Cissy

That's a great offer and much appreciated, but the shipping back and forth would cost 2/3 as much, as just ordering a new one from Harbour Freight. As I recall, without looking up invoice, their cost plus shipping was around $37.00. I paid about $22 more (no shipping for orders over $25) for mine from Packco and have a better product. Glad you brought this subject up, though. I need to get mine out and have someone check it out (at their leisure), then if they can fix it, I'll have a back up. When I get the new one with the cutter, then I'll have (2) back-ups. Seriously, I really would like to have one for home use, one at work, and a back-up. I have always liked to have a back-up for everything, (even with men, LOL)

Good for you! Saved youself some money buying another one. I never have thrown my old one away (packrat, that I am). I figured I might could use a part off in sometime in the future if I had another problem. I didn't have time to wait for someone else to work on it, so I ordered another one asap and just put the broken away. Glad you & hubby figured it out.

Great!!! Thanks, Eugenia. Can't wait to try it and get the show moving a lot faster. Packaging was taking me much more time than pouring the tarts.

I had the same problem. I had only used it a short time, when a spring or something came loose inside. I didn't try disassembling it since I'm not mechanically inclined. It only worked for a short time after that, then everything went dead. I changed fuse(s), teflon strip, metal strip, and nothing worked. I just gave up on it and ordered one from Packco. www.packcoinc.com Price around $59, I think, but no shipping if ordering $25 or more. Well worth the difference in price. I have been using this one for months, and have never even had to change the teflon strip. I will probably now soon order the one they have with the cutter to speed things up a bit.

I already have FCO and Jojoba for roll-on perfume bottles and have made up a couple of skin safe FO's I had on hand. They turned out great, don't even leak (yet) after 2 weeks. Now I'm ready to try more FO's and was looking at SOS's designer perfume list. Many reviews seem to show they have a lot of dead on dupe fo's. I reviewed the difference in SOS, Ultra, and Extreme grades. When I went to checkout, I noticed they have a manufacturer's grade stating to use for bath & body, etc, but don't mention body oils. The cosmetic grade says to use for body oils, bath & body, etc. Since I will be using in roll ons, should I use the cosmetic grade? Is the cosmetic grade weaker than the manufacturer's grade? Should I only use the cosmetic grade for perfume? Would the ultra grade be too strong even at a lower % in the roll on bottles (don't want to melt the plastic balls or to overload it and cause skin irritation), but want a FO level that will last . I am just not sure if the SOS grade will be strong enough when mixed with the FCO and Jojoba at 15 to 20% FO. I have never used any of their FO's before. Since I will only be ordering 1 oz samples to test(even they are expensive at SOS), I would so much appreciate any imput and help with my many confusing questions.

Thanks, Eugenia I can see that this will be faster than the way I've been doing it. I had thought about doing this way before, but never actually tried it 'cause I thought it would just "smear" up the tubing too much while dropping down that far. I'll try this first with my current sealer to see how it smears. Silly me, I should have tried that already. If that looks OK, then I want to order the one with the cutter. One more question, though: When you seal the tubing, how wide is the sealed part of the tubing (after the sealer wire cuts it)?

Thanks everyone. I already use the Packco sealer without the cutter. I find if I turn the temperature high enough to "leave" the extra, the teflon seems to wear out quicker, so I turned temp lower, but then I have to seal and cut each edge with scissors (time consuming). What I have been doing is to cut strips 3-4 inches (during my TV time). I then place tart into tubing, seal each end with sealer, trim both ends with scissors, and shrink with heat gun. This takes way too much time. I just might be doing this the hard way. Anyone have a better technique that I'm just missing? This is why I was hoping by buying the one with the cutter, it would save me some packaging time. With the scissors, I can cut sealed edges closely. I'm just not sure how the one with the cutter will do this. Eugenia, does it trim the edges very closely? Do you seal each end separately, then cut with the wire, or do you have a better and quicker technique for this? I am always looking for a better, quicker, and cheaper (if possible) way to do everything (LOL), but never to lower the quality of a product.

Has anyone used this Impulse heat sealer with the cutter to package tarts, etc.? www.packcoinc.com If so, can you explain exactly how it works? Just wondering if it is worth the difference in the price to get the one with the cutter, specifically, if it will save packaging time? I also wondered if the cutter has to be replaced or sharpened periodically. Anyone tried this yet?

Thanks, Scented, I'll keep that in mind for future use if I have trouble getting the 3" tubing. I was afraid it would be a little too bulky and I like mine to fit as tightly and neatly as possible.

I just placed an order online for the 3" PVC 100 gauge tubing from Packco and received an email they are out of stock for approximately (4) weeks. I have always used their's for tart packaging (never had a plastic smell). Out of desperation, I ordered the 3" poly tubing (1.5 ml) from Packaging Supplies. Has anyone used this for their tarts? When I called, I asked them regarding ml vs gauge. They told me (1 ml) is 100 gauge. I'm hoping that 1.5 ml will not be too thick. For those who are using Packco 3" PVC 100 gauge, if you are low in stock, you don't want to do like I unknowingly did....wait until you are almost out to find a replacement. When I receive mine from Packaging Supplies and try them out with my tarts, I will post my results. If anyone else has already tried them, please post your opinion.

I personally don't care for it (prefer bakery/fruit scents), but I have many customers who love it. I had one customer who purchased all I had on hand in candles and tarts because BBW has discontinued it and she was having trouble finding it. Customers who like it, say it makes their house smell clean and fresh.

