NiNa D Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 When you are first starting out making candles, which is the best wax to start with? Like is one wax better to work with than another?ThanksSee you at the topNiNa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Different waxes can be for different kinds of candles. One good way to get going is to decide what kind of candle you'd like to make first and buy a starter kit. These are good for example: http://www.peakcandle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PCMS&Category_Code=KIT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiNa D Posted April 24, 2006 Author Share Posted April 24, 2006 Different waxes can be for different kinds of candles. One good way to get going is to decide what kind of candle you'd like to make first and buy a starter kit. These are good for example: http://www.peakcandle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PCMS&Category_Code=KITWhich one of those would you recomend for a beginner? Are they about the same as to which is the easiest?See you at the topNiNa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grannyscandles Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Nina - It depends on what kind of candles you want to make. You need to decide that first.When I started my candle making adventure I wanted to make votive candles and I wanted them to be really smelly. My research led me to soy wax and that is where I started, with a soy wax votive blend. So decide what kind of candles you want to make first and go from there.T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saltbox Pantry Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I started off with votives......worked on that for a couple of months and then moved up to small container's like 4 oz and so on. Move one step each time. I started back in July and now starting on 10 oz jars....which I really didn't want to get into right now, but I have a friend who keeps bugging (since Sept) me for larger jars. But I guess I have move on out of my comfort zone.Go slowly and you will do fine.SP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Which one of those would you recomend for a beginner? Are they about the same as to which is the easiest?See you at the topNiNaHmmm...I guess maybe the containers. I'd still recommend starting with your favorite kind of candle if it's one of the others. They're all totally doable. The kits include what you need and step by step instructions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Different waxes can be for different kinds of candles. One good way to get going is to decide what kind of candle you'd like to make first and buy a starter kit. These are good for example: http://www.peakcandle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PCMS&Category_Code=KITTop's right. You need to decide what type of candle you want to make first. Then research various waxes for that type of candle. Getting a starterkit is a great idea. IT wil save you a little money and let you get your feet wet. There is no "best" wax out there. Everyone likes different waxes for different reasons. You just have to try a few and decide for yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuskokaMom Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 In my opinion if you have never made a candle before , votives are the easiest to start with, or maybe even tarts so that you can get the hang of wax temp, mixing color and fo and that type of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Oooh, good point. Tarts are good to start off with because they're easier to wick. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Oooh, good point. Tarts are good to start off with because they're easier to wick. LOL :laugh2: :laugh2: Naughty, naughty AJ!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 :whistle:Sowwy. Just having a little fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredron Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 I found Natures Garden candle supply very helpful when I started. I bought a container candle kit & went on from there to make pillars, chunk pillars, votives & tarts, and now gel candles.They've been very good to us.FredronWaxes 'n Wicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Which one of those would you recomend for a beginner? Are they about the same as to which is the easiest?See you at the topNiNaFor beginners, votives are easiest! Believe it or not, containers, IMO, are the hardest. Lots of wick issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiNa D Posted April 24, 2006 Author Share Posted April 24, 2006 Thank you all so much for your fab opinions! I'm leaning towards the scented candles. Which one gives you the strongest scent? Like an apple pie or cinnamon twist. This is gonna be so much fun! See you at the topNiNa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Thank you all so much for your fab opinions! I'm leaning towards the scented candles. Which one gives you the strongest scent? Like an apple pie or cinnamon twist. This is gonna be so much fun! See you at the topNiNaOk, please do a search on here to get more information. There is no one scent or type of scent that will be the strongest, just like there is no wax that will work the best. This is all a highly individualized process. What works for me and what I think is best may not work for you or be what you think is best. You need to just jump in and get your feet wet by actually making a candle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candle Man Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Oooh, good point. Tarts are