RichardLOZ

Yes it takes all types doesnt it. Now if you can work out how to do the pillars so that just portions of the wax are scented, maybe you could let us all in on the secret as I am sure that we could save a fortune on our oils The things we get is usually with other "local" chandlers who do jars. I was spraking with a couple of them at one market here in the Mountains and was quite interested in their responses. How long do your small apothecary jars burn for? (now this is a 10 oz jar) She looked me straight and said, ohh around 80 hours. Now please correct me if I am wrong, but there is just not enough waz in the jar to be able to go for that length of time. If hers do, I would love to know the secret as if I could do that surely I would be providing way better value! I asked the other person at that same market, who happed to have a few 16 oz apothecary jars for sale how long do they burn for. I received a blank stare and was told, "quite a long time". Now this person knew that I made candles, but nothing about my business as I was introduced to her through another person. I asked her why didnt she get the burn time of the candle when it was being tested, only to be told that "I dont test as I dont have the time for that". Hmmmm, I just nodded and walked away after that. Its people like that who give us small home based businesses a bad reputation, as nost people once they buy a dud, will not take the chance again. Such is life I guess, it takes all types......

And a small dash of lime to compliment

Thanks for the quick response Carol. As I am already bringing the oil into AUstralia from the States, this may make it too expensive an oil for us to use in our jars. Might just have to keep it for melts instead. Such is life......

Carol, May I ask what % you are using this at, as I have found this to be quite a light scent in both soy and palm?

That jar issue is not limited to ACS. I got a large order of apothecary jars from Gala in Adelaide and many of them had lids so tight that they broke when lidding or unlidding the jars. I complained to Andrew but he really didn't care either. The level of customer service here in Aus is bloody appalling, but what choice do we have? As far as t-lights are concerned, I agree that the wick STICK-UMS should indeed stick the wicks down. Way back when we were crazy enough to actually pour t-lights we used to hot glue the wicks and never had any issues. It was also much quicker than the stickums as well. I am with Bart as far as importing my own stuff. Already most of our oils come from the States, along with label blanks, braided cotton, beads and a whole bunch of other stuff. Not only is it more reliable it is also so much cheaper, wven with the shipping added. I have been trying to arrange some counter display / shipper boxes for our melts. Not a huge task I wouldn't have thought. Wrong!! The prices here are just insane! Between $450 - $1100 just for the die to be made and then up to $2.85 / box for quantities less than 500 and not too much less for larger amounts. I can get direct from China for about $1.60 US each inclusive of shipping. This country is just so behind the rest of the world in both customer service and pricing, no wonder everyone is starting to buy online from overseas. /End Rant

Now that sounds like a great idea. We have all of our oils on the shelf and it is a real struggle to find what I am looking to pour, expecially if we already have a bottle open rather than starting a new bottle and then having 2 opened

Ii have had it from both. Lets face it though, what does NCS usually have in stock. No wax, no oils, no jars, where do you stop. The GG from David is much nicer, has a nicer crystal pattern and as usual is far more consistent. We only use it right now in one of our lines, in limited scents, but are working on another range with the GG. I did play with it in cookie jars for a while, as well as hex, jelly and dodecagon jars, but it just wouldn't sell for me. Don't know if it was the jars, or whether people just didn't like the wax. I will try again in the new range and see where it goes. Palm usually throws better than soy, so I would really like to get a line, even in limited scents to introduce people to the joys of that wax. Shops are strange though, most just play it safe and take soy jars and melts, yet we have so much more to offer, hence why we do markets to get our creative side out there

Thanks for all the replies. I have tended to avoid the exposed element fryers, but now knowing that they work ok I can have a look out for something a bit larger than my current 8 lb one. Not quite ready for a 65 lb wax melter as yet, so something inbetween would be nice

And ACS wax is generally available. You know that NCS are currently testing another batch of crap palm....LOL. They are expecting their next delivery in about 3 weeks. Hope David has his orders up as I reckon he would have picked up quite a few new customers over the past months...... You are going to have fun with soy . After that try a 4" apothercary sigle wicked with glass glow. That is heaps of fun.

Debra We don't have scentsy here in Australia thank goodness, however your comment about customersthinking this is a new idea is so truee We get it here with both tarts and clams. People continuously pick them up and ask where the wick is. I think I have explained that one 100's of time now, but hopefully people are beginning to become more educated about it all.

