KoalaGirl

Wow EricofAZ, if your wanting to scare off potentially new candle makers.....that should do it!

Seems to me that your overthinking and overthinking can cause needless hair pulling.

If you like Clean Cotton, you will like their 'Sun Washed Linen' as well.

Your a legend Top!!*super banana*

Richard, that jar looks very tall and narrow. I would be interested to know how it burns towards bottom half. Im not familiar with palm wax but if the wick was initially over an inch high, wouldnt it burn very hot further down?

Tina the answer to your dilema could be any of the above but before giving up on the wick etc, I would test to see if it is indeed an air pocket that caused the dismal burn. To do that, scrape the wax out of the jar, down to the bottom of the {previous} melt pool and level the top off as best you can {all across the top of jar}. Trim the wick to 1/4 inch and re-light. If you then get a decent burn, an airpocket was most likely the culprit.

Here is the description on ACS website for the stickums:

These stickums are a 12mm double sided stickum (112/pack), Perfect for anchoring the wick tab to the bottom of ACS glassware.

So why David told me they are not meant to stick wicks down is contrary to the description!

Wicks probably would be unlikely to move if the t-light cup was not touched during the burn but we all know that people will always do things they shouldnt do eg, carry or move a lit candle/ t-light holder which could {and probably would with these stickums} cause the wick to slide sideways.

I also had a problem with jars breaking due to tight lids. I rang and was told, ''The lids need to be twisted one way on and then twisted the other way off''. I dont intend giving my customers a lecture on how to de- lid a candle so they dont cut an artery so I will not use the {old} ones I have from them. On a brighter note, I did buy a case of their 'new improved metro's' and they are a lot better. Thicker glass and easy on off lids.

Richard, maybe the hot glue gun is the way to go. I make a lot of t-lights so need something that works fast and is reliable. Do glue guns fit that bill? Is there a special type of glue stick to use?

I really love what I do but its an uphill battle as far as supply's/suppliers are concerned. If its not one thing, its another. Its not hard to understand why business's fail due to supplier issues!

Rang David at ACS this morning. Very dissapointed with the response. He said that they had noticed the stickums looked a little different so rang the supplier and was told 'we have changed things a little'.

David did not think there was a problem that the stickums didnt stick. He said wicks dont need to be stuck down in t-lights and that he'd made thousands without sticking them down! When I said that its dangerous if they float to the side of the cup, he said ''they wont move''. Well my experience is that THEY WILL MOVE.

When I suggested that people should be made aware of the problem, he said ''well they are only craft stickers and not meant to stick wicks down''.....WTF???

A very frustrating conversation to say the least!

Does anybody else NOT STICK THEIR WICKS DOWN in T-light cups??

If you buy wick stickums from ACS {the ones with 112 on each card} beware! I just wicked 300 t-light cups with a new batch of stickums. Poured my first batch and when I {gently} centered the wick, like I always do, the wick tab came off the stickum. I poured a tester, making sure I firmly pressed the wick tab down and the same thing happened again!....just floated right off the stickum. The new batch of stickums looked a bit different from the ones I have always received {the paper backing was flimsy kind of}. I will ring ACS in the morning. Needless to say, I am NOT HAPPY, since I have just wicked 300 of the b*&%^ ds!!

Before the wax is poured in, the wick will not pull away, so its obviously the glue that breaks down with the heat from the wax {and I dont pour hot} Just wanted to give you a heads up so no one does what I did.

Just a thought: Assuming that only one scensy booth is allowed at each show, why not become a sensy rep, let the name draw the crowd and then say ''well now, if you want something thats REAL value, here's something I prepared earlier'' and reach under the counter and pull out one of your candles {with your website clearly marked on the label}.

Whats the worst that can happen? {unless of course, you signed a contract that states you can ONLY sell sensy products}.

Hi Richard

Have Candlescience given you ANY indication that they will eventually ship internationally? I think they did mention it in a newsletter a while ago. If you find out anything about mail forwarders {and if its not too cost prohibitive} can you let me know please. Are all the scents you want above 200 flash point? Hmmm if a mail forwarder was used, maybe that wouldnt be an issue??

Cheers

Hi everyone

Has anyone out there mixed a pillar blend wax with a container blend wax {soy} to make a container candle? Since my container blend gives me wet spots with certain FO'S, Im wondering if the right amount of pillar blend added, would pull away just enough to give one giant {covering the whole jar} wet spot, but not shrink so much that it rattles around. I do intend to try this once I plough through my gazzillion other jobs, unless of course, someone who's tried it, reports that its a dismal failure!

