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

Wed May 4 03:50:00 UTC 2016

Nella and Joyce,
I do not know very much about making candles, but they do have a 1. 5 quarts 
crockpot. I do not know if that would be to small to use for candle making 
or not. They also have the 2, 4 and 7 quart pot.
Debbie K.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joyce Kane via Nfb-krafters-korner" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Cc: <blindhands at aol.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 03, 2016 9:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Measuring Hot CandleWax and Other 
Candlemaking Questions

>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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