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Topic: Tips for Newbies (Read 23513 times) |
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cmb
Elite Member
Nap Time!
Posts: 1171
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #60 on: Nov 17th, 2004, 8:34am » |
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When you get your scale, keep it in a zip loc bag to keep it protected. Then keep a piece of foil on the plate that you put your stuff to weigh. It keeps it nice and neat for awhile!
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Cee
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tallbabydoll
Elite Member
Life's a witch, then you marry her son. ;)
Posts: 1763
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #61 on: Nov 21st, 2004, 10:31pm » |
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Don't hit your nose on the fo bottle, I haven't been burnt (yet  ) by doing this, but I left the house right after fo arrived and I smelled it. All I smelled for the couple of hours I was out was butt naked  . Which smelled much better than the name made me think of.
Don't use the hair drier on high near a large amount of melted wax (learned from personal experience, I don't remember what I was trying to do at the time, just the mess I made. hehehe)
Shop around and do price comparisons. Take notes when doing so. Don't forget to figure out shipping, this could dramtically change the price. Email supplier for shipping quotes if they don't have a way to find out. Don't jump on the first thing you see, it may not be the best deal around. Read throughly what you are ordering. Remember that if a "deal" looks to good to be true, it probably is.
Unless trying to make something that doesn't include vybar, don't forget it.
Test burn a candle before pouring a bunch that size. I found a formula and wick that burns great on a 3" pillar, the wick was called large and the largest the store had. Poured a bunch of 4" using the same wick. Then a week later when I test burned one, the wick wasn't big enough.
Test your color before you pour, it's always nuch darker melted. This has probably been said before, but important.
To be able to reproduce results, weight, measure, keep notes. If you just throw things together, you might end up with the most beautiful, great burning candle, but if you just threw everything together, your odds of repoducing your results wont be good.
Get some skewers, you'll find all kinds of uses.
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Tallbabydoll
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DonD
Senior Member
This cross saved my life!
Posts: 893
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #62 on: Nov 22nd, 2004, 8:37pm » |
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Some things that have proven very valuable for me when working are:
1. Dog toe nail clippers are great for trimming wicks.
2. A small hand held grater or a vegetable peeler work well with dye blocks.
3. A straight pin works well to open up the hole in a liquid dye bottle.
4. Newspaper is a chandler's friend.
5. Something for cleaning liquid dyes is a must. You will make a mess no matter how careful you are.
Blessings,
Don
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Containers, votives, tarts, dipped critters and lots of fun!
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Scented
Elite Member
Got mouse anyone?
Posts: 17870
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #63 on: Nov 26th, 2004, 5:22am » |
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Keep tooth picks or something on hand to use when the little dropper in the liquid dyes breaks or separates from its base. If it breaks on you, hopefully it will be before it comes out of the bottle.
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| « Last Edit: Nov 26th, 2004, 5:23am by Scented » |
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Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take - but by the moments that take our breath away.
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mad_soyentist
Full Member
the geek will inherit the earth
Posts: 37
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #64 on: Nov 26th, 2004, 9:01pm » |
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I always take all of my paper towels off of the roll and make a pile of individual towels... makes them easier to grab when you wish you had 3 hands.
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OSuzyQ
Senior Member
I love candletech.com!
Posts: 501
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #65 on: Nov 28th, 2004, 8:31am » |
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DOn't forget the cheap baby wipes. Will clean a lot of things up-besides babies bottoms! Come to think of it-if they clean so well, how come it doesn't hurt those tender little bottoms? lol
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Fire and Ice
Elite Member
I love making candles to light the world!
Posts: 1788
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #66 on: Dec 5th, 2004, 6:44am » |
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*Find someone who will be honest about your candles and make them a test of your product. Then, LISTEN to them when they say something is wrong with your candle!
*Be willing to surrender product to these people and DON'T charge them for tester candles! And not just for a few hours but the whole candle must be tested!
* Give them a sheet to keep track with questions like: Was full melt pool achieved and if so how long did it take?
How deep is melt pool look?
Does the wick look centered?
Does the color looked well mixed?
How is the cold scent throw prior to lighting?
How is the hot scent throw?
How long did you burn the candle to achieve hot throw?
Was there any soot while burning?
Are the sides of the jar clean?
