jonsie

I have received a special request for an apple pie fragrance. I think I've manged a decent blend on my own but wanted to hear from y'all before ordering any from the opposite coast. Thanks

Thank you both! I had another meeting with the man requesting these products and I broke down the costs per item and discussed less expensive options. Although he seems OK with the prices, I just don't think he will be happy with the throw from the candles. So I'm considering an option of using a blend of EO and FO, and also trying a blend of EOs to somewhat mimic the sandalwood scent. This should be interesting, lol.

It is so true, they do need to be tested. As for this second EO (Lavender), I had actually poured all of it first and both EOs had been curing at the same time. I was just late in testing the Lavender because it has been consistent from bottle to bottle, it had seemed unlikely to be a problem. Yup, lesson learned!!!

Candybee, I like your idea better, it has much more cache than just "Soap".

Ok, I'm back because I really need to vent. Another bottle of a different type of EO, from the same supplier, was different from the previous bottles. Fragrance is weak, wicking is off... but I didn't know this until after pouring 15 lbs of candle wax with it. All in all, 25 lbs of wax that I need to repair. I have put in so much work this week with very little to show for it. Fortunately I'm feeling somewhat Zen about it, and the bottle of wine with friends earlier didn't hurt

Well, I made a decision, and only time will tell if it is the right one. But so far I am very happy with the resolution I am getting. I decided on the Fuji Xerox DocuPrint CP205 Colour/Color Laser Printer, and I picked it up from the local office supply store here in Australia for less than $250. I looked for it on Amazon but I don't know if it is available in the U.S. yet, or if under a different name. I had my eye on the Brother HL4150CDN Color Laser, but none of the retailers would offer to let me test any of the printers so I had to go on pure specs and reviews. The DPI on the Brother HL4150CDN was 2400 x 600, and the DPI on the FX was 2400 x 1200. The cost per page for toner cartridges is less for the Brother if you get the high yield (no high yield cartridges on the FX) BUT no drums to replace on the FX (due to its new S-LED technology). The trays on the FX are clunky, and you have to leave the front hatch open while paper is loaded, making it look less stream-lined. Printing was quiet, but very slow. I didn't need a fast printer, so I wasn't worried about its low PPM. I mainly needed to improve my black laser prints on clear gloss labels and I feel I have succeeded with that. I had been using a Brother HL-2140 Monochromatic Laser Printer and it prints at a maximum of 1200 x 1200, which looks really good on plain paper and white labels. But it just couldn't handle the fine details on the clear gloss labels I was using from OnlineLabels.com ( OL713CL ). So I've included below a comparison of the results from my Brother HL-2140 and my new Fuji Xerox CP205. The ink on the Brother would scratch off if I tried, but it does not scratch off (that I can tell) from the FX. The ink doesn't smear from either of them. I am really pleased. I haven't checked to see how well it lines up with precut/dye-cut label sheets. If and when I get to that, I'll report back. I didn't have any color labels to print yet but if anyone wants me to try one on the clear label sheets I have, I'd be happy to. Overall, it appears to be a very basic printer with high-quality results for a low price. Not meant to handle huge jobs, or anything in a hurry, but seems like a perfect fit for my needs. And I reserve the right to complain about it here in the future Thanks everyone!

My supplier provided me with a list of ingredients for all of the M&P bases. So when I put together my label, I didn't call it "Melt & Pour", but instead called it "Soap Base" and then in parentheses behind it listed the ingredients the supplier provided, then followed with my fragrance, color, etc. Next time I might just drop the "Base" part and simply call it "Soap".

Thanks y'all! And I need a good laugh right now!

Hi Vivienne, I am no help with votives since I don't have any experience with them. I also don't know much about Uni-Soy. Having run a search on Uni-Soy on the forum, it doesn't look like there is a lot of experience with it here, so you might be a bit of a pioneer I don't know if you have considered the wax Tribalvixen mentioned (Ecosoya Pillar Blend), but there is lots and lots more information about it available here at craftserver. It is only slightly more expensive than the Uni-Soy, but in my opinion, might be worth giving a try considering all the experience people have with it on the forum. Best of luck to you!

