Tahlula B. Posted March 11, 2007 Share Posted March 11, 2007 has anyone ever seen one of these or better yet, used one?! They look so cool. http://www.supercandle.com/candle/machine03.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creeksidecandles Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 We have seen these before, but would never consider one for our operations. First, we pride ourselves on producing hand-poured products for all our customers, and secondly, while these machines may produce vast quantities at one time, they also take away from the individualized care and look (quality control) that goes into a hand poured candle. Something our customers look for.....IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsaycb Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I have to ask....how does a pillar machine make a pillar in 30 minutes? Does it cool it too? I mean you have to still pour the wax in these things, right? & wick them...and top off the pillars...RIGHT?So really, what does the machine do? I'm lost, someone please share some knowledge on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candle Man Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 We have seen these before, but would never consider one for our operations. First, we pride ourselves on producing hand-poured products for all our customers, and secondly, while these machines may produce vast quantities at one time, they also take away from the individualized care and look (quality control) that goes into a hand poured candle. Something our customers look for.....IMHO.I have to disagree, this style of candle machine is nothing more than a gang of molds together. So with this style of machine you still have quality control but just produce more candles quicker.Sure you may not have the ability to acheive all candle styles/looks rustic, marble etc. with this machine, but you can produce quite a few styles smooth, solid one color rustic, and chunk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tahlula B. Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 Exactly what Candle Man said! This is a manual machine. You have all the control. It is basically just a bunch of votive molds together. You use the wheel to crank them out once they are cooled. They are still hand poured. Lindsay, they are really votive machines. The translation is a bit, um, bad! They call them mini-pillars but they are votives. There is a water cooling system that runs in the top of the machine making it cool faster and able to produce the product quickly. I think it takes about 45 mins in my little votive molds so that would be about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creeksidecandles Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Still wouldn't use it for our operations. After having poured about 5,000 votives last year alone....I still prefer hand pouring. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tahlula B. Posted March 12, 2007 Author Share Posted March 12, 2007 Um, okay but hand pouring is the only way this machine works. But, sure, you go on and think your way is handpoured and using this set of votive cavities is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoOneSpecial Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 I think it is a great idea depending on what type of wax you use. For instance if this is a fast cooling machine it would never work for soy votives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creeksidecandles Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Thank you NoOneSpecial !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecandlespastore Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Those machines look kind of primitive...like they are from the 30s or something. I don't know....the only way I would get one of those is if I were grossing $1 Mil or more each year (one day:wink2:.) IMO for right now there is still something special about doing it by hand the regular old way. I think this is why small companies go for broke within a few years of starting, because they invest in too many things that are not really needed. But if you are selling them just as fast as you are cranking them out, then go for it!If you are a home based business, unless you live in a mansion your space would be limited for that kind of machine, especially if you have 2 or 3 different kinds. Now if you have a workshop or nice sized store, maybe....and for me they would have to make me one big machine that made all types of candles by changing the template or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Someone went to a lot of work to figure those out - ha, now we can see how the Chinese ones are made - inexpensive labor PLUS machines like these. They are pretty cool in a mechanical design sense - totally manual, no electric involved, pretty small.The one thing I can think of that would be the time consuming part, or the part you wouldn't want to change, is the formula of wax/additives/fragrance needed. I'm sure certain formulas would stick like crazy - there's no guarantee that your current formula would work in it. Like NOS said, bet soy wouldn't work well without a lot of playing. And we do like our special effects in pillars. Ours would still smell better (unless the amount of FO we use makes it too sticky)Sure would be handy for huge wholesale or fundraisers, wouldn't it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carriegsxr6 Posted March 12, 2007 Share Posted March 12, 2007 Not really sure about using the machine myself........BUTDid anyone notice how old and dirty this machine is and what the surroundings look like. Looking at this picture would definately not make me want to buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thecandlespastore Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Not really sure about using the machine myself........BUTDid anyone notice how old and dirty this machine is and what the surroundings look like. Looking at this picture would definately not make me want to buy one. Exactly. Thats why I said they look like they were dug up from the 30s or something,lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I have seen ones like this before and like the idea that you just fill up the whole top with wax and let it flow into the votive holes. You dont need to repour since you have about a half inch of wax above the holes so when its setting up than extra wax is like a repour and gets sucked down into the mold. Then you just scrape the extra wax off and save it for the next batch. Looks like they are poured upside down with the top inside the machine which would make for a more uniform looking votive... but not one that I care for myself. Cool idea from a geeks point of view. I like the melt molding machine the best that sucker could come in handy. Click on some of the other links there and take a peek.Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugtussle Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 I think those machines are located in the machine shop that made them. They are not set up in a candle shop. Since my husband is a machinist, maybe we can build one. HA! Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hope Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Interesting. Anyone have any personal experience using copper molds for candles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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