How big was the room you tested in? Big Kitchen, Small bathroom, Large great room?
How tall are the ceiling?
How many rooms did the scent greet you in?
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| « Last Edit: Dec 7th, 2004, 8:00am by Fire and Ice » |
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marya
Senior Member
Posts: 310
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #67 on: Dec 17th, 2004, 1:10am » |
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Re. making pillars (especially if you have just plain paraffin and additives you need to mix together yourself)...
Okay being a newbie, I hardly have the right to give advice here. But "that said," I did something tonight which really helped me and which I'm going to suggest to other newbies (although it may have already been suggested -
didn't notice though): if you have different molds of various sizes, get out some paper, a pencil and calculator (hopefully you already have a notebook though, which is dedicated to your candle notes! ) and write down the dimensions of each mold, and how much wax you need to melt to fill each mold (the "Handy Calculators" on the left here, under General Information, has a way to plug in the dimensions and find out how much wax your mold will hold - and also some of the Peak molds have that info online). You might also want to make a second column for the same molds but for filling them a little less than usual - if you're trying to squeeze so many candles out of a presto pot at one time, for example, don't have enough wax, or are trying to get rid of a bunch of 1-oz FO's, etc. So in my second column, I figured out how much wax would go into each mold at 1 inch less in height per mold. I'm guessing it's possible that if I made it much lower it would be a challenge to do the relief holes/repours and to get the candle out later - but I might be wrong. Okay so finally, write down how much stearin, vybar or any other additives you'd want to add to each, to get a good candle. This could be based either on others' opinions (you can always change the details later) or from your own experience after making a candle or two that you think turned out well.
I admit this was a PITA (especially since I hate math), but now that it's done, I know the hardest part is done forever(I'll never have to do it again unless I get another mold with new dimensions); this will make it more likely that I'll make more candles in the future or on a whim, without getting exhausted by the thought of figuring this stuff out each time or trying to find old notes in different places. Once you get better at it, you'll change things, have things memorized most likely, and get more creative but at least in the beginning this would help take away the overwhelming feeling. After this it's just a matter of weighing out your wax and additives without having to think too much about it, and having fun.
Yikes - I hope I had the right to say all that!  
-Marya
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mary_jennets
Elite Member
Posts: 1239
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #69 on: Dec 26th, 2004, 5:23pm » |
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Never use your glass candy thermometer to tap the mold free of bubbles, it will most likely break.
The thermometer that is, not the mold.
I learned this the hard way 
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Dasha
Candletech Newbie
Posts: 1
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #70 on: Jan 8th, 2005, 2:13am » |
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I have a suggestion, and a question. I've only been at this for about a month, but to add to all the great suggestions so far, I've found that if you really don't want to mess up your clothes, your best bet is to get yourself a set of "scrubs" - the kind that they wear at the doctor's office or hospital - to wear. They're pretty cheap, they're made to resist stains, and they clean up really easily.
My question is this: Is there any way to get scrapes or marks out of the inside of metal molds? My son decided to "help me" the other night and took a butter knife to the inside of one of mine. I hope it's not ruined, but all the pillars I've made since are just nasty-looking.
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Moochelle
Elite Member
 
Posts: 2095
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #71 on: Jan 14th, 2005, 3:11am » |
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Lighter fluid will clean wax off linoleum (sp.? I never spell that right)
YES! Papertowels are a chandlers best friend, along with the baby wipes.
Be sure to ventilate your area well.
Take breaks, cause you should never work at anything for a long time without just a breather now and again. Will give everything a whole new fresh perspective..
Listen to the suggestions of people that have been doing this for awhile. They know what they are talking about, and are trying to help.
Read the instructions.
Don't be afraid to ask, it is the only way you will learn. (But I must admit on this one, I will search and search and search and search till I have a headache before I ask sometimes..lol)
**Modified - Thought of one more..I ran across an old denim apron somewhere, that has come in rather handy for the clothes staining thing....**
HAVE FUN!
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| « Last Edit: Jan 14th, 2005, 3:12am by Moochelle » |
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frantx
Full Member
I love candletech.com!
Posts: 31
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #72 on: Jan 21st, 2005, 3:15pm » |
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Heatguns get really warm. Don't pick up a glass by putting your finger where you were just aiming the heatgun.
