DanaE

I like the fact that you've got both mottled and rustic lines in the candles. Gives it character and makes it more interesting then just being a straight mottled or rustic. DanaE

I've always loved your rustics. You give me a lot of inspiration . Although I do more mottles than rustics, I still love the way they look. DanaE

I've seen those in several places lately. Your idea of putting rocks or such in them is great! I may use some of my potpourri in the bottom since the ones I've seen are so huge (no, I won't let the potpourri catch on fire!) DanaE

I just wanted to thank all that people that said "Plumber's Putty" over and over until it actually stuck in my head and I purchased some. It works significantly better than mold sealant, is much cheaper, and I didn't have the problem of long strings of stretchy stuff when I was unmolding my pillars this morning. It sealed those molds perfectly. I made a special trip to Home Depot just to buy it, and it was worth the gas and the drive. So thanks again. DanaE

Yeah, I have two of the molds, and I had Stephanie and Rob make specific holders for me. It's just a big piece of metal with 3 holes in the appropriate places, and then 3 rods to go into them. I tape the bottom of the mold up completely. On one of the molds I use wick holder bars and 3 rods. It's pretty easy to do. I put the rods into the holes, then take the wick holder bars and slide them down the bar until they are laying across the top of the molds. I can move them back and forth slightly to make sure I have the rods straight. I think BCN and WSP sell the wick holder bars. Steph & Rob make wick centering tools but I don't remember their web address. It changed from the last time I ordered, but you could probably do a google search on wick centering tools and find them. They can literally make wick centering tools for any mold you have. I shipped them a box full of molds (mostly silicone molds) and they made all the tools and then shipped everything back to me. I also use their wick centering 3" tool for my pillars (pillars without holes in the bottom or ones that are flat on the bottom). DanaE

Do you mean you're worried about air pockets in a candle this big? (just want to make sure I understand the question). If so, what I do is just poke about 5-7 holes in various places while the wax is setting up. Then I repour hot. Then the next morning I repour again (I don't poke holes) because the mold is so large that you'll usually have another small sink area and it just looks better/more professional to fill it in. They are fun to make. I'm going to get on making some rustics with mine this week. I was making cake candles but got tired of whipping wax so I want to try something else. They'll cool, but you can go through a case of wax in a couple of days using these molds - lol! DanaE

Yeah, I use a wire whisk and sit down in front of the tv when I'm whipping wax. It takes a while for it to cool to the point that you can start whipping. It's important that you whip it consistently once it starts to set up, and scrape the sides, or you have clumpy looking wax instead of creamy, whipped looking wax. You have to choose for yourself what look you want. The wax can look like butter, thick butter, runny whipped cream, really thick whipped cream. The longer you whip the thicker it'll get. If it gets too thick, hit it with a heat gun for a few seconds and then whip it quickly to get the melted wax mixed in correctly. It's a lot of fun, but it can make your arm pretty tired, depending on how much wax you're whipping at a time.... DanaE

Just wanted to agree that I don't normally pour my next layer hotter than the previous one. When I first started making candles (1999) I did, because the instructions I printed out said to do so. Did it that way for a while but eventually I came to this conclusion....the wax only needs to be hot enough to meld the layers together. So, if the wax's melting point is 145, and I poured the first layer at 180, I can pour the next layer at 180 because it's hot enough to melt some of the previous layer. That's all you need, just hot enough to make sure the layers stick together. When someone would ask me how to make candles and I'd give them instructions, along with doing the repour 10 degrees hotter, I actually thought I was giving solid advice. Once I realized it didn't matter and didn't really even make sense I felt stupid for just automatically following what I'd read. I guess though, that's all we can do at first. We won't discuss the fact that I didn't know the bottom of the pillar mold was the top of the pillar mold for about a year. In everything I'd read, every candle instruction site, I'd never run across a comment saying specifically that the bottom was the top. Spent many hours working on getting beautiful flat tops. Now I don't know how I did it, or how I had the patience to do it... (my 1st pillar molds were used and were flat on the bottom so to me the top and bottom looked about the same). All of this was a couple of years before I found the message boards. So I had plenty of candle instructions and read a dozen sites on how to make different candles and pouring temps and such, but no real people to ask specific questions about candlemaking. DanaE

Heat your pouring pot with a heat gun until it's really hot. Then grab a handful of paper towels and wipe it out. You'll find out that it comes out completely clean, or pretty darn close to it. If you don't have a heat gun, put the pour pot in the oven, upside down, on a baking sheet with paper towels on it. After it gets hot, do the same thing; wipe it out with paper towels. It's the best, easiest way to do it. I can clean 6 or 7 pots in a matter of a couple of minutes. DanaE

