What's your pour style

[silverm00n]

Maybe this is a silly question, but every time I go to pour something, I get a huge brain fart and end up standing in front of my supples scratching my head! I know what I have to pour/test, but I guess I try to do everything all at the same time. I'm wondering how some of you operate. Do you just pour the same FO in all types of candles and melts one day, or do you only pour one type of candle a day? Or are you guys like me and try to do everything at once!

[pdevine]

I have the WORST habit of trying to pour too many things at one time. The other day, I had a grubby night light poured, was working on pouring embeds, testing containers, poured 3 different styles of containers and cleaning all at the sametime. Not to brag, but I am VERY MUCH a multi-tasked person and wouldn't know how to work any other way. I'm not just this way with candles, but in everything I do. I do have those times when my mind just goes blank and I'm like, now what was I fixing to do next,,,,,,,,,LOL Portia

[silverm00n]

LOL, That's exactly how I am! Like right now I'm testing some new FO's, pouring melts, testing a votives, and trying to clean my stove at the same time... I think I'm getting a headache 30 minutes till clean up, start dinner, eat, clean up, and back to the wax!

[Nodtveidt]

Although my lab currently has the capacity to do 8 lbs of wax at a time, I generally only do about a fourth of that. I can multitask like a mofo (tis one of the reasons people think I'm a woman in disguise lol) but for candlemaking, I prefer to keep things single-tasked for safety's sake. I generally only work with one FO/dye at a time, right now I don't have enough moulds or containers to mass-produce anyways.

[judyvega]

I only pour one type/fo at a time, but I am wicking and packaging as I wait for my layers to cool.

[candlesprite7]

I usually start with the item that takes the longest to cool. Pillars, Votives, then Melts. Pour the pillars first, get wax melting for the votives, when the pillars have set up a bit move them to the back of the table, pour the votives, get wax melting again, move them back and them pour the Melts.

But that's only if I have a lot to do, which isnt usual. I Only have one table to pour on. My goal is to re-organize the area this year and add another table or two. But we will see.

[jdscreations]

I usually pour one fo/color at a time. Unless I am pouring for a show and have done inventory and realize I am out or almost out of a couple of scents and then, I pour multiple things. But to answer your question, usually one fo at a time.

Dawn

[Candle Man]

I pour the same wax at one time. Like pillar, votive & wax melts (I use the same wax for all 3). I may be pouring different scents or colors at the same time but I stay with the same wax then I move on to containers. I have a system where I label each pot so I know what scent & wax is in the pot so I don't get confused and pour the wrong wax.

[IndyGirl]

I pour one scent at a time. Then another and another!

[silverm00n]

Thanks guys, you've been ever most helpful!

I'll try a combination of all techniques and see if I can't get more productive that way. I think the FO bug bit me and I can't keep up!

[Wendy Shoofitz]

Maybe this is a silly question, but every time I go to pour something, I get a huge brain fart and end up standing in front of my supples scratching my head! I know what I have to pour/test, but I guess I try to do everything all at the same time. I'm wondering how some of you operate. Do you just pour the same FO in all types of candles and melts one day, or do you only pour one type of candle a day? Or are you guys like me and try to do everything at once!

If you are so easily confused over whether to pour more than one scent at a time, make all one type of candle at a time, I suggest you walk away now. It shouldn't matter what anyone else does. Wicking must be a heart attack waiting to happen if you can't get over this obstacle.

[fredron]

Make a list of your tasks, make a logical plan of activities to accomplish it, and get going.

In my workshop, the largest pot is my paraffin, and it takes the longest to heat, so I usually pour pillars, votives, tarts or dotz first, then move on to the container candles.

However, the best laid plans are usually interrupted by some family crisis, such as a ring down the drain, the garbage can being blown over by the wind, or a million others created in the fertile minds of my wife & daughter.

Fredron

[KristineG]

Make a list of your tasks, make a logical plan of activities to accomplish it, and get going.

