scifichik

Wow, I have no idea why you are being unkind toward me or are feeling sensitive with regard to my post! I have no issue with your grammar, and apologize if it appears that I made sport of it; it was my own poor syntax with the verb at the end of sentence that I was pointing out, because sometimes that's the first thing an established list community will attack in a post from a newcomer. English is also not my native language, so I try to be cautious with its use. Congratulations on your success and being in business for a decade! You are the very informed type of person from whom much good information could be harvested. Tell us about yourself and your business. To what would you attribute your longevity in an industry for which many attempt and fail? How much liability insurance do you recommend for someone in the United States, and from what source is it best obtained? What product lines do you create and from what type of wax?

My hubby is being silly (I think---or I hope, anyway) and wants to know what the opinions are if we just do WICKLESS products like melts and dipped critters. Is there still a need for liability insurance if actual fire is not involved?

I discovered that I had a Rival Potourri Crock that was on the bookshelf disguised as a pencil cup I plugged it in and it works like a champ. I saw several listed on eBay, and there are several electric warmers under $10 on Amazon.

Thanks for all the input! I'll be making some phone calls today. What category of liability insurance should I be inquiring about, or do I just call an agent I trust and tell him that I'm considering selling candles and want a quote on liability insurance? Happily, this has been a "for fun" craft project and only a few have been given to family members as gifts at Christmas. Am I OK there? I hope the answer is YES.

That's the SAME wax I just bought! Small world! I had some questions about using that wax, but had a typo attack and kept posting that I was trying to make tarts with 415. I had a flurry of very nice people offering suggestions and tips leading me toward 416 as a better choice. You can imagine how happy I was to take a better look at the carton to discover that I did actually have the nicer wax they were suggesting I use, and how silly I felt for posting the wrong information. I poured my first test containers with the 444 several days ago and am going to check them and determine which of the two suggested wicks give me the better melt pool and scent throw. The tarts/melts from the 416 were a little frosty in the silicone molds I used, but melted very nicely and slowly. The scent throw was very good and filled an entire room when I used my little Rival Potpourri Crock. Hubby and son could even smell it and I had a fun time making try to find the "candle" in the kitchen, because they are used to experiments burning in some room and they like to try and decide what it smells like to them. Sometimes, they can't smell something that I or my sister immediately detect, so I've decided that men have a different sense of smell than women. I also used a dozen metal tart molds and the wax doesn't just pop out of them like it does with silicone. Some explained that if I pop them in the freezer, they will release. Someone else suggested that I try a little bit of mold release next time, which I will also try. I'll post back with results. I figure that I've spent a very small amount of money on these, and if they just don't work for me, I"ll just list them on eBay and get my tiny investment back

It's very tempting to see dollars floating in the air when you get compliments from visitors to your home. I'm only just now contemplating the idea of taking my hobby to a craft mall, and cannot begin to say how valuable the information here is! (Bad grammar form, so don't let my English teacher see this!) I've got my ducks lining up in a row. Got a wax I can afford (LOL), scents I like, formulations that work well and have good appearance and scent throw, people who want to buy products---getting insurance quotes today and filling out forms for business licenses, etc. There really is a lot more to the idea of having a "little side business with candles" than just making those candles!

I've only ordered from Peak, and there has always been a 1 oz sample in each order. So far, they haven't been anything I would actually purchase, but I appreciate the fact that they are offered as it gives you additional product to test with. Plus, if the result is good, it just may be something that a customer or family member would like.

ACK--TYPO ALERT! I actually have 416 for tarts/votives, not the 415. I just cannot type. Just wanted to clarify. My mistake here.

TYPO ALERT: I actually meant 416 was the wax they sold me for tarts/votives. I see now on the GB website that 415 is a container blend, and wanted to clarify that I have the 416, which the GB website suggests for tarts----so my supplier lady wasn't a crackhead after all....it was me and I cannot type well with numbers!

Hubby and I were discussing turning my hobby into a side-business and we are at a standstill on the point of the need for liability insurance. He says: I doubt every crafter with a booth at the craft mall has liability insurance AND you put the safety label on the bottom of every candle you make, even for a gift, so that should protect you. He says: wait until you see if this is going to "take" and then contact an agent about insurance. Anybody have some good counterpoints I can bring up?

