1dave1 Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 hi all i need some help i've got 2000.00 to start something that will i hope will be a life changing biz.....i'm hoping someone can tell me what i need to start a candle makeing biz me and my wife think this can realy work and if not at least we will have the best smelling house in town:laugh2: so if u can please help by showing us what we need and where to start thx dave & wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Howdy and welcome to the board Honestly... the best advice I can give you and your wife is to start reading, then read and read some more. This board is a very good place to start that reading. The archive of the old board (found in the jump box toward the bottom right of the page) has a wealth of information. The Basic Instruction links on the left side here aren't working yet, but they do work in the archive section. Read the Newbie tip, FAQ's and start reading the previous post. Most EVERY question you'll find answers to. And even answers to some you didn't know to ask yet. After reading, start SLOW. Pick one type of candle and perfect it. Start with a limited number of fragrances since all have to be tested too. After you've got the first one perfected then move on to the next if you want. It's very easy to get in over your head. Take exact notes, you'll need them. If I were able to give only one piece of advice to a newbie.. it would be test, test, and then test some more before you even consider selling them. Not only do you NOT want to burn someone's house down, you'll want your customers to return. If each and every candle doesn't burn properly, they wont come back for more.Food for thought... Once you start reading, you'll see this is not the way to get rich quick. Often it takes a couple years to break even. If you have a strong love of making candles, this might be the right thing for you. It's not quick and easy. There are no answers set in stone. It's trial and error and testing until you're ready to pull your hair out. But if you love candles, you'll enjoy it, even with the frustrations.Now that I've written a book here, I hope I didn't scare you off. It's better to research first and get a little bit of idea what you're getting into rather than spend a lot of money on supplies and decide it's not you you.Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoySoySoy Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 I agree with Satin on research and reading....never stop researching and reading. You learn something new every day!On top of that...I think the best way to start out is to set your limits. Don't try to do everything at once. Decide on what wax and wicks you want to use. Use ONE type jar and a FEW scents at first. Test Test Test. Once you get that jar perfected, you can start selling that one and then consider adding a different style or size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rookie2004 Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Dave welcome to candle making addiction. Research and testing is always the forefront of any business, it seems you have a pretty good grip of that. It doesn't say how long you have been making candles or what kind you are going to make (soy or paraffin). Myself I make soy type and every wax has its own characteristics that why testing is important. Just one example of something I picked up from the board here is make your test candles wickless and then bore a hole in the center drop in the wick you'd like to try zap the top with heat gun (a must have for candlemaking $30 at home depot). Light the wick and see if it gives you the right melt pool. This way if you don't like it you can remove the wick and try a different one without having to make another candle. When I started about a year ago I didn't do a ton of research, How hard can making a candle be DUH? Well to do it right it is tough and takes time to get your groove on, but this is very rewarding when it all comes together. And you probably won't get rich quick after 1 year I'm in hole about $500. This is by far the best site for info. Start slow and work your way through.Best of LuckJohn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 hi all i need some help i've got 2000.00 to start something that will i hope will be a life changing biz.....i'm hoping someone can tell me what i need to start a candle makeing biz me and my wife think this can realy work and if not at least we will have the best smelling house in town:laugh2: so if u can please help by showing us what we need and where to start thx dave & wendyfirst thing...buy some supplies. We cant tell you what to buy as it sounds like you have never even made a candle. This is not a get rich quick business. I have been doing this for 4 yrs now and still not able to quit my job as an Insurance Agent. If you are looking to start this as a side business be ready to sacrafice a lot...mostly free time and sleep. If you do your research and testing the end result should be a nice, safe, sellable candle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 At candletech.com there are some links on the upper left with instructions for making basic candle types (pillars, containers, votives), including the supplies you need.The information is much better organized and step-by-step than what you'll find in the forums, so that would be a good place to start. Then you can come here to research the answers to more specific questions. It would also be a good idea to scout out a reference book so you can look up information on additives and whatnot when you need it.