birdcharm

"If that's what you feel you have to do" -- there's your answer and that's exactly what I would do. If you have your tracking number, I would call UPS (if they are handling it) and see if I could make a request to not have the package delivered so they return it to the shipper. Although the store credit may be seen as a nice gesture, it doesn't really do anything for you and it doesn't make them have to think about what they did.

It appears you weren't doing anything so wrong after all! Great! A little bit of heat gun can go a long way!!

I use this same wax, but haven't had much roughness of surface, except perhaps on a few in which I used a heat gun and it was only around the edges for the most part that got a little coarse-looking, although it was nothing unacceptable. If I have had any pits show up, I've gone over them lightly with a heat gun and have smoothed them out. What temperature are you heating your wax to before cooling it down to 140? I was pouring at 125dF, but I find that I get a more smooth, glossy top at 140-150.

Hi & Welcome I'm sure you'll enjoy it here!

That's not right -- did they ship UPS or FedEx? I think I would call them and tell them to intercept the shipment and have it returned to them. What do they think you're going to do with jars without lids? I've ordered from Sunburst Bottle, Midwest Bottles and E.D. Luce before, all with good service -- they might have your lids ...?

For personal use around the house, I use Polysorbate 20 & scented oil (50/50) and distilled water. I've never tried any of the bases, I might be missing something!

It will be interesting for you to compare your various Orange Dreamsicles -- I bet they will all be different! I wanted to do Apple Pie candles this past fall -- maybe this year I can focus on apple scents a little more. I'm going to head to my scent bottles later today and see what I have going for orange and see about pouring one. I've been so busy lately, I can hardly get to my candles -- we had guests and I made them a candle, while almost all of my candle stash has been used up!

I think Trappeur has me wanting to do some Orange Dreamsicle, lol!

I agree -- no such thing as a 100% natural candle, imo -- even soy has its issues. Is the pre-waxed wick is a soy coating? I know that some are, but some are also dipped in paraffin wax, so you just have to check that out. If you don't want any metal in your candle, you'd have to bury the wick in rocks or something so it stays secured to the bottom of the container. In any event, as Trappeur has noted, (unless you come up with some other way), you can't cut off the wick base and have a working candle -- that metal base secures and centers the wick, as well as extinguishes the candle when it approaches the bottom; a much needed little piece of equipment.

Just as a note to this thread, here are the suggested pouring temperatures for a few different soy waxes ... GW415 - 90-100°F GW464 - 125-145°F GW444 - 125-145°F C-3 - 120-165°F There was a question about what happens if you let the wax get too hot on the melting pot. I did have a small batch get into the 190°F range once (shame on me for fiddling with my scents!); I allowed it to cool in the pot, added scent at around 170°F, continued to cool to just below 150°F and it was fine (GW464).

In the case of the C-3, it was mentioned that the wax was only allowed to cool to 180dF, which I think is most likely way too hot. It's hard when you're new at doing something and then find yourself working with new equipment, etc. as well, so it can be easy to make mistakes sometimes.

Although I haven't had the opportunity to use C-3 wax yet, I have collected some notes about it. I just now referred to them and it says that the pouring temperature for this wax is 120-165dF. I think your wax was too hot. Your indoor temps seem to be fine, my house runs much cooler, esp. in the winter ... well, maybe not this winter ... very weird February weather.

I think I know what you're asking me, but I'm not exactly sure, so my apologies in advance if I don't answer correctly. If you put a layer of paraffin at the bottom of a soy candle, the wick isn't going to care if it's soy or paraffin -- it's wax, and it's going to be fuel for the candle, so it would most likely continue to burn down to the sleeve of the wick tab. If you want to make a design that extinguishes the wick above the wick tab (i.e., near bottom of container), you can use other mediums besides soy wax, paraffin, etc., such as a variety of sands/gravels or marbles/glass, or baking soda -- I call it a "false bottom," but I don't really know what it's called -- maybe "decorative bottom layer" ...? I've used this technique with gel candles quite a bit, or with a mixture of gel and paraffin. I've never done it with a soy candle, as I've said, but it wouldn't be hard to do and it would put the candle out when the flame reaches the bottom layer of non-flammable ingredient other than wax. There are different methods to use when you're using candle gel, but if you're not using gel, you just do it a little differently. The wick usually still gets mounted to the bottom of the glass as it's most secure that way; from there, you gently spoon in some baking soda (for instance) into the bottom of the glass (you can add some glitters too), making sure you don't "powder" the sides of the glass with baking soda; then you seal it off with a layer of wax. In the case of soy, you'd want to seal it with a thin layer of wax to keep it in place and allow that to cool. I would use paraffin for that simply because it has a higher melt point so it wouldn't melt when the candle is poured, keeping the bottom layer isolated. When the candle burns down, it will continue to do so until it reaches the baking soda, then it will go out.

