bktolbert

Tbh, I use 16oz straight-sided jars from Fillmore: https://www.fillmorecontainer.com/a16-11c-case12ct-12-oz.html I've used the 8oz (too small) and 9oz straight-sided jar early on. I believe they have the same mouth opening, so the wick wouldn't change. My most helpful hint when I was testing out wicks in the beginning was to make a wickless candle. Take a toothpick or a skewer and make a hole for a wick. Put in the wick and let it burn. Pull it out if it didn't reach full melt pool within 3 hours, let the wax harden, and repeat with a bigger wick. You can apply the same logic to go down wicks too.

You have the right mindset: test. But asking for advice or other people's experience doesn't hurt. I do think slight black soot is inevitable no mater what, at least near the end. I love CD wicks. People say they burn too hot, but I've found them to be superior to LXs and HTPs. (I can't speak for ECOs.) If CD 8 doesn't work, re-test with 12. From my testing, CD 10 will burn hotter and a bigger melt pool than 12. I don't know why... All said, I do use straight sided jars, but I doubt it'll make a major difference.

Tbh, I think I need to stick with full water too. At least until I get some more practice. Do you spray the tops with alcohol, which I think I've read somewhere to prevent... something (soda ash?) That's a great tip! I'll be looking for those boards. Also, thank you for the recipe!

Hi all, Thanks to your helpful advice, I've successfully made soap I'm proud of! I've ditched the hot process method for cold process oven process (CPOP for short, I believe.) However, I'm still somewhat confused about the proper way to do things. I've seen people pre-heat their oven to 175F, turn it off, then leave the soap in overnight or until the oven is cooled. I've seen others keep the soap at 175 until they visibly see the soap transition through the gel stage. I know it's probably preference, but which way do you do it and why? Also, I've had some soaps volcano in the oven and others that haven't. I have been playing around with formulations, so I don't know if it's a specific ingredient causing this to happen or if it's because I allow the lye solution to cool completely for some and not others. Wondering what may be the culprit... Thanks again for all the help so far (esp. Sponiebr).

Don't have soy oil (have lots of wax lol), but I'll be on the lookout! I have rice bran oil though, hmm... Yogurt is also a good idea, and I could see how that would help. 4th time is the charm, I guess? This is the texture I was aiming for. I know it passed the "mashed potato" phase, but I'm uneasy about knowing if it went into the Vaseline phase... the soap wasn't too translucent when I molded it, but I was afraid it'd dry out if I left it much longer. Will get some phenolphthalein tests to put my mind at ease. (Soap did pass the zap test lol.)

It is my own monstrosity. I'm trying to make it vegan without coconut or palm oil. Third attempt attached. It was going SO well until the very end. I think I let it cook maybe 5 minutes too long. I used this new recipe. (I ran out of mango butter.) 70% olive oil 20% safflower oil 8.75% shea butter 1.25% sodium lactate I will be trying this recipe before giving up for today 50% olive oil 33.75% safflower oil 15% shea butter 1.25% sodium lactate... I think I added .25% more b/c I read it might help with keeping things fluid Fingers crossed

Thank you for the explanation. I'm currently trying a formula with a way lower mango butter concentration, and it's cooking a lot more reasonably. I have pH strips but didn't think of phenolphthalein. Thanks again! Am also learning about "superfats," so that may also help! Yes, there are a lot of stages. The online tutorials make so much soap at one time, it's hard to compare what my 1 bar of soap looks like to their huge crock pots lol. Have been using soapcalc and Bramble Berry's to double-check. Intent on making this work... different beast than candles for sure.

This is my second attempt at making soap, and I've run into a similar issue. I'm trying to make hot process soap, and I doubt when the soap is "done" to the point it's dried out so much that I can't cleanly fit it in the mold. Wondering what I'm doing wrong/how I can improve? (How do you know when your soap is "done?") Here's my recipe: 55% mango butter 32% olive oil 13.48% safflower oil 2.5% rosehip seed oil 1.25% sodium lactate

I'm not quite sure what would be moving around/settling inside a melt or candle to make it throw better after 3 mo. if it remains completely solid. But if it worked for you, keep at it! Just stinks that it's so long. Any reason behind your recommendation against adding FO at low temps? As long as the wax is liquid, it should blend just fine. Additionally, you are minimizing the burn off of volatile scents (albeit it might be negligible, but you're lowering the risk of evaporation). My wax doesn't start hardening until 90F. At 100-120F, it's completely liquid.

https://www.theflamingcandle.com/candle-wicks/cd-wicks/cd-wick-sample-pack/ I also really like CD wicks.

I can't accurately measure 1% USA for a 7oz candle. But once I have 1% measured, I can just use a different scale. I will check out jeweler scales. Ty!

I use AAK 415. It is just plain soy wax: https://www.fillmorecontainer.com/aaks-golden-wax-415-100-soy-formerly-golden-brands.html I am also of the belief that adding fragrance to wax at high temps (150F+) burns off volatile scents, so I add my fo 100-120F. Other people may have luck with higher temps, but this is what works for me. You may want to try doing everything (adding fo, pouring, etc.) as cool as you comfortably can to see if that changes anything. Best of luck!

