Jump to content

Heating Jars


Recommended Posts

Hi Lora!!

 

When I first started making candles, I was told to warm my jars  1) to prevent breakage from pouring hot wax into a cold candle jar  2) so that my wax of choice will adhere better to the side of the jar 3) and this is my own feeling....I believe that the wick stickums DO stick better to the bottom of the jars because of the heat. I use the Presto Griddle below to warm my jars....and I set it on WARM only...your jars do not have to be hot before you would pour wax in them. I buy my Preso Griddles from Walmart and if you do decide to warm your jars...save time and money and buy the big one...you can pour tons of jars at one time that way and just keep adding jars to the back of the griddle and moving the warm ones to the front ...that way they are always warm and ready to go. ALSO ....if you make pillar candles or hurricane candles...these griddles are the BOMBDOTCOM to level them out. :)

Presto Cool Touch Electric Tilt 'n' Drain Griddle

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't warm mine either. 

 

I'd be really hesitant to use warm water around any glass that I'm going to be pouring a candle into for fear of some water droplet getting in there.

 

If the weather is really cold and I feel the pouring area is on the cool side, I may quickly use a heat gun on the glass to see if I can prevent air bubbles/wet spots.  The only time I have pre-warmed glassware is with gel candles when I don't want bubbles and that was just in a warm oven.  I like that griddle though and it's making me hungry.  :)

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Trappeur said:

Can I ask what the purpose of heating the jars is for?

 

I never warm mine up.

 

Trappeur

Just reading the forum.  I've read several posts saying it helps to warm the jars for the reasons that puma52 has stated. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, puma52 said:

Hi Lora!!

 

When I first started making candles, I was told to warm my jars  1) to prevent breakage from pouring hot wax into a cold candle jar  2) so that my wax of choice will adhere better to the side of the jar 3) and this is my own feeling....I believe that the wick stickums DO stick better to the bottom of the jars because of the heat. I use the Presto Griddle below to warm my jars....and I set it on WARM only...your jars do not have to be hot before you would pour wax in them. I buy my Preso Griddles from Walmart and if you do decide to warm your jars...save time and money and buy the big one...you can pour tons of jars at one time that way and just keep adding jars to the back of the griddle and moving the warm ones to the front ...that way they are always warm and ready to go. ALSO ....if you make pillar candles or hurricane candles...these griddles are the BOMBDOTCOM to level them out. :)

Presto Cool Touch Electric Tilt 'n' Drain Griddle

Those are the reasons I have read for warming the jars.  I have one of those griddles!  Thank you.  I guess it's just personal preference then.  I have always just poured into jars in the past but thought maybe I was missing something after reading.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Lora!!

 

When I heat my jars on this griddle, I lay aluminum foil down first across the whole area of the griddle, then I lay a layer of paper towels to set the jars on and I set the jars open end up as sometimes the jars get condensation in them if they are cool as they warm up. By the time I am ready to pour the condensation has went away and I have a nice warm jar.  I lightly cover all the jars w/aluminum foil to keep in the heat and let the condensation escape. :)  Yea for you already having one. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the griddle (or a hot plate) is a great idea, especially in cooler months, I really should get one.  I have a very small kitchen -- no, I mean *very small* -- old stone house that used to be "ranch style" until someone finally put in some walls, but I've seen bigger hallways, lol -- it's more like a kitchenette.  So, in the winter, it's the warmest little cubby-hole in the house.  I do have a Farberware electric skillet, I could probably use that come to think of it.  I wasn't making soy containers in previous winters, so this is the first winter that I'll get to try to fight the wet spots; might go back to doing my dessert novelty candles for awhile!

Edited by birdcharm
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, birdcharm said:

I think the griddle (or a hot plate) is a great idea, especially in cooler months, I really should get one.  I have a very small kitchen -- no, I mean *very small* -- old stone house that used to be "ranch style" until someone finally put in some walls, but I've seen bigger hallways, lol -- it's more like a kitchenette.  So, in the winter, it's the warmest little cubby-hole in the house.  I do have a Farberware electric skillet, I could probably use that come to think of it.  I wasn't making soy containers in previous winters, so this is the first winter that I'll get to try to fight the wet spots; might go back to doing my dessert novelty candles for awhile!

Hi Birdcharm,

 

I totally agree w/Jcandleattic about the wet spots....seriously do not worry about them one bit. The customers don't care about them and it also leaves you one less thing to worry about. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm thinking that if I plan on making any candles during the Winter, I am going to have to warm the jars,  We don't have heat and our house has no insulation to speak of so it gets really cold in here.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand to not get overly upset over them, thanks!  I poured a 15-ounce straight sided container with my new sample of 464 over the weekend, briefly used a heat gun during the cooling session, and wet spots are minimal -- so, I'll choose to be happy if I succeed in not getting them and choose to be happy even if they appear.  :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not to get you nervous or anything but another thing to contend with being you use 464 (as I do) and your house getting very cold........after my candles are all set up and if the house is cold I will get surface cracks across the top of the wax and that is not a pretty thing to see what so ever.  I then either use a hair dryer or my case where I have embeds sitting on top of the wax I always have to remove the embed, scrape off the top of the wax, reheat and repour plus make new embeds.  I can't send candles out the door having cracks in the top of the wax.  I then have to put blankets on top of my jars that go in a box and try and keep them as insulated as possible..

 

Trappeur

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Trappeur said:

Not to get you nervous or anything but another thing to contend with being you use 464 (as I do) and your house getting very cold........after my candles are all set up and if the house is cold I will get surface cracks across the top of the wax and that is not a pretty thing to see what so ever.  I then either use a hair dryer or my case where I have embeds sitting on top of the wax I always have to remove the embed, scrape off the top of the wax, reheat and repour plus make new embeds.  I can't send candles out the door having cracks in the top of the wax.  I then have to put blankets on top of my jars that go in a box and try and keep them as insulated as possible..

 

Trappeur

OMGosh, that's a lot of work!  I will have to start checking my candles.

Goldie

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, birdcharm said:

That's interesting ... thank you. 

 

OT -- my (late) kitty used to sleep on a heating pad on low w/ a blanket over it ... I can see it now at your place, lots of boxes of candles with heating pads on them with furry sleepers on top.  :)

Isn't that the truth!lol

 

Trappeur

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...