Jim

On 6/26/2019 at 10:23 PM, TallTayl said:

The great thing about chandling is all the experimenting. Learn the rules, then test them. Break them when you discover something that works better thereby creating new rules.

 

for heating jars, the easiest way I found when making testers is hot water. I soak in hot (soapy if needed) water while I prep everything.  Then dry, add a wick on a wick sticker and pour.  

 

To test the draft hypothesis, a pour pot turned over the candle as it cools can answer a lot. You don’t want to slow the cool so much that the soy grows grains.  If you need more space, a rubbermade type tub with blankets or towels insulating it will work also.  I have made simple heat sinks using stone tile. Soaked them in hot water, then placed on the table, filled the candles, topped with the overturned tub. For short runs this works well enough. For any sort of production work, it’s not so efficient. 

 

You need the top of the wax to not cool before the middle has shrunken.  Depending on the ambient conditions in the room, pouring hot might help or it may create worse cavities deeper within the candle. I poured a set of a dozen soy tins last night at 180.  This morning. they all had giant cavities 1/4” from the bottom where the countertop sucked the heat out quicker than the sides and top cooled. So you never know until you try a few hundred 🤗🤣

I have found pouring hot gets me perfect tops and not finding many cavities.  I've been reading that adding FO at that high of temperature in soy wax is affecting my hot throw.  Would you recommend adding at 120 and then pouring and just fix the tops?  Thoughts?

On 7/1/2019 at 5:30 PM, RedRoomGraduate said:

 

Yes. Pouring hot does the trick for me as well. I typically pour 464 at 150 or so, but I've poured as hot as 175ish when not paying attention and still had tops that were super smooth. This is just anecdotal, but I really believe the super viscous fragrances (Black Sea is one of them, lots of vanillin in that one) do a lot better mixed in hot and poured hot. 

Thanks I poured 5 at 160 and had perfect tops!  Will see if it's that FO only or all of them.  

Awesome thanks for all the suggestions everyone!  Next question, after I pour it does it matter if i move it around at all?  Would this help with adhering to wick or just cause more problems?

Okay good information.  I will try pouring at 105 and seeing what happens.  Just an idea......I have some insulation board which is siding underlayment.  Do you think making a box with it and pouring them inside of there may help?  

Any suggestion on an easy way of heating jars.  Put them in the oven?  Sorry I'm still in my first two months so pretty new to all of this.

I am using a small 8oz. glass container holds 6 oz wax.

Okay good to know.  I will start poking holes no matter what and see what I find.

As for my procedure it's always the same.  I heat to 185° I add my fragrance right away, stir for about 2 minutes or more depending on batch size, and then I let cool.  I've been playing around with pour temperature but it seems by best is around 140°.

I have two issues currently when I am pouring my soy candles. 

1.  Almost all of them are sperating from the wick so there is a small hole most of the way down the candle.  I have played around with pour temperature from 145 down to 125 in 5 degree increments with the same results.  I am using Golden Brand AAK 464 wax and CD8 wicks.  Any ideas?

2.  Black Sea scent is creating massive lumps and holes in my candles.  I poured other right after this and no major issues.  I had to melt the tops 4 times to be able to get a somewhat smooth top.  Ideas?

Thanks!!

8 hours ago, bfroberts said:

Hi, Jim.
There is a nifty gadget called the EZ Wick Setter that is handy for centering wicks. Personally, I have never been good at just eyeballing it.

As far as I know, there is no reason to cool your wax before adding your fragrance.  I add mine in hot, stir until blended, then pour.  Of course, your pour temp will be dependent on your wax.  If your wax needs to cool before pouring, remove it from the heat until it reaches the desired pour temp, give it another stir and pour.
 

Thanks!  I will check that product out! Appreciate the help!

So I am brand new to candle making.  I have poured 6 so far this week and just a few general questions / pointers if anyone would like to share.

I am using the double broiler method to melt the wax.  When cooling the wax before adding fragrance do you leave it over or pull it off the double broiler ?  Does it matter?

Same question then when waiting for pouring.

Any pointers for getting the wick directly in the center of the jar?  I am pouring 8oz jars.

Thanks all!