So far, I can make decent 4 and 8 oz container candles, so I feel relatively comfortable if this is the wax I am "stuck" with due to the high cost of shipping other wax types. I made some Dixie-cup votives, but I'm missing a key point somewhere because one of my testers the sides promptly leaked out and the other one tunneled straight south and burned out. The third one looks really pretty and is still in the votive holder. LOL He may just sit there

Thanks for your input, Sharon. In addition to the cute ducks and hearts silicone molds, I also got some silicone mini-cupcake liners. All those worked like a dream. Worst case and the metal ones don't work out for me in the long run, I've only invested something like $6 into them, so I could always just stick them on eBay and get most (if not all) of my money back.

Thanks, Candybee! I appreciate your input. I'll stick that dozen metal molds in the freezer and see how that works out. The silicone mini-cupcake ones popped out just fine. The supplier where I purchased my GB wax told me that 415 was their tart/votive blend and 444 was a container blend. Now I'm finding a variety of people use 444 for BOTH containers and tarts, or use 415 for BOTH containers and tarts. LOL. Is it a personal preference thing at work here? I popped a couple of those frosty duck and heart-shaped tarts on a plate and zapped them for a few seconds with the heat gun---frost went away. Not sure how long they should cure, but I tossed a few that I made yesterday into the potpourri crock and my kitchen smells great, so at least I've got my scent to an agreeable level.

That's what I'm learning---I'm really fortunate to have a supplier this close---so I *will* learn to use this wax to make a good product, or die trying The amount I save on shipping nearly makes purchasing wax a "buy 2, get 1 free" deal for me.

Thanks for the info, arw1019! I have to go to WalMart after while anyway, so I'll be picking up some of that LuAna oil.

Presto pot with a spigot!

Hope you found your mold or candle! Your son and you will be in my prayers!

I can't speak for the apothecary jars as I haven't used those, but I've done several meltdown/repours with the jelly jars. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and put in a warm oven, and let the wax melt. You can recapture that wax for whatever you want, then wash your jars in hot, soapy water and after they are dry---they are ready to use again. Also, as an FYI, if you hot glue your wick tabs into your jars, this is a good time to get some needle-nose pliers and remove the tab----the hot glue is soft and pliable at this stage.

I'm experimenting with Golden Blends 415 for tarts. I got some cute silicone molds and some small, metal tart molds. The silicone test is set and popped out of the molds very easily, but there is a powdery residue on the surface or sides of some of the tarts and in a few of the mold wells. The tarts have a nice cold throw, so I hope the hot is nice, too. Have I done something silly with my first batch and should I melt again and repour? I was so excited to try out the molds that I didn't wash them when I got them. I have washed them out with mild dish soap and let them air dry for round 2. This next part I'm ashamed to admit, but I can't seem to get the tarts out of the metal molds! Seriously. They set up nicely, but just seem to be stuck in there. Any suggestions on how to get my wax out, beyond putting all the molds in a warm oven for a meltdown?

I'm planning on experimenting with coconut oil soon. What type did you buy? I see recommendation for the 76 degree kind, and I assume this can be purchased at a regular grocer.

Meredith, thanks for the tip on the wax types! The supplier I purchased from has the 415 listed specifically as a tart/votive blend and the 444/464 as a container blend. Being a newbie and not knowing any better, that's the route I went. I didn't use any additive for the 415 and the first test pour of tarts in small silicone molds worked well, little ducks that are about half inch across and about half ounce.

My part of the world is 70 miles southeast of St. Louis, MO. The closest supplier I have found is about 45 miles northeast.

I'm curious to know what other chandlers are using. What is your wax of choice and why did it become your #1? I'm a newbie and have stumbled into a local supplier of Golden Blends, so I can make a quick trip and save myself the huge UPS shipping fees on my wax, so GB 444 for containers and 415 for tarts/votives have become my darlings. I'm experimenting now with wicks and FO, so am hoping the results from this wax will be good. I did really like the results from the Ecosoya 135 I got in my first soy container kit from Peak, but shipping on a 50 pound carton is nearly $35 to my part of the world, so that would make my cost on the wax alone be around $95 for a carton. Too rich for this newbie's blood

What is the height of your wick? Typically, you want to keep it trimmed to about 1/4 inch.

This has been one of the really fun parts of candlemaking for me and my sister, to come up with a color that is pretty to us---doesn't matter if it's a traditional color that is typically used with a scent---and make a creative name to go along with it. It's art, so express yourself!