Pouring Accurately

[DerekB]

As I continue on my quest to make the "perfect" candle, I have a question about pouring...how do you consistently pour the same amount of wax in your containers?

Thanks!

Derek

[candlebug]

For me, I put the container on the scale, tare it out and pour the ounces that I want for that container. HTH

[DerekB]

Have you had any problems with the wax setting up after moving the filled container off of the scale?

I'm trying to work out the logistics in my head. Eventually, when I start to pour large quantities I plan to use a presto pot to melt the wax. From the presto pot, I was planning on pouring into a pour pitcher, heat to appropriate temp, add additives and FO, and let sit until until pour temp and then pour into containers.

Is there a better way?

[candlebug]

I use my own blend of paraffin and soy and I pour about 140 and do not have a problem with wax setting up.

[Georgia]

I just pour to the neck on my jars. However, when I used Metro (or Status) jars there is no neck. I found that putting a medium binder clip on the lip of the jar worked well. Pour to the bottom of the clip.

[Stella1952]

I melt in a Presto, I put a potholder on my scale, weigh the empty pourpot, tare, add FO & dye, tare, then ladle the wax into a pourpot to stir until it reaches the desired pouring temperature. When it's ready to pour, I weigh an empty container, tare, and then pour each one on the scale. Have never had a problem with setting up, etc. And we've only slopped one or two! Having things set up properly helps a lot! If there are any drips, they are easily wiped away once the candle has cooled. HTH

[DerekB]

Stella,

Just to clarify...do you bring the wax in the Presto to the desired temperature to add FO/additives? I haven't used my Presto yet...is it difficult to regulate the temperature so that the wax doesn't get too hot? Does the temp stay relatively consistent?

[jenscandles]

If your Presto Pot is a Kitchen Kettle it has a temp dial on there. I've had 4 of them and when I set it at about the 2 in 200 I get about 200 deg. Several years ago I kept a candy thermometer in the pot at all times. Now I have a digital thermometer and I monitor the wax temp periodically with that. I keep a closer check when the pot is new. My newest one I had a nudge off and got my wax to 210. I didn't like that so I turned it down a pinch.

Jen

[DerekB]

Georgia,

I like the idea of the binder clip...does it scratch the glass at all?

[Stella1952]

Just to clarify...do you bring the wax in the Presto to the desired temperature to add FO/additives?

Yes. I melt, temper & raise the temp to about 15-20° above the desired pouring temp right in the Presto. I can get 9# in mine. I weigh out the desired amount of wax into the pourpot (which already contains the dye & FO); then I stir it down to the desired pour temp. Unless I am pouring pillars, I generally make one pound pours. I can do these quickly enough so that my wax does not become too cool during the pouring process.

is it difficult to regulate the temperature so that the wax doesn't get too hot? Does the temp stay relatively consistent?

No. There is a thermostat which you can set that will turn off when it senses the temp has been reached. I stir the wax a lot because the heating element in the bottom is either on or off; thus the heating is somewhat inconsistent throughout the entire pot. When holding, I make sure to turn the thermostat down sufficiently that there is no chance of overheating the wax. The Presto keeps it within a couple of degrees either way. If I have to hold the wax for more than a few hours, I usually just turn it off, cover and reheat at a future time.

[topofmurrayhill]

Heh, here's my method. http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showpost.php?p=379935&postcount=3

The scale thing seems too tedious. Anything you can devise that lets you pour to the same level in each container is a good way to go for handcrafting and quite accurate enough. Set it up so that the net weight you're getting is a smidge more than what's on the label.

As for the wax starting to set up before you can move it off the scale, that could be an issue with soy depending on your procedure. Probably not a problem if you're pouring it transparent, but a lot of people don't. I get the best results with a tempering approach I discovered, but tempered wax is pretty thick in the pot. It has to be poured fairly quickly at just the right time and starts to set up immediately.

[DerekB]

Thank you to everyone for your replies and suggestions. As always, the information is very helpful. I'll definitely have to try these techniques as I continue to figure out what works best for me.

Thanks, again!

