birdcharm

Specifically, what wax (brand and type) are you using? I find it's best to go to the manufacturer's website to find out the appropriate fragrance loads, as some suppliers may sometimes create their own recommendations of how much should be used. The manufacturer is going to give exact guidelines to follow in accordance to that particular wax. You've used just over 6% in your candle if you've used a half-ounce of scent in your 8 oz. jar. If your wax allows for more fragrance oil to be used, you may be able to use more after doing the math. (My most not-enjoyed part of candlemaking!) As I'm typing, I see Trappeur has replied, so perhaps she has some good advice for you!

Any luck with these? Have you thought of making a gel candle "whiskey"? I've poured a few before as gifts, as well as some "on the rocks" types and they almost looked real.

I'd love to make some creams like that! A little off-topic, but when I looked for the tubes (I knew I'd seen them before since I've looked before), I saw this article about Blistex being sued because ... Full Article

For your next batch, try it at 7-9% and see how it goes. As mentioned by others, make sure to heat it to around 180 and allow it to cool to at least 150 before pouring. From "Candle Science" - GW464 Melt Point 115-119°F Max Fragrance 12% or 2oz./lb. Pour temp 135°F (+/- 5°) They're also wrong about the pouring temp just a bit too if this reference from AAK is correct ... GW464: Pour Temp: 125-145 I Melt Point: 115-120 I FO Load: 7%-9% AAK techinical data for Golden Wax

There is a manual tool you can buy, which I believe that the same company sells. Although, I think you can use a regular hand tool ... see here: crimping pics

Just so you know, the fragrance load for GW 464 is 7-9% ... you're a little high on the scent amount. I'm not sure if it's part of the problem, but it could possibly be a contributor. Also, I'm assuming that your oven is not on when you place them in there to keep them away from A/C vents.

Are you looking for something like this? ... plastic ointment tubes I'm pretty sure they can be manually folded and crimped at the bottom. I think I have a page I can look up if you're interested in how to seal them.

So much of this stuff is variable, I guess that's why we all end up experimenting with each new thing we do. It must be that for your wax, the amount of vybar you're using is working well. One day, I'd love to focus on pillar candles. I did try to see if I could find out a little more information, however, because I need to order some 260. Here's one thing I found, and I see that each one has a different usage recommendation, which I haven't noticed on supplier websites. ~~~ Our VYBAR™ 103 polymer is used typically in paraffin-wax candles with melt points greater than or equal to 136 deg. F [58 deg. C]. This polymer is a common component of columns, pillars, tapers, free-standing, decorative, and votive candles. Addition rates range from 0.25 wt. percent to 1.0 wt. percent in these applications. Our VYBAR 260 polymer is used typically in paraffin-wax candles with melt points less than 136 deg. F [58 deg C]. This polymer is a common component of container, tart, and votive candles. Recommended addition rates for this polymer range from 0.25 wt. percent for candle formulations requiring no fragrance up to 2.0 wt. percent for high fragrance-load candle formulations. source

What is the melt point of your wax? That will tell you which Vybar product to use. If you use vybar, you may not require the stearic ... I think that may be the way that goes, but it's probably dependent on the wax used. Anyway, too much vybar overly binds the wax to the oil and that may be what those clumps were. A very small amount is supposed to do the trick in helping the fragrance throw.

The notes I have on this say to use 1/4-1/2 teaspoon per pound of vybar ... so, with the example in this thread, I think 1 t. per lb. is too much vybar. Also from my notes ... Vybar-103 "is intended for waxes with a melt point above 130dF. and Vybar-260 for below 130dF."

This is SFIC soap base ... includes ... Coconut Oil, RSPO Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerine (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol (made with Vegetable Glycerine), Sorbitan oleate, Oat protein, Titanium Dioxide, I think your idea of using some melted M/P to attach the decoration sounds like something worth trying ... thank you!

