Hunter123 Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I am wanting to learn how to make candles. I have just recently helped my sister make homemade soap and want to learn home made candles. I don't know anything about making candles, don 't even know what i need to buy. If somebody could help me with what i need to buy to get started that would be great. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorseScentS Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 (edited) This would be a great kit to start with, from an AWESOME supplier who has excellent-quality strong FOs (frangrance oils) and great customer service. http://www.peakcandle.com/products/Scented-Container-Candle-Starter-Kit__K1003.aspxStick to paraffin, avoid soy wax like the plague -- it's too temperamental and hard to work with, therefore it will take too much money to get a half-way decent candle out of it, and the scent throw is not as good as paraffin anyway. Disbelieve the environmental/health hype about soy wax, it's not true anyway. Edited March 18, 2012 by HorsescentS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Horsescents! There is nothing wrong with starting with soy, lol. Hunter123, start by reading this forum clear through, front to back, top to bottom, inside out. See if you can figure out which type of wax you might want to use. Tell us where you live & we can suggest a supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfWax Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 This would be a great kit to start with, from an AWESOME supplier who has excellent-quality strong FOs (frangrance oils) and great customer service. http://www.peakcandle.com/products/Scented-Container-Candle-Starter-Kit__K1003.aspxStick to paraffin, avoid soy wax like the plague -- it's too temperamental and hard to work with, therefore it will take too much money to get a half-way decent candle out of it, and the scent throw is not as good as paraffin anyway. Disbelieve the environmental/health hype about soy wax, it's not true anyway.This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sisters3 Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 (edited) Stick to paraffin, avoid soy wax like the plague -- it's too temperamental and hard to work with, therefore it will take too much money to get a half-way decent candle out of it, and the scent throw is not as good as paraffin anyway. Disbelieve the environmental/health hype about soy wax, it's not true anyway.Hunter123, welcome to you!! I can't tell you what is right or wrong, but I can share with you my success with soy. That is how I started (got a starter kit for Christmas a few years ago) and have stuck with GB464 soy wax, straight, nothing added but FO and I LOVE IT. Like with ANY wax you decide on there will be test, after test, after test. If you decide to start out with soy I will be happy to share formula, technique, etc. All you need to do is ask.Listen to what Beth wrote, start by reading the forum, its a wealth of knowledge. Feel free to PM me when you can. I will look foward to following you on this fun, frustrating at times, journey into the world of candles! Edited March 19, 2012 by sisters3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mzphee Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 welcome read read read i have tried both soy and paraffin i like both still learning both have fun ...did i mention read read read...its like being in college again lecture and lab lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksranch Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Agreed - the key is to do your homework - read! Once you decide on what wax you want to use, get a starter kit.... and read some more! Lots of good info on this forum, and lots of good help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjdaines Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Whether one does soy or paraffin, it is good to understand that not all fragrance oils will work in which ever type of wax you use. This was the most shocking thing to me as a newbie and it led to a lot of frustration. Second on the list of frustration was appearance. Many are surprised at the appearance of soy and the amount of tweaking that some types need to get smooth tops, only to see that during a burn the roughness may reappear. The third challenge was finding the "perfect" wick, which there may not be. I am working with 5 different containers and will probably be using 3 to 4 different types of wick (not just sizes of the same). My advice would be to pick one, simple container and work with that until you are satisfied with the results. Buy wick sample packs so that you have them on hand and start with a wax that is a blend rather than a straight wax, meaning that it has a fair number of additives already added. Regarding paraffin vs. soy, neither wax is perfect but paraffin may give you positive reinforcement quicker but if your desire is to make soy candle then start with that but read this site first so that you make an informed decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 First, Welcome to the Board. Second, find your nearest source of supplies. I started with a paraffin votive kit from Cajun Candles and started reading this forum which turned me into a full-fledged addict. The kit was reasonably priced and included most everything I would need to produce a candle and gave me instructions to follow. I use a 70% soy and 30% paraffin wax known as a parasoy. This has been my wax for a long time and I know just how it behaves with all my applications. I started with jelly jars and worked through several types. Keep it simple and don't jump around and eventually you should be able to produce a fairly decent candle. Everybody has opinions on this board and some are stronger than others but everyone has knowledge that is valuable. Hope This Helps.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted March 19, 2012 Share Posted March 19, 2012 Hello and welcome to Craft Server!The best advice I could give for starting out learning to make candles is get a candle making kit from a good supplier. It will have everything in it you need and will give you a good idea of whether or not you like making candles. Plus, its a lot cheaper to buy a kit from a good candle supply than going to a local craft store. Craft stores prices are inflated and the wax, wicks, scents, etc. are not good quality.Decide what kind of candle you want to make; container, pillar, votive, etc. Then decide what type of wax you want. If you want to make container candles look for a container blend wax. It can be a soy or paraffin whichever you want to try. All waxes have their pros and cons so don't let anyone tell you to "avoid" certain waxes.I have worked with many waxes and learned a lot about how they work. That is the sign of a good candlemaker is to learn about the wax you use and how it works. Thats how you make a great candle!Have fun and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
