Newbie here

[lovinit]

Hello everyone,

I am so glad to have found this forum.

I have always loved candles (burning them) and have always wanted to make my own but i am not very 'crafty' so i've always backed off as i didn't know where to start.

I'd love to give it a try.

If anyone could point me in the right direction as to what i need to buy to get started as i know absolutely nothing about candles

I did find this website for supplies (I am in Australia)

http://candlemaking.com.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=1&Itemid=26

Been looking to buy a few things off there but am a bit unsure of what i need. All looks very confusing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thankyou

[topofmurrayhill]

A candlemaking kit can be a good way to get started, but I don't like the ones that supplier offers. Maybe it would be best to figure out what you need and order a la carte.

Why don't you peruse the instructions at http://www.candletech.com/basicinstructions.htm. They're very good tutorials and include a list of the materials you'll need for the type of candle you decide to start with. It would be a good idea to limit yourself to just one type for now.

Even though you've already identified a supplier, a list of good ones is very useful and can make it easier to find what you're looking for. We have some aussie candlemakers here who can surely point you to others. Consider starting a thread entitled "Need Australian Suppliers" to get their attention.

[lovinit]

Topofmurrayhill thankyou soooooooo much for replying to my post. It is so greatly appreciated.

Thanks for that link to the website. I will take a look at that now.

I certainly will make the thread you suggested 'looking for aussie suppliers' I have done a search and couldnt find to many that looked ok. The one i posted originally seemed to the only one i could find.

Thanks again!

[Caramel]

lovinit- Hi fellow newbie and welcome!

I did what Topofmurrayhill mentioned and bought my supplies a la carte. I looked up this site in addition to a really nice candle site and chose a wax that was easy to work with, then I bought sample size FOs (this IS addictive, so beware! *L*) and I used the wick suggestion that the supply site mentioned for the wax and container size (I started with 2 oz tins, but found it was not what I wanted to use). One of the best pieces of advice I got and read (albeit too late) was to test in the type of jar you want to use. Saves money and heartaches. *L*

I am still in the testing stage, so I cannot offer much advice (though I try to help my fellow boardmembers and newbies), but I will say don't be afraid to ask questions, use the search features here and just shop around supply sites to get an idea of what type of candle you want to make (which searching the galleries and various threads here can prove to be a big help).

It is a lot of work, but so much fun... when not frustrated (not all of us win the wick lottery right away. *L*).

Again, welcome and enjoy yourself!

[topofmurrayhill]

Looks like a decent supplier, but it never hurts to find out where experienced people are getting their stuff.

Their selection of waxes for making container candles is limited. You might be limited to vegetable waxes for that. They appear to have everything you need for paraffin pillars though.

http://aussiecandlesupplies.com.au/ is another one I found. They don't sell paraffin at all, but they help round out the selection of molds (including votive) and glassware.

[Bevvy]

Hi Lovinit from a fellow Aussie

I buy my products from www.naturalcandlesupply.com.au and have been happy with their products and service. I'm only learning to it's fun but scary too.

Like the fellow candle makers before buy a kit first to get a feel then buy their wick trial pack and then you can test which wick you like. That's if your doing a wick candle.

Welcome to some addictive fun.

[RichardLOZ]

Hey to you couple of other Aussies here Where are you both from as that may to some degree determine where you get your supplies from.

I am based in Perth (until July, then back to the East Coast - Yeah), so we buy locally from Aussie candle supplies. They are great to deal with and very reasonably priced. We will most likely also buy from Natural candle supply in Sydney when we move back, however they dont carry the Golden GW 464 & GW 415 soy that we use, and I have heard a couple of stories about their palm wax, although cant comment as I have not used it from them.

We will continue to get our wax shipped from the west coast when we move back as well as some specific fragrances that we use and some of the ACS wicks. You would be surprised on the shipping charges. I have put some products into both of their carts and looked at the shipping to our proposed location back in NSW (Blue Mountains or Lake Macquarie) and it was actually cheaper to get supplies sent from Perth to there, than from Sydney to there - go figure.

Good luck, enjoy and it is quite addictive, not to mention the money invested in testing and all, but I am sure that you will have a great time experimenting though

Cheers

Richard