Elapid

$300.00 for a "Rump Roast" is kinda high isn't it? (pimp smilie)

I make chunk candles with the chunks sitting on top (bottom of mold) and thought they might spill, never happened with the test burns. I was surprised that they didn't, but when the wax made the melt pool it just burnt like a regular pillar. I can't say much about yours looking at the picture, but if it's anything like mine you will probably be surprised. I think it might have a lot to do with what wax you are using.

You might want to see if any of the party has a fish pond. Goldfish do well in outside ponds and they don't have to be cleaned all the time like a fishbowl would.

Good luck with the hobby. I can promise you that you will have more fun than you think. I can also promise you that you will be spending money on supplies and such that you just have to have.

What about shrink wrap? I'm guessing you already have a heat gun so the rest is easy. Here's a link to a supplier. http://www.papermart.com/templates/36-0-10.htm?origin=froogle#GO_36010

I fill mine to the very top with the first pour. Almost over the top, with cohesion keeping the wax from spilling.

I ended up using 8-10 drops added to the wax I already had 6 black chips in, but I was trying to get Hi-gloss black. I re-melted the wax I tried with the chips the first time. I might be able to go with less, but I didn't want to have to melt the wax a third time. It came out true black this time. I was thinking about using some dark red chips added to the wax to get the black and I might do some "testing" with this next time. Apparently jet black is not an easy color to get with any wax.

I finally got the color I wanted using liquid dye.

I use 4625 paraffin on my molded candles. I was trying to get the color using color chips, which I have a ton of, but I think you need to use liquid color to get a true black.

I leave it in the mold also. If the candle needs the bottom (top of the mold) leveled I do it on a small warm frying pan. Standing the candle on the pan and spinning it around a few times usually makes it level.

Thanks for the replies, I'm trying to make some 8 ball candles and just can't get them black enough with chips. Looks like some black liquid dye will be on my next order, I guess I will need a bunch of it.

I'm trying to bake some BLACK candles using color chips. I put 4 per pound and they come out like a black plumb color. I'm trying to make some solid black "8 ball" candles and am having a hard time getting a solid black, the white wax tones the color down too much. I was thinking about adding a deep red and and Green to try and get the color right. Anybody have an Idea on how to get a solid dark black? Thanks for any help on this.

That's a shame, I got everything but my wax from them. I didn't get the wax because the shipping cost to Mississippi. I did get all the wick I will need in the foreseeable future back then. I'm sorry to find this out.

Years ago I ordered some candle molds from the Web site Pourette, good prices on their molds. Now all I see on their page is ready made candles. Did they stop selling supplies? I have been out of the candle making business for a bit, where does everybody go to get good deals on molds?

Thank you all for responding to my question, I don't have the time at the moment to do all the testing required to set up my own formulas but would consider this in the future. Elapid

I was wondering if anybody just gets straight paraffin wax and uses their own additives for whatever they are pouring? I'm starting to think that you would have more control over the burn and such if you just formulated your own wax and it would be consistent every time. ie a constant baseline wax to start with. What I'm looking at is that every time you use a different formula, change your supplier, you have to go through the entire testing protocol again. I would imagine some of the more involved chandlers have looked at this and wanted to get their input. Would it not make your wax the same every time and cut down on testing requirements? Anybody? Elapid----<

If you want to know how long the candle will burn: Weigh the candle with out the holder and get the total weight. Then weigh the candle and the holder together and get that weight. Then burn the candle for a couple of hours, 2 to 3 will work. Then weigh the candle and holder again and find the weight that was consumed in the time you burned it, use even hours for the burn time. Divide the total loss of wax by the number of hours you burned it and you will get the grams consumed per hour. When you know how many grams are burned per hour divide the total weight of the candle, without the holder, by the grams per hour burn. This will give you the total burn time, or at least real close to it. This works with all candles, but you have to weigh the candle before you put it in the holder to get the candle total weight. JMO, Elapid----<

Stearic Acid will increase the burn time. You have to test on how much tp add and, more than likely, change the wicking also. Somebody else might post more, look up Stearic Acid on the forum.

It looks like fingernailing, I think that is what it's called. I'm no expert, they will follow I'm sure, but I believe I have seen that VIBAR will help with this. But I bet they will want to know what wax you are using and what temp you are pouring them. I hope nobody jumps on me for posting here, I don't have enough experience to suggest anything other what I think it's called. JMHO, Elapid

If Top claims that he doesn't understand this, I don't think there is a valid answer. I'll just continue to test, test, test, and pay no attention to the numbers other than to identify one wick from the other.

I don't know where you get your wax, try Alabaster their price has been the same for at least a year around $55.00 to $60.00 without shipping. I don't think the price of wax has had anywhere near the increase of fuel in general. JMO, Elapid

The price of fuel, and the fact that the price of anything depends on transportation cost, means the price of candles is bound to go up. But don't worry the wax is going to go up with it, the paraffin wax at least:cry2: I'm surprised the cost of wax has not changed much to date, and I bet when the price of any wax changes all waxes will change with it. wait and see, Elapid!

Sounds like it might be a tealight Hurricane. Helen, click on the "Techniques & Ideas" button on the left and see if you see what you are asking about, and welcome to the forum. HTH Elapid~~<

I would think that If people can have an allergy to vegtables, and they do, there could be allergies to any vegtable wax derived from them. Petroleum products certinaly can cause an allergic reaction, so that wax could be responsible. FO is made up from multiple chemicals and the more additives something has will increase the likelyhood of an allergy. I believe the most common culprit would be the FO. JMO, Elapid---<

After reading your post I started thinking about the balloon. I don't make balloon candles, but I'm sure all balloons aren't made with the same rubber and this could be the problem. Perhaps the material the balloon is made of is wax phobic. I do know that rubber can be made out of several different sources like paraffin, vegtable, and even other base materials. Maybe you should try a different balloon. JMO, Elapid----<