$2000 plus a lot of time spent on trial and error, practice and testing might be a reasonable estimate for how much it will cost to simply learn to make candles competently. Starting a life-changing business is another matter in terms of both money and time. Even people who put a lot of resources and effort into this only build a business to the point of making supplemental income.Starting any business that your income depends on is very challenging. The only difference with candles is that it's harder than most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Read, read, read and read some more....test, test test and test some more. And Top is right....learn to make the kinds you want then come here to share and learn. And I guess you can see that not only are we addicted to making candles, but we just can't seem to stay off of this forum board. LOL Welcome........Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 $2000 plus a lot of time spent on trial and error, practice and testing might be a reasonable estimate for how much it will cost to simply learn to make candles competently. $2000 is a very conservative estimate!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 hi all i need some help i've got 2000.00 to start something that will i hope will be a life changing biz.....i'm hoping someone can tell me what i need to start a candle makeing biz me and my wife think this can realy work and if not at least we will have the best smelling house in town:laugh2: so if u can please help by showing us what we need and where to start thx dave & wendyI have heard this a thousand times, and very few of those people, maybe 4 or 5, have the skills and direction to survive the first year or two and to turn it into a full time job that will support a family on its own. It takes years of hard work, testing and never ending commitment to making better products... oh and lots of money too. I spent 2k in 30 minutes last week ordering fragrance oils and other supplies, no wax or jars even. I order jars this week, its gona cost me over 3k for that. Good news is that if you can survive long enough, you can make very good money at it. Do the leg work yourself, everyone has an opinion (and you know what opinions or like) test and use your own not someone elses or you will just have products like everyone else. Try to stand out from the pack and make quality safe products you can be proud of. More than half the questions I see here have no real answers, what wax do i use, where to buy the best scents, ect, everyone thinks theirs is the best and everyone has an opinion on where to buy from, what to use and what not to use. You have to test and find out on your own what "you" think is the best. I have no clue how much money I have wasted on buying oils that other people thought were fantastic, and after testing them found out they were not strong enough for me. Keep a "real" job for a year or two or you will have no chance to develop the kinds of candles you need to make a living at it. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 I have heard this a thousand times, and very few of those people, maybe 4 or 5, have the skills and direction to survive the first year or two and to turn it into a full time job that will support a family on its own. It takes years of hard work, testing and never ending commitment to making better products... oh and lots of money too. I spent 2k in 30 minutes last week ordering fragrance oils and other supplies, no wax or jars even. I order jars this week, its gona cost me over 3k for that. Good news is that if you can survive long enough, you can make very good money at it. Do the leg work yourself, everyone has an opinion (and you know what opinions or like) test and use your own not someone elses or you will just have products like everyone else. Try to stand out from the pack and make quality safe products you can be proud of. More than half the questions I see here have no real answers, what wax do i use, where to buy the best scents, ect, everyone thinks theirs is the best and everyone has an opinion on where to buy from, what to use and what not to use. You have to test and find out on your own what "you" think is the best. I have no clue how much money I have wasted on buying oils that other people thought were fantastic, and after testing them found out they were not strong enough for me. Keep a "real" job for a year or two or you will have no chance to develop the kinds of candles you need to make a living at it. BruceVery well put Bruce!