Candle Man

The lower the number the better the plastic. PETE is a #1 plastic and the next best thing to glass. I would suggest to only use anything from 1-5 NOT 6 or 7. Here is some good info. about Acrylic http://www.acrylic-designs.com/plastic_FAQ's.htm

Maybe Robin knows or can find out since the company is in OR as is she.

I have no problems with the tops setting up smooth after using the heat gun, but my wax is my own blend. The problem with the tops may be with 100% soy.

Sure you can, but the wire hanger is not any bigger than the doll needles and it works for me. Do you have a metal kabob skewer, that would work, too.

Yes I use them and its easy, once you learn how. A problem you will most likely have is tiny surface air bubbles (air bubbles right next to your object). You don't want surface air bubbles because your casting will have pin holes from the air bubbles. The best way to get rid of the bubbles is to use a vacuum chamber to de-gas the liquid rubber of the air bubbles. That is a very expensive piece of equipment and not worth it unless you are producing hunderdes of molds. The other way to reduce air bubbles is to get the same product you want to pour only in the thicker brush-on. That way you can brush on the first layer then use the thinner pourable to finish the mold, to the desired thickness. Their instructional DVS's are great to learn the proper way to make molds & well worth the cost. Mold making is expensive (more so than candle making) and if you mess up you can't re-use the rubber again, like you can re-melt a candle & try again. HTH - Candle Man

I tried the 4oz Jelly Jar as a car freshener and could not get a good throw, even in this hot weather & at 1oz FO per 4oz jelly jar.

They are not a waste, these are the same water crystals you can use in flower pots, flower beds & gardens, if you grow plants. Just mix the dry crystals in the soil, they hold moisture in the soil for weeks, so you water less.

Great clean site & great photos. I did see this... Try our version of B&BW's popular Love Spell scent. That is not a B&BW's scent it is VS's Victoria's Secret. http://www2.victoriassecret.com/collection/sort/?cgnbr=&basecgnbr=OSFRGZZZZZZ&bn=VSGARDEN&sbb=true&rfnbr=2671

Make sure you melt the entire top, not just a portion of it, and be careful and don't burn the wick, with the heat gun.

They sell ok for me. Don't go by the directions you find out there, tho, 1-2 teaspoons of FO is just not enough. Smelly Jellies are just room fresheners and have no heat to throw off the scent. I add 1oz of FO in the 8oz jelly jars and get a good enough throw for my customers to come back for more. Here is how I make mine... I make mine per jar, not in a large batch. With my method you can still make many jars at one time. In a 8oz Jelly Jar add 1/2TSP of table salt. This helps to reduce the growth of mold & works for me. Next fill the jar about 1/2-3/4 with distilled water. Use a straw and stir until salt is desolved. Add food color by the drops to the desired color & stir with the straw. Keep a recipe card for your colors. Add 1 TBSP of crystals. Add 1oz of FO. Keep stiring off & on until jel swells. You may need to top off with more distilled water. Only fill to ring below the threads. When finished place a metal canning seal on top then screw on the daisy smelly jelly lid, then label. TIP - After step 1&2 you can put the jar into the microwave for 30 seconds to warm the water, this will help the jel to swell faster. HTH - Candle Man

I'm not familiar with acrylic candle molds. I know there is Polycarbonate plactic molds out there, but they don't hold up very well, they crack easily. Here are some I ran across, I don't know anything about the quality of these suppliers, as I have not used them. http://www.candlesandbeeswax.com/cmolds.html http://www.wicksandwax.com/acrylic.htm Just Google Acrylic Candle Molds to find more. HTH - Candle Man BTW - You may want to check and be sure, before you order, that suppliers are not selling Poly molds and calling them Acrylic.

I don't think it's a Trend or a Fad. I think customers either don't like color or want a netural color to match any decor.

No, you shouldn't have to. You only poke to open up the air pocket so the melted wax will fill it up, weather you do a re-pour or use the heat gun. You will know when you hit an air pocket, first you will feel resistance then when you hit the air pocket, there will be no resistance, your poking stick (what every you use) will go in faster when it hits the air pocket. It's hard to explain, but when you hit them you will know, or at least I do now. It may take you a few candles to know if you hit an air pocket or not.

You could use that oil but, it has a short shelf life. FCO has an indefinate shelf life, when stored properly. The best price for Cyclo, I have found is, BCN Bitter Creek North or BCS Bitter Creek South, just choose the closest to you for better shipping prices. You get a better price if you buy 4 gallons at a time, that is 1 case. www.bittercreek.com

Here is what that table from Sam's Club looks like... Stainless steel table work surface has curved edges for safety Heavy duty adjustable chrome plated steel shelf Chrome plated 1.5" diameter poles with leveling feet Dimensions: 49"L x 24"W x 35"H It comes with both leveling feet & caster wheels. http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=158456 You can also use a pre-formed laminate counter top and either put legs or cabinets underneath for the base. You can get them at any hardware store. They are easy to keep clean, but not good for hot pots.

I make some of my best sellers in both colored and natural/un-colored. Some of my customers don't like the color I make them in, because it wont go with their decor, so they choose the un-colored, so it will match in any room. I find I am having better sales with the un-colored. I may start offering more scents in un-colored.

Hello and Welcome. I would say the 8oz is the easiest to start with.

I hear you, this business is hard to make ends meet in the summer time. You can try car fresheners & room sprays, that also work for car fresheners. They sell better than candles, for me, in the HOT summer. I don't know of much more that brings in money, during the summer time. You can always get ready for Fall & Christmas during the slow summer time, but it still doesn't bring in any money right now.

I have to disagree with one thing BWC said. Counter tops that are lower than normal and having to stoop over them to pour candles, will kill your back. I know this because I statred out with banquet tables, 8 years ago, and had to bend over to use them & it killed my back. I'm 6' and like 36" counter tops, just make the counter tops the height that is comfortable for you. This is for counter tops you stand to work at. They would be a different height if you sit at them with a chair or bar stool, to work at.

Here is that picture, it was hard to find It is on the site ah-soy posted, but not in that section. It's on the left under Candle Manual.

Also check out Helpful Links For Newbies http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=698

Here are 2 sites with lots of techniques... http://www.onestopcandle.com/candle/cprojectdir.php http://www.candlehelp.com/ look to the left

There are many places to get business card cutters. Here is just one, I don't know if it's the best price or not. http://www.paperdirect.com/Business+Card+Cutter/item_no=BCC1010/page_no=1/keyword=business+card+cutter/shop.axd/ProductDetails Here is one at a better price http://www.laminatorwarehouse.com/cardmate.shtml Just Google business card cutter.

Chemessence has a great Candy Corn called "Trick or Treat" that works great in both Paraffin & Soy.

I have to agree with jakalex, If you transfer slower moving FO's to glass amber bottles & store in a cool dark place (also label with the date you received it) they will last much longer. BTW - If you have noticed any FO's in plastic bottles that become deformed (sunken in) those oils are evaperating through the plastic. Those FO's need to be transfered as soon as you get them in, so they last longer. I know there is a loss of FO because I had a full un-opened bottle that deformed, I poured it into a measuring cup and it was less than a pound. Also if I receive any oils that bottles are already deformed I get in touch with the supplier. I know that bottle has been sitting, in that plastic bottle, for some time & I don't want old oil. I would hope that most suppliers don't pre-bottle FO's to far in advance, if at all.