fredron

Some of you may remember a couple months ago, I was having trouble with Joy wax getting a white crust inside the jar after cooling. I loved the burn characteristics, but the candles were ugly. I struggled with that condition for weeks, trying higher & lower pour temperatures, wrapping the candles in blankets to control the cooling rate, and different detergents for washing the jars. Some of you mentioned cooling in an oven, but my candle operation is nowhere near the kitchen. Finally, because I was also getting sink holes, in some of my smller candles with J-50 wax, I built a box out of insulation board, with a lid. I poured some J-50, and while I was at it, I tried some Joy wax also. Result? No sink holes in the J-50, and no crust on the Joy wax. Thought the information might be of interest. Fredron

Alabaster tries hard to please. I've tried a few of their FO's & they were good. They usually have deals on wax/oil packages that could save some money. Unfortunately, they don't sell the wax I use. Fredron

We make a number of chunk fragranced candles. Most use one fragrance for the chunks, overpoured with vanilla. (Black cherry-vanilla, wildberry vanilla, bayberry vanilla, cinnamon stick vanilla.) We've done very well with them. Fredron

The polll is useless because you're not considering the wax being used. Numerous factors affect the choice. One person could use more than one type. Fredron

With about 30 lbs of wax in the pot, it takes about 1/2 hour to melt with the temp dial set at 200 degrees. Once the wax has melted about 1/2 way, you can adjust the temperature to your desired final temperature. My final temp is 200, so I leave it alone. Fredron

I've been doing some testing with 6006, and so far so good, but I have a problem. We use square jars in 3 sizes. The 6006 has been fine in the larger 2, but I'm getting sink holes in the 8 oz jar that holds 5 oz of wax. Usually, I'm working with 4# of wax, and I get (4) 16 oz and (4) 8 oz candles. I'm pouring into warm jars with a wax temp of about 165 degrees-that is, I pour the larger jars first at 165, then work down to the smaller. The temp has probably dropped some by that time, but I don't measure constantly, so I don't know the exact temp. I'm guessing between 160 & 165. Usually there are 2 or 3 that develop the holes. I don't want to have to heat gun every small candle I make, so does anyone have any ideas as to what's going on? I like the wax, but don't like the problem. Fredron

Early American Candle Supply has them also. Fredron

I find more and more suppliers do not respond to e-mails, even when I'm trying to place orders. When I was selling, there were two times you really wanted to respond quickly. One was when people were waving money wanting to buy, and the other was when there was a problem, because solving problems quickly and efficiently creates loyal customers out of disasters. I still work that way. Anyway, call your supplier & get the service you deserve. Fredron

I agree, you should not add inhibitor to the melt pot. Add it when you add the FO to the pour pot. But how much is the recommended amount you're using? I use an inhibitor, but never have seen anything floating in the wax, nor has it changed the color of the wax. Fredron

Thanks to all.

Anybody have a good way to get candle wax out of a carpet? The dog knocked over the ironing board, which knocked over a lamp, which knocked over the table with a burning sample candle. Some wax was spilled & the wife is in a panic because of our Christmas Eve party. Fredron

I get mine from Early American Candle Supply, because they're close enough so I can drive to pick it up. Look on the internet for IGI waxes & get the closest distributor for you. Fredron

The best wax I've found for tarts is Astor 6228. Pour at about 175, warming the tart mold, and when they cool, they just fall out of the mold. They smell good, too. I have a lot of tart customers who say ours are the best they've ever bought. (Not to brag, of course) Fredron

You really don't need to foil line a pan to make chunks. Simply use a teflon coated cookie pan. Sometimes I use silicone spray on them, sometimes I don't, but I've never had chunks stick to the pan either way. My chunk wax is Astor 6228. I really don't like to use chunks in my jar candles unless a customer explicitly asks for it, because once the chunks are covered with the surrounding fragrance, the chunk fragrance is lost until the candle burns. (I use one fragrance for the chunks, another for the surround) My two best sellers are cinnamon stick/vanilla & wild berry/vanilla. Having said that, quite a few customers ask for the chunk jar candles. Fredron

I'm experimenting with a few new fragrances. Black cherry almond, blackberry almond, & Raspberry Yuzu. I like the first two, haven't made the third yet. Craft show tomorrow, then I play Santa Claus for a local restaurant Sunday. Fredron

Is anyone out there using this wax? Just wondering how it performs. Fredron

There are a number of them on E-bay. The one I bought was by Indoor Health Products, but if you search for "remote digital thermometers", you'll find 3 or 4 brands. My first one was defective and jumped from farenheit to centigrade intemittently, and from a 12 hour to a 24 hour clock. The company made it good quickly though, and the second one is fine. I really like it. Good luck, Fredron

I tried inkjet labels for a couple years and thought they were fine, but they were not permanent. So I tried laser printer, and I would switch just for the appearance alone, even if they weren't more permanent. The laser can produce a letter which is thinner and the edges are razor sharp. The overall difference is stunning. Laser all the way. Fredron

Just added a gadget that really makes the Surf & Turk cook. (Pun intended) I added a remote digital thermometer to mine. The probe stays in the pot 24/7 & the digital readout is magnetically attached to a little steel plate I mounted on the wall. Turn on the pot & turn on the readout & monitor the heating of the wax all the time it's working. There is an alarm on the readout unit that signals when the set temp is reached, so I don't have to constantly watch it while I'm wicking jars or labeling candles. Anyway, I bought the thermometer on E-Bay for $15.00. Great investment!!!! Fredron

I had the same problem in the beginning with palm wax. It was because the bottom of the mold is cold when the was is poured. As the mold warms due to the wax being poured, the palm crystals form and the upper section looks normal. Try warming the bottom (which will be the top of the candle) with a heat gun. Fredron

You want to hold the glass verrrrrry steady & drill verrrrry slowly. Keep the bit well lubricated & take your time. 5/8" sounds very big though, why can't you drill a 1/4" hole & pass the cord through before you attach the plug to the cord. The more smaller, the more better. (Old Iraqi army saying) Fredron

What size plug are you using? Fredron

IGI says it's 20%. By the way, where can I buy some? None of my suppliers sell it. Fredron

I'm looking for some ideas to help shrink wrap votives and tarts so they won't look like a shriveled mess. I'm just getting started with the shrink wrap. We've been using plastic bags, and in carrying them, they rub together and don't look good after a few shows. So the shrink wrap is a logical choice, but there must be a secret to getting a professional job. I tried bags for multiple tarts, but the tubing works better one tart at a time. Any ideas? Fredron

One of my best customers swears that a good strong peppermint chases mice out of his house. I don't have first hand knowledge of this, but he buys a peppermint candle in my largest size with every order. Good luck Fredron