ThisLittleLightOfMine Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 How on earth do you all test a bunch of new scents to see what they smell like OOB without actuallyputting them in a candle ...waiting for it to cure for 1 or 2 weeks ...then burning... Am I just impatient for not wanting to wait that long or is there a better way?? Lol I am reading through y'alls posts on FO recommendations and right about now I'm thinking it will be the year 3016 before I get through the list I have if I have to go through the steps above! Lol and God forbid I come across anymore recommendations that sound tempting! Lol you guys are the BOMB by the way!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Ha! I know what you mean. But there is no sub for time.To whet my whistle a little as i patiently wait for candles to cure, i heat some over an oil warmer with the FO on a spoonful of salt. It will be a little different since the wax has its own smell when burning and such, but close enough to know if i like the scent itself. Put the candles into a closet or drawer where they can't taunt you as you wait. Out of sight out of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 This craft is *v e r y* time consuming, no question. That's why it often takes people a good 6 months to a year to make something worth selling. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it. And if you judge the FO too quickly and cast it aside because it doesn't perform well, you could be overlooking a really fabulous candle that just took a while to develop. Why bother doing the test in the first place if you aren't going to give it a fair test? That's a waste of time and resources. I don't remember which wax you are using, but some paraffins don't need the time to develop according to other members. Maybe you should consider using one of those waxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chefmom Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Just put the candles aside, and make more!! I usually make something else, votives or pillars or even just make some soap, since I use some of my candle fragrances in soap as well. I have gotten ahead of myself and tested too soon to find a month later when I smelled a candle I thought was a failure and found that it has a strong scent and burns fine once I light it up again. I also usually pour a LOT of testers, that way there is always something to burn or test. Whether I am trialing wicks in a new pillar formulation or just playing with unscented wax in a new jar...there is always something to test burn sitting around. ...as OldGlory has stated...this hobby is quite time consuming. Take good notes as you go! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisLittleLightOfMine Posted January 11, 2016 Author Share Posted January 11, 2016 Thank you all... Glory I use IGI 4627 for my containers and a blend of 4627 and 4625 for melts. I Talk I don't quite know what you mean using the salt and FO?? Do you sprinkle salt in the tart warmer then just put some FO in or..?? Lol sorry I'm a little lost... Do you all just pour SMALL containers first just to see how the wax and FO go hand and hand or ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Thank you all... Glory I use IGI 4627 for my containers and a blend of 4627 and 4625 for melts. I Talk I don't quite know what you mean using the salt and FO?? Do you sprinkle salt in the tart warmer then just put some FO in or..?? Lol sorry I'm a little lost... Do you all just pour SMALL containers first just to see how the wax and FO go hand and hand or ??Yes, just salt with a few dros of fragrance. Here's a somehwat recent thread about it:http://www.craftserver.com/topic/104452-i-need-new-ideas-for-room-fresheners/?hl=%2Bsalt+%2Bwarmer#entry982743When testing containers, i use the containers i sell, otherwise i don't know how it will perform from top to bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 TLLOM, check with some other 4627 users to see if this wax requires a cure. I have no idea - I use 6006 and 464 mostly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisLittleLightOfMine Posted January 12, 2016 Author Share Posted January 12, 2016 Ok thank you very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belinda Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 4627 and 4625 are both paraffin. I don't think they would need much cure time, maybe I'm wrong but I don't cure mine over 2-3 days. I usually just make melts though but even with the candles I've made I never cured them any longer than 3 days. That could just be me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candle guy Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 I'm finding that 4627 does not require much cure time at all. I usually wait 2 to 3 days also. 464 soy I will always have to wait 2 weeks for the maximum scent. I switched to 4627 but I will still make 464 candles in between because of the cure period. I also make melts in between so that way I always have something to do lol. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted January 15, 2016 Share Posted January 15, 2016 The worst for me is when someone gives a great review and I buy a sample and wonder why it doesn't give me the same thrill. The best test is to use trusted individuals from the customer viewpoint. Make them up and send them out for testing with a check list of things they judge about the candle. Because of candle nose, I'm afraid we are not always the best of judges. So, you can make up quite a few and send them out and make more. KWIM? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I also think there's an individual's scent receptors that play a role in what you think something smells like. If 10 people smell one fragrance, 2 of the 10 smell something in that fragrance that is a little different. For example, Hotel Costes from Sweetcakes is loved by many people, but to me it smells sour and rotten. It's just me picking up those notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Dizzle Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Burning smells so much different than the straight scent out of the bottle usually. I also wish there was a sub for time. I've burned one after a few days, had zero hot throw, then after the full two weeks it smells great. I also had the opposite happen and I assume the wax hardened and burned less hot than after a few days and was enough to inhibit throw after the full cure.I now just wait the two weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisLittleLightOfMine Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Holy buckets...so there are NO absolutes between wax FO and wicks? Like as soon as I get JUST the right combo it can change for no apparent reason? How do people make money in this craft of you are constantly having to test 3 different wicks out of each pour?!? