Holly

I will have to look at the lastest batch that I have from ICS to see if it has the little circle indent on the bottom of each cube. I think they do. For those that have used the e-clamshells, did you experience the plastic smell? I sure hope I will not run into this problem. I only ordered 100 but would hate for them to be a waste and have to buy another kind right away. Thanks for the update.

Thank you! I have been on there and love the choices. I am going to go there again now and look!

Thanks. Glad to know they pop out great. I will probably start with one as well.

Thanks. They definitely are packed tighter than the ones before but most likely more noticeable now because they are more pliable and grab easier I guess.....don't slide away as easy. I look forward to seeing how they compare with Impact.

Glowworm, This is exactly what I am experiencing with the ones from ICS now. Maybe the manufacturer where some of the candle supply places are getting them from have changed the grade. Maybe it is thinner to cut cost. ?? I too notice that they are harder to open and thinner and you can push the plastic in from the bottom. I have trouble taking them apart too....from the stack in packing. As long as they do not leave a plastic smell as the poured clamshell sits, I may be able to handle the other negatives.

Thanks, Moonshine. I did mean Indiana Candle Supply. As far as I know, the plastic smell does not happen right away. It happens when the poured clamshell sits awhile. I am not sure if I have any sitting around in the newest batch of clamshells. The ones I made so far with them, have been sold. I will check. I have three from a previous order.....3 left over but not sure if it is the old batch or new. They were poured about 3 weeks ago. They offer the best pricing for small amounts and the shipping is good too and fast. I do hope that they are still as good as what they used to have.

Thank you. I will look into them. Do you have a current supplier now? I sure hope the ones that I am getting now from ICS are just as good as what they had before. The material definitely seems different thought. Only time will tell though.

Thanks, Glowworm! I forgot about them. I do not order from them and forgot that they have a lot of nice molds. I like the ones that you use. I have seen those before somewhere else but like that their mold has 36 pumpkins. Do you have more than one mold. I may be able to invest in one mold. Gotta watch my budget.

I for the life of me cannot decide on which molds to get. I keep searching and searching and I never seem to make up my mind thinking I have not found all my choices yet. I have been all over the net though. I want to offer these this Fall, as I did the last Fall I was in the biz before, and never did. What is your favorite Pumpkin Mold Supplier for wax melts? I think I will be putting them in quality plastic jars (plastic to keep the shipping cost down), or maybe smooth sided Mayo jars....not sure yet. There is a new company called Pink Zebra and they put the scented beads in tall pastic jars. Thanks!

I remember a long time ago being very careful to get the molds that did not cause a plastic smell in the wax if they were sitting on a shelf for awhile. I don't want to name the place that I remember finding out that they caused the smell in case I am remembering wrong. I have been getting my clamshell molds from ICS. I have never noticed a problem when I was in the biz before. When I got back into the biz not long ago, I had to order more. I noticed that they appeared different. They plastic appears thinner...not as sturdy. I am worried that they may have changed manufacturers and could be the kind that will cause a plastic smell. This is a very big turnoff to customers. I read about this all the time on review boards. For those of you who have ordered clamshell molds from ICS within that last several months have you noticed a problem at all? I am not sure when they changed. I closed my biz in March of 2010 and reopened in March of 2012. They changed sometime during the two years. I have not been back in the biz long enough yet to know if there is a problem with these. Do any of you know of a supplier that offers the ones that do not cause the plastic smell? I can't remember the name of that one place that offers all types, but they have a big min. order. Thank you!

