Henryk

Hi Jeana, Someone asked the same thing back in early August - but unfortunately I was the only one to reply. http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2044&highlight=mottle Soy wax doesn't have the same molecular structure (doesn't that sound like I know what I'm talking about - NOT!) as paraffin so that is why I believe it just doesn't lend itself to changing of throse structures like paraffin does. (Top will correct me if this is wrong I hope). Layers worked very well for me at least. I'm going to be trying some real soon with the Eco CBA. Some people say soy bleeds the colors too much but I haven't found that to be a problem. Just wait until the layer sets up a bit, then pour just a thin layer of your next color, let that set up a bit, then pour the rest of that same color, and repeat. I'll keep better notes this time when I do them, but really, last couple times I did them, I didn't do anything special and they came out fine (did those candy-corn colored layers - common, but I like them!). There have been some marbles posted in the archive veg board by Lovesoy and Vickey at this post: http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=veggiewax;action=display;num=1082318659;start=15 I guess you can whip the wax and do grubby stuff with it. Other than that I don't recall anyone ever achieving the things you can with paraffin. Thats why when I want those effects I just use that, except I've been using the 6028 a lot also, which is easier to work with than soy pillar wax and definately burns better IMO. Regarding wicking, that should be the same - it would only vary with the usual things, like additives, FO, strong dye, and diameter. HTH

Yes. The only thing I'd be careful of is sometimes you can't see how large that hole is under there - and you might have to melt a good bit to fill it up. The other thing someone mentioned (not about this wax however) is that she was poking her soy candles and found other holes. I've not come across that with this wax (hidden holes) but if you do poke them, be careful - this wax is really soft, but it can crack a day or so later if you poke it after its set up (I waited to long to make the holes for tester wicks - never again). Here is a pic (sorry, bad quality):

I have been using 1274 and ALL of my mottles consistently look like Margaritamama's second one (the green one at http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4347). Apparently, this is how they are supposed to turn out so I so I should be happy about it. However, what I want is more like what Eugenia just posted in the gallery. Its not technically a mottle, but if you look at the bottom layers of the first two pillars - see how there is mottling there but its much more uneven and larger? This is at http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4658. With the 1274 I've tried different FOs, and also stearic and vybar343 and heating the molds. Always get that same small even consistent mottling (like a pattern). My example is at http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=Discussions;action=display;num=1120778726#2 - I could post more - but they ALL look like that with the 1274. I am going to start pouring 1343 in different ways now, but I was wondering if someone knew the trick in getting those large uneven mottles in the wax. Thanks (and sorry for posting so many links in this post). (Edit: spelling/grammer)

Jim, the only one I had was the free one - orange clove Did you check out the scent review and her message board? Usually people will post experiences with them ...

Thanks DanaE and Alex, I haven't done side-by-side comparisons of the 1343A and 1274, in fact I haven't done any 1274 yet - but today is the day I bought the 1274 because of what DanaE said. (I did alot or reading on this and over and over I hear that word "consistent".) I did post some pictures on some thread with 1343A mottling - adding vybar 343 gave much more consistent mottling than just stearic. So it depends on the additives also. I'd love to be able to use ONE pillar wax, but I just have to test more to see if I can do that. Alex, by saying "If you want to minimize the oil as much as possible, add something like 1.5% stearic and that will give it a boost." I'm reading that as the stearic won't inhibit the mottling, but will inhibit any sweating? Will 1274 sweat with just 3% of FO? Thanks again for your help.

I noticed the deeper meltpool faster also with the new version. However I wicked down and that wasn't a good idea, so I stayed with the same wicking for both versions. However that bit of stearic did two things: 1. Made the new burn even more like the old since one of things it does is make the wax a bit firmer. (Probably the same reason the burns looked more like the older version also). 2. Got rid of the tiny bubbles I would sometimes see rising in the meltpool. As far as the CS FOs. I've just started buying these. Some of them that I really like are a bit light - but I asked people and they said they smelled more like what they were supposed to smell like (i.e. the rose) than my old choices ("more real" was what I always heard). So, I am going to continue to purchase from them. (I never wanted my candles to smell like canned air fresheners).

I don't know, it was Marisa who posted it at http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3709 . (It was 2 x cd14 she stated). You mentioned one thing I didn't like - the dancing flames - (plus how hot the jar got at the top sides.)

If you do a search someone posted they use 2x cd-16s but I can't remember the wax - it was on this board though. I bought some of these, and personally, they look good, but I don't really like the way they burn. You have to single wick them and let them burn forever at a time, and there really isn't room for two wicks that I can see (though there are a couple different sizes of these jars going around). I'm using them for other purposes, at least thats my plan of the day.