Hi Tribalvixen

Where in the Hunter Valley are you? These are the bigger t-light cups {silver}. 39 x 25 mm high that burn for approx 8 hours {just want to make sure you realize that}. I have to buy them anyway, so I'll find out what postage costs to you are from my place.

My hubby often goes to Cessnock if thats any help.

NCS *finally* got t-light cups {39 x 25 - 8 hour cups} back in stock but they are now only selling them in lots of 2700. They used to come in lots of 400. Were the heck am I going to store 2700!! They look good {they have the rolled top edges, unlike ACS which dont {sharp edges}. Any aussies out there want to go halves with me?

Just hope they are packed in smaller quantity bags....wouldnt look forward to counting out 1350!

They actually work out 20% cheaper than they used to.

I live on Central Coast NSW.

Can you post a link to the website?

Thanks for your input everyone!

Jonsie, is it easy to avoid the flame on the gas one, charing the wick? I wonder if one of those torch thing'ys they use to caramalize the sugar on creme brulees would work? From memory, they have a curved end.

T'is me thats lost the plot judging by where I managed to put that thumb thingy.

I see that NCS are now into soap and body care making supplies. They are getting their oils for these from Sweetcakes and another supplier {cant remember which one}. Maybe the've lost the plot a bit lately because the're too busy getting the soap side up and running? Shame on them if thats the case!

Hi everyone, Ive decided I need a heat gun to smooth the candle tops. To date Ive been using a hair dryer but that gets messy. What should I look for in a heat gun? I dont think I've ever even seen one. Do they actually shoot out a flame? Any tips appreciated.

Hi Bart

I'm hearin' ya re: supply problems! Im still trying to get a straight answer regarding their t-light cups. The boss is always 'in a meeting' when I ring!

Candlescience does supply NCS. I contacted Candlescience a while ago, enquiring about shipping to Aus and they told me 'not at this stage' but I could buy them at NCS.

Do you know if they now ship to Australia? If they did, that would be wonderful especially now with the $ as it is.

I have noticed that the photo that accompanies a few of NCS scent descriptions, has changed. I havn't had to order those scents for a while but I hope a different pic doesn't mean a different supplier. Surely they would tell us if it did?

Cheers

Sometimes Im not happy with how tight the lids fit on the jars. I actually broke a jar once, when trying to push the lid back on. Im very concious of that happening again but my customers wont be. To avoid that problem, I 'shave' of a bit of the plastic by running a pair of nail scissors around it. Its very quick and easy to do and Im more comfortable with my jar lids fitting 'snug' than jammed on tight!

None of my jars/lids are from the above mentioned suppliers. Just passing on a little trick that I learnt and might help someone else out of a 'tight sqeeze'!

Hi Eric, since I have magenta and yellow, I will start out with a 5:1 ratio with those two and see how it goes.

Thanks again for your help!

Thanks Eric, for your detailed reply. Yes, thats the colour Im after! Using chips will be more difficult than liquid dye. I will assume the largest amount of colour {magenta in this case} equals one full dye chip. The yellow is then equivilent to {roughly} 40% of a full dye chip. I can then multiply each quantity for as much as I need. I will melt the wax chips together {and tweek it until Im happy with colour} and then set them in a tiny mold, that way I will have extra for next time I need it.

That program looks like a handy thing to have {I dont have any photoshop type programs} so I'll go see if I can find it to download.

Thanks again.

Hi everyone, Ive had a request for some soy wax melts for a wedding in HOT PINK. I know that you can buy that colour but I dont want to have to do that since I have almost every other colour and dont want to put in an order for just one thing.

I use redding dye chips and blocks. Does anyone know what colours to mix and in what ratio's to get something close to hot pink in colour?

Thanks for any help.

No the colour does not get more intense as it cures. Orchid is a very pale colour and a 1/4 chip in that size jar, is about 1/2 colour strength so it will be very pale.

I take roughly the same denominations as Luminous in my 'bum bag' and my daughter has the same in hers. It works for us, since if one runs out of certain notes, they can get them off the other. When I get home and tally up, I count out the float money and put it in the bum bag ready for the next market.

Oh and it annoys me when stall holders come up early in the day, asking to swap a $50 for some smaller notes!