Leesters

Concave molds it is then. I'd be lost without you guys. Thanks!

As a man, I can attest that Vanilla works for me. The smell of chocolate or coffee also works. Just no White Shoulders, as that is the odor of my evil step mother, which will definetely soften the wick.

I have found the perfect item to hold up the melt pot. A metal candle holder! Hehe. It has three prongs as legs, and has a flat edge that holds a 4 inch candle, so the melt pot will sit real nicely on it. And when I'm not making candles I can use it to burn em. So ginchy!

Thats not encouraging. Hehe. I figured the containers were gonna be the easy one. I'm gonna warm up the glass jars before I pour. I'm gonna let the wax cool down to about 170 before I pour. I'm gonna blast the buggers with a heat gun a wee bit while they're cooling. I'm gonna let them cool in a warm oven and keep a close eye on them. I'm even thinking about making a hole in the middle before second pour to make sure it shrinks outward from the middle, instead of inward from the sides. I think I"ve been reading too much on this board. lol. I really want glass adhesion. I wish I could get the better, softer, single pour wax, but its only sold in 60 pound blocks, and thats just insane at this point. lol. Good luck with yours!

Okay, thanks guys. Looks like its a good idea to just buy a buttload of wicks. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of a wick sample packs, because once I find the right wick, I only get five of them. I think I'll buy a bunch of wick packs just to see what they're all about, but still order a 100 pack of the wick I think will work best. I don't want to make anoher order right away when I only have five of the right wick. Schmoopie - Thanks for the catch! Would be awfully upset if I ordered 100 wicks that were all too short. lol. I can always trim, but can't glue. Hehe. I'll fix that Cindy - I'll keep that in mind, but these candles are just for me. And I'm surely not going to let anything a newbie is proud of get in the sun. But I think I'll UV inhibitor to the list just so I have it for the future. Haven't researched, but read on here that there are different kinds. Any one that works better with parafin pillars? Snow - Uh.. What kind of hurricanes? Well, uh.. 5 inch mold with hurricane wax, with some sort of leafy embeddment or if I can't find what I'm looking for, probably a picture embeddment. Hopefully a 9 oz container inside won't melt it. Votive molds are available at Michaels, so I won't be too bummed if they don't. And I will now be adding more lead weights. lol. Thank you. But I'll keep the hold-a-mold... just because I'm new, I'm a guy, and I want toys. Hehe. grama - I have no idea on additives. I'm gonna buy universal and searic and I guess I'll learn fast enough. Eventually I wanna do rustics, but all in due time. I'll worry about that later after I learn the hurricanes and containers. Who knows, I might hate this and not even wanna do anymore. candlebuddy - I'm not worried about the extra shipping expense. But I do want my first order to keep me busy for awhile. And the "local supplier" scene really turned me off. I just wish Peaks had a double boiler maker. I will have to get creative on rigging something up to keep the melt pot off the bottom of the boiler. Any ideas? I'm thinking about using the rounded aluminum concave thingies underneath the stove burners. lol.

Yes, the whole post didn't work, actually. lol. Hopefully some helpful souls can just look at the product I'm ordering and have some input. I'm really most concerned about the zinc wicks I have on there. I have no idea what wick to order for 9 oz glass jars.

Awww. That looked alot prettier when I pasted it. Sorry for the hard to read post.

Well, now that I have you looking, I have some questions. Hehe. Sneaky, ain't I? I figured another silly wick question was worth something more interesting. ISO an answer on any of these questions you have an opinion on, if you wish to. 1) This is from Peaks. Are these good products? 2) Is this the correct wick for a container candle (glass containers on list) 3) Is this the best container wax when it comes to scent throw? 4) Do you like the additives I've ordered? 5) What does HTH mean? lol Keep in mind I only wanna do Hurricanes, scent throwing containers, and pillars testing chunk, ice and shiny. I"ll try rustic and mottled (whatever mottled is) after practice. Anyway, heres what I got so far... Any advice would be great. I don't wanna mess up. ProductPriceQuantityTotal M1004 Round Hurricane Mold: 5 x 6.5", No wick hole $10.95 * * $21.90 M1001 Mold Insert: Round 4.25 x 10" for Hurricane Molds $4.50 * * $4.50 M2010 Seamless Round Alum. Mold: 3" x 3.5" FLAT TOP $4.45 * * $4.45 M2012 Seamless Round Alum. Mold: 3" x 4.5" FLAT TOP $4.45 * * $4.45 M2014 Seamless Round Alum. Mold: 3" x 6.5" FLAT TOP $5.50 * * $5.50 F1025B Cinnamon Fragrance Oil 4 oz. $6.25 * * $6.25 F1047B French Vanilla Fragrance Oil 4 oz. $6.25 * * $6.25 PW1012 High-Melt Straight Paraffin-IGI 1260-SLAB $12.95 * * $12.95 PW1017 Vintage Container Wax Blend-IGI 6006-SLAB $12.95 * * $12.95 D1003A Brown Concentrated Liquid Dye 1 oz. $5.60 * * $5.60 D1015A Yellow Concentrated Liquid Dye 1 oz. $5.60 * * $5.60 D1013A Red/Pink Concentrated Liquid Dye 1 oz. $5.60 * * $5.60 D1005A Blue/Sky Concentrated Liquid Dye 1 oz. $5.60 * * $5.60 C1007 9 oz. Hexagon Jars CASE with lids (12/case) $7.95 * * $7.95 PW1001 Straight Paraffin Wax-IGI 1343A-SLAB $11.95 * * $11.95 W1002A 2.5" 44-24-18 Zinc Core Pre-tabbed Wicks, 100 pcs. ($5.99) $5.99 * * $5.99 W1055A 24 Ply Flat Braid Wick 10 Yards $1.49 * * $1.49 AD1002A Universal Additive 8 oz. $2.95 * * $2.95 AD1005B Stearic Acid 1 lb. $2.95 * * $2.95 A1002 Seamless Aluminum Pouring Pitcher: 4 lb $8.99 * * $8.99 A1007 Mold Sealer: 18" $1.19 * * $1.19 A1020 Lead Mold Weights $1.75 * * $7.00 A1016 Hold-a-Mold $7.95 * * $7.95

