Stella1952

I have a question... From the photo, it appears that the container is not opaque black, but translucent - just very dark. Am I correct about this? I want the glow of the flame to still be visible, even if somewhat muted. Do you know if the chrome-coated containers are also translucent? Thanks! :smiley2:

I recall not that long ago being ridiculed on a local forum for making the comment that I did not use normal hot glue because I have found it melts and the tab moves, particularly with palm containers. Thankfully the level of maturity is much higher on this forum.

At least you tried. Pictures don't lie but until some folks actually personally witness a phenomenon, they have a tough time believing it can occur and I can understand this. Some folks don't routinely torture test their candles. Still others extinguish the candles manually rather than wait to see if the wicktab will do its job of self-extinguishing when the wax level drops below the top of the tab. Still others reason that one out of every X number of candles is an acceptable failure rate. It's a PITA to have to prewick with RTV sealant, no argument, and some folks are unwilling to change their production methods. Different strokes for different folks... Like you, I err on the side of customer safety.

prepare my wicks by placing a small square of 3m mounting adhesive on each one

is this adhesive strong enough for candles that would be sold or only for testers?

3M mounting squares failed miserably in my tests, especially if the containers are not carefully prewashed. I even cleaned the adhesive area on the jar and the bottom of the wicktab with alcohol and allowed it to dry before wicking and I really pushed on the wicktab to be sure it was seated well. I gave them every chance to work because I really WANTED them to work (far easier and I am very into easy). The bond also is not strong enough for me to twist wicks, although I did test some untwisted. I do occasionally use them for testing if I am in a hurry and my hot glue pot is not heated up...

I love trying *found* molds. Heavy cardboard works fine. Lubricate it, peel off. Having said that, the surface quality of the candle (smoooooth shiny finish) is not as flawless as metal, plastic or glass molds will produce. If you are going for rustic, this isn't a factor. Go for it and have fun!! Do be careful to SEAL the bottom well; otherwise a big mess can occur. I always set my *found* molds in a plastic container just in case...

Throw up some pics of the candles made this way, if you have time! :-)

Everything on planet earth is meltable! (sorry, just being a pain in the neck!)

I was thinking of substances we commonly think of as *meltable* or *flammable* - not rock or other substances that the heat from a candle wick could not possibly melt. Thanks for pointing out the need for clarification. :smiley2:

Have you ever see an aluminum cup catch fire? There is no melting when aluminum catches fire is is a simple flash and melted glob.

In fact, no, I haven't. Aluminum cans and aluminum foil does not melt in the trash fires I have attended outside (and they become VERY hot!), so this seems like an urban myth to me. I don't see how aluminum can melt if the temperatures produced by a candle wick don't reach its melting point of 1220°F... I'm not even sure that candle cups are pure aluminum... perhaps they are an alloy that melts at a lower temp?

Melting point of common metals

Having said that, just because I have not personally seen something happen doesn't mean it can't occur. I am interested in running this phenomenon down. Have you PERSONALLY witnessed this? Has anyone reading this PERSONALLY WITNESSED a metal tealight cup melt or burn? I'm not talking about discoloration (ie. like aluminum cans & foil in my fire pile) - I'm talking melt or burn. I would really like to know if this actually does happen or if it's a case of *someone said* kind of thing... I haven't been able to find any documentation of this online...

In reading about the issues of polycarbonate & metal tealight cups melting/igniting, I came across a couple of concepts I thought were worthy of discussion...

On the subject of polycarbonate tealight containers (assuming the tealights are not overwicked in the first place)... there is some discussion that these should not be burned encased in a non-flammable tealight holder (ie. decorative glass holders, etc.) because that can concentrate the heat enough to raise the temp sufficiently to melt the plastic. Recommendation is to remove the candle from the plastic cup if it is to be burned in a holder and not free-burned in the cup. Makes sense.

Other discussions I read suggest that tealights in metal holders should be removed to burn in a non-flammable tealight holder (glass, etc.). The metal cup is considered a way to protect the candle from damage before using. This also makes sense.

Thoughts?

I do have one tip for you though, don't squeese the dropper when you are PO'd

The blue stains on my white kitchen flooring are testament to this.

The decision by CS WAS NOT a smokescreen.

I assume they are sincere but simply do not understand the larger games played in the oil industry.

we could give a shit less how things impact others; especially if the repercussions can't be felt on our soil.

