KK2 Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 I need some help you guys! I am helping my mother take over our candle business.I want to move up in the business world.....However, I am still in her kitchen pouring wax out of pots.We have 2 wholesalers.We also have recently purchased a wax machine (which melts 75 lbs of wax at a time).Which it is helping, but I just dont think that it is enough. We have some(not much) money saved to do something....I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for me.Anythng?!?!? (BTW this will be our 3rd year...if that helps....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisa Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 Hi there and welcome. Sorry, I havent had enough coffee and my head is fuzzy so im Not sure exactly what your questions is. Are you trying to find a way to help your mom maintain the orders? Maybe wanting to rent a place for the production, hire someone?If you can give a little more info on the problem, Maybe we can help figure something out:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK2 Posted March 21, 2006 Author Share Posted March 21, 2006 My mom has been doing a great job for a couple of years now.I just got home from college and she wants me to help her business "grow".We are using a small closet for stock and we are limited on how many candles we make per night and other things like that.I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions(maybe let me know what they did...) One of my biggest concerns is how do I make candles in bulk?I am making 16 8oz candles and 7 16 oz candles per scent (about 6 per night)...is that bulk?I am sorry,I am just clueless.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 You need a seperate place set up for just candle making. Basement, garage, some place that you can have a set up area, pouring area and labeling area. We are set up to do one 4 hour pouring session about 2 to 3 times a week. We pour 25 scents a day with 18 candles per scent.... 450 jar candles in 4 hours. The next day is for wick trimming, labeling and moving to the stock shelves. Next day wick jars for the next pouring day. 75# melter is not bad and should let you make a good amount of candles in one day, but I would move out of the kitchen as soon as I could if I were you. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK2 Posted March 21, 2006 Author Share Posted March 21, 2006 I know this might sound crazy...but thats amazing! in 4 hours....WOW!Do you use wax out of a melter and then put it in a 4lb pour pot?What I do is melt 75lbs of wax in my melter and then put it in a 4lb pour pot and add color and scent and then do that 2 more times.....it takes me about an hour a scent!Do you repour the next morning?How many scents do you carry? Sorry I have so many questions....I am going to have to clean out my garage...thats a great idea! Thanks:thumbsup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsaycb Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Bruce- I'd love to see pictures of your setup. We're currently setting up my barn/garage to handle the same amount of output. Would you mind sharing?and when the heck do you find time to carve your masterpieces? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I know this might sound crazy...but thats amazing! in 4 hours....WOW!Do you use wax out of a melter and then put it in a 4lb pour pot?What I do is melt 75lbs of wax in my melter and then put it in a 4lb pour pot and add color and scent and then do that 2 more times.....it takes me about an hour a scent!Do you repour the next morning?How many scents do you carry? Sorry I have so many questions....I am going to have to clean out my garage...thats a great idea! Thanks:thumbsup: Welllllll, I have 2 melters and when one is empty, I fill it up with wax to melt and use out of the other one, when that one is empty the other is melted again and ready to go. Both are around 100# and are direct heat melters. I just pour the wax out of the melter into a pitcher that sets on a digital scale. The pitcher will hold almost 8 lbs so I can do all 18 jars and have just the right amount of wax. I pour into a big two layer "hot" box. (Table with sides and a 2nd layer the same size) I keep a lid on it and cooling takes 24 hours. With my mix I dont have to repour, part because of the waxes I use and part because of the slow cooling. I carry about 130 scents, one size jar... thats all I make. The wife or one of my boys draw the wax into the pitcher which sits on a portable digital scale then they move the pitcher to the 2nd scale on the work bench where the scent and color gets put in. It goes from there to a 2 burner electric hot plate. Once we get both burners with wax pitchers I start pouring. The person helping can keep 2 pitchers ready for me while I pour and get the wicks straight and clean the pitchers. The wax gets to sit on the hot plate and mix for several minutes this way. I have all my formulas on a computer print out with how much oil, wax and color for each batch and have it broken down in all ranges from one candle to 18 candles on the chart so if I want 4 candles I look at the % oil I have listed for that scent... say 7%... go to the other chart and look up 7% oil for 4 candles and it will give me the amount of wax and oil to use to the hundredth of a pound. Lots of years of playing around got us to this point. I started out doing like 30 or 40 candles and that took about the same amount of time. Went to a box that holds 90 and then went to 2 layers. Then 180 per layer and now 225 per layer. I have been moving the whole setup to the other side of the shop (aka basement ) for the past 2 months! Lots more space, and I dont feel like im in a hole all the time. When I get it done I will post pictures. My candle shelves hold about 3000 jars if I remember right, but I dont have much on them now since we moved everything. Its gona be nice, but I keep thinking it too 6 years to get the other side the way I wanted it... how long will it take me to get this side the way I want it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsaycb Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I'd love to just experience this for a week to watch and be inspired....There's no way in heck I could keep a steady hand with an 8lb pot pouring into jars. Splish splash wax bath. AMAZING Bruce! