rebeccajo99 Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 is there wick tools for tealights? I just made up some tealights to test and the wicks won't stay upright.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in KY Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 If you trim the wick to a little more than you want it before pouring and pour a little cooler, not hot enough to melt the wax on the wick. Then they should keep straight. I also use those glue tabs, the kind for scrap booking not candles, to keep the wick stuck. They are called Zots 3/8" Clear+Acid-Free+High-Tack Adhesive+Paper Thin. Hope this is clear and helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CathyinME Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I don't fill the cup all the way to the top on the first pour then when the wax has set up a bit I straighten the wicks & finish pouring. A pain but it works for me(tlights are a PITA no matter what). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccajo99 Posted February 17, 2010 Author Share Posted February 17, 2010 Thanks so much for both of your suggestions. I will give them a try and see how it goes. I agree that tealights are a pain. I only poured 4 to test and I already hate them. Why did I agree to make them for my friend Oh well.. maybe i will get these things perfected someday and they will sell and least make it worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Actually I don't wick mine until after I poured them. I pour a pound of wax at a time to make them so I have quite a few. By the time I am done pouring the last one the first one is ready to wick. Wicks stand up nice and pert no prob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernadette Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 You'll never get enough for them to make up for all the time you need to put into them. If you charge more than the craft store bags that cost $4.99 for 50-100, burn for three hours, and come from China, everyone thinks you want too much!:tiptoe: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccajo99 Posted February 17, 2010 Author Share Posted February 17, 2010 Yeah... I was thinking the same thing Bernedette, but it is always fun to dream Candybee... so you don't glue your wicks in, just wait until the wax is "firmer" and stick the wick into the tealight? Do you have to do any touchup work doing that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Candybee... so you don't glue your wicks in, just wait until the wax is "firmer" and stick the wick into the tealight? Do you have to do any touchup work doing that?Thats right. I only do that for tea lights thou. By touchup do you mean do I do a repour? No. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaye Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Actually I don't wick mine until after I poured them. I pour a pound of wax at a time to make them so I have quite a few. By the time I am done pouring the last one the first one is ready to wick. Wicks stand up nice and pert no prob.What a wonderful idea! I was having problems with my wicks not staying upright too, and I think this could be the solution. Thanks Candybee! :smiley2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuminousBoutique Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I love tealights and actually sell quite a few of them at shows... but they are not a huge moneymaker when you factor in the time spent pouring them... I package in a paper tube, which I make myself… so that saves me a ton of money on them as well. A 6 pack of my tealights sells for 4.50 at shows, and I’ve never had a problem getting that. If someone thinks it’s too much, too bad for them!! Mine burn for 9 hours, they are soy wax, they are highly scented, and they are way more reliable than the Chinese ones where the wicks pop out all the time and burn REALLY hot. I always make sure and point that out to people who comment on the price. I do wedding/party prices on them too, which is much more worth it than packing 6 at a time. 50 for 25.00, 100 for 40.00. I use plastic tealight cups, which have these tiny little plastic bumps on the bottom that hold the tab of the wick off the plastic a bit. I use hot glue for tealights... I wick them while I watch tv at night. Probably not the most time effective thing ever, but its what I do. I dont have a problem with the wicks standing up in my tealights because I pre-trim the wick (it comes 2.5" long and really only needs to be 1" ish) and I pour cooler, like Sharon suggested. I don’t ENJOY pouring tealights like I do other candles… but I will always offer them, because they get people shopping. Plus a lot of people with tealight tart burners like using the handmade tealights in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeni18 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I use plastic tealight cups, which have these tiny little plastic bumps on the bottom that hold the tab of the wick off the plastic a bit. I use hot glue for tealights... I wick them while I watch tv at night. Probably not the most time effective thing ever, but its what I do. Hi Luminous, this is an old post but I hope you see this. I also wick tealights while watching TV but I use wick stickums. However I think I'm losing some value from using these since I have a lot of wax left in the tealight when it's done, so I'd like to try hot glue instead. May I ask are you using a glue gun to do this or a glue pot?TIAJennifer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Photo mounting dots are pretty easy and effective for tealights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dejablue Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I don't pour batches of tealights, just one or two when I have overpour and I just use my votive wick pins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sag_77 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 I use this mold, http://www.candlewic.com/store/Product.aspx?q=c29,p208. I