(Don't ask me how I thought of that one)
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jmiller42
Junior Member
I love HOT CANDLES
Posts: 28
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #73 on: Jan 31st, 2005, 9:38am » |
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YOU ARE SO RIGHT,
IF IT IS NOT FUN, DON'T DO IT.
TO SUCCEED ONE MUST TRY.
STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN TO THE ONES THAT OFFER TIPS.
TO FAIL IS TO NOT TRY.
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JMiller
Texas
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judyvega
Elite Member
My boy, Bouche'!
Posts: 1273
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #74 on: Feb 5th, 2005, 7:43pm » |
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I'm a newbie, and I didn't notice this addressed before here, but if I'm just reiterating something, I apologize - when I poke relief holes a bunch of wax accumulates on the chopstick I'm using <FINALLY a use for it lol>, so I just immediately use my fingers to scrape it off the chopstick back into the pouring pot. 
HTH
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jmiller42
Junior Member
I love HOT CANDLES
Posts: 28
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #75 on: Feb 7th, 2005, 6:43am » |
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 WHEN MAKING MY WICKLESS CANDLES, I FOUND OUT THIS
(1.) HEAT SKEWER/ICE PICK WHAT-EVER AND
(2.)DO NOT FORCE IT THROUGH YOUR CANDLE. 
(3.)[color=Blue][/color]THEY WILL CRACK
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JMiller
Texas
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sharyl55
Elite Member
Tiki says 'Wicking is a PITA'
Posts: 1823
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #76 on: Feb 8th, 2005, 6:40pm » |
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If you are making candles for sales, set up your accounting system first. Trust me you do not want to go back and try to input months worth of receipts and sales. I'm looking at several all nighters to get this data input for taxes.
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Sharyl, retired and lovin' it
Hurricanes - 1260, tarts - 6228 and J223, containers - J223 and CD wicks, 2005 goal votives.
Say a prayer for our service women and men
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RiverMom
Junior Member
Who needs therapy when I have candles?!
Posts: 14
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #77 on: Feb 10th, 2005, 6:55pm » |
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Okay ... here's a little tip from a brand new newbie! I just figured this out today. Before you get to the point where you're at the perfect temperature for your colors and/or scents, make sure you can open the bottle(s)! I had everything set and just about ready to pour, and the scent bottle tops were on so tight I couldn't open them! Luckily, I found help, but if I had been alone it might have been difficult to do without having to leave the melted wax unattended.
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A friend may well be reckoned the masterpiece of nature.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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LyndaJ
Full Member
I love candletech.com!
Posts: 113
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #78 on: Feb 21st, 2005, 10:30pm » |
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I have been reading your tips for quite a while now and think I just might have found one myself that is useful. Be very careful when you are wiping your votive molds clean. The edges are sharp. Just cut the inside of my thumb today. Duh, didn't think about them being sharp.
Thanks for all the help you have given me on this new adventure.
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marya
Senior Member
Posts: 310
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Re: Tips for Newbies
« Reply #79 on: Feb 22nd, 2005, 1:38am » |
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Lynda - I had to go to a hand specialist last week because of a bad cut on my finger (just the way you described) that happened around xmas! It still hurts like heck and it's obviously been a while since it happened. Luckily, he said it will get better and no real damage has happened. "A year from now you won't know it ever happened." A YEAR FROM NOW?! It happened on the knuckle of my ring finger (my dominant hand, too) and I've made it worse by accidentally banging it on something now and again! 
Oh and here's some maybe useful advice that I've learned: if you're in the mood to make candles or need to make a larger pillar candle - or a candle that's going to be layered - and it's already fairly late at night but you figure you can hurry and can always repour in the morning, you may not want to bother doing any of it till the next day. If you can sleep in as long as you want, disregard this altogether. Every time I think it won't take long to whip out one or two candles since I'm getting more efficient at making them (still a newbie though), I don't take into account having to realistically wait for the candle/s to cool enough that my relief holes will do any good, or that layering takes waaaaay longer when all is said and done. It's a small point, but not such a small point if you have children who might wake up 4 hours after you've gone to bed!
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| « Last Edit: Feb 22nd, 2005, 1:46am by marya » |
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