candlecrazyinwv Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I have been using Presto Pots and have just purchased my first wax melter to help with my larger orders. How are you mixing the FO's and Dye's? I'd rather not mix it in the pot so that I don't have to clean it every time I make a different scent or wax mixture. Can anyone who uses a large wax melter please help??? Do you mix in pour pots instead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiscus Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Dreaming of one for myself...Is it a single or multiple compartment?...what is capacity?...does it have a spigot?...what do you plan to use it for (mainly)?...what is it's heat source?my curiosity is loose...I see your question as one of economics...how to get the most bang for the buck...did you FO/dye in the Presto's?...could use them as secondary mixture containers reserving the melter for the grunt work...- Wiscus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Fields Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 We use two 65 pound direct heat melters and have for going on ten years. They are awesome. We use them simply to melt the wax. We use pour pots and pour in four to six pound batches. FO, additives and color go in after the wax. And then we have to clean out the pot for the next batch. But it is no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraftyChris Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 We have 2 melters as well. We pour off into a pitcher and mix n 4 pound batches. I find we have better control. For quick work of it, we pair up, and one person mixes the pitcher, and passes it off to a pourer. And as one person pours, the other person is mixing the next pitcher. We can pour off 500lbs of wax in 2 hours this way.Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraftyChris Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Dreaming of one for myself...Is it a single or multiple compartment?...what is capacity?...does it have a spigot?...what do you plan to use it for (mainly)?...what is it's heat source?my curiosity is loose...I see your question as one of economics...how to get the most bang for the buck...did you FO/dye in the Presto's?...could use them as secondary mixture containers reserving the melter for the grunt work...- WiscusI have 2 melters, both have spigots. One melter is 500lbs and a water jacket melter that I use for container wax. The other one I have is 300lb and it's a direct heat melter with a bubbler in it for gel wax. We mix in pitchers on a burner. We only use presto's now for smaller projects like embeds and pillars, because we don't get a lot of orders for those items. FVor heat, well, they plug in. The bigger melter has 2 heating elements, and the smaller one has one plug, but it's got a digital control unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Mine is one of the Masterbuilt turkey fryers. Yup they have a spigot. I don't add anything to the melting pot except the UV when I fill it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 When I was doing a lot of hurricanes...in different colors....I had 8... 30 lb melters. I could pour that same color back in....no fragrance. When I need to scent and color it is easier to scoop it out and put it in the 4 lb. pitchers, color and fragrance as needed. Better control. However.....I was a small company....if I were a huge operation, I would do it it 500 pound batches. How much are you doing? Just depends on your operation. Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I went from Prestos to a Turkey fryer and even in the Presto I added color and scent into my pour pot. I have 8-10 pour pots and depending on the size of the order, I weigh out wax, add my UV (because I continue to add slabs of wax into my fryer thoughtout the process), then add color, FO and let cool (then begin the next pot). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconut Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 We use two 65 pound direct heat melters and have for going on ten years. They are awesome. We use them simply to melt the wax. We use pour pots and pour in four to six pound batches. FO, additives and color go in after the wax. And then we have to clean out the pot for the next batch. But it is no problem.Would you be so kind as to share what you use to stir the pots after you add your FO? Do you use a stick or mixer? Don't want to steal your secrets but I am still struggling to get my stuff to mix well, in batches over a pound. I'm still very much small potatoes. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grama Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I have 3 presto's and one turkey - Masterbuilt. I mix all my wax in the turkey fryer and then when I am doing large orders I measure out 8 lbs and put in presto and then color and dye in the presto. Then put in pour pots for pouring. I don't like a lot in my pour pot. If I am doing a small order, I keep one presto with wax in it and then just measure out what I need into pour pitcher and color and scent. Might sound like a lot of steps but it works for me:yay:Oh - for stirring I bought a lot of the stir sticks when I first started and keep using them over until they get to much dye on them. Also like to use a large hard plastic spoon. These don't scratch pots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane42 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I have 3 presto's and one turkey - Masterbuilt. I mix all my wax in the turkey fryer and then when I am doing large orders I measure out 8 lbs and put in presto and then color and dye in the presto. Then put in pour pots for pouring. I don't like a lot in my pour pot. If I am doing a small order, I keep one presto with wax in it and then just measure out what I need into pour pitcher and color and scent. Might sound like a lot of steps but it works for me:yay:Oh - for stirring I bought a lot of the stir sticks when I first started and keep using them over until they get to much dye on them. Also like to use a large hard plastic spoon. These don't scratch pots.This is the process I am thinking about also. Since we are a small, small business, we have our votive "batches" at 5 lbs each - so putting that all in a pour pot and mixing then pouring sounds difficult. Since we don't have a heating plate to put the pour pot on, I was also thinking of using the Masterbuilt to melt the wax, pour the 5 lbs into the presto then then add color, fo and uv, then use the smaller pour pots to pour the votives. We also use a turkey fryer to warm our pour pots and to melt excess wax off to clean them. A 5 lb pour pot would not fit into that. Maybe when we become larger, we will actually be able to afford SEVERAL large pour pots, a heating plate, etc...