fredron

I have used Glue Dots since I started in the business, and never had a wick come loose. They come on a roll in a box, and as you pull the roll out, the dots lay flat on the top of the box. I can't imagine using a glue gun or silicone, when the dots are so convenient. I have been tempted to try the stickums, but never got around to them. I guess I'm happy where I am. Fredron

It's hard to help when so little information is given, but here goes. You don't say what the pour temperature is, or if your molds have been warmed. If you pour hot wax into a cold mold, you can have problems. I don't know what wax you are using, but I pour my pillars at 175 degrees into a warm mold, and have never had a problem. Fredron

If you save a sample of the candle about the size of a votive, Robert at Taylored Concepts is pretty good at dupes. He's hit a home run for me every time. Fredron

At the risk of being redundant, I'll repeat the comments I made in another thread. I don't get wet spots, or more accurately, I get VERY few. I use J-50, add Crisco, (and a couple other goodies), and heat my jars prior to pouring, and voila, no wet spots. Now, I know those of you who know more than I do have laughed and said Crisco & heating the jars is useless, but I stand on my belief that, unless there has been divine intervention, the way I make my candles must have something to do with the results. So laugh on, and continue to complain about wet spots, but I'm past that problem, and working on others. Fredron

Just a quick comment on wet spots. Some of you laughed at those of us who use Crisco and heat our jars to eliminate wet spots, but after reading your comments on the wet spot complaints in 4630 & j223, I just smile. I use J50 and add Crisco & I heat my jars, and I get very few wet spots. When I do get a couple, it's usually because I get in a hurry and pour too hot. (Usually the last batch of the evening when I want to go to bed.) Fredron

We were asked early on if we would refill customers' jars. We have refilled our test jars numerous times and never had a problem, so we agreed to the request, provided the customer cleaned the jar. We save them the cost of the jar, and some take advantage of the service. We haven't had anyone request that service in a couple years, but would refill the jars if asked. It saves the customer some money, but it also saves us from buying jars. We use only one type jar in 3 sizes, and have enough experience with them to know they are safe to refill. Fredron

I don't understand your question. We have over 280 fragrances on our list, and at least 270 different colors to go with them. I have only 10 different color dyes, which I combine in different combinations to get the colors. Is that what "Select Shades" does? Fredron

You can get them direct from Fil-Tec. Also, you can contact them for a vendor list. Fredron

I tried the Fil-Tec's some time back while I was searching for the perfect wick. I still have a selection. Let me just say it wasn't the perfect wick. Fredron

Two things: First, try another brand of wrap. Something that stays softer when shrunk. Or, maybe you could wrap your smooth candles in some type of clear wrap before shrinking them. I know it's an extra step, but it would protect the finish. I shrink wrap my pillars, tarts, & votives, & do not have the problem. Fredron

There is an easy way to tell if the wick pin is square to the base. Take an ordinary 3" x 5" index card, (which has 4 square corners) and cut an angle across 1 side which will clear the base of the wick pin. Place the wick pin on a flat surface with the pin facing up, and slide the card with the cutout up to the pin. Do this in 4 different directions to determine if the pin is not square. If it isn't, hold the base firmly to the surface and push the pin slightly in the direction needed, and check again. It doesn't take much time to do a bunch of them, and if you don't throw them around, you'll only have to do it once. For those of you who say the pins stick to the candle, if you'll push them out before the candle is cold, they push out easily, but I've never had one stick even if the votive is cold. I wipe a little mold release on mine, only the first time I use a new pin, and never again after that Fredron

We used the cello bags for years, but in the process of hauling them to shows & stores, they were getting dinged up. So I started shrink wrapping them to protect them. The shrink wrap helps prolong the scent retention also. We add the label to the outside. We then sell them individually. Fredron

All your farmers are raising corn for Ethanol, not soybeans. Let's see, it doesn't give good mileage, costs the refineries millions to change over twice a year, raises gas prices during the changeovers, and has raised prices on every other agricultural crop, because farmers are raising corn, and raised food prices all over the world. Sounds good to me, lets do it again next year!!! Fredron

Blues & purples are the worst. I think a flashlight beam will discolor them. UV additive will help, but nothing will stop discoloration completely if sunlight hits them. Fredron

I tried the 6006 wax for a while, but had trouble wicking it for all FO. I also didn't like the hot throw. So I went back to the drawing board & created my own blend, which, if I say so myself, is pretty darn good. Fredron

