Suggestions Please?

[soyblessedcandles]

Hello, my name is Tara, just your average stay at home mother and Ive decided to try to start making my own candles. We did a fundraiser at church and we sold soy candles that another lady in our church makes at home (its her business and she does very well for herself) and we sold tons of them, and now ppl are asking for more. So, I realize this wont happen overnight, or even this year probably but I am starting on the venture of learning to make my own. SO I have a few questions for you:

1. Best size container to start out with?

2. Best Wick to use in that container? I see alot of ppl on here use cotton wicks

3. Best starter wax to use. I have some golden blend 415 coming ordered BUT ive been reading alot of posts that are saying a parasoy blend is best to start out with?

Thank you for answering kindly and once again, I DO realize I wont be making the perfect candle on the first, or even 100th try BUT you gotta start somewhere right?

[chuck_35550]

I feel like a broken record but you really need to order a candle making kit. Think of it as a reference point in your understanding of how a candle works. Randomly buying wax and wicks will only be a waste of resources (financial) and believe me, this isn't the cheapest and easiest craft you could pick to learn. Please don't invest a ton of money until you've had a chance to try out a kit and see how that works for you. Votives are neat and easiest to do IMHO, although some people might suggest melts. Good luck. HTH

Steve

[Stella1952]

you gotta start somewhere right?

Yep and the BEST place to start is to read, read, read and study right here. Soy, contrary to popular opinion, is NOT a good wax choice for a beginner. Everyone has different opinions about which brand is best, which wicks are best, how much FO to use, whether to use FO or EO, who's selling the best FOs, etc., ad infinitum. Only YOU can decide what may work best for you and you'll learn along the way which products work best in your candle system. You will gather the MOST information by studying what's already been written, not choosing from the replies to one thread. I am not one to suggest buying a kit. You can put together your own kit by making those purchasing decisions for yourself.

Having said that, here're my answers to your questions:

Container: The best container to start with is one that holds no more than 8 oz. of wax (net weight, not nominal liquid measure) which has straight sides and is no wider than it is tall. Do not exceed 3" in inside diameter.

Wick: For soy wax, I like CD or CDN wicks (preference of CDN). Get a sampler pack of many sizes rather than try to pinpoint only one or two. The samples will come in handy and wicks don't go bad.

Wax: You're on your own. All soy waxes have peculiarities which have to be learned and mitigated. I began with soy wax and do not use paraffin at all, so I'm no help in recommending a particular parasoy brand, although parasoy would probably be your wisest choice for a "starter" wax. GB 415 is not my first choice for beginning soy candlemaking (because that's what I began with and quickly discarded). For "pure" soy waxes, I recommend NatureWax C3 (the one I use) or EcoSoya Excel, BUT in both cases, those waxes have a more steep learning curve than does parasoy.

FO: You didn't list this, but I'm including it anyway. Don't go nuts buying FOs from loads of different suppliers in many scents. Each one has to be thoroughly tested. Pick no more than 5 FOs to start and buy them all from the same supplier. Learn to work with those before branching out.

Good luck & have fun.

[soyblessedcandles]

okay thanks! I have purchased some clamshell molds and will most likely try to pour/test those first as that is what I use the most of at home anyways

[soyblessedcandles]

thank you for your reply! we'll just have to see what happens i guess lol. ive been reading this site for days but i cant tell how ill do till i actually TRY it for myself. maybe ill be that 1 in 1000 ppl that just gets it the first time. lmbo yea right!

[LadyJo]

.

I don't believe there's such thing as the --- one in a thousand who gets it right the first time --- when it comes to candles. LOL

there are just way too many variables involved for it to all work right the first time.

some people (including me) have been reading these boards for MONTHS and some even years and we all still keep learning.

the only other thing I can recommend ... adding to what Stella said ... is to say keep the FO orders to a minimum and order ONLY the SAMPLE sizes until you know that scent will work for you. Sample sizes are more expensive by the ounce but will save you tons in the long run by keeping you from buying several ounces of one scent that won't work for you.

[Stella1952]

been reading this site for days but i cant tell how ill do till i actually TRY it for myself

*chuckle* That's a start and you're right - you won't really know until you make some candles, but it really helps to research thoroughly BEFORE pouring to prevent easily avoided mistakes.

have been reading these boards for MONTHS

Yep. I read and studied for several months before taking the plunge and ordering anything. I was very lucky with the supplier I chose, but finding them took some effort... Once I started making candles (my first ones weren't horrible, but left a lot to be desired), I had zillions of new topics to research and questions to answer... it never ends.

The melts sound like a good first project. Have fun!!

[soyblessedcandles]

Okay so I'm about to place another order this week, as I still have not receive the 415 and have no idea when it will be here I'm frustrated but Ill move on, from what I've read it isn't the best to start with anyways. SO I'm considering a few options.

