Karen B

If you are talking about those scented wax things they can really only be commercially made. It looks like it's made the same way as a lot of additives, dropped onto a plate. That is why it's flat on one side and rounded on the other. Karen B

Hey Donita when you get this problem figured out could you share the answer with me. It would make my heart shaped pillars so much easier to wick and burn. K

Just Scents.

For what every reason my brain can't picture this but I am thinking asbufra is right and it sounds like pigment. It is usually used in a part of the candle that is not really meant to be burned. (outer shell of a cut & carve candle things like that) It was probably nice practice at melting a real candle just don't judge wicks with this wax it probably won't burn right. Now you should be ready for a real candle when you get some of your own stuff. Karen B

I thought you had to stick your tongue out a certain way while pouring. Oh and make sure the check which way the wind is blowing before starting. J/K, even after all these years I still sometimes have to go well what happened there? Karen B

What kind of candle was it? (pillar, votive container) I know from my experience Translucent crystals will also make the wax look cloudy when it is melted. (hmm, something that is supposed to help the wax stay more translucent makes the wax opaque looking when melted, yep that makes a whole lotta sense.) Karen B

Cybersix since they don't have wick holes why don't you just stick a rod threw the top/bottom. Then once the candle is set you can pull the rod out and stick a wick in it. You can do one last little pour on the bottom to make sure the wick won't be pulled out. Let me know how they work out, those look really cool. Karen B

I use GG and would recommend poking relief holes. Every GG candle I've made when I check back in an hour the top has gone solid and right there under the surface is a lovely little air pocket waiting for me to release it. IMHO it is the nature of palm wax, the way it crystallizes is prone to trapping air. Karen B

A ha, thanks for that link Donita. That explains a whole lot. I know with my heart candles I under wick them because I haven't been able to find a way to change the laws of physics and make my melt pool into a heart shape. If left alone and no coaching is done the walls will start to bend into the flame. But that link made things more clear to me, hmmm I see an experiment in the near future. edited to add **I'm not old enough to remember the 60's. (lol) Karen B

Hey Pam I don't know if this phrase works for posting but great minds think a like. Karen B

OK I knew what everyone was talking about and I finally found it. http://www.abcandle.com/candles.htm I believe they call them blooming candles. After spending years getting my candles to burn as perfectly as possible, who knew letting a candle bulge and split could look so nice. (that is supposed to be a compliment) Karen B

Those are just like hurricanes, JMHO but I would prefer to keep that outer shell as a hurricane and not risk the embeds possibly catching on fire. CT (to the left here) should have instructions on how to make hurricanes, if not check about.com. Karen B

Are you looking for your own personal testing? Go to Walmart in the floral section or to Michaels and use the 40% off coupon. They are tea light burners but will do the job. Karen B

I use Candle Science wicks (CSN's) for my palms. They act like lx wicks so they do bend, but burn better in palm waxes. You may also want to try CDN's. I've tried most other and wasn't happy, but not CDN's. (I settled for CSN's) Karen B

I love that video of you carving Bruce. I would love to see the whole thing in real time. I must say I can't figure out how the mushroom was done from drippings. (my eye's don't see it, even upside down) Anyway one question I hope you don't mind me asking. I went snooping hoping to find one other video of you at work. Was that you geode cracking? (I think it was cool, but when my brain actually works I lean toward the geeky side) I hope you didn't mind,] Karen B

No but it did make me feel better. Karen B

If you don't want to up the stearic you could try Transparent crystals. They are a bugger to work with and honestly they really don't help with the wicking, they only give you a harder shell. Finding the right wick is a *B* with pillars. BTW you mentioned LX wicks, did you watch it very closely. When the flame "grew" it may have been self trimming. (Warning dork alert) If you really watch the LX wicks in action they curl into the flame, the flame grows and then the tip falls down into the mp. Oh lord just lie to me and tell me I am not the only one who sits around "watching" my candles burn. You have the up side of it trimming for people who just refuse to use common sense but the down side is a dirty mp and the worry that it might catch on fire. (this post didn't help did it?):smiley2: Karen B

Let me see if I can explain this to you. Every supplier has a different tone of red, some may be more of a magenta, others a little more orange red. You can take the fact that burgundy is made from red, green and blue. (I believe that was the colors on photo shop) But if you have a darker green you may need to hold back on the blue. Some people here mix red with brown, while others mix red with black and they all get a nice shade of burgundy. My colors come from different suppliers, it has taken me time and experience to figure out how to mix my burgundy just right. I suggest you buy a color wheel to give you an idea and take it from there. That is what SatinDucky is trying to say. Many of us have "googled" for this info and no one out there has spent the kind of time and money it would take to mix every different manufacturers dyes and tell you exactly what you need for colors. If they did they wouldn't give it away for free. Next time you may want to think twice before mouthing off to a more experienced chandler. Karen B Edited because I had cmyk in my head and typed cyan instead of magenta.

Seems to me you just don't want to listen to good advice. Karen B

Paraffin is just a different medium to work with. I like straight paraffin for it's versatility and the total control I have just by using different additives. I don't know if I'd say it has a "better scent throw than soy" I feel that statement is putting down soy, I'd say it's "easier to get a good scent throw from paraffin". With soy there can be a lot more testing involved with finding the right FO's. Coloring with paraffin is easier, it is much easier to get nice bright colors, but soy gives you such nice pastel colors. Even paraffin will have sink holes. (I use straight so that is a given) but I'm overly causious about air pockets. No matter what wax I use I do a 2nd pour to hunt down any air pockets. Better I find them than a customer when they are burning one of my candles. I hope I make sense since I haven't had my coffee yet, Karen B

I swear I think I called them about jar pricing and he wasn't selling containers anymore. Very nice person on the phone but it just sounded like he wasn't stocking containers anymore. Karen B

:laugh2: candlemaker74, If you want to make candles you really need to just do it. Research the companies in your area and get different samples of different waxes. Play around and see what you like. Then play around with different wicks, see what you like. (FO's are never ending you will always be testing them) Then if you say you use XYZ for your coloring and you want more of a hunter green we can help. But, you need to actually pour a candle 1st. Yes my house if filled with tons of different test candles even after all these years, but I make candles because I love candles not because I'm going to retire in a few years a millionaire. Karen B

If you do a search in here for "Beeswax" you'll get a better idea of different % people use. hth, Karen B

It can also just ruin the scent. I tested CC's Sultry Angel at 1oz per lb (even though supplier said way less) I just didn't like the scent. I went down to what she suggested with this FO and it was just a much nicer smelling scent. It wasn't any "lighter" just better. Test, test, test. This is a very expensive hobby. Karen B