good to start off with because they're easier to wick. LOLLOL Good OneNow let's not confuse a newbe. We don't want them trying to wick a tart then ask us why it's not working. Will you can and now it's a floating candle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Heh heh! SORRY, NiNa! Tarts don't have wicks! Just messing around and getting myself in trouble with the general populace here, as usual! But I am serious now -- I do think tarts are a great place to start. You get a feel for wax temps, adding fo, adding color ... and none of the worries about wicking, which is the hardest part of being a chandler, IMNSHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgirl Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 :cool2: Ok, please do a search on here to get more information. There is no one scent or type of scent that will be the strongest, just like there is no wax that will work the best. This is all a highly individualized process. What works for me and what I think is best may not work for you or be what you think is best. You need to just jump in and get your feet wet by actually making a candle.Exactly :rolleyes2 I'm leaning towards the scented candles. Whatever type of scented candles you are leaning toward, buy a kit and get started. As everyone has said.... It is all individual preference. It will all make more sense to you once you have made some candles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallbabydoll Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Thank you all so much for your fab opinions! I'm leaning towards the scented candles. Which one gives you the strongest scent? Like an apple pie or cinnamon twist. This is gonna be so much fun! See you at the topNiNaHun, ok where do I start...They are all scented candles, or can be rather. You could start with any of the following, tarts, tea lights, votives, pillars, container candles, or even gel or hurricanes if you wanted. Hurricanes aren't candles though, they are a shell of wax and you burn a tea light or votive in a holder inside of it. I believe gel to be the most difficult of those I listed. I listed them in size from smallest to largest and degree of difficulty. But that also depends on the size of the pillars or containers you make as well. Anything with a wick will have some wicking issues to overcome. Tarts do not have a wick, you place them in a tart burner and get all of the benifits of a scented candle, without any of the wicking issues. Some even say they are stronger and last longer because you don't actually burn them, so your not burning off any of the fo. Votives are small, and are burned in a container, so no worries about blow outs or any of the other pillar issues. If they are burned in a tight fitting holder, you really don't have the issues a container has, or at least not to the same degree. You just have to find the wick that burns with each fo perfectly. Not a torch, not drowning, no smoking, etc. The standard votive should last about 15 hours. The scent throw has more to do with the wax formulation (the addatives you use or you could get a preblend that all ready has them in there) the quality and quantity of fo you use, and the size of your melt pool. THe larger the melt pool the more scent throw (generally speaking). A preblend does limit your ability to be creative, like you wouldn't be able to make mottles with a preblend for example. But professionals have tweaked and tested this wax with addatives to make it quick, simple, and effective.So like others have said, first you need to decide what you really want to make. Then you have to decide what kind of wax you want to start with. The most difficult waxes to work with are bees wax and palm, I do not suggest you start with those. Palm is beautiful, but very difficult to wick and has many issues. Most start with paraffin or soy, or a blend of the two. You can be much more creative with paraffin, and it doesn't have as many scent throw or wicking issues as soy. But soy is healthier to burn, and the price isn't as effected by the oil industry. Each has it's pros and cons. So you need to read and decide what is most important to you.Fo's, you want quality fos from repuitable suppliers. But what smells good to me, and throws well in my formulation, may not smell good to you or throw in your formulation. It's highly advisable to start with samplers and find what you like. Recommendations have been made on all of these topics. Use the search feature and look into each and read, take notes, and decide what is the best for you. Read the newbie tips and tricks threads, lots of helpful info there. Do price comparisons at different sites, including shipping costs. Figure out what the best price is before you buy. If I can be of any more assistance, feel free to PM me. HTH (hope this helps)Did I forget anything LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crafty1_AJ Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 No, TBD, you wrote a novel ... and I LOVE you for it, 'cos usually that's what I do. ROFL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carefree Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 I started my candle adventures by trying Peaks Container Kit. I loved it and would definitely recommend it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooke Posted April 27, 2006 Share Posted April 27, 2006 Man what a book of info. LOL I would be on over load by now LOLLike I am not already LOLI just joking too Can't help it I have been cracking up all nightLove this message boardBrooke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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