What a dissapointment. I went to the "candle store" where the stupid clerk said they had a store full of candle making supplies, and it turned out they had nothing but already made candles, and one itty bitty shelf of some silly, cheap candle making kits. So, I called around. You would think in the 6th biggest city in the country I could find ONE store that sold candle supplies. Well, the only thing I found was Michaels. 2 small shelves, and all they had was one generic type of wax, molds that were 30 bucks a piece, and (I"m assuming) some really cheap fragrances. And there's the cheap candle making kits, and some other cheap things. They did have some other things, but I'm sure you all are well aware of what Micheals carries. Needless to say, I was not impressed. I was actually quite bummed. Even with shipping costs, Peaks is the best way to go. Or whatever that site is called. I am not paying 100 dollars freight, so I'm just gonna order it ground, and hopefully it will get to me within 2 weeks, which is my next weekend all by myself. I even struggled to find exactly what I was looking for on the hurricane mold crafty inserts. I want exactly what they made on the hurricane instructions on here. I just couldn't find anything "perfect", but I won't be deterred. I was really looking forward to stocking up with goodies. They didn't even have one hurricane mold, and of course no hurricane high melt wax. The only thing I would consider buying there is the pour pot kit. So, I'm off to order a cart full of stuff from Peaks, (for some reason, I don't think thats the right name, so I hope I can find the website at home) and just wait it out. It will be worth it. That website has everything. I'm NOT spending 30 bucks on a cheap metal mold with sharper edges than my kitchen knives. I can slice my fingers up for much less than that.

Noted. From what I'm reading, the low melt soft container wax throws scent pretty good, so I'll just follow the directions there. Gonna try the additive on the high side of the suggested range for the pillars as I'm sure I'm going to be having a bubble issue with being all new and stupid and all. Thanks for the tip.

Woo. That sounds like the ticket for me, thats for sure. Thanks.

*scribbles notes and hopes to learn from others mistakes rather than my own* Sounds messy. Eep.

This made me laugh, as I was wondering also how to make wax into whipped cream. These threads make me hungry, even though I know its candles! Apple pie candles is waaaaaaaay down the road for me. lol

Well, it's time. On Saturday, I"ll be purchasing a gaggle of supplies from a very big candle supply shop I tracked down here in the big city (they say they have everything I can imagine), and Sunday I'll be attempting to keep the house from burning down. I've put alot of thought into this, and have my first projects in mind. First and foremost, I will prepare for personal use of candles. As you long timers would be hard pressed to imagine with hundreds of candles overflowing your homes, I have not one candle in my house. So, I must make a couple hurricanes to start. I will be using hurricane wax, using a metal cane mold insert to put in some crafty twigs for inserts. I have a western room and want it to look very western. I'm expecting success here. Unless I spill the whole project in the water bath, that is. Then I plan to saturate container wax with as much yummy vanilla and equally yummy cinnimon FO as it will take, and pour them in cute little glass jars for my immediate pleasure. I'm NOT expecting success here. I'm anticipating zero glass adhesion (will try to heat the glass a little before I pour, let the wax cool a little before I pour, and get creative on my attempt at slow cooling them... somehow... *imagines an oven full of glass jars on warm*) , I'm anticipating wax spills, ugly sink holes, burned fingers and ruined wick tabs as I prove my inexperience. But if all goes swimmingly, I'll even try my hand at my first pillars with deep red dye, with blue stripes down the side of the mold (I read it will convect downwards in a stripe) and water bath them quick while I'm whacking it with my wooden spoon. I'll let them cool slowly and will be using as much additive as allowed and will probably try to heat gun the sides while cooling, because I want a nice shiny candle for my first try. I have a shopping list of 2 oz of FO's, 2 hurricane molds with insert, some kind of crafty twigs or leaves or something for a hurricane filler with a western feel, 3 pillar molds, a case of cute glass jars, Mold Sealer, heat gun, hurricane wax, container wax, pillar wax, Universal additive, Wicks, Pouring pot, Thermometer, stearic acid, red, blue, yellow and brown dye.... And I won't forget the bandaids or fire extinguisher. Wish me luck!

