[Nfb-krafters-korner] Measuring Hot Candle Wax and Other Candlemaking Questions

Wed May 4 02:30:31 UTC 2016

I would not melt it in a chrock pot.  The reason is 
1.  You need something light weight enough with a bend in it to pour.  The
pouring pots are that.  They also have a handle on it that does not get hot
and seems to be balanced well enough to pour the speed you want to.  
2.  I would clean out the metal pouring pot by first using all that I could
that was in the pot.  I then would take paper towels and wipe out as much of
the wax that I could and then I would run hot water from my faucet and keep
wiping with the paper towel.  I did not use this for anything else.  

I would be leary that you may not get all the wax out of the crock pot It is
a bit heavy and would be ackward to pour out of.  I would not trust it to
use for anything else.  Since some fragrances are not skin safe that can be
used for candlemaking that is another thought.

The wooden spoon I used would be donated to the candlemaking equipment.

The other thing I never got into using jell wax as you need to heat that up
over 200 degrees[I don't remember how high over], but not all fragrances
could be used with jell wax.  You would need to look that up.

I know I read about flash point, but I don't remember if that was for
fragrances or wax,

I will look to see if I can find what I am thinking about.  There was a
place that you could get a beginners kit.  I think it came with 12 jars,
pouring pot, enough wax for the 12 jars 12 wicks and I want to say 4
different gradrances which was enough for the 12 jars.  I want to say they
made 12 or 16 ounce candles.  There might have been some liquid dyes for
them, too.  That is what I started out with.

Joyce

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Nella Foster via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Tuesday, May 3, 2016 4:07 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists' <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Nella Foster <jellybeanfarm at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Measuring Hot Candle Wax and Other
Candlemaking Questions

Joyce:

Could candle wax be melted in a crock pot?

I use a huge crock pot when making soap.  I've used a double boiler before,
but prefer using the crock pot.  It is easier to control the temperature
that way.

Nella

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Joyce Kane via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2016 9:17 PM
To: 'List for blind crafters and artists'
Cc: blindhands at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Measuring Hot Candle Wax and Other
Candlemaking Questions

I used double boilers or a double boiler system like an inch or 2 of water
in a saucepan with the pouring pot placed in the center.  I did not use
anything under the pouring pot.

I used a wooden spoon to keep stering  the wax.  I bought the one poor wax
by the case or when starting out 11 pound slabs.  I cut it with a butter
knife and weighed it according to the size of the jar or container I was
going to poor it in.  I had gotten a talking food scale and would measure in
grams.  I paid over $100 for the talking scale.  If you want to know the
name of the brand of scale send me a note off list with your other
questions.

I preferred purchasing the wax in cases of 55 pounds.  You got 5 - 11 pound
slabs.

I used cotter pins that were 4 or 5 inches long to hold the wix in place at
the top of the jars.  I used the wix with the metal disk on the bottom and
would put some wax on it and put it into the jar and push it down.  You
could feel it with your fingers if it was centered at the bottom.  My
husband would put the wix in the cotter pin and use masking tape to secure
the cotter pins to the top of the jar.  If you don't secure the wix in place
with the cotter pin which will hold it up straight the wix could shift and
not be in the center.

I would have to do some looking to find where I got the long cotter pins
-that was a trick I learned from a candlemaker in PA that told me a lot of
info and I first got the 11 pound slabs of wax from her.

The one pour wax is soft and more like butter.  It melts at around 120 - 130
degrees.  I use to pour in the afternoon and leave them sit until before I
went to bed or the next morning.  It will harden from the outside of the jar
to the center wick area.

Joyce
Too many questions.  This will keep you thinking for now.

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfb-krafters-korner [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Sirena Carroll via Nfb-krafters-korner
Sent: Monday, May 2, 2016 8:03 PM
To: nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
Cc: Sirena Carroll <sirenacarroll86 at gmail.com>
Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Measuring Hot Candle Wax and Other
Candlemaking Questions

Dear Crafters,

Looks like I may be venturing into candlemaking a bit sooner than planned
due to an oppertunity that's popped up over here, but I had a few questions
for blind candlemakers first.

I wanted to know how you candlemakers measure your hot wax when pouring it
into a container or a mold if making wax tarts, bars or cubes. I've read on
Lonestar that you shouldn't fill the container up past the widest part of
the jar, but how do you tell where that is for yourselves? Do you just use
smaller jars and liquid level indicaters?
Could an LLI even take that kind of heat? I like larger jar candles myself,
and would not wish to be limited to a certain size due to this.

Another question. When wicking your containers. To ensure centering, do any
of you use wick-centering tools? If so, which would you recommend and do you
find they work for you? Also, do you use wick stickers, glue dots, or
another method of making certain the wick adheres to the bottom of the
container?

When it comes to cutting one pour wax, if that is what you use, what tools
do you use to do it? Or do you just get wax pellets, shavings or however
else they're sold?

What is a wick bar? I think I get the idea, but physically, what does it
look like and what is it for? You have the wick centering tool, if you use
it, and then a wick bar which instructions say to affix as one of the final
steps. It comes off, of course, but what is it actually for?

Same with wick tabs. What are they used for?

I can google all of this as well. I just figured I'd ask here.

Oh, one more question. Do you use double boilers or a double boiler system
like an inch of water in a saucepan with the pouring pot placed in the
center, elevated upon a metal trivet or an inexpensive metal cookie cutter?

Thanks for all your help!

Rena

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