Newbie to any candle making...

[julz81]

So I've been planning on getting a kit for container candles.. but now after reading your part of the forum, I'm wondering if it would be easier to start with Tarts then work up to wicking... After doing too much reading without having anything to experiment with infront of me yet, i'm stressing the wicking part.. Do you guys know of any kits for tarts or ones that would work... Or a easy wax to start with? I'm thinking

of using the little portion cups (not sure of the real name) to pour them in and candy molds.. does it matter what portion cups i get?

Sorry for all the questions..

[Lorelei]

My suggestion is to research research research on these boards before you start.

You have several wax choices, but the main choice you need to make is vegetable with the most popular being Soy and the the other is Paraffin. Our market here loves Soy.

Find a supplier near you for your wax, fragrance oils and all supplies. Yes please order a kit. Most of the suppliers do not carry the portion cups or tart kits, but the candle kits will work just fine.

Secondly you need to decide what ONE application (tarts or candles) you will start with and perfect before moving on to the other. I got excited in the beginning and started with everything at once and it took much longer than it should have to get going.

Tarts are going to be the easiest to start with and learn your wax with. You will still have to test your product, but it will be far less complicated than testing a system with many components like a candle.

Candles have many components that can go wrong or be "off" so there is much more testing involved. It is going to cost more to test candles if that is a factor for you.

[julz81]

Thanks, from reading for hours last night, I see alot of people use Ky Para-Soy Tart & Votive Blend. If I were to use another one do I need to look for a pillar or votive wax right since container wax will be to soft right without anything mixed into it? I'm trying to stay away from have to mix two different wax myself to start with..

The closest supplier to me is two hours away.. wish there was one that I could go to..

when choosing between soy and Para or soy is there one that is better with tarts? I thought i read somewhere that that para holds scents better than soy or is that wrong?

[julz81]

is Ky Para-Soy Tart Wax only sold at http://rusticescentuals.com?? cant seem to find it anywhere else????

[Lorelei]

Yes because the company went out of business that was the only one that had that wax. Personally I would stick to a wax that is very available in more than one supplier.

For tarts you might want to look at: Ecosoya Pillar Blend It is a soy wax that performs really nice in tarts of all sorts. If you have a local company you can try a couple of waxes.

Remember soy or veg. wax needs a cure time.

[julz81]

I wish I had a local company but can't find any closer than two hours away.. My second thought was to use IGI 4794, heard great reviews about that too and more available from many suppliers. Any experience on that one?

[Lorelei]

My closest supplier is 6 hours away. I ship everything here.

[sporadic]

http://rusticescentuals.com/How-to-Make-Wax-Tarts.html There is an instruction page for you.

[AlwaysWondering]

Being good at creating a tart has very little to do with creating a great candle. I only make tarts and have for a long time and sell tons of them. However, I know that making the leap to candles (which I'm not) would be a huge leap. Yes, you will at least be familiar with supplier names, some terminology, percentages, different kinds of waxes. Tarts are more forgiving. Candles, exact weight is important. Whereas it is important that you weigh fragrance oil for candles, you can use liquid measurements for tarts in a pinch.

That said, KY is a great tart wax for beginners and experts alike. The candy molds are not a great idea as they tend to be shallow, the wax will splash out, it's a mess, plus if you pour hot wax (which is fine when making tarts), it can warp those plastic candy molds. You can use the bite size Wilton silicone mold cupcake molds. They come in all kinds of shapes, simple and seasonal, and work great for molds. The petite size Wilton silicone cupcake molds also work great, they make a little bigger tart, however, you don't need to fill each cavity to the top if you prefer smaller tarts. Go on line and find a 40% off coupon for Joannes, Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Sign up for their emails or try a coupon site for printable coupons.

Below is a loose set of directions. Ideally, you will have all the proper equipment, especially a scale and thermometer, but I know what it is like to be a beginner and before investing in equipment, I've given you "loose" directions using household items.

Cover all your working areas with newspaper. Trust me!

Melt the wax double boiler style. Use a scale and measure out a pound of wax. If you don't have a scale, use a measuring cup and put in about three cups of the wax granules (KY tart wax is granule form). This is more than a pound. You can buy an aluminum pour pot OR any cheap aluminum pot. Maybe Dollar Store has a metal coffee pot like for camping??? Or use a spotless sauce pan (plus I would boil water in it a couple of times as a prep). Place a pound of wax (or 3ish cups) in the pour pot, set it in a larger pot filled with water, bring water to a boil and let wax fully melt. Ideally, you need a candy thermometer and get the temp of the melted wax to about 190. If you don't have a thermometer, once the wax melts, let it stay in the boiling pot of water for about five to ten minutes more. Watch the water level.

