fredron

The J-50 is good stuff. I've been using it for years & like it a lot. Now that I've been around awhile, I blend it with some other ingredients to make my own blend, but it's a good starting point. My customers raved about our candles before I started to blend, but I decided to tweak it a little. It's easy to work with, has great hot & cold scent throw, and doesn't require topping off. Fredron

The correct measurement is the weight of the product. There will be a difference between the fluid measurement and the weight. Tare the scale with the jar on it, then add the wax, and the reading will be the one you use. A jar listed as 8oz will usually be closer to 6 oz weight. Fredron

I tried Joy Wax also, and had different problems-a white crusty appearance to the candle where it pulled away from the jar wall. I contacted the supplier and their response in effect was "you'll get that, and have a nice day". Most of the vendors I deal with have excellent customer service when it come to complaints. They, like me, realize that customer complaints offer an opportunity to cement long lasting relationships, by proving that they really want to be a long term supplier, not just sell something once. That supplier has some good FO's, so I still buy from them, but I they are no longer one of my favorites. Fredron

In addition to the brown, try a drop of yellow. I have 2 sizes of drops; one comes out of the eyedropper, the other comes from the tip of a small wooden skewer. I call the ones from the skewer "small drops". I dip the skewer, wipe it against the side of the bottle to get most of the dye off, then let a small drop form. In the case of the olive, I'd use 2 big green, 1 big brown & 1 small yellow/lb of wax, then adjust to suit your taste. By using the small drops, I can get a great variety of colors. My customers often mention our colors at shows. Fredron

I find if I sprayed, there sometimes was a white residue on the outside of the candle when it set up. When I spray, I spray the silicone on a paper towel, then wipe the mold. I use Viva towels, which are really soft, and not much is left behind, BUT, I only spray new molds. After 2 or 3 uses, I don't need to spray. I use 6228 wax, and it releases with out any outside help. Fredron

I'm glad you mentioned honey, because the vanilla I use is just about the same consistancy as honey. The cucumber melon is like water. Somewhere in between is chocolate chip cookie or banana nut bread. I can't take another breath until I know if banana nut bread is light or heavy. By the way, I weigh all my FO before pouring too, so that every batch is as close to the one before it as I can make it. Fredron

Yeah, yeah, but an ounce of vanilla weighs the same as an ounce of cucumber melon. So by definition, what specific gravity constitutes a 'heavy" oil? Some of you guys make everything into rocket science. If it pours, its light & if it oozes, its heavy. Fredron

Are you heating your jars prior tp pouring? I realize my blend is not pure J-50, but I get few wet spots. I heat the jar, pour, then slow cool in a styrofoam box I made, which usually takes overnight to completely cool. When I open the box in the morning, I usually feel the jars are warm. I leave the lid on untill completely cool. Hope that helps. You can build the cooling box for about $10.00. I find it's worth it, so I built a second. Fredron

This sounds like a subjective measurement to me, where 300 people would have 300 ways to determine heavy. My criteria would be more along the line of how it pours. If it's watery, it's light. If it pours like molasses, it's heavy. Fredron

I tried the J225 & decided to stay with the J-50, but you should satisfy yourself. Otherwise you'll always wonder. Fredron

I've never tried imbeds or layers, but don't see why layers wouldn't be possible. The wax I use is fairly forgiving. Fredron

I have taped the cord to the control on the one Presto I have, using plastic electrical tape. Using the tape won't damage the unit and won't void the warranty. It works, but I'm glad I don't use the Presto much. If I can find another Dazey at a yard sale, sometime, I'll trash the Presto. Fredron

Halleluja Feffanoose! Another Dazey lover. For a while there I felt like the Lone Ranger. Honestly guys, there is no comparison. The only negative is you'll have to put the spigot in yourself-no one is selling them that way to my knowledge. Fredron

When I started using J-50 wax, NG suggested the Vybar to assist with the FO loading, stating it helps increase the amount of FO any given amount of wax will hold. Nothing was said about reducing air bubbles. I still use J-50 as a starting point for my blends, but even when I used it straight, I never got air bubbles. What is your melt temperature, what is your FO addition temperature, and what is your pour temperature? Do you heat your jars? Do you use any other additives? My process is: Heat to 190-195 degrees, pour into pour pot, add FO and color, stir well to mix, cool to 150, stir again, pour into pre-wicked, heated jar, place in cooling box. This works for me, and no bubbles. Fredron