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredron Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I've used a large melter for several years. I melt only in the pot, and add my FO and color in the pour pot after pouring the wax. It would be a real time killer to have to clean out the melt pot after each fragrance.Fredron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlecrazyinwv Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 Sorry I wasnt more detailed with my thread...LOLI purchased the 14lb. Melter from candles and supplies. It is on its way to me! I just took on my first LARGE fundraiser and figured Id need it. I currently use 2 presto pots and I add the dye and FO to that. I use alot of paper towels to clean up! If I use more than 2 at a time my breaker kicks! I thought there was a easy way to clean the larger wax melters and I would be able to add the FO and dye. But from reading your replys I see that I cannot do that. I hope that having the melter will speed things up with the fundraiser and also when I get orders for all my wholesales... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlelady Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I have the same set up as Dave. Melters should be for wax only (saves on wiping out, plus they are so big I can reach in there anyway!).Pour into pouring pots, add FO's, etc... stir and pour, repeat.I only use my presto for when I get a candle order and only have a few to make to fill the rest of the order.Just love my big melters!Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 To speed up your pouring, add more pour pots, while one is cooling enough to pour, you can start the next one. My first fundraiser I only had my prestos, then bought the turkey fryer--shouldn't have waited for that purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlecrazyinwv Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 OK, so now I know to only use the large melter to melt the wax and then mix the FO and dye in my pour pots. But what if I need to make 4 lbs. each of two different scents? Can I melt all 8 lbs at once? If I do, then how do I measure to 4lbs. in my pour pot??? Just wondering what some of you guys are doing to help get us started here. I have a little time to get a process developed here because my fundraiser isn't over until the 22nd of February. They wanted to sale for 4 weeks! Thanks for everyones input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovy Chic Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 Set an empty pour pot on your scale and tare it. Use another pour pot to fill with wax and pour this in the pot on the scale. Pour the weight you'll need and you're ready for scent and dye. Also, I keep watch on my melter and add wax as I go. This way I can keep pouring and not have to stop and wait for wax to melt. When I'm finished pouring, I simply turn off my melter and put the lid on. I use the turkey fryer and usually keep about 20-25 lbs wax in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Fields Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 for coconut: we stir our pots using wooden spoons. They clean off well and after years of use are thoroughly soaked with wax. We clean up with paper towels and go through a roll or two a day. If there is wax that cooled on the inside of the pot, we have a large pot of water heating at all times and simply put the pot in the hot water until the wax melts, then clean it out using the paper towels. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Candelishis Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 I'm kind of confused about your question....I keep my prestos full at all times, and melt it all, and measure it out melted...I have lines drawn on my pour pots at approximately different weights. I double check them after I pour the wax into the pour pot and before I add my FO and dye...but I melt the whole presto at a time, and when I'm done for the day, or it gets low while I'm pouring big batches, I dump more wax in and let it all melt too....this is soooo much easier. I only use one type of wax, so this is really easy for me. Is this not something you could do? It sounds like you're making it complicated for yourself...lol...or I'm missing something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grama Posted January 17, 2008 Share Posted January 17, 2008 If you have an emply glass coffee pot - like the Mr Coffee you can measure your wax in it. That is what I use. My pot to the top of the rim holds 3 lbs. 4 cup marking - 1 lb, 8 cup marking - 2 lbs, to the rim 3 lbs. With my wax - 4786, 1 lb melted is 20 oz. volume. I measured my pot cup markings to be sure. Works great.I pour from my masterbuilt or presto's (both have spigots) - which ever I am using into my coffee pot and from there into my pour pitcher to color and scent. hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coconut Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 for coconut: we stir our pots using wooden spoons. They clean off well and after years of use are thoroughly soaked with wax. We clean up with paper towels and go through a roll or two a day. If there is wax that cooled on the inside of the pot, we have a large pot of water heating at all times and simply put the pot in the hot water until the wax melts, then clean it out using the paper towels. HTHThank you, David Fields, for your reply. Right now I am mixing with wooden paint sticks. I use a heat gun to melt wax off of them and wipe with paper towels. I have several sticks for different colors. Maybe my trouble is not so much the stirring as the wax I use. Might start testing some new blends. Regards, Coconut:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tahlula B. Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I want to address two things that have been asked in this thread - how to mix large batches when using a large melter and stirring implements.First, I have three large melters - (2) 100 lb and (1) 125 lb. I never mix in the melters. Instead I have large pots that I use for mixing only. The pots hold approx. 25 lbs each. They are camp stockpots purchased at WalMart. Just add a spigot as you would to a Presto pot. Easy to clean with paper towels and a heat gun. I also sometimes scrape with a razor blade. Second, stirring - I use wooden spoons. I have used different things over the years and frankly, the wooden spoons are simply the best way for me. You can heat them up to clean, scrape or just plunge them into the next batch! They are throughly wax soaked after so many years and work great. You could have a spoon for each fragrance but I don't. I usually put the spoons on the griddle I use to level from time to time to heat them while doing other things - basically to leach all the scent out. I haven't had a problem with scents mixing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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