deanna Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Hello! I have a customer that called me today wanting to know if I can use a container that she has (that had a candle in it that has been burned out) to fill with wax for a melt for her. She doesn't want any wicks, just the wax to put on her candle warmer. I know that it is not wise to reuse a container for wicked candles because glass containers can weaken over the course of their usage. What do you think? I don't want to be held liable for accidents, but at the same time, I don't think candle warmers get warm enough to cause problems. Any feedback would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuepie Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 I do it all the time for myself. don't know why you couldn't IMO. Maybe someone knows something I don't and could chime in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shininglight Posted October 31, 2005 Share Posted October 31, 2005 Hi i'm relatively new here but i feel i can confidently say RE-USE. Its just a marketing ploy saying you shouldn't! if you can't re-use you spend more money on containers! I have many Beautiful containers that i would never dream of discontinuing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breanna Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 I would say it depends on the jar. I use Kerr wide mouth canning jars and I re-fill them for my customers,,,other jars I am not sure about... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvcandleguy Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 IMO you can reuse em over and over.. just check em each time for cracks or chips.. otherwise reuse and recycle is my motto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted November 1, 2005 Share Posted November 1, 2005 I do this for myself. None of my customers have ever asked me to do it, but I don't see a problem as long as the jar isn't cracked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted November 2, 2005 Share Posted November 2, 2005 Actually, there is a big problem because if you didn't give her the container, how do you know how many times it's been refilled?Once glass has been heated, it can weaken in areas so it's more prone to crack.If you have product liablity insurance good, but I won't do it even if it's a jar I poured. You don't know how they burned the candle that was in it and if the marathon burned it, the jar can crack and you might have a major problem on your hands.I have tons of customers ask me to do it and I say NO! And if you do it for one you'll do it for all the customers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slow-burn Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 I agree with Fire on this one.....TOTALLY!! IMO, if anyone does refills, they should have darn good insurance, cuz it can be a major liability! I have had customers refuse to purchase, cuz I won't refill, and that is fine with me. All cracks are not noticeable, what are you going to do if it has a hairline crack in it that you can't see? Glass can develop cracks at any given moment due to the heat and the cold that happens naturally during the burning and the non-burning stages. I have had many customers tell me that they use their canning jars for years, so if they can do that, then why don't I do the refills? I don't use canning jars for my candles, however I explain it to them this way. If you take a 16 oz canning jar and can some green beans, you are generally under pressure for about 20 minutes. Yes, these jars get very hot when canning, so we will average this out to 1 hour, since I don't know the exact temp while it is under pressure. I am giving plenty of room for error here. Now, depending on the wax used for a candle, melt point ranges from 100-140. So when you light it, the temp gets up there, ESPECIALLY the further down the jar you get. If that baby isn't wicked properly, it can get even hotter. Ok, I am getting off track here, lol! So I take this 16 oz jar, and pour a candle into it. It takes (bear with me, cuz I don't make these but I will use a rough time frame) 100 hours to burn it completely down to the 1/2 inch level. Then this customer wants to come back for a refill. Ok, I see that you reuse your canning jars but do you actually use them 100 times each??? There is NO WAY, that jar will get stress or cracks before you can use them for more than a few years. Now remember, I gave you an hour for canning, and compared to a 100 hour burn time with a candle, that makes a huge difference. MOST of my customers say that they can only use their jars a few years without incident (we all know what a mess a broken jar in a canner is like), but when I explain it to them this way, they see my point.I just think that we have enough liability to worry about when we make our own candles. We need to properly test and wick them in order to get the best burn. How do we guarantee a good burn if we refill a container that we have never wicked before? I know that you get a feel for diameter with wick sizes, but can anyone actually gurantee the same time of burn that they would with a container that is tested? We depend on the customers to burn the candles per the warning label, we all know that most don't do this. That is a chance that they take, however, when we add to it by refilling, I think it is an accident waiting to happen. Unknown usage of a container, plus the customers that don't burn properly = A HUGE LAWSUIT in my opinion.Sorry this is such a book, but I am running into alot of this in my area. Peeps think they are cornering the market this way, but I am really noticing that most people respect you and your products more when you take the time to explain to them the hazards that can and will develop when doing refills. They see that you are doing everything that you can to sell them a safe product, and for me, it has helped boost my sales. Just my nickel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Both of you have great points! Not that I do containers and we saw how my first wickless went And people say pillars are hard...LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 Since I've not had an over abundance of luck I don't, just on the chance. I do with the canning type jars just for myself, not to sell. Kind of error on the cautious side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted November 3, 2005 Share Posted November 3, 2005 THANK YOU SLOW BURN.!!!!!!!!!!!! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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