chuck_35550

I have a back up in the shop. Wouldn't dream of going back to anything else. The only other direction is to go with a water jacket melter and they're not cheap. The turkey fryer keeps the wax at 200 degrees and the heating unit is in direct contact with the wax but that has never been a detected problem for the integrity of the wax. You have to cover the heating elements with melted wax before loading it up and then its just a matter of replacing wax used in a pour session. I always refill while the wax is hot, easy peasy. I also have the pour spout and its great. Never clogs and pours fast into the pour pot. HTH Steve

Depending on the percentage of your blend (85% 6006 and 15% 464) you have crossed over into the parasoy zone. The best pour temp I found was 185 degrees in room temp jars. Test and see.

There is no such thing as draft free IMHO. Testing in the bathroom with the door and vent closed while viewing through a window maybe but small drafts are always present in an area. Dancing flames don't bother me one bit. I can test a candle and it rests for awhile then the flame dances a bit and especially half way through the jar from its own draft. Good melt pool and great hot throw? Hooray!

Go to Hobby Lobby or any crafts store and you will be looking for a document or photo sealant. I take the labels out of the shop and lightly spray them down with the sealant. It dries quick and clear but it does have a chemical odor that fades after a couple of days. I let my labels sit for a few minutes after printing and try not to get finger prints on them until they are sealed. It's a hassle but I like the look. Especially now that my jars have black lids. You do know that black and white are the trendy Christmas colors this year? Reminds me of Nightmare Before Christmas, lol. HTH Steve

I used to buy the long wicks and tabs from Candle Cocoon. The trick is to place your pliers at the very top and crimp. I have a pair of needle nose pliers that work just great for that purpose. I bent the bottoms at first, because of improper placement on the tab. You can save a lot of money tabbing wicks. You want to make sure that the wick end is all the way to the bottom and touching your finger underneath. You don't have to squeeze it to death, just give it a little crimp and you won't warp the tab. Merry Christmas!

Any type of indoor or outdoor light will cause discoloration over time. I have not had good luck with melting wax down and pouring again. I even upped the fragrance load and didn't like the results. Start over is the best idea IMHO. Good luck. Steve

The context of my answer was in reference to anyone starting out. Label cost is certainly a part of the spread sheet for each unit made but on a small scale that cost needs to be low. People come back for a product that delivers as expected or beyond expectations. The customer will return for a good deal. Thanks Tall for reminding me that the clear crystal gloss labels are a pain. After the ink has dried I spray them with a clear coat sealant for photos. This prevents smears and helps to reduce water damage. Water proof labels are so expensive but they are really great. The black print shows up so well on my white candles and looks really clean. Labelsbythesheet is the only game in town IMHO because you don't have to buy bulk quantities and they have a quick turn around. Candybee and Talltayl represent the accomplished version of handmade. Lots of work and experimentation goes into packaging. I'll try to post some of my products to give you another perspective on packaging. I'm still evolving with the whole way my process goes. Marketing can go something like this: two stalls in a local flea market selling candles and one has beautifully packaged, wonderfully fragranced candles in very nice containers, while the other has mason jar candles with no labels for $5.00. The high end seller goes home with a modest amount of sales and the plain jane sells out. The high end chandler appeals to customers who don't mind spending money for style as well as function. The fly in that ointment is that there are a million low, medium and high end companies selling candles in every market and venue. Learn your craft and make a product you can take pride in and develop at your own pace. HTH

I think Tinsel from NG is a good, sparkly pom.

Candlewic has a great Coconut Lime. I think its a Henry Bendel fragrance.

I use Avery on an ink jet printer. I've been told my labels look very professional by customers. I was using the white 2x4 Avery labels but recently returned to clear glossy 2x4 labels because of a jar change. I'm all about less is more on a label. Color inserts are ink eaters and expensive, so I rarely have pictures. The company name is in bold black letters on top with my mission statement underneath (quality handmade ect) and the candle name in smaller bold with a brief description and then my contact info on the bottom. I use to fret about long descriptive bs about the fragrance and realized most people weren't reading "Like walking through the forest on a fall day with smelly moss". People ignore labels and pretty much just open the jar and stick their nose inside. Buy a cheap ink jet printer, download a free Avery program and get as creative as you want. I now use a business card on the inside of my shrink wrapped soap, because they're cheaper and easier to deal with than a regular label (go figure). You can use all sorts of papers, stock and come up with some great looking stuff. The people you don't want to infringe are: Disney, any college/university logo and Disney. I think most other companies aren't that interested in small time guys and I sure don't think you're safe if you include "type". Again, most customers are hooked by a great cold throw and then sold with a great hot throw. HTH Steve

No, sorry. BCN is like any other distributor with a hit or miss selection of fragrances.