I like y'alls recommendation much better than melting down and recuring! But once I melt and repour the rest, will the wicking pretty much stay the same?

Lesson learned: one pound of EO can be drastically different from the next, even if from the same supplier. Next time I'm buying in huge volume from an EO supplier, not a candle supplier. Now what is the best way to salvage this? I have 10 wicked and filled large status/metro jars. The wick is drowning within 3 hours of the first burn. So this is my recovery plan. Please jump in anytime to offer advice: 1. Gently rewarm two containers in the oven until completely liquid 2. Pour into two new containers but with no wick, stir, and cool 3. After curing for 2 days, poke hole for a wick in one container and test with new wick sizes 4. Once a wick size is found, retest with second container for complete burn 5. Once wick size is confirmed, gently rewarm remaining containers in oven until liquid 6. Pour all melted wax into Presto Pot, warm to maximum of 150F, stir, and repour into newly wicked containers I guess my concern is, would the wicking be affected by remelting the wax and possibly burning off the EO/FO? I still have quite a bit of this EO left to use and would like to have established some kind of wicking for this bottle. Ugh.

I'm curious about the other "very very extensive post" because I'd like to read it too! And I'm surprised I didn't see your question until now or I would have answered sooner. I used GW464 with a small percent of palm in 7 oz status/metro jar, FO ~ 6%, and I personally feel two #3s are too wide for that size, but that could be because of the palm I use. I'd go with two #2s just to see if that helps. I'd also try trimming the wick lower to about 1/8" and see if that helps. Sometimes that extra height just gets in the way of the flame since it can't curl like a CDN. I only know of two main wooden wicks available, BCN and Unity, but the last time I researched wooden wicks was about a year ago. Of those two, I prefer BCN because they weren't treated with anything. Despite that, I still had trouble getting consistent and steady burns from them. Sometimes, the candle would simply not light even with the benefit of a butane lighter.

Wow!!! Congrats!!!

I know it is crazy expensive, but someone has offered to provide sandalwood EO (Australian) to me wholesale if I will make him a line of sandalwood EO candles and soaps. He's not concerned about the price :shocked2: I'm anxious about wasting too much of this stuff in testing, so I figured I'd ask if anyone has used any of the sandalwood EOs in CP and had any trouble with it accelerating, seizing, or ricing.

Thanks again everyone, your information is soooo helpful! I'm going to load up some graphic and text pages and some label sheets and make a few stops around town. Eric, thanks for explaining how there is no industry standard for specifying yield in a toner cartridge. Do you mind revealing who might be Brand W and Brand Z? mparadise, that is an excellent suggestion about checking places like craigslist. crazzie, is that a Xerox? I'm unfamiliar with Phaser. coconut, that is great suggestion, thanks for mentioning it.

I've tried Tribalvixen's feather palm melts and I love how they slide right out after they cool. And the hot throw is fab! She has convinced me feather palm is the way to go, lol.

I know it is frustrating, but your candles look just like soy candles after cooling from a full melt pool. You can considering adding non soy additives, tinker with different cooling-down rates, and try tempering your wax. But for customers who know real soy candles (and not candles that simply claim to be soy), will expect that behavior from your candle.

The cartridges for my HP Photosmart are pricey. But the output is incredible. If I can get the same quality from a laser then I'm sold. Thanks for the heads up, Eric, much appreciated. Now I'm curious... on what are you spraying the Krylon from the Brother laser? Are they label sheets that smear when wet, or another situation? And what supplier are the sheets from?

I think this is the thread that Stella was referring to: http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?94853-Excel-Cost-Template Read through it for the proper link to try.