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slow-burn Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Man, we are supposed to be making money at this???? Where the heck have I been then I guess if I would stop testing new things, then I would be on the good side, lol!This is not a get rich quick thing at all. And honestly, 2000.00 won't go as far as you think. Yes, it is a good investment, but depending on your research and TESTING, it may not be enough.Wax - Every person uses different wax, and Bruce is right, you need to find what works for you. You may try 3 or 4 waxes until you find one you are happy with.Jars - Easy, pick what you like and what you would like your finished product to look like.Fragrances - Tons of places to purchase. Don't always trust everyone elses judgement, cuz every nose is different. Each fragrance is different in each wax too. Quality fragrances is a must. If you go for the cheap stuff, then you will have a Wal Mart candle.Wicks - Now, you got a problem, those pretty jars may not be real easy to wick. You may need to try several wicks to get the right burn. And each fragrance needs to be tested for wick size. There are htp, zinc, cotton, eco, & cd wicks to name a few. Which kind and sizes will work with your jar and fragrance? Do you need one wick or two? Coloring - Are you gonna buy liquid or blocks? How many colors you have depends on how much it will cost ya to start. Labels - Money is generally spent on a logo unless you are computer or graphic oriented. Then you need to print out labels for each product you make. Warning labels - Never make a candle without a warning label. Even if you are giving it to grandma to test, cuz you never know what will happen!!You may have to test each wax/fragrance/jar/wick combo numerous times with only changing the wick size. Then after hours of burning and testing, you may realize that golly, your fragrance sucks, or you don't like this wax. So you change waxes and start again. And the same fragrances that threw great in the old wax, won't throw at all in the new wax! This is why YOUR TESTING is so important and not to rely on others. Not trying to ruin it for ya, but letting you know what is involved. Since you asked what supplies to buy, I am guessing that not much research has been done yet. I can't stress enough the importance of testing. Too many peeps don't and that is why the rest of us have to prove to our customers that ours is not like "other hand poured candles" that you have tried, and it is also a big part of the reason that our insurance rates are thru the roof. If you keep your jar size to the minimum, and only do a few fo's at a time, then you should be set!! Don't go to crazy too quick, or else you will find yourself in the poor house!!!A safe, quality candle should be your main priority. It isn't for alot of peeps, but if you take care to make sure that each candle is safe, and will burn evenly with a good melt pool (without over wicking), have minimal smoke, and scent the room the way it should then you should be able to make a profit someday! Good Luck!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shutterbugg Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Hey there, just saying hi! Everyone else has given you really good advice. The only thing i can add, is you might want to try finding supplies that are local to you or very close to you. I live in detroit michigan and have found 90% of my stuff i can buy locally, which i just love. NO more shipping charges LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetacea Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 hi all i need some help i've got 2000.00 to start something that will i hope will be a life changing biz.....i'm hoping someone can tell me what i need to start a candle makeing biz me and my wife think this can realy work and if not at least we will have the best smelling house in town:laugh2: so if u can please help by showing us what we need and where to start thx dave & wendyHere are some helpful links, keep them in your favorites:http://www.candleandsoapstuff.com/Suppliers_by_State.htmlhttp://www.geocities.com/lwoollen_25/FragranceFinder/http://www.geocities.com/get_scent/getanswers.htmhttp://www.geocities.com/get_scent/waxsection.htmhttp://www.candlewic.com/candle-wicks/pop-spools.aspHTH, good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanya Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 I have heard this a thousand times, and very few of those people, maybe 4 or 5, have the skills and direction to survive the first year or two and to turn it into a full time job that will support a family on its own. It takes years of hard work, testing and never ending commitment to making better products... oh and lots of money too. I spent 2k in 30 minutes last week ordering fragrance oils and other supplies, no wax or jars even. I order jars this week, its gona cost me over 3k for that. Good news is that if you can survive long enough, you can make very good money at it. Do the leg work yourself, everyone has an opinion (and you know what opinions or like) test and use your own not someone elses or you will just have products like everyone else. Try to stand out from the pack and make quality safe products you can be proud of. More than half the questions I see here have no real answers, what wax do i use, where to buy the best scents, ect, everyone thinks theirs is the best and everyone has an opinion on where to buy from, what to use and what not to use. You have to test and find out on your own what "you" think is the best. I have no clue how much money I have wasted on buying oils that other people thought were fantastic, and after testing them found out they were not strong enough for me. Keep a "real" job for a year or two or you will have no chance to develop the kinds of candles you need to make a living at it. BruceBruce, you da man, I take