Here's another conversion chart I printed out & keep on hand to use with my calculator when I'm not online: http://www.ebottles.com/measurementchart.asp

Georgia, I can get the 5 gal buckets with #5 for around $10 ea by ordering them and paying shipping, too, (which I am trying to avoid.) I just thought maybe if FO seems to be OK for a short while in the HDPE bottles, then it might be even more OK mixed with wax in a HDPE container for 3 to 4 mos. I really don't want to have to rotate tarts from the bottom of bucket each time I package them. I have dozens of the family size Gladware #5, which I store tarts in for a few days at a time (or until I sell them, usually not over a week or two.) I have also stored some in the large plastic containers like Walmart has, much larger than shoeboxes, but the lids are not as tight as I would like. The buckets from Lowes are in the paint dept., and seem to have air tight lids. I think they are also used for paint buckets, so should be tight enough. I've got my short-term storage going with the Gladware, but they really don't hold but approx 30-35 tarts. I need to pour several hundred of best sellers in advance due to upcoming limited time so I won't run out at a time I can't repour. Maybe I should go ahead and invest in the more expensive ones & pay shipping, so I won't have to be concerned with them losing scent. or Joy, I suppose I could order some large polypro bags, and put them in the Lowes buckets. I just thought maybe someone had stored large quantities before and could advise. Thanks for your suggestions.

Lynn, how many round labels do you need, what color and size, for your jars?

No, I don't have Microsoft Publisher. I've only used Avery successfully with some labels, but my tart labels are 2". I don't have Microsoft Word, only Works. Since I can't seem to figure out the free download "SureThing Office Labeler", I don't want to spend money on another label program, might have the same problem. I ordered some 2" round labels from Labels By The Sheet to practice with on Microsoft Works. After much re-aligning, I finally got the text like I want it to fit the labels. If I can just figure out how to do the circle border and the arching, then I will be all set for my current needs. I remember someone on this board saying they use the Microsoft Works for their labels. Hopefully, they can help me.

Any who uses this to make labels, can you help me pleeease? I have been having someone else make my 2 inch tart labels, but it's just too expensive. I downloaded the free Surething Office labeler (for Labels By The Sheet), but can't figure it out (total dummy w/computer programs). I use Avery to make other labels, but they don't have the 2 inch template. My round tart labels need a circle border around text. I couldn't figure out in MW how to do the circle. I tried before doing text, and afterwards, but can't get it to work. I did manage to get a square border, which I don't need. I'm also trying to arch the text (company name), but can't. Anyone willing to help this amateur? I am almost out of printed labels and won't have to re-order if I can figure this out soon. TIA

I have a busy schedule coming up and need to make lots of tarts of my best sellers in advance. I need several 5 gal buckets. I'm trying to get out of paying shipping for polypropylene. I saw some 5 gal buckets w/lids at Lowes, but they are Recycle #2 (HDPE), not sure what the lids are. I package tarts individually, but want to store them unpackaged in the buckets and package as needed...trying to get the pouring done ahead. Since our FO's are shipped in HDPE bottles, do you think I could store unpackaged tarts in the 5 gal HDPE buckets for 4 to 5 mos w/out worring about them losing scent? Any advice on this? TIA

I really like NG's Gardenia, a soft, smooth floral and use it mostly in tarts. I have several customers who come back for this one. I like their's more than 3 other suppliers I've tried. (haven't tried everyone out there, stopped when I found this one.)

Love their Gardenia (so do customers!) Others: Country Clothesline Pumpkin Crunch Cake Palm Island Sexy as Sin Yacht Club Have others I haven't put in wax yet.

I'm sure you've thought of this without my imput, but be sure you place the warmer where children (and some adults LOL) can't reach it easily or you might have someone spill the hot wax on themselves and also make a mess for you to clean up. You want them to be able to see it for confirmation on how strong and good "smellin" your tarts are so they will buy quicker, but keep it out of reach as much as possible, especially from the kids.

Your selling location will probably make a difference whether you should have a scent going or not. If it's at a craft show, etc. where people are walking by, then you need something to get their attention since they will be looking at other booths. It is the best form of advertisement possible. When I do this, customers will smell my scents far away and come looking for the source. I almost always sell more of the scent I'm burning than all other scents on my table. I don't really look at it as taking away from my other scents, because people naturally tend to buy more of what they know they will like. I just make sure I have a good supply of the one I'm burning. I know, without a doubt, that I sell much more this way. I have tried it with & without burning scents, and there is a great difference in sales. That's why it's so important to be careful with the fragrance you use. If you have a store front, then the customers you most likely sell to are going into your store anyway (unless they do smell it on the street going by). I have a wholesale account who sells them in a store and her sales are better when she burns tarts (except when she lets it sit there long after the scent is gone....I can't seem to get it through her head that an unscented tart going is "bad" advertisement, and is much worse than no advertisement at all). I've been very tempted to take the warmer away from her for this reason.

Oops! I submitted twice, not sure how that happened and don't know how to delete entire message.

Trying to delete duplicate msg.

I would stay away from florals, everyone doesn't like them and those who do don't like them all. Also, some people are allergic to cinnamon or really spicy scents. Try to use neutral scents that don't generally bother people with allergies. Pineapple is a good suggestion for summer. Berry type scents and tropical scents are good. Choose ones that have a strong throw that will "grab" people's noses when they walk by. I can't burn some of my favorite scents because I have to consider people who have allergies. This really limits me to having many choices to burn. Even with being really careful, you will have a person now and then who won't like it. You can't please every nose, but go with a neutral, strong throwing scent, one that most people will not complain about. You will learn as you go from hearing comments what generally works for you.

I've read that it has a floral (gardenia) scent. So it is strong enough to use alone in a roll on? If so, there would be no point in buying a gardenia FO for this one. I have read that some others blend this with other carrier oils for the roll ons. I also read, after I posted this, that you can get it unscented also, so to blend with other scents besides having a gardenia scent, should I get the unscented Monoi?