joanncat18

Stella- How do you get yours to last a month?? So do heavier scents last longer?

Carrie, well that's great you are getting good reviews from your testers.

Sounds like a difference of opinion...can we just leave it there? No offense...

Yeah you are going to get different size flames with different waxes because they are...well different with different melt points and different additives etc. Takes a lot of testing and trial and error to get a good burning candle.

I think I would expect at least 12 hours...but it can change so much based on scent and wax etc.

Eh, good idea, but wouldn't work for me. I work at a hospital so nothing like that allowed. =( The headaches seem better since I am burning less at a time.

Thanks Richard for the info and picture.

Also curious about KY para soy tart wax...I know it gets rave reviews, but does this one pop out of the bowl when cool?

Rickard...so do you just pour the freathering palm wax into the mold and they pop out ok? How do they look? Is there a pattern in them? Hows the scent?

Lol, yep...that's how I got bitten by the bug...darn votive starter set..."it's only 59.99"...hah!

Ok finally did get the straight pillar blend to pop out of the bowl by leaving it a little longer in the freezer, so I will try adding maybe 15 or 20% of the container wax to see if those will pop out.

I am just torn on this because I really like the look, feel, and scent of the tarts I made with a blend of my container wax but they don't pop out of the bowl. Some are saying it's important and some are saying it's not. If the customer cools it completely and can't pop it out, then couldn't they just turn on the warmer for a minute until it releases but is not all melted? Seems like this would be easier than putting it in the freezer anyways...or at least not more trouble. Then they could just wipe out any residue with a paper towel?

Leah, duck farts is from Aztec. It's a fruity blend...I am not very good at describing fragrances. But it smells good. I know fruit doesn't make sense but I wouldn't want it to actually smell like a duck fart...lol.

Ok so I tried a blend of 75% 4625 (igi pillar blend) and 25% acu para 30 container wax and that one came out of the bowl with quite a bit of help from the freezer and the handle of a spoon. So I melted one that is 100% 4625, no container wax and that one wont pop out either. I put it in the freezer and it still wouldn't pop out without digging it out with the back of a spoon. What am I doing wrong? Does anyone make tarts out of 4625? If so, do they come out of the bowl?

Leah, Yeah I was burining those 4 at a time...I have slowed down and I am actually only burning one right now and it's unscented. I double wicked this one with 2 CD 8's...we will see. No headaches for now. Then I poured a "Duck Farts" candle last night...lol I just can't burn unscented for long, but I wont burn 4 at a time anymore. I have all these great scents I want to try. I made duck farts purple because it reminded me of a mallard duck with the purple on their wings.

I will try double wicking but where do i start on picking a size?

Ok, so on my 4" apothecary jar (thought it was 3.75, but is more like 4 inches) tests are finally done. I posted previously when I started these tests. http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83847&highlight=test+underway I tested 4 candles at the same time with 4 different wicks. I used HTP 105, Zinc 60-14-18, LX 24, and CD 18. My wax is Acu Para 30 (which is 70% para and 30% soy). I used 6% FO. I only burned for 3 hours each time...probably should have been 4 in retrospect. Here is how the candles ended up at the bitter end...First 2 are HTP, 2nd are zinc, 3rd are LX, and 4th is CD. I am thinking I need to work on a method to get my wicks centered better since a few of the candles had lots of hang up on one side and not so much on the other. Here are a few points from my notes: HTP- The wax from the "shoulder" of the glass didn't really start melting off till like the 8th burn. 0.15 oz/hr burn rate. Glass never got too hot to touch. Did have some sooting. First candle to burn out. Ended up with 2.6 oz wax still left in jar. Zinc- Noticed wax starting to melt off sides around the 5th burn. .13 oz/hr burn rate. Did have mushrooms, but I trimmed wick each burn to 1/4 inch. Also had some sooting. Was second to last to burn out on the 19th burn. 1.8 oz wax left in jar. Never got to hot to handle. LX- Had smallest MP at first. And smallest flame at the start. Had some muchrooms, trimmed wick before each burn. Wax started to melt off sides aroung 5th burn. 0.17 oz/hr burn rate. Had soot on jar. Jar got quite hot toward the end, but I was still able to touch it. Least amount of hang up and wax left. 1.3 oz wax left in jar. Last to burn out on 19th burn. CD- Had largest flame and MP at first. Had sooting. Wax started melting from sides around 5th burn. 0.18 oz/hr burn rate. A couple times this jar was a little to hot to touch on the neck. 2nd candle to burn out in the 17th burn. 2.3 oz wax left in jar. No hang up on one side, with quite a bit on the other... So there was sooting, but still quite a bit of wax left in these jars. I know they are difficult to single wick so I will take any suggestions you have. I poured another one wickless and I am going to insert a wick to start with but don't know where to go with wicking now. Thanks.

Wow, awesome. Love all the bright colors.

I don't think the OP is asking for business purposes...just wanted to know what the usual cost would be to make candles.

Oooh Nancy, I love it. How did you get all those colors?

Yeah, he has 2 different statements on the website. I guess he needs to update. On one page it says "You Spoke; We Listened! Due to popular demand we have removed the our minimum purchase on fragrances! Please note: for purchases of less than $50 in fragrances you will be charged $12.95 for shipping. After you submit your order you will be contacted by a Mr. Missy's representative regarding this additional shipping fee." On the other page it says "To Keep Our Prices Lower...... We now have a minimum total order of $150.00. This is to ensure our lower pricing, and to keep the same great products coming to you in the future. we are constantly updating our pages with new fragrances and products every day! So...Check back often and Thank You for shopping at Mr. Missy's Candles. The first is on his main Fragrance oil page at the top...where all his fragrance categories are. When you click on a category...there is the second quote. Then under Site News... " News Flash All Fragrances $7.50 Per Pound Every Day! $150.00 Minimum! We want the serious crafters to join us that want to save and make money!" So I guess the $150 is still in effect...

I will try it...that was next on my list to try. Thanks.

Ok, so I posted previously about the importance of being able to pop your tarts out of the bowl after they cool. I am using a blend of acu para 30 (container wax) and IGI pillar blend wax (4625). I tried a 50/50 blend and the tart looked and smelled great, but wouldn't pop out of the bowl, even after being in the freezer. So I changed it to 75% pillar and only 25% container wax. Still looks and smells great and finally did pop out after being in the freezer and taking the back of a spoon to it. But it wasn't that easy. What do you think? Should I back down even further on the container wax to make it easier? Or should I just leave it there since I WAS able to get it out. I wanted as much container wax in there as possible to make it creamy and improve the HT.

I am interested in it's performance too...alone...not with added soy, which it sounds like a lot of people do. I have heard both good and bad, which all waxes have unfortunately.

Love em all...especially your loaf with the clothes pins and laundry in it!! So creative. Must have had a lot of laundry to do. Lol.