CaftCandles

I personally do not use gloves because I use special utensils to prevent contact with my skin. Anything that smokes are harmful but your candles if wicked correctly shouldn't smoke. If they smoke a little you will not get sick but you shouldn't breath in the smoke for very long. Most Paraffin Waxes are considered to be food grade which can be eaten, but I don't recommend doing that. All Paraffin Waxes are skin safe and do not require gloves to be handled. Stearine is a natural product derived from Animal or Plant matter and are also safe to be handled without gloves. Fragrance Oils and Liquid Dyes have chemicals and carrier oils that can be harmful or irritate your skin. As with handling anything containing chemicals I would recommend using gloves if you will be in contact with them for an extended period of time, just to be safe. If you get a little on you just wash it off as soon as you can with warm soapy water and you will be fine. The chemicals in Fragrance Oils and Dyes are not deadly but may cause a rash or irritate sensitive skin so just wash you hands after handling them. You can keep your windows open in you wish but the purpose of making scented candles is to enjoy the fragrances and therefore are safe to breath. Some people do not like extra strong fragrances while making candles so it's up to you if you want the windows open or not.

Am I understanding this correctly, you used 1 whole dye block in 1 pound of wax? That is enough dye to color 5 pounds of wax a very dark shade or 25 pounds of wax a light shade. If you used the whole block in a pound of wax that could be part of your problem. The dye is choking your wick.

Sorry, I didn't notice that their site is not working, you would think they would have noticed their internet sales stopped. How many candles are you making with this fragrance? If it is for a special order or you are just making a few you may want to consider using a 10% Essential Oil, I know it is very expensive but it may be the only option.

I had a website bookmarked for odd fragrances like Garlic and Onion and now I can't find it. Sorry! I did find this site but I don't know anything about them so buy at your own risk. HTH http://www.spiritcandle.com/products.asp?PID=1910

Now, those are ideas I would support. The fireworks sounds like a good way to go out with a BANG! and coral reef things sound like a very peaceful and serene way to spend eternity. As far as the diamond, with my luck I would be lost then eaten by a dog and crapped out near a crack house and spend eternity being passed on from babies mama to babies mama. Sorry! Couldn't resist! Still think the candle thing is very creepy!

Thanks! As I said I don't shop there in fact I have never even been inside of their stores. I asked a friend tonight where she purchases her Yankee seconds and she told me they are from Burkes Outlet.

I don't shop at Bed Bath and Beyond but I am a bit curious. I know that Yankee sells their seconds at some discount stores for about a third of the retail price. Is BB&B selling Yankee seconds or are they first?

Creapy Idea!

Where's that Dang LIKE Button?

Do you purchase the wood you use for your wicks or do you cut and mill your own? Are they from the same species of wood as you would normally use? Wood as it is burning is always unpredictable due to speed and location of tree growth as well as many other factors. I personally don't use wood wicks because they seem too unpredictable for me but I do work with wood regularly for making furniture and things and in my experience wood no matter what the use differs greatly from one plank to another. I believe the FO is part of the problem but only because your wicks are magnifying it. Is it possible that you may have gotten some wood that may have more sap in it or maybe some young growth that will burn quicker or hotter? Do those same wicks have issues with other FO's?

I've really had good luck getting them out of the molds, they come out with little effort and no need to do something crazy like putting them in the freezer. As far as for a Soy blend for Tarts this blend comes out the nicest I've tried so far, really smooth and creamy (looking), colors really good and no frosting. HTH

Try blending the Ecosoya PB with Ecosoya CB135 at a 50/50 ratio. The dimples and any frosting issues will go away and you should end up with a very smooth and level surface.

The only way I know to eliviate your tax liability is to treat her like an employee. I too have a couple of people that just cannot handle having a business license so I carry them as an employee. I gave them a salesman contract which basically says that monies earned is based on items sold and a predetermined commission will be paid to them every 2 weeks. Here is an example: If you retail your candles for $15 and wholesale for $10 and it cost you $5 to make them then you can offer her an agreement that she will get $4 or $5 (whatever works for you) for each candle that she sells but you will have to issue that payment in a (weekly or bi-weekly) paycheck. If she works for your company then she falls under your license but you will still have to collect any applicable sales taxes and you will have to give her a 1099 Tax Form at the end of the year, by doing this she will be responsible for her own "employment" taxes. Most states allow you to pay "Salesmen" by commission only and because it is only considered part time work you do not have to offer insurance or any other employee benefits including unemployment or workers compensaton. Simply put, she sells for you and gets a commission without you having any more operational cost. If you regularly use a CPA you can consult with them and they can give you your best options. HTH

Beth, are you talking about 6.5 oz by weight or by volume? I use 1 lb (16 oz or 453 grams by weight) and get 3 - 8oz candles to the full line every time. 3 - 8oz'ers per pound times 10 pounds = 30 candles

10lbs of wax should actually give you 30, 8 ounce candles. Lets not get the liguid measure confused with weight. An 8 "fluid ounce" container will only hold 151 grams of wax or 1/3rd of a pound which is equal to about 6.7 ounces (depending on wax) by volume not 8 ounces.

