fredron

Look in the paint department. They have the Krylon @ $2.68, and their own brand @ $1.35. Fredron

I think I'd do these as container chunk candles. The cookie one would use strawberry colored chunks in a cookie colored overpour. The St. Nicks I'd do with dark blue chunks in a pale (ice blue) over pour. I don't leave any candles pure white any longer, because they can discolor. So I tint everything now. Fredron

Glass Plus More in Manitowoc Wisconsin sells a jar very much like the one you show, except the lid is domed, not flat. They come in 3 sizes, and I've used them since I started. Originally, they were made in Indonesia, and the quality was excellent. However, Mark (one of the owners) tells me deliveries from Indonesia was becoming spotty for him, and is now having them made in China. So far, I've gotten two sizes from Chinese manufacture, and the quality is not the same. Mark says he's working on the problem, and should have it straightened out shortly. I can tell you, this is a good company to deal with. Take a look on their website:www.glassplusmore.com Fredron

It's just like gasoline. When it goes up, it goes up $10.00 at a time, but when it comes down, it's a couple dollars at a time. My wax has gone from $48.00/case to $121.00/case in a little over 2 years. 2 years from today, we'll see where the price is. Fredron

Krylon may be the best of the clear laquers, but WlaMart's own brand is less expensive, and for waterproofing, works just as well. Fredron

I use the remote digital type in my large melting pot, with the readout attached to the wall with velcro. That works really well. However, I use analog readout type meat thermometers in my pour pots. I make a wire loop out of coat hangers to hang them in the pot. That way I can prepare 2 or 3 pour pots, have the thermometers in each one, and can glance at the pots to get the temps while I wick jars or label finished candles. Things go faster that way. I guess there is no best method for everyone, but that works for me. Fredron

Quick! Get out now while you can. Take up something with a more secure future, like Russian Roulette. Having said that, there are no "Best" places to buy oils. Every candle supply company has some oils that are better than others, and some that are less good. In order to get the "Best", you will have to buy different ones from different companies. As far as how much oil will wax hold, you will have to test your wax to find out. Once you settle in on a wax, you'll have to test it's holding capacity for each oil. A good starting point would be the standard 1 oz/lb. However, with my blend, there are a few oils I have to reduce to 7/8 oz/lb, and one (hot buttered rum) that I have to reduce to 3/4 oz/lb. Good luck, Fredron

If you want to keep her from knowing what's in it, it's the cranberry orange part you'll have to hide. I'd call it "o'muffin", or c'rumpet. Funky names get people to look. Fredron

If you log onto the JS website, you can ask BeckyJo about the waxes. She'll respond lickety split. That's a great outfit to work with. I've considered trying her stuff due to the wax price increases at IGI. Fredron

I was sitting in a local watering hole enjoying an adult beverage, when a woman I never met approached and asked if I was "that candle guy". When I told her I made candles, she told me I better change my jars, cause they were breaking when the candles burn, and people were going to sue me. I asked where she got one of mine, and she mentioned a store in town. When I explained I do not sell my candles in that store, she assured me it was one of mine, 'cause she saw the candle company name on my van outside. Anyway, the woman was pretty well lubricated at the time, so I decided not to argue. After finishing my drink, I drove to the store to see how my candles were being sold there without my knowledge. I inquired as to which candles were having trouble, and I was told they were discontinuing the Wood Wicks candles due to the jar breakage. I guess the hour glass shape is too close to the flame in the center, and the glass is breaking. Anyone else hear of this? Fredron

Cheer up! Things will get worse. I'd like to deal with the seam in your pillar candles. When making your second pour, the wax should just fill the center holes and the shallow crater in the bottom. It should not extend out to the mold, so you should never see a seam. After cooling, the bottom should be levelled so the candle will stand straight. Fredron

For those who are interested, I developed a method of sealing molds that I use, that once you get the hang of it, will seal your molds without putty, glue, or tape. I threw all that gunk away years ago. You'll need some things, all of which you can buy or make. In case the attachment process doesn't work, send me an e-mail and I'll send it to you. waxesandwicks@connecttime.net Fredron

Just completed an, for lack of a better word, "interesting", fund raiser, and thought I'd tell my experience to save someone the same disaster. This was a small fund raiser for a gymnastics group, for whom I'd done 3 previous programs. A new chairperson took over, and after receiving my program, ignored the part where they were to pick 15 fragrances, and sent out my entire list of 285. One of their group, familiar with my program, notified her of the error, and she called in a panic. They had already taken the orders and was ready to place their order with me. She cried, sobbed, and moaned so long, soft hearted jerk that I am, I told her to send the order, and I'd deal with it. Well the order was for 135 candles in 2 sizes, with 101 different fragrances, only 16 of which I had in stock. Some of those fragrances I haven't made in months. The project is finished now, but NEVER AGAIN. There are two types of people in the world, warm fuzzies, and cold pricklys. I'm going back to being a cold prickly! Fredron

Top is right on. I've wicked my pillars from day 1, but use pins in votives. It's easy to get an uncentered pin in a votive, and a longer pin in a pillar could be worse. I have my own method of sealing pillars that doesn't use putty or tape, and always get a centered, straight wick. Fredron