Oh my gosh, can I move in with you? I'll pay rent. That sounds like such a wonderful crafting playground. I put all of my hot electrical items on a timer. That way if an emergency comes up or some other distraction, I can be reassured that everything has been shut off. It is very simple to reset the timer, and I have never felt annoyed when it clicked "OFF" while it was working because I know of the peace of mind it gives me. Everyone else gave such good advice already, I can't really add much more. You will have so much fun making it your own space. Good luck!

Eric, this is all such wonderful information! Thank you for taking the time to share it! You are correct in that our needs are different because PPM isn't as important to me or needing to feed things like individual checks. I'm amazed at how well you did your research. It's putting me to shame! We will use it at home but I want it for clear color labels that won't run, and have high resolution. I've gone the route of spraying sheets of labels to keep them from running I don't want to do that anymore... ugh. Currently my Brother HL-2140 Monochromatic Laser has done a good job of printing on Labels By The Sheet's Clear Glossy labels and not running or smearing when wet. They are dry instantly and ready to use. So I've been very happy with the Brother brand. We have an HP Photosmart C7200 series that has been fab for my colored labels on white gloss, but I haven't had much luck with it on clear. And thanks for your offer to troubleshoot some of my prints, that is so kind of you. Fortunately we have a good selection of stores here and printers aren't outrageously expensive. I may need some help improving the clarity of my output in Photoshop but I'm hoping to learn that on my own. So I'll think more about what I expect the printer to do, but for now I mainly want high resolution color printing on clear labels that doesn't need to be sprayed, easy to use, handle thick media (like brochures and business cards). Chances are I want other things I can't think of yet. Thanks again! Susan

I'm ready to upgrade my printer, just not sure what to get. Any suggestions?

Hi Pixie, thanks and I hope this link helps you: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20114171/

Thank you Felixncharlie and Chandlerwicks!! Actually, nothing that I know of. I just have been a little intimidated by anything that isn't in a container. Votives may be a perfect way to sample a scent, but I haven't rallied myself to tackle the moulds, wick pins, additives, etc, to make anything that can't flow freely once it starts to melt. I may feel differently once I try it, but for now, knowing that my candle wax is contained is a relief for me.Oops... edit to add: Personally, I think votives may have an advantage over maxi lights when it comes to waste. When a maxi light is used up, the customer has to dispose of the aluminum tin and wick tab. When a votive is used up, there should only be a wick tab left, right? So less waste. When it comes to additives, I honestly don't know what's needed to make soy into a votive. My customers like to hear that it's just plain soy wax. If the additives that make soy into a votive don't sound scary, then I'm all for trying. As for using a pillar blend like Ecosoya PB, it is cost-prohibitive ($185/carton in my area). So when it is cost effective and wicked properly, I can see where a votive is a better option. KG, those plate are adorable! How perfect, that is exactly the kind of thing I am looking for. Hope they are a big hit for you.

Thanks ChandlerWicks, but that might be too small. The specs on these are: Diameter: 2-1/3" / 60 mm Height: 3/4" / 20 mm Capacity: 1.5 oz by weight / 43 g wax A standard tea light wick will work and you get exactly 1/4" wick sticking out. They really are my best selling product. They burn for about 12 - 15 hours and I charge $3 each (which here in Perth is actually a bargain). Sold individually, my profit margin is much much higher on these than any of my glass candles. I buy huge amounts of the IKEA glass holders for them and I don't mark up the price (well, much... cost is $.80, I charge $1 to simplify totals) to the customer because I really really want them to have a proper holder for these. When the maxi light has been lit for awhile, it is a bad idea to try to move it because the tin cup gets a lot more wobbly than a tea light. So I practically hand out the glass holders for them. I usually sell my maxi and tea lights loose in IKEA drawer sorters like this: I offer 3 maxi + 1 glass holder in a uline box for $10. The front of the box has my label, the back of my box has the warning, proper usage, and my contact info. Customers love this, and even buy them as gifts. Each box means about 35 - 45 hours of candle time. So I'm ready to ramp this up, but I'd like more accessory options.