spark-me-up

Also, the tennis match earlier about bees/ hives & wax purity was so interesting... thanks for stating your opinions guys! =)

You could try mixing your Beeswax with Shea Butter. I'd try that first, before I tried an oil. My reason being that Shea sets hard- you can buy it in blocks. It's a creamy white & has a very low MP. It's a natural product, reasonably priced & not hard to obtain (check out stockists who supply makers of natural or organic skin care etc.) I have been mucking around with lip balms & solid perfumes lately, so I'm blending lots of different oils/ butters/ waxes & trialling consistency. Because I've been testing using only small amounts, I've been pouring into my aluminium TLight cups! I made some Beeswax/ Shea & Almond oil concoction yesterday & was impressed at how it adhered beautifully to the sides (whilst lamenting the fact my actual Beeswax TLights never do! =) Just for kicks, I've stuck some wicks into said cups at the same time & am burning them as TLights as well! Why not? =D Anyway, I thought (with the inclusion of an oil) a few of them would flame, but so far none have. I burned the Beeswax/Shea/Almond oil one only last night & it did fine! Was also going to record the burn time, but forgot =/ You would have to do much more extensive testing, if you are intending to sell an "odd" mix- ymmv!! Maybe my wacky experimenting will help you out in some way anyway- ya never know! Keep experimenting! I wouldn't be giving up just yet, but if you do, try pillars next

I haven't used the wax you are using, however I have had this problem with Palm before. Have you tried pouring a bit cooler than the rec. temp? That did the trick for me & I discovered it (like many good things! =) by accident. I can't remember which Palm wax I was using, sorry. May be worth a try though?! Good Luck!!

Wow guys- thanks so much for your replies! Ta Chris- think I'll test any future Citrus like that for sure =) Vicky! I hadn't thought of that! Thanks- it's a possibility! Clever you are (see below) TallTayl, yes catching like that could have spelled disaster, but it was mesmerising all the same! Started with bluish flames floating around on the surface- appearing & disappearing. At first, I thought I was imagining things =D But, to answer your questions... Fragrance load was well within range for that blend of wax. Was rec %10 & I put in %8. Was a bit suspect of Citrus, so erred on less is more- or thought I did =/ However, because of higher mp of Palm, I add EO's in at lastish minute, as don't want to evaporate them off. It's such a fine line! Usually "thinner" Oils will blend straight in like a charm. BUT perhaps I didn't mix them long enough & as @Vicky suggested, the oil sank, & so overloaded last pour/s. Will certainly watch this ongoing. Cheers for your help people!!!

Hi All, Casting around for a theory here, cause I can't work it out... Last year I made up a batch of 50/50 paraffin/ palm wax container candles, using an Orange Essential Oil. Lucky thing we are supreme testers around here, because after a week or so, I did a test burn on a couple & they caught fire O-O The whole surface/ melt pool ignited after about the first 20 mins or so. Obviously, I had flash point issues & heaven only knows what else. So, I boxed the rest with the intention of removing/ piffing the wax & at least salvaging my glasses. Fast forward about 8 or 9 months & I did a spring clean. I lit one of these & was going to take photos & further notes & low & behold, it is burning PERFECTLY! I lit another- same! These are almost to their bottoms now, not a single issue. Burn time has been excellent & they are throwing like a dream. WTF???? At first I thought the EO must have "evaporated" out of the topish layer of wax (having sat around for so long) & that's why they were doing ok, but no, they're nearly done & they're all good. I am not selling these, obviously. Not risking it, but my point is that they are now the candles I was TRYING to make & even better than I had hoped at the time. Ideas about what's transpired Anyone???

Nice! =)

Hi Kate =) I had some success with a Palm/ Paraffin mix... of course, you have to get your temperatures right etc, but start with a %50/%50 blend of those two & experiment. Melt the Paraffin first & stir the Palm in. I was using a granulated form- consistency of say... sugar. Palm is a bit on the "outer" these days, but you can find Sustainably farmed wax (at least I got a batch here in Au). Good Luck :smiley2:

I haven't used one, but I think you'd get less time out of a candle because it would heat up the wax more & perhaps burn faster? Also, because it would heat more of the surface wax, it probably would throw well... more "liquid" surface to release scent? I'm just hypothesising though right?

a ha ha @ChandlerWicks... one of those days! Still, that's a neat trick you have mentioned up there. Cheers for your reply =) @jeanie... yes, I have been making holes & it IS cool, when bubbles come up. I stand there & tap the sides of the moulds with a wooden chop stick for a while too =D Seems to me, Palm needs waaay more work on this front, than Para or blends. Maybe I should wait for the Palm to set up more, before I fill them again, but I'm always worried they'll be too cool, to take the temp of the repour wax & end up cracking. Wax has to be hot enought to bond etc. to the insides, yet cool enough not to crack them. Palm is lovely, but very temperamental =/ Feel a bit like Goldielocks sometimes... not too hot, not too cold... it's gotta be just right! Thanks for your input/ suggestions =)

Hi Guys! I am making a lot of Palm Pillars lately. I've tested out 3 different waxes now, but all of them are driving me a bit batty on the relief hole front =/ No matter what I do & at what temp, they are taking at least 5 pours to fill. I understand it's the nature of Palm to some extent, but hey, there's gotta be a crafty way to reduce all this hassle??? What have you found to be the least labour intensive way to approach this? All input greatly appreciated! =)

If you are using the same type of wax (eg "softer" & "harder" Paraffin), then yes, I believe they'll look the same. I am basing what I'm saying here on undyed, straight up, plain Paraffin though. I have used Paraffin with several melt points & standing the candles together, they all look the same. If you start to add dyes, it might make a difference though. You might find variations if you are using undyed Palm or Soy, because I believe they would have additives, to render them harder. The texture of the wax & the whiteness will vary. Hopefully someone will come along & let you know more about those two waxes. Good Luck!

Hi All =) I have heard SO many opinions about this by now & I have been testing, with varying results, so please can I have your 2 cents worth? IN GENERAL (because I am in Au & we don't really have "specific" types of Palm wax!) Do you find that adding Paraffin to your Palm improves fragrance load/ throw? I am asking about both FO's & EO's- whatever's your "thing" =) I really need some fresh input here, so let me know what YOU think!! Many Thanks... & I hope everyone is having a great break (& making some money on your Easter candles )

crazzie, just use your common sense & make sure you keep your eye on your candle at all times. You (we) should ALWAYS have a contingency plan, for if things go awry, so think about what you would do in an emergency, keep it in the back of your mind. I doubt very much it would come to that, but best to be safe than sorry... we ARE dealing with fire here. If you really are worried... don't light the candle. Melt it down & make another. Poke relief holes into it, as described, & try again that way.

ummm... did you have dye in them @kcollins78? Cause that will cause mushrooming too. If not, then I don't know. Maybe the wrong wick/ wax combo will cause it to happen as well? Incompatible wax clogging the wick?