You can control your own cooling rate, summer or winter, by building my cooling boxes. I make them from styrofoam insulation used for home building. A sheet costs about $10.00. Buy the 5/8" thick stuff. You can cut it with a razor knife. 1 sheet will make 2 good sized boxes with lids. I use panelling glue to put them together, and duct tape to reinforce the corners. You want a glue that will stay somewhat tacky, not become brittle. The purpose of the box is to retard the cooling process, and avoid rapid shrinking of the wax, which can cause wet spots. Candles placed in the box will be set up, but warm to the touch in the morning after pouring. One thing though, these boxes MUST be sitting on a solid surface, beacuse they do not have much strength to hold a load. My boxes have lasted for at least 4 years, and are still in good shape. Good luck, Fredron

The jar is made in Indonesia, and comes in 3 sizes. 6oz, 12 oz and 24 oz. I use them in all 3 sizes, but buy them in quantity. I get the 12 oz jar for $.72ea, and with the freight about $.77. I buy 25 cases at a time, and can mix the 3 sizes. Freight for the 25 cases costs $70.00, or $2.80/case. So your $1.00/jar isn't bad. Fredron

Your wax supplier an/or the wax manufacturer should have the infomation you need. The manufacturer will have a product list with their recommendations. For my blend, I heat to 195-200 degrees, add FO, additives & color, then cool to 150 degrees before pouring. Fredron

J-223 is a container wax. I doubt if you will get them out of the mold, but even if you do, they'll be soft. You need to get a pillar/votive type wax in my opinion. Fredron

I was told from day 1, that blues & purples will change in the sun. I have found that to be true, and no amount of UV will eliminate it completely, although it does help. If you remelt the candles, you can add more color, but it's tricky getting them back to the same shade. As far as white discoloring with age, I don't make a pure white any longer. I add some type of color to everything. The whites just didn't stand up to time. Fredron

Be certain the spigot is threaded onto the pot befor you buy it. There is no other way that will last. No adhesive or glue will stand up to the usage. I threaded all my own, but I have the tools, and was a machinist for years. Fredron

My Flourish canopy was delivered, and I've now used it on 3 shows. IT IS THE BEST!!!!!. It's a little more complicated than the EZups, because it comes in individual pieces, and must be assembled, but it is so well engineered and so sturdy, it's worth the effort to learn how to do it. I put it up in the driveway 1 time to make sure everything was there, and it all fit. That took 20 minutes without the top. 1 foot was mis drilled, and didn't fit, but they replaced that no questions asked. At the first show, it was raining as I set up, and, being in a hurry, I made a mistake, getting 1 set of parts in the wrong place, and it wouldn't go together. After I ffinally figured it out, it went right up. That took 45 minutes from beginning to end, top & sides included. The next show, 25 minutes, beginning to end. Bottom line, there is no comparison between the Flourish & any other EZup style tent I've seen. The Flourish is the absolute best. It's solid & waterproof. All the parts fit & the canvas is well made. However, a couple things; 1, It's heavy. The steel tubing & fittings add weight. 2, It doesn't just slide up, you have to assemble it, and your brain must be in gear to get the sequence right. 3, It ain't cheap. But it's worth it. I spent the cost of the Flourish in trying to get two other tents the way I wanted them. Fredron

IMO, the Presto is not the best of the small pots, but they work reasonbly well. I do not like the magnetic control, which is constantly knocked off, and leaves 2 power contacts exposed, and dangerous. The folks who don't use the spigot must be pouring very small batches, because a pot full of wax is heavy and unwieldy. Pouring from the pot is doable, but the risk of spills is magnified. I have 2 Daizey pots, which are the best of the smaller pots, and 2 Prestos, 1 with the spigot, and 1 I haven't gotten around to putting one in, and when using that one, I pour from the pot. Trust me, the spigot is better. My main pot is a Turk & Surf turkey fryer. The others are for specialty waxes & gel. Get the spigot if you get a Presto. Buy the Daizey if you can find one, and add your own spigot. Fredron

Never heard of J-50 cracking. I use it mixed with some other things, and never had a problem. I heat to 200, add FO & additives, let cool to 150 & pour into a heated jar. The only thing I do that's different is I slow cool in cooling boxes. I make them from styrofoam insulation sheets, and candles put into the box take 8 hours to cool completely. I started this process because my work area is air conditioned in the summer, and naturally cool in the winter. (I live in PA also.) Never had a crack, but if mine cool too quickly, I get crusty looking patches on the sides as the wax shrinks in the jar. In the cooling boxes, I don't get that any longer. A sheet of insulation costs about $10.00, and makes 2 good sized boxes, including lids. Fredron

No one could answer this question, because you don't tell us what type candle you're storing. (Jar, pillar, votive.) If you're storing container candles with lids, then it makes no difference. If you have pillars or votives with no wrapping, then I wouldn't mix, or put them in sealable bags. If you shrink wrap, put them in sealable bags before you mix. Fredron

I stick the wicks, and pour as soon as the jars are warm. Actually, as the jars are warming, I'm sticking the wicks. I'd be out of business if I had to wait to pour, even a couple hours. Fredron