have a few of them but there is a larger size I just don't have the room for it in my work area (kitchen). I never have a problem with off center wicks and it only took a couple batches to get the hang of not over pouring. I have no problem selling a dozen for $10.00 and only make scented ones. Even with the mold for the time saving aspect cost of supplies make it impossible to compete with the big bags of plain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccajo99 Posted May 11, 2010 Author Share Posted May 11, 2010 I use this mold, http://www.candlewic.com/store/Product.aspx?q=c29,p208. I have a few of them but there is a larger size I just don't have the room for it in my work area (kitchen). I never have a problem with off center wicks and it only took a couple batches to get the hang of not over pouring. I have no problem selling a dozen for $10.00 and only make scented ones. Even with the mold for the time saving aspect cost of supplies make it impossible to compete with the big bags of plain.Thats a cool system. do you then put the tealight into a tealight cup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeni18 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Photo mounting dots are pretty easy and effective for tealights.Thanks (again) Top. I haven't used these before, are they thinner than the wick stickums? I'm happy with the wick stickums in terms of adhesion and centering, but I think their thickness may be robbing me of some burning time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in KY Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 The ones I use are super thin and are for scrapbooks. They are a lite stick, perfect for t-lites.http://www.amazon.com/Zots-Adhesive-Dots-Medium-Removable/dp/B001VMU8MQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sag_77 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Thats a cool system. do you then put the tealight into a tealight cup?Yes you just pop in a wick, put in cup (I use the clear acrylic ones) and then package as normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 Thanks (again) Top. I haven't used these before, are they thinner than the wick stickums? I'm happy with the wick stickums in terms of adhesion and centering, but I think their thickness may be robbing me of some burning time.The stickums are surely robbing you of burning time. Like Sharon says, the mounting dots are super thin. I have nothing against hot glue for securing wicks, but for tealights I think the dots are easier and quite sufficient.Good tealight cups are helpful too. I have clear polycarbonate ones that have a little raised circle on the bottom to help keep the wick tab in the center. You don't really need anything with those for burning, but the dots are helpful while making them because it's easier to nudge the wicks to center without having them slide around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeni18 Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 (edited) Good tealight cups are helpful too. I have clear polycarbonate ones that have a little raised circle on the bottom to help keep the wick tab in the center. You don't really need anything with those for burning, but the dots are helpful while making them because it's easier to nudge the wicks to center without having them slide around.Glad to hear I'm on the right track - the cups I've been using also have the raised circle. I get them from Peak and they seem to be of very good quality. You're right, I could just put the wick in before pouring or right after but truth be told I'd rather spend the time upfront gluing them in. One more question - what size glue dot do you recommend? Thanks again, you're always so helpful. Edited May 11, 2010 by jeni18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuminousBoutique Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 the dots wont work for mine, because they are the three little tabs sticking up, I have to use hot glue... but I am looking into other cups, because its a pain in the butt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted May 11, 2010 Share Posted May 11, 2010 One more question - what size glue dot do you recommend? Get the mounting dots for photo albums and scrapbooks. You'll see what I mean from the packaging because they're sold just for that purpose.Wish I could tell you what brand I tried that worked well. Last time I wanted to make tealights I looked everywhere for my freakin' dots but couldn't turn them up, so I had to just pop the wicks in the old-fashioned way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeni18 Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Found 'em - Memory Glue Dots by the originally named "Glue Dots". I should get them on Friday and can't wait to try them out. Thanks again!Luminous - these are 3/8" wide, which is a little less than 10mm. I also have cups with the three raised dots and use 15mm wicks, so these should fit in with no problem. I'll let you know as soon as I try them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeni18 Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 Just got the memory glue dots and they're great. SO much thinner than the Wick Stickems and cheaper. And also now I don't have a million little white circles to throw away. I'm looking forward to seeing the results after burning. Thanks again for the advice.Luminous - you can DEFINITELY use these. They are very, very small in diameter and would not cause you any problems as far as the raised dot guides on the tealight cups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuminousBoutique Posted May 15, 2010 Share Posted May 15, 2010 cool I'll check them out! I only sell tealights when people request them now.. and make them as gifts, but if I could simplify I might start selling them again, they always were a decent impulse buy for people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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