Looking to get started

[Judy, USMC]

Wanted to PM or email you but you don't have either feature turned on.

If/when you go to the NG site to read don't worry about the wax or additives they use. If you want to use soy that part will be different once you find the wax you want to use.

And I don't think you are using the right search! You need to go to the first Candletech forum page (where everything is listed). Go to "Access the Archives" block and click on Candlemaking FAQ. The reason I don't think you've found that is because the answer to you Heat Gun question is there!

And you may find more of the answers for questions that others have already asked.

HTH

PS - I'm done

[Tereasa]

You may be done, Judy, but I'm going to jump in.

Corry...

The person you accused of calling you stupid, Vicky, is one of the most respected members of this community. A veritable black hole of knowledge, expertise and advice. She has been a successful chandler for many years. If she suggests getting a kit, I'd listen. Just because she didn't take the time to explain every little thing about why it's sage advice doesn't mean you should be so defensive. What exactly is in a kit that you think you won't need? But, you know what... you go ahead... do what YOU think is best. You've closed your mind to advice by refusing to listen to experienced chandlers. You've made up your mind that you are going to do it your way... so do it. How can you expect to come on here and ask for a precise list of what will work? If you actually have searched, you will find that the exact same combination will work for one chandler, but not another. There are hundreds of soy vs. paraffin threads, easily found with a search or even scrolling down. I wish you the best of luck, and don't forget to get insurance before you even give a candle away... when you play with fire, sometimes you get burned....

[Underground Candles]

I am thinking I want to go the soy candle route. Are soy candles more difficult than parrafin candles? no, basically a preference of wax, soy is a renewable source which is the main selling point, some oils you may need to use more than an ounce per pound.

In my reading, I am seeing that sometimes certain combinations of wax, scents, dyes, and wicks don't work. Is there a list somewhere of combinations that are known to work that I can start off with? http://www.candlecauldron.com/ there is a pick a wick database that will help with starting points

I have seen that there are different wax formulas for votives and pillars, but I have not seen anything explaining why. Can anyone direct me to somewhere that explains that? (or explain it themselves? ) free standing candles need a higher melt point

Am I correct in what I am reading that presto pots are the preffered melt method? yep, but you can just start with a double boiler method, so your starting costs are lower

Thanks in advance for any and all help I can get!

your welcome!

[Meridith]

Well, thanks to those that are basically calling me stupid rather than answering my perfectly polite and legit questions.

I have been reading a ton, here on this site and elsewhere. I'm perfectly aware of how to use the search function. It was the first thing I did. Mostly I was only finding references to items and procedures, and not the answers I was looking for. Therefor, I started a thread where I could find the direct answers I needed.

I have read more than once that some people mix in the presto, and some prefer to pour it into another pot...nowhere have I seen anything that said mixing in the presto is bad. If it is, how about giving me a reason, rather than telling me I just don't know what I need, and should get a kit.

I have already stated that I do not wish to get a kit. I started a list of things that I need, and asked if I am missing anything. I got some helpful replies, of which I am very appreciative. Telling me to just get a kit that I have already said I do not want to do is not helpful.

I have read enough to know that it is not an exact science, and it's going to take a good amount of experimentation.

I don't want to get a kit that is going to give me things I don't want, and that is only going to allow me to make exactly the same things as everyone else who gets the kit. Half the reason I'm interested in getting into this is to make something unique...and I know full well that it's going to involve a lot of trial and error.

So if you're going to post just to tell me I don't know what I'm doing (rather than answering my perfectly legit questions so I do know what I'm doing), then you aren't being helpful.

Once again, thanks to those who HAVE answered my questions with thoughtful, helpful replies.

Wow!! That is a very rude response. Not one person called you stupid or implied that but spoke to you with a voice of experience which is something you lack. Perhaps based on their experience they just MIGHT know what they are talking about. You have some nerve coming on here and just expecting us to hand you all the information you want and when you don't get the answers you want or like, you cop an attitude. We've been at this for a long time and have put a lot of time and effort into this. We are willing to help anyone but won't just spoon feed you the answers you want or we might even give you answers you might not like for whatever reasons but it is not to be mean or screw you up. It just is the way it is.

