jgcurtis1961

Thanks Jennifer...my candles definately are country themed. They are all made in Jelly jars and have hang tags tied on with rafia. The hang tag has country graphics and my website will also have a country theme. I have been trying to think of a good name that would work for country themed candles. Being as I live in such a rural area where much of the population is involved in agriculture I thought country themed items would be appropriate.

Hi, I've been making candles and testing since October of 2005 and am now ready to start selling. I'm in the process of making a website and am trying to come up with a good business name. I live in Rural Nebraska and so far every name I can think of has been taken. I'm making para-soy blend container candles, votives, and melts. I'm also going to be making some melt and pour soaps because I need to get insurance through the soap makers guild since I've exhausted all other avenues for insurance. They require you to make soap to qualify for their insurance. My question is this what does everyone think of the name Country Bumpkin Candles? I've searched google and on here (candletech) and can't find that name being used although I've found a fragrance oil named country bumpkin. Do you think Country Bumpkin Candles would be a good name or should I try to come up with something else since there is a fragrance oil named country bumpkin? I'd appreciate any other suggestions for names that you all might have..Thanks!!

I use one ounce per pound in most all of my tarts. edited: oops melts, lol

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Peaks. Their shipping is SUPER fast. I've never placed an order that they haven't shipped the same day. One time I ordered 16oz of a particular fragrance oil and they didn't have enough to fill the order so they actually called me and asked me if they could send 8 oz or if I'd rather them not send the fragrance oil at all. I've never had a negative experience with them. I cannot say enough good things about Peaks.

I use htps with 4630.

I also agree that the HTP 126's don't burn as hot as the 1212 and 1312. When I tested them in my 3" jars the 126 wouldn't cut it but the 1212 would. HTH

I have looked EVERYWHERE for insurance. My insurance agent finally called me and told me she could not find me the insurance that I needed. Not one insurance company that I called was able to find me coverage. I told my agent about the insurance offered through the soap guild and she said I should consider that coverage. I am hoping after the first of the year I can come up with the premium for the coverage. Looks like I'm going to have to make a few bars of soap though so I'll be able to get the insurance.:undecided

I grip it by the end of the wick close to the base but not by the base so the wick doesn't pull out of the base. Then I grip it by the other end and just do 3 twists for example if its a 3 inch jar. The wick will have a slight twist in it, not a really tight twist. Then when the wicks are trimmed before each burn the bend is on a different part of the jar during each burn. Yes some of the wax will crumble and I was worried about it when I first tried the whole twisting thing, but when I tested it there were no problems with the burn. I did a search and found some other posts about twisting wicks. I do not twist my wicks as tight as the one in the picture in the first post. http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26017&highlight=twisting+wicks http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30642&highlight=twisting+wicks

Hi, I currently use HTP wicks and like them! I've found if you twist the wick it helps with the lopsided burn. I read somewhere on one of the forums that if you twist the wick once for every inch of the diamater of the candle it helps so I gave it a shot and it does seem to work for me. I use an HTP 93 for most of my fragrances in 8 oz jars. I noticed quite a difference between it and the 104 when I tested. With a 93 I have a hangup for the first couple of burns but it eventually catches up but when I wicked with a 104 the jar got VERY hot. My backup wicks are ECO's. As far as the difference in the 104's and 105's there isn't a huge difference but there is some difference. HTH

Thanks..I think I'll give them a try for my containers since it sounds like everyone has had such good experiences with them. I'll give them a call and see how much shipping will be for me.:smiley2:

Does anyone purchase their jelly jars from fillmore containers? I noticed they are really priced good but am wondering what other candlemakers experiences have been with this company before I purchase from them? Is the shipping and handling reasonable? Most sites let me estimate my shipping and handling in advance but they don't have the option to do that on their website...Thanks for the info.

I live in Nebraska and always get my orders fairly quickly from BCN. Every time I've ordered my order has shipped out the next day.

Thanks for all your advise..I might go with some other wax then since 4630 is difficult to wick. What is C&S? Edited: Never mind I found the abbreviation link and figured out what C&S meant.

Lonestars Angel Wings is the one that turns my stomach. When I first started out I bought a pound of it to make candles for family and friends. It makes me sick just thinking about it.

