fredron

Who has the time to tab wicks? I barely have the time to make the candles. Anything I can sub to someone else I leaves more time to create new fragrances and make candles. Fredron

I've been asked to make some floating candles for a wedding, and haven't got a clue! Of course I told my customer I was experienced--didn't say at what. Anyway, can someone give me some pointers? Where do I get the molds & what waxes are best, and of course, what wicks work well. I'm guessing the bride would pick the color & fragrance. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Fredron

We use 6228 for all our pillars & votives, and for the chunks also. It works well for everything I use it for. Fredron

I like melts because I make more money selling them than any other product I make. If I could sell all the melts I can make, I'd never wick another candle. Votives and melts are, percentage wise, the most profitable product I have. But I like the melts because I don't have to wick them, and I don't have to top them off. I just can't sell enough. Fredron

OK, so I don't like Presto Pots. In my oipinion, they're unsafe, and way too small. The breakaway magnetic cord is dangerous, because if you pull it or knock it loose while the heating element is drawing power, it can arc, causing a big nasty spark. Also, the contacts on the cord are exposed, and can arc arcoss anything metal if knocked loose. The pot is only 6 quarts, which isn't large enough to do much work, so most people get 3 or 4, which, if they're all on at the same time, gobbles electricity. If you can find an 8 quart Dazey, they're much better, because the control is safer. An even better tool is an electric turkey fryer. They will hold enough wax to do some real work, come with a spigot, and the control is better. I attached a digital thermometer to mine, so I know what the temp is for the whole batch. Fredron

What is a jeweled mold? I buy octagon molds for votives from Early American candle, but haven't got a clue if they're considered jeweled. Fredron

If you will PM me, I'll describe it in detail. Fredron

The two I visited were in Berlin, Ohio. One was called Wax n Wick. I thought that was odd, since my company is Waxes 'n Wicks. There was an Amish girl icing the cupcake candles, but she wasn't too quick-didn't look like she was getting paid by the piece. I did try to track another one down way out in God's country, and when we got there, it didn't inspire confidence, so we didn't stop. I doubt if they had electricity, and was one of the most run down looking Amish palces I've seen. Don't ask me where that one was, I think we passed Cuba somewhere along the line, but the roads out there are not on Ohio maps. I tried dropping bread crumbs to follow back, but the horses ate them, and we were lost for a while. Fredron

I just came back from a trip through the Amish country in Ohio, where I stopped in every candle shop I could find. People rave about the Amish craftsmanship, and flock to their shops. However I was not inpressed. The candles were listed as the dreaded "triple scented" variety. First, it was difficult to smell them at all, and second they looked like @#$%. It was like a clinic of candle flaws. Bubbles, wet spots, off center wicks, and wax dribbled down the inside of the jar. Obviously hand poured, but poorly. One store had a glass viewing section where visitors could watch the process. Truthfully, it looked like a messier version of my production area. (I didn't think messier was possible) One thing caught my eye, which most folks probably wouldn't have noticed. There was a test burn tray just inside the window, where three tests had been conducted. The hours were listed for each candle, but the burns were really bad. One had a hole burned down the middle, and about 1/2 inch of wax on the walls of the jar, one must have had an off center wick, because it burned up against the wall of the jar on one side, leaving unmelted wax all the way to the top on the other side. The third burned about 2/3 of the way down and had a massive soot ring around the rim. The votives were really a mess. I didn't take my camera, so no photos, but it was bad! So anyway, I came away from there really feeling good about my product. If you need an ego boost, go to an Amish candle shop in Ohio. Any little imperfections in your candles will disappear after your trip. Fredron

I've used the aluminum molds for years, and settled in on a method of sealing them without the use of puttys or tapes, which I grew to hate after my first leaker. I vowed that would never happen again, and it hasn't. I use a rubber washer, passing it through a solid bar across the top of the mold, and pulling it taut. No more putty, tapes, gooey messes, and no more leaks. Fredron

