Scented North

I use pyrex measuring cups as pour pots and for fragrance measuring. They warm nicely in between pours and last until you drop them on a cement floor

3 words, Test, Test and Test! They may look and smell great, but the truth is in the burning. Good luck!

I hope you have better luck at wicking pillars with this wax than I have so far. I've tried everything recommended on this board (after searching) and my pillars always blowout the side and canoe the length of the candle or I get a pitifully weak flame that couldn't burn gasoline. I've pretty much resigned myself to only container style candles until I can get a different wax. Good Luck!

I like the 2-3/8 X 9-1/2 plastic myself. I always use duct tape to seal the bottom. Press the tape directly onto the stem opening, then press it down and around. The trick is to look down the tube as you press the tape all around the stem, making sure to press out any air bubbles, especially near the stem. You can easily see when the tape is tight to the plastic and when it isn't. HTH

I was telling my friend once how its so important to trim you wick and she said she has never heard of that. :rolleyes2 It's kinda common sense...

Ummm, I beg to differ. This is a LEARNED procedure, not an innate one. I once had a girlfriend who refused to sell me Party Lite candles because I never used to trim my wicks. She'd be proud if she saw me now! Of course, now I wouldn't buy them if she sold at cost, LOL

Congrats on the wholesale order. Just know they will sell like hotcakes.

So why not just sell hotcakes?

Great job cyber, you've been sweating all the details to make this work out well, so it's sure to be a success.

I find warming the molds while mixing the wax helps prevent those pesky air bubbles and pinholes. I usually warm to between 100 - 125 degrees, then after pouring, tap the the sides until I don't see any more bubbles. I don't use a cold water bath as I work in the basement where it's nice and cool year round.

Well, I'm just the opposite, I love making pillars, but haven't the cahonies for containers yet. Have a fun and safe week

I do know that one of the great things about candles is that you can always re-melt and try again! Maybe trying a higher pour temp? Try doing a series of temps, you started at 150, re-melt and pour one at 155, another at 160 etc and note the results. Do you pre-warm your containers & molds? Doing so might also help. The three most popular words used in advice around here are "Test, Test and Test"! I hope this helps. Good Luck!

Thanks flightoffancy, I've been looking for something that'll help me figure out the numbers side. I'll let you know how it goes when I have little more time to play with it.

Personally, I'd check with the PR dept of the college and ask if there'd be any problems from their end. It would suck to get a good flow going, then get a C&D letter! CYA first, IMHO.

Hello all,

3-Now my trademark questions--I make a lot of chunk candles--since I live in Florida (Gators country) will I be braking any tm laws if I make an alligator inbed (not the tm image) with blue and orange chunkies?

Thanks for reading

Bianela

There's a difference between blue and navy blue!?! OMG no way LOL!!! Enchanted, there's lots of good advice here. All I can really add is that it may be a PITA to find good, honest help, but if you seriously want to continue in business, it is a necessity. Check the local Womens Resource Center, Senior Citizens Center, temp agencies and state employment boards. I guarentee there are lots of people in your area who'd like an opportunity to just get out of the house and make a little spending or tide me over money. Good Luck, regardless of which way you decide to go.

Nita, in order for someone to give you good advice, they'll need to know what type wax you're using, pouring temps, additives, etc. The more details you can give, the more accurate the advice will be. I'm new to all this myself, so I always defer to the experienced chandlers on these problems. Good luck!

For Stearin (Stearic Acid) add 1 to 3 tablespoon per pound of wax. For Vybar, it's 1/2 to 1 teaspoons per pound of wax.

Scented North, That polycarb mold will not hold up very well, over time. FO will cause them to become brittle and crack.

Thanks for the info, Candle Man. FYI for anyone else who'd like these, I have 6 egg shaped molds in the poly and when I removed a batch last night, I found jump lines etched into the molds. This was the first time I used those molds and they're ruined. I can use them for a short time with an overdip, but not what I was after.

If you have a wire coathanger you're not using, you could try measuring how far down you need your thermometer to be, cut the coathanger about an inch or two longer, then bend the ends so they'll hook over the pot edge and slide thru clip on the thermometer. this will keep the thermometer against the side of the pot, off the bottom and you'll still be able to stir easily. Just my $.02

These are pics of the large ball mold I get from candlewic.com. It seals really tight with little seam to trim and the bottom is flat when finished. Diameter is about 3 1/8". Anybody know of a smaller one?

Poking relief holes and a second pour (or in my case 3 or 4 ) should anchor the wick. If you still have trouble, try poking the holes right down the side of the wick.

oh that's just great! Yet another "I gotta try that!" FO, LOL. This is getting really expensive

Hi ss95. I've also tried my newbie hand at a couple of pillars using parrafin. I noticed that if I wait for the wax to cool to thick oatmeal, it's impossible to get into the mold before it's too cool to do anything with. I start stirring mine immediately after the skin forms on the top, scrapping the congealed wax off the bottom and sides. You don't need to stir constantly, but check and stir often until it gets to a THIN oatmealy consistently. THEN add your dye, mix with a spoon or dowel once or twice to get a good ribbon through the wax and pour quickly. Carefully thump your mold on a hard surface to force the wax down into the mold better if needed, and zap with your heatgun for air bubbles. Relief holes and second pour as needed. I need more practice myself, but this worked best for me and my parrafin.

Good Luck!

Sorry. After extensive searching, I could find nothing related to Artico tart warmers either. Only handbags and pet clothing type products.

Thanks for the welcome everybody I don't usually post on message boards at all, but I like the way you all support and cheer each other on. Even a newbie can feel welcome if they present themselves properly

Thanks everybody. This is too much fun to be work... at least for now

Wow! soooo many different things that I want to learn right now! I should just stop looking here until I know better what I'm doing! LOL like that'll happen. I'll call it my inspiration to keep plugging away Absolutely beautiful!

Nice! I wanna do that too! Really, they look great and layers are on my list of things to learn, right after marbled! Great job!