fredron

It's odd how many opinions there are about the Presto pot. I started with a Daisey first, because we had one, and put the spigot in. Then i bought a couple Prestos. Don't like them. The Daisey is better-it's larger by a couple quarts, and I detest the way the Presto cord comes detached. It's held on by magnets, and if I sneeze, it comes loose. Anyway, I now use a Turk & Surf turkey fryer, and believe that's the only way to fly. I occasionally use the Daisey for small, one of a kind orders, or for testing, but have banished the Presto's. Fredron

Not to sound like a wise guy, but there isn't any water anywhere near our J50. I just get that sound periodically in some batches. When I hear that sound, I do more testing, and sure enough, they smoke. I don't think something is mixed properly when it's manufactured. As far as the Crisco, when we started with J50, Natures Garden recommended it. I assumed they knew what they were talking about, so we used it. Our candles don't smoke, with or without it, but the wet spots are fewer with the Crisco. Different strokes for different folks. Fredron

Never had a problem wicking mine. Been using them in 3 sizes since day 1. I use a 6 oz, a 16 oz, and a 24 oz. I use 60-44-18z's in the 6 and 16oz, and 3 60-44-18z's in our big Bazoomba. I realize the 6 oz might be over wicked, but I've never had a problem, and I sell a million of them. The 3 wicks work really well in the big one also. Our jars are smaller at the top, bigger in the middle, and smaller at the bottom. I think the shape of the jar helps get the jar wall warm, and the wax melts all the way down. Many of our customers comment they've never had a candle that used all the wax the way ours do. Fredron

Never had a crack with or without Crisco. Just frosting. I really feel the problem might go away by heating the jars more than normal. I use an electric hors d'ovre tray for warming the jars, normally on the normal setting. In the future, I'll try the hot setting. I'll let you know how I make out, but it won't be for a while due to my fundraiser and Christmas orders. Anybody know a good cloning center? I need more of me. (My wife probably wouldn't like that much though) Fredron

I've seen the results you got also. The actual temperature of the wax when your pour isn't as critical as the temperature of the mold. Ive never had any frosting on my votives or tarts since I started heating the molds. I use a heat gun to warm the mold, then hold the gun on the next mold as I pour the one just heated. I have my molds attached in 3's to some copper sheets. (I work in a copper mill) It's very easy and quick to warm the molds just ahead of the pour. I try to pour at 175 degrees, but if I try to rush and pour hotter, there is simply more shrink to deal with when I top them off. Maybe in the future, if you're experimenting, you might consider pouring less until you are sure of your process? Don't ask me how I know. Fredron

I read several questions in some of the previous posts. 1. The unit comes with a lid. I keep it on all the time, unless adding wax. I have a thermometer suspended inside, and I can read it with the lid on. When the wax begins to melt, and the pool works to the surface, it will spout a little wax. It makes a spot about 2" in diameter on the lid, but it would seem like a lot more if you got hit with it. 2 The spigot could stand to be a little larger, to get the wax into the pour pot sooner, but that's a minor inconvenience that's far overshadowed by the other advantages. As previously mentioned, pour melted wax into the unit to cover the coil before using it the first time. I've not had any problems with direct contact with the coil discoloring the wax or burning it, and there is no odor at all. I'm sure if you buy one, you'll like it. Fredron

I just ordered an 8", but I'm wondering what sizes of tubes/bags work best for packaging votives & tarts. Do you package votives individually, or in groups? I'm breaking new ground here, any suggestions would be helpful. Fredron

Does your J50 crackle when it melts? I've gotten some lately that sounds like cooking French fries when it melts, but I've not noticed any more or less wet spots. I associate that crackling sound with some candles that smoked when I tested them, though. Do you add Crisco to the pour pot? I use 1oz/lb. (1oz Crisco to 15oz of J-50). The Crisco helps with the wet spots. I tried adding soy to the J-50, and all I had was smoke, cracks, and sink holes. Even I thought my candles sucked. Anyway I'm back to the J-50 and Crisco. Fredron

You can send your dots to me. I really like them. Never had a wick come unstuck, and I can relocate the wick in the jar if I need to. Of course, it's better to be careful, and center the wick the first time. The other thing I like about them, is they wash out easily when I'm asked to refill jars. I get many requests for that service. I'm not sure the glue from a glue gun would do that. Fredron

I contacted Nature's Garden about the frosting, and their suggestion was to try adding Crisco. Their comment was "that's the nature of soy wax". I tried adding the Crisco, and pouring hotter, which cut the frosting about in half. My belief is that the jars need to be hotter when pouring. I haven't had the time to experiment with that because of a huge fund raiser and Christmas orders. After things calm down, I'll get back into testing. I've been able to get the frosting to go away by using the heat gun and melting the outside of the candle, but I won't do that on a daily basis. I really like the way it burns, but I don't have the time or inclination to deal with the problems. Fredron

