Accents

What size apothecary jars are you using? You could try an HTP126 in place of the 1212. It doesn't burn quite as hot but still gives a similar MP, seems to mushroom a little less. The LX series works pretty well in C3. Sometimes it takes more than one burn to achieve full MP.

Clean Glow Fresh Glow Light & Fresh Sparks & Suds Life l'essence ??

Oh, there's nothing wrong with doing it all in the Presto. Probably the easiest way to not have to worry about temps. I just don't want to clean mine out! I also sometimes make small batches, so it's easier to just measure out the wax I need already melted. Then I don't have to wait for more wax to melt between batches.

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll try getting the wax a little hotter, too.

Welcome back to candlemaking! Think of all the testing as a challenge instead of work. I'm sure those basic instructions still work, there's just a lot of variables. I'd look for a kit. If you get one for pillars, it should come with a mold. Good luck! There's lots of great information and knowledgeable people here!

Wow, how terribly crafty are you! The wax companies should hire you to see what you can get their waxes to do! Very well done!

Interesting read. I kinda just like the word "polymorphism".

Ooooh, didn't realize there were so many choices. I like the closed burner one, thanks Bruce! Might try the heat gun until I get a hot plate.

Thanks for the ideas! Now, if only my stove were in the basement... Maybe I'll look into a hot plate and put a pot of water on that.

I use a hot pour wax, melt it in my Presto to about 185, then put it in a pyrex measuring pot. I have a hard time keeping my wax hot enough by the time I'm through stirring in fragrance and getting the right color. Any ideas?

Where do you have leftover wax? On the sides or the bottom? If it's just at the bottom, a shorter wick tab might help. What kind of container are you burning in?

Oh, now, what'd you do that for? LOL I can't decide now. Definitely like the new one, that light colored band still stands out. I keep finding myself drawn to the black, but the lighter one makes everything a little more balanced. Okay, I'm stuck. Hopefully someone else has a stronger opinion!

I like the one with the black band. It really stands out! The black just kind of draws my eye to your candle. Love it!

I stir my oil in before the color, so I can see the oil swirling around. When I can't see it anymore, I assume it's mixed in. And then I stir a little more.

My thermometer is from a restaurant-supply company, and it can be calibrated. I haven't done it yet, though... But, the directions to calibrate say to fill a glass with half ice and half water, and you want the thermometer to read 32*. You could check yours and see if they do that. If they don't go that low, water boils at 212*, so you could take the temp of boiling water too. If you've got that many, you can figure which one is most accurate. Just a thought!

Hey, mine do that too! Not always that much, though. Don't know how normal it is, but you're not alone. I never tried getting rid of them...hmmm...

I'll second BCN's Georgia Peach.

Our cordless phone has a place to plug in a headset. If yours is only a month old, you've probably got one too. I think you probably clip the phone onto a pocket or something. Look for the attachment thing on your phone; if you have one, I'm sure you can buy the headset just about anywhere. HTH!

What about a room or linen spray for the kids' rooms? Sachets might work too (stick 'em in the bottom of those boys' hampers).

Not all fragrances work very well. Your temps sound good. You could try curing longer. Sorry, I haven't tried any Lonestar FOs, but there's a thread listing scents that have worked well in soy on here. It's a sticky at the top of one of the pages, either the Veg. Candle or the Fragrance section. The sinkholes seem to be hit or miss with me. Pouring slowly and cooling slowly seem to make a difference for me, but then they pop up again. Heat guns are good for those. You could try beeswax, but it could just be your FO. I don't add anything to mine. HTH!

What a neat idea! You could use a smoke elimator scent for those people who smoke while playing cards.

I don't understand those of you putting Cindy down for trying to help the rest of us out. I, for one, don't belong to every message board out there so am not aware of sales outside of Candletech (unless it's in a newsletter). If a supplier were to post a good sale here, I might try it and try other items as well. It would be beneficial to the supplier, as we don't all subscribe to other boards and even if we did might prefer CT. Cindy, thank you for bringing this to our attention. Suppliers who choose not to share your sales with us: Why not? Those of your who do share sales on CT: Thank you! It's appreciated.

NuScents candle supplies has the cotton cored wicks. Only a few of those sizes. They do have a sample pack. www.nuscentscandle.com I'm sure there are others out there...

I use a plain white gift bag and stick a label on it. I tie the reeds together with a simple ribbon to add a little color, wrap the oil and jar in tissue paper and put it in the bag. I include directions. Figure the bag is easy for people to carry if at a craft show. If you want boxes, I'm sure you can have them made the size you want or find a place that already makes them close to the size you need.

Maybe your could charge them a one-time r&d or set-up fee? As far as figuring out what to charge per candle after that, I'm stumped.