se2653 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I started with the paraffin tin container kit from Peaks- which I loved, and they are an awesome supplier. I've experimented with other waxes, and still am, still in the learning stages, but this kit was a great way to start and get my feet wet. Keep reading and researching here on the forum, and also other forums- Many, many knowledgeable chandlers out there and their advice is so much appreciated! Many opinions out there, from the best wax, best wick, best fragrance- ultimately do what works best for you!! You may find you like paraffin over soy, or the other way around. It's a very individual and creative process. It's a fun hobby, and yes expensive at times, but I love making a great smelling and great burning candle! Do I have way too many samples of fragrances??- yes, but I enjoy trying new fragrances, and trying to mix them to come up with something unique. Welcome to the forum- best wishes to you as you start your new hobby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Soy Candle Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I would suggest first reading the forums and learning the waxes ans what goes into making candles. Then make YOUR OWN decision. If you choose one type of wax over the other go with it. Buy a kit like others Said but make sure its not from a reputable company that you know will be there when you need to replenish. It's going to be a long road and that's the truth so if you give up too easily you will never truly find out the correct way to work with the wax YOU PICK. I only work with soy but I'm not going to preach that's it's the best out there. For me it's the best and it was because that was MY decision to use and I worked the hell out of it to get where I am today.Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter123 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thank you so much for the advice I will check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter123 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thank you so much I'll do so more research and see which way I want to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter123 Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 That you so much for the adivce. I'm not really sure how these forums work so I hope I'm replying to people correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfWax Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you the opposite of what many have said: do NOT read, read, read. You will drown in information, not all of it correct, a lot of which will have nothing to do with you and your choices.Pick a wax, your choice, then pick a candle style (container, pillar, votive, whatever), and then, as others have said, order a kit from a good supplier like Peak. Stick with the directions that come with your kit. Nothing else matters at this point. Just jump in and bite the bullet. You'll have questions as you learn. Reading a bunch of irrelevant stuff now will confuse you and probably drive you to a different hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricofAZ Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I started out with paraffin junk from ebay and made a few candles that were good to smell and burned nice. I took advice from google.Then I found this site and started believing that soy was the way to go so I did. Lots of dead candles that didn't throw at all. CB135 was what I thought to be the best soy. NOPE.After messing with soy for a few months I went back to paraffin and then some palm.Now two years later I understand. The right craftsperson who has devoted to soy can make soy sing like an opera queen. The rest of us just get the fat lady that screeches.Paraffin is easier to learn and that is very important IMHO. There is some "frustration" getting a formula right or wicking right. Paraffin is easier in this regard which means to me that I can keep my attention at this craft longer.There is no doubt that a good soy candle can wow everyone. Getting there is like tackling quantum black anti-matter before you learned simple addition. (Or so Einstein, my cat, says.)The Peak candle kit with the 4630 paraffin is a great place to start. My advice is to start there and get going and don't let the others here intimidate you. Look at the count of their posts because it might mean they know what they are doing and it might mean they've been at it a while on this forum. It also might mean that they have settled on something they really like and that might or might not be the best place for you to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorseScentS Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I'm going to go out on a limb and tell you the opposite of what many have said: do NOT read, read, read. You will drown in information, not all of it correct, a lot of which will have nothing to do with you and your choices.Pick a wax, your choice, then pick a candle style (container, pillar, votive, whatever), and then, as others have said, order a kit from a good supplier like Peak. Stick with the directions that come with your kit. Nothing else matters at this point. Just jump in and bite the bullet. You'll have questions as you learn. Reading a bunch of irrelevant stuff now will confuse you and probably drive you to a different hobby.So very true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Okay, you decide on 6006 for your wax,now what? You plug 6006 into the search tool and come up with about 8pages of discussion about what jars,wicks and fo everyone likes. You find out favorite pouring techniques and then armed with all that good data begin to add your own data; which saves you time and money.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter123 Posted March 24, 2012 Author Share Posted March 24, 2012 thank you that sounds good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyGCC Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 A kit is a great idea. I just jumped right in. I wanted to make a career out of making candles. I use Soy as my wax. I also use Bee's wax for my taper candles. I have not made any lately from Bees wax. That is the best advice READ READ READ. I have several books on the subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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