KMommy

I use the J223 and I haven't had any major issues with shrinking. I pour into pre-washed containers and place them into the oven to cool slowly. I usually have to zap the tops on some of the containers with my heat gun but it's not a major problem. I would rather do that than to start over with a new wax and begin testing wicks again . At what temp. are you pouring?

I agree with what everyone has already stated. You have to invest a lot of your time and money into producing a safe product. So many people get into candle making thinking it is a get rich quick idea. Kits are a great way to get your feet wet! I would also like to add that if you are planning to sell consider the expense of having insurance into your budget. JMO but making a product that if incorrectly used has the potential of causing major damage or loss of life is certainly one that I wouldn't consider selling without insurance for my business.

What type of problem are you having with the quality? CS has very good quality products. I've never had any problems with the quality of their wicks. Is the problem mainly finding a wick that gives you the results you are looking for or did you find that the wicks you received from them were damaged? Did this occur with every FO you tested using the HTP's? What percentage of FO did you use? What is the diameter of your container?

Depends on your area. Here the wickless have not been very popular. When I had some scents only available in wickless people always requested them in a regular container candle. Clamshells are also something that they didn't like. They wanted the individual tarts like Yan---sells. Tons of people have really good success with the! I happen to like the clamshells and the wickless but they didn't sell. So it just depends on your market.

I have the pumpkin and I also smell the vanilla, no burnt smell IMO.

Very pretty! I just love pink candles! I also tested the larger size LX wicks(22 and up) but the flame grows so tall even with constant trimming.

Good job!

All three of them are very nice!

Very pretty! Your color appears to be a very pretty golden shade. Perfect for an anniversary.

I agree with the two post above because I too live in a community very much like the one you are in. I know what type of reaction I would probably get from going against the grain around here.:rolleyes2 It's sad because you should be able to inform someone in a polite manner without causing problems but it isn't always the case.

You have to be very careful when using EO's. Some are not suitable for use while pregnant, if you have high blood pressure...I can't remember which EO it was but I was looking over a list and one was not for use by those with epilepsy. Oddly their was a warning with the Lavender EO not for use by those with LOW blood pressure. I always assume Lavender was the safest EO of all to use.

I just wanted to share this with you. Someone contacted me about purchasing some Aromatherapy candles for their spa. She assumed that ALL candles that were listed as being aromatherapy contained real EO's only. I had to explain the difference to her since EO's were all she wanted to sell. It may not matter to you or your customers but I just thought it might be useful to pass the information along just incase.

Very pretty color!

From the very first post I got the impression that you were trying to figure out why there is so much intense testing? So that is what I was trying to explain, why it is needed in some cases to clear up some of the problems that occur.

I have never used 4627 wax so I can't help you with it,sorry. Cure time is different for different candle makers. Some test within 48 hours and are pleased with their results. My nose needs my wax to cure for longer before I detect a strong enough throw. That is just what suits me. I do have some FO's that give a strong enough throw within 3 days, others I find need longer. Especially if I am using soy wax. It is possible that in a larger container the type of wick that worked for you in the smaller size may work in a larger. I would start there and see if you like the results. The reasons I gave in the example in my previous post may or may not contribute to you having to use a completely different type of wick. A heavier FO may require an even larger size wick or you may find once again that another type of wick works even better. The only way to know for sure is to test.

Most definitely! A lot of wax, a lot of candles, a lot of FO, a lot of wicks, a lot of time, add in the shipping cost and it's a lot of money! LOL! I am sure more advise is on it's way but here is my two cents. That is one of the reasons I would suggest starting off with fewer FO's to begin testing. Start on the lower end of your FO percentage for testing. I always start at 6%! I know it is difficult because it just seems that a higher amount would automatically produce a stronger throw. That isn't always the case, many times 6% is all you need to make a really good strong scent throw. There have been times in my testing that adding a higher percentage of FO actually decreased the throw. I start with 6% by weight, the amount of time I cure the candle depends on what type of wax I am using. For my nose:grin2: it takes about 1 week with most waxes. If I am not pleased I let the candle cure for a few more days or another week and test again. If it was obvious that the melt pool wasn't to my liking I simply switch out the wick using the same wax and try either a larger size or another type of wick. Sometimes I use very small amounts of wax in several containers of the same size, using the same percentage of FO in each and cured for the same amount of time. If I am not pleased with the first wick in my testing and want to try a completely different type of wick or just a larger size I move on to the next tester or I do a side by side test comparison. I recently tested CD's, RRD's, LX, and HTP's side by side using the same percentage of FO in each container just to compare the melt pool of each. I make sure to test the burn several times, from top to very end! Many times a wick that looked like it wasn't going to melt all of the wax on the first burn will work out fine once the candle burns further down. As for your question regarding the larger size RRD working in the larger container, sometimes yes and sometimes no. LOL! I have two containers in the same style and when I moved up in size the diameter increased to almost 4 inches. The larger size wick didn't give me a full melt pool. With the wax I was testing I ended up having to double wick with two smaller sizes. When I tested another type of wax one large wick worked fine. Also, the depth of the container will factor in your testing. When I moved up to the larger container not only did the diameter increase but so did the depth. One wick that I tested in the smaller size seemed to work fine(it just happened to be an RRD). However, in the larger size container the RRD produced more soot than the other wicks I tested once it burned past the middle of the container. Air flow into the container played a big part in that but other wicks didn't produce as much soot for this particular wax, using that FO, at the percentage tested. Testing, takes a lot of time because there are so many variables in the results you achieve for each container type, FO's used, percentage used, wick, wax, testing environment(draft, no draft, room size/air circulation...), your sense of smell... Start off small with a few FO's and work your way up. I am sure you will get a lot of helpful information and tips here. There are many different reasons for different methods of testing. You will soon work out one that is perfect for you. Good luck!

Just curious, if you were pleased with your C-3 why change? Is the shipping cost better for you?

I am very sorry for your loss. What a beautiful tribute to your little one.

Very pretty:grin2:

I use one sorta like that. Actually, I have two since I dropped one on a concrete floor and it hasn't been the same since.:embarasse I got mine from Harbor Freight. I had 4 thermometers, candy, meat, digital and the infra red. The candy and meat thermometers all gave different readings in the same wax. Temps. varied as much as 30+ degrees. The digital and infra reds were within 2 degrees of each other. You just have to be careful how you hold it. If you hold it too close you will get a reading of the bottom of your container or side if your holding it at an angle. Mine gives readings with and without the infra red light, just point and hold. Easy as can be!

I like the SW version the best. I don't pick up on anything wrong with it at all. Infact, I didn't find it to be sweet. However, it is such a light scent that I didn't bother testing it in candles. I used it in B&B.

Did you use the one from Soapsilly in a candle or just in B&B? If it was a candle what type of wax were you using? I like Soapsilly's FO but it takes so long to get an order from them. Maybe things have changed, I haven't ordered from them in the past year.

First time I've heard of them also! The site listed above reminds me of Save On Scents for some reason.

:laugh2:Now there is an item I would bid on!I don't understand why not being able to save a product photo would deter someone from purchasing? If I am going to buy a candle from someone's site I don't need to save the photo to know if I want it or not.

I am sure you will discover a lot of info. when you do a search here. The main problem for me with that wax is that the frosting is awful!!! I've tried additives but the frost always appears, if not right away within the a few days. Good luck!