Temperature Question

[VivienneCrow]

I'm not sure if anyone will be able to help me, but I got this idea of using one of the seals I use for my wax seals in letter writing to press a symbol into my cooled piller candle. The problem is I'm not sure what temperature I should heat the seal to achieve this effect?

Any suggestions? I've got to have it hot enough to press the shape in but not so hot that it dribbles the wax. I'm thinking just below the melt point of the wax I'll be using?

Thanks

Viv

[rjdaines]

Sounds like a trial and error experiment to me but probably just under the melting point of the wax. You just need it soft enough to that the imprint but not actually liquefy.

[Candybee]

There is definitely a learning curve here for that. I have experimented with various hot branding techniques to leave impressions on my candles. The round pillars are the hardest as the iron keeps slipping off. It takes some practice to get the temp just right. I found very little heat is needed and too much will definitely cause the wax to melt and start dripping.

[VivienneCrow]

Candybee,

Did you heat the brand with a heat gun or just use an open flame to heat it? I was disucssing it with a friend and he mentioned that an open flame might be hot enough to heat the seal enough to imprint upon the candle. I've got two seals atm but none of them are close to what I want so I might use them to test on a candle and then have one designed with the logo I want to use for when I try and sell my candles.

[Candybee]

Actually I used my griddle pan. I keep my pour pots on the griddle when I make candles to keep the wax temp stable when adding color and scent. So I tried out the griddle on day for heating my branding iron. The iron stands on end so I let the iron part heat on the griddle. Just takes about 20-30 seconds. I also tried my heat gun but the griddle works better and more evenly. I made my own design but you can go to some branding iron places to get them in different designs or have custom made.

I also have a wood burning iron with detachable bits. You plug it in and hold it like a pen to carve wood but I tried it on my candles to make designs. Got the kit at my local craft store just to see if I could do free style designs on my candles. It takes some practice but you can do it. You can also invest in different bits that have shapes like stars or moons, circles, etc.

[spark-me-up]

Ha! I've experimented with this also & all you CAN do is learn through trial & error. A heat gun isn't the solution because it heats the seal up too much & yes, causes the wax to run. I didn't find the perfect solution. I DID find the best results came when I held the seal in place until the wax had cooled right down though.

The biggest problem was that I was using a traditional type of seal (for letters/ paper etc) & the engraved indents (the letters & pattern) weren't "deep" enough to leave a really clear impression in the wax. I was thinking that if I ever took it further, I would have to do as candybee suggested & get one or two custom made for this purpose. I think it would be tricky to get the right "depth" carved into the seal in the end. TOO deep & that'd create a whole host of other probs.

Still, it might just have been I was using a dodgy seal... you may find other "standard" ones out there that are better =)

[VivienneCrow]

I had a practice candle I made a while ago sitting around the house so I decided to try a few test runs on the back of the candle, then I remembered that I actually had some ribbon and some sealing wax and thought why not just wrap a ribbon around the candle and then place a wax seal in the middle with the icon of choice in the wax. And it turned out better then I had thought. I think I might just do it this way instead of sealing the icon directly into the candle.

Edited June 7, 2011 by VivienneCrow

[spark-me-up]

Well Vivienne, you'll certainly be making life easier for yourself! Looks pretty =)

As long as you can convey that people need to remove the ribbon so it dosn't catch fire!!!

You know... sometimes you really need to spell things out... people do the dumbest things =)

[VivienneCrow]

haha I know what you mean, I'll definitely be making sure that people know they have to remove the ribbon BEFORE lighting the candle. Plus, the wax seal just peels off the candle and HEY PRESTO the ribbon can be slipped off. It's rather easy.

[Candybee]

That looks pretty neat. I would still be hesitant about selling candles that way to customers. All you need is one to forget to pull it off and they have the ammo for a lawsuit because you sold it to them that way. Perhaps you could put the ribbon and seal around an already packaged candle or one wrapped in shrink wrap. They would definitely have to pull the packaging off along with the ribbon and seal to be able to light the candle. It is an interesting idea.

I'm still working on leaving impressions on the candle. Haven't practiced in a while but never got the technique anywhere near perfected. I want to order a custom steak type branding iron but they are expensive so it will have to wait.

There used to be a website with the most gorgeous candles that had animal figures impressed into them. It was Salsa Style Art but the website has been taken down. I loved their artwork and know they must be continuing somewhere. They were the ones that inspired me to start doing the impression candles. But don't know how they did it just want to learn how so I can do my own.

[VivienneCrow]

Sometimes customers make things more difficult then they really need to be! I'm not going to be doing that ribbon on all candles. I have a Vintage and a Gothic line where there will be candles that have that ribbon on it. So hopefully that will cut down upon stupidity. What's the point of putting it on a warning label if the customer isn't going to read or remember it and still goes after you when it's their fault.

I might eventually read more into impressing a candle, but right now I just need to make the candles first.

[VivienneCrow]

I did a second try of imprinting the seal directly onto the candle and I think I've gotten an effect that I do really like. I found a tutorial in one of my candle books that actually shows you how to emboss a monogram onto the candle, which is exactly what I was looking for. I took pictures as well.

[anugreen]

Hello,

We used a glue gun with hard wax and it works great on the packaging. The seals seemed to work better when the were cold otherwise they would stick in to the wax. This is the one used and we love it!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SEALING-SEALS-MELTING-TEMPERATURE-PLUG/dp/B000W32UVM

[VivienneCrow]

I have two guns already, one for my wax seals and one that is used just for glue lol I think I'm just going to add the seal and/or ribbon to the packaging and leave the candle as simple as possible.