Quentin

2 hours ago, Sebleo said:

I prefer the drops per pound method of calculation. Although I use percentages to figure out how many drops to use when making larger or smaller batches. But, that is on a drops per pound baseline. 

 

What is their baseline?  

I don't know what their baseline is. There was no mention of that. I'll have to email them. How many drops are in a pound, by the way?

This chart is from a seller's website. It's the dilution rates for liquid dye, but how do you use these numbers. @0.002% or 0.025% of WHAT?  I don't get it.

You don't need to do anything. You're an individual selling your own pictures, etc. Just collect your money and take it to the bank. Some will say that's bad advice. I don't think so.

We've discussed the temperature drop caused by adding FO to hot wax here before. This idea to combat that popped into my head the other day and I went ahead with it. The picture is of a coffee mug warmer heating up fragrance oil and keeping it warm until it's time to add it to the wax. It heated the FO up to about 143F and kept it that way until I was ready for it. I'd be willing to bet that @MilosCandles probably already thought about this, so I'm not taking credit for the idea.

On 3/11/2019 at 9:56 AM, TallTayl said:

I’d probably call on wedding planners, caterers, restaurants, local pubs, home decor shops, etc. and get on Instagram and start following home decor people. Potentially huuuuuuge markets if you get to the right people. 

 

The trick will be to help people visualize how your candles will look on their tables.  Dollar store, for instance, has wide, tall vases that are marketed as Madison jars elsewhere.  Fill those with seasonal things, and float your candles on top.  Take pretty pictures. 

 

The suggestion above with the pool or a pond sound magical. 

All of these are good ideas. I'll cut and paste these and those from the others on a Product Profile sheet. That's another project I'm working on now. Floaters may be a "hard sell", but it can't be harder than selling life insurance!

5 hours ago, Candybee said:

Just another idea, buy a tall round glass cylinder type vase to use as a table center piece for your floating candles. Put an evergreen wreath around the bottom of the vase and your lit floating candle(s) inside the vase for a marketing picture. This would make a great table centerpiece for the holidays. For different holidays use different themes. But I think if people see a pic of how beautiful the centerpiece with the floating candles looks they can imagine it on their own holiday or special occasion table setting. Same goes for pool candles. Throw some flowers in with the floating candles for the marketing pics.

Thanks for these ideas. All of them good.

1 hour ago, Trappeur said:

Well Quentin, if you decide that you don't want to do floating candles being they are a hard sell, you can do any other type of candle with your matches so they won't go to waste.   I think that is a beautiful touch myself to get a custom match whether they are short or long.

 

Trappeur

Ignorance is bliss. I would never have known that floating candles were a hard sell had I not started this topic. When I first went on the road as a traveling salesman for Ben Rickert in the mid-1980s, the guy that hired me never told me that our company's products (soap and candles) were a "hard sell." So with the confidence that comes with ignorance, I went on the road. I opened up new accounts across a gigantic territory. I got appointments with buyers from major department stores that no one in our company had ever been able to see. When I was asked at my first sales meeting how I was able to get into see those buyers when no one else had before, I gave them my answer; I called them on the phone and asked for an appointment. That was all I did. I have an idea of how to sell floating candles and make it a repeat business, too. I'll enter that area of the industry with the same happy-go-lucky attitude that I always seem to have.

5 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Technically any wax should float given the specific gravity of candle wax is usually 90-92% that of water. (Oil floats on water).

 

but, I would lean toward a hard paraffin since soy and other veg waxes are more prone to larger wax crystals and crystal changes over time, which means they would be likely  to allow water molecules to seep between the wax grains. 

 

I’ve seen colors and scented floaters. Sounds like fun. 

A hard paraffin. So I could use 4625, since I have several cases that I ordered by mistake and need to get rid of the stuff.

5 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Marketing is fascinating.

Oh yeah. Marketing is VERY fascinating. 

I'm getting ready to delve into floating candles. Does anyone have a recommendation on a good wax for this purpose? Are floating candles usually made unscented?  

On 3/4/2019 at 6:08 PM, Clear Black said:

 

Lol, well with 2500 of them on the way lets hope SOMEBODY is interested. Or else you have a lot of extra matches on hand. 

 

Out of curiosity, can you link to where you got them? Doesnt fit with my theme but always curious whats out there

I looked for the link to the company from whom I bought the matchbooks. I seem to have misplaced it. I'll have to wait until they arrive to find out who it was that I gave my money.