I am interested in trying Lavender Apple and was wondering if anyone here uses Nature's Garden's Lavender Apple. I have not bought from them in years but there are a few oils that I wanted to try from them. Also, has anyone compared Lavender Apple with Elements Lavender Apples & Oak? Not sure how different the one with Oak would be to the straight Lavender Apple. I cannot remember if I have smelled a Lavender Apples & Oak before....name sounds real familar, like I may have a long time ago but not sure from where. I have never tried anything from Elements before. I have wanted to but try to cut back on adding more suppliers. Thank you! ~Holly

That is a similar idea to the pancake griddle I have except the lip is taller. I almost got this: http://www.target.com/p/broilking-warming-tray/-/A-10907591 but the griddle was cheaper and I could get it local. Target does not carry the warming trays in the store and I could not find them at a few places I looked at. The warming tray would be safer....some cannot go above 200 and some not above 250. Also, the warming tray has less wattage than the griddle. The shipping would have been free but the griddle was cheaper and will work just the same except the temp can go higher than 250. I never put it above that though. I mainly just use it now to keep my different wax warm. I put foil on top of it in case I change my mind and I will just use it for my kitchen and get the warming tray later if I end up liking that setup. This way the wattage would be less.

That is where I saw it before other than Ebay! When I recently ran a search I wondered why I could not find candle supply place where they offered those.

All that makes sense. I will try the griddle again even though I am so used to putting the measured wax back in the prest pot with the water in it. It heats so fast. If the griddle works for me and does not take too long, it will decrease the steam in the air. P.S. What does you skillet look like?

Sounds like you have a system as well. My turkey roaster has a control but not digital and does not have a fuse. That sounds like a good melter you have. Our shop breaker has gone off before though when I have too many things going. Those darn prestos are a high wattage. I have to have an extension cord (for appliances) go from one wall over to the other wall so it is on a different line. What a pain. I have learned how many I can have going now so this does not happen.

I have thought about trying that, but my presto pots are coated with water minerals. Your electric skillet must be like the pancake griddle I got. ?? I just got this. What temp do you put it up to, to bring the temp back up? What I have mainly done for my larger orders is melt the wax in the turkey roaster and then transfer some of it to a large pour pot which I put inside the double boiler presto pot and then I take from that pot when I measure and I have another presto pot to bring my wax temp back up on the measured wax. I am trying to get away from the steam but still want to be safe.

I have the little legged stand that goes in the presto pot not only for pots that need lifted so the handle can reach over the side of the presto pot, but it is also good if for some reason I forget to add water and it dries out. This way the pot is not directly on the bottom of the presto pot. After the wax is melted, I turn it to warm, but you never know....one can get busy and forget stuff and I have to leave the shop on and off.

Since I got the pancake griddle for a warming tray, I do not want to turn it up high enough to reheat the measured wax back up because I am afraid I will forget to turn it back down and then the other pots on there that are kept warm will get way to hot. It just makes me uncomfortable. When I put the measured wax in the pot inside the presto pot with water, it will reheat really fast without a worry and even if I left it on by accident it is just water, plus it is very noticeable when the water is really hot....easy to remember to turn it back down. I don't even have to turn it up to 250 to heat it real fast. Water is great! Hate the steam but works well.

Vicky, that is exactly how I have felt all this time and still using the water in the presto pots. I even would worry about putting the wax directly in the presto pot like many do when they have added the spigot. The turkery roaster can be dangerous too. It is not totally direct...has a pan inside...but it could get too hot if something went wrong...accidentally put the temp up too high...they get hot. I have only used the roaster when I got big orders (but not quite big enough to heat my actual 100 lb. wax melter up) and have been soooooo careful. How do you work it?

Water jacket wax melters are the best way to go, but are expensive and the one I have is too big for basic orders. Double boilers is the next safest way as long as it is being heated with something that has a temp control. I just do not like the steam going in the air. Drives me nuts! I have a turkey roaster that I use for my main wax but I still like my double boiler method with my presto pots to control the temp of the wax that I have measured out to the temp I want before I pour the fragrance oil in. I just can't seem to get away from it. I trust the water more than a flat electric plate that I would be turning up and down all the time...afraid I may make a mistake and it gets too hot. I also sometimes have two types of wax that I need to melt. I need to get the spikots on my presto pots for this. Although, there is so much mineral deposit build up in the presto pots, I would most likely need to get new ones. Not sure.

