chris77

I think KJohnson might have meant the little space on the top of the votive between the wax and the wick where the wick pin was.

If that was your question, then no, that little space is not a big deal. If you look at the votive samplers from Yankee you'll find that there is a second hole next to their wick that looks tacky. So, if you just have a little space around your wick, as mine do, it's just fine. Some people on here like the look of the votives poured with the wick added while the wax is congealing. Others, like me, don't want to mess with that method and we use the wick pins and don't fuss over the little space. HTH

if ya do....then once the votive is cooled and you remove the wick pin...and feed the wick through....do YOU (personally) hit it with a heat gun...or is it OK to YOU, to see the tiny tiny space between the votive and wick

(I hope that made sense)

This is a big part of my problem. I posted the other day in the general candle forum about just wanting to give it all up. I'm still in the testing phase, however I do sell tarts to a lady. I take my tester candles in to work to test since I practically live there. A bunch of people now want to buy these when I'm done. Some people keep asking me if I have them figured out yet. I feel a lot of pressure now. I'm a severe perfectionist and this adds to my stress. I also worry...what if it tests great and then I sell it and they don't burn right. So I'll test the same candle/wick combo over and over out of fear of selling junk. I work 40+ hours at one job, 10+ at my part time job, my wife is pregnant, I'm trying to get the candles figured out....what happens if it takes off? I believe that God has led me to do candles and He has shown me how He can receive glory through the plans that He's laid in my heart for this business. And I know if I depend on Him and seek His guidance and will that this will all work out. I'm still scared of succeeding though. As I think about it, maybe it's because I'm looking at what I can and can't do instead of remembering that it's not about me, it's about what He can do. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. We have a big God. I guess instead of being scared of succeeding, instead of telling God how big my problem and fear is, tell my fear how big my God is!

Thank you Robin. I'm off to read the article....I feel so much better already!

So far I'm only making candles, however my sister wants to start making chapstick. She's looking into using soy wax in these. I have several soy waxes from candle making that are FDA approved. I was wondering if any soy wax will do, or if it needs to be a certain type?

Thanks!

Chris

I use CBL-141....pour hotter! 175-180. Or, heat your mold and pour 175.

I tried a container using 2%...not only did it still frost but my candles cracked in several places. Bah humbug! Oh wait, Christmas is over....

This is so ironic. I was just at BarnLoft checking out Frostop and Pryme colors. Clicked back over to the board and saw your post. Too funny. The votives look great. Can't wait to hear if they frost at all. Thanks for posting!

First off my wife and I think your muffins look great. We discussed your situation and though it's understandable that you would want to charge that much due to the cost of the tin, $25 if the most we'd pay. We figured that at $3/muffin, add the tin cost in hopes that you'd find one wholesale, and $25 would be reasonable.

That's our 2 cents....advice is free, you get what you pay for. Good luck!

Photo number 1 - 8 oz tin with Golden Brands 444 - FO Black Cherry. Burn time was 3 hours with a HTP 126

Photo number 2 - same as above with a 3.75 hour

Photo number 3 - same candle, 4.25 hours - just a slight bit of hangup around half of the tin. There is some mushrooming, but then again it's been over 4 hours and it's time to trim the wick.

What do you think? Do I have it?

Thanks....Chris

Thank you everyone for you encouraging words and support. I don't know what I'm going to do yet as of long term, however if I decide to sell, you'll be the first to know 'cause you'll see a huge list of items in the classifieds! lol As for now, I guess I'll keep plugging away at the "wick"ed hobby.

Chris :tiptoe:

I'm having one of those "giving up" days. I've invested a lot into candles, and think I went about getting started the wrong way. 7-8 months in and all I have figured out is tarts. I don't trust anything else that I've made. I'm so perfectionistic that I want it to be perfect. I'm too paranoid that I'm afraid I'll never get to the point that I feel comfortable selling anything with a wick. I have trouble sticking to just one thing and trying to master it. I bounce around. I'm not happy with any of the wick testing I've done and I'm starting to run out of some of my test wicks. I've got more product material than I'll ever be able to test in the next year, maybe even two. I'm thinking I made a mistake in this and I should just sell it all off to someone who needs it, to someone that can actually produce something worth selling. My wife and I enjoy the stuff I make here, but it's only us. I don't know that I'll ever feel comfortable with putting my name out there on a candle. Today it all feels like too much.