Use a pyrex measuring cup (ideal is 16 oz but 8 oz is fine). Place EMPTY pyrex cup in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute to warm up the glass. Be careful when removing, the cup might be very hot. I don't know your microwave. You want the pyrex to be hot but still able to handle it. Pour 1 oz of fragrance oil into heated cup. Now, pour melted wax from pour pot into the pyrex cup (for candles, it is important to weigh, for tarts liquid measurement will work) and fill to the 16 oz line. If you are using an 8 ounce pyrex, use 1/2 oz of oil and fill to 8 oz line. This is a FO load of 6% (actually 6.25% if you are a nerd). If you want a fragrance load of 9%, use 1.5 oz and fill to 16 oz line. or .75 oz FO and fill to 8 oz line. Some FOs give great throw at 6% with virtually no difference at 9% so why spend the money on extra oil. Some, on the other hand, I have to go to 12% (2 oz for a 16 oz cup, 1 oz for an 8 ounce cup). I have one oil I love that I can only use at 3%, need to heat the FO, and need to stir for almost 3 minutes, it's a VERY heavy oil. Any more than that and it bleeds/weeps/sweats out of the tarts (little pools of oil left in the mold and beaded up on the tart. Overall, 6% to 9% should be fine for most of the oils from suppliers often listed on this board.

Stir for about a minute, some say two minutes. I find that a minute is usually enough. Some oils will turn the wax in your Pyrex cloudy, stir till clear for sure. If you can't get it clear, you might need to add more hot wax as the oil is too heavy for the amount of wax and it is needs to be further diluted. Most of the time, a minute is fine but it can take longer. Add your dye if desired. Stir until dye is fully blended, maybe 10 to 15 seconds more. If you are using wax dye blocks, make sure you stir until it is fully melted. Or, you can actually scrape the dye off into your empty, preheated Pyrex, add your oil, pour in the fresh hot wax which will better melt the dye, then add the FO, and stir for your minute or two. I like to add dye last since I can better see if my wax is clear or cloudy. Then again, i use liquid dye and don't need to worry about scrapings being fully melted.

Now, carfully and slowly, pour into your molds. Immediately wipe the inside of your pyrex cup clean with paper towels. (When you start melting lots of wax at once rather than a pound, you will get quick enough to clean the cup and immediately be able to refill without the microwave step since the cup will still be warm from the previous batch; constantly turn/use clean sides of the paper towel. If cup walls gets too smeary, back in the microwave it goes and then towel again before filling with new wax). Let tarts harden. Once hard, I tend to pop the entire mold in the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes so the tarts comes out very easy. Depends on the depth and shape of the mold. I always do this with my metal scallop shape molds, tarts drop right out of those if put in the freezer.

Scale (or see loose directions above)

Wax

Fragrance Oil

pour pot (or see loose directions above for alternatives)

larger pot to place pour pot in for double boiling method

candy thermometer (or see loose directions above)

dye (optional)

molds

lots of newspaper

paper towels

16 oz or 8 oz pyrex cup

1 ounce measure (2 Tablespoons = 1 ounce liquid, can use in a pinch)

Good luck!

[ChandlerWicks]

Thank-you Too!

[CandleRon]

@AlwaysWondering,

Thanks for the loose instructions, very well documented and good to use in a pinch

[dianad]

How nice of you to write this all up to help someone new!

[julz81]

Being good at creating a tart has very little to do with creating a great candle. I only make tarts and have for a long time and sell tons of them. However, I know that making the leap to candles (which I'm not) would be a huge leap. Yes, you will at least be familiar with supplier names, some terminology, percentages, different kinds of waxes. Tarts are more forgiving. Candles, exact weight is important. Whereas it is important that you weigh fragrance oil for candles, you can use liquid measurements for tarts in a pinch.

That said, KY is a great tart wax for beginners and experts alike. The candy molds are not a great idea as they tend to be shallow, the wax will splash out, it's a mess, plus if you pour hot wax (which is fine when making tarts), it can warp those plastic candy molds. You can use the bite size Wilton silicone mold cupcake molds. They come in all kinds of shapes, simple and seasonal, and work great for molds. The petite size Wilton silicone cupcake molds also work great, they make a little bigger tart, however, you don't need to fill each cavity to the top if you prefer smaller tarts. Go on line and find a 40% off coupon for Joannes, Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Sign up for their emails or try a coupon site for printable coupons.

Below is a loose set of directions. Ideally, you will have all the proper equipment, especially a scale and thermometer, but I know what it is like to be a beginner and before investing in equipment, I've given you "loose" directions using household items.

