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New Ways to Melt Wax


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Ok everybody, yesterday I went and visited about 4 thrift stores to find the perfect presto pot and with luck, managed to pick up a nice one for a dollar. I took it home to melt some wax and I was amazed at how great direct heat with a thermostat was. It's a million times better than double boiling. This got me thinking.

I went down to a local walmart to check out what they had in terms of thermostat controlled heating devices and found a 20 inch griddle teflon heating surface that seemed perfect for the kind of candles I make. Has anyone contemplated using one of these before? Just set your pitchers of different colors on top and heat em up with direct heat at a precise temp. I didn't get it yet, but for $30, it seems worth it.

I'm curious to hear everyones techniques for melting wax, be it a double boiler on an electric or gas stove, presto pot, or even electric teflon griddles. Lets hear it!

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The griddle is way too slow because it only heats the bottom of the pitcher. Ask me how I know. I get these genious ideas, and then I act on them before I think it through. It will work, I would put my money in a super fast presto pot. hth

Misty

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If I ever run across a decent used electric frypan or griddle, I plan on snatching it up. Not that I would trade my presto, but it would be a nice addition. I melt in the presto, but mix in the pour pots. If the wax is already at temp, setting it on a controlled temp surface would help keep it at that temp. Especially in doing layers or multiple scents. You don't have to keep reheating the wax when it's time for the next layer. I usually have a couple pots going at once and have to keep swithing them back and forth to get the one I need back to temp.

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does anyone actually use a Presto Pot for cooking?! ;)

i've yet to start making candles as i'm forever researching.. but am interested in a specific wax melter like the ones available at http://www.wenesco.com/wax2.htm#waxtop and would be interested to here any advice or experience from users of these (ie. is the thermometer accurate and does this mean i can keep the wax at this temp for hours - meaning can i do other stuff in between drawing the wax off?)

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Cooking?? What's that?? :D

LOL! That's what I was thinking! DH asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I suggested new cookware. He said, "What the heck for?!! You never cook any more." Of course not! Too busy playing with my wax.

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Just thought I'd add a vote for the roasters, lol. I used to use the presto pots, but needed much larger amounts of wax & didn't want to spend the big bucks on a real wax melter. I have 3 large roasters that keep my wax completely melted. It does take awhile initially to melt 24# of wax, but I turn them on early each morning & since they don't completely cool overnight, I've got liquid wax at my fingertips. I love them!

Pam R

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does anyone actually use a Presto Pot for cooking?! ;)

i've yet to start making candles as i'm forever researching.. but am interested in a specific wax melter like the ones available at http://www.wenesco.com/wax2.htm#waxtop and would be interested to here any advice or experience from users of these (ie. is the thermometer accurate and does this mean i can keep the wax at this temp for hours - meaning can i do other stuff in between drawing the wax off?)

hahaha nope never actually used one for cooking...though I just recently started using them for melting wax too...:laugh2:

http://www.3candles.com/handdipper_.html

The wood sided dipper on this site is my dream dipper....Sigh...

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does anyone actually use a Presto Pot for cooking?! ;)

i've yet to start making candles as i'm forever researching.. but am interested in a specific wax melter like the ones available at http://www.wenesco.com/wax2.htm#waxtop and would be interested to here any advice or experience from users of these (ie. is the thermometer accurate and does this mean i can keep the wax at this temp for hours - meaning can i do other stuff in between drawing the wax off?)

We have a 500# wax melter. Water jacket. It is on 24/7 and is energy efficient. We always have wax ready!

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500#? that sounds nice, where did you pick up such a thing?

I actually did go out to get the electric griddle, and $20 and a few hours later tried her out. Misty, you were 100% right, it only gets the bottom of the containers, so its nowhere near as fast as the presto pot. BUT i decided to throw caution to the wind and crank it up to full blast when im keeping a close watch on my wax, so I can get a tin can full melted in a few minutes (up to the desired 200 degrees). Then i bring the thermostat down to 200-250 and they keep constant. I have yet to install a spigot on the presto, but its on my todo list. I am in love with the presto, it keeps it at a perfect temperature. I can't believe i didn't switch over sooner!

