number2of7 Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 When choosing glass container/jars for candle making, how do I know if it's the right kind of glass? I plan to shop at yard sales and thrift stores for various containers, but wanted to know if ALL glass works or if there's something I need to be looking for.I bought two pretty glass containers at the Dollar store the other day. They are designed to hold a votive for burning, but I was thinking of just pouring my wax into them and having wickless candles to put on my burner. Would this work?I just didn't want to assume that all glass was designed to work with hot wax. I was afraid that some would shatter or something and figured that you guys would be the people to ask.Thanks for your help!The inexperienced brand new candle person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gdawg Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I am not sure but glass is pretty flame/heat resistance since it got to that point from being melted down. I use the walmart votive holders for container candles, I am sure someone else will chime in that has a better answer. I would just look for cracks (small ect) at the yard sale ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 Click on General Information over on the left again. Under the "Handy Calculators" link I pointed you to last night is the "Safe Containers" link.Basically, if you tried it and it cracked, it wasn't safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted March 28, 2007 Author Share Posted March 28, 2007 I did read that link before posting, but the article still didn't really specify what to look for when choosing a glass container.So, basically, I'm just supposed to "try" a container to see if it will crack and expose my surfaces to hot melting wax? Wonderful....:undecided Will definitely check then for cracks, etc. as suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 You might want to try canning jars to start out. They are inexpensive, available and reliable. Also, if you stick with one container you will find testing easier. If you use different containers each time you won't learn much from container to container.Janette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 That's basically the size of it. Otherwise all you can do is use the tried and true.You can't necessarily tell if there's a problem, but most plausible-looking glassware seems to works OK. The majority of stuff we use isn't specifically made for candles. It's mostly ordinary preserving jars, storage jars and drinking glasses. Some of it actually cracks pretty easily if not treated nicely.Apparently scratches weaken glass, so you might want to look for that too when considering used stuff.You probably considered this, but if you buy single pieces you can incur a fair amount of trouble getting the wicking right for each piece of glass. Might still be fun to have unique containers that you can refill multiple times for your own use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted March 29, 2007 Author Share Posted March 29, 2007 Thanks Top and others! With all the reading I've been doing, I've decided not to try the whole wicking thing just yet. I personally like the way my candle warmer throws the scent better in some of the wicked handmade candles that I've bought. Go figure!Right now, I just want to try some wickless candles to put on my warmer. I went to Old Time Pottery today and bought half a dozen random glass & tin containers that they had. My wax should arrive in a few days, so I'm hoping all goes well.I'll definitely be on the lookout for mason jars and other obvious suitable containers while at the yard sales, but with so many "cute" options of glass out there, I just wanted to know what to be on the lookout for.For now, my candlemaking is strictly for my own personal use, and perhaps for my family. I'm just tired of spending $30 plus dollars for candles when I could make them myself and have something to be proud of.Glad you guys are here to help....a few years back, I got into gardening, and if it weren't for the message boards, I wouldn't have the beautiful yard that I do full of gorgeous flowers! Now, I hope to have a house full of yummy smelling candles that you'll be able to smell from your house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Have fun with the wickless. It's relatively easy to get into and you should get a lot of satisfaction out of it. Shorter and wider containers will be easier to melt on the warmer than taller and thinner ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyl55 Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 If your tin containers have seams you will want to coat the inside with modge podge, Michaels carries it, to seal the seams. Otherwise they could leak as the wax melts. Just make sure any glassware from yard sales etc. doesn't have any chips, scratches or cracks. Even on a candle warmer the glassware will get hot. If the glassware is cracked it could break when heated. Somewhere I read that you shouldn't use leaded glass.Have Fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 Modge podge....will definitely pick some up!! Thanks for the tip!You guys are awesome!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmp Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I have seen differing opinions on this but...in general it's not okay to reuse glass jars for container candles. (except when testing). This is b/c each time you test the candle the flame puts stress on the glass. If you ever put them in a double boiler or oven as I have done, that's additional stress on the glass. It's really not safe to give away "used" jars to people IMO.The reason I mention this is b/c if you are buying ones and twos of different jars, how would you make your candle with a new jar after successful testing? My suggestion is to stick with one jar size and type, and not shop around different places getting different jars. Just food for thought... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindym Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 I wouldn't put a votive holder on a candle warmer only because its too small. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Sudz Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 I agree With Cindy!Myself..Unless I know ANY jar is heat prof I would Not use it for anything other then decorating! Candles and wax are and Can be dangerous..If Your Not using a recommended Jar for candle making you can be in trouble..Wicked or not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted March 31, 2007 Author Share Posted March 31, 2007 Well, now I'm getting a little confused. :undecided I realize that I'm supposed to use jars that are designed for candlemaking, but someone had to be the first to test a mason jar out....after all, they weren't "designed" for candlemaking; they just happen to work because someone tried it. I just want to try things, but want to be safe too.Again, I'm not going to be selling these, nor will they be wicked. I'm just wanting some different styles of jars for myself. So, I'm not worried about testing right now....just don't want them to crack and break.Now, the votive holders that I bought aren't the tight fitting kind....they're the one that are similar to what the Glade candles are in. Would these be okay on a warmer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandmaskitchen Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Now, the votive holders that I bought aren't the tight fitting kind....they're the one that are similar to what the Glade candles are in. Would these be okay on a warmer?I've used the votive cups on warmers and they worked just fine. Wouldn't hurt to try them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 How many watts is your warmer? I use votive cups on mine without any problems. Glass is glass, it will break at some point. Since you are making tarts and wickless. I would suggest a low melt point wax for your project. As recommended, a short and wide container would be best suited for your needs. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
number2of7 Posted March 31, 2007 Author Share Posted March 31, 2007 How many watts is your warmer? I use votive cups on mine without any problems. Glass is glass, it will break at some point. Since you are making tarts and wickless. I would suggest a low melt point wax for your project. As recommended, a short and wide container would be best suited for your needs. Enjoy!I have no idea how many watts the warmer is. I bought it from Michaels. Is 165 considered a low melt point wax? Cuz that's the recommendation on the parasoy wax that I used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyl55 Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Nope 165 mp is not a low melt point wax. Most of us use container wax for wickless candles. Look at your supplier's web site for container wax. Usually the mp will be under 130 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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