*Wax: C3/464/ or some kind of parasoy blend but Idk what is even good with that. What would you recommend out of those 3 and why?

*Wick: Im thinking Ill order some cotton wicks as Ive read nothing but good about them.

*FO: Im going to check out a few holiday scents to start: what company would most of you recommend? Ive heard that Lonestar is good?

Im going to start with the tarts I believe and try some small 4.5 - 8oz candles but just a few of them. Im not going to pour a whole bunch. Another ? I have is if I pour them and they are really bad, am I able to melt them down and then pour them again?? If I do that would I have to add MORE FO the second time I melt the wax down to pour? Thanks for helping me out, Im really excited to start just gotta get the right stuff. OH and how on earth do you use the search feature on here?

[lmc]

Lonestar has good shipping prices but for fo's I prefer CandleScience...for me they worked better in soy. I use CBA and LX wicks and for 464 the eco wicks but will be trying the CD wicks because of the good feedback. For containers, the cheapest and easiest, IMO, to start with are the 8 oz Kerr canning jars from Walmart. Have fun!

[soyblessedcandles]

where do you get the cd wicks? and what size should i buy first?

[chuck_35550]

You click on Search and type in a word and it will bring up posts that have the word in them. I started by ordering a votive kit from Cajun Candles. I picked out the colors of dye and 10 1 ounce fos of my choice and they sent a slab of wax, wicks, 1 dozen votive molds with wick pins, dye and fos with instructions. I made several dozen votives and they looked and smelled really good and then test burned them in a dollar store holder. The wax was paraffin and the wicks were zincs. Paraffin has vivid colors and doesn't require a cure time to smell up a room or your house but it tends to smoke or soot a bit if the wicking isn't right. Find a supplier within driving range or at least one close enough to cut down on the shipping cost and go from there. HTH

Steve

[soyblessedcandles]

Okay, thanks for all the suggestions. After alot of reading and research Ive decided I do want to stick with 100% soy, as that is why I wanted to start making candles in the first place, there are none made just soy here where I live. SO I just ordered 10lbs of eco cb advanced, love spell fo and pumpkin fo from candlescience,straight sided jars, and i used the candlescience wick guide and ordered LX16 wicks. I hope all this works together since from what all ive read it SHOULD lol. I read on the scent forum that those 2 fo's have been tested in that particular wax so lets hope. i plan to make them, and put them up for a good week AT LEAST, and ill prlly light one right at 7days and see what happens. if not as strong as i like ill cap it and wait ANOTHER 7 days and go from there. I also read a good tip on here about when using this wax, right after you pour in your jars to put in an oven at 200* (she said to heat the oven then turn it off before putting candles in) and leave them in there overnight. apparently this took care of all sinkholes/air in the candles. im excited to start but not excited about the $70 i just spent so i really hope i get smth good outta this first batch! at least smth useable lol

[LadyJo]

I wish you the best of luck with the wax you chose.

Apparently that one is very hard to find FOs that work well with it.

It makes a beautiful candle but again.... doesn't like many FOs.

[Stella1952]

Tara, there are links in the General Candlemaking area which contain helpful hints for new folks, abbreviations for terminology and suppliers with their websites, etc. Please read up there.

Many suppliers carry CD wicks and only a few carry CDNs. I'm sure you don't know the difference (you can search for that here also). They are cotton wicks. As I said, GET THE SAMPLE PACK.

As far as not receiving the 415 you already ordered - from whom did you order it? They have shipping numbers, information, etc. on their website that will tell you when the wax will arrive.

We are NOT going to make purchasing decisions for you. You've been given good advice and opinions. Now you will have to do the research on suppliers near you, waxes they carry, cost plus shipping etc. that everyone else has to do. Sorry, but while advice and opinions can help guide you, you have to do your own homework.

[lmc]

I use CBA and it makes a beautiful candle...you may need to wick up a few sizes tho-even with 8 oz canning jars I need to use LX22. For me, I got the best results from following the manufacture's advice on temp for melting, adding fo, and pouring. It does take more fo for CBA to have a good ht but by letting them cure for at least a week and using about an 8 to 9% load you should have a great smelling candle. I pour at 115 and have never had to prewarm containers or do anything special and they've always come out great. It's amazing how a 5 to 10 degree difference in pour temp can affect the look of the candle...have fun...the pumpkin souffle throws great in CBA : )

[soyblessedcandles]

I wish you the best of luck with the wax you chose.

Apparently that one is very hard to find FOs that work well with it.

It makes a beautiful candle but again.... doesn't like many FOs.