This has just never been a problem for me and I'm not sure why. I just pour at 150 and all the layers come out rustic. The pillar might be just a tad warm after the first pour, but by the time I'm ready to make the 2nd pour it's cool enough that the wax immediately begins to set up. I've never had a problem with the mold being too warm to make the rustic effect. Then again, I make them in the basement, so the temp down there could have something to do with it. DanaE

Even back before the health problems started they were very slow. I ordered a year or two ago and waited weeks and weeks. I emailed them a couple of times and finally they answered and said it was going out that day. I don't understand them at all. If they can't process the orders, why are they accepting them? I'd definitely avoid them. Even at the best of times they're incredibly slow. I'd imagine with the problems they're having it'll probably be 3-4 months before you see your items. DanaE

Thanks for recommending them. I didn't know about Tri States. The shipping was about $33 for both cases, which is the same as most sites wanted to charge me for 1 case, so I'm not complaining I don't have a Wally World close by, but the next time I go to the hardware store I'm going to stock up on the plummer's putty. I hate running out and having to wait days and days before I can use the molds! DanaE

I don't think I can use metal tape on the molds I use. I use wick pins. So I push the pin in from the outside of the bottom of the mold. I have a few molds that I seal the bottom completely on and use wick holder bars to keep the wicks straight, but for these particular molds I have to use some type of removeable sealant. I still have about 19 pillar molds I can use, but I was trying to make a couple of bigger batches of candles yesterday and was frustrated that 8 molds were out of commission! Maybe I'll go to Micheals and see what I can find... DanaE

Just wanted to add a ditto. I pour all my layers at 150, and do the pours before the previous layer has cooled. There's a skin on top but it isn't completely cool. At first I waited too long and then the pillar would come apart in pieces when I took it out of the mold . I don't poke relief holes until after the last pour. I poke them all the way through and fill with hot wax, which I'm sure helps hold all the layers together also. Have fun! DanaE

Thanks Fern. I just ordered 2 cases from Tri-State. They are only a couple of states away so I'm hoping the shipping won't be high. The other sites I was able to find it on wanted anywhere from $33 to $42 in shipping for 1 case (that's the same price I pay Candlewic to ship 4 cases to me). I did try ordering a bunch of wax from WSP once to get the discount, but the discount wasn't high enough to do anything. Unfortunately, Tristate doesn't tell you the shipping charge, but I needed the wax anyway so once I find out the shipping I'll know if it's a better deal to get it there versus WSP or Lone Star or Nature's Garden... And I'm getting mad with myself because I've ordered from 5 suppliers in the last 3 days and have YET to remember to get more mold sealer! I'm out so I have about 8 pillar molds I can't use at the moment. *shaking head*. Looks like I might just have to place an order somewhere just for the mold sealer... DanaE

I still remember the first time I looked at molds at Micheals. I had some molds but wanted more and was trying to avoid shipping charges. They are absolutely ridiculous in price, as is the price of pouring pots and even the slabs of wax. Like I'd pay $20 for a slab of wax. please. They do have a good white color block though DanaE

We had a price increase very recently, and I've no doubt we'll have another soon. In fact, the supplier that I used to get my wax from stopped carrying that wax because of the increase. I assume it'll keep going up for a while. I'm just watching for sales at the suppliers sites to get my wax cheaper (My supplier just had a sale- $29 and change per case of wax! I bought 4 cases and may buy more before the sale ends in a couple of days). I'm lucky to have a supplier very close by to get one of my waxes from; at least the shipping is very cheap. People just starting or who are barely making a profit may end up getting out of the business, which would be a shame. And I'm sure we'll all have to go up on prices, which will make it harder to sell candles. In the end, it's something I love and I'd probably do it even if it cost $200 a case! (just maybe only for myself though *G*). DanaE

