JAVAEBOY

Thank you for the tutorial. I think I have almost all those things laying around the house. I'll have to borrow the tap from my father, but it's good to have a mechanical Father. This should keep my room everything much cleaner. Not to mention all the drips I have down my Pesto Pot trying to pout the gal into my Pyrex ware. SteveG

I started out using a scientific hotplate that I still use when I try to keep something hot before pouring... More of an add-on question here. I have been using a Presto pot for awhile now. When you guys talk about a spigot, what did you do or buy to make this change? That is the one thing I don't like about the Presto Pot. What I have been doing is melting in the Presto Pot and pouring my gel into a 1000ml (1 liter) Pyrex beaker (similar, but large than the one in the picture. I also have some smaller ones that I use for other pouring needs. The nice thing about this, is it lets me see my colors better, but it really is a PITA. Any help would be appreciated on adapting a spigot...... SteveG

Vicky, If you lick on the second link in my reply, it will bring you right to that page. Otherwise, if you really want to see them, the lonnnng way, you can go to their main page, hover over "Waxes" in the burgundy header, hover down to "Gels and Inserts" and click on "Candle Gels". That will bring you to the Gel page. I live in upstate NY, so shipping from PA isn't too bad. They also give you a good combined rate if you are shipping multiple items. I ordered 70 lbs of gel, 144 votive glasses, wicks, dye and a few other things, and the total shipping was about $30. I also took advantage of one of their 30% off shipping specials. I just checked, their shipping prices. In my case 1 - 35lb tub of gel would ship for $21.16 where as adding a second 35lb tub only adds $2.31 to the total. Not too bad if you order a bunch of heavy stuff at the same time. SteveG

I hope I'm not stepping on any toes here but, looking at the prices from http://newcart.candlesandsupplies.com/Store/Products/Candles/Waxes++and++Gel/Waxes++and++Gel/Candle+Gel/Default.aspx (the place Vicky had a link to) and comparing them to the price I pay at (Candlewic) http://www.candlewic.com/store/category.aspx?q=cCandle+Gels. It seems like Candlewic has lower prices. As an examples: NewCart Candles & Supplies CandleWic MP $98.35 $89.00 HP $103.95 $94.85 The one advantage I did see at the place that Vicky Recommended was that they cut the gel into 10 - 11 Lb chucks for you. That may be worth the extra money. But that is up to you. I am fairly sure that the Gel at Candlewic is also Penreco, but the 35 lb tubs don't have the brand name on them. So it may or may not be Penreco. I haven't had any trouble with the gel I have gotten from them, so the gel from Candlewic has my seal of approval, for what little that means to anyone.... Hope that helps... SteveG

This is a quick example of what I had in mind. NOTE: I just put your picture in a photo viewer and inverted it. You can make the dark areas have a purple tone to them. Just a thought.

I really like it. Unfortunately, if you are going to print them yourself, you have no choice but to print the black on a white background. There are no white ink cartridges out there. NOW, a print shop CAN do that, but it gets expensive. They don't actually print the white, as much as they have a system that actually transfers a white "membrane" type over the black background. Here is another idea though. How about reversing it. I tried to attach a photo of it, but I don't have a URL for it. But it looks nice (at least to me.)

Vicky, I just placed my order for MP gel and dyes and they are sending me a sets of sample wicks in both LX and Zinc Core. Thanks for all your help. Hopefully, I'll be testing all this stuff this weekend. Hopefully, someday, I'll be help others as much as you have helped me. SteveG

Vicky, One last quick question. (Sure she tells herself). Assuming I was going to go with MP gel, since the MP gel isn't really that much more expensive, which wick would you recommend then for these 3" diameter candles? I will still order a set of Samples anyways. That is what they sent me for the HTP-1212 and 62-52-18 Cotton Core wicks when I asked for their recommendation. SteveG