We use Brown Sugar Pecan, Caramel Sugar Crunch, Chestnuts and Brown Sugar, Vanilla Bomb, and White Cake. All of them are good, but I've gotten a couple that were disappointing. Her Raspberry wasn't very good, and Oxygen, while the throw was good, bled like crazy no matter how little I used. One thing though, she refunded my money for the Oxygen, even though I used over half of the bottle. She's great to do business with. There's nothing like an honest company with good customer service. Fredron

As with most of the choices we have as chandlers, there is no better, only what you like best, and what you get used to. I tried the color chips the first week I made candles, and decided there must be a better way. I have now settled in on the dye, because I can pretty consistantly control my colors. My "big drops" come from the eyedropper right out of the bottle, and my "small drops" are dipped using a small skewer point. Using big and little drops gives me a ton of flexibility in colors. Fredron

What is the spigot made of? Is it Brass or steel. I made my spigot setup myself, and used brass. Usually, by the time the wax is hot in the pot, the valve is hot also, and the wax flows. Sometimes, if i'm using pillar wax, which is the only time I use my small pots, the wax in the spigot is not melted when I'm ready to pour. I sometimes use the heat gun, and sometimes I push a small skewer through, while holding a pot under the spigot. A few drops will flow, then as more wax flows, the clog is gone, and the wax flows freely. I do not recommend this last method-there is a potential for a real mess. If your spigot is not brass, I suggest you change it. Brass will absorb the heat of the pot faster than steel or stainless steel. Fredron

Candles and Supplies has a good one. Fredron

Sometime back, someone posted a list of FO suppliers and their abbreviations. Can someone help me find it? Thanks Fredron

Don't know how long you let the wax cook before opening the valve, but you've got to let it get hot enough to melt the wax inside the valve too. What may be happening is that the melted wax may be starting into the valve and because the valve isn't hot yet, it may be setting up in the valve, clogging it temporarily. Try a heat gun on the valve itself to see if wax has set up inside. Fredron

Never used J300, but 6006 is supposed to be a parasoy blend. I tried it some time back & found it difficult to wick. I had to wick up several sizes to get it to burn. I thought J300 was a 1 pour paraffin, with no soy. Fredron

Amen! Protect yourself at all times. Fredron

Getting ready for a show. Need Yankee Doodle, Malibu, Blue Hawaiian, and a big batch of Triple Spice. Fredron

I've used glue dots for years, and never had a problem. I stick them into cold or warm jars, and pour away. I've never had a customer complain about wicks moving, and i've never noticed moving wicks in our tests. It's possible during the manufacturing process of your jars, there is a residue that is not compatible. Back when I wrapped the wick around a skewer on top of the jar, I pulled rather hard, and very seldom did they come loose. If you don't want them, ship them to me. I'll use them. Fredron

Are you warming the mold? Hot wax into cold molds cand cause strange things to happen. Try the heat gun on the molds. Fredron

All other things being equal, a 3" diameter melt pool will give off more fragrance than a 1 1/2" melt pool. Remember, size does matter. Fredron

In my jars, the center burns for a while, but in subsequent burns, the candle catches up. That's one thing my customers love-they get to use all of the candle. Let it burn & see what happens after 8 hours. If you still have hangup, increase the size of the wick. Vendors don't always get it right. They usually give you a starting point. It's up to you to do the work & get it perfect. You won't hit a home run on the first one, I assure you. Fredron

All I can sell. I also build inventory for shows in the Spring & Summer, but slowly cut back so I don't have much inventory at the end of the year, for tax purposes. Inventory is income, so I cut way back around Christmas to the end of the year. Fredron

With all due respect to Top, I find J-50 to be the best of the bunch. I've tried 'em all and stick with the J-50. I tweak it a tad, but by itself it ain't bad. Hey, that rhymes. Candles and poetry-who Knew? I get no wet spots, great colors, extremely (and I mean EXTREMELY) clean burn and excellent cold/hot throw. It doesn't get any better. Fredron