Thanks for the information. How do you go about cleaning those with the raw element. Not that it would be a huge issue for me as I only ever have unscented & uncoloured was in my pot, which I remove into another pot for scenting & colouring. Just questions I have wondered about as at the moment we are using a pot with a sealed element in the base, however it only holds about 8 lb melted wax and I would like to get somethjing larger. The 65 lb melter would be awesome but we are not quite at that level yet, so something inbetween would be nice.

For those of you over there using the turkey fryers in particular. Is the heating element in those built into the pot or is it a raw element in the bottom that sits in the wax, somewhat like the commercial deep fryers where the element is sitting in the oil itself?

The version I have up is for Excel 2007. Here is a version for Excel 97 - 2000 that may help you. Excel 97 Version of Cost Template

Amyrose I am just about to head off to work right now, but if you email me I have a PDF doc for testing that I can send to you. Feel free to use it or just use it as a starting point for creating your own.

I wouldnt worry too much about it really. It happens to me on some scents, sometimes, some weather. It is quite variable and not something you can predict. For example I have found that Apple Maple Bourbon from CS is my worst offending oil. I had a period there where everytime this was poured the oil beaded on the top. Then it just stopped. I did nothing different, so I think it is just one of those things. I know that doesnt help too much but what can I say

Thanks guys To me Bayberry has a bit of a soapy / baby powder note to it, so wanted something bathroomy. Boston tea we will probably try something like Lemon Tea, change the colour from what it is now and see if it sells. If not into the old discontinued scents basket. Such a pain pouring and shrink wrapping melts to sell cheap just to get rid of them, but we are running out of space on the shelf and in the cupboard for our oils, so anything not selling has to go.

Definitely an interesting look. Have you test burnt any and if so how do they burn. Pics?

LOL..... GUILTY I try to use the heat gun as little as possible on both my soy and palm jars. I think more from laziness than anything else, probably the same reason why I will not dounle wick anything. If I have one or a couple of small bubbles I tend to just leave them now. The customers are not concerned at all I have found, neither are they too concerned about frosting and wet spots etc etc the list goes on. They want a candle that burns really well and throws really well. Lets face it, an hour after it has been lit the top of the candle is catus anyways.

When we first started I was using those jars, although only the 4oz. For us in the wax we use CDN's worked the best. It is a tough one to wick due to the jar shape. We stopped using them as I couldnt work out where to place the label.....LOL

Hey there, I have to agree with Stella. Especially for a first pour you should be very happy with the result. Even the red look pretty good. I am with Stella in that appearance is not as important to me as HT either, although if I can get both then I am one happy little doobee. As has been mentioned some colours / scents or combinations of can be more difficult and frustrating than other. Give yourself a huge pat on the back and keep up the good work. We will look forward to seeing you pictures when you begin to test.

I have photoshop and illustrator, but lets just say I am very graphically challenged. It was easier for me to go out and buy my 14 year old a graphics tablet and she just whips up what we need. See moves around photoshop like a pro (don't ask me how or what she is doing....LOL) I just tell her what I want. Primitive apples - no problem. Primitive Christmas graphics for our rusty tin Christmas Collection - no problems. I have to say it sure has my my life easier. Now I just have to show her how to put the labels together, print then, stick them on the products, package into boxes and deliver and I will be all set

Hey I have been playing around with some Bayberry candles and people here in Australia have no idea what it is. I am looking to rename it as it is going to go into a candle designed to be burnt in a bathroom, so need something nice for that situation. Boston tea party is another that is just not selling for us, although the scent is very nice and refreshing. Looking to rename that one to something like Lemon Tea or such, but suggestion very welcome.

They could be cooling too fast, could be the colour or the iol you are using. What frosts for one person may not do do for another. My spiced cranberry no matter what I do to it frosts. Dont know why, but it just does. Such is life. Generally my customers do not worry about the frosting, all they want is a great smelling candle that burns well. Sometimes the frosting issue can really tie you down, however most customers just dont really care. We do all want to make the best looking candle that we can, but soy is such an interesting beast to work with and really keeps us on our toes

Welcome Amy from downunder. I think that most of us jumped into this "hobby" head first all with great intentions. Just like you we spent a fortune in testing and experimenting prior to selling our first candle. Once you have done that and are totally satisfied with you product and do eventually start to sell, the comments back from the customers really do make it all worthwhile. Keep up the testing but most of all have fun with it as well.

Hey Steve I played around with GG in apothecary jars for quite a while and could not get a burn I was happy with. Having said that though, I am somewhat lazy and hate to double wick, so was testing with a single wick only. Even with my soy, if I cant get a nice burn and good throw out of a single wick then that scent will be relrgated to tarts only I know that probably does not help you too much but thats my experience with GG and apothecary jars.