I don't know if this is exaclty what you have but I;m sure they will work. http://www.tartburners.com/reboforelbu.html

Here are some I found, There are 2 different size jars and I didn't know which one you have so compare the sizes before you buy. HTH Aztec, Knoxville, TN http://www.candlemaking.com/store/Apothocary-Jars-P421C7.aspx The Candlemakers Store, Hamilton, OH http://www.thecandlemakersstore.com/category/jars.apothecary___glass_lid/ Candle Science, Morrisville, NC http://www.candlescience.com/containers/8oz-apothecary-jar/ Bitter Creek South, Stafford TX http://www.bittercreeksouth.com/containers.htm

Alajane, do you have a picture of the jars you have? Some people call all similar jars "Apothacary Jars" even though the manufactures call them something else. It may be that your jars are not called Apothacary by the supplier. Post a picture if you have one or describe them in detail and I will be happy to help you look for them.

For safety's sake thats probably a little too hot, as far as for the glass you shouldn't have any problems as long as the outside temp does not change rapidly. I you were to get a cold breeze, a drop of water or even the touch of your hand (if 70+ degrees different) touch the outside of the jar it could shatter. I can't offer any help with those wicks, I've never used them. I do use Beeswax as an additive and it has tamed all the burning and adhesion issues I encountered with my wax. My mushrooming problems almost went to nill when I started using beeswax and it also extended the burn time. I agree, it is very expensive but for me, it's worth it.

To protect yourself from this problem all you need to do is write up an agreement outlining everything, including that the store is responsible for the security of your products and that they will have to compensate you for anything lost, broken or stolen. Some people are nice enough to only charge the the cost of the materials but personally I don't. Full price is the only way I would agree to a selling on consignment because the store owners or workers will sell them to friends and family and tell you that they were stolen. If I put something on consignment it is because I want full price minus any commission that the store gets or I want my products back so I might sell them in another location and not provide some people with discounts or freebies. IMO, the best way is a well written agreement, it dosent have to be written by a lawyer, just needs to be well thought out, specific, written and signed by both parties.

I've never mixed those exact waxes but when I tested with Para/Soy blends (My blends) with the majority being Soy, I found that the wax will shrink enough that it will completly pull away from the jar, all the way around. It still looks good because the only part still stuck to the jar is the bottom (so they don't rattle, at least mine don't) but not as good as if it was completley adhered to the glass. As far as how much heat a glass jar can stand, The glass it self can withstand close to 2000 degrees before it starts to deform. If you are asking what a safe temperature too pour is, then it is not the actual temperature you need to worry about it's the thermal shock. You just need to make sure that your pouring temperature is not more or less than 70 degrees different from that of the jar for example; if you pour at 180 degrees then your jar shouldn't be less than 110 degrees or more than 250 degrees. HTH

I agree with chuck_35550, I don't see any bad intentions with Stellas comment, it looks like whe was just trying to help as she offten does, Thanks Stella! I also haven't heard of a NCD wick and by reading this post, caused me to do a search. I found a NCD wick that is made for an oil lamp and the NCD (Natural CD) sold by CandlesandSupplies.net that someone already pointed out. Wicks can be coated by the manufacturer or by distributers too customer specifications. Normally the manufacture treats them and sells them as is. The coating typically is to help them stand up while pouring or burning, eliminates air pockets in the wick and offers little too no difference in the burn. The NCD sold by CandlesandSupplies.net is coated with a "Natural Wax" and sold as a "NCD" but it is just a CD Heinz wick that is coated differently with EcoSoya HT wax.

Aimee81, in the picture, is that just the bowl or is that a heated plate warmer. The only time I've seen one smoke like that is when my mom used a double height votive in her warmer. The double height put the flame too close too the bowl and it got HOT, QUICK!!!

I seriously doubt they get that hot, most waxes unless it is a high temp wax will start burning or discoloring if left above 200 degrees too long. The testing that I've done tells me that the optimum temp range is between 160 - 185 degrees depending on how heavy the FO is. Starting at 180 degress and up, depending on the FO will reduce the longevity and performance of the throw. HTH

Aimee81, The testing that I have done has shown me that heating your wax cubes or tarts over 180 degrees drastically reduces the longevity and performance of the FO. Most waxes warn about possibly burning or discoloring the wax at temps over 200 degrees, especially if held there too long. As far as the 25 watt bulb heating more than the 40 watt is probably normal. The heat achieved depends on several factors. It will depend on the shape and physical size of the bulb (different shaps will focus the heat more efficiently), how close the bulb is to the bowl, how compact the bulb compartment is, is air allowed to flow through the bulb compartment, the wattage of the bulb and the material the warmer is made of. Some ceramics will transfer or absorb the heat better than others making it hotter with a smaller bulb, if the 25 watt bulb is closer to the ceramic than the 40 watt bulb it will heat it more and so on. I guess the short answer to your question is, Yes you can burn off or degrade the FO at that temp, in my test results when heated over 185 the FOs only lasted about an hour for most and at 230 degrees I believe you will burn or discolor your wax giving off a light unpleasnt odor. HTH