In reading this post, it seems that some of people asking this question might be concerned about the quality of the e/o, while some may be looking to actually sell their own brand of e/o to you ... it's probably hard to tell why they are asking, so I think I would ask them. From a selling standpoint, if you look at that question as a "buying question" of some sort, then you can see if they are actually interested to purchase, being nosy, or viewing you as a prospective customer. "Where do you get your e/o's?" "Why do you ask?" If it is a quality concern, you can assure them that this is also very important to you so you purchase only high-quality oils, but due reasons (as others mentioned), are unable to disclose the sources. Then you can move on to ask them which essential oil is their favorite or get into some other selling mode, i.e., "for instance, this one (hand it to them) is a mix of a couple of different oils, don't you just love the way that smells?"

LOL on the cartoon, made me laugh when I saw that ... Some great tips here, I'll have to try new methods myself, I usually just use a sharp pointed knife.

It's true that many candles aren't going to be flawless ... and some "flaws" are simply part of the candle. I have used GW415, 444, and 464, but I've never used C3. When I make candles that do not develop any air pockets between the glass and the wax, I'm very happy. However, I've yet to exactly figure out what really makes the difference, as it could be a variety of things. The only thing I can offer is this tip, which sometimes works and other times causes more problems and you're better off with the wet spot. I have done it successfully, however, so you can see if it works for you. I lightly use a heat gun on the wet spot, which I'm pretty sure some others do also now and then. If it's a big one, you'll see the air pocket rise to the top of the candle, which messes up the surface. I do a light (shallow) repour and cross my fingers that the spot will not turn up again when the candle cools -- if it does, then that candle must "supposed to have one" I guess!!

I just looked at two of my candles that I haven't burned for awhile (the weather has been too hot for me to consider!) ... they are GW464, and yes, they both resemble your top photo ... a little "crusty" looking.

Beyond not having a nice open melt pool once the candle burns down a bit, there is also the issue to access of the wick for trimming, which can be a little tricky; and, there is the dirty glass issue as the candle burns lower. I like tall glassware myself, especially for gel candles, but I always do a "false bottom" in them with sand art, gravel, marbles, shells, etc. and start the actual candle part about 2/3rd's of the way up. When the candle is finished burning, the decorative container can be used for votives, etc.

I'm not personally familiar with Premier wicks (i.e., have never used them), so I had to look these up -- now, from the chart that I found, it would appear that those should work, so maybe the recommendations are off a bit. How are you supposed to be able to guess at the sizing when a chart shows about eight different sizes for the same candle type & diameter? Chart page

Since coconut oil (also if it's virgin or extra-virgin, you may wish to describe) -- is not exactly the same as fractionated coconut oil, I think you would place it on the label.

Thank you, I was hoping it would work out!

That goes for many of the over-priced (imo) designer products, I'm not quite sure why people pay so much money for mass-produced designer products, when much of the time, if they can find it from an artisan, it would be of higher quality for less money.

I read that the Slatkins decided to have scents created for them that were formulated more like perfume than traditional candle scents, with "sophisticated top, middle and base notes." My guess is that part of it has to do with the composition of the fragrances. In an article I was reading (not about the Slatkins or Nest), it said that for candle scents to have good throw, they require a strong top and middle note.

With all the recent news about Monsanto I've been reading, I think I've pretty much come to the conclusion that unless I make beeswax or coconut wax candles, I'm going to turn back to my gel candles I so loved to make; a reduced usage of straight soy; and also get back to using more paraffin. The stories I've been seeing about some of this year's soy crops aren't too good.

I agree that our soybean production is a serious issue in regard to the chemicals that are being used. Yet, I disagree that it could be considered an equal in regard to the palm industry. Beyond the devastation, the peat fires alone have caused environmental damage that reaches the entire globe. The environmental and global impact from what is happening in Indonesia, by far, imo, is worse than soybean production.

Even if the recipe was to be shared, which it won't be, there would be no point to try to decipher it. It's like perfume -- the maker isn't going to share the ingredients and even if they did, what would it really tell you? In most cases, it would simply cause confusion. My advice to you is to make unscented candles and then you are only dealing with the wax, the container, the wick, and perhaps some colorant -- but then again, you don't know what is in the colorant, so maybe that should be left out. As for the wax and any toxins it may hold, you might wish to go with beeswax or coconut wax in order to minimize those types of things.

That's funny also because each of us shared a little something different, but also many similar thoughts, so there was a "built in" second opinion.