Suggestions for large pour..X-posted

[Kimber4]

So I am an oldie who pretty much gave up the business side after my last baby was born. I never stopped pouring, testing etc because I just love making candles. I just started my business back up and got a big order for 1800 jars, for those that do larger orders would you mind sharing some tips?

I am setting up a new shop in my garage, and need to get my stations in order...any and all tips, suggestions are welcomed.

What is your average turnaround time for the larger orders?

TIA

[funnygirl]

Well, One of the things I do is to wick all my jars before I start pouring. I hate to stop and wick, it really slows me down. The next thing I do is divide everything into groups. For example, I put all my jars and dyes that I will use for 1 scent all together with that scent, all the jars, dye for the next scent together with that scent, etc. keeps me from having to keep going back looking at orders and making sure I got em all. I weigh out how much wax I need for one scent, melt it, mix it, pour it, set aside. Go to the next scent. After I pour everything, I get all my labels rounded up so I can be ready for that. Then I trim wicks one scent at a time, add the lids, labels, and place in the box to ship. Once I finish one scent, I do the next.

Gawd, I hope that doesnt sound too tediouse, LOL! It just works for me to keep everything organized and to work things in groups (by scent), and I realized real quick that having everything ready before I got started saved a lot of time.

[Kimber4]

Nope, sounds like what I had in mind. I hate to be unorganized so your system sounds perfect.

Thank you for your reply.

[Hillary]

Hey Kimber4, off the subject but I just wondered if you ever get Fo's from Makes Scents in Reynoldsburg? If so~what'd you think? It's so close but I still haven't been there.

[Pam W]

Gawd, I hope that doesnt sound too tediouse, LOL!

Not at all...sounds like you have a nice assembly line going there.

[Kimber4]

Yep, that is where I get most of my scents. Very good quality and very strong. It's not to far from where I live...maybe we could meet one day.

[Hillary]

Oh that would be cool! We could have a little FO shopping trip. We'll have to work that out sometime.

[Crowded House]

Well, One of the things I do is to wick all my jars before I start pouring. I hate to stop and wick, it really slows me down. The next thing I do is divide everything into groups. For example, I put all my jars and dyes that I will use for 1 scent all together with that scent, all the jars, dye for the next scent together with that scent, etc. keeps me from having to keep going back looking at orders and making sure I got em all. I weigh out how much wax I need for one scent, melt it, mix it, pour it, set aside. Go to the next scent. After I pour everything, I get all my labels rounded up so I can be ready for that. Then I trim wicks one scent at a time, add the lids, labels, and place in the box to ship. Once I finish one scent, I do the next.

Gawd, I hope that doesnt sound too tediouse, LOL! It just works for me to keep everything organized and to work things in groups (by scent), and I realized real quick that having everything ready before I got started saved a lot of time.

Not tedious at all. I do it much the same way, because I have 2 kids under 3 years old in the house and if I didn't I'd lose my place for sure!

Another thing I do is to make an Excel spreadsheet of all of the candles I need to make by a certain deadline - FO on the vertical column and jar sizes on the horizontal. When I start an FO I shade in pink all of the jars I am preparing to pour, and when I have finished pouring I go back and shade them grey so I know they are done.