The advice to buy a kit is good advice and not one that you should thumb your nose at. Nor is it given to upset anyone. If it is not advice for you then, then it is not advice for you. If you've done a ton of reading on this board, you would have found the answer to your questions since they have been answered TONS of other times. We've seen tons of folks like you come and go and some stay. We always do our best to help. But I for one don't appreciate it when a person comes or a newbie comes on, doesn't like the answers, cops an attitude and kicks those in the teeth that are trying to help. With an attitude like yours, you might not get very far on this board.

With that said - here is my advice:

Figure out what type candles you want to make.

Look for a supplier nearest you - it saves on shipping which can be a killer.

Buy a kit or whatever it is that you feel you need (wax, jars, wicks, dyes, FO's). You can purchase your other needed items separately (thermometer, presto pot, melting pots - coffee cans work well for this, dyes, etc) Ask the supplier about the specs on the wax and suggestions for use.

Go home and start to make candles.

At this point, if you have any questions or trouble shooting, we are glad to help you.

Once you get the basic items and start to actually make candles, you will be able to determine what other supplies you need or want. Again that will differ from one person to the next. i.e. some like to start with a kit, some like you do not want to.

Remember, any advice ever given will be a guideline and is not written in stone. Our experiences can be very different and what works for one might not work for you. What wax one likes, you might not like, etc. It is all a process that you must go through to figure out what you like and works for you. That we can not tell you and can only be gained through experience.

[Underground Candles]

Soy wax, start with, let's say...10 lbs I like EL Soy Container Millennium Blend

wicks (what kind?) I like the RRD series, although CD wicks seems to be popular with this wax

containers and/or molds (is one easier than the other to start with?) I started with jelly jars to keep starting costs down, but you will have to retest wicks when you change jars.

Presto pot If there is a Target near you, best price I found

Fragrance oil (I see suggestions to find a sample pack) definately, I threw away a lot of money at first buying by the pound,

Dye chips or liquid (sample pack of this as well?) I started with liquid, the primary basic colors (blue, yellow, green, red, because you can mix to get other colors.

Thermometer for high temps Walmart has digital thermometers to use while you are checking your temps in your pour pot, and use a candy thermometer to hang on the side of the presto pot to keep an eye on the temp

Something to hold wicks drill holes in popsicle sticks and use clothes pins

notebook for note taking http://www.candlecauldron.com/ there is a candle test sheet there that will help with your notetaking .....

Also, I keep seeing things mentioned about a heat gun, but I haven't yet seen what it's used for exactly. Can anyone tell me?

check your hardware stores for a heat gun, they can run from 20.00 to 50.00 depending on the style. I use a heat gun more in making pillars, voitives and tarts.

[debscent]

What is in a kit that you don't need? You do need a pour pot, yes you can melt, scent and color your wax in a presto pot, but how will you get it into your mold and/or container?

Please understand, for the most part, this is a welcoming community, as with any community we have our share of smart asses, but you haven't even begun to see them yet.

The advice you have been given is good advice, if you choose not to take it, that's your perogative, but I think in the long run, you will see that people were really trying to help you.

Welcome to CT and candlemaking.

[Guest LightofDawn]

Corry,

Since I am fairly (no make that very) new to this I will share with you the mistakes I think I have made so far.

1) I bought a starter kit off ebay - The problem with this was that the starter kit contained fragrances that I had no clue where they came from. Which means testing them is a total waste of time because unless I purchase them again from the same ebay seller I am out of luck. Don't get me wrong, I am glad I purchased a starter kit, I just wish I would have done it from a reputtable supplier so that the methods of testing were repeatable.

