KoalaGirl

Stella, when you say a ''full melt pool'' do you mean that the wax has melted all the way across the top {from edge to edge} but with no visible depth on the outer edge, or does a ''full melt pool'' refer to a melt pool that has reached its optimum depth of abour half an inch deep, right across the width of the container {whereby you can see the the melt pool level by looking at the side of the jar as opposed to a half inch or so, deep melt pool that is not quite all the way across, maybe leaving a tiny bit of hang up} Which of these two examples is classed at a ''full melt pool''? I hope my question isnt too confusing to understand? It was confusing for me to write it!! What is the exact definition of a ''full melt pool''? Thanks

Greeneyes, the same sized container, could need to be wicked up, up to 3 or even 4 sizes. The chart they give, is usually based on an average 'thickness' oil, an average % of oil {usually 1oz/lb} and a medium colour. Oil 'thickness', amount of oil, and the colour {and the amount of that colour} all have a huge bearing on the wicks performance, since everything added to the wax, gets sucked up the wick. If there is too much 'junk' in the wax for the wick to handle, the flame will get smaller on subsequent burns and may even fizzle out. Imagine doing 3 weeks worth of washing up in one sink load. You'd pull out the plug and the swamp water would soon be only trickleling down the plughole and might even stop completely. The flow has been impeded by too much 'stuff' in the water {or in our case, wax}. Dont be put off by the chart not working for you. Ive learned that its a lot better to cut down on ingredients, than wick up and up and up etc.

Hi everyone, just thinking out aloud here and wondering 'why is it so'? I keep reading suggestions to 'try a different type of wick' if the scent throw isnt happening. Now, as I understand it, the throw comes from the melt pool so if two different wicks, create the same sized melt, for example, both might be full 1/2 inch MP's and the wick is the only thing thats different, why would one throw nicely and not the other? Is it to do with the temperature of the melt pool? Im no scientist, but I cant grasp the idea of the scent traveling up the wick and being 'thrown'. I would think, it would get burned up like the wax. I understand that trying a different sized wick, changes the size of the melt pool which can result in better throw but if the melt pool is already ok, how would a different type of wick help scent throw? Different types of wicks can help with other problems I realize, but the scent throw thing has me baffled. P.S. I dont have a problem. I love my CDN's

Im with Evesorto. Although Ive only been doing this for a bit over a year, I keep good records of what goes out and what comes in. I love doing candles/melts but I wont do them to sell, if its costing me money in the long run. Cash in, to date is about %30 above cash out but the cash out has included a lot of set up one off costs. I also have a lot of 'stock on hand' which would bring in a lot of money, even if I never outlayed another cent. As far as my labour for making them? I havent factored that in since at this stage, its still a hobby as such because I love doing it. I work a regular job and do this in my 'spare time'. Its very relaxing and I would prefer to make candles than sit down after dinner and watch tv or do ironing! Increasingly I am having to find more and more 'spare time' to build up stock and fill orders but as yet, that hasnt become such a problem that I feel I need to include my hourly rate of labour in the price of my products. I am learning to become more organised and that helps a lot! I havent persued a lot of avenues for sales, simply because I dont want to be stressed to the max with a full time job AND candle making. Word of mouth and repeat sales keep me as busy as Im comfortable with at this time. Right now, Im happy knowing that if I do 'retire' from work, I'll have a very enjoyable and profitable 'hobby' to keep me out of mischief. Cant wait!!

Update: Last night I burned a T-light from the same batch. This time it was in a regular t-light holder. Even down to the end, the cup was never so hot that I couldnt hold it in my hand.

