AustinCandleMaker

How does one know if they have the right Fragrance percentage? You can work to create a candle with a great hot throw. But I don't want it to be too over powering. You can do tests with differing amount of fragrance In a small room it might be overpowering. In a large room it might get lost. What's too much is subjective I know. But you have to start somewhere What is a good sized room to plan for? This will help me back into the right fragrance percentage. I am working with a 12oz 3.75" single wick sized candle. I don't expect it to fill the whole house.

Awesome. Thanks for the advise

Thanks I'm working with 4627 because one of my product lines requires vibrant colors. Couldn't get that from Soy. I saw a trick from somewhere else here on craft server to put it in the refrigerator. It does help working with it. I just cover everything and use gloves and that keeps things in check pretty well

I live in Texas and in the heat of the summer I was told using vybar raises the melt point and helps keep the candle from "slumping"

That's where i started. But i added the vybar and run the wick test with one above and one below the recommended wick. I wont be using the vybar for my next test run. I prefer to do a wick test with no FO to be sure the container/wick/wax combo is working as expected before introducing FO Thanks

That's where i started. But i added the vybar and run the wick test with one above and one below the recommended wick. I wont be using the vybar for my next test run. I prefer to do a wick test with no FO to be sure the wick/wax combo is working as expected before introducing FO Thanks

8oz Jelly Jar 2.75" diameter LX 14,16, 18 HTP 83, 104

I'm going to do that this evening. Just thought I'd ask and see if anyone else might know

I'm having a hell of a time wicking 4627. Candle Science prefers LX series. Looking through the forums, I see that people swear by HTP series. I've tried them both and they both soot. I am adding a small amount of vybar 260 to the batch. At this time this is only a base wick test. No color. No scent. Any suggestions?

Thanks Laura. I notice that nasty odor with the liquid dyes as well. Where do you get your dye blocks?

Thanks @TallTayl. Any suggestion on a wax? I know a lot of people do not use Dyes. I don't plan to for my Luxury candles. But do you have a suggestion for dyes?

I've made some with IGI-6006 (unimpressed), GW 464 (troublesome) I'm thinking of trying a Coconut blend. Not sure which one. There are many reasons to search for the "right" wax as i have learned. The primary reason i'm still searching is because of color. If I'm going to make a go of it to make some money and/or make it a business, i have a particular initial market to start in. I think it's a great launch point. Rather than Craft fair and such. Or being just another candle maker with a website or on Etsy. My initial market is what i plan on using to drive people to my website. Here's the kicker. It REQUIRES to have vibrant colors. I need a RED red, BLACK black, ORANGE orange. Those are the most difficult so far. I need to have bright/true colors as close as possible. Forget Soy. 6006 didn't do it either. I slightly "overloaded" the colors for the recommended portions. I could overload them more but that's not going to change the soy results. I have also heard that if you overload too much, it could "clog" your wick. Don't know if that's true or not. Just because you hear/see it on the internet doesn't make it true. Man I wish more people understood that. But that's a totally different conversation. I digress... I am currently using Liquid Dyes from LoneStar. I have heard that using blocks might give better colors. What do you recommend? What source? Man that was a lot. 🙂

I think I'll ask the color question in its own thread

Okay since we went there. Waxes. I've made some with IGI-6006 (unimpressed), GW 464 (troublesome) I'm thinking of trying a Coconut blend. Not sure which one. There are many reasons to search for the "right" wax as i have learned. The primary reason i'm still searching is because of color. If I'm going to make a go of it to make some money and/or make it a business, i have a particular initial market to start in. I think it's a great launch point. Rather than Craft fair and such. Or being just another candle maker with a website or on Etsy. My initial market is what i plan on using to drive people to my website. Here's the kicker. It REQUIRES to have vibrant colors. I need a RED red, BLACK black, ORANGE orange. Those are the most difficult so far. I need to have bright/true colors as close as possible. Forget Soy. 6006 didn't do it either. I slightly "overloaded" the colors. Recommended portions. I could overload them more but that's not going to change the soy results. I have also heard that if you overload too much, it could "clog" your wick. Don't know if that's true or not. Just because you hear/see it on the internet doesn't make it true. Man I wish more people understood that. But that's a totally different conversation. I digress... I am currently using Liquid Dyes from LoneStar. I have heard that using blocks might give better colors. What do you recommend? What source? Man that was a lot. 🙂

Thanks @TallTayl and @Laura C . Excellent information. The "if you're lucky this will all work out." Isn't super reassuring 🙂 "It's a long way there" - Little River Band ('76)