Long time user of OK6228 here. This is my opinion (and only mine of course!) Cons: -Expensive - twice as much per case as my mottling wax. - Not as Easy to Locate - seems many suppliers aren't carrying it because of the price increase. I'm now looking at $33 (cheapest I could find) in shipping to get 1 case shipped. - Shrinks like crazy. I usually only do 1 repour, but I've occasionally gone back to unmold them and find another crater so I've had to do a second repour. -You can't do rustics or mottles with it. The best you'll get is the ugliest excuse for a rustic you've ever seen -Can seem rather boring compared to straight waxes or mottling waxes. Actually though, you can make multi-colored pillars with it, but you have to heat the mold very hot between each pour or you get ugly lines. -One last con - is a little difficult to wick (to me). I can easily wick my mottled and rustic candles, but the OK6228 sometimes seems to change on a weekly basis. One week I can make 100 pillars and they work beautifully. The next week those same wicks will drown out or cause large flames. Pros: - Best scent throw, hands down, of any pillar wax. Even beats out some container waxes. -Makes beautiful, shiny, smooth pillars. -Is not picky about scents. It'll throw any and all scents that you put into it (unlike some natural or soy waxes) -Colors beautifully. I can use just a tad of color block to get a deep color. -Works great for bakery candles. You can whip this wax and it comes out gorgeous. Makes great cakes, cinnamon buns, etc. - Because it shrinks so much, they are very easy to get out of the molds. No refrigerator needed. I usually just turn my molds upside down and put one hand underneath to catch it as it slides out. -Never had a problem with FO separation unless I just overloaded the wax. Throw in about 1/4 teaspoon of vybar 103 per lb of wax and you can load them with 1-1/2 ounces of FO per lb with no separation. I have a couple of bakery scents that just get better and better the more FO I use, so I love doing this. So - my conclusion was to carry 2 waxes - the OK6228, and Candlewic's 4045H mottling wax. That way I can make mottled and rustic pillars one day, and beautiful shiny smooth pillars (or bakery candles) the next. DanaE

Coconut Cream Pie - No. 1 seller and I got through lbs of this FO every month. (made 12 pillars just today with it). Also, Old Fashioned Banana Pudding is the best Banana Cream Pie ever made! Their Hot Baked Apple Pie is wonderful....trying to think of the other sweet ones I use. I have an entire cabinet of just NG scents and love them. Oh yeah, Carrot Cake, Cinnamon buns and Oatmeal, Milk & Honey. Other scents, that aren't sweet, that I love, are Satin Sheets, Birds of Paradise, Pomegrante...just can't remember the others off the top of my head. Some scents aren't great, some are divine, just like any other FO company. But most of the time you can't go wrong. DanaE

Oh No, now all I can think of is Beef Stew when I look at it. I see carrots and potatoes.... It's lovely. Now....don't EVER label another candle like that again! LOL - DanaE

There was a long thread on Mia Belle and their rather, um, unique business practices on the original CT board. If you can find it, it might be worth reading. (It was under the Natural Wax section I believe). Not only would I call an attorney tomorrow, I'd go back up to the school, show them your some specs on your candle manufacturer, show them your wicks, whatever, and let them know that Mia Belle sells their candles only by fear tactics. Cutting down one candle maker to make yourself look better is a nasty habit and someone needs to call this company on it. I would imagine that Mia Belle's selling point, in this instance, is probably that they use a natural wax (they SWORE it was 100% soy until someone gave them a fight so they changed the wording on the jars), and that your wax isn't natural, therefore you're going to kill everyone who lights one of your candles. Paraffin is NOT toxic and if it was most everyone would have cancer, seeing as that was the way most people lit their houses in the last century before electricity. I'd be blunt with the people at the school and just tell them that Mia Belle, along with several other companies, uses scare tactics and that you guarantee your wax is completely safe, unless some butthead sits the candle up against a flowing curtain....(can't guarantee against idiots! lol) DanaE

If they do, they won't get anymore of my business. Life without OK6228 wouldn't be worth living *sniff*. Where's my martini? Seriously, if they bought them out, just to phase out all the waxes, I'd find a supplier close to me that formulated their own blends and use them. DanaE

Maybe her straight paraffin simply can't handle 6%? Some straight paraffins only hold 3%, so that could be the problem. I've never had an FO that wouldn't bind to the wax. I've had some settle out, where it was obvious I used too much FO and not enough wax, so I've either added more wax or vybar, or strained out the excess. It could be because I add FO at a high temp (depending on the type of wax, at least 15-20 degrees above pour temp). I just know that if I put FO in, looked down and it was just hanging around in the pot, I'd strain it out, throw out that bottle of FO and put another FO in - LOL! (I used to try to whip the excess FO that was sitting in my pour pot with a whisk to make it blend into the wax, but it always settled back out, so I learned to add more wax to my pour and move on) DanaE

Eugenia, I was going to post my results in the Gallery today, but I'll put them here underneath your experiment. OK - here they are. Not only are then NOT bulging out, they are actually bulging just slightly in, so that all the wax is consumed. They haven't been touched, hugged or anything. I just wanted to see what would happen if I left them alone... DanaE

Those are gorgeous! I'm printing them out to put in my file of "other people's candle picturess that are just too pretty not to keep". LOL. So they are gray? They look like a gorgeous shade of blue. Either way, lovely look. DanaE