rhoops Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 Hello all. My wife and I are new to this forum and to candle making so we'll probably be getting lots of help! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 It's nice to meet you. Settle in, make friends with the many, many threads and topics about nearly you'd like to know. Let us know how you plan to begin so we can lend a hand when you are ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoops Posted October 10, 2017 Author Share Posted October 10, 2017 (edited) Thanks Tayl! Well, we began our candle making just a week ago with the intent to sell. We've made several small batches of different fragrances and conducted a burn test with just one size for now and that's the 8oz tin. We took some samples into our respective day jobs and the response is incredible. Our first two batches have cured a week and one just doesn't seem to have the hot throw to match the cold so now I'm curious. I'm using the 444 wax, which I love, the rule of thumb 1oz FO to one pound of wax, heating to 185, adding and mixing FO for two minutes, cooling and pouring at 135, and using an Eco 12 wick. The tops are almost always smooth as silk and the cold throws are great. Is there something I could do differently to better enhance the hot throw? Possibly add FO at say 150 to decrease the chances of burning it off at 185? Use a hotter burning wick perhaps? As you can see, for someone who has only been in this for a week, I'm constantly searching to improve my product because I want happy customers. All help is greatly appreciated!! Edited October 10, 2017 by rhoops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Black Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 (edited) 3 hours ago, rhoops said: Thanks Tayl! Well, we began our candle making just a week ago with the intent to sell. We've made several small batches of different fragrances and conducted a burn test with just one size for now and that's the 8oz tin. We took some samples into our respective day jobs and the response is incredible. Our first two batches have cured a week and one just doesn't seem to have the hot throw to match the cold so now I'm curious. I'm using the 444 wax, which I love, the rule of thumb 1oz FO to one pound of wax, heating to 185, adding and mixing FO for two minutes, cooling and pouring at 135, and using an Eco 12 wick. The tops are almost always smooth as silk and the cold throws are great. Is there something I could do differently to better enhance the hot throw? Possibly add FO at say 150 to decrease the chances of burning it off at 185? Use a hotter burning wick perhaps? As you can see, for someone who has only been in this for a week, I'm constantly searching to improve my product because I want happy customers. All help is greatly appreciated!! Welcome rhoops! Im one of the few here that use 444 as well. Most of theses folks I think use 464 or another soy so feel free to ask any questions you may have In regards to the missing HT on some...it just may be that the particular fo in question doesnt work well for soy. Once you start to wick up you have to make sure your tins arent burning too hot. TT and Trap off the top of my head use those tins so they may be able to answer whether wicking up will add new problems as far as burning too hot. The tins I use for 444 are much different so I cannot help there sorry. Good luck! Edited October 10, 2017 by Clear Black Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoops Posted October 10, 2017 Author Share Posted October 10, 2017 (edited) Thank you sir. I've just been told that I may not be using enough FO, as the 444 could handle more. More testing! Oh, and to let the candle cure for two weeks as opposed to one. Edited October 10, 2017 by rhoops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Black Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 43 minutes ago, rhoops said: Thank you sir. I've just been told that I may not be using enough FO, as the 444 could handle more. More testing! Oh, and to let the candle cure for two weeks as opposed to one. More isnt always good. It can actually be worse. It can drown the wick, cause mushrooming and all sorts of other things. Sounds like you are at 6.25% of fo, moat people stay within 6-8%. Myself I use 8%. Just because the supply companies say the wax can handle 12% doesnt mean you need to or shpuld go that high. Fo will be one of, if not the highest, cost you incur per candle. If you plan on re-selling like you suggested, anything beyond 7% starts to eat profits. But definetly 2 weeks on the cure, and as I said before, if it doesnt work at 7ish%, then it just may be a dud fo and move on to the next one. Try a similar one from another supplier. I went through 4 Black cherry fo before i found one that worked. I like that suppliers Black cherry so much i tried more of thiers and now I carry 8 of their fo...so you never know i guess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoops Posted October 10, 2017 Author Share Posted October 10, 2017 I would really like to keep my ratio simple at 6.25 to 1lb if possible but it sounds like I need to test every new fragrance/container/wick combination because even the rule of thumb is just a starting point or guideline. I guess that's the safe way to guarantee my quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 22 minutes ago, rhoops said: it sounds like I need to test every new fragrance/container/wick combination because even the rule of thumb is just a starting point or guideline. I guess that's the safe way to guarantee my quality. exactly right. every fragrance can burn very differently. Some i need to wick up 2-3 sizes or change wick series. others i need to wick down 1-2 sizes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoops Posted October 18, 2017 Author Share Posted October 18, 2017 CB, are you selling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clear Black Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 58 minutes ago, rhoops said: CB, are you selling? I sell locally at fairs currently. I own an ecommerce website, but have yet to build that or an etsy page. Hopefully over the winter I can get the ball rolling on those things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoops Posted October 18, 2017 Author Share Posted October 18, 2017 How is your finished product and feedback with the GW444 based on the instructions you gave me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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