I personally care a LOT about the schools, employment and other opportunities we take for granted that palm oil has provided for locals. I would not want to see demand for their product reduced which would cost deserving people a source of income. There are sources of palm oil that are fair-traded and certified sustainable and renewable. One can always choose to use those sources rather than blindly boycott ALL palm oil & its products.

Moral of story: never use a flammable or meltable material to hold a candle.

Wish tins where clear

I printed out a copy of the bullseye target above, trimmed it to fit in the inside of the tin, positioned a wicktab in the center, traced around the wicktab, cut it out and then traced the cutout center with a sharpie. That leaves a nice circle in which to place the wicktab. If you use a transparency to print out instead of paper, it lasts forever.

I use popcicle sticks sometimes. The reason I like the bowties is that they have a keyhole type hole which secures the wick snugly. This is important to me because I twist my wicks and it has to stay in place.

I love the colors!! I think I see some wasabi sauce and mayo in there, too... reminds me of what I do to hot dogs... JK Those bars look fantastic!! :-)

Sorry you are not pleased with the fragrance... perhaps as it cures, the fragrance will mellow into something more pleasing to you.

Patience is a virtue.

I use the EVO liquid dyes. It's very important to shake the heck out of them before using. This keeps the dye in solution better. Having said that, all of mine have a tendency to get mucky after a period of time. I have added a drop or two of CO to them on occasion which seems to help. Haven't noticed that red & burgundy is any worse than other colors.

Does the temperature of the jar when the wax is poured affect the adhesion of wax to glass?

Very little, in my experience. "Wet spots" will come and go as the candle is stored and burned, depending on environmental conditions that are not dependent on what happens during pouring. Cleaning the glass of manufacturing residue is more important. Do the best you can to encourage adhesion, but realize that preparations during pouring are not the only factor. The ambient temperature & atmospheric pressure have more to do with "wet spot" formation than does heating the glassware to temperatures higher than one can comfortably handle with bare hands. Somewhere in the 100°-110°F area (pleasantly warm to arthritic hands) is beneficial but beyond that is no gain and even problematic if the wick wax is melted or the adhesive softens. More is not better in this case. HTH

Centering involves the wick tab being centered at the bottom and centered/secured at the top. I find centering at the top is the more critical of the two. I use bow tie wick bars for nearly all of the containers I wick. They can be used upside down and rightside up - whichever fits better.

Below is a target I use to *eyeball* the center for placing the wicktab. You can save it to your computer (click on the image, right click, view image, save image) to print out.

Tip: When placing the wicktab, look directly down into the container. Sit (or stand) in the same position while wicking so your POV will be the same each time.

This is how I do it:

I remove the *guts* from a Bic (or similar) pen and slide the wick assembly in that, place my fingertip over the excess wick to hold it in place, put a dot of Permatex on the hole of the wicktab and hit the target (point with the finger holding the end of the wick). When the glue has set up (about 2-3 hours) and gained some strength (the bond gains strength as it cures), I insert the wicks through bow tie wick bars and secure. Last I give them a few revolutions to twist the wicks. Ready to pour.

More Applied Cajun Engineering...

I found a glass ashtray in which the container I use most often fits exactly. I glued one of the "targets" below underneath. Perfect!

I also have a lap tray with fold out legs (commonly used as a food tray for disabled people). Because the edges are raised (to prevent plates from sliding off easily), I secured a target in the corner so I can sit and wick while watching television. I slap the container into the corner and the lip of the tray aligns it with the target. Perfect!

For other containers, I laminated the target. Once I center one jar, I place mounting squares directly on the target sheet around the bottom of the container so I can quickly center the rest. Perfect!

The wick setters are cool, but don't fit all containers, so I quit messing with them and just use the method above.

Remember: Practice makes perfect. HTH :smiley2:

If you heat your jars first and then wick them, it lets the jars cool down too much

Your jars do not need to be that hot. All that is necessary is to knock off the chill. This is one of those techniques that has been puffed up beyond reason and utility.

I think it looks great! I like the subtle swirlies. Now try it with only one layer of clothing! LOL

It's stunning no matter HOW you cut it!! Fantastic!! :-)

I love how it looks!! I'm not a huge fan of straight lines - I find the uneven layer on yours more appealing! GOOD JOB!!! :-)

I ran out of Patchouli

I feel your pain. Life without patchouli is something I don't want to face.

I have several pour pots. While I heat up a batch of wax in the Presto, I add the desired amount of FO & dye to the pour pots. I warm them in an old electric skillet with an inch or so of water in it. When I am ready to pour, I clip a thermometer in the pour pot then add the wax. The temp doesn't drop much at all - maybe 5°. I stir down to 165°F and pour.