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Dizzle Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 I may not have been clear. And I am testing 3 or 4 wicks per combo and settling on one or none. After the two weeks it shouldn't change much. If I understand it right if the wax/jar/wick/dye/fo combo works after two weeks it should work the next time if made exactly the same. Add a little more or less fo and it might be too hot or too cold. Add a little more or less dye and the same. I recently was told sometimes a batch of wax will be a bit different and need to be slightly wicked differently than normal. In general adding more makes you wick up but at some point it's too hot for the jar to safely burn all the way down.I'm fairly new so veterans please correct me if wrong.And for me, it'll probably be a very long time before I even out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 C you hit the nail on the head. Candle making is science and we are the lab rats. We all hope to become the scientist one day. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisLittleLightOfMine Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Lol I love that vicky! I'm not giving up... Stilll testing pouring testing pouring testing pouring ... Wash rinse repeat! Lol thank you all so much for your time and expertise!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Holy buckets...so there are NO absolutes between wax FO and wicks? Like as soon as I get JUST the right combo it can change for no apparent reason? How do people make money in this craft of you are constantly having to test 3 different wicks out of each pour?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 lol.......Little Light - You really have to have a love of this craft in all honesty and don't plan on supporting yourself anytime too soon on this craft. It is expensive.....an addiction! lol You know once you find your wick size for the particular jar you are using, you can pretty much depend on that wick to perform for most of your fragrance. There are exceptions though and it really is important that you do test each oil. After a while it becomes old hat. I don't know if you do it this way, but when testing for wicks I pour my wax without a wick in the jar, let it harden and then take a skewer and make a hole right down the middle of your candle and insert that wick (without the bottom metal part of the wick) and then you burn the candle. If the wick needs to be bigger or smaller, just yank the wick out of the jar and put another one in and voila! your ready to test burn another wick.... Trappeur 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisLittleLightOfMine Posted January 19, 2016 Author Share Posted January 19, 2016 That is FABULOUS!!!! I have been pouring three candles and using the guideline from cs as a starting point and then going one above and one below... I almost feel like I'm wasting soooo much materials as I'm doing this with EVERY NEW SCENT! Your way sounds great! Then do you burn all the way through with the one that seems to be working? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Yep, you need to do that....the most important part of this whole wicking thing is when you get to the middle of the candle that is where your wick is really going to blossom and you will soon find out as you near the bottom if the jar is mad hot and you have an extremely deep meltpool, you know the wick is too big. In the beginning it's always going to take a longer time to get the melt pool going because you have no sidewalls of a glass jar to start regulating the burn (meaning it's much cooler at the beginning).....But you will soon see even in the beginning if you get a melt pool fast and deep, to me that is trouble and the wick is too big....I've done enough candles to know in the first 1,2 ,3 burns if that wick is too big or 2 small.....and I'll take it out and go to another size. The more testing you do and burn your candles, you get much more under your belt.....Soon you'll be like the rest of us.....fo ho's and have your days of pulling your hair out! lol.....though you probably are going through that now....lol Trappeur 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I burned quite a few wicks to find my favorite. Now when testing a new scent, i wick with the average and watch from there. If it burns too cold, i'll remake the candle. Re-test and adjust if needed. I have never had to wick down, but often find i need to wick up one or two. I tried yanking a wick and switching out when i saw a poor burn, but got too many inciinsistent results. The tunnel already created, even a shallow one, changed the burn. Then, as it got half way down - where the rubber meets the road if you will - the wicks would too often tip. I can usually tell within 3-5 hours how the candle will perform. You'll get there after a while observing your candles. Here's a "slap my forehead head V8" story... I was test burning candle tins last summer on our metal pellet stove. The stove was, of course cold-it was summer. All candles seemed to need a wicking up. I thought it might have been a draft, but looking back the metal was a heat sink and not allowing the candles to warm as they do on a wood table. So, lesson learned, always test in a typical environment of where the candle will burn. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Trap, who you callin' a fo ho??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisLittleLightOfMine Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 Trapper I'm not pulling my hair out yet I'm just facjnated by all the different aspects to candles ... I had no idea! I'll get there Mostly cause I'm not a quiter...and because I'm a perfectionist who loves a challenge! Thank you for all your time and responses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisLittleLightOfMine Posted January 20, 2016 Author Share Posted January 20, 2016 OMG TALL I have been doing test burns on a pellet stove top that no longer works in the rental we live in!!! It's cold...in montana.... On a pellet stove metal! Holy crap I'm so glad you mentioned that!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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