The wax was Ecosoya Pillar blend which their web site says holds %10-%12 fragrance oil. The cup was an aluminium 8 hour {approx 1 inch tall} The FO was Cedarwood Vanilla and the wick was a CDN 4. I find that many FO's need a high % to give a decent throw in a t-light cup. I have to admit, that prior to yesterdays 'mishap' I couldnt say for sure that I would not have done the same thing in a panic {put it under a tap}. Its one thing to have read about all the right and wrong things to do but without having experienced the WRONG way,first hand, like I did yesterday, I may well have, in a split second decision, connected water with putting fire out! One very valuable lesson learned! This may be a stupid question: If water splashes on a candle flame {just the wick is alight and not the wax} what will happen? I suspect that the flame will go out with out the 'fireball' effect because the wax is not on fire. I intend to do it and see what happens but does anyone know if I should increase my house insurance and evacuate the neighborhood before I do it??

Thanks everyone! Ok, I think the 'wine' glass is a definate suspect. It was actually a sherry glass, much smaller than a wine glass, not leaving much room at the sides of the t-light but coming up over the top edge of the t-light by about an inch, and curving in at the top slightly. The t-light was at least 3/4 burnt down and producing a fair bit of heat by then. I think the shape of the glass could have concentrated the heat in and back down towards the wax? I just did a test of a similar t-light only put it, slightly tilted, into a normal sized wine glass, {no sherry drinkers here}. The wick came into contact with the melted wax but just went out. The wax didnt get time to get terribly hot before it extinguished. I do use all the same sized wicks with all FO's in my t-lights and some FO's do get hotter than others but Ive always used a t-light holder so it hasnt been a problem. I will burn a t-light in the offending FO tomorrow {better not do it at work!!!} and see if that is a hotter burning FO. A number of things could have contributed to the ''near disaster'' #1 a tilted t-light cup #2 Too big a wick e.g wax very hot #3 The shape of the glass ''holder'' causing a build up of heat. I had used %10 FO Anyways, ''Its an ill wind''as they say. The girl who put the t-light under the tap and got the shock of her life, was recently made 2nd in charge of Occupational Health and Safety {no previous experience}. Part of her duties includes teaching fire safety! She will now have a personal experience to relate, when she's drumming it into the other 250 staff about the dangers of putting out oil fires with water! Thanks again, its a massive help being able to get advice from others who are ''reading the same book'', particulary if they are quite a few chapters ahead of me. Heres a very interesting link and vid about the dangers of NOT putting a t-light in a holder. I wonder how many people dont realize how important it is?? http://www.herts24.co.uk/content/comet/news/story.aspx?brand=CMTOnline&category=News&tBrand=herts24&tCategory=newscomnew&itemid=WEED12%20Mar%202008%2010%3A50%3A18%3A333

Hi everyone. There was a nasty incident at work today involving one of my scented t-lights. I often burn a t-light in my office but I was in a different office today. I had left a t-light half full, a few days ago, in my 'regular' office. The girl in that office today, decided to light up the t-light. She had it in a wine glass and {not sure how long it had been burning for} the wax caught fire. She tried to blow it out but couldnt, so carried it to the sink and turned on the water onto it. The result was singed hair. A witness to the event said that the the flame leapt up really big when the water hit it {must have been huge to reach her hair}. Ok she learned her lessen re: water on an oil fire but what would have caused the wax to catch fire?? Ive burned hundreds and not had that happen. I examined the t-light cup and the tab was still stuck on the bottom, with a little bit of {black} wick remaining. Im wondering if the t-light cup was tilted, since the bottom of the wine glass is not flat and that the wick was curled over and came into contact with the wax that was pooled on one side of the lopsided t-light cup. The tab was a regular one and the t-light cup was an 8 hour one {tin}, about 1inch tall. It was pretty darn freaky that that could happen. Just goes to show how important it is to never ever ever leave candles unattended. Has this ever happened to anyone else before? Has anyone any clues as to why it may have happened? I am going to see if I can re-create the incident. I definately dont want my t-lights spontaneously combusting! Thanks for any insight. Oh its soy wax. The girl is ok, just greatful she still has her eyebrows!