Hi, I have been making soy candles for over a year and am now wanting to try some paraffin wax to see the differences in scent throw and wicking. I was looking on Bittercreek North and am trying to decide which wax to order. I'm trying to decide between IGI 4627 or IGI 4630. Out of these two which one would be the best one for me to start with? Another question I have is Soy wax comes in flakes but the Parafin blends come in slabs or in the case of the comfort blend it comes in a large block. Are they really hard to cut and measure out? Also what is the difference between like the low shrink blends and pre-blended paraffins? Thanks for the info.

I use GB 444 and have never had issues with it. There was a learning curve. I was having real problems with sink holes and poor cold throw. Once I got it figured out it has been pretty consistant with every batch I've ordered. Part of the learning curve for me was probabally just that I'd never made candles soy or parafin before. After a little over a year and alot of advise from people on here I've been able to get consistant results. I am happy with my choice to use this wax.

Yea I am considering doing that next if one other company I am trying doesn't pan out. I make all of our own soap using a melt and pour base for my family anyway. I just didn't want to get into the labeling required with the bath and body products. It seems really complicated about how you have to list every ingredient in the melt and pour base you use and then if I add shea butter or jajoba oil or something like that I have to list the percentages of that right..and the dye I use ect. But if the company suggested to me by another member here doesn't pan out The hand made soap guild is probabally where I'll go.

Well bad news the insurance company guy just called and said that he talked to his main office in Fargo and that it is going to be really hard to find insurance for someone making candles, so I probabally won't be able to get insurance through them either...geesh this is crazy..ba humbug. I guess I have to keep looking.:embarasse

Hi, I have a question for all of you candlemakers with insurance out there. I've been checking around for product liability insurance and have been having a devil of a time getting any answers from any insurance companies in the area. I live in Nebraska and I finally got one guy out of South Dakota to take me seriously today but he's telling me that I only need a general liability policy NOT a product liability policy since I'm putting ingredients together that I purchase from suppliers who carry the product or manufacture the products themselves..so therefore they will be just as liable for the product as I am. So my question is this do I need a General liability insurance or Product Liability policy? I did explain to him that I am responsible for how I wick the product. Like if for example I would over wick the product and it turns into a blow torch and burns someones house down; or put to much fragrance oil in it and have the oil catch on fire. He said he understands that, but his take on it was that the customer will have to PROVE my negligence and that a general liability policy would cover me if they took me to court...so now hmmmm what to do? At least someone FINALLY acted like they were going to try to find me some coverage so thats good. :smiley2:

I currently use 444. I have to find a different supplier though because I went to reorder and noticed peaks doesn't have it anymore.

Yes that is much easier...Thank-You!

Thanks to both of you for answering my post and helping me out with this. I just wasn't sure if it was ok the way I was figuring it or not. I didn't want to be putting in way to much fragrance oil or not enough and not even realize I was figuring wrong the whole time. I thought some of the more experienced people in here might have an easier way to figure the percentages then the way I have been doing it. From the sounds of it I'm doing ok with it though. Thanks again!

Hi, I am wondering if I'm figuring out my fragrance oil percentages correctly. I have been doing it this way. I want 1 oz pp of fragrance in my candles so Say I am making 4 candles that I want to be approximately a 7 oz candle I would take 6.6 oz (wax) x 4 and I come up with needing 26.4 oz of wax to make my 4 candles. Then I multipy 26.4 x 6.25%. That equals 1.65 oz of fragrance that I need. 1.65 oz oil +26.4 oz wax = 28.05 (total of oil and wax combined). I then divide 28.05 by 4 to come up with the weight of each of my candles. That has each of my candles being 7.0125 oz. I'm no math wiz. In college when I took algebra the teacher had to use what she called mitten math with me, lol. Is there an easier way for me to figure this? Am I doing this TOTALLY WRONG? I know it looks confusing and I hope some of you can follow how I am doing it and give me suggestions on an easier way to figure this. I currenty make two size candles and I need a way to figure a 7 oz candle and a 14 oz candle each containing 1 oz pp fragrance oil. I want to make sure all of my candles are consistantly the same in quality. Thanks all!

I just got the Hollyberry and Ivy..yuck! I really don't like how it smells at all. I'm hoping I'll like it better once I mix it with wax.

Thanks all! I will order some cottons. I can't believe how many wicks I have around here. I also might try double wicking with HTPs. I am not at all sure of if I'd like the looks of them double wicked or not, plus won't they burn quicker? I have 62,73,83,93 which one of these should I try starting with?