EricofAZ

Try both. The ones you made are fantastic for some and maybe lighter for others.

Well, my personal favorite, Armani Mania made by Royal Aromatics has not been available for a long time. Any idea of a good substitute or who might be making it these days?

I bought a cheap IR DT380 on ebay for like 10 bucks. Its a couple years old now and still very accurate. Keep in mind that it takes surface temps and does not penetrate. Need to stir a bit and take multiple readings to get a sense of what your wax is doing.

Lots of volunteer fire departments out there. God bless them.

Very nice.

Is that the granite looking thing? If so, I got some and it reacts just like any palm that I've used only with a granite look to it.

I prefer paraffin, but for a while I messed with soy. I started with 135 which was a dog. So I did an experiment with 135, 444, 415 and 464. Same FO and load, same wick (eco) and same container. I think the C3 was the winner but not by much. The 444 and 464 were close. If you try a different wax, give the C3 a shot. Also, try the ECO wicks. EDIT: and remember to let it cure for a few days, maybe a week if you can. The curing makes a big difference on HT.

Edge, you got some good advice. Everyone can start out making a candle for a few bucks following a book or formula. The reality of selling is that you need candles that are unique and well made. When you stray outside the book formulas (and you will), you'll quickly realize that the knowledge needs to be built and there is only one way to get that. Try, test, try, test, repeat.That's what costs money. Every time you change a container shape or mold, you need to test. Learning technique to make nice looking colors also takes time. Not trying to discourage you, quite the opposite. If you have a passion for candle making then you sound like you are level headed and can do it. Just need to do the math on testing. I tested over 400 candles before I started to make them available to others. I had to learn the different wax types and whether or not it was right to mix or not. Chatting here and testing are the only ways to do it. Lots of straight guys make them too. Don't be concerned about that.

So if she was a member here and reading, she'd know not to do that. Glad it wasn't worse.

Looks like its been abandoned. http://trademarks.justia.com/715/04/paxwax-71504923.html Company has changed names a few times. BP Global Special Products (America) Inc, etc. All appear to be closed. http://www.ilsos.gov/corporatellc/CorporateLlcController (Just type in national wax) Although, BP Global seems to still be paying their corporation fees. I didn't see a website connected to the company.

I've had good dealings with Candlescience. Some suppliers, however, measure the FO based on water weight. They do this because universally, all containers are based on water weight size. Water weighs more than FO. So if you buy an 8 oz container, I'm betting that the size is based on water weight and your candle will come in around 6 1/2 oz, maybe less if you don't fill to the brim. Same for bottles that hold FO. If the supplier buys "4 oz bottles" and fills them with FO, you're not going to measure any more than about 3.2 oz of oil. While I think this practice is deceptive, it is, however, a standard industry choice and we chandlers simply need to be aware of it.

You've tried a lot of things. I didn't realize you had some Harmony wax. Try mixing 20 percent of that with the 4786. I think you wet spots will go away and the FO load might increase. I do something similar and I have to agree with the others, 4786 is a really good wax for HT.

It does not surprise me that vybar failed to help you. I think the 4786 already has vybar in it. If anything, I found that diluting the wax a bit helps. You might try adding some J50 or J223 or Harmony, like 20 percent, and see if the wet spots stop and the FO load increases. On occasion, I just add general wax 128 MP wax which has pretty much no additives in it. I'm not sure if I'm right about this, but my theory is that some of the IGI is oversaturated with additives.

I get a great EO throw in paraffin but it takes 18 percent or so. That makes for a very spendy candle.

Well, you've kinda asked a hot topic question. Most folks don't know what "natural" means because the definitions very among users. On one level, just about all wax is made from something that we have on this planet and could be called "natural" and on the other hand, beeswax is probably the closed to something organic. FO's are formulated chemicals, so you'd want to use EO's which can be very expensive. I don't think you will find a book on Beeswax and EO's. The reality is that if you see a candle for sale that claims to be purely natural or purely organic, then you're seeing someone's marketing ploy and nothing more.

I've never smelled the coconut oil during a burn, but that doesn't mean much. Either it just doesn't have any scent throw, or it gets buried by the FO, or I just have a dead nose. Not sure what to say.

general wax sells 24 inch tapers. Even though they don't have the molds on their supplies website, a call might be productive. If you contact all the companies that sell the taper candle you might find someone who can spill the beans on where to get the molds. As for doing your thing with an existing candle, I don't know what to say. Are you better off liability wise testing your own 24 inch taper or entering into some waiver agreement that you are just decorating a customer supplied candle? Your call.

Very nice. Carved candles are either simple or complex. The more complex the faster you have to get to do it in time before it cools. The more complex, the more folks shy away and want to not burn it but only buy it for a showpiece. I like simple that can be burned and used for fun.

We usually start with the diameter and wax choice then choose a wick. I've never build a candle around a wick, but I have wicked candles built around a jar or wax choice. That said, some aircraft mechanics will swear that the manufacturer throws the cables on the hanger floor and builds the aircraft around it. So silly.

Everyone here preaches 1oz per pound for a starting point. The folks who say they can make a wicked throw with that ratio either have a secret supplier or are just messin with us. I found that 12 to 18 percent gets the job done for most scent suppliers and wax. Some scents are stronger and can be reduced, most are not. However, higher FO loads tend to change the burn rather dramatically and sometimes sweat out if too much so the next key is to get the additives right to hold the higher load and then get the wick right which is something that nobody here can help with. They will, as I will, tell you to Test, Test, Test. (Based on 1oz pp, the advice on this website for wicking is worth listening to. When you go outside the box, you're on your own, as am I.)

A touch of coconut oil won't change the throw, but go light. One teaspoon per pound. I agree with the vybar, too much is bad. I think 4786 has some added in already so go light. just a pinch of pellets per pound. Like a half teaspoon.

I have one of those large plastic tubs with a lid on it from Costco that I keep my spools in. Just keep the dust out, that's all.

try a little coconut oil. Just a teaspoon in a pound. softens the wax and might reduce your wet spots. Slow down your cooling time. You tried that with the towel, slow it a bit more. One more thing, if none of that works, add a tad of vybar, and then a tad of microcrystoline wax. The micro wax comes in higher melt points than your 4786 so you have to use higher temps to mix, but it also is pretty elastic. Micro wax is used in carved or cut n curl candles to make the was pliable. You can get it at just about any supplier. 4786 is my favorite for container candles and I usually add a bit of vybar or micro.

I used some in 4625 yesterday. Loaded it to 12 percent FO. Nice and shiney, didn't change the color. With the CO and extra FO, I surely have to wick down because the FMP was bit wide for the pillar, it spilled at the 4 hour mark.

Interesting question. Seems to me that the more FO added, the lower the melt point (slightly) and therefore the wider the melt pool. I made a spreadsheet that would calculate melt point based on what was added. Going from 6 to 12 percent FO in one of my wax choices (124 degree) the consistency changed a bit. Adding one ounce dropped the melt point to 117 and two ounces to 111 degrees. Now all that is just math, not real world. You've read tons of threads about wicking up or down for different FO's and like Robert's experience in dye changing MP, we all just have to go back to build, test, rinse, repeat. If the wick flame height changes with the addition of this or that, then the MP will surely change. If the FO or dye or vybar change the flame diameter/height then you're off to the testing lab again. I don't have much in the way of notes, but observing how the flame works with different formulas seems to be worth while.