I would be getting rid of them scales:(

Thanks for the heads up Beech. I hate changing to a new OS, it causes so many dramas. I use Vista at work and HATE HATE HATE it. I'll stick with my XP! Come on Avery, get it sorted before I eventually have to move on.

I don't think I'll ever be selling my candles, but who knows. Marcy, dont underestimate your candle making results. You've asked some questions that show your keen and on the right track. Once family, friends, neighbors etc, see your candles {and smell them}, they will want one, and it eventually turns into a monster! Trust me....

I use CS Love Spell and its very strong in soy. I love it but some people loath it. There doesnt seem to be much middle ground with this one. Its either love it or hate it!

A thousand dollars sounds like a huge amount to spend testing one container. Did you buy everything by the pallet load and get it delivered from two states away by taxi??

Most of my oil burners have a 3 inch gap. I use regular {buy anywhere} t-lights and there's no way I would want to stick my finger in the SOY wax {too hot}. Your t-light must be wicked too small.

Be prepared!! Be more organized. Have lots of stock on hand so there's a real good chance that I have something ready when someone wants it but having said that, I just know someone will want some obscure scent that I havent sold in 6 months! Oh and Im going to have all my xmas presents BOUGHT AND WRAPPED by MARCH!!

So you've now lost 700lb....WELL DONE!

Oh I wanna see a pic of the sausage soap*super banana*

Hey Richard, thats fantastic! You'll soon be able to give up your day job:yay:

Definately leave a brochure with them. Tell them that youve scoped out gift shops in the area and that since you know that its fair to the retailer to have your products 'exclusive' to only one shop in the area, youve choosen them because of their quality merchandise etc etc {play it up} and would like to offer them first refusal. Leave your details and a few samples etc and tell them if they are interested, to get in touch before a certain date {if they havn't, theres no harm in ringing them for feedback}. You may just leave with them thinking that you've done THEM a favour! Only downside is, you'll have to make another trip down to another store if the first one is a no-go. Youve got lovely products which should sell themselves!

A hippy scent? Nag champa or Dragons Blood for e.g.

Im going to try and post a pic of how I package my 'clamshells'. Ive never posted a pic before so if it doesnt work, Im apologising in advance

Oh Howard....may I suggest that you have that picture blown up and framed, and hung in a prominent place in your house, because once testing starts in earnest, you will be able to look at it and remember that once apon a time, you were a happy-go-lucky, unstressed, not-a- care- in- the -world, this-is-a-piece-of-cake, candles -dont- rule- my- life-person,........ with money in the bank! And several times a day, chant the mantra "I can be that person again" "I can be that person again"!

Set your Gazebo up in your back yard on a hot day to see what happens. The temp will be lower under the shade of the gazebo. See what happens to your candles re: sweating etc. Direct sun, of course will be disasterous. If your gazebo doesnt have walls, make something up that you can hang on the side the sun comes in. You can use pegs or clips to attach it and as the sun moves, you can move the 'wall'. Try to set up your tables, as far in from the edge as possible, that way your candles will be a bit safer and it gives people a break from the sun when they walk under your gazebo to look at your goodies.

Nadiap No soot on the glass makes me think it may be the wax itself discolouring {happens with a lot of combo's.....a dirty greyish meltpool} HOWEVER, Ive tested Angel extensively {from CS} using a 1:3 ratio of CB Advanced + CB135, sometimes using a pale pink dye chip but mostly using no colour at all. Ive used anywhere between 6 and 9% FO and CDN 8,10,12 and HTP105. All using an 8oz metro jar. In every case the wick drowned out {or struggled pathetically} by mid way down. BUT never did I get the ugly grey meltpool. If I were you, I would make it again only leave out the green? dye. Im going to give it one more go using a CDN 14 and if that doesnt work I'll probably give up on it. Its a shame, because its a lovely scent and gave a great hot throw.

Damn it Top....why'd ya have to go and tell me that!! Something else to add to the 'things to worry about' list!