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Newbie wanting to make soy candles


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I read the how tos on the main page and I have a few questions. Is there a glossary online of candle and additive terms? The main page didnt really go into additives and I know sometimes they are needed. I am also looking for somewhere to buy bulk blocks of soywax. I've heard about ecosoya but dont know much about it (or anything else lol). Thanks for having me :D

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You might want to start by seeing what suppliers are close to you. Your choice of wax might be strongly influenced by what your nearest suppliers carry. Here's a list by state:

http://www.candleandsoapstuff.com/Suppliers_by_State.html

Additives aren't as big an issue with soy as with paraffin. There are things that people add, but you'll probably want to start by buying a product and trying it as-is. When it comes to paraffin I am the biggest wax and additive geek, but I use my soy wax straight up. Anyway here's a glossary for you:

http://www.candlecauldron.com/dictionary.html

Since you mentioned EcoSoya, you might like to know they have the most informative website of any soy wax manufacturer. In case you're interested:

http://www.ngiwax.com/

So OK that should give you something to do for now. :)

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I agree with crafty1. I ONLY use the soy wax flakes. They are very easy to use and weigh. I do like Eco Soya, which is one of the more expensive waxes, and it depends on the scents you use. I have found awesome scent throw with my scents. www.scentsntreasures.com . I am woking on the list because we have more than 1000 to list...whew!!! Lots and lots of work. All the best in your candle endeavours! :)

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Whew! Thanks for that! It is giving me plenty to do. I have lots of options as I am in Texas. I just don't know the differences between the different kinds of soywaxes. I am looking at the glossary and the ecosoya site now.

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Whew! Thanks for that! It is giving me plenty to do. I have lots of options as I am in Texas. I just don't know the differences between the different kinds of soywaxes. I am looking at the glossary and the ecosoya site now.
Yup, you have some good options. Just to point out a few highlights, Bitter Creek South carries the EcoSoya (I like CB-135), or you can go economical and try EZ Soy (smells good, looks like crap), or you can get the Cargill waxes from Lonestar and Just by Nature (C-3 isn't bad and fairly popular).
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Hello there. I use Eco Soya CB Advanced for some of my container candles. With the frosted jars I use, I only use a special blend of soy wax that I get right from my jar supplier. They have formulated a soy wax that works awesome with their jars. I bought a 10 lb. sample from them and they also give you 4 of any of their jars, mix n match for free. If you want additional sets they are like $20.00 a set. I bought 1 free set, 1 additional set, and the 10 lb. soy wax sample for like $40.00. They are awesome their. The lady I spoke to is Paula and I think their wax is the best with their jars. www.thejarstore.com Check them out and tell them Tiffnie from Scents-N-Treasures LLC sent you. She'll know who I am. :)

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I am a newbie. A friend of mine is picking me up some jars from The Jar Store and also some of their Cargill wax. I can't wait to try it out! But I borrowed her votive molds while she is gone and she has let them get rusty. I just received mine today and I don't want the same thing to happen. Is there something I need to do to help them not get rusty besides making sure they are completely dry after washing? Also, I am getting the 10 oz apothecary jars and am wondering if the wicks I have are going to work. They are the 6" 44-24-18 I think. I use them in the 8 oz canning jars and they work fine. Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it.

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I am a newbie. A friend of mine is picking me up some jars from The Jar Store and also some of their Cargill wax. I can't wait to try it out! But I borrowed her votive molds while she is gone and she has let them get rusty. I just received mine today and I don't want the same thing to happen. Is there something I need to do to help them not get rusty besides making sure they are completely dry after washing? Also, I am getting the 10 oz apothecary jars and am wondering if the wicks I have are going to work. They are the 6" 44-24-18 I think. I use them in the 8 oz canning jars and they work fine. Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it.

I don't wash my votive molds - I never let water touch anything I make candles with, since it's really not necessary. I place mine upside down on a cookie sheet in the oven and then wipe them out with a paper towel while hot. But most of the time, I don't even need to do that. If there isn't any wax left in my votive molds, I don't always clean them out. Not sure if that's recommended, but it works for me. Also, be very careful when you are wiping them out. The edges are extremely sharp and I've cut my thumb twice now. Both times, it was very bad, so just be careful. :)

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I don't wash my votive molds - I never let water touch anything I make candles with, since it's really not necessary. I place mine upside down on a cookie sheet in the oven and then wipe them out with a paper towel while hot. But most of the time, I don't even need to do that. If there isn't any wax left in my votive molds, I don't always clean them out. Not sure if that's recommended, but it works for me. Also, be very careful when you are wiping them out. The edges are extremely sharp and I've cut my thumb twice now. Both times, it was very bad, so just be careful. :)

OMG...I must have half a dozen slices on my hands and fingers, just from getting those darn things apart :shocked2::cry2:

I use the Advanced, and I like it very well. It has been the most consistent for my environment.

I have gotten the EZ Soy 'cause of the price, but it does look crappy, so it works well for my tins.....all you see is the top ;). But I did find that you have to wick up a size when using it.

I too would also recommend that you find a wax or two from a supplier close to you, and see what works best for you.

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I guess my question is this: since I am going to have to pay S/H anyway why worry about it being in Texas (in my case). I want to know what is good ;)

From Texas sources I can get Ecosoya PB and Advanced (heard ecosoya is good)

Cargill C-3 Dont know anything about this one

EZ Soy (junk Ive heard)

Golden 402 and 444 Know nothing about this one either.

I am wanting to do container candles. Now I need to study wicks as well.

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I guess my question is this: since I am going to have to pay S/H anyway why worry about it being in Texas (in my case). I want to know what is good ;)

There are two answers to that.

One is that the farther away the supplier is, the more you will pay for shipping and the longer it will take. That doesn't mean you shouldn't order from outside of Texas, but it's a significant factor to consider.

The other thing is that you already have plenty of waxes to try near you. They all suck and you'll have problems with anything you buy. You can try every wax in the country to find that out, or you can save some time by trying fewer waxes and picking one to focus in on to learn how to make it work as well as possible.

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Top is right. I tried 14 different and spent lots of $$$ before I came to that realization. They all have something different about them. I still dont learn and try every new wax that I hear of. Nice hobby I picked here. Dont bother with the 444, it has lots of air pockets and the throw is less than stellar. For me, the EZ soy wasn't bad when BW was added to it. It really frosts bad, but has a nice throw. You might have to try it for yourself and see how you like it. Bittercreek has a message board and a lot of peeps on there use that wax and could probably help you out. Good luck in your quest. ;)

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