Thanks for letting me vent. :undecided

I've only heard of using beeswax in soy container candles. With pure soy being unstable, the beeswax gives it a smooth top. Never heard of mixing it in paraffin containers.

thank you everyone for the nice compliments. I'm coming up with some more styles in other scents. I'll post when I get them completed. Thanks again

Have you test burned one of these yet? Just wondering how the flame will do.

Dat

I've burned several of them in different types of votive holders and it burns well.

the cold throw is weak, but the hot throw? Amazing! One will fill my store @ 4000 square feet.

I tested again today....heat 180....6.25% black cherry FO....pour 135

4 oz is perfect! no heat gunning or anything

8 oz got the circular crack. Wondering if I should pour the 8 oz at 130 or less? Feel free to chime in! Will test burn in a couple of days. I'll pour some colored ones later.

One question for those that have tested this wax...did you find sediment in it after it was melted? mine seemed to have quite a bit.

Well, I tried a 4 oz tin..... heated to 180 and added .25 oz black cherry FO. Poured at 140. Got a nice smooth top...walked away happy. Happiness left after 5 minutes when the circular crack showed up. Reheated and poured at 130. No crack this time however the finish was not smooth. I heat gunned a couple of times and the surface cracked.

Will try another...maybe pour at 135 next time.

This FO had a pretty respectable throw but I wanted to take the candle into the shower and scrub with it.

There ya go TOP...come up with a candle that you can both burn and scrub up with. You'll make millions!

Hi Ron and welcome to the board and to candlemaking. I'm not sure that you'll find this to be a stress release....most likely you'll find it's the opposite! lol Best advice for candle supplies is to find someplace fairly close to you. Candlewic has some great items however you're going to pay an arm and a leg for shipping. I don't know all of the places nearby for you, but I'd go with Peaks over Candlewic just to save you some cash.

candlewic sells mottling container wax.....2530H I believe....shoot, I have a case of that too that I'll never get too....lol :tiptoe:

That is amazing!! Great work

If you're selling one candle, then no it's not enough profit. Wholesale accounts make money through volume. When I worked at Mervyn's, after all of the deductions we only made 1 cent off of levi 501 jeans. However, they were the best seller at the time and it was a money maker due to the volume sold. Understanding though how fast the plants can produce the jeans it's definitely not worth selling a candle for 1 cent profit....but you get the picture. Pouring one wholesale candle compared to pouring a dozen or so. The profit adds up.

Chris

Yes but.........if you add 3 or 4 times what you have in your candles and sell wholesale at that price is that enough of a profit to keep selling ? Is that a normal price. What is fair or normal??? This may be too personal or a stupid question. Im always second guessing if Im doing the right thing.

There is one advantage I can think of.....when you have people like my sister that have allergies to paraffin whether it's a candle, lotion with petrolatem (sp?), or anything that is a petroleum byproduct, the soy tarts would be a product that she could use.

1. Don't leave the tarts in the freezer too long....5-10 minutes is enough to pop them out....30-45 minutes leaves you with crack tarts (made a new batch of crack tarts this morning)

2. When using 2 double broilers at a time, don't forget which one is which and toss a test item back into the wrong one.

3. When testing a line of wicks, be sure to put the excess back into the bag right away....ever try to figure out which is the eco 10 and eco 12?

4. Liquid Dye Stains skin.....'nough said

:tiptoe: :tiptoe: :tiptoe:

I've been using cbl141 for tarts and votives and I get a perfect shade of red for cinnamon red hots until I add the FO...it turns the color to pink.....I started adding 25% soy125 and voila, I get the red hot color back. Go figure....

I like them...my wife is a purple person...she'd go crazy of them!