Wax candles

BeeMaster2 · January 01, 2015, 01:31:18 PM

What is the going price per ounce for good quality wax candles?
Jim

BeeMaster2 · January 02, 2015, 03:17:41 PM

No one on this site sells wax candles?
Must be someone out there that can give me some idea. I did a search on Google and found a dollar an ounce but that was from 2007.
Jim

tefer2 · January 02, 2015, 03:27:56 PM

Whats a guilty candle makr?

BeeMaster2 · January 02, 2015, 06:55:35 PM

Quote from: tefer2 on January 02, 2015, 03:27:56 PM
Whats a guilty candle makr?

Thanks Tefer. I corrected it to be good quality wax candles. Probably should have said "good quality bees wax candles".

jredburn · January 16, 2015, 06:45:19 PM

Jim,
First lesson in business 101 is "All the market will bear".

Basic guidelines, cost of material if you had to buy it times three; + cost of labour if you had to hire it done, times 2 (minimum) + markup for equipment, permits, insurance, store rental, shipping, stocking, advertising + profit.

If you cannot sell them for a profit, then don't. Going into business for fun or experience is a quick way to go broke.

Regards
Joe

divemaster1963 · January 16, 2015, 09:24:42 PM

Jim I was getting 5.00 a set of two 8 inch hand filed tapered candles and 7.50 for 12 inch pair. I made a gig to dip 4 sets at a time out of welding wire wheels and a piece of rod. Welded it together. I made 10 each for the 8 and 12 inch. I can dipped 80 sets in about and hour. Made my own wicks from treated twine . final cost per set is 1.50.

I had a post of the gigs on hear some where. I think its tied to the couple from fl. Who's home burned if I remember right.

John
Hardwood. Getting old.

BeeMaster2 · January 17, 2015, 07:16:17 AM

Quote from: jredburn on January 16, 2015, 06:45:19 PM
Jim,
First lesson in business 101 is "All the market will bear".

Basic guidelines, cost of material if you had to buy it times three; + cost of labour if you had to hire it done, times 2 (minimum) + markup for equipment, permits, insurance, store rental, shipping, stocking, advertising + profit.

If you cannot sell them for a profit, then don't. Going into business for fun or experience is a quick way to go broke.

Regards
Joe

Thanks Joe.
My wife wanted to sell the large candles, one is the pine cone-14 ounces and the other is a fancy cylinder-16 ounces, for $12. I searched the Internet for the price of the wax alone and found it ranged from one to 2 dollars an ounce. The wax we are using is very white. I used my solar wax melter over and over to bleach it.
I finally got her to raise the price to $20.00 for the large ones. She says the people that she sell to cannot afford that.
I do not think we are in a profit range yet but she enjoys it and that is what is important.
Jim

BeeMaster2 · January 17, 2015, 07:23:31 AM

Quote from: divemaster1963 on January 16, 2015, 09:24:42 PM
Jim I was getting 5.00 a set of two 8 inch hand filed tapered candles and 7.50 for 12 inch pair. I made a gig to dip 4 sets at a time out of welding wire wheels and a piece of rod. Welded it together. I made 10 each for the 8 and 12 inch. I can dipped 80 sets in about and hour. Made my own wicks from treated twine . final cost per set is 1.50.

I had a post of the gigs on hear some where. I think its tied to the couple from fl. Who's home burned if I remember right.

John
Hardwood. Getting old.

Thanks John. I remember that thread. We also make a molded, twisted that is about that size that she sells for $5.
How much do they weigh? I think ours are about one ounce.
Jim

divemaster1963 · January 17, 2015, 07:33:41 PM

Never really weighed them. I was. Making them for the catholic churches around the area then had people that wanted them. So I never really figured it up. The catholic churches stopped buying 100% beeswax candles and went to a 50-50 candle because of cost. I offered it at the older price so they could still have them. The church has a better aroma with the 100% beeswax candle.

John

BeeMaster2 · January 17, 2015, 08:57:43 PM

John,
Not only does it smell better, the only candle that does not produce toxic vapors Is pure bees wax.
Jim

rookie2531 · February 08, 2015, 09:25:30 PM

Maybe your wife could make smaller ones. I know if I wanted the best, but can't afford it, I do settle for something the like that I can afford.

Ben Framed · May 27, 2020, 12:50:51 AM

BUMP

Keep in mind this thread is 5 years old. Is there anyone here that can offer updates on this subject along with pricing?

The15thMember · May 27, 2020, 11:54:13 AM

I can't speak to the price of a candle, but the thing I've found so cost-prohibitive is the molds. We tend to use candles around Christmastime, and I'd love to make some with my own beeswax, but $50 for a reusable 15 count tealight mold seems outrageous. Even a 10 in. taper mold is like $30.

JurassicApiary · May 27, 2020, 02:05:12 PM

I've been using silicone molds with good success to produce candles and wax bars. Also making a lip balm in tubes. Molds are an in investment--they're equipment. If you're not going to make a lot of product, then they may be viewed as expensive. Because they're reusable and can generate a lot of product before they fail, I believe this is why manufacturers charge a fair amount for them--particularly metal molds. The silicone molds are able to yield more intricate designs, however, they will fail long before the metal ones typically. Also, the silicone molds are very easy to use and don't require a releasing agent to be applied--you literally just pop the candle out once cool (carefully extract it for the complicated designs.)