Does anyone have recommendations for a scale that actually measures .01oz? I currently have this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0113UZJE2/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 But it doesn't start weighing until .07oz, and even that is a 50/50 shot.

There are lots of people who believe in cure times, and lots of people who don't. Personally, I cure for 3 days, but I'm 99.9% certain there's no chemical reactions taking place after the candle completely hardens (~24 hours). As others have recommended, try a wax with paraffin. It should be a sure way to get a throw.

At this moment, I can't justify paraffin when there are more sustainable alternatives for the environment. I've not seen a ton of soot in either all-soy or coconut-blended, but my candles without coconut oil have noticeably less carbon buildup. You might get a faster throw with coconut oil because of its low melting point, but I don't think it throws better. I actually haven't tested the speed. I usually just test ~1, 2, and 3 hour. Interesting idea! I just wanted to put it out there for new folks that a regular soy candle isn't inferior to a soy candle with coconut oil in terms of smell.

I understand. Maybe I can test between shea and kokum butter. I believe kokum is harder -- trying to avoid cocoa butter because of high comedogenicity and am unaware of any other butters. https://lotioncrafter.com/products/sunflower-oil-high-oleic Think I could forgo sunflower and grapeseed and just use hemp? I want a good ol' basic white bar soap (eventually to sell in a vegan line of CBD products). I'm purposefully avoiding coconut oil because it's not agreeable with my skin. Ah. I don't know why I forgot about CBD being washed off I ordered sodium lactate but thought I might make a batch without to see if it's a necessary item. What % would you recommend to use?

I'm planning on making my first hot process soap, and I'm wondering if there's any majorly wrong with this formula? 25% Mango butter 30% Shea butter 20% Moringa oil 10% Sunflower oil 5% Grapeseed oil 5% CBD (50mg in hemp oil) 2.5% Meadowfoam seed oil 2.5% Castor oil 2% (of total) Tea tree extract - antibacterial, anti-fungal .98% (of total) White kaolin clay - colorant .02% (of total) Rosemary leaf extract - antioxidant/preservative

Based on the internet, I thought coconut oil would improve the throw of my soy candles. However, after testing and testing (and testing), my conclusions are any soy candle with more than 20% coconut oil is simply too mushy and takes forever to "dry" coconut oil does not noticeably improve the throw In fact, I prefer the scents of my all-soy candles to candles with coconut oil. Nonetheless, I will continue to use a small percentage of coconut oil <5% in my candles because it does improve the appearance of tops (makes the hard glaze look of soy smoother/creamier). So, if you're new to candle making like me and are thinking coconut oil is a miracle cure to poor scent throw... don't let your high expectations disappoint you. Some fragrances just aren't meant for soy.

http://calcandlesupply.com/8-oz-matte-finished-tin-containers-w-lids/

+1 Salty Sea Air (esp if you like the beach/sea scent) Wasn't so much of a fan of maple and brown sugar

Thank you!! I just got a LX sample pack form CS and will try 20-24.

Wondering if anyone knows/has tested what the equivalent of CD-12 (to CD-14) is? I mostly use CD-12 for my 3.25 inch containers, and it works well in most fos (close edge-to-edge melt pool after 3 hours). However, there are a few that tunnel. CD-14 resolves the tunneling issue, but I'm afraid it burns too hot (the container temps at >140F), and so I'm not comfortable using them. I would like to test the LX series but was looking for a ballpark estimate as a starting point. Thanks!

Realistically, if you're making candles for others, you only have to wick for them not for perfection. I figure if you have a candle that (1) smells nice and (2) melts most of the wax, you have a candle good enough for most folks. (And obviously, safety is number 1. Don't use a wick that will break the container or burn someone's hand.) I'm actually matching my fo to fit my 3 wicks and container not the other way around. It means sacrificing some fos, yes. But I rather that than be driven mad trying to make a particular scent work.

Definitely! I've been experimenting with the USA <1%. I don't know what's in it, but at such a low percentage it can really change a lot. I also really hate that I don't know what's in it... and it seems there's only 1 supplier https://thecandlemakersstore.com/universal-soy-wax-additive.html.

I use 415 mixed with some coconut oil. I add my fo (CS, NG, Fillmore, etc.) at 120F. If I'm making one or two candles, I can get away with going lower. Any more than that and there's some leftover wax that solidifies before I'm done pouring. I've never struggled with a cold throw, but I think it's just the nature of the wax that some fos don't throw well hot. I believe everyone's candle making process is unique, but theoretically - I'm no scientist - I don't see the reasoning behind adding fo to extremely hot wax despite manufacturer's recommendation. It is most likely evaporating volatile scents. (It may be negligible, but it is happening.) I also don't believe in "binding"... blending should be the aim and can occur as long as the wax is liquid. I can also see the disadvantage and have struggled with adding fo to cold(er) wax - it solidifies in the pot before pouring. So, there's bound to be a happy medium in between. I recommend just experimenting if you can! It may make all the difference in the world or none at all. You've only got a few ounces of wax, some fo, and a wick to lose Funny you brought up melts. These are the second batch I've made. Same wax, same process, and they turned out fine... I think.