JanetsCandles

What percentage of water do you guys use in your CP? And a stupid question. I am assuming that increasing your water % will make the recipe move slower. I was just thinking about the Soap Calc thing and wondering why they have default at 38% water. Thinking of playing around with the water % to see if I can get it more fluid to get better at swirling. What do you guys think? Am I on the right track to do that?

No, I'm using a standard oven thermometer, and that's supposed to be the "set" temp when you turn it on, it automatically has that as the alarm temp for it. The other side is the actual temp in the air. No frigging wonder it's taking so long to cool things.

We are working our buns off this week trying to get things done before we take our yearly vacation next week. I'm trying to finish up 2 big orders before we go. I took photos of the workshop and the very stunning temperature in the actual garage near the work station. The thermometer I have a picture of there is showing the probe too, and hasn't been in wax. It's bloody hot. If I didn't have a little A/C unit (down where you can't see, but blowing upwards) I would have to shut down for summer. Did I mention that I'm really glad that we're going on vacation this coming week?

I've thought about it, but a couple things are stopping me. One of them is that the couple book store owners I have spoken with pretty much are not overly happy that I'm not part of their religious flock. *shrug* I kinda gave up with them.

I recommend that they don't powerburn them, just because I can't safely test every single container I get. But I have used the ones from Filmore and also some from General Wax over in California. I prefer the ones from Gen Wax because they hold a bit more and it's easier to accomplish the "7 day" thing. I also make "drop in" candles for the jars for refills for folks. That's very slow to gain popularity though.

Nope. We use a paraffin base. My customer actually doesn't want the beeswax because the cost of the wax is already so frigging high. Each candle takes a little over a pound of wax, and base cost of beeswax is a minimum of $7 per pound when I figure in shipping from anyone.

I actually make the 7 day devotional candles. I supply them to a couple of shops locally. They burn beautifully (until some moron decides they want to add scented oil of random types to it while it's burning...). I had to do a lot of testing for them to get it right. I was asked to make them after one of the shop owners had a fire from another supplier's version of the same thing. The other supplier's candles are factory produced, and honestly look like crud too, huge bubbles all through the candle. Only problem is that mine are a lot more expensive than the ones produced in China.

How do you guys store your molds? I have a large 5 shelf system that is packed with my metal molds, two bins with my silicone/polyurethane molds, and another bin with my plastic 2 part molds. It's getting very time consuming to search through the silicone and the plastic molds for the correct mold, so I'm asking if anyone has a better system that they use. I am limited on space.

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?769-Abbreviations-and-INCI-information-for-Soaping-B-amp-B There's the abbreviations list. I've been on here for a while and still use it. It says it's mostly for bath and body, but many of the terms are used for both. Welcome to the forum!

I just got in an order of oils from Soaper's Choice and I can't complain a single bit, although they are in Ohio and I'm in New Mexico. Shipping was very predictable (they have a table on their website so you can calculate it out too) and I loved being able to get things like my Shea Butter that much cheaper.

I can't say that the baking pan thing is a total waste of time and product. I do make quite a few unscented candles, and when I recently switched to different wicks, I needed a way to gauge how they would perform in my particular blend of unscented wax. So I used them in that method as a "starting point" test. It gave me a guideline of where to start out testing the actual product. The container shapes do have an effect, but I was able to get closer and not waste so many wicks/wax trying to figure out how things would work in my own system. However, if you're using it to test with any sort of FO load, yeah, it wouldn't work so well.

It's weird, but I think some FO smell different in candles than they do in melts, and certainly different than OOB. It's like once it has a flame (which I can smell, it's different than just a normal melt pool, but a subtle difference) it changes slightly for me and my nose. But what everyone else is saying is right, sometimes they cure out to be something entirely different.

Looks like it cooled too quickly and sank in the center. Can you pour it any cooler or warm the room up a touch?

We stick it over a plastic storage box and pound on it with a hammer to break off chunks.

Did any of them morph in CP?

Has anyone used CO in paraffin? I'm wanting to experiment with something. I noticed a couple of my molds tend to produce a rougher surface unless I use FO in the wax. I have a couple customers that want this style of candle, but do NOT want it scented. I already have a ton of CO from my soap making, and know it can be used in soy, but no idea on ratios to try, or if it would even work in paraffin.

Good. You'd be surprised at just how many people flat out don't think of things like that. (I'm guilty of it too.)

Wilton silicone molds are excellent for wax. And so are a lot of ice cube silicone molds.

As a note, Wellington Fragrance says all their FO are bath and body safe, but I can't find any info on their website on how they behave in CP soaps, so might take some playing with things there.

I absolutely love one of the older fragrances by Elizabeth Taylor called Diamonds and Emeralds. Anyway, I'm thinking of making myself some soaps with it if I can find a dupe. Do any of you guys know of a place that dupes perfume fragrances that might carry it? Fragrance Oil Finder doesn't have it listed.

I have always loved the Mac Apple and Cedar combination. I don't know how it would work with pumpkin, or if you want to have two separate fragrances there.

I could see how a down spout would work *nod*. You'd just have to use the straight portions instead of the curved ends. It would end up with some pretty neat scalloped type edges too.

As a thought, you may want to put a sign on your booth saying what day you will be there next. It may not make a whole lot of difference to some folks, but those planning to come back, or those asking when you will be there next, it may help boost some sales. Just a thought. Hope you do a lot better at the next one.

Southern areas mostly. It was widespread in Louisiana, and we have some that grows here in New Mexico as well.

Oh gods, I have tons of stuff. Chopped up an old cutting board to use as a mold. Add a few screws and voila. PVC. I am getting into vacuumforming some of our own stuff for molds, ice cube trays, silicone muffin trays, little cupcake pans (currently have a tiny penguin I'm dying to try), cookie cutters... Add in the molds I use for candles and oh my... drain pipes, and all sorts of other weird things there too.