Yep, I'm getting high melt hurricane wax for the hurricanes (no wick questions here. giggle), low melt wax that says it throws scent well for the containers, (getting container wick tabs) and just regular ol' IGI 1343 wax for the pillars, with Universal additive and no FO. Gonna be silly and making it a deep red with blue convection stripes to see what it does. I'm expecting zero success, but lots of learning. lol. Anyway, I didn't know what wick to use at all with all the zinc and cotton and blah blah blah choices, so I wasn't sure on that. But thanks for the advice, I'll try that.

Wicking this weekend. I will be making my first candles this weekend. I'll be making some hurricanes, containers, and pillars. My question is on the pillars. I'm getting 3 inch round molds, 4.5 6.5 and 9.5 in hieight, not that that matters, although it means I need to buy it by the yard, it seems. What kind of wick should I buy for 3 inch pillars that comes in the yard? Any input would be greatly appreciated. I'll be shopping for my first supplies on Saturday.

So, what does a first timer look for in a heat gun? Will any of the 20 dollar models work? Should I make sure I get certain attachments? There are heat guns with 700 and 1000 degree settings, is that what you pros use? Have you tried different kinds, and some didn't work out? Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. =)

Wow, how did you "crackle" them?

Those are amazing. As a wax virgin, this is quite intimidating. I'm so glad to see you put tealights in there so you'll never have to actually burn these. lol From what I'm reading and seeing, the "palm" effect is just awesome. Those are going to be a must try for me when I get to start melting and stop dreaming. Is there some kind of chemical you put in the wax to make it do that? Forgive the virgin newbie question.

Where are the pictures? I have noticed some of these threads I don't see any, but I know they are there. I wanna seeeee!

Those are amazing. How in the world did you do that? Great work. I hope I can do something like that sometime.

Okay, this is the most basic of questions. You might think I'm asking what I'm doing wrong. Oh no no no. How in the heck do you even do these things? I've seen pictures of they colors all... well... marbled, I guess is the best way to say this. I can't find any step by steps on the How-To sites. I really don't get it. So, I'm picking brains. Link to a step by step procedure on making this mystery?

It all started when I took my 9 year old boy to a Rennaissance Festival here in Phoenix Arizona. There was a little booth there where you buy a glass container, and have fun by filling it with layers of colored powdered wax. It was quite fun. It was quite cool. Layers of color, and a candle we would never burn. The young tyke was so proud of his creation, he couldn't wait to take it home to his mom. When we got home, he dropped it on the kitched floor and an explosion of color sent a rainbow of wax shavings immensing the entire floor. Quite a sight, really. It was a sight I won't forget soon. Needless to say, my son did not enjoy the scene. He was very upset that he lost his newly made candle, and the worst part about it was that it was completely his fault. You know how that goes. It makes it worse when you have no one else to blame. So, I promised him we'll make a new candle from home. A real one. With melted wax, layered colors, and fragrance to boot. The real deal. Like my mom used to do. So the research begins. Googling "candle making" brings me to a few sites giving instructions on doing candles. And goodness, look at all the different candle types! Container, Voltives, fragrance oils, Parafin, Searin, pouring temps, ice candles, chunk candles, mottled, rustic, 14000 types of wicks, 18 types of wax, and only about a billion fragrance types. My googling brings me here. And I've been reading you people for the last week. As you can imagine, I'm quite overwhelmed with information without ever pouring a single mold. In fact, I might be the most knowledgable wax virgin on the face of the planet when it comes to candle making. So, it all starts here. Since this is such a cool forum, I figured I'd start my journal here. My blog, so to speak. Here I shall let you watch a wax virgin pour his first mold. You'll hear all the stories of a newbie candle maker with a wicked writing style. From my first purchase at the hobby shop, all the way through my successes and failures. If you don't like to read, this will not the thread for you. Next weekend, I start my journey of slicing my thumbs with newly purchased metal molds, cursed attempts at attempting to make rustic candles in a desert, frustrated attempts at getting the perfect color, and of course, a myriad of desperate pleas for help and advise. And, hopefully, I won't be telling you about how I burned down my house with my new heat gun. I hope you enjoy my journey as much as I've been reading yours. Stay tuned. This weekend, I take my son to Sedona for a Cowboy cookout. Next weekend is all mine, and I'll be making my first candle. I will be attempting rustic candles. Naive? Brave? Nah. Just hopeful. Till then, I'll be reading you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Your newest newbie, Lee in Phoenix.