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Test Burning


How do you test your containers  

86 members have voted

  1. 1. How do you test your containers

    • burn from beginning to end
      84
    • only fill a few ounces
      0
    • don't test ??
      1
    • or just pray it works
      2


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In another thread it was mentioned about refilling jars. To me that would be super time consuming to test my product in that jar and have it burn right then $$...to turn around and clean the jar back out to refill for the customer.

one mentioned that they only fill part way and test the jar to be filled for the customer.

Is there a right (I should say better) way to do this than to fill the jar all the way up and test from beginning to end?

Just getting some feedback from my fellow chandlers cause I am always down for a shortcut :cool2:..Hecks I have been testing a few scents in containers for about 8 days now (4 hours a day) and they still aren't done.

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What I have began to do is test 1# wax with additives, fo and color then pour a few ounces into each of my jar sizes as a PRE test to check for correct wicking and scent throw. Typically the container is filled over half full with this batch size. If after 3 burns using the 1" per hour rule to assure wicking is correct and the throw is what I am looking for THEN I pour a complete set of candle sizes with the wick of choice and burn top to bottom before adding to my line. I choose this method cause some fo's I didn't care for once in wax or couldn't get wicked, and I felt I was wasting alot $$$ and time. It is an added step in testing but it is working well for me. Very rarely do I get variances in a full candle after doing the pre-test, but it does happen occasionally. I will keep an eye on this thread to see others responses, I too am always looking for keen new ideas.

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I wish there was a shortcut, but I'd be afraid to rely on it. There have been too many times that I've been so happy about a test burn until the halfway mark. I've even been happy to just below the halfway mark before everything goes to sh*t.

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no shortcuts here either... although I will reuse jars for testing only, if it's the same scent and I just want to tweak wax blend or different wicks, etc. I'd never sell a jar that's already been used.

Yep, same here. I generally will use a jar for testing 5-6 times before I throw it away, but will never sell a candle in a jar I've used for testing, even if I've only tested in that particular jar once.

And (meant to add) Don't I WISH there were a shortcut for testing... There just isn't, and I personally would rather spend the extra money to test a candle correctly, than to have something go completely arry with a customers candle.

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I was hoping to encourage customers to return the jars they had already purchased from me (with my logo on it) to wash out and reuse, and give them a discount off their next purchase. That way I've already tested them and don't have to worry about retesting. If they are jars specifically made for candlemaking (the jar store) would they not be safe to use more than once? I understand that the heat from burning a candle over time may wear down the glass (and how do you know how much each jar can withstand, I guess...) but was really hoping to reuse them... My 16oz apoth's are over $2 each, and that is buying them in large quantities!!!

ps - don't yell at me, I haven't done this yet, but really want to!!

Jan

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I didn't add in my previous post but I do not reuse my containers to sell to customers, for testing purposes I do BUT I am speaking from experience, first hand . . glass jars shatter and break after being heated and cooled. Temp changes weaken the glass structure. I highly stress that you reconsider the refill option even though the glassware is high. It is a huge risk - and I am not yelling at you, wouldn't even consider it. But unfortunately it is a huge liablility risk.

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I was hoping to encourage customers to return the jars they had already purchased from me (with my logo on it) to wash out and reuse, and give them a discount off their next purchase. That way I've already tested them and don't have to worry about retesting. If they are jars specifically made for candlemaking (the jar store) would they not be safe to use more than once? I understand that the heat from burning a candle over time may wear down the glass (and how do you know how much each jar can withstand, I guess...) but was really hoping to reuse them... My 16oz apoth's are over $2 each, and that is buying them in large quantities!!!

ps - don't yell at me, I haven't done this yet, but really want to!!

Jan

Jan, the way I see this can be done is to reuse them for your own personal testing. But not to resell them.

Figure you cost of the jar into the price of the candle that way you are not out the $2.00. To me for an elegant jar (I have no idea what apoth's look like) it is going to cost $$. But the consumer should be ready to spend it if that is what they want.

This topic has got alot of good responses thus far. Keep them coming.

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I test from beginning to end, because just like Luci said, things can look so good till the end of the jar, and then it all falls to sh*t.

I only use certain type of jars, and I have some of each of those set aside that I test in. I might add, I have tested in these same jars for 7 years, and have never had one break on me. BUT.....I will be the first one to tell you that you shouldn't refill jars for customers, the glass does lose it's integrity and you never know when that one container will break and possibly injure someone or cause a fire. I realize that so I always test on my stove top or on a glass plate JUST incase it does decide to give out on me. It's just not worth the risk to refill a jar for a customer IMO.

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I test from beginning to end if I find it is a scent I want to keep. Many times, I determine after I start testing, that it is not a scent I want to add, (I have way too many to begin with - so I have to start being really picky about adding new ones) For those, I don't even bother to finish testing. Those I give out to family and friends.

I too, used to offer a discount to customers when they returned the jars to me. I didn't make them clean them out. I would then reuse those jars for testing only, or for myself or family. Being that when I am testing, I normally try to makeup at least 6-12 different scents at a time to test, I go through quite a bit of jars. My problem is I have soo many FO's in my collection, because of my addiction that I don't think I will ever get to test them all.