I know this has been said before but add 15% straight soy to the 6006 and use a cd or cdn wick. What have you got to lose? If you have some 415 or even 464 just toss that into the mix and pour at 185 degrees into room temperature jars and let cool uncovered. This formula works well with a 7% fo load. HTH Steve

No. Other than 85% 6006 and 15% 415. There are several board members who use their own blend but I doubt they will share the formula.

This would be my starting inventory: The Presto is best (forget the double boiler method) but an old tempered glass coffee carafe on a stove eye will do for starters, a good digital thermometer (forget candy thermometers-I use an oven thermometer with the probe on a silver cord), a slab of wax, a box of 8 ounce jelly jars (straight sided, not wide mouth), a bag of sample wicks (different sizes), a dozen one ounce tester fragrances of your choice, an old high temp plastic or silicone slotted spoon for stirring and last but not least a really good digital scale (don't cheap out) and make sure when you're doing your Dr. Frankenstein routine that you keep pets and children out of the area and turn on some ventilation. You could get all into colorants, labels (and you will get into much more than that) but learn the wax and see how it behaves with different fragrances and different wicks. That's the cheapest way I know to start out and take it easy and have fun. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher just in case you flame on but I have never had to use mine, so don't get scared. You are entering a very over saturated market and the best you can hope for is to find a niche and fill it. Talk to the folks at Peaks and get feedback. Oh, and get a heat gun.

Wow.

Pretty but wrong colors for my house, lol.

How do you make such fab soap? Have you given up on more video tutorials? Really wonderful, as usual. Steve

I wouldn't worry about it, my turkey fryer is 200 degrees and its never presented a problem. I keep an eye on my pour pot temp and if it climbs past 190 degrees, it comes off the eye. Pour temp for my parasoy is best at 185 to 190 degrees. My wax is 75% soy and 25% paraffin. HTH Steve

Roll Tide Roll! What a beautiful swirl. Love the mantra. Steve

You have to really keep your eye on the temp because the Presto is more of a general guideline and not that accurate. We all like to see our wax melt fast so we can get to business and not wait around. I get everything ready while the wax is melting and then give the wax a good stir with my faithful wooden spoon. Its really nice if you're going to pour a case or two of a certain fragrance and color. You measure it all out and then you can pour candles like crazy. You'll get the hang of it in no time. HTH Did you ever decide if any of your candles had water in them? Steve

I use a double organic filter that absolutely keeps out all odors. You can get them at Home Depot or Amazon for about $30.00. Hate wearing it but that's better than candle nose. Steve

Even the best of candles will eventually have areas where wax pulls away (loses adhesion) to the container wall. It's just a fact of life. Look at Yankee or any others on the shelf and you'll notice the so-called wet spots. Opaque containers are expensive and to me they ruin the effect of an open flame. Try heating your tumblers and placing them in a cardboard box for insulation and a slow cool to reduce wax shrinkage. The candles cool from the outside first and pull away from the glass due to the wax shrinking as it cools. Nobody but you notices the wet spots if the candles smell really good when burned. HTH Steve

The Presto will melt your wax without burning it. it never comes in contact with the heat source and will be fine up to whatever temp you heat. You can put a spout on your pot or use a ladle to fill your coffee pot or pour pot. I used to mix everything in the Presto and then pour into my jars through my pour spout that I installed myself. I never thought of using it as a double boiler. I use a turkey fryer to heat about 25 pounds of wax at 200 degrees and have never had the wax burst into flames or burn. You put the coffee pot on a scale and ladle your wax in it and then add fo and color. Keep the pour pots on your double burner and keep a thermometer in your pots. I use an oven thermometer with a long silver cord and a probe on the end and can look at the read out for temp. HTH Steve

Its fake.

Wonderful folks to work with and eager to get your business. The Dickens Christmas is the same as the old Alabaster and very reasonably priced. HTH Steve