Thanks Dana. I know there was a 1343A and a 1343N that was sorted out - if it mottled it was A, if not it was N. Alex do you happen to know if the 1274 will mottle on its own without FO or any oil? Many times I like to make unscented candles and was wondering if I need to add any oil to get it to mottle. BTW, do you know if the parol oil that genwax sells performs differently than plain mineral oil? I didn't know so I just put some on my last order from them. I looked it up though and the viscosity is a lot lower than plain mineral oil. Using your drinking straw analogy, if you can get the same or better mottle with a lower viscosity oil, that should be a good thing.

I was actually going to try to make some mottles out of 1274 this weekend. Dana, do you or anyone know if you can get both mottle and rustic at the same time with this particular wax? I was always curious and basically think for mottling, pour hot, cool slow, but with rustic, its poor cool. Just wondering if you can get mottling and rustic in the same layer? TIA

I never used that large of wick in mine, but glad that is working! LX wicks will usually mushroom much MORE on the very first burn, but after you trim them after they have been burnt (when they are black) you will see much LESS mushrooming.

I've heard of this - just once. Someone had a couple of bags of LXs from different suppliers - and they combined them. The two batches burned differently even though the size was the same (we assumed it was the coating). Other than that, if everything was the same (trims, burn times, location of burn, drafts, etc). I can't think of anything ...

If you go onto the candlesoylutions site they have a tutorial with EL - you should see how cool they pour it! http://www.candlesoylutions.com/custompage.asp?page=ContainerCandles

The problem is probably your wax. Is it opaque on the slab to begin with (can you see INTO it)? It may be a blend then and not a straight parafin. 1343 is actually pretty decent in the transparency department - but less so that 1218. If you get 1343 and add stearic it will get that rustic look on the outside but still be moderatly transparent when you burn it unless you add a ton of dye, but if you have a wax that is already opaque from the start there is nothing you can do to take that away. As far as the layers not adhearing to each other I would pour the following layers a bit hotter and/or not wait so long for the previous layer to set up. It just takes practice - I'm still doing that myself, but hope this helps.

Palm stearic has a meltpoint of 150F. I add it right in with my soy because you are going to go higher than that for your FO to bind properly anyway. Whatever way you weight it, just weigh it - don't go by volume. Stearic is one of those additives that will cause frosting in waxes that tend to frost anyway - like soy. So I wouldn't guess or measure by spoons as different stearics can have different volumes (just like FOs). As far as nuking - do you find you need to do that? With this wax I just make cuts into the containers of old wax (like sectioning a grapefruit) and it comes right out very easily because its such a soft wax. (You may have a problem with the wick stickers though!). If it were me, and if it was for customers, I would make them over again from scratch and make sure they burn right before selling them. (Concerns would be their safety and your reputation).

Funny you brought that up - I've always loved FC&F's site - to be such a big company that your site has one email link on it ! Early American has some more informative pamphlets on their dyes though and the guys there know alot about FC&F as they use it in their own candle manufacturing business so you may want to call them. Its been a while since I've used their FOs but I remember the "Fuzzy Navel" was really strong in soy. All the ones I've used were good - but they were all of the premium line which was the FC stuff.

I don't know how you are supposed to work with solving a problem with a wax if you don't know what it is. If you are getting sink holes I'm guessing its the newer version. CandleScience is great - they have both the new and the old and properly MARK them. I have the old AND the new. The old I do not get sinkholes with, the new I do. Pouring much cooler helps this somewhat. You really should add some stearic - that will solve the sinkhole issue. The other trick I've noticed is to see if you have wet spots - the old usually will spot in a day or so, with the new version - mine don't spot for at least 3 weeks - and some of them still haven't after that. After working with all the paraffin additives adding 2% stearic is nothing to get a great candle - its still an all "natural" one as people like to say ('cept for the color and fo). Sorry you are having such problems. (Early American's colors and FOs are French Color's and it is good stuff, I'm not to hot on their liquid dye though - strong solvent odor IMHO - but very concentrated and I do keep it on hand.)

