PhoenixFyre Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Here's a little of my own journey into pillars. I've made a few already that are just scented solid colors and have had success at getting them not to mottle, but now I want to try and purposefully get them to mottle. I now realize this is easier said than done, lol. All were made with 4144 wax from Candlewic. The red one is a peach magnolia raspberry scent and first try with square mold. Poured it at 153 degrees with 6% stearin and 6.5% fo. Guessing it was too cold.The green is eucalyptus and spearmint. Poured it same day as the square one but poured a little hotter at 160, 6% stearin, 6.5% fo. Got a little mottle.The dark yellow is pina colada. This one I poured at 164, no stearin this time, and 7% fo. Covered this one with a box to try and keep it from cooling too fast. Again, very little mottle.Last one is apple blossom and the first three-wicked candle I tried. This was actually a pillar I had made that was underwicked but I couldn't get the wick out, so I remelted and poured into a different mold so I didn't waste the wax. This one I think came out the best...but alas, I didn't keep track of what I did since I was just re-molding it for fun! Doh! I do know from my notes when I first made it as a pillar that it had 6% stearin and 6% fo in it. I think I poured this one the hottest out of all four, high 160s to low 170s. But it only mottled on the top and not on the bottom. Weird. So there you have it. My next tests will be poured even hotter...but I'm scared to pour any hotter because the hotter I pour, the more leakage I get out of the bottom. Been trying to do a jiffy wicker system, but I must not be using the right foam or something because it leaks when poured too hot. Have fun looking and hope you get a good chuckle out of my first attempts because I know I sure did! I think I'm having too much fun! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 (edited) Good work, looks like you're off and running. You may have done pours that were "too cold" based on what you were going for, but I want to point out that it's also a technique and an effect that some call a "rustic pillar." You can create some nice looks doing it intentionally. It's common to include layers or even tilt and swirl the wax. You can use about 15-30% stearic. Mottles are a specialty of mine and I've even designed mottling paraffin blends from raw materials. First, you might like to try a few different waxes because they are all different in their tendency to mottle and the specific effect that you get. It's fine to use 5% stearic. You can pour at 170-180 using metal tape to seal the mold. That's really just a normal pouring temperature. Covering the candle after pouring is a really persistent bit of mythology about how to get this effect. It might help, it might hurt. Slowing down the cooling can work great if you want maximum mottling, but it's a matter of timing. Best to start with a wax that wants to mottle and then wait until you can see it start to happen in the final stages of the wax cooling. Cover them at that point and it can help a lot. The timing of your second pour can influence it too, since that adds some heat. It takes some experimentation and practice sometimes to get exactly the effect you want. Edited April 28, 2015 by topofmurrayhill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Wooohooo! You are doing great. I think paraffin pillars are great fun. When you remove them from the mold you never know what you'll find.When you decide to change up your wax, I would suggest 1274 for the mottle and 1343 for general purposes. I like to make rustics with 1343. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixFyre Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 Thanks so much for the tips, Topofmurrayhill. I used to use metal tape with a wick pin to seal my molds but tried the jiffy system because I wasn't digging the wick pins. I never thought to just seal the mold and then poke the wick hole later. I should try that out. And yes, I'm discovering that I have only scratched the surface on the possibilities of wax and the testing that will have to be done. I have had to restrict myself from looking at too many threads on here because every time I do, I get new ideas for things I want to try; and I have to remind myself one thing at a time. I'll definitely take your advice and play more with the timing of the second pour. When first making pillars, I was only waiting until there was a little bit of a thick skin on top. With the mottled ones in the pictures, I was waiting until I could get the relief holes almost all the way down to the bottom of the candle with very little buildup on the skewer. The purple one had completely caved in at one of the holes and I could see a tunnel between that hole and two others, lol, before I filled it in. Is it just the timing of the repour and not the temp? Thanks, OldGlory, for the boost! The pillars in the pics actually used up the last of my 4144 wax, so I'll be starting on 1343 since that was the other pillar wax I chose when I bought my first supplies. I'll see how mottling goes with it, but if I get frustrated or burned out on the testing for a minute I may just give rustics a go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernie1 Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Nice Pillars! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I used to use metal tape with a wick pin to seal my molds but tried the jiffy system because I wasn't digging the wick pins. I never thought to just seal the mold and then poke the wick hole later. Oh, definitely wick the mold. The metal tape can seal the hole and hold onto the wick. There are all different little holders and/or centering tools you can use at the other end. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragunov Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I can't speak to the wax much other than to say we have good luck with 1274 but at 4% fragrance. Mottled pillars smell stronger anyway because the small fractures allow the fragrance to keep migrating to the surface (Which means they MUST go on a dish or something because fragrance will attack wood, plastic etc.) We also pre-heat the molds a bit and pour closer to 180F - 190F but no covering afterwards. Another thing we messed with was polishing the inside of the mold. This changes the number of nucleation sights from which the crystals start to form. A mirror finish gave hyper mottling! I even had one anodized and that created some interesting effects. It is also important to not disturb them while cooling. That too messes with the crystal growth. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixFyre Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 Oh, definitely wick the mold. The metal tape can seal the hole and hold onto the wick. There are all different little holders and/or centering tools you can use at the other end. Oh, duh. I knew that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixFyre Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 Thanks for the extra advice, Dragunov. Definitely some interesting tidbits, all of which I will try out and experiment with! Polishing the inside of the mold...never would have thought of that. You all are awesome for sharing your knowledge. Thanks for taking time to help me and share what works for you. Definitely an exciting craft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Go to Peaks & get yourself some 1274 and you'll get a perfect mottle every time with 3-4% FO load. I agree with Dragunov; heat the mold slightly before pouring, pour at 180-185*, cover with a box or wrap with towels so that the candles cool slowly........this will test your patience but you won't be sorry.....pinky promise. BTW: you can also make beautiful rustics with 1274 :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixFyre Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 Thanks for the extra advice, Pam! I'm making notes of everything everyone has suggested and comparing it all with my tests. 1274 is on my list of waxes to try out next. Here's another I did yesterday. Just opened my slab of 1343, so this is my first time working with it. Mottle was more successful this time around. The teeny tiny scientist in me is wondering if there is a way to ensure the mottle will bloom more on the surface of the wax instead in the middle. Something more to think about... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Looks great Phoenix! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Those came out nice !!Are you using the 3 X 4-1/2" round molds? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyR83 Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Looks great! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixFyre Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Those came out nice !!Are you using the 3 X 4-1/2" round molds? Sure am! It's the only mold I have right now that allows me to melt a pound of wax so I can use up these 1 oz sample fragrances I have and not end up with too much left over wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixFyre Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Thank you, JudyR and OldGlory! It is absolutely the best fun unmolding these things to see what comes out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garf Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 I always pour a solid candle and when cooled I drill the candle to install the wick. Sometimes I need to do a mini repour to clean up the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Thank you, JudyR and OldGlory! It is absolutely the best fun unmolding these things to see what comes out!Unmolding mottles, rustics, layered and marbled all give me that rush of anticipation and excitement. No matter what you think is going to come out of that mold, you just never know for sure. Some candles that I thought came out uglier than H$LL were the first ones to be grabbed up by my friends...the eye of the beholder, ya know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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