Vicky_CO

You can not dupe those in a mold they would just look like a cheap imitation. These candle have been discuss on this board before. Honestly there are some thing that should not be copied and I think this is one of them. Think of the work involved in them as a whole. I would also be very surprised if the technique is not patented or copyrighted some where.

I hate to tell you but that candle was not made with a mold. There is only one candle maker that I know of that makes those. Here is their web site. http://www.wildwaxworks.co.uk/index.html

Actually all soy smells but it will vary from crop to crop on how much is smells. It also depend on the person to be able to smell it. Some people are more sensitive to the smell. The same can be said for paraffin to it has an odor also. All waxes do just not everyone can detect the odors or you are so use to it you can not smell it any more.

30 minute to a full melt pool is way to fast. That candle will not only burn up very fast boy I can just imagine how hot that jar is getting scary. How I test is pretty easy I put a big label on my jars on that label is wax recipe Wick size FO and % of FO Amount of dye Then I start my burns and write on my label how long I burned and a short notation of the burn I abreviate everything so I can get a lot of info on there. After the candle is finished I pull the label and tranfer all the info to my notes under that FO in my filing system. I have another file for differant recipe that I have tried and I name them so it is it easy just to look up each recipe.

The change is not huge what I have notices is I get the perfect wicking but say six months later I burn a candle from that batch I made 6 months ago I will notice hang up or or it get to deep of a melt pool not like it was when I first made and burn the test. I randomly pick candles out of my store and burn them sometimes the candle was made 2 weeks ago sometime a few month ago. So I am seeing things a little different than when I was doing it out of my home and never had any more than 1 or 2 month worth of stock on hand. When I first notice it I started looking at reason why one of the things I notices was the older candles seem harder or would get that powdery puffy look. The powdery puffy and growing I attributed to FOs. So I made some unscented candle and let them sit checking them about every 2 week and compared them to ones I just made and yes they where slightly hard. The only time I think this will come in to play is when you wicking is just barely there say you are using a wick that just barely get a full melt pool might over time leave hang ups. If you are wicking on the hot side it could actually help your candles.

Truthfully I do my first test at 3 days then again at a week then again in 2 weeks. That usually give me a good range of what will happen in the long run.

Well for me I wait for wick testing just like the scent throw mainly because I have had candles that the wick was good the next day but after the candle cured out the wick was not right. Soy as it ages get harder not like palm but it does get harder but and here is a big but the wicking can go either way some times it to big some times to small but it was close to perfect the day after making it.

Crystal wax is most likely a Palm wax. palm wax create some of the most spectacular crystal effects

That is a possibility but also a contributing factor is lack of oxygen in the bottom half of the jar you might try wicking down one size and see what happens.

Yes FO stand for Fragrance OIL that is where the O come into it. BCN is a good company and they do have some very nice FOs and a large selection. I how ever have found better of the same FOs else where so don't order much from them any more but if I lived that close it would be a different story. I have to have everything shipped to me.

You are going to be better off starting with a kit it will save you some time and money. It will give you every thing you need to make your first candle a sucess and let you know if you really want to do this with out dropping a bundle of money.

Here is a thread you need to read. Please read it all. http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6395&highlight=poll You will find that most of us have spent thousands of dollars in just testing a few products. We will never see that money again because adding in to our candle prices is amost impossible. This is not something that you can just spend a few hundred and expect to be in business and make a lot of money you will also find most us it took 2 to 3 years after we did start selling to make a profit and then the profit was very small. Also if you are realy in this to make money you will make more money selling your friends candle than trying to make your own.

No those candles are not safe they used way to much FO for the wax or didn't mix it well so the FO has seep out of the wax. If you melt them back downand put them in an electric tart warmer you should be okay. That much extra FO I would not trust in a tea light warmer.

I decided to click the google ads I usualy don't but I was sitting here bored I found this http://www.candlebay.com/details.cfm?id=1226&name=Large%20White%20Sandcastle%20Candle&subcategoryid=6&categoryid=2 I think it would be better with a silicone lite versus a wick or maybe a tea light.

Boy I love Tiger Eyes to me it is more musky than amber musk add a just a touch of spice and you have tiger eye. It use to be one of my best seller it still is a good seller but other thing have out paced it now. I like in candles but it always has sold best in room/linen spray for me at least. Women love it men hate it.

This is not true TM means that they have applied for a trade mark on the name and you can not use it. If it has a R behind it that means the trade mark has gone through and legally they own that name and you can not use it. Here is the link to see if a name is trade marked http://www.uspto.gov/ and how it is trade marked in some cases. Some times you can use a trademarked name if the trade marked is for donuts you could then apply for the trade mark to use on candles. Also some thing to remember just because you start using a name doesn't mean you will always be able to use it. Some one could come alone and trade mark it and then you will no longer be able to use it. Yankme candle is famous for trade marking names then sending out letters telling you to stop using the name.

I use http://www.signbar.com/ the are fast and very good I have had signs made 4 different times and they are reasonably priced with the signs and shipping cost.

Silky Tyme has some but they are not frosted www.silkytyme.com

Well between soy and paraffin it is a choice you make both will make great candles. Truthfully it is all about choice and how you want you candles to burn. If you do a search you find this question has been asked over and over and thier will be dozens of answers. Everyone likes thier wax and thinks it is best or we would not be using it. My best adviceis buy a kit or two and make a few candles then look at the burn qualities you like the best in each. Then start to look in to the differant waxes and see which has the qualities you are looking for.

Yea as long as it is a container wax. I noticed mixing pillar waxes with gel just don't look real.

I do mine a soy/gel blend and the look very real to the eye and touch.

Well how influential you ask well they have not only the oil and gas industry behind them. But not a single government item is made without going by the codes and standards of ASTM. I have shelves full of code books just for welding and the inspection of welds. Depending how involve ASTM gets with candles could be good or bad. One thing they will do is develop a standard that will will all have to meet if the standard is not met fines can be issued to the tune of thousands of dollars. Our record keeping would totally change you will have to have proof of any test and have outside inspectors that test our candles for safety. We will have to pay for the testing. One very bad thing will happen if ASTM get to involved will be that the small candle maker like most of us will not be able to sell mainly because will not have the money for certification. ASTM is know for forcing certification on the individual in his/ her field. Those certification can get expensive depending on the field and where that testing can be done. Good that can come of them is no more cut FO's because they would be force to comply with their own set of standards. The rumors about paraffin, soy and gel would get laid to rest as the proper scientific research would be done concerning soot. The exploding gel question would be laid to rest once and for all. Truthfully I don't think ASTM will take it much further because of the small candle maker and the ease that any one can at least try candle making. I do think they will come up with a standard that you can voluntary comply with and get certified which will look good to any one buying your candles.

That is a great price. You will not find it lower and I bet that is for LD gel because MD or HD is much higher priced. Gel wax is not cheap.

It takes pretty cold weather to make gel freeze. I have stored gel in my shed for about 3 years now and never have had a problem. I keep any candles in the house once you add FO you should not let it get to cold.

Actually this is probably your best bet before the use of palm waxes you could do an over dip in stearic and get the same great crystal looks.