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Well you have GOT to have one of the OVEN GLOVES from Walgreens. You know the ones made from kevlar or mylar or some kind or "lar" stuff LOL. These suckers will let you hold onto any hot pouring pitcher and makes you feel stronger just by putting it on. (Ya know, like those toy green "hulk hands" that the kids play with) Remember I spent years dipping over 4# candles in and out of wax all day long. My right arm should be huge, but I learned to dip with both arms.... just so I would be able to stand up straight! Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsaycb Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 But what protects the jars from all my splishin' & splashin'? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK2 Posted March 22, 2006 Author Share Posted March 22, 2006 Yeah because I am a weaklin! The 4 # pot I can hardly get into the jar without spilling half of my wax.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK2 Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 Welllllll, I have 2 melters and when one is empty, I fill it up with wax to melt and use out of the other one, when that one is empty the other is melted again and ready to go. Both are around 100# and are direct heat melters. I just pour the wax out of the melter into a pitcher that sets on a digital scale. The pitcher will hold almost 8 lbs so I can do all 18 jars and have just the right amount of wax. I pour into a big two layer "hot" box. (Table with sides and a 2nd layer the same size) I keep a lid on it and cooling takes 24 hours. With my mix I dont have to repour, part because of the waxes I use and part because of the slow cooling. I carry about 130 scents, one size jar... thats all I make. The wife or one of my boys draw the wax into the pitcher which sits on a portable digital scale then they move the pitcher to the 2nd scale on the work bench where the scent and color gets put in. It goes from there to a 2 burner electric hot plate. Once we get both burners with wax pitchers I start pouring. The person helping can keep 2 pitchers ready for me while I pour and get the wicks straight and clean the pitchers. The wax gets to sit on the hot plate and mix for several minutes this way. I have all my formulas on a computer print out with how much oil, wax and color for each batch and have it broken down in all ranges from one candle to 18 candles on the chart so if I want 4 candles I look at the % oil I have listed for that scent... say 7%... go to the other chart and look up 7% oil for 4 candles and it will give me the amount of wax and oil to use to the hundredth of a pound. Lots of years of playing around got us to this point. I started out doing like 30 or 40 candles and that took about the same amount of time. Went to a box that holds 90 and then went to 2 layers. Then 180 per layer and now 225 per layer. I have been moving the whole setup to the other side of the shop (aka basement ) for the past 2 months! Lots more space, and I dont feel like im in a hole all the time. When I get it done I will post pictures. My candle shelves hold about 3000 jars if I remember right, but I dont have much on them now since we moved everything. Its gona be nice, but I keep thinking it too 6 years to get the other side the way I wanted it... how long will it take me to get this side the way I want it.... Where can you find 8# pouring pots?Do you pour the pot with two hands(with your ove gloves)???? Did you make the "hot box" or is it sold somewhere?I really appreciate you helping me out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassy-girl Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 Yeah because I am a weaklin! The 4 # pot I can hardly get into the jar without spilling half of my wax....Paper cups.. available at costo and sam's.. may have to double up.. pour from the pitcher into the cup, and then into the jar, you can bend the cup to form a "spout".. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK2 Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 Paper cups.. available at costo and sam's.. may have to double up.. pour from the pitcher into the cup, and then into the jar, you can bend the cup to form a "spout".. HTHThat is a great idea....why cant I come up with things like that?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted March 23, 2006 Share Posted March 23, 2006 The containers that I pour from are the old metal water pitchers that you always seen in diners years ago. The old ones are larger and work better than the ones you can buy now days. I have to rebend the pour spout on them or you get leaks as you pour. I rest the bottom of the pitcher on the sides of my pouring box and pick up the first 5 or 6 jars and just tilt the pitcher to fill them, then its light enough to pick up and keep steady to pour the rest of them. The hot box is just a table and a lid thats insulated with sides about 2 inch taller than my jars. table and sides are wood, the top is the stuff you can get at bulding supply stores (4 foot by 8 foot sheets one inch thick) to put on your house before you put on new siding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK2 Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 you made your box? How do you keep it hot? So where can I find those wonderful diner pitchers??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted March 24, 2006 Share Posted March 24, 2006 Well the "hot" box is not really hot, just like a cooler is not really cool. I call it a hot box because it holds in the heat and lets the wax cool at a very slow rate. Not sure about the pitcher, I have found them here and there over the years at fleamarkets and junk stores. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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