testing?

[rpant]

ok my wife has been making candles for around a year, costing me way to much told her she had to scale back or make money from them. So im the one doing the research, when i threw out the idea i figured candles are just wax some color and scent and a piece of string. ok i was wrong ill admit this but every one says test test and test some more im ok with that but unfortunatly i have no real idea what she should be testing for?

she was using a candle kit bought from walmart that uses wax pellets and cost a fortune. we have not yet purchased anything of a larger scale and truthfully i think i opened a can of worms i probably should have left alone. she is set on the idea and if we are going to do it we are going to do it right so i want to know what to look for when testing. any help you can offer wouold be great thx

[CareBear]

Oh gosh. First, make sure your wife is doing all the research right along with you. There are other threads on that!

There are lots of threads on testing - one very recent http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41409. The search option is really good.

But if you are just starting out (as am I, with no eye to making $$ off it for a couple of YEARS which seems to be pretty common) - start reading every thread here and any other info you can find. You (me too) have a long way to go....

[Georgia]

Stop wasting money on Walmart kits. Find a supllier near you and order a kit from them. The quality will be so much better you won't mind what she's spending.

There are a lot of discussions about testing...most people want good scent and a clean burn - no soot, no wax left in the jar (or pillar completely consumed). She needs to make a good quality, safe burning candle. And Carebear is right...you both need to be researching!

There is a thread at the top in red - helpful links for newbies - check it out.

[debscent]

The first step is to buy quality supplies. The kits you buy from the craft stores do have some items of value in them. Not wax, color or scent though. You probably got a pour pot, that's great, and a candy thermometer...they are hit or miss. Quality wax from a supplier close to you will save on shipping, which of course costs less in the long run. You will put out some $$ initially, but that is expected. Quality FOs, color, wax & wicks will make a huge difference in your testing. Find one style of candle (votives, containers, pillars) or tarts (dare I say that word), etc. Your testing requirements are different for each process you use. So, let us know what you are trying first, and we can lead you to the right path. I do encourage that both of you do research, not one of you. You have to fully understand about mixing FOs with wax, temperature, etc. If your wife is the "creative one" that's cool, but you both need to understand the intial process.

Good luck, keep us informed.

[rpant]

thx everyone for the input.

we are going to do the votive candles first from peak we will be using parafin and thier scents cucumber melon is her faverite right now. gonna start withone of thier starter kits and move on from thier. when i say i get to do the research i get to read through all the posts and write down all the information i find, at first i got to just print whole posts. less and less of that happening but she then reads the printouts and any posts that are really interesting.

i paint 15mm world war two and napolianic figures on average i use 37 colers per fig and i am anal about perfection i have a checklist for each fig, engineer by trade its the process, always the process. anyways we have boards and such and no one gives one another as much information as you guys freely give out to new comers its refreshing and makes me feel much more comfortable knowing thier is this much knowledge and experiance is just a few mouse clicks away. thanks for that.

as far as making money i would like to but looking into what we have to go through to get thier it may be several years before we get to that point. again thank you for the input and positive reinforcement.