spark-me-up

YAY!!! I LOVE it when that happens. I'm picturing the store managers face... a ha ha ha =D Enjoy! What a break =)

I haven't made the mix & of course it depends on your fragrances/ oils, but I think the Patchouli would overpower the Lavendar at %50/ %50. I'm basing this on having made each alone (seperately) & how much stronger the Patchouli was compared. I burned both at the same time & found the Lavendar was over-ridden. So, not exactly what you need to know, but it's all I got! Good luck... hope you get the perfect blend =)

One of our two whole candle suppliers over here has been selling similar wax & doing really well with it. I think people are paying for the "novelty" factor... plus it's easier than actually having to melt wax & "do all that messy stuff" if you want to make your own. I'm not too sure about the saftey of these. I wonder how the wick would end up half way through? I don't know... I've never made one...

Wow Scented! That must really be a magic hat =)

Glad you finally found the end of the rainbow @ksranch =)

Same as Stella... any Palm wax I've used is granulated. You could try looking at a couple of Palm suppliers, they should state what form it comes in... but you could mail them & ask if not, I guess. I agree about the etsy candle. It's really pretty & "professional" looking compared, so I guess that's what you'd be aiming for yourself. Anyhow, that's how I'd go about it. I could tell you where to find the stuff if you were here in Au! Postage rates screw caring & sharing right up, don't they? lol

Ok... I found this... Not sure she's done a spectacular job of it, but it'll give you an idea!

That's my understanding too @kimmeroo. You get a container with a tight fitting lid (um... maybe a jar or something, the fragrance might "degrade" plastic?) Add the fragrance & a small amount of liquid dye to the wax & shake, shake, shake to mix it all up. Think it would take a fair few shakes, to get the colour even! Maybe put some cha cha music on Good Luck if you try it. Let us know how it goes =)

I melt wax in a big metal pouring jug & then transfer smaller amounts into turkish coffee pots to pour into containers. I really like these, they have long handles & you can get all sorts of sizes. Mostly I use 500ml ones. They're stainless steel, so I can also use them if I want to mix up smaller amounts of coloured wax or fragrance. They're easy to clean too- always a big bonus!

I've seen Palm wax in this form. It was called "candle sand" =)

Hey jonsie, hows tricks? Thanks very much for the info & descriptions. Funny how when you test, you "hear" comments you've read here, as you go along, so I'm sure all will come in handy. It is proving hard to find "real" info... like what the wicks are primed with. Funny it's an oily feel but then dries out. Hmmm... Don't know if the ones I'm getting are primed or not... was wondering how eucalyptus wood would go if I ever wanted to make my own!! Agreed, from what I read, that container size could be an issue, but good to know what to look out for (AND think about beforehand!) Think I'll try something impossibly wide to start with... "swamp" the wick & see how far it burns out. Again... have to weigh that up. Will definately post back about results, but I'm flat stick at work for another couple of weeks- no test time for me til then =( Thanks again, Cheers!

y'all are funny!!

Thanks for your feed back guys!!! I am waiting for a few 6mm ones (small), from a supplier here in Au. For the most part, I'm expecting that they might be hard to keep lit (this seemed the most "common" complaint about them), but it's always nice to try something different & I have been asked by a few people now, if I'll be making them. @David... heartening that you use these a lot & seem to have them nailed. It's incredibly frustrating though, that your supply keeps changing =( Thanks for passing on what to avoid, because if the ones I get here are no good, I'll order from the US & would be peeved if I got a dud batch from there too! I was thinking they must be made from a hard wood (to keep the burn slow/ low) but I imagine it would have to be fairly porous too, to absorb wax to a certain extent as well. No idea- that was just a theory! @Jillsthings... yep- let me know! I'll post too, when I've had a go... good luck! @dnj... I decided to try them in palm first =D ! From what I have read, they are difficult in Soy, so I'm avoiding that to start with anyway. Can't believe it's so hard to get information on how these wicks are made etc etc. & talking of wax... has anyone tried them in beeswax???

So, I've been bouncing around reading threads about wood wicks, trying to get as much input as I can before I take a crack at them myself, but I still have a couple of questions... What type of wood are these wicks usually made of? They may vary from supplier to supplier, but is there a "norm"? When they are "treated", what are they treated with? Anyone know? Has anyone tried them with Palm pillars or are you only supposed to use them in containers? I have read a lot of comments where people are using glass... I am wary of their safety "level"... anyone had any dramas so far? Thanks Guys!

