Mixing FO in the jar

[Chefmom]

I use the double boiler system and it works very well for me.  I have a presto pot, so that I can make candles away from my kitchen stove.  But i use the presto to hold the water and then put the aluminum pour pots into the presto to heat the wax.

 

I have 6 pour pots.  2 are just for the wax, one for container wax, one for pillar wax.  I have a little colored yarn tied on the handle so I can tell the difference at a glance.

 

The other four rotate for the candles I need to pour.  While I am setting up, I set my presto with water and my wax in the pour pot to about 175* using the presto thermometer.  Then I set up what I need and lay out the difference containers or molds etc.  Then I take an empty pour pot and weigh liquid wax into it, depending on how much I need.  The bulk wax gets set aside while I put the measured into the presto to heat to the right temp (faster with the smaller amount of weighed wax), then color and fragrance, stirring, temperature taking etc and pour.

 

THAT pour pot gets set aside if I need to do a repour (like for a pillar) and I repeat with the next pour pot.  I can rotate them when they are empty quickly because I wipe them clean between uses with paper towels.

 

It's about getting a system that works for you.  I can pour many testers in a short time because I have the wax liquid and ready to go.  While I am pouring, I put the plain wax back in the presto to stay liquid and I top it off as needed with fresh chunks of wax.

 

I would not recommend adding scent to the jar with the liquid wax simply because the point of testing, is just that, testing a candle made with your system.  If that is going to be your final system, then test away, but it is better in my opinion to stir the fragrance into the wax before pouring to ensure an even incorporation of the two substances.  You have to have a repeatable system so that you can make candles consistently. 

[grama]

The wax left over from pouring containers, pillars, or votives get poured into my tart cups then when I do my re pour I just melt them down in my small pour pot.  Any left over are usually used for freebies in my orders or I use them myself.  I find that easier and also frees up my pour pots.

[chuck_35550]

I have an electric two top burner on my bench with separate adjustable heat controls (Wally World-GE) which holds glass coffe carafes filled with wax. If I'm testing a new fo, I take out enough for the one candle and put my thermometer probe (oven type with long silver cord) to monitor the temp and agitate for 2 minutes (set on the thermometer) and then pour into the container. If I'm pouring 10 fragrances and only a few per fragrance; I line up my similar fragrances and don't clean up in between. HTH

Steve