Ive read that! weird. but there is a thread on here that has ones that DO work and have been tested and i just ordered a few that have already been proven as to not waste the money to buy and ship ones that ppl KNOW dont work.

thank you for your kind words and encouragement

[soyblessedcandles]

"s far as not receiving the 415 you already ordered - from whom did you order it? They have shipping numbers, information, etc. on their website that will tell you when the wax will arrive."

I had a "friend" that told me she would send me some to try out so I bought it from her. said she sent it last thursday so im guessing she really didn't. oh well, cut my losses and move along. lesson learned that once again im too trusting

"We are NOT going to make purchasing decisions for you. You've been given good advice and opinions. Now you will have to do the research on suppliers near you, waxes they carry, cost plus shipping etc. that everyone else has to do. Sorry, but while advice and opinions can help guide you, you have to do your own homework."

I don't recall ever asking a single person to make a purchasing decision for me. And yes I agree that there is some great advice and opinions in this whole forum, I have been reading non stop just this forum since I found it. Prior to this I was researching and reading, watching every video I could get my hands on about soy candles. There aren't many suppliers even in my state, and the shipping costs are about the same from candlescience as the ones here. I am most deff. doing my own homework, I have about a half notebook FULL of notes, ideas, suggestions, tips,ect. that i have not only researched in but then written down. I am not asking anyone for specific formulas to their candlemaking, obviously no one feels that is something they like to share (me on the other hand will share mine when I get it down to help others because when I first started reading up thats what I was trying to find and realized it doesnt exist). I understand ppl invest tons of $, time, energy, sanity, ect. into this and hold their exact ways of doing things pretty secretive, thats fine. all I wanted was suggestions so i dont go and buy $100 worth of crap, as I do have a baby due in december and a 3 year old at home. The last post was what I have decided to do after reading all the helpful hints and tips from others and reading all the other topics relevent. Just thought I would share my gameplan.

Anyways, I hope to order this stuff on friday, payday, and Idk how long it will take to get here but maybe by next monday or tuesday ill be actually putting all my notes into use!

[rjdaines]

I wouldn't worry about your choice of 415 at this point, see how it works for you and in the mean time read about additives that you may need to make it perform better. One example would the USA (Universal Soy Additive), I use 464 and it already has additives in it but from time to time I do think about trying some 415. I have too many waxes already so I never actually get around to buying it.

As Stella mentioned above, one of the more helpful things suppliers offer are wick sample packs, a wonderful idea. I usually get 2 packs as some of my candles are double wicked and a sample size of 5 wicks goes too fast.

Edited September 21, 2011 by rjdaines

[soyblessedcandles]

THANK YOU for that helpful suggestion, as I would've just ordered the recommended wick size that I mentioned, according to the chart on their webpage thats what I would need. But Im totally going to trust your experience over their online chart Although its only $5 Ill save, thats $5 more to spend somewhere else and also the wax I would waste in trying the wrong size.

[LadyJo]

Congratulations on the new baby due in December ! Great month !!! LOL That's my birthday month.

[Lorelei]

I am a 415 user and once you learn to work with it, you will love the way it scent throws. The best of all the soys in my opinion. 415 was what I started with and still with. I did 464 and only made two candles with it. I hated the way it burned and couldn't get a good throw like my 415. Best of luck to you!

[rjdaines]

I am a 415 user and once you learn to work with it, you will love the way it scent throws. The best of all the soys in my opinion. 415 was what I started with and still with. I did 464 and only made two candles with it. I hated the way it burned and couldn't get a good throw like my 415. Best of luck to you!

Oh gee, now you are making me want to try it, I just need more room for wax.

[EricofAZ]

I made the mistake of diving into soy for the first tests. Bad.

C3 is good, 464 is good. 415 is kinda good. The FO has to be a good thrower in soy and two things you need to know 1) every wax manufacturer wants you to believe their soy is the best and 2) every FO producer wants you to believe their FO throws well in soy.

Um, #3, they are both self serving statements.

Your soy choice is fine, the FO might not be. Research here more and learn about soy FO that throws well and percentages to mix. Learn also about curing time and when to test burn and how. Then come back with some info and this forum will absolutely come alive for you.

[soyblessedcandles]

Congratulations on the new baby due in December ! Great month !!! LOL That's my birthday month.

Hey thanks!!! I know I wont have much time for messing around with candles when he gets here but I hope to make some progress in the 3 months left!

[Stella1952]

I am a 415 user and once you learn to work with it, you will love the way it scent throws

415 has always been the People's Favorite for hot throw. Unfortunately, its appearance is unstable. Other soys fall somewhere in the middle - I like C3 for overall HT and appearance, although one still has to work with the appearance a little. As irony would have it, the best looking wax of all, CBA, has a crappy HT in way too many FOs. Every yin has its yang...