TallPineCandles

Welcome Ken...As has been stated, you will find a ton of information on this forum. With these folks help I have gone from selling decent candles to selling great candles!! All the advise I have received here has been nothing but spot on!! 

Sorry, here are some photos....

Hello Everyone!! I bought a couple of the 35L/9 gallon Wax Melter DigiBoil Retrofitted for candle wax (110v). So far I love them. Bought 2 because I use one for just my candle blend and the other for my wax melt and sample blends. Took about 4 hours to melt down 45lbs to start with. Have shut it down each night for the last couple of days and flipped it back on of a morning. Takes about the same amount of time to re-heat of a morning.

I find that the temp that reads on the DigiBoil is higher that what the wax really is. I have the dial set at 195 and the wax runs about 187 or so once its poured. I use a soy wax personal blend of C-3 and 464. Currently, now that it is more difficult to blend the waxes, I heat the C-3 and 464 separately and blend them when I need to pour. I use a much smaller melter for the 464.

Now, with all that being said, I seem to have developed an issue. I suddenly started getting very bad adhesion and lots and lots of air bubbles. The tops are sinking and cracking beyond explanation. This never happened when I used my Fry Daddy conversation melter. I still do everything the same just now I am using the DigiBoil. Where is all this air coming from? There is a lot of air!! Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas as to what's going on? I am at a loss.

Thanks in advance....Bob

47 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

some people use q tips. A drop of each on a q tip, or one q tip for each scent let’s you mix and match. 

So lets say that the blend calls for 1part A, 2 parts B.... Would I put 1 q-tip of A and 2 q-tips of B in a container to test?

Thank you TallTayl...you are ALWAYS helpful in helping me figure something out.

There is a fragrance I would like to try. It calls for:

2parts: Rose,

2parts: Each Musk, Vanilla, Sandalwood.

My question is what do you suggest the term "Parts" equals? All the fragrance blenders please help out a newbie blender. Never really blended fragrances and would like to give it a try. Also very open to suggestions and directions.

4 hours ago, KMB said:

What did you find out?

I found it to be very difficult to use and really saw no change to speak of in either the cold or hot throw.  I added it as the wax was melting. Figured it would blend better by doing it that way. Anyway, bottom line in my opinion is that it is not worth the effort. Since then I have switched to C-3 wax and have had no trouble.

33 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

Wall thickness is a variable for wicking.

Guess now I need to measure the inside...LOL. Thank you though. That is very helpful info to know.

23 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

Is the 2 3/4 diameter your inside or outside measurement?

Hello....here is the link to the jar I use. Your opinion would be gratefully appreciated.

https://thecandlemakersstore.com/candle-making/candle-making-jars-molds/9-oz-straight-sided-jar-w-gold-70tw-lid.html

6 minutes ago, bfroberts said:

The jelly jar is Eco 2 territory, sometimes Eco 1. 

Here is the jar I am using. 9 oz. Straight Sided Jar from Candlemakers. The size is 3 1/2" tall x 2 3/4 " diameter with a 2 1/4" opening. Candlescience has recommended an ECO 4. Guess I will rethink this and start there. Thank you for the guidance on this. 

DUHHHH...Thank You....😁😁

I will down size the next batch and see if that stops it....Thank You. The ECO 10 was the wick that gave me a full MP without tunneling. The 8 tunneled.

On 6/6/2021 at 9:07 AM, barbaranj said:

I use Cyclomethicone from AH/RE

What and where is "AH/RE" ?? Do not want to sound dumb but I am looking into trying room fragrances.

Poured these candles using 6006 with 9% FO. They sat for 48 hrs to kinda cure before testing. Using a ECO 10 wick. Can not figure out why the tops are looking like this at about the halfway mark. Any ideas??

19 minutes ago, SageSlowdive said:

do they volunteer or do you pay them?

I send out an email to a select few every now and then seeking "Volunteers". I give them the candle plus a healthy discount on purchases while they stay current on testing statues. When they do not do the questionnaire then I drop them from the testers list.

I have 4-5 customers that test candles for me as I am done with all the testing. Locals. I deliver a candle to them and once they are finished with the testing as per the enclosed instructions, they go to https://www.tallpinecandles.com/product-questionnaire and answer the questions. Works good for me. Found that 5-8 customers make a good average pool as to how the candle preforms.

Good for you....do you run a website for your products?

16 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

if I absolutely HAVE to make soy candles these are my most prized tools. It is much easier to not need to make soy candles any more, lol. 

So, what wax are you using now? Since you do not HAVE to make soy candles...LOL

13 hours ago, TallTayl said:

 Then I set the pitcher in front of a fan and stir every few minutes to fully move the heat around until the wax starts to cloud. Pour.

Never thought of setting my pour pot in front of a fan. Going to give this a try. Will let you know how this works for me. You are always such a help TallTayl. Thank you.

7 hours ago, TallTayl said:

All soy wax needs more heat than these new myths.

So what do you suggest? You stated that you like to pour when cloudy or slightly slushy. Do you still heat to 180 then add the F/O immediately then wait until cloudy/slushy to

pour?

1 hour ago, TallTayl said:

but I have the best luck preventing cavities in soy by pouring at the cloudy and even slightly slushy stage. Smooth tops are a nice bonus for the effort. 

I think I read recently that heating 464 to 150, adding F/O at 125 then pouring between 110-105 stops this. Have you tried this and if you have does it seem to be better? 

Good morning. As of late, after sitting for about 12hrs some of my candles look like the photos. This is 464 w/8% F/O. The F/O is Grapefruit. I heated to 180, added F/O around 160 and poured at 150 (+/- 5).

Just trashed their wood wicks and will not purchase them again...EVER!!!

On 7/8/2009 at 7:43 AM, Barbara AL said:

Vickey prices on shipping is very reasonable you can email her for a quote and give her your zip code she will email you will the shipping costs.

Barbara AL

Forgive me for asking this question because I feel I should know....But, who is "Vickey"?? LOL

Thank you Belinda. I take it that the KY Tart Wax helps to harden the container wax a bit. I just received (today) 40 pounds of the KY Tart Wax from Virginia Candle. Man what fast shipping they have. And as for the dimples, does it really matter much in a cube pack?