Karen B

Are you thinking of Candles and Supplies. They have some poly rounds but the largest is 4 x 13. Molds are getting harder and harder to find. Especially anything that isn't the regular 3x6. Karen B

I was stupid enough to fall for that trap. I would try vaseline before buying that stuff. It is just a really sticky gooey micro wax. Just makes wicking a PINA, and in straight paraffin didn't make a difference. Maybe in a one pour wax it will, but I was very disappointed. Sorry if I had some soy wax I'd try it for you since I still have the stuff. Karen B

I was talking to a lady today who was looking for a candle that is usually used in Greece orthodox weddings in Greece. I don't feel comfortable at all making this candle, but I do feel sorry for this person and thought I'd try to help her out. There are 2 candles, both between 7 & 8 inches in diameter and stand at 4 ft tall. (they stand by the holy table so no people walk by them) They are expensive and it sounds like she would order them from Greece but the shipping would probably break the candles. I have ideas on how this could be done, but the time and expense in this would be too much for me. (for just one customer) Plus I still worry about how safe they would be standing on there own. Anyway she sounds like she has her heart set on these candles for a wedding, it does sound pretty, so I thought I would ask. Maybe someone hear has seen them and has experience making them. BTW she is in IL. Karen B

Has anyone played with micro wax to help stick it to the sides. I know micro is really white but I wonder if it was melted and then painted onto the side of the heart if that would help it stick to the glass and not show up all white on the glass. The right Micro can be very sticky stuff and is used to stick wax art to the sides of pillars/hurricanes. I already have some heart cut outs I used for other things, and micro wax. If my kids will give me a few moments to myself maybe I can play with that idea. (don't hold you breath that my kids will give me a break though) Karen B

You can do it how you like. I just scent the over pour because then I can have different colored chunks around and not worry about what scent they are. (KWIM) I scent the over pour a little more instead of 1 oz per lb I go up to l.5 oz per lb. I also use UA instead of vybar, maybe that is why you are getting mottling. Not all UA is the same, I use what ever UA The Candlemakers Store supplies. IMHO you still need something in that over pour wax or the oil will do what it wants to do and find a way out. What is your pour temp on the over pour? I pour hotter when making chunks. Then I wait a few seconds and go over the mold with a heat gun until the bubble stop coming up to the top. It's a weird kind of system of taking the heat gun from bottom to top (tap, tap, tap) on one part and move on to the next part of the mold. I do this around the whole mold until the bubble stop coming to the top. This gives me a more clear and smooth over pour. HTH, Karen B

I have been using this wax for years now, and I like it. Did you want a straight paraffin or did you want a straight paraffin for pillars? From the way you stated what you wanted I would have given you a straight paraffin like 2281 also. It does make nice mottled containers, and with the right additives makes nice regular container candles. You can try to make votives with it also, I mix it with my pillar wax for my votives. You do need to do repours but I wouldn't use anything else for my containers. Karen B

Let it shine has the Reddig-Glo dye chips if that is what you are looking for. http://www.letitshineusa.com/categories.asp?cat=41 I love powdered dye but never used pourettes so I'm not of much help. I do wish they would have tried to sell the company instead of just closing the doors like they did. Karen B

Ah see the eternal optimist. Karen B

I remember America something being the highest company they have, so America First( or was it First American???) must be it. R.S. it must be some kind of rule that came into effect before the renewal of your policy. They have to follow very strict rules and when I worked for Ohio at the time they would never think of messing around. When rules go into effect has to do with your policy renewal date, if your renewal date is 12/3 and I love candles was 12/1, and the effective date for the higher premium is 12/2, I love candles gets the luck of the draw this time. That is as long as I love candles is in the same state, different states can have different rules. Sorry this happened to you, I hope you can find something out there that isn't insanely priced. Karen B

Many, many moons ago in a land far far away, I worked for that company. (In IL. though) Try contacting your insurance agent and see if you qualify for one of the other companies under Ohio Casualty. I worked in person insurance, not commercial, but I still think the commercial side had 3 companies under it's names. Each company higher up had better premiums, but it was harder to qualify to get in that rate. Also have you checked places like the soapers guild (do I have the name right) even $500.00 seems like a ton of money to me. hth, Karen B

I like using powdered dye but I don't quite use it in the quantity that you use it in. I thought Candlewic sold it in larger amounts, have you checked them out. I thought in my old bookmarks I had another place, but now I don't know if that was Pylam that you use or someone else. If I find that bookmark I'll post it. I like certain colors form certain suppliers, like xyz's red & yellow, and abc's brown, & black. (KWIM) but I have no idea who the manufacturer is. Karen B

Are you securing your wicks to the bottom of the jar? I know my brain is past it's peek but I'm not getting it. It seems to me if the wick is glued to the glass then the wax wouldn't slip out. But, I've been know to be wrong once or twice. Karen B

I get this problem specifically with tortoise shell. I'm guessing the temp on my presto isn't right. For now what seems to work for me is melting the wax in a double boiler. As soon as it reaches the right temp I add the FO & color and pour. I don't let it sit very long at all at the 200 degree temp. (pour into heated molds) Then do everything else as normal. I don't get this with Glass Glow, but I do with the tortoise shell. Maybe it doesn't like to sit at that high heat for long. (maybe it's this batch of wax) I have always thought the temp on my presto was fine, since the wax doesn't get over 200-maybe 205 degrees. But, I'm thinking of playing around a little with the temp. For now what seems to work is the stove top with a double boiler, PITA but it works. Karen B

I don't know "what" fingernailing is, but here is a link to an old post. This is probably the worst case of fingernailing I've ever seen. In the 1st post he has a great pic of it. http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4295&highlight=fingernailing It can look like mottling but it isn't. I hate it because I don't even understand the cause. BTW, on one of my batches, I "cooked" the wax at 220 for 30 minutes added more vybar then used a water bath. (I haven't done a water bath in at least 5 yrs but I was desperate) It produced the strangest candle of all. Small cracks vertical cracks through out the entire outside of the candle. Actually kind of cool, but what caused it I don't know. Karen B

Hey, I don't chat much here anymore but I'm kind of glad to see someone else having issues with 1343, I thought I was crazy. (OK don't answer that) I've been over here searching because I'm having the same issues, plus fingernailing horribly. (the worst I've ever seen in this wax) I don't know what to do, they raise the price of this wax and then it seems like the quality has gone down hill. That is what I think upsets me the most. I'd love to boycott IGI at this point but who do I turn to? With Candlewic I'd have to pay shipping, and right now with IGI I don't. Sorry, no answers for you but misery loves company, right. Karen B