girlyracer Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Hi peeps! This is question is aimed at the few UK candlemakers on this forum. I did do a search but didn't come up with anything.At the moment I'm using the double boiler method to melt my wax, which at the moment is fine as I'm only working with a pound at a time. However, I am looking to melt larger quantities of wax at a time as I'm going to do some serious candle testing in the very near future.What have we here in the UK that can handle larger quantities. Natty I know you got hold of a couple of Presto Pots from the States. I know they're great but it's the whole shipping overseas and different electrical current thing that is dissuading me.Does anyone know whether our slow cookers are any good? I know they don't have a temp dial, but would it be safe using it on the low setting to melt before transferring to the pour pots.Are there any other ways, without resorting to those huge wax melters. I'm not quite ready for those yet Ruby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoriaj Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 Hi, i'm from the u.k too.I was in search for a better method for melting wax too, i even considered binging home some presto pots ona recent trip to the USA, but decided not to after adive from ths board, i think it was NattyCat, who informed me that they would need an expensive transformer to work here. I also tried a slow cooker, i got one from Argos when they were in the sale, i think it was only about £15.00. But it took forever to even start to melt the wax( like 1/2 hour to see the first signs of it starting to melt). But you can get more powerful ones but i dont know if it would make a difference. Slow cookers have an enamel inner pot so it takes the heat a long time to get through to the wax. But if you could find one without enamel this might ork better? If you find a better option for wax melting then i would be really interested to know. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NattyCat Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 I would seriously recommend a presto pot. Yes, you need a transformer which costs £60 at least but I cannot tell you just how much easier it is to use the presto pots. I've got five now and I keep each one full with different wax - ie, container, pillar, tart, parasoy and votive - i just melt the relevant one down as and when I need it, or I empty them all out and use all five when I have a large order to do (like 300 packets of tealights etc)Nat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girlyracer Posted November 18, 2006 Author Share Posted November 18, 2006 Natasha, how much were you charged to import your presto pot?Also have you seen the transformers on sale at Maplins? Are these similar to the ones you use? If so they're a lot cheaper than 60 quid. Go to www.maplin.co.uk run a search for transformers.Ruby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NattyCat Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Hi RubyThe presto pots, believe it or not, push out a massive 1300 watts. none of the ones on the Maplins site are powerful enough. I found this out the hard way when I blew up my first presto using an underpowered transformer.The transformer you need is only a small thing - about the size of a shoe box, but it weighs about 3 stone.This is where I got mine from. It's £80, not £60 as I thought.http://www.beststuff.co.uk/pbright_vc1500.htmYou need to get the 1500 watt one as the 1000 watt isn't strong enough. I have 3 of these, spread over 5 prestos - so I can have 3 presto's on the go at any one time. They're so heavy, you wouldn't believe it.As far as shipping the presto in, I paid about £45 in delivery, plus customs and excise of about £25, plus the price of the pot.Nat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in KY Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Can you all get an electric turkey fryer, it holds about 35-45 lbs of wax and is 1650-watts? Bass Pro says it does ship international so maybe check them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girlyracer Posted November 25, 2006 Author Share Posted November 25, 2006 Wow! I didn't realize that they had such a massive output. I figure that with all the extra costs it's going to cost almost £200 per presto. Pricey I think I may just stay with my old pots for the mo. VictoriaJ reckons that slow cookers take too long. Mind you I'm thinking about these rice cookers we have here. I wonder whether they would be suitable. I'll have to check next time I'm in Tescos to see what they're like.I sometimes wish we were as fortunate as our American cousins. They don't seem to have half the battles we have with our crafts.Ruby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NattyCat Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Can you all get an electric turkey fryer, it holds about 35-45 lbs of wax and is 1650-watts? Bass Pro says it does ship international so maybe check them out. what's a turkey fryer? I look for bass pro and it was a fishing/camping site?nat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 I had the same problem till I saw at Thorne's a wax melter which is actually a big pot that people are using here in Germany for heating cider (at the xmas markets). It's from Kochstar and if you fix a valve to it (like the ones in the presto pots) you have a wax melter melting about 27 liters in no time. Mine cost me € 60,- at ebay (a new one) and you don't have this electrical problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girlyracer Posted November 25, 2006 Author Share Posted November 25, 2006 Hi InezI checked out the Kochstar website. They look ideal. It looks like they're for preserves or something (my German is very rusty, enschuldigen Sie) .This could be a solution for us in the UK. Large capacity, correct voltage, no extra tax ...I'll have to keep an eye in eBay Thanks for that.Ruby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girlyracer Posted November 25, 2006 Author Share Posted November 25, 2006 Hi Nat,I checked out Bass Pro site and found the turkey fryers. They're like huge deep fat fryers - turkey sized!! Apparantly you can also boil and steam in them.I've never seen them on sale here though.Ruby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Ruby,yes, I was so glad I found these pots. You can preserve your jam in there (you really learned German? That's unusual, isn't it? But I'm always happy when I meet people who speak German!), cooks your soup or keep the cider warm - and melt wax! I know that Thorne's offers them with valves, but they're quite expensive. It's better to fix the valve or simply use a ladle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girlyracer Posted November 25, 2006 Author Share Posted November 25, 2006 Hi InezYes I learned some German, it's not that unusual as here in the UK we learn French and German while at Secondary school. I also speak Italian and Spanish and can understand Portuguese although I'm not too good at speaking it.But like everything if you don't use it, it goes rusty Ruby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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