the soy wax more plasticity and allow the piece to be removed from the mold more easily. Beeswax could also be used in place of paraffin.

If the only issue you are having is the wax sticking in the silicone mold, a 100% silicone mold release could be used.
We do carry silicone fluid in our online store that can be rubbed into the cavities prior to pouring, CLICK HERE.


top

Custom Molds
At this time we are unable to make any custom molds.

We do have the capability of making custom molds, but prices depend on how fancy you want things to be. Design fees begin at $50.00, and design work is done by hand. Then the set-up fees start at $50.00. Finally there is the per mold price. All these figures are dependent on size & complexity of the piece that the mold is made of and the prices are adjusted accordingly once we know exactly what you are wanting. The average cost for a custom mold is usually around $500.
top

Candle Supplies

Making Embeds

For INSTRUCTIONS for making your own wax embeds, CLICK HERE.

Embed Color Suggestions
We have had so many requests for color suggestions for our embeds that we have decided to post which color blocks we use for getting our embeds so realistic looking.

Bakery Items
Pie Crusts, Waffle Cups, Cinnamon Buns, etc.:
Brown color block and a touch of Lemon Yellow color block

Waffle Cups:
Brown color block and a touch of Lemon Yellow color block

Cinnamon Buns:
Brown color block and a touch of Lemon Yellow color block

Brownies: Lots of Brown color block

Vanilla Wafers: Brown color block and Lemon Yellow color block, a bit more than you add for the pie crusts.

Kisses: Lots of Brown color block

Pecans: Brown color block and a touch of Red Red color block

Cinnamon Sticks: Brown color block with Red Red color block, a bit more than you would add for the pecans.

Fruits
Black Cherries: Burgundy color block and Ruby color block

Maraschino Cherries: Red Red color block

Cantaloupe: Small amounts of Peach color block

Honeydew & Green Grapes: Small amounts of Lime color block

Watermelon: Small amounts of Pink color block and Red Red color block

Red Raspberries: Ruby color block.

Blackberries: Purple color block and equal amounts of Red Red color block & Royal Blue color block until the color looks black.

Strawberries: Red Red color block and occasionally a touch of Ruby to vary the color a little

Blueberries: Navy Blue color block and Royal Blue color block

Cranberries: Ruby color block

Apple Slices: A small amount of Brown color block

Peach Slices: Lemon Yellow color block & Orange color block

Banana Slices: A touch of Lemon Yellow color block, Brown color block, and White color block

Lemon Slices: Lemon Yellow color block

Lime Slices: Lime color block

Orange Slices: Orange color block

Pineapple Chunks: Lemon Yellow color block


top

Packaging

Soap Supplies

General Molds

Are your molds food-safe? Are they NSF certified?
Response:
The mold types that are food safe are specified on the main molds page of our website.  Molds Main Page
Yellow Flexible Molds, Flexible Tray Molds and plastic molds are all made of a food grade material. Also, the silicon votive molds, metal molds, and loaf molds (silicon, metal and plastic) are food grade materials. Plastic Molds, Yellow Flexible Molds, Flexible Tray Molds, Silicon Votive & Loaf Molds, and metal molds are FDA Approved. Scottcrew's Own Silicone Molds are NOT Food-safe... I do not have any information on NSF approval, but it being FDA approved is what is required for use with food. I believe the NSF seal is much like the Good Housekeeping Seal, not required but perhaps nice to have.

How Do I Use A 2 Part Mold?
Response:
This depends a lot on what mold you are working with. We carry several types of 2 part molds.
  • 2 halves on a sheet: The mold that is an 8-1/2" x 11" sheet needs to be cut in half. Then, you need to cut a hole in one of the halves to create a pour hole. Next, you line up the 2 halves and clamp them to seal them together for you to pour into them. You should now be able to pour your materials into the mold.

  • High Temp 2 Part Molds: These molds require a pour hole to be cut in one of the halves. Generally there is a "stem" for these molds that is designed to be the pour hole area. Just cut a hole, clamp/seal, & pour.

  • 2 Part Molds with a ring or "track" around the cavities: These molds just need the pour hole cut. The "track" or ring around the cavities interlock into one another.

  • 2 Part Plastic Mold with Lg Paper Clip: These molds already have a small pour hole and only need to be clamp & sealed for pouring.

  • Silicone Molds: These molds need nothing other than to fit the 2 halves together. With Scottcrew's Own Silicone Molds you will need to make sure that the 2 halves match one another. When we make these molds, each half is unique to its own half. You cannot mix-n-match the halves of the molds.

  • top