In two sentences or less, please state what a seasonal subscription box is as I don't know. After learning the definition, my first question would be how do you get subscribers?

I don't know who my customer is and don't know how to find out. The truth of the matter is I don't have any customers. All I've done so far is spend money. 

59 minutes ago, Laura C said:

 

Are those matches in your pocket or ...?  LOL 

Probably. 

2 hours ago, Laura C said:

If I'm using matches to light candles, I prefer the long wood matches.

http://promotionalmatches.com/matchboxes/capri-fireplace-bbq-standard-matchbox/

 

Very nice indeed. A little difficult to carry in your pocket in place of business cards, though. 

14 minutes ago, Clear Black said:

 

Lol, well with 2500 of them on the way lets hope SOMEBODY is interested. Or else you have a lot of extra matches on hand. 

 

Out of curiosity, can you link to where you got them? Doesnt fit with my theme but always curious whats out there

I have the link somewhere. I'll post it as soon as I can dig it up.🙂

I have. I posted here a few weeks ago that I planned to use them instead of business cards. No one seemed too interested at the time. I've ordered 2500. Should be here in about 2 weeks.

3 hours ago, Laura C said:

 

Awesome, low shrink wax definitely intrigues me but I see it comes in a slab and probably hard as a rock. I hate that but I guess I could deal with it if I could avoid a 2nd pour. How's the cold and hot scent throw with this wax?

It's pretty hard. The cold throw is pretty good. They're curing now.

On 2/22/2019 at 6:44 PM, Candybee said:

Square has an invoicing feature you can send an invoice via email and the customer inputs their info instead of you doing it. I have used it often and its a nice feature to have when someone purchases something not on my website.

I found the invoicing feature on Square. Thanks for directing me to that. It will come in handy.

On 2/23/2019 at 5:44 PM, Laura C said:

LOL, @Forrest and @Quentin there is sci-ency stuff to read here http://candles.org/candle-science/  

And I like the engineerguy on YouTube, he has several videos about candles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrHnLXMTOWM

 

The link you gave to the NCA does indeed have some really good stuff. Thanks.

8 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Something tells me you’d need to conform to a wax that does well poured hot. That’s one way to eliminate a lot of fussier waxes. 

That brings up something I've got going on here. I've been experimenting with IGI 4761 Low Shrink Votive Wax. It definitely is low shrink and I like that. Unfortunately, it starts to congeal as soon as it starts running down the spout of the pour pot. By the time you've poured three votives, they're already so stiff that you don't have time to even straighten the wick pin! Has anyone of you had experience with this wax? It slides right out of the mold with no effort. I haven't even lubricated the molds. The manufacturer says the melt/congeal point is 159F and gives the pour range as 160-170. The first batch I poured at 165F. The second batch I poured at 175 down to around 170. I'm thinking of pouring hotter on this third batch tonight and/or preheating the votive molds. If anyone has any ideas, I'm listening.

50 minutes ago, MilosCandles said:

 

The version I have been working on is one that you just go to bed and when you wake up in the morning everything is all done. LOL

I'm looking for one of those too. I suppose if you use your hand to push the button, you could still claim it was handcrafted.

On 5/7/2018 at 11:35 AM, Jcandleattic said:

Have you tried "The Everything Candlemaking Book"? 

I have a ton of books in my craft library, but most are like you said, how to's and recipe's. I also have the one I mentioned, however, it's been about 12 years since I looked at it, and can't remember how technical it is. I'm sure by now they have current editions of the book though too... 

I do have that one. Thank you.

On 5/7/2018 at 11:35 AM, Jcandleattic said:

Have you tried "The Everything Candlemaking Book"? 

I have a ton of books in my craft library, but most are like you said, how to's and recipe's. I also have the one I mentioned, however, it's been about 12 years since I looked at it, and can't remember how technical it is. I'm sure by now they have current editions of the book though too... 

Hmm. I don't know for sure if I have that one. I'll look. If you recommend it, I'll order it.

On 2/25/2019 at 12:15 PM, CaptnKush said:

Haven't found a price yet, it says to call for quote.

If you have to call that generally means it's expensive. You've probably heard it said before. If you have to ask how much it costs, you probably can't afford it.  I'm gonna ask anyway. Fortunately, this forum has a member that can design and build something similar for a fraction of the cost. Hold onto your money for now. @MilosCandles will have his version out pretty soon.