Cover all your working areas with newspaper. Trust me!

Melt the wax double boiler style. Use a scale and measure out a pound of wax. If you don't have a scale, use a measuring cup and put in about three cups of the wax granules (KY tart wax is granule form). This is more than a pound. You can buy an aluminum pour pot OR any cheap aluminum pot. Maybe Dollar Store has a metal coffee pot like for camping??? Or use a spotless sauce pan (plus I would boil water in it a couple of times as a prep). Place a pound of wax (or 3ish cups) in the pour pot, set it in a larger pot filled with water, bring water to a boil and let wax fully melt. Ideally, you need a candy thermometer and get the temp of the melted wax to about 190. If you don't have a thermometer, once the wax melts, let it stay in the boiling pot of water for about five to ten minutes more. Watch the water level.

Use a pyrex measuring cup (ideal is 16 oz but 8 oz is fine). Place EMPTY pyrex cup in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute to warm up the glass. Be careful when removing, the cup might be very hot. I don't know your microwave. You want the pyrex to be hot but still able to handle it. Pour 1 oz of fragrance oil into heated cup. Now, pour melted wax from pour pot into the pyrex cup (for candles, it is important to weigh, for tarts liquid measurement will work) and fill to the 16 oz line. If you are using an 8 ounce pyrex, use 1/2 oz of oil and fill to 8 oz line. This is a FO load of 6% (actually 6.25% if you are a nerd). If you want a fragrance load of 9%, use 1.5 oz and fill to 16 oz line. or .75 oz FO and fill to 8 oz line. Some FOs give great throw at 6% with virtually no difference at 9% so why spend the money on extra oil. Some, on the other hand, I have to go to 12% (2 oz for a 16 oz cup, 1 oz for an 8 ounce cup). I have one oil I love that I can only use at 3%, need to heat the FO, and need to stir for almost 3 minutes, it's a VERY heavy oil. Any more than that and it bleeds/weeps/sweats out of the tarts (little pools of oil left in the mold and beaded up on the tart. Overall, 6% to 9% should be fine for most of the oils from suppliers often listed on this board.

Stir for about a minute, some say two minutes. I find that a minute is usually enough. Some oils will turn the wax in your Pyrex cloudy, stir till clear for sure. If you can't get it clear, you might need to add more hot wax as the oil is too heavy for the amount of wax and it is needs to be further diluted. Most of the time, a minute is fine but it can take longer. Add your dye if desired. Stir until dye is fully blended, maybe 10 to 15 seconds more. If you are using wax dye blocks, make sure you stir until it is fully melted. Or, you can actually scrape the dye off into your empty, preheated Pyrex, add your oil, pour in the fresh hot wax which will better melt the dye, then add the FO, and stir for your minute or two. I like to add dye last since I can better see if my wax is clear or cloudy. Then again, i use liquid dye and don't need to worry about scrapings being fully melted.

Now, carfully and slowly, pour into your molds. Immediately wipe the inside of your pyrex cup clean with paper towels. (When you start melting lots of wax at once rather than a pound, you will get quick enough to clean the cup and immediately be able to refill without the microwave step since the cup will still be warm from the previous batch; constantly turn/use clean sides of the paper towel. If cup walls gets too smeary, back in the microwave it goes and then towel again before filling with new wax). Let tarts harden. Once hard, I tend to pop the entire mold in the freezer for about 5 to 10 minutes so the tarts comes out very easy. Depends on the depth and shape of the mold. I always do this with my metal scallop shape molds, tarts drop right out of those if put in the freezer.

Scale (or see loose directions above)

Wax

Fragrance Oil

pour pot (or see loose directions above for alternatives)

larger pot to place pour pot in for double boiling method

candy thermometer (or see loose directions above)

dye (optional)

molds

lots of newspaper

paper towels

16 oz or 8 oz pyrex cup

1 ounce measure (2 Tablespoons = 1 ounce liquid, can use in a pinch)

Good luck!

Sorry I never said Thanks!!!! for taking the time to write all this!! So helpful!!!! thanks!!

[moon01945]

Thanks Alwayswondering! These were a great reference. I am just starting to make tarts and found this helpful.

I've only done one batch but I would have to say that I wouldn't do it with out a candy thermometer and a scale. I am not good at judging what is a good temp or propert measurement of oils,FO or wax. Using these things are habit that I have from soaping. Most of the items you can get really cheap at Walmart also.

[sporadic]

http://library.rusticescentuals.com/

They have some tart demo's there.

[CandleCrazyGal]

http://library.rusticescentuals.com/

They have some tart demo's there.

Thanks for the link! I'm very interested in the brittle.