I tried searching for you too. This isn't the same box (so do't get too excited!), but the best I could come up with... http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/360905554/4_Compartment_cardboard_gift_box.html I searched for "cardboard gift box with compartments". Thought I'd put the link in, in case it triggers something in your mind & gives you a couple more search ideas. Very frustrating! Good Luck =)

I guess you are right, but honestly, there are so few people in the Public who DO really know about this stuff =( Cheers EccoLights =)

I was just reading the following from a company who only make beeswax candles... "Soy and palm wax are oils in their natural state and need to undergo chemical processes to convert them to wax. Paraffin wax is toxic as it is a by-product of petroleum. Beeswax candles are the most natural and environmentally friendly candles available." Why does everyone keep claiming Paraffin is toxic???

Thanks! & Good Luck to you too =)

"Someone smart enough to know who Dennis Moore is is smart enough to use a spigot". =D

Hey @moonshine =) Thanks very much for passing that on!!! I am using a Parrafin/ Palm blend. As I'm in Au, it's almost impossible for me to get my hands on CB135 over here! Add shipping costs etc etc ETC! If you're getting good results, maybe you should take a crack at selling at this dudes prices It would be nice, eh? I really appreciate you jumping in. Cheers!

Guys... I've been tesing EO's for over a year now & let me tell you, the prices for some of these is unbelievable (as you have now seen). As we all know, they are FINICKY & take a Hell of a lot to get a HT out of at all. His prices may be high, but he's still probably not turning much of a profit. I believe it's not all what you know, it's WHO you know as well. Good Luck to him!!! Now if I can only get a sneak peek into his notes & find out how he gets all those suckers to throw, I'll be in Heaven!! I don't know how things are trending in the States, but over here in AU, peeps are gagging for EO's, which is why I've been so persistant. Course, I only have the cash to test the more common place EO's, but "throwing away" test batches that don't throw is a nightmare, to say the least =( However you look at it, he HAS been earning his dough.

Hi @dcroome... thanks for your encouragement =) I am trying to wick a small fish bowl (holds roughly 100ml melted wax) clear glass container (H 5.5cms, W 6.5cms, C 21cms) with a 50/50 paraffin (55-60 MP) - palm (non crystalising) with Acs wicks. The 9.0 leaves a good 1/2 cm hang up, the 9.3 leaves the edge looking murky & horrible... hung up again, but the next size up, the 9.5 is like a flame thrower... WAY too big =( I have tried all manner of wicks by now... CDNs, HTPs & a few others, all to no avail. I posted about ACS wicks, but I don't think many use them. I like them cause there's no curl, they're white (ok... that's not SO important, but I like the look!) & they need very little trimming. Anyway, I'm playing round with the para/ palm ratio, to see f I can crack it, but I've poured dozens & dozens now with no success. This IS a difficult shape to wick in the first place. Crap! If you have any ideas that'd be great, if not, I still appreciate your comment, so thanks ETA... sorry guys, to you & your yummy pots! Should have posted a different thread. Gah!

Liquid is definitely better value, but I find it hard to use. Sometimes I just want to add a TINY bit more & it is very easy to go overboard & add in too much. (I use a skewer- dip it in the bottle & get a very little coating on the tip & stir it into the wax... I'm learning to judge, but of course, every colour is going to be different, ain't it? =) So that's why I prefer the blocks. You can shave them & have more control about what you add. ETA: Also, the liquid is far messier! If you get so much as a smidge on your hands or somewhere, it spreads & is very hard to remove! I got some on my hand once without realising, nicked out to the shop & got a few funny looks. After I was home for a while, I happened to look in the mirror. OH boy... I'd managed a few good smears all over my face... I looked a bit like I'd been bashed So... the moral IS.. if you use liquid dyes, make sure you look in the mirror, when you're done!

I am burned out, suffering frustration/ fatigue, so nothing is going into my pot this weekend! Taking a bit of a break to regroup & try, try, try again with something I can't get right so far... GRRR. Good Luck @Candybee! I hope things are going/ have gone really well =)

You could try pouring your initial pour at a lower temp, to lessen shrinkage... that might make a difference? Also, I don't think your second pour will effect the actual burn of your candle, the trick will be in the appearance & making your join line as "invisible" as possible. It's all in the experimentation! Working through "theories" until you find what exactly works for you =)