Welcome. If you will look to the left of this area, you will see some buttons. If you click on the "General Information" button, you will open a window that lists some other buttons, including one called "Handy Calculators'. Clicking on that one will get you some information on how to calculate how much wax will fill your containers. As far as FO loading, most wax manufacturers will tell you how much FO their wax can be expected to hold. Some will hold more than others, but a general rule of thumb is 1oz/lb of wax. From there it's just simple math to get the correct loading. HOWEVER, no manufacturer's information will cover all situations. Start with their recommendations and adjust from there. Then test, test, test. Good Luck, Fredron

Hold the presses. Write this day down. I made a mistake. The correct spelling for the crock pot/deep fryer I use is Dazey, not Daizey. A Google search still shows them. Fredron

The spelling on the Daizey is correct. They aren't always available on E-bay, but last time I tried, the name still came up in a Google search. Fredron

I've had nothing but leaks sealing pillar molds with putty, tape & screws. I finally developed a method using some home made rubber washers that work every time-no hassle. My rubber is about 1/4" thick, and very soft. I tie a double knot in the wick, pass it through a steel washer made for little screws, then through the rubber into which I've poked a hole. I use a big darning needle to get the wick through the rubber. Then pass the wick into the mold, center it, pull it tight, and wrap it around a piece of steel I made, and I haven't had a leak since. To remove the candle from the mold, cut the knot & the candle slides out. No sticky tape residue, no putty mess, and no cutting the wick accidentally with a screw. If you're interested in the method, private message me. Fredron

I'll mention this again. You folks who dislike the cords on the Presto pots should try a DAIZEY deep fryer/crock pot. I started with a Daizey (8 quart), and thought it was great. This was back in the days before I read about spigots on this website, and had a brainstorm--put a spigot in the side. It worked well, and I bought a second Daizey from E-bay. It was a little smaller (6 quart), but worked just as well. As time went on, I spotted a Presto in Wal Mart, and bought one. I HATED IT!!. The magnetic cord SUCKS. (Not to be critical) Anyway, I've now graduated to a Surf & Turk turkey fryer, but still use the Daizeys for pillar & palm waxes, and the Presto is for gels only--I still hate it. If you can find one, buy the Daizey. Fredron

I started with J-50 and had people rave about our candles, but I was getting a little soot, and thought I'd try the Joy wax. I liked the burn, was less than tickled with the cold throw, and had a devil of a time trying to get rid of a white crusty appearance inside the jar after the candle cooled. I tried pouring hotter & colder (5 degree increments from 130 to 180), and actually made some cooling boxes from styrofoam insulation to slow cool them. Nothing worked. So I went back to the blend I make with J-50 and played with wicks until voila! I hit the perfect combination. I can light a candle, let it burn all day, (I know you're not supposed to, but my customers do, so I tested that way) and NO SOOT! The J-50 gives me excellent cold and hot throw and is easy to work with. Fredron

If you can find one, get a Daizey deep fryer/crock pot. There is an 8 quart model that has a really great control. I have both Daizey & Presto. The Daizey is better. You can sometimes find them on E-bay. I stole my first one from the DW. (Never liked crock pot cooking anyway) You'll have to add the spigot yourself, but it's worth it. Fredron

Mine came from Taylored Concepts, and it's really good. Don't remember the brand, but I can't see how one could be much better. Get the little power pack with it, and forget batteries. Fredron

I went through the same thing, and tried them all. I also use J-50, with some tweaking. The results were not what I wanted. I also used the Superiors, again with less than satisfactory results. So, I got some samples of their zinc wicks, and voila! The 51-36-18z worked perfectly. I get a cleaner burn than with any other combination I tried, and I don't have to worry about the wick folding over into the puddle and getting lost. For us, the zinc is far and away the best. Good luck, Fredron

The main reason you might get streaks in pillars, is that the mold might be cold when you pour. I don't know what wax you are using, but pouring into a cold mold will definately cause strange things to happen. Try warming the mold with a heat gun before pouring. I use 6228, and have no problems with lines or streaks since I started heating the molds. Fredron

I have found that not all FO's will blend with the wax if I don't pour them hot. I had quite a few bleed FO after the candle set up, which ended up in the bottom of the container. So, I never add FO when the temp is below 175 degrees. It works well for me, bleeders are as rare as hens teeth now. Fredron