This will depend on what size fittings you will use. I assume you're going with 1/2" pipe fittings. If it's 1/2", the drill should be 23/32", and the pipe tap will be 1/2"-14. I'm getting this information from the machinist's handbook, and just to clear up any confusion, I'm a machinist by trade. I got mine from Ace hardware here in PA, but if your's doesn't carry it, look for a company that supplies machine shops. Your biggest problem will be how to hold the drill. I have a lathe, and was able to turn down the end so I could hold it in my drill press. Some machine shop suppliers sell drills with the shank turned down. If you want my advice, scrap the presto pot & get a Surf & Turk electric turkey fryer. The pot already has the spigot. Best investment I ever made. Fredron

You can buy Astor Q and F waxes at Early American Candle Supply in Pittsburgh, PA. I get mine there. Fredron

The J223 that NG sold was J-50. One time I got a box that still had the J-50 label on it. J-50 is what I'm currently using, and it's been fine, every once in a while I get a batch that smokes. I mentioned in one of these threads some time back about getting some J-50 that crackles when it melts, like the sound you get when you cook french fries. Usually only one slab in a box, but that may be the smoky stuff. Anyway, there's a lot of good to say about NG, but they're sometimes not too helpful. Fredron

I tried the heat gun. I had to melt the top, then hold the gun on the sides until the wax melted all around, then let it set up. It took 2 treis to get rid of the crust. Funny thing, when I bought the first test slab, none of them turned out like that. Then I bought a case for further testing, and wham! NG took a rather cavalier attitude towards the problem, saying that's the way it is, and have a nice day. I buy a lot of FO from them and I'm not happy right now. Their bedside manner could use some tweaking. Fredron

I have a question for any of you using Joy wax. In my first tests, I'm getting a white, crusty appearance around the top of the candle, and intermittantly down the inside of the jar. Natures Garden tells me this is typical of the results I can expect, but I can't live with that. I have followed their instructions to the letter, and my jars are clean. Do you Joy Wax users get this crusty appearance? If not, what are your melt, mix, & pour temperatures. I've tried pouring at their suggested temp of 160, and lower down to 145. So far no luck. NG says to add some Crisco. Anyone try that? Any other tricks? Thanks Fredron

Are you stirring the pot after you add the dye? I've never seen a dye that wouldn't mix when the wax is melted. If you simply drop the dye in the wax, it will settle to the bottom. Ya gotta stir. Also ya gotta get a thermometer. A cheap cooking one at Wal Mart sells for about $5.00. Fredron

I've got a show this weekend, both days, but I want to find time to make some Cranberry Yuzu, and some Gingerbread Applesauce. Fredron

I use 2 sizes of drops for liquid dyes. One is from the eyedropper which comes in the dye bottle, the other is what I call a small drop, which I get by dipping the pointed end of a thin food skewer into the dye. To get a cream color, try 1 small drop of brown/lb. I would also try 1 small drop of yellow and 1 big drop of brown/lb. Both will give you a passable cream color. Fredron

The real secret is to HEAT THE MOLD before you pour. When the mold is heated, the candle will cool slowly enough to get the feathering. The correct pour temperature is 200 degrees. I've never had to wrap the mold or slow cool in an oven to get beautiful results. I use Astor-F wax, and the results are stunning. Fredron

Yes, you can layer J-50. I do it with my Black and Gold candles. Two colors, two fragrances. The secret is to pour the second layer while the first layer is firmly set up, but not cool. When cool, the first layer will shrink, and pull away from the jar. Your second layer will flow into the gap, and streak the first layer. Pour your second layer before the shrink takes place. Repeat for the third layer. You'll have to get a feel for how long to wait for your size jar, but it's not difficult. The longer you wait, the more distinct the layer line will be. Good luck. Fredron

We need more information if we are to help you. What type candles are you making, what type wax, what temperatures are you using for melting & pouring? Fredron

I once poured Cosmopolitan fragrance candles, and before my wife showed me the error of my ways, I poured some in a green color. Later after my education was completed, I poured some more in cranberry color. Same wax, same FO mix, same jars & wicks. People at the craft show that weekend liked the smell of the green better than the cranberry. Go figure!

Well, I have a big craft show tomorrow, so nothing going on tomorrow, but Sunday, I'll be making Black and Gold candles (for the Pittsburgh Steelers), and Children's Laughter. That's one I created for a local Autistic children's organization, and I don't sell it to anyone else. I need 100 for a fund raiser. Anyway that's it. Fredron

If you add a little brown to green, you will begin to get into the olive shades. I use a drop of brown with 2 drops of green/pound of wax to get an olivy color for my Nantucket Briar. I'm thinking sage green would be in that range. Fredron

For those of you using the Joy Wax, are you using Liquid or solid colors? I've used liquid since day one & like it. Seems like it might be difficult to accurately measure the dye chips each time, and I like the richness of the colors I get with the dyes. As far as water in my J-50 wax, if it's there, it came in it from the factory. I open the box, cut the slab & melt it. I'm thinking there might be a defect in the formulation at the factory, perhaps not fully mixing the batch or something. I never had the crackling, until recently. I contacted IGI about it, but got no response. I'm going to try some Joy Wax, just to satisfy my curiosity, but I tried Soy in a variety of blends, and hated it, so I'm not holding out much hope for it. Fredron