I think when you say "plain wax," you're referring to paraffin wax ... that is fuel for a candle. I mentioned about how gel candles can sometimes have sand, etc. as a bottom layer decoration -- another thing some crafters use for this is baking soda. The only thing, similar with sand, is that you have to "partition" the bottom layer off from the rest of the candle with a layer of wax if you don't want it to drift. I haven't tried this with a soy candle, but I can't say it can't be done.

I think a relief hole near each of the wicks would probably be best. Yes, poke the holes down through the entire candle. The coating on the wick is wax that has primed the fibers, it doesn't all melt off as far as I know, as it's already penetrated the fibers of the wick, so I wouldn't worry.

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through so much trouble, but, it's all lessons along the way. Due to various conditions, such as temperatures of glass, pouring temp of wax, etc., sink holes can be a common thing sometimes. Now that you've added more wax and have a similar problem, I do not feel it could be the scent, but I didn't think that in the first place.

I think the same advice given regarding a relief hole could be used along with heating the candle with your heat gun, I wouldn't use a blowtorch for this one ... too many wicks.

That's a good question ... I think "yes" for the most part, as I've seen air bubbles float to the top when using a heat gun. And, with gel candles, certainly, applied heat raises your air pockets to the surface, which you can see happening since the wax is clear.

They really don't look that bad ... maybe just try what has been offered ... warm them a bit, poke relief holes, do a repour. As Jcandleattic has pointed out, there is no floating oil present, it's just air pockets and sink holes, which is not such an uncommon thing really under certain conditions.

I'm forgetting which wax you mentioned you were using ... was it C3? From my notes, 6% is at the high end of what it's supposed to hold, so you would be over that; but I think it's only about a third+ ounce per candle over, so I don't think all is lost. If you weren't going to put lids on these or give them to anyone, there is still some room at the top ... I think I'd try warming them just a bit ... maybe in the oven set at 125dF (? ... what do others think here??) and then pour some unscented wax to top them up. On another note ... I never throw out candle wax! There is always something you can do with it ... it's like fudge, lol, (I make a lot of "failed fudge brownies!")

For some reason, I have had trouble with jars that narrow at the top, so I try to stay away from them if possible since I can never seem to get them to perform the way I'd like. The photo of the CD4 seems to be going well though! OT ~ so I tell my husband I read that twisting the CD wicks might help with the lean ( I've tested a couple of candles with them, not overly thrilled ) ... he asks me, "what's CD stand for?" ... hmmm, okay, I haven't a clue! So I tell him "common denominator" or "compact disc" ... can you believe he said that he "knows when he's being BS'd" ?? The nerve!

I think I've always been afraid that the orange dreamsicles are going to smell like those marshmallowy orange candies (can't think of the name of them) ... so I've stayed away from it. The best sweet orange scent I've ever had came from Alabaster (now Community), but they discontinued it years ago! It was called Orangelade ... maybe I can find another one some day. I agree that if you can find an orange you really like, to try mixing it. Besides a touch of vanilla, I would think that a real sweet Creme Brulee might also be part of the trick. Now I'd like an Orange Julius (a west coast specialty I believe ... don't like there anymore!)

Sorry ... that word was supposed to be *advice* ... anyway, what I wanted to add is that I've made oversized candles before with "false bottoms" using either colored sand and/or gravel in large glass containers ... it comes out looking rather interesting in glass.

About those pails ... great advise given here regarding the wicking. I've got a thought though, which may be a good idea, or may not be, but I'm going to share it anyway. I think the reason I'm thinking this has to do with my history of making gel candles, such as seascapes using sand in the bottom, or also using colored sand. Anyway, I think I'd fill the bottom third of the pail with sand, then pour the candle into the top. I say this for a few reasons, one of them having to do with how the metal pail might perform when the multiple wicks reach the narrower part of the pail ... as Trappeur said, it's going to get very hot (those handles may get hot too). If you pour sand in the bottom, you could use a hard wax (paraffin) onto the sand (the sand would absorb some of the wax), pouring just above the top of the sand and allow it to harden; then pour your soy -- in this way the sand will not migrate into the soy, it will have a sturdy, heavy bottom, and the candle will go out at about a few inches from the bottom of the candle. Like I said, it may sound like a kooky idea, but it might also be a good one, I'm not sure.

What a great post. I was busy with preparing for guests when it was posted, so I couldn't read it in detail and just now happened upon it to read it better. So true, so true!!!