hellkat

I don't know where my 2nd burn pics are but this was the 3rd burn - I blew it out to get the side pic then relit it for a power burn and the sides cleaned up really nice. I think the ECO 10 was a good size but I don't like that it would split into a Y once it was snuffed out. But aside of the fraying wick I'm 'assuming' this is a good melt pool? It did get a bit deeper during the power burn but it never reached the 1/2 inch mark like the 14's did.

So I melted down 6 candles of the JMC in the oven and added some vanilla since that seems to give a good scent when lit. I rewicked with an ECO 10 (still haven't reordered to try others). This is the 1st burn at 2 hrs. Can someone tell me how it looks? I know now it's around the 2nd or 3rd burn before you know if the wick is too big/small but I'm still not sure about how the 1st burn should look. Any feedback would be appreciated!

following this with great interest. Thanks for posting your tests and notes!

I took your advice and got a really nice throw from the melter. I'm in my living room and it's in the kitchen and I can smell it! So along with changing wick sizes I need to rethink the jars I use as well, seems short and squat really isn't the way to go. Until I get it all figured out I'll just hit the craft store and pick up some clamshell/tart containers, no need for all that good smell to go to waste! Thanks everyone for all the tips - I'm sure I'll be back with more questions once I start making them again!

Sorry the pics are so huge. Also this is the JMC - this was burned 1/2 down over a few days and the top looks like glass almost?

This is a pic of one that I lit not quite 2hrs ago using the Eco 14 - I wish I had more better pics. but it hasn't quite reached the edges of the jar yet. On the 2nd burn the pool can get pretty deep, more than 1/2 inch deep easy.

I took a pic next to the 8oz tins that I 1st started with to help give a size reference.

Thanks for all the tips! I'll have to go pick up a melter and try it out. TallTayl - I actually started out with the ECO 10's but the meltpool never seems to reach the edges and it ends up tunneling. Also the 8oz jars I use are the wide mouth and are more fat or square. Does that make any difference? Trappeur - I normally order all my supplies from CS and they don't carry the CD wicks. I do need to reorder both wax and wicks, can you recommend a good supplier for both? I normally order about 10lbs at a time and even that little bit will last me forever. When I 1st started I was so excited I was going to order 50lbs and then someone here mentioned that it was an awful lot of wax for a newbie. Sooooo glad I listened. KandleKrazy - right now I do make just for me and to give as gifts but one day I'd love to be good enough to be able to sell. That one day seems far away at the moment, but that's ok, we all learn to crawl before we walk and I do have a lot of fun making them in the meantime!

I have about 12 candles that have sat for months and while they smell so good cold I can not get a HT to save my life. I'm using 464 wax, 8oz mason jars and the ECO 14 wick. At 1st I thought it may be the wick but I have other FO's that throw like mad using the same jar/wick and FO load . 1oz FO to 1lb wax and since it's still just a hobby for me I'm only making 1lb at a time. The ones that I cant seem to get a throw from are the ones that seem more 'coconut based' type scents - pina colada & jamacian me crazy. My BF loves everything tropical smelling so I'm disappointed I cant get anything from these even after sitting forever. I've thought about doing a water bath on just 3 jars to see if I could melt them down add a 1/2 oz more FO repour and then let cure again but I don't know if adding more FO will just end up clogging the wicks or should I just chalk them up as duds and ditch those FO's (or use them in soaps) and just use the candles if the power ever goes out?

I did get hacked a few weeks ago for the 1st time but did not use this site. I had assumed it was a supplier because it was right around the same time I made an order, but it turned out to be more local. So for safety I now use the pre-paid CC's to order online. It sucks but getting hacked sucks worse.

I also use the 464. I haven't had any soot issues but they will curl at a certain point or start to fray apart like a wire. Like Delle, I just have a ton on hand but next time I'll order the CD's. This thread has answered a lot of my questions as well. Everybody is so helpful. As far as getting a good HT - so far it's only been the few scents I've mentioned and only using the 16oz jars. I have some 8oz that have cured for more than a month and it seems I get nothing.

Thank you Birdcharm! I tell you I have had so much fun with the M&P! So far that is the only layered loaf mold that hasn't had the bottom or top fall off ! That was big clue for me to slow it down and start with the individual bars using the 6 pack bar mold and work my way back up to the loafs. So far I've made 12 honey lavender lemon zest with the triple butter base and 12 coconut coffee scrub type using goats milk and 12 bars of the clear tinted pink and added some curl embeds and cherry blossom FO's. I then took the extras to give to my coworkers so they could give me feedback - one girl just sat there huffing the honey lavender one and I kept telling her 'it's not glue, stop it!' lol - I wish I would have taken a picture. But it was funny because a few of the managers had a walk through that day and saw all these soaps and were smelling them and asking where we got them. I didn't want to fess up because I'm not all that confident yet, but when they found out that I made them they wanted to know if I had a website or how they could buy them. I just sat there stuttering like a moron going uhhhh well I don't, I'm just, it's a hobby, I'm not that good at yet and just playing around with it and gave them each a bar to try. Apparently I did something really right with those because today after lunch I get back to my desk and there is a blank thank you note that said 'keep it up' and a $25 visa card! No one will fess up as to who left it and it made me feel really guilty inside - I don't know why but it just didn't seem right - who pays $25 for a few bars of soap?? So I went to my boss saying I cant take this and he told me that he couldn't take it and his assistant started laughing and said they really loved the soaps to just take it and put it back into my supplies and to think of it as an investment from them to me to keep the goodies coming. Now I'm not going to lie to myself and think I'm that good because I'm not and I know it, I've got a long way to go before I'd even think about selling anything - BUT it did set me off on a nice daydream for a bit thinking maybe one day.......

So far with the FO's the best HT's I've got were from the Sea Salt and Orchid, Drops of Rain and Black Sea from Candlescience. The other one is called Ocean and I picked that up at the soap shoppe near me. The other FO's I have are more muskier I guess would be the word? So those are still curing. As a newbie myself I'm still learning the whole wicking size thing, I think the poke the hole and dropping in different wicks is a great idea - being new I would have never thought of that. For the pint size mason jars (the fat square looking ones) I double wicked with 2 eco 10's (per the wick guide) but the melt pool within an hour is at least a 1/2 inch deep and from what I understand that's too much too soon? It smelled good all the way down though. I'll try the 2 ECO 6 next time and see how that works. I also use the 4" 8oz squat looking jars and used 1 ECO 16 (again going by the wick guide) and just lit one after reading this post to see how that works. If it gets too deep to fast I'll try the eco 14 and go from there. Or maybe I should get away from the ECO's?

I ordered 15 - I have no idea why because I have 20 that I haven't even used yet, but for .99 I just couldn't help myself! I have become so addicted to this hobby of candles and soap it's not even funny. But it is fun and stress relieving for me!

Thank you! I put the top layer on a bit too soon, but at least it stuck. The second mold I made I poured the top to late and when I cut into it the top slid right off. I need to work on finding the 'right moment' for the last layer. The kit came with Pistachio Green and Ocean Blue so I just mixed together to get the different colors. Thanks Sarah! I've definitely caught the bug. I did pick up some gold mica to put in a honey base, I made a small golden honey oatmeal loaf but that is the one the top fell off of. And I might have gone a bit over board on the mica if that's possible. I figured I'd let my BF try it 1st to see if he comes out of the shower sparkling like glitter! I'd really like to find a nice recipe for psoriasis for both my mom and son for my next batch so if anyone has a link or one of their own that would be great!