enchantedflorest Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Not to be to hard on myself but..... I just went to make 36 candles in containers for testing. While getting my wicks together I realized wait .... I currently have 26 test burning, add 36 - thats alot of jars I am wasting!!! I dont want to resell the jars I have test burned in so I guess I'll have an early to bed night and call it a day. Might as well quit while Im ahead wasting only 26 instead of many more. How many jars do you use on average for test burning of each jar type? Gotta love oversite----and hindsite LOL. Guess I need to order more jars before I start selling. :embarasse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaybee23 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Normally I don't pour that many testers at once. That way if there is something I need to tweak in my candle, I don't have that many that have to be fixed. I normally pour 5-6 at a time and give them a thorough testing. After that, I clean out the jar well, mark the bottom, so I know it is a tester jar, and re-use it. Yep, you can go through a lot of jars testing, done that before, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geekrunner Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I've poured about 38 testers but I don't burn them all at once, only three at a time. geek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mindy5140 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I make 1 to 2 pounds, depending on the size of the container. Right now I'm testing my 4 oz jars again, I lost my notes on them. So 1 pound makes 4, 4 oz jars for me.I test 2 at a time.Mindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I have about 16 jars I use for testing, give or take. I keep them all in the same place and so I know that if I only have a few left, I need to finish up my testing before pouring more. I usually pour about 4-6 testers at a time, but it really depends on what I'm testing exactly. Right now, I'm testing 3 different soy blends and so I poured 6 testers (2 scents for each blend) last week and am starting to test them now. Once those are done, I'll pour more. If I'm testing for throw, I'll pour a few samples at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eva Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 May I ask - why don't you want to re-sell your containers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 May I ask - why don't you want to re-sell your containers?Because it's dangerous. Everytime you heat glass, it weakens. Sooner or later, it will likely crack or shatter. I reuse my testers in my own home, but I don't refill containers and I don't use my tester jars as containers for a customer's candle. It's just not worth the risk for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I have a case of jars of each size that I use just for testing. I reuse these jars for testing purposes only. I keep them in the original box with the word "testers" marked on the box in black magic marker. I currently offer 8 oz. and 4 oz. jelly jars and am testing 8 oz. square masons, so I have 3 cases total of tester jars. I never pour all of them at once! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Right now I'm testing my 4 oz jars again, I lost my notes on them. Ack, I have nightmares about this. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheilaW Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Normally I don't pour that many testers at once. That way if there is something I need to tweak in my candle, I don't have that many that have to be fixed. I normally pour 5-6 at a time and give them a thorough testing. After that, I clean out the jar well, mark the bottom, so I know it is a tester jar, and re-use it. Yep, you can go through a lot of jars testing, done that before, LOL! Same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enchantedflorest Posted April 7, 2006 Author Share Posted April 7, 2006 I have a case of jars of each size that I use just for testing. I reuse these jars for testing purposes only. I keep them in the original box with the word "testers" marked on the box in black magic marker. I currently offer 8 oz. and 4 oz. jelly jars and am testing 8 oz. square masons, so I have 3 cases total of tester jars. I never pour all of them at once!I've never used the qoute thing before so sorry if I did it wrong. Bev this is exactly what I do only I guess I ended up with 2 cases of each for testing. As far as the testing/making go.... I am a stay at home mom and do candles (newest endeavor), run a small (me only) cleaning business, take care of about 20 animals (our pets, we have an indoor domestic farm I tell ya, all the bad ones to buy to, ... HEALTH ISSUES!!! pugs and persians, bunnny, frog, and I guess my house is very fertile --- my 3yr old daughters fish and parakeets will nottt stop breeding-ughhhhhh. Anyway, candles are my newest passion and hopefully someday a $ maker as well, I have always been a candle freak. I've been trying to concentrate on them the most, I make and burn about 24-30 candles at a time, we have a huge old house so I can put 1 FO in each room to test for wicks and then I can kind of tell where Im at with the FO. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING ----- :grin2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristy K Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 How much heat does it take to weaken the jars? If you are using soy wax you are pouring at a low temperature, and the wax I use, the melt pool doesn't get hotter than 125 degrees. Also if you have your wick right where the outside of the glass container doesn't get hot to the touch, glass should not be stressed. I guess I am just confused on how it would weaken the glass. What about Mason jars? When you can with them the temps are a lot higher and my family has used the same jars for many, many years without a problem. I know that Mason jars are a different glass than say the apothecary jars, but if the jar is made for candle making, it should be able to handle a high temp. What about the many candle makers that refill customers jars for a reduced price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathleen Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 I've had canning jars crack on me after washing them out. Not many, but enough to make me leery of re-using them to sell.I'm burning 5 testers now....only 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaybee23 Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Canning jars can withstand quite a bit of heat because of what they are used for. But even they have a limit as to how many times they can be taken to extreme temps before they crack. Luckily I have only had that happen one time. Also, if you use a heatgun and use it on the jars over and over again that will cause them to weaken and crack as well, had a couple do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 How much heat does it take to weaken the jars? If you are using soy wax you are pouring at a low temperature, and the wax I use, the melt pool doesn't get hotter than 125 degrees. Also if you have your wick right where the outside of the glass container doesn't get hot to the touch, glass should not be stressed. I guess I am just confused on how it would weaken the glass. What about Mason jars? When you can with them the temps are a lot higher and my family has used the same jars for many, many years without a problem. I know that Mason jars are a different glass than say the apothecary jars, but if the jar is made for candle making, it should be able to handle a high temp. What about the many candle makers that refill customers jars for a reduced price?There have been other threads on this topic. I would do a search because some members have posted really good information about the dangers involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 Here's a thread that discussed this topic. The last post should answer your question:http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7952&highlight=refill+glass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enchantedflorest Posted April 7, 2006 Author Share Posted April 7, 2006 Not even just the heat CAN be a problem. Once you sell the jars you have no idea how they are being treated. You could be filling a jar that have been bounced around someones house/storage area and though it doesnt show cracking its weakend by the abuse. When I first made my plan for business I was planning on using the natural soy, the naturalness of it triggered me to think recycle (plus the jars are costly and I am very into recycle reuse) but after I looked into it even if the income from it would be nice I dont have insurance and dont want anything that even MAY be a problem if I can help it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerrie Posted April 7, 2006 Share Posted April 7, 2006 It only takes one jar that has been used before to loose it's integrity and crack. If it starts a fire, is it really worth the money you've saved. I think not. I know my customers would love it if I would refill their jars, but I just won't do it. I've used some of my testing jars over and over and over with no problems, but who knows when that first time it cracks will be. Therefore I am also very careful of where I test my candles, just in case it does crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realmarcha Posted April 8, 2006 Share Posted April 8, 2006 I start out pouring around 6 testers for any new wax I want to try. If I decide to carry the wax, then I pour at least 2 - 3 cases (24 jars in each case) to use as testers. Pouring 5 - 6 testers at a time would take me months to complete testing all my fragrances. I then use the tester jars for friends and family (Birthdays, Christmas, etc.). and also keep some jars on hand for "new" fragrances I want to test. I do not change container waxes often, as a matter of fact, I try not to...it is just too costly to change up waxes every time a new one comes out. Point: If it ain't broke; don't fix it. Have a great weekend ya' all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oh-MYo Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 Am wondering--has anyone ever had this happen? A jar cracking after having been used for some time?The reason I ask this; I use 4 ounce mason jelly jars, which are already quite sturdy. I reuse constantly..and have never had a problem. But then I dont use a thermometer, just melt until the wax is liquified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted April 10, 2006 Share Posted April 10, 2006 Am wondering--has anyone ever had this happen? A jar cracking after having been used for some time?The reason I ask this; I use 4 ounce mason jelly jars, which are already quite sturdy. I reuse constantly..and have never had a problem. But then I dont use a thermometer, just melt until the wax is liquified.Yes, I have had jars crack on me before. They may seem sturdy, but constant heating breaks down the integrity of the glass over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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