Vicky, Thanks again for your quick response. I am somewhat familiar with the 3 densities of Penreco Gel. Since I really don't do candles using floating embeds and most of my customers prefer unscented candles. The majority of my candles use a tea light in a votive glass within an outer glass with my decorations in gel, hard to explain, but they have been going over very well. I think I am going to be using the Penreco LP gel for those surrounds as well as the candles I really expect to be burned traditionally. The candles that I will be using wicks for are going to be about 3" or less in diameter. Rocks and beer glasses in particular, which of the LX and Zinc cored wicks would you recommend I try first? I really don't like the smoking of the HTP wicks, so I think I am going to stay away from them. I know it sounds like a cop-out but, I don't have too much free time to experiment with too many wicks before I have to start getting candles ready for the show(s). Thank you again... SteveG

Vicky, Thank you for your input. Just a few questions. First I'm a little naive when it comes to your term "FO". Is that "Flame Output"? Another question, since I am fairly new to quality wicks, is when you say "too large of a wick", I get a little confused, because, my thinking was to have a wick or wicks that will give you a fairly large melt pool? If I am trying to burn a martini shaped candle with a 4 1/2" diameter surface, does it NOT make sense to try to use wicks large enough to create melt pools large enough to cover that area? I am probably wrong, so I concede to your knowledge. When I see here reference to wicks numbers that are followed by a "Z" , like 51-32-18Z does that refer to zinc cored, instead of a cotton or paper? I also see reference to things like LX-24 NST2. I am unfamiliar with the NST2 treatment. Is this something I should look for, avoid or not worry about for gel candles Second last question. When you talk about "Another good thing is to have your wicks coated in high melt point wax that will help a lot for stability problem." Is this something that the wicks (ie HTP, LX, etc) come with, or is it a matter of an article I read somewhere, of letting any of these wicks soak in a small batch of 210 degree gel, which would then take off the wax that is already on them, and replace it with the gel itself. I have read that by doing this, I also rid the problem of clouding the gel. Last Question, at least for now... I am planning on getting my new gel directly from a candle supply house. I am assuming it is Penreco Gel. Do you think that may make a difference in my smoking problems? Thank you again... SteveG

Hello everyone. I have been looking around and this seems like a great place to get some very useful information. A little about myself. I have been making Gel Candles for about 4 or 5 years now. Started out just as a few Christmas presents, did a few very minor craft shows at work, and now trying to venture out into the larger festivals and such. My family is spurring me on. Now my questions. Sorry if this get a little long.... I have been having trouble finding good wicks to use in my larger gel candles. I had only been using the wicks and gel available at the large craft stores, (Michaels, AC Moore, etc.) they are from Yaley. I had been staying away form the zinc core versions because of the discoloration in the clearer gels I have been using. My problem with the non-zinc cored, though is that they fall in the melt pool if the candles burn too long. Since I am trying to make a go of it on the outside, I wanted to try to find a large wick that would work in a martini glass first, and give me a larger melt pool than I was experiencing with my medium size wicks from Yaley. I talked to the candle supply distributor that I have bought some of my incidentals from and asked their advice. They recommended and sent me samples of HTP-1212 and Cotton Core 62-52-18 wicks. Here are my problems. 1. Although I am getting a somewhat larger melt pool with them, I still would need to put multiple wicks (4) to get a total melt pool on the top of the candle, and that I have read here is dangerous due to the high temperature that the gel may reach. Also, the wicks need to be put in at an angle to get the desired effect. 2. The HTP-1212 wicks have a noticeable trail of smoke leading from the wick itself while it is burning. 3. The 62-52-18 Cotton Core wicks seem to be dropping alot of debris in the gel. 4. Both wicks smoke intensely when extinguished. I never had the smoking or dropping problem with my Yaley wicks. They are not pre-waxed. Would it make sense to coat them in gel, before putting them in the candles, to give them more structure? Is there a reason for the smoke trail, and the excessive smoke after extinguishing? The HTP-1212 candles smoke while burning actually set off a smoke alarm 30 feet away in another room. I have to find a solution. I will be making Martini Glasses, Rocks glasses, and tall Pilsner Beer glasses. I have been using the Yaley medium wicks in the tall beer glasses, and have good luck so far. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully, I'll be able to help some people out here also... Thank you, Steve G Upstate NY