To preheat or not to preheat, that is the question. If your wax/process makes a good candle without preheating, then it would be silly to do so. In my case, my formula performs better in a warm jar. When pouring my blend in a cool jar, the wax adhered to the wall of the jar initially, but as it cooled, it tore loose, causing a white looking crust, in spots, on the side if the candle. This required a heat gun to remelt the sides of the candle to remove it. Using the jar warmers, I don't get the spots, so I use them. My candles look good, have good hot and cold scent throw, and burn cleaner than any candle I ever seen, and my customers tell me they're the best they've ever burned, so I use my blend, and warm my jars, and consider myself lucky. Fredron

I've gone through 2 in 5 years doing shows. My first was a cheap one I bought at an auto parts store. It had no sides, so I made some from tarps. I plan on using it this weekend. The second, which I thought would be better was an EZ UP. It lasted 2 shows. The first, it leaked badly in the rain, and the second, I noticed the "x" trusses were bent in a couple locations. EZ UP won't even respond to E-mails. I just ordered a Flourish unit, which hasn't been delivered yet. It was much more expensive, but it's the last one I plan on buying. (It better be). Fredron

I bought the same one with the same result. Also mine leaked in the rain. Did you take the roof off before folding it? I believe the thickness of the roof material pinches between the trusses, and causes them to deform as it is squeezed into the bag. EZ up doesn't say how to tear it down, but I don't know anyone who takes the roof off. I had another unit I bought cheap, with a very thin roof, that worked much better, and never bent the trusses. Also it didn't leak. I wanted the "industry standard" unit and particularly wanted the zip up sides that come with the EZ up. However, the cheaper unit was better by far. No response from EZ up regarding my complaint. By the way, trusses can be bought from EZ up, @ $19.50 a set. Fredron

You didn't mention whether or not you warm your molds. I've found if I pour 175 degree wax into a 70 degree mold, the surface is lousy. I don't know what fingernailing is, but I used to get lots of holes and white crusty patches. Try taking a heat gun to the mold before pouring. I get my molds hot enough I don't want to touch them. I have the heat gun in one hand, and the pour pot in the other. I'm warming one mold as I'm pouring the one next to it. Fredron

Firestarters this weekend. Need a bunch for a show over the 4th. Also playing with one of my blends-to-be, which will be called Very Berry. I'm pretty close on this one-the wife likes it already. Fredron

When you say to make sure the candle is completely dry, are you talking about drying for a couple days? With all the holes where the ice was, how do you make certain it's completely dry? I'm missing something. Fredron

I can't understand why you want to add container wax to votives. I use, and have since my first week in business, 6228 for all my votives, pillars, and tarts. My customers have made very favorable comments since day one, and continue to buy. 6228 is easy to work with, and the candles & tarts just drop out of the molds. Cleaning the molds is easy, since there isn't anything left in them-I just wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel. I don't know about the Astor V, but 6228 needs notheing else. Fredron

The steaming may be enlarging surface flaws in your pins. All metals have micro surface blemishes, which are invisible to the naked eye, but show up under microscopic emlargement. A 500 or 1000 times enlargement will make your nice, shiny pin surface look like the surface of the moon. Steaming, over time, probably made the condition worse. Pins are cheap, throw them out & replace them. I wipe mine with a rag or paper towel, and that's all. They're still going after 8 years. Fredron

IMO, there is no best ambiant temp for making candles. I work in my basement, and, summer or winter, the temp there is cool. I'm guessing 65 +/- 2 degrees-never checked. I've never noticed a difference in any of the operations summer or winter, but I do put my candles in an insulated cooling box to set up. They are still warm in the AM, about 8 hours after pouring. I believe that slow cooling is as important as any other operation I perform during the process. If you heat/air condition your garage, and it's comfotrable enough to work in, you should be fine. Fredron

Welcome to the asylum! If you're not crazy now, wait a few years dealing with the "public". Anyway, not to be a wet blanket, if I were you, I'd take a look at your costs. $4.88 to make a 12 oz candle sounds a tad high to me. I make, by all accounts, a very good parasoy candle, and my cost for a 16 oz container with lid is under $3.00. Tweak your costs before you offer them for sale, because price increases, while usually necessary, are tough for your customers to accept. Fredron