I ran it through SoapCalc and your water could have been higher... I wonder if the soap overheated. The numbers indicate it would be a pretty hard soap...

Definitely rebatch. You can make some color contrast with TD & black so it won't look like mud. You had some nice swirlies going on there... I rebatched something similar last year and I liked the way it came out more than the original. I used my crock pot on high.

Good luck and please let us know how it comes out.

I doesn't contain any solvents that would melt the polycarbonate. It's silicone rubber (RTV). HTH

That is SO GOOD LOOKIN'!! Great job! :-)

With the permatex and having to wick 12 hours in advance of pouring, is it still okay to warm jars in the oven?

Permatex Gasket Maker is rated to perform up to 600°F. I have warmed wicked jars in the oven with no problem, but when I say "warm" I am talking warm - no more than about 110°F. I do not leave containers in the oven for any longer than it takes to warm the glass. I can handle them with no discomfort when they come out.

A while ago I tried wicking ahead of time in an effort to streamline my process, but I found that by putting the wicked jars in the oven, wick performance changed drastically and I speculated it was due to the wick coating melting off while I was warming the jars. Any thoughts?

It's certainly possible. If you are using wicks with high temp wax coating, the wick wax may become soft but it should not melt off. I think you are warming your jars to too high a temperature. Are you using an oven thermometer to check the temp?

Another solution to warming the glassware is to immerse the container in warm water (temperature of hot dishwater) just below the top of the container. This can be dicey because the containers will try to float (depending on the size, height & weight), but if you are careful and place the containers together tightly, it works fine. I have an old water bath canner with a wire rig in which containers fit that I use for this purpose.

Still another solution is to warm the jars in a roaster oven that is prewarmed to a little over 100°F. The key to using ovens for glassware is to warm the oven to the desired temperature and then turn it off. This should take only a few minutes. Don't leave the containers in there to stay warm. The idea is to simply warm the container from ambient room temp (65-70°F) to the point that the "chill" is knocked off the glassware. The glass should not be heated thoroughly or too warm to handle comfortably. To give you an idea, I warm glassware in the oven in the cardboard carton in which the glassware was shipped. The carton never even becomes *crispy.* To keep the containers warm before they are poured, I cover the carton with a towel.

I also have used an old electric warming tray. I put a thin towel on the surface, put the glassware on it, then cover with a towel. It takes only a few minutes to warm the glassware sufficiently.

If an adhesive won't handle oven warming, I doubt it will keep its bond well enough to keep the wick tab sealed 100% of the time when the candle is liquid at the end of a candle. Temps of 150-200°F are common at the end of a container (depending on ambient room temp). Not every wick tab will unseal (hot glue) at the end of the candle but it will happen enough of the time that I choose to use an adhesive that will not soften at higher temperatures. Once is one too many IMHO. The photo I posted above is not the only time I have seen this phenomenon with other adhesives. It has happened with soy wax as well.

When it comes to product safety, I don't take chances. Since I supply my sons with candles, I have a vested interest in their safety. Considering the condition of a few of the containers my younger son has returned to me, the ONLY thing that prevented a glass failure or fire was the wick tab holding fast and self-extinguishing at the correct point. You'd think he'd know better, but he is my best "customer from hell" torture tester. If HE hasn't set one of my candles on fire or caused it to shatter, NO ONE ever will!! He actually bitched once (and only once!) that the candle went out "before the wax was all gone." :rolleyes2 I think the word "moron" escaped my lips when I responded... :lipsrseal I gave him a hurricane in which to burn his candles, which may account for his not burning his place down. To be fair, he HAS learned over the years to be more attentive... (proof that young males CAN learn) :smiley2:

The men who share the addiction understand. My sons "get it" - they just wouldn't go to the trouble for themselves, but if Mom wants to lay great homemade soap on them, they're happy not to use store-bought. #2 son is moving back here soon. I plan to turn his GF to the dark side (same as I did the last one). Muahahahaha!!

At least your DH is interested enough to ask a question (however misguided)... my ex never asked any questions for fear he might accidentally learn something he never wanted to know in the first place. Wonder what he's reserving all that empty brain space for, anyway?

I finally made my first batch of CP Soap. And, didn't blow anything up!

LOL - See? It really ISN'T like making homemade dynamite!!! Glad you had fun and can hardly wait for cut pics! :-)