How precise are you?

[scrubzz]

So tell me - how precise are you with your measurements, percentages, etc? Being used to measuring out cc's of meds on a daily basis, I find myself trying to be just as precise with FO's, wax, etc. as I do the meds I give without even consciously thinking about it. LOL

[Holly]

I find myself to be very precise. I am usually very detailed oriented to the extent of driving myself nuts at times.

[Scented]

I always aim for precision, but I'm not perfect lol!

[Sara]

Pretty darn precise. I always measure and weigh.

[MuskokaMom]

Me too!! (my message is too short so I have to add more!) How's that:wink2:

[Trish]

I measure and weigh everything too. I need to keep consistency and found that is the only way! LOL

[hawaiiansun]

I measure and weigh then I add a dash of fo more GUILTY!

[Candle Man]

I weigh & measure but not always correctly. As for candles I weight the wax but I measure the FO. I know FO is sold by weight.

Is this wrong even though it works for me?

[Lolas Lights]

I always try to be exact, or close to it. I weight wax and fo. I'm not a perfectionist (yu can tell that by looking at my messy house and candle room:D ) but I like to try and be right on the money with my candle making.

[wildangel112]

Afraid I'm very precise. Drives DH nuts:grin2:

[sharyl55]

Weigh all wax and FO. Measure additives. Then write it all down just in case I end up with something I want to duplicate. LOL

[SatinDucky]

So tell me - how precise are you with your measurements, percentages, etc? Being used to measuring out cc's of meds on a daily basis, I find myself trying to be just as precise with FO's, wax, etc. as I do the meds I give without even consciously thinking about it. LOL

Dang! You didn't want us old farts to read this did ya?

If it's not tiny dark writing by some, it's huge light writing by others LOL

I think I better get new glasses for reading the board :rolleyes2

Oh yeah, I'm as precise as my tempermental scale will let me be

Grrr... I can't even type..LOL

[scrubzz]

Sorry bout the size of the font! I copied that post over to another program to check spelling before I entered it (and of course it corrected numerous mispelled words) - then when I C&P'd it back I didn't notice the small font size till after I reread it LOL

[topofmurrayhill]

I weigh & measure but not always correctly. As for candles I weight the wax but I measure the FO. I know FO is sold by weight.

Is this wrong even though it works for me?

No right or wrong there. From a technical point of view there's nothing that makes weighing FO better or more correct than measuring by volume, as long as it fits into your system. You correctly point out that FO is sold by weight so it would be harder if you needed to calculate your costs in detail.

[RobinInOR]

For candles I don't agonize over perfect measuring - I measure wax by volume cuz it's easier with my setup, fragrance by weight, color by drops, and it's pretty close each time.

If you are selling you want a consistant product, so customers aren't surprised by changes. Otherwise, wax is pretty forgiving, usually.

[mysticglow]

I measure and weigh everything. I want consistant results everytime, or as close as possible.

[Jessi_n_Jeri]

In my own candles, when I'm testing I always weigh 1 batch and then measure another batch of same FO. That's the only way I'll know what the scents will do. I write down which batch had better results (9 times out of 10 it's the weighed, IMO) and that's the one I use when I have make large batches.

As a supplier, I recomend weighing FO because they are so different from scent to scent, and that's how we package our scents. I also like to recomend wieght because that's what our wax manufacturers base FO loads on.

I will agree with Topofmurrayhill, however, by saying if it works for you then it isn't wrong. I truly believe candle making isl ike cooking. There's a basic way to do it, and once you get the basics, you can adjust to make the recipe your own.

Just my view on the matter. Isn't Candle Making so much fun?

Hugs,

Jessi

[Bev]

I'm precise when it comes to making my candles. It's the only way to keep everything consistent and to keep good records in my candle notebook!

[SnowCow]

i try to get close. i'm one of those cooks who sorta follows recipes, so it's hard for me to do it all precise with the candles. i do measure the wax and out in about the right amount of fo. i measure fo on the scale, but don't calculate the exact % for each candle. i do measure the additives too, with a teaspoon, tablspoon, etc, again don't go for exact %.

[Jcandleattic]

I weigh & measure but not always correctly. As for candles I weight the wax but I measure the FO. I know FO is sold by weight.

Is this wrong even though it works for me?

No right or wrong other than some FO's are heavier than others, like some vanilla's etc... So if you are going by volume instead of weight, you may have more than an ounce per lb..

But if it works for you, and what you've been doing, and it's consistent, then I say, NO it's not "wrong"!!

[topofmurrayhill]

As a supplier, I recomend weighing FO because they are so different from scent to scent, and that's how we package our scents. I also like to recomend wieght because that's what our wax manufacturers base FO loads on.

I wouldn't argue with your recommendations (that's how I do it myself), but let me explain a little more fully what I mean because I'm not sure people have really questioned or thought about this subject too much.

Of course it's true that the specific gravity of FO (weight compared to water) varies, but as far as I know there's no information demonstrating that the weight is more relevant than the volume. It could just as well be the other way around, with the biggest factor actually being the compatibility of the FO with the wax. Since percentage (by weight) formulas are considered to be the most useful in professional candlemaking, the wax manufacturers simply conform to this convention in stating a vague approximation for scent retention.

In fact, since the total weight of a batch formulated by percentage is generally based on how much you need to fill a mold, it would theoretically be better and more correct to do ALL the ingredients by volume instead of weight. Nobody does this for the simple reason that it would involve unnecessarily complicated calculations and doing it by weight comes close enough.

So the bottom line, I believe, is that the whole thing is based on convention rather than some bedrock technical truth. It's about what's useful and practical under various circumstances, so chandlers can feel free to do whatever is useful and practical for their own circumstances.

[Terrie]

I weigh everything. I'm anal.

Mark, whats up with all the C/P and spellchecking? LOL Are you afraid the Internet Police will arrest you for speaking Typonese?

[foxhill]

I weigh my wax and fo and measure my dyes by # of drops and like some others I write it down in case it works! But if a go a little over I don't scoop out the extra, I just adjust. I keep a calculator on the pouring table just in case I need it.

[hawaiiansun]

I weigh everything. I'm anal.

Mark, whats up with all the C/P and spellchecking? LOL Are you afraid the Internet Police will arrest you for speaking Typonese?

I weigh everything too well almost... except my body

[scrubzz]

I weigh everything. I'm anal.

Mark, whats up with all the C/P and spellchecking? LOL Are you afraid the Internet Police will arrest you for speaking Typonese?

oh yes ma'am I am skeered of them!!! Last time they just let me off with a warning ticket tho - It was for illegal use of letters that aren't in the alphabet - I am just lucky they didn't get me for TUI (Typing Under the Influence)