minx Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) People use a Presto Pot. New to the forum, I've been browsing for a week or so now so hello Some fantastic information you guys provide. I'm in Tasmania, Australia. Maths, who knew it would be important :rolleyes2 I made some candles last night for testing of wicks. Plus cure times as I am using the Ecosoya Advanced. 8oz tins, testing the htp 104 and 105 wicks. So had 6 tins set up 5, 9, 14 day cure times. Well my maths was way way out and melted 2.08kgs of wax and added 94. something grams of fragrance. Pouring away and then realised I had way too much wax left over! Panic!! Another tin and 3 tumblers later and filling the tins high..the wax was used. Crikies...lol..what a learning experience. I shall now melt the wax and weigh the melted wax amount that I need. It was in the conversion from solid to melted that I stuffed it. Sadly I think now I end up with a 4% fragrance which is probably not going to be good. Ah well.... learning learning :smiley2:Amanda Edited February 7, 2012 by minx Can't spell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChandlerWicks Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Hi There Minx! Welcome, been there, done that! Have you started dreaming about how you're going to make & test candles yet? Tracey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Thanks Tracey.Not yet....LOL....but I do sit in the shop and curse cause I could be at home pouring and testing. LOL... I do my pouring in the evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maggie Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 You can melt the wax out of those containers and measure out the "rest" of the fragrance oil and pour them again. That's what I would do. I melt wax in either a roaster or presto and then add to my pour pot that is sitting on my digital scale. I have the fragrance oil already weighed for the amount of wax. I used 8% fragrance oil in my parasoy container wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 It was in the conversion from solid to melted that I stuffed it. ----------------Don't understand this statement because a pound of wax is a pound whether it is solid or melted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted February 8, 2012 Share Posted February 8, 2012 16 volume oz (448 grams) of wax will equal 20 liquid oz. (still 448 grams)For example: I put 15 liquid oz. of wax in an apothacary jar and I want to make 4 jars - that equals 60 oz. (15x4=60) then divide by 20 oz (60 / 20) = 3 pounds of wax needed.Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Maggie: I think I will do that actually. If I have to wait to test so I might as well have it all correct or else the test will be worthless.Pam: I was reading different sites (left my candle notebook at home so can't remember the site) but it was all conversions and working out how much wax was needed for containers. It was something along the lines of 1 pound of wax was 18 fluid ounces....for soy. But it was 20 oz for a different wax. So I was converting into grams. So what I had was 6 tins which held roughly (going from memory) 193 grams of water. So I needed 193gms melted wax. But wanted a FO of 8% . So 177.56gms wax and 15.44gms FO. But that went wrong. So from now on I will melt the wax and then pour into my jug waiting on the scales and measure correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoalaGirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Hi Minx and its nice to welcome another Aussie to the forum. I lived in Launceston for a year, a long time ago. Tasmania is a beautiful place!A good way to determine the amount of wax needed for a new sized container is this: place empty jar on scales and tare weight {bring it back to zero} then fill the container with water to the wax level. Multiply that weight by .86 and that will you the amount of wax {by weight} that you need per container. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) Hi Minx and its nice to welcome another Aussie to the forum. I lived in Launceston for a year, a long time ago. Tasmania is a beautiful place!A good way to determine the amount of wax needed for a new sized container is this: place empty jar on scales and tare weight {bring it back to zero} then fill the container with water to the wax level. Multiply that weight by .86 and that will you the amount of wax {by weight} that you need per container. Hope that helps.I do that too with containers AND pillar molds......works everytime because you're working in weights and that makes measuring out the right % FO really simple. Edited February 9, 2012 by Pam W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 Thanks KoalaGirl, it certainly is a lovely place. I drive to Launie often. Why .86? I do do the water part...so at least I am half way there lolI did go to melt the testers down last night and add some more fragrance, but of course I don't have enough to do all the testers. Wouldn't you know. So I am guessing, that they will still be okay to melt down in a couple of weeks when I get some more fragrance??Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KoalaGirl Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Wax weighs less than water so therefore you only need to multiply the weight of the water x .86 to give you the same volume of wax. Try to forget about volumes when candlemaking and work with weight only {use grams instead of oz''s/lbs as its much much simpler}.Yes, the wax you have poured already will still be fine to remelt when your FO arrives in a few weeks. Just keep it covered to keep out dust etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjdaines Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 forget about volumes when candlemaking and work with weight only {use grams instead of oz''s/lbs as its much much simpler}.I second this, most kitchen scales have a "grams" mode, working with grams make measuring so much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted February 9, 2012 Share Posted February 9, 2012 Welcome to the Board. What method you use to melt your wax (double boiler, presto) ? Use your melter for only melting the wax and then pour the amount you need into another container and add color and fo and then pour (pour pot). Your maths may not be together but you will arrive at a method that will stay with you a long time. Bad habits are hard to break, so make sure you put together a routine that makes sense. Write down your weights and measures for each container and what wick and how much fragrance and then get all of your ingredients together and ready for a pouring session. I generally get my wicks, measure out fo, write down the order I pour the fos, have my temp probe programmed, while the wax is melting in the turkey fryer. Then you relax and enjoy the time spent and only curse when necessary. HTHSteve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted February 9, 2012 Author Share Posted February 9, 2012 Thanks thanks I made some Sweet Pea testers last night using the .86 and it all went nice and smoth...yay!! I do work in grams and I think that's what got me sometimes. All the information I was reading was in oz. Hi Steve, thanks I use a double boiler at the moment, but I am looking for something like the presto. They just aren't as cheap here and I didn't want to jump in too much financially so went the other way. But I do have a candle room set up so I will move to the presto soon so I am not walking through the house with melted wax. You are definitely right about a routine, and I am trying to remember to write down absolutely everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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