Did all of you buy the ones that have the spigot added or did you convert it yourself? I have a 100 lb. wax melter but still have to use my presto pots for basic orders. I have only used my official wax melter for fundraisers....takes too long to heat up a small amout of wax and too much energy. I never did convert my presto pots to be able to pour from the pot. So, all these years, I have just used them double boiler style.....larger pour pot with wax inside the presto pot that has water in it. I also have a Turkey roaster that I use for slightly larger orders. This has worked well and holds way more than a presto pot, but I think it would be easier to pour from the presto pot with a spigot. Also, regarding the double boiler style, I hate the moisture going in the air from the water/steam and lately have worried that it may be harder on the lungs....fumes mingled with moisture in the air. Not sure. The thing I like about the double boiler style is I can remove the one pot and put the other pot with the measured out wax back in to heat back up to the temp I need. The water heats back up real quick. This way I can keep the supplier wax pot at a lower temp. How do you guys work that? I have had the Turkey roaster going and two presto pots at one time. I have seen warmer trays used by some candle makers before, so I got a pancake griddle instead....could find this local. However, the measured out wax does not heat up as fast on there as it does in the double boiler so I just use that to keep my other waxes that I may be using liquified.

Forgot to ask. Are you talking about the blend that has 70% soy and 30% paraffin and not the other one with more paraffin? I used the 70/30 (soy/paraffin).

Hi Darbla, I used to double wick the short apothecaries with the Hemp wicks, and I did use this wax in some single wicked candles. I never had any luck double wicking the taller apothecaries...would get weak flames. I ended up using LX's in the little roly poly jars. I do recall testing both the HTP's and ECO's in the taller jars that look like roly polies...single wick jars. Both did well if I remember correctly. Since I have reopened and developing a new candle line, I am currently trying this wax in the cylindar jar, and I believe I tried 2 Eco 6's in the only tester so far...would have to look. I have not come to a conclusion yet for double wicking in this jar. This wax burns down before out and since this jar is very open it does not get as hot so it is a little harder to get to the sides even double wicked in this jar. I remember when Greenleaf had this wax, they thought that the Eco's did the best for this wax. I found though for double wicking the Hemps did better...non bending wick (stand straight up) and since the apothecary jar was wider this is better for a wax that burns down before out....more of an even burn to the sides even though I did set the wicks to bend one way with one and the other way with the other wick. I did not like the Hemps for the small one wick jars. They tend to mushroom a bit and did not look right in the smaller jars....too noticeable. I liked the LX's for the pretty little jars...the wicks are not as noticeable and are white....I kept my wax uncolored.....and not as noticeable after a burn. What jar are you using? ~Holly

Hi! I have seen those jars. I have never tried them but they may work with double wicking (depending on the wax) because I think they are more straight sided....not much of a curve at all at the top. It may work. The apothecaries have more of a neck and curve than the mustard jars. I would like to see how it would work as well. I am headed out for a horse ride but will be back on later. Trailering Clyde over to where my friend boards her horse to work in the arena and then out for a ride. I may take some pictures. I am horrible about taking pictures when I go somewhere....hassle!

It is a bummer. I also find that jars with necks and the curve are much easier to get the wax out to the sides because of the trapped heat and find the scent throw is better....i.e. mason jars vs. madison jars and/or Status jars. I can also get a better scent throw with a small roly poly than a status jar or at least much faster in the burn than the status jar and closer to the top. The 16 oz. apothecary (has the neck/curve) can be be hard to double wick in the 16 oz. or taller apothecary jars. One wick will do fine in these jars but two wicks can easily drown out. Although, one wick in the apothecaries can be a tuff one getting a complete meltpool with many types of wax. I only found pure soy to be the easiest to double wick in the taller apothecary jars. Wicking can be a pain in the butt. It is always one thing or the other. After several years of making candles, I have learned what usually works and doesn't work and try to work around it. I am sorry it is not working out for you. I will say though, there may be a wax that will work in that jar without getting the weak flame when it gets lower. Good luck!