I use the color chips from Candle Science and just recently used the sage that Jeana mentioned and it does give a perfect sage color. The chips work just fine in soy and paraffin. I cut them up in fours so I can get lighter or darker colors and just add them prior to adding the FO. I don't get any undisolved particles like some people say they have get with blocks. I used to always use liquids but I don't do big batches and I hate to have to mix colors. These things are so much easier and cleaner to use and store IMO. This is dumb but I have every chip color from Candle Cocoon and Candle Science and compared them (that was a sight to see) and they mostly are duplicates of each other (I'm just assuming they are made by the same factory). However the one that was different that Cocoon had that Candle Science did not was one called "Coffee Bean". Just FYI if you are looking for a nice deep rich brown. A good subsitute is CS's "mahogany".

If you REALLY want to load up on dye in soy I'd say go with flake dye or those dye buttons. I've had the solvents in liquid dyes do some odd stuff with how soy sets up. The flakes seem more concentrated than the buttons - but there doesn't seem to be many places that carry a ton of the colors (though BCN has a lot). If you happen to try the flakes add them when your wax is at the hottest - say 180 - before you add FO - so they are easier to melt.

I get this with 1343 - I usually just keep it hugged in. I want to try some of the additives that Eugenia and DanaE are doing at http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2360 and http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3105 but just haven't had the time with multiple things I'm trying to get perfect (I'm sure you know what that is like!). These are great threads to read for this problem.

Fern, they definately bend* - but its not like an HTP bend or anything like that. I use the 22s right now - but I do hug the pillar. I personally think I need to play with them too much so that is why I am looking at other wicks. Pam - I would listen to Fern and Scented - they have much more experience than I in the pillar department. * I do use the pre-tabbed ones, and I've been using LXs for 2 years and I have noticed definate differences between different vendors' pre-tabbed LX wicks. My current LX batches are from WSP - they were having this HUGE sale a while ago (they were not going to carry them any longer) something like 3.00 dollars PER hundred - so I snatched those up! Back on the old veg board there was even a thread long ago how different the wicks looked coming from a couple different vendors. We figured out the one place was coating HTP wicks with beeswax instead of paraffin, but the vendors I talked to about the LXs always fell back on the old "high melt point paraffin with proprietary ingredients". Pam, I wish I could get a better visual on how you are able to get flat braided wicks through a wick pin hole. I happen to be using Peaks' molds and pins and I don't see how I could get them through without priming them first. Glad you can do it though

"Fischer-Tropsch wax = Paraflint = Clear Crystals = Translucent Crystals" Good, I have paraflint on order - now I don't need the other 3.

I REALLY like the 6028 for votives and pillars - its a soy/paraffin blend - you add no other additives to it except your FO and color. Gretchen, if you want simple perfect votives - this is the wax to try. Perfect finish, good hot and cold throw (before you ask! ), nice burn, and the release from votive molds/pins is the easiest I have come across (and its not a sticky mess like some blends). Great wax IMO if you care to try a blend. http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3843&highlight=6028#7

Did they give you any LX21s in your sample packs? I would try them first. I've been using the 22s in 1343 rustics. Depending upon the additives, colors, and FO they burn great - sometimes they will consume themselves complely with no hugging, other times I'll have a 3/8" wall if not hugged. 1343 with just stearic you should still really be able to hug the wall in if needed. The LXs WILL have a somewhat high flame in this wax - as long as they don't flicker and smoke I don't worry about the flame size - its a published fact about the LXs. They will also bend - but not too bad. I guess you are going to use wick pins so that you can switch out? I use 3x3.5 molds for testers because its faster to do and you use less wax and the pretabbed wicks are either 6 or 8" depending upon who you get them from. And if they are 6" and you use a 6" pillar mold you won't have enough spare wick to light if you pour up to the rim of the pilar. My reasoning on the small pillar size is that if it burns properly through 3 inches it should be fine in the 6" ones - and I have found that to be the case. Honestly, although the LXs perform good in 1343 I'm starting to look at braids for the pillars, but I haven't done any real testing. I just hate to bother priming and tabbing them but will if they prove to be much better. I want something with a bit of a fatter flame and I think squares should do that - just a guess. The only thing I'm concerned about is if they flop over too much. What I would like to replicate all the time is a pillar that just burns down on its own with no hugging. (I can dream). HTH

The other nice thing about the LX in containers is you won't have one wall get really hot because of the extreme bend, nor should they leave a pile of wax on side even on the first or second burn (assuming the wick size is correct). Small test photo of CD LX and RRDS: http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=veggiewax;action=display;num=1102308269#12 in 100% soy. I just trim them between burns - nothing special. Mushrooms aren't bad at all (this pic was 100% soy, added BW, 6% pine FO and liquid dye - so I was just asking for it here, FO type plays a MAJOR part in mushroomin in any wick IMO).