scifichik

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

Buy a case of wax (any wax will do), wicks , jars and fragrance oils...mix it all together no need to measure anything or test your final product...making candles is very easy anyone can do it...start selling on eBay and just think about all the money you are going to make with your new candle business...don't think about the look on your customers' face when their candles explodes and their houses catch on fire...never mind the lawsuits and the fact that you have no liability insurance...you'll deal with that later after you've become a candle millionaire.

Seriously I couldn't help myself after reading a few of the new posts this morning.:laugh2:

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.

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?

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

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

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?

415 did not work well for us in our clamshells. It makes a huge mess because it crumbles too easily. During the summer, it gets too soft.

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

I use 415 for tarts all the time but it's not made to be poped out of a mold. I pour into cup cake liners. So if you want to have them pop out you need to add something to harden the wax. Check out your supplier and ask what they would suggest. I'm sure washing your silicone molds won't hurt them but don't wash the metal ones, just heat and wipe clean.

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.

The powdery residue on the tarts is frosting. Soy is prone to frosting so you will have to learn how to deal with it. To help release the other tarts from the mold try putting the mold in the freezer for a few minutes then take out and the tarts should pop out.

I have never washed a mold with soap and water before. I just clean out the molds with paper towels so the wax leaves a faint residue for easy release for the next use. Molds get better with use and also will start releasing better. If you continue to have trouble try using a mold release.

The 415 wax you are using is designed for container candles. I know some like to use container wax for their tarts but you may get a better release if you use a harder wax designed for making tarts such as a tart or pillar/votive wax.

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 pretty darn close! My closest supplier is 3 hours away.

Trudi

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.

Thats the kind the I bought, LuAna from walmart. It was with all the other cooking oils. One of the new batches I made, the cold throw is AMAZING! I could smell it when I first walked down stairs!

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!

I have a very special request. My oldest son, Paul, is in the Navy in Norfolk, Virginia. He has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and is on a waiting list for a new liver. In the meantime, he is in and out of the hospital with jaundice and having his blood purified which is very painful and exhausting. When I first started making candles, I used a lot of the plastic two-piece molds from Pourette. One was a 9 1/2" tall cross mold. When I moved back to Arizona from Kansas, I sold all of my plastic molds. Does anyone have this mold, and if they do, could they please make me a white cross for my son. And send it to me and I will send it on to him. Time is of the essence. The cost doesn't matter. His wish does.

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

Hi all, I am sooo happy to have found this forum! I just started making candles in November (ostensibly for Christmas gifts) but the whole thing has snowballed on me!

My question is this, I made a lot of mistakes at the beginning, mostly under wicking containers, and now I have a bunch of apothecary & mason jars with lots of wax left in them but no wick left (major tunneling!). If I use a double boiler to melt the wax out can I reuse these containers? I'm thinking a concern about reusing containers would be that heating the glass while the candle burns (with a full melt pool) might compromise the integrity of the container if there are any weak spots in the material, but since these have a wall of wax next to the glass maybe it's ok?

Your expert opinions would be greatly appreciated!

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.

Your best bet is to do what many of us do and that is to stick with that supplier closest to you to save on shipping and work with the waxes they sell. All waxes have a learning curve and have their little quirks you have to get to use to and work through them. Shipping can be a killer so save money where you can.

Are you adding anything to the 415 to help harden it up tarts/votives? 415 is typically used for containers. Hotter months might melt them.

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.

Where is you part of the world? Might be able to find it closer?

Linda

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!

Hubby bought a candle from a fundraiser; there is no identifying company label to be found, other than the scent which identifies it as Orange Dreamsicle.

This is such a delish fragrance, I just want to eat the wax! LOL Can anyone shove me in the right direction to purchase this? I'd love to try to make some small containers with this and hope it gives a good throw with soy.