2) Bought to many fragrances - For some reason thought I had to try every darn fragrance oil out there so I bought, bought and bought. If I would have done some research I would know that some of the oils I have do not throw good in my soy wax. If I had it to do all over again I would have picked my wax and done some research on fragrances that throw good in my wax then purchased a few to test. Now I have almost 200 samples of fragrances, and I am asking myself, what the **** was I thinking. Another thing, I was glad I found the classified on this forum. This allows me to purchase some fragrances from other members who do not need them.

3) Wicks - Oh my, this is a another big issue. I jumped in and bought every sample pack I could find. I should have also researched this here. I now have almost every wick known to man (LX's, RRD's, CDN's, HTP's, Cotton Core, Paper Core, and Premier 700's)and I decided on one type. When you decide on the type of wax you want to try, research it here. If you want you can go to www.wickit.net and request samples. I think they just charge for the shipping now.

4) Jars - When I started I went out and bought a bunch of candle jars that were on the shelves of a local closeout store. This was good and bad for me. This allowed me to test my wax, wicks and fragrance without a pricey investment in jars. However, now that I have narrowed down the wax, wicks and fragrance, I have to start retesting in the jars that I wish to use in the long run. The plus side to this was that I got to figure out if this is really something I wanted to do without a huge investment in glass.

This is just the mistakes "I" feel "I" made for me personnally. I jumped the gun on making candles without doing the research first. I then found this forum and now I read constantly. There is a wealth of information here and the members are very helpful.

Also, I know that there is a supplier list by state somewhere. Maybe someone else can chime in here with that tidbit of information. I found it to be very helpful. I agree that shipping can get out of hand if you have to order your supplies from across the country.

I hope this helps

Dawn

[ChrisR]

Corry for just starting out, if you do get a presto pot, you should use it only to melt your wax in......not to mix in FO and dye. You will be doing small pours (1 or 2 containers) and will waste a lot of wax if you mix everything in the pot. You can use pyrex measuring cups to mix in till you decide to get some pour pots.........they really are the best. Candlewic has about the best prices for both size pour pots.

As for wax.......10 lbs. is better for testing than just 1 lb. With just 1 lb. of wax you'd only be able to test probably 1 container (maybe 2) and that is not enough to thoroughly test wicking and scent throw. You may end up going through 4 or 5 pours with just one FO before you actually have an idea of the right wicking. You'd be ordering more often with just 1 lb. and that's a lot of shipping cost waste!! Keep checking the search for particular types of soy waxes here and narrow it down to just a couple to try first. I think this board has pros and cons on just about every type of soy wax out there and where to purchase it from at a good price.

Personally when I buy a new FO to try, I get a 4 oz. size. because that gives me enough oil in case I need to pour more than one candle to perfect my wicking. A 1 oz. sample, especially with soy, will sometimes not be enough for 1 candle, when soy will occasionally take 1 1/2 oz to get a good scent throw. Select maybe 5 FO's you really want to carry eventually and test the crap out of them, perfect them first before moving on to other scents. You will, in the long run, save yourself a ton of money.

A good scale is a must........OldWillKnott on Ebay has excellent scales and prices. http://stores.ebay.com/www-OLDWILLKNOTT-com_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZ1QQfsubZQ2d999QQftidZ2QQtZkm

His KD-7000 is a good beginner scale, or he has many others. Just make sure it measures in oz. and lb. I personally like one that comes with an AC adapter, I don't like relying on just batteries.

Have fun and get to shopping LOL!!

[soycool]

Wow what a crazy thread, I did not start with a kit, I started at the Candle Science website, started with 50 lbs of wax, lx wicks, jj's, 2 pour pitchers, thermometer and a old electric skillet. Also 8 ounces each fragrance I wanted. I was completely candle crazy for at least a year, reading and testing. After a year I took a complete month off, then after awhile finally joined this board.

The cool thing is that I usually get "donations" from friends and family. The uncool thing is that I am only satisfied with about 20% of the fragrances I test in soy.

Making candles is a blast, don't take the ingredients very serioulsy, and only mention this hobby to a few people or you will get a huge following of "testers" but that is what makes this fun.

Im not even sure now if I answered your question. Have a good one!

Natalie