Jeanoroid

I guess buying up three lbs of raw unfiltered beeswax from cappings was my limit as that source just informed me they were out until next month.

I have trade shows before then though.
Anyone have a recommendation for another source?

oops pardon the sideways-ness.

Just threw caution to the wind w the batch of farm fresh beeswax I received today. Poured a quickee test in one of the larger molds - no layers it came out perfect.

I guess it was just the beeswax itself.

This stuff smells much stronger/richer than the HL brand.

Not even a hint of sticking to the mold.

If I can make it work twice I think all is golden!

I haven't filtered Beeswax. Ordered some fresh beeswax to see if that is the issue.

I spoke to a person who I buy molded beeswax candles from and they said they never have the problems I've described and they pour at around 175 and they never use a release other than occasional shea butter.

The main difference is that they are making candles approximately a quarter the size I've attempted.

Whenever I did a test in a small mold I never had and issue - but when I pour the full sized mold it takes sometimes over 13 hours to set.
I'm wondering if maybe I'd better doing the pours in increments - allowing layers to cool more quickly.
Any thoughts?

Oh and the particles don't melt under heat. 

This is probably out of the ball park, but that looks like frosting like what we all get in jars.......

Trappeur

I wondered that as well..

I use the aerosol spray. In the shop now - the current one is actually not from Peak , but the last one was Peak and both work equally well. I hold the mold and can as far away from my face as possible, hold my breath, then Spray away from myself in 3 short bursts.

 

Can't say I have ever noticed any white particles left behind in a mold like you see.. Sometimes the urethane ones hold on to little bits of wax, but not if they are well-sprayed before hand.

 

What kind of mold material are you using? If you gently heat the mold with a heat gun (not so hot to melt the mold, but just the wax) do those bits melt? If it is just stck wax you may be able to use scrap wax to pour a few sacrifice pieces to get them off. Sometimes I submerge my sticky urethane in hot water to melt excess wax off. I really prefer the OOMOO or MoldMax silicones though.

I use Mold max 30 pretty much exclusively because you generally don't need to vac bubbles. I also do resin repros and OOMOO just falls apart after one or two uses.

I went back and poured a few paraffin candles without this issue but I want to try beeswax again this coming weekend and I will try these recommendations.

I recently saw a person on Etsy doing essentially the same thing I'm attempting (monster molds / beeswax) but they are getting beautiful results so I know there's a way!

Thanks Tayl,

Do you order the Peak product or is that available in craft shops?

How thin/thick are you laying the release on?

There are remnants / whitish particles remaining in the mold after pulling it out as well. Not sure if they are the same as what is seen on these seems..

Mold released well. Still having issues with the crusty spots.. D'oh!

Thanks guys. Seems my beeswax is too hot when it melts so I let cool to around 150. Sticking problem seems to be resolved with the release evened out but I'm still getting the pesky white spots. The residue is gritty for whatever that's worth.

Ruined a second mold figuring this out and now I'm repairing my original sculpt (ugh).

I have a bunch of ruined beeswax with that residue and bits of silicone and I only have parafin wax left for trials. I'll post some pics tonight..

Thank you TallTayl,

Are you saying the lower temp resolve the white flakey stuff or is that more helpful in regard to it sticking to the mold?

Thank you to the forum for allowing me to join..
And thanks in advance for any help provided via fellow forum members.
 

This is a large (apprx 1lb) white beeswax candle  (w only small amount of green dye) set in silicone mold (Moldstar 15).

The first few attempts all came out with the white crusties (is this typical mottling?) and a few minor bubbles.

Poured at about 180 degrees. No release.

The candle pulled from the mold pretty easily.

In attempting to get rid of the white stuff I added some Vybar and poured a little hotter.

Let sit for about 18 hours in ac'd kitchen

The candle would not even start to come out of the mold and the mold was subsequently ruined.

I made a new mold then used release (Mann 200) and repoured at around 165 degrees.

Sat in 75 degree area then some time in fridge.

The latest candle pour candle is now stuck again.

Called Smoothon and they offered that I should preheat (in oven) the mold to equal temp of the melted wax.

To avoid the "white crusties", bubbles and sticking to the mold what else should be doing? Rather, what am I doing wrong here?