In my workshop, the largest pot is my paraffin, and it takes the longest to heat, so I usually pour pillars, votives, tarts or dotz first, then move on to the container candles.

However, the best laid plans are usually interrupted by some family crisis, such as a ring down the drain, the garbage can being blown over by the wind, or a million others created in the fertile minds of my wife & daughter.

Fredron

LOL...I know what you mean. I have a cute sign that someone gave to me that hangs in my workshop that states: There will be no crisis this week. My schedule is FULL.

[bugtussle]

I write up a "Pour Sheet" either the night before or early in the am; contains date, kinds of candles, changes to recipes, etc. I actually keep these in chronological order so if I ever need to refer back to it, I can just look it up. It has saved my "rear" lots of times. Carole

[KristineG]

I write up a "Pour Sheet" either the night before or early in the am; contains date, kinds of candles, changes to recipes, etc. I actually keep these in chronological order so if I ever need to refer back to it, I can just look it up. It has saved my "rear" lots of times. Carole

Wow Carole. Great Idea! I think I'm going to try this. Thanks

[silverm00n]

If you are so easily confused over whether to pour more than one scent at a time, make all one type of candle at a time, I suggest you walk away now. It shouldn't matter what anyone else does. Wicking must be a heart attack waiting to happen if you can't get over this obstacle.

Oh Puhleeez! And I never said I had wick troubles

To everyone else, thanks for the suggestions

[debscent]

I write up a "Pour Sheet" either the night before or early in the am; contains date, kinds of candles, changes to recipes, etc. I actually keep these in chronological order so if I ever need to refer back to it, I can just look it up. It has saved my "rear" lots of times. Carole

I do something very similar! It helps me know when to start pouring for the season, and what sold.

[Nodtveidt]

I think the FO bug bit me and I can't keep up!

Once that lil bloodsucker latches on, there's no stopping it except by buying more and more and more FOs.

[Crafty1_AJ]

When I'm running low on a certain scent of ready-to-go candles, I jot that scent name down on the dry-erase board in my workshop. Then I pour in three's -- 3 florals/fresh & cleans at a time, or 3 fruity scents at a time, 3 bakery scents at a time. I just go down the line until I'm all caught up again.

Then I keep a list of stuff I'd like to test (which is miles long -- :whistle: ) for those days when I can pour up a couple quick testers.

[BruceCarvesWax]

I have a note book with the past pours. We pour 18 of each scent and do 25 batches in a day. We only make one size jar so each batch is about 7 lbs. We did melts tonight, just made up a list and poured 24 of each and I think we are up to about 20 scents as I take a break for a few minutes and check emails and CT. Buttered Popcorn makes a great smelling melt BTW.

Bruce

[Fire and Ice]

I always do two scents at a time. I do the first pour on eight 16oz jars. That's 16 candles and allow them to setup for four hours. Whem I go back, I do the second pour on the candles, put the wax back in the melt pot, add the votive wax and then pour about twenty clamshells in each scent. I do four scents a day this way.

Fire

[katinka]

Trying to do to many things at the same time can be even more frustrating and I just feel focusing on less things make me do them properly.For me that means doing a max of 3 FO's at the same time and as many others have said, pouring what takes the longest to set up first and so on. You'll probably also find it goes alot faster this way and you get way more done without being so exhausted at the end of it.

[starlessjade]

If you are so easily confused over whether to pour more than one scent at a time, make all one type of candle at a time, I suggest you walk away now. It shouldn't matter what anyone else does. Wicking must be a heart attack waiting to happen if you can't get over this obstacle.

That really doesn't seem fair. With anything, it does take time to find your own method and rhythm. Although I would definitely agree that strictly following someone else's method without question is not the way to go, finding out what works for other people is often a very good starting point to figuring out what works for YOU. Asking people with experience is not a sign of weakness or confusion; it's just common sense!

I'm a candle newbie and the replies to this thread have definitely helped me come up with good ideas for pouring methods, so now I'm going to try them out and see which one works well for me... makes sense to me!