your advice to heart given the experience you have under your belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 We need a sticky topic like this titled "Your New Candle Business, what you need to know". And one with instructions for seaching the site for the questions that get asked every couple days. :undecided Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1dave1 Posted September 13, 2005 Author Share Posted September 13, 2005 i have been reading all of the good replys to my post and at frist they sound dsihearting but when i set out to do something i go full tilt i dont just quit i will not have the funds to start untill mar .2006 but we are looking at some waxes to start with for now ie gels and joy wax and wicks we ordered about 400.00 for the waxes and wicks ,sents and colors (i like the glow in the dark stuff) i've made 3 of the preto pots that are on this site for the diferant waxes that we will usei have moved my van out of my shop/barn and put in an ac unit to maintaine 78/80 deg so i can work on the mix and pour i know its going be be a lot of trile and earer (ok i spell cant)lol! but we will make it work with out a dought i do thank all that have posted to help us and we'll love to exchange posts from now on i feel we have found the place that we can learn a lot from and i hope that thought our testing we can help others in our particalar hobbie thanks again for the warm welcome.......God bless this waxie mess...........Dave & Wendy;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Ok, who's gonna tell him the bad news about the glow in the dark (pigments I would guess) stuff that he bought.... Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 We never stop working.......Christmas is our best month....the rest is working very hard.....you have to be willing to "sell" your product.....if you don't....no one else will....unless you have the money to hire someone to promote your business....we don't....so it is a daily challenge....but I love it!!!!!!!! Have since I was a little girl....some people don't have the guts to stick with it....or the money. It's hard to get someone to buy your product, no matter what it is. My father was in advertising and he always said that the number one thing was to get a person to set foot into your store "or website"...and the word Free. I keep trying new things and old things.....I just want to keep it going and we have been doing this for over 10 years. That is why I make so many kinds of candles....have to please EVERYONE!!!!!!!! I'll take that dollar anywhere I can...have too...need to pay the mortgage and eat LOL. Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Dallas_Texas_Dean Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 I want to add this:IF you have thought this out and it is really what you want to do, DO NOT let anyone discourage you. If you have a true love of the craft/art/business GO FOR IT! You WILL get through all the trials just like everyone else does......and who knows, YOU might just create the product the consumers are crazy about! Consumers are hard to understand. I am sure that most of the people on this board would agree that there are several successful companies in this industry that are producing products that WE think are pitiful. Many consumers are not Chandlers and are not near as critical as the people who have studied and worked hard to create candles are.Have fun, do not cut corners, make a safe product and don't get discouraged. The good news is I doubt anyone here will be buying your products and putting them under the microscope. I have only been making candles since December. My customers are raving about them and returning for more. Sales have been excellent....and I seem to be the only one that is so critical of them because I have read so much! I know that will probably not make much sense to you yet, but everyone else knows what I am talking about.Bottom line.....don't get disheartened or discouraged. Never sell a candle you, yourself, wouldnt want to purchase with your hard earned money and you will be FINE!Welcome!Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Ok, who's gonna tell him the bad news about the glow in the dark (pigments I would guess) stuff that he bought.... BruceAnd who's going to mention that wax and gels are two totally different beasts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaGA Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Ok, who's gonna tell him the bad news about the glow in the dark (pigments I would guess) stuff that he bought.... BruceThe same person who tells Dave and Wendy that the air flow from the AC unit may cause problems. LOL.Donna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetacea Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 The same person who tells Dave and Wendy that the air flow from the AC unit may cause problems. LOL.DonnaDon't forget all that wick testing........LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnaGA Posted September 13, 2005 Share Posted September 13, 2005 Don't forget all that wick testing........LOL! Then when you get a product you really like....you decide to change wax.LOL.Donnaps-I was gonna say 'your supplier drops your wax'. But that was toooooo mean. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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