beekeeper_sd

If your friend is pouring at 70 celius I think that is too cold. My pure beeswax is always kept at around 170 degrees F. I have also experienced lines when pouring in the winter and my shop is cooler. I now keep my shop temp. around 75-78 F year round.

Because it burns so bee-utifully!

Calling these things "pillar" candles is like calling a battery operated, made in China, light a "flameless candle" Those kind of things give us chandlers a bad name.

Also check out this website. http://www.ez-weights.com We purchased these weights and they are FANTASTIC!!! And be sure to watch the videos!

I agree 100%. The first year doing shows we bought cheap and used it one year. Have had my EZup for 6 years now and use it all the time, including using it as an outdoor kitchen at the lake thus leaving it up 24 hrs a day for an entire week. Yeah, it was expensive and, yeah, it's heavy but it's well worth it when you watch your neighbors tents flying all over the place and your tent is standing tall. Just make sure you ALWAYS tie down. We used a dog stake and straps on all four legs and one in the middle if necessary and at night.

Ditto, I did up a basket of one of each of my products. I usually sold one basket a season. I even tried doing a show around Christmas and did mostly baskets but they didn't sell well then either.

Cut a piece of 3-4" PVC pipe to just a little longer than the bungee cords.

AMEN. Even thought it's going to cost a considerable amount the first time, once you start doing shows you will use it all the time and the cheap ones just aren't built for that kind of duty. Also, make sure you get one that has zip on sides so you're not trying to use tarps as sides if you do a 2 day show. Before we got our good ezup we had a cheap awning and used tarps as the sides. A storm came up in the middle of the night and, had it not been for our good craft show neighbors who secured our "tarp sides" for us, we would have lost a LOT of product and had a big mess to clean up. DON'T GO CHEAP!!! This is a business, treat it that way.

Your promoter should hand out the appropriate sales tax papers. In most states you just have to do a tax return for that event. North Dakota is another state that requires you to get a full time sales tax license.

I would say it's probaly more of a reaction from the peppermint oil. Was your oil food safe or was it an essential oil? My favorite lip balm to make has wintergreen but there is a big difference between flavor oil and essential oil.

I use a stainless steel stock pot on the stove. Easy to use, easy to clean (just rinse it out and throw it in the dishwasher)

Don't be afraid of the lye. With a little common sense it can be handled very safely. I always mix my lye and water outside, averting my face, and then bring the mixture inside when my oils get melted. I use a glass beer pitcher to mix the lye in. It's heavy enough glass not to melt and very easy to pour out of. I used to wear gloves but rarely do anymore. If you are careful and don't move too fast... Once you get past the initial fear soap making is very rewarding. I just finished making a citrus pumice soap for my husband's greasy hands, a lavender bath soap and my latest, a beer soap that I'm going to use as a shampoo bar.

My mold is similar to this (my husband made it for me) only it comes completely apart. I love it. The mold is the exact size that I make my bars, I only have to slice the loaf into bars. My husband also built a box that I use to cut the bars. This box works like a miter saw box in that it has grooves in it that I simply slide my cutter down to slice the bars all to the same size. Thanks hubby! P.S. I also worried about the soap leaking out of the seams of the mold but I just grease my mold liberally with crisco and have never had a leaking problem and the soap comes out easily.

Good paper towels also work.

candles and supplies has a very good leather scent.

Been using oil in mine for two years and haven't had any problems. I keep my melter at 180 degrees.

I filled my wax melter with vegetable oil. A bit expensive at first but I have not had to add water in two years and do not have any corrosion or steam problems anymore. P.S. buy your oil from a wholesale supplier and you can get it relatively cheap

Truthfully I wouldn't even consider making a container candle with beeswax. It burns way too hot. I have had beeswax votives break the cheap votive glasses.

One word: BEESWAX

Ditto!!!!!!!!!!

No offense taken, just have heard enough people making those assertions that it gets old and once someone gets started on it, it just goes on and on. Can't tell you how many customers have told me honey is bee barf. WHATEVER! I myself wouldn't think of using anything but beeswax and do believe it is the only natural wax (don't know anything about bayberry)

You can almost eliminate evaporation if you use vegetable oil in your tank. It might cost a little to start out with but you can get the vegetable oil in bulk at a restaurant supply company in bulk. Added it to my water jacketed system 2 years ago and haven't had to do a thing with it since. Plus it keeps the corrosion down.

1. Bees are extremely hygienic. They will get dissentary and die before they will poop in their own hive. 2. Beeswax and/or honey is NOT bee barf or bee poop. Beeswax is created by a small gland on the under belly of bees. Honey is simply nectar that the bees collect from flowers then stored in their hive. If you consider this barf, then you must also consider cow's milk (and for that matter, mother's milk) as an excrement.

I keep hearing people say that beeswax and honey cannot be considered "organic" but, as a beekeeper I can guarantee you that, if your bees are foraging on plants full of pesticides, they're DEAD!!!

The answer to your question probably lies in the reasons you are wanting to close your business. I, myself, closed my candle business last year due to a lack of help. Although I really miss making certain aspects of the business, I don't regret my decision. My stress level has gone way down. I did not sell my supplies in case I decide, at some point, to start up again and that may be something you might think about. Good luck.