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Brad Ford

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Posts posted by Brad Ford

    Why don't all scents work in soy ?

    in Vegetable Wax & Beeswax Candle Making

    Posted

    I start this reply with this disclaimer - I am making a generalization. No hate mail please.

    In the early days of soy blends, poor scent performance was a common complaint. It turns out that soy and FO didn't like each other much. The soy and FO have a polarity conflict - ie, their molecules don't really get along. However, upon this realization, fragrance suppliers were able to modify FO to achieve the performance people wanted out of soy and retain the orginal "smell". Soy blends and soy waxes have become so popular this is rarely an issue. Most any fragrance manufacturer has learned how to optimize for this. I do make it a point to tell all of my customers to make sure the FO supplier knows you are using a soy or soy blended wax. This should avoid problems.

    Brad

    Do additives tend to raise a Wax's Melt Point?

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    There are lower MP paraffins, however they will have an even higher oil content than scale wax. Some even will pool oil on top w/o any fragrance. Additionally, the lower MP usually(but not always) also means a softer wax. Some are borderline hard enough to slab. Now if you are willing to buy in 55 gallon drums (approx. 400 pounds), then there might be an option or two for you. Note - Scale wax is as far down as one can go and the wax remain food grade. While I am sure few are interested in eating (at least knowingly - ps don't swallow your gum!) - it also means it might not be odor free - important for candles I would guess.

    brad

    Tried New Wax....Did I do something wrong?

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    Brooke,

    I would guess that most candle supply companies will have at least one to choose from. Your best bet is a micro wax with a melt in the 165-185F range that is not super hard. Typical usage is between 2-5%. It will give the wax a more creamy look, raise the melt point, harden a soft wax, and aid in oil retention. Pillar and votive blends may contain up to 10%. As a general rule, double the percentage of vybar use for micro wax for similar results. Please contact me here (bford@clarussp.com), if you would like a small sample to exp. with.

    Brad

    FO Load of 2281

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    2281 is a paraffin scale wax. This means it may contain up to 1.5% oil by itself (fully refined paraffin is typically a max of 0.5%). The higher oil content will limit the wax's ability to suspend additional oils. You would be lucky for it to hold more than 5% on a consistent basis (w/o additives). Even fully refined paraffins have trouble with over 6% (w/o additives). Unless you need the low melt point of this wax, you might have better luck with a fully refined wax or add some vybar or microcrystalline wax. Hope that helps.

    Brad - bford@clarussp.com

    www.claruswax.com

    making chunk candles

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    are you making pillars or jars? for pillars you need a very translucent wax (assuming the chunks are colored)...this is difficult with jars using a blended wax. Additional products when added to paraffin increase the waxes opacity. We do market a fairly translucent wax (for a blend) if you are making containers. what is the melt point of the wax chunks? They need to be high enough no to melt or bleed color on the over pour. Hope that helps.

    Brad

    www.claruswax.com

    Texas (Dallas Area) Suppliers

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    We have our own branded waxes and formulas. Regarding wax comparisons, I know a little about some of the competing waxes, but not all. As this is a candle makers forum, I don't think this is the place for me to make formal comparisons, however, I am happy to answer more detailed questions on a one on one basis. Contact me at your convenience. Thank you.

    Just ordered Fil-Tec

    in General Candle Making Discussions

    Posted

    Hello All,

    I am new to the forum, but i do have some information regarding FilTec wicks and hybrid candle blends(soy&paraffin). The soy has a higher viscosity when molten compared to paraffin. That is why candles made with a blend or all veggie products require more wick than paraffin. The "open" nature of the Filtec wick allows for better "wicking" action and a better burn.

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