When I calculate my cost on a product I include a small figure to recover the cost of the mold. For example, I buy a simple silicone mold for $15 and can reasonably expect to get 250 candles from it before it fails or becomes unusable. $15/250= $0.06. I add this 6 cents to my hard-cost to make the candle, which I will later use to determine a sale price. So, in the long run, I've already accounted for the mold-investment and I recover the cost over it's production life.

As to pricing, I like to search around and see what the market price is before setting my prices. I will weigh this when pricing my wax products. While I'm in the production phase, I currently see Tea-lights go for around $0.75-$1.00 each and pillars sell for around $1.50-$2.00/ounce. I myself don't plan to sell solely based on weight. Some types or designs may require more attention to produce, or greater risk of failure due to mold or other production challenges. I will adjust price on these in accordance with their value and my time; Don't undervalue your time. People are willing to pay a more for hand-crafted, locally produced products. It's a premium. And, in this case, we all know that beeswax is the best material. The buyer knows they're getting straight from the beekeeper, so it's the real deal, and they trust us. I tend to start with pricing that is on the higher end for jewelry and other products that I sell to test the market. You can always lower your price if something isn't moving. But, people will him-and-haw if you start raising prices.

As to a brief lesson in the value of time valuation... My mother has learned to blow glass leading in to her retirement and it's definitely a skill that takes time to refine. She once had a customer ask her how long it took her to to make a particular pendant she was selling, and my mother said about 10 minutes. The customer replied asking why she was charging $45 for it then if it only took ten minutes to make...to which my mother replied without missing a beat, "it may have only taken ten minutes to make, but it took me 8-years to figure out how to make it." Again, never undervalue your time; It's in investment that should yield a worthwhile return.

The15thMember · May 27, 2020, 02:20:57 PM

Quote from: JurassicApiary on May 27, 2020, 02:05:12 PM
I've been using silicone molds with good success to produce candles and wax bars. Also making a lip balm in tubes. Molds are an in investment--they're equipment. If you're not going to make a lot of product, then they may be viewed as expensive. Because they're reusable and can generate a lot of product before they fail, I believe this is why manufacturers charge a fair amount for them--particularly metal molds. The silicone molds are able to yield more intricate designs, however, they will fail long before the metal ones typically. Also, the silicone molds are very easy to use and don't require a releasing agent to be applied--you literally just pop the candle out once cool (carefully extract it for the complicated designs.)

I guess it makes more sense when you look at it that way. It is a one time purchase after all. I have been making lip balms as well. My mom found a really good deal on like 100 of them over Christmas and gave them to me for a present. I've been so happy with the lip balms I've made; they are much better than any ones you can buy.

Quote from: JurassicApiary on May 27, 2020, 02:05:12 PM
As to a brief lesson in the value of time valuation... My mother has learned to blow glass leading in to her retirement and it's definitely a skill that takes time to refine. She once had a customer ask her how long it took her to to make a particular pendant she was selling, and my mother said about 10 minutes. The customer replied asking why she was charging $45 for it then if it only took ten minutes to make...to which my mother replied without missing a beat, "it may have only taken ten minutes to make, but it took me 8-years to figure out how to make it." Again, never undervalue your time; It's in investment that should yield a worthwhile return.

Great story, and that's absolutely amazing that your mother can glass blow. I had the pleasure of visiting the Corning Glass Museum in NY when I was a kid and it was amazing!

CoolBees · May 27, 2020, 03:53:24 PM

Quote from: The15thMember on May 27, 2020, 02:20:57 PM

Great story, and that's absolutely amazing that your mother can glass blow. I had the pleasure of visiting the Corning Glass Museum in NY when I was a kid and it was amazing!

15th - I grew up near the Corning Glass Works. As I kid I'd sit for hours watching the Glass Blowers at work there. Usually 20 to 40 of them. My favorite - they'd always hand over bags of glass marbles to us kids.

Great memories, and an amazing place!

Jurassic - great story, and very true! Your mother is a smart woman.

The15thMember · May 27, 2020, 05:51:24 PM

Quote from: CoolBees on May 27, 2020, 03:53:24 PM
15th - I grew up near the Corning Glass Works. As I kid I'd sit for hours watching the Glass Blowers at work there. Usually 20 to 40 of them. My favorite - they'd always hand over bags of glass marbles to us kids. Great memories, and an amazing place!

That is so cool! Kids today never do stuff like that anymore.

Ben Framed · May 28, 2020, 12:15:48 AM

JurassicApiary, Cool and Member,I really enjoyed reading the comments from you three. Your stories added charter to the already good information that was posted way back then. Also thank y'all for the added information. Brian D Bray was quite a fellow. I have read much of his work here at beemaster. I would have never thought of braiding feed sack strings to make wicks. Do any of yall make candles as he described? I will confess, I have never lit or even had a beeswax candle. YET......

CoolBees · May 28, 2020, 01:45:27 AM

Phillip - I've never made wax candles, but I'm going to.

A couple years ago, I stopped at a friend's store in Montana and he had beeswax candles for sale for $3 ea. I asked him how many he had. I bought 3.5 cases of candles. He calls me a week later - very unhappy. Says "their $20 now!".

... I knew what I was buying.

I think the price varies a lot by location. Here in California they are very expensive also.

If I was going into candle making - I'd buy or build good quality molds. I definitely think there's money in them, if you live in the right market. ... candle dipping also looks interesting ...

Ben Framed · May 28, 2020, 07:36:55 AM

Thanks for sharing that Alan. Sounds good! What design or style candle was that? Size?
Thanks Phillip