[grama]

On jars that don't have a neck like the metro, I just put the lid on and mark with a black pen where I need to pour to.

[Flicker]

I use the same binder clips as Top however I use them to hold my wick in place on my soy jars by winding my wick around a wick rod then clipping in place with the binder clips. I pour to just before the clip inside the jar. Keeps things nice and even on Jelly Jars. For my pint masons I pour just up to the neck and on my apothecary jars I pour just above the shoulder and eyeball those.

[Debra Phelps]

Not once in the millions of candles I have poured has one person said to me. That one doesn't have as much wax as this one does. Some of the oils will make the wax sink more than others. I don't believe you will ever get each one so perfect. If they are so perfect they look like factory candles. I pour mine right above the bottom of the rim. That gives them a little room to sink. They come out fine. Don't worry mate. The customer picks up the candle. Opens it. If it smells wonderful, they want it. They don't care about the jar, or the color, or if it has more in it. If that scent hits them right, they are in. They will buy the one you are burning if you are out of the one they want.

[Stella1952]

Not once in the millions of candles I have poured has one person said to me. That one doesn't have as much wax as this one does.

The reason I weigh mine as I pour is so I can list a static net weight (ASTM Standards) on the label instead of handwriting it or guesstimating.

[topofmurrayhill]

The reason I weigh mine as I pour is so I can list a static net weight (ASTM Standards) on the label instead of handwriting it or guesstimating.

I have to admit, that statement strikes me as a little weird. What do ASTM standards have to do with anything? This isn't rocket science.

You have to pour at least as much as what it says on the label, which is easily accomplished without weighing each individual pour. Meticulous handcrafting is great, but taring out the containers and pouring each candle to an exact weight by hand strikes me as simply laborious. How does that accomplish anything useful?

[earthfriendly]

I eyeball it when I pour. I know where the line is suppose to be, but most of the time I go over a little. Mine are in boxes, so I can't imagine someone getting several out of the boxes and comparing them to see which has more.

[Stella1952]

You have to pour at least as much as what it says on the label, which is easily accomplished without weighing each individual pour.

It really isn't a big deal to me to weigh them as I go. I only have to tare once - each succeeding container will already be zeroed once I remove the filled candle and replace it with an empty container. It really isn't as awkward nor tedious as it sounds - one falls into a rhythm. I have one of those scales with the detachable face so I can position it to where it's easy for me to read and pour at the same time. My little setup allows me to stand in one place and pour without having to shift my position - empty wicked jars on the left, filled jars to the right and front of me. I can do 8-10 pounds before I have to move the filled containers out of the way. I'm ready for a break by then anyway!

Meticulous handcrafting is great, but taring out the containers and pouring each candle to an exact weight by hand strikes me as simply laborious. How does that accomplish anything useful?

I DO make handcrafted, handpoured candles, and I'm pretty comfortable with the way we pour at this point. I think it is more professional to have a reasonably exact weight - both from my end of things (waste, product consistency, labor) and the customer's end of things (assuring they get what they pay for). It's also my way of attempting to comply with the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, §1453, (a) which states what's supposed to be on a label by law, etc. :whistle:

Because I have tried several ways, including the one you shared, I found that this method worked best for me and gives me a pretty consistently accurate product in terms of net weight. I found that to be a useful accomplishment in and of itself.

You don't have to do yours that way, though...

[topofmurrayhill]

I should make a correction here, because a couple of times in this thread I said that the net weight has to be at least as much as stated on the label. That was my recollection of the FPLA, but actually the net weight has to average what's on the label, with no unreasonable variations.

Stella, I'm not telling you what to do but I think it's worthy of comment, especially since the thread started with someone asking for advice.

I really doubt that weighing the pour can be nearly as fast as pouring to a consistent fill point, no matter how well one has the procedure worked out. It has the theoretical advantage of accuracy but I have my doubts about that - especially without taring out the weight of glass containers, which tends to vary.

The fill-point method may be considerably faster while fulfilling both the letter and the spirit of the FPLA. I think it might be worth an experiment to compare the speed and consistency of the two methods.