I don't offer this to new customers anymore, cuz it just started to get to be kind of a pain. I have dozens of jars that need to still be cleaned out. I still have a few old customers that I still continue to offer this to. It is not a bad thing, because you get to see how your candles burned, people like the discounts - it keeps your customers coming back for more, and it provides you with lots of extra jars for testing and personal use.

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good point about keeping customers coming back for more... I think I will offer the discount anyway. I have sooooo many of these 16oz jars filled in my house, it makes sense to test them in reused jars, but sadly agree that I don't want to be the one to offer them to a customer once they have been burned.

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I was hoping to encourage customers to return the jars they had already purchased from me (with my logo on it) to wash out and reuse, and give them a discount off their next purchase. That way I've already tested them and don't have to worry about retesting. If they are jars specifically made for candlemaking (the jar store) would they not be safe to use more than once? I understand that the heat from burning a candle over time may wear down the glass (and how do you know how much each jar can withstand, I guess...) but was really hoping to reuse them... My 16oz apoth's are over $2 each, and that is buying them in large quantities!!!

ps - don't yell at me, I haven't done this yet, but really want to!!

Jan

Jan, I feel the same way - I want people to recycle and reuse...

BUT...

Here's the bad parts...

You are a manufacturer and seller of candles... NEW candles. So, everyone falls in love with your stuff, you become fabulously successful and have hundreds of customers returning their jars to you for refilling... How ya gonna keep up with whose jar is whose? Are YOU gonna wash all those out, dry them, pour them and keep track of each one for a DISCOUNT? Ummmmmm... sounds like MORE labor cost, not less! *faint*

Selling candles in containers that are recycled is scary because you do not know what conditions that container has been subjected to once it left your possession. If the glass has been stressed, you cannot tell from looking at it... even Pyrex WILL fracture from heat or other internal stresses... I can personally vouch for that one!

Now, for friends or family who have favorite containers, you could be nice and refill their faves for them but to plan on doing this for the general public doesn't make sound business sense, cost or safety-wise. IMHO.:)

Use testers for testing and brand new glassware for customers.

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Jan, I feel the same way - I want people to recycle and reuse...

BUT...

Here's the bad parts...

You are a manufacturer and seller of candles... NEW candles. So, everyone falls in love with your stuff, you become fabulously successful and have hundreds of customers returning their jars to you for refilling... How ya gonna keep up with whose jar is whose? Are YOU gonna wash all those out, dry them, pour them and keep track of each one for a DISCOUNT? Ummmmmm... sounds like MORE labor cost, not less! *faint*

Point taken... guess more thought needs to go into a discounting program before I officially start selling... ;) Of course I am going to become fabulously successful and won't be able to keep up with all of my return customers!!:)

Promise I won't reuse any jars for customers!

One more example of how much thought needs to go into this before you get everything up and running!

Thanks stella,

Jan

Jan

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I test burn from beginning to end. Too many times, I've had a wick that at the beginning of the burn seemed fine only to find that the wick would sputter and go out as the jar burned downed. I would have never known that had I not bothered to burn the candle all the way down.

I also do not do refills but do reuse jars for either testing or my own personal use. I don't refill because: 1. I believe the integrity of the glass has been compromised with each burn, and 2. I don't have time to mess with cleaning the jars nor do I want to. If you require that the customer bring the jar in clean, you still run into those times where they didn't adequately clean the jar and you are still stuck with cleaning it yourself. Of course, you can always add an extra charge if you have to clean the jar.

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I was hoping to encourage customers to return the jars they had already purchased from me (with my logo on it) to wash out and reuse, and give them a discount off their next purchase. That way I've already tested them and don't have to worry about retesting. If they are jars specifically made for candlemaking (the jar store) would they not be safe to use more than once? I understand that the heat from burning a candle over time may wear down the glass (and how do you know how much each jar can withstand, I guess...) but was really hoping to reuse them... My 16oz apoth's are over $2 each, and that is buying them in large quantities!!!

ps - don't yell at me, I haven't done this yet, but really want to!!

Jan

I would think that depends on the kind of glass you are using. Remember that Mom and Grandma used the same Mason jars over and over again. They are heat treated.

Any glass can break but I have reused my own containers countless times. I have seen way too many containers in stores that I wouldnt burn a candle in even once because they are either just plain flimsy or not well suited for burning in.

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Remember that Mom and Grandma used the same Mason jars over and over again. They are heat treated.

Nothing at ALL wrong with reusing glass containers for your own use and testing purposes. It's selling them to others that is the rub. Anyone who has canned and used a lot of canning jars can vouch for the occasional one - new or used - that just "pops" without warning. In the case of candles, the glass doesn't just leak green bean juice or strawberry jelly ooze, it contains solid and liquid wax with a wick and flame. A cracked candle container can cause an unexpected, immediate fire hazard. Just isn't worth the liability to sell used containers to customers because the container has been used under conditions you do not know, and therefore, cannot warrant in any way.

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Anyone who has canned and used a lot of canning jars can vouch for the occasional one - new or used - that just "pops" without warning.

Yes, that is completely true. Used OR new. I have had only new ones pop on me in a water bath. so I suppose that if someone were truly concerned about the issue they could conduct their own water bath test on all containers that they fill or even refill.

Consumers who want their containers refilled can be assured that their containers have been heat tested before filling as well.

As I am thinking about it, I have never had the old style sturdier mason jars crack or break. Just the newer style thinner glass ones.

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