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I love my Presto pot too. I used a double boiler method for 6 months before I switched. So glad I did. Use the Presto for cooking? hmmmmmm there's a novel idea that could catch on somewhere but probably not on this board! Actually if the Presto people realized how many are used as wax melters they'd probably change the name and raise the price.

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I love my Presto pot too. I used a double boiler method for 6 months before I switched. So glad I did. Use the Presto for cooking? hmmmmmm there's a novel idea that could catch on somewhere but probably not on this board! Actually if the Presto people realized how many are used as wax melters they'd probably change the name and raise the price.

OMG you're right......and I only have 3.....shhhhhhhh everyone, please don't tell them what we are using them for!! lol

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I have 3 presto pots with spigot that I have been using for about 1 1/2 years. I read on here about the turk n surf turkey cooker. I just had to have one. I went Monday night and got one at Gander Mountain. I filled it the next morning. It will hold 36 pounds of wax and could have probably held a little more. It took about 1 1/2 hours to melt down completely. Then I shut if off and the next night I heated it again to pour. It only took 45 mins to heat back down. It is awesome. I love having that much wax ready to pour instead of waiting on presto pots inbetween.

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I'm curious to hear everyones techniques for melting wax, be it a double boiler on an electric or gas stove, presto pot, or even electric teflon griddles. Lets hear it!

I don't melt my wax on my griddle, but I do keep my pour pots warm on them and sometimes if I know I'm gonna have a repour soon, I'll keep my repour warm on there.. I've been doing this for about a year now and it's great.. Also it helps with the cleanup of the pour pots because wax is always easier to clean when warm than when cold. :)

Oh and I've been using a presto to melt my wax for 5 years now, and would NEVER go back to the double boiler method. In fact when I started the double boiler method lasted about 2 days and I said heck with that and went and bought 4 prestos.. lol

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Does anyone else have this problem? I watch my wax in the Presto until it reaches 170* which is the desired temp, I promptly pour the wax into the pour pot but the temp continues to climb by about 15*. I can compsensate a little but I do need to heat the wax until it melts which is usually when my thermometer reads 170*. I use the same thermometor for continuity so I know that's not the problem. Could the pour pot be conducting heat and causing the temp to rise?

Thanks,

Linda

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I know that a few people have mentioned using the griddles and electric fry pans for leveling.

I use the Presto for raw wax, mix in all my additives, like stearin, then ad scent and color in the pour pots. Still do the double boiler thing to keep the pour pots up to temp while I'm playing around with the color and FO.

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Does anyone else have this problem? I watch my wax in the Presto until it reaches 170* which is the desired temp, I promptly pour the wax into the pour pot but the temp continues to climb by about 15*. I can compsensate a little but I do need to heat the wax until it melts which is usually when my thermometer reads 170*. I use the same thermometor for continuity so I know that's not the problem. Could the pour pot be conducting heat and causing the temp to rise?

Thanks,

Linda

Is it one of the candy thermometers that take so long for the temp to change? It's more than likely you wax is already above that temp, the thermometer just hasn't caught up with it yet. Here, it's a matter of patience. Something I'm trying so desperately to have :grin2: As long as the temp is above the melt point of the wax, it will melt at 160 just as well as 200. It just takes much longer. We tend to heat it up more, trying to melt it faster. At least I know I do.

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Dear Friends, I am new to this community. :) Seasons Greetings and ll the best for the new Year.

I am doing research to take my hobby of candle making to a cottage industry level. I have a slow cooker, it has a timer ad a low, medium and high heat setting, can I use it to melt soy and palm wax andother vegetable wax blends?

I live in the Caribbean so it is really not easy to walk into Walmart and purchase a Presto pot or a Rival roaster.:confused:

Please help me?

Natural Candles

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