Henryk

I just take the amount of wax in ounces and times the additive by the percent. So, if a pound of wax, take 16 x .03 = .48 or about 1/2 ounce. If using 4 pounds take 4 x 16 which is 64 and then times that by .03 which gives you 1.92 or about 2 ounces. You can do this with any additive, at any percent.

There is a bit more complicated way to do it to take into account displacement of the additive if you want. See Scottopus's explanation of that here http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=veggiewax;action=display;num=1103630267 If I was figuring out B&B preservatives and stuff like that I would do it this way too, but my brain works like yours.

You're right - that thing could definately have been my entrance into the fugly competition. I'm sure they'll be more - pics next time.

IGI 1288 seems to make a really nice mottled container candle. (Thats what its designed to do). Throw is excellent. Poured at 180 into heated container. If you overheat this wax it seems to destroy the mottling capability and add air into the wax. (Yes, I screwed one up, thats how I know). Full mottling continues after the wax has set - and will show the next day fully.

So you don't try it, I tried 1343, 6% Stearic, and instead of the translucent which I didnt' have, tried 2% of the C-15. The rustic surface litterally fell off the candle. Sorry, I didn't take a picture of it (in the bottom of the garbage can).

Right now, I have TOO much wax. I bought different slabs to test and see what I like. The problem with containers is they won't won't fit into my shelving (not deep enough). I'm also sure I won't continue to use every wax I bought - only what I like the best, so, what I'm going to do is what Peaks does. Cut the slabes in half. Then bag them and stack them one on top of the other and label the bags on the sides. With that, wicks, dyes, molds, I even got sheets of beeswax that I haven't used yet - I just had to get a handle on things.

Thanks for all the ideas - appreciate it!

I just stumbled upon the perfect thing and I always have some around! They aren't gusseted, but a slab fits perfectly. They are the clear bags you get at the grocery store to put large veggies in (cabbage, etc). They slabs couldn't fit more perfectly. I'll just double them up for the flakes (they aren't that thick). Yes - definately have to label immediately

Thanks all for the suggestions. I posted here because I figured maybe it was a FO issue irregardless of wax. I didn't mention that I had this same problem in 6006 (soy/paraffin blend). I'd rather not say the vendor, but one of the FOs is a sugar cookie. I'm going to try a different vendors and see what happens, also, making sure I'm mixing well enough.

Thanks again.

I searched, but what I'm coming up with is for the larger bags, 500 count, and for the smaller, 1000 count. Yes, for storage. I have a lot of different types, including slabs and flakes and those pellets. Just had a thought to try to get organized now and consildate it into one closet. Bags I've found are either too small, too huge, especially too thin. Its pathetic, I have wax on top of closets, in closets, leaned up against walls, etc. Unfortunately I don't really have a work space that I can leave things out.

Does anyone know where to buy the flat thick plastic bags that some vendors use to bag up single wax slabs? (Somewhere that sells under a 1000 count).

TIA.

I don't usually use food-type FOs, but had an odd experience that I don't know if its do to the wax or the FO types. I'm using soy actually, but only noticed this with bakery-type FOs. I've only tried three different ones, but from two different vendors.

After the candle burns a bit, in the melt pool, I see what can be described as a sediment. It looks like sand, but finer. It doesn't seem to effect the burn. AFter it hardens over, if you pick a bit of the wax out, it looks like dirt/sand in the wax. Its more of color than a substance KWIM? Its not dye, becuase I see this even in my uncolored containers.

Anyone know what this is - is this normal - or is it some sort of FO/wax interaction? I haven't tried different waxes yet to test this.

TIA

Hershey's gift shop (Hotel Hershey) sells candles that smell and look just like thier chocolate. They smell fantasic! Here's an example: http://www.qvc.com/asp/frameset.asp?nest=%2Fasp%2FisItemNumberRedirect.asp&search=SQ&frames=y&referrer=QVC&txtDesc=hershey+candle&SearchClass=

http://www.geocities.com/lwoollen_25/FragranceFinder/H.html (They have the Hershey "type" FO).

I haven't tried it, but if you can get it to smell like thier candles IMO you'd have to sell some just based on the smell alone.

You can get them at many candle supply houses - here's one, with description and usage: http://www.cierracandles.com/additives.aspx

www.candlesoylutions.com 's wicks used to be beeswax coated. Try them. They are calling them "natural coated" - email them and ask what they are coating them with these days. Or, you can easily buy raw wicking by the spool (about 7 dollars) and prime and tab your own.

Yes, try the 6006 if you want to use a container wax. IMHO its nowhere near as opaque as regular soy waxes even though it says "opaque". Its really soft though, so I would NOT use it to make the chunks themselves. Peaks' site seems to suggest using a straight paraffin (1343) for overpour in pillars AND containers : See http://www.candletech.com/chunkcandles/index.htm.

HTH

CS is one of the very few places I order from - and my orders are dwarfed by all of yours, but they treat you good, have decent prices, and ship promptly. The other thing is items arrive clean and are packed neatly. (Thats a peeve of mine with suppliers).

Well, you're not going to like this, but the WYW FO I'm testing throws MUCH better in the 1288 paraffin than the soy. It could be that I only used 4% in both, but I have no where near a full meltpool in the paraffin and you can smell it in the next room. You may want to just give it a try (you can make up to 6 oz. of wax at 9% with a 1/2 oz. sample from BCN ). Hope something works out.

The first thing I thougt of was shavings of a high melt-point wax dyed brown. If you put them in before you pour (if pouring cool) they shouldn't melt. I've used cosmetic grade glitter a few times. It didn't affect the burning, but it sort of pooled around the wick. I didn't like the way it looked so never used it after that. I do use it on the outside of some BW pillars though. Its exteremley fine stuff so it may not show up like you want. If you go with the brown wax it will melt around the flame of course. If you want to keep in non-paraffin you can try doing it with palm wax if you have some laying around.

Got the fix for the cracks on CBA new version. Pour no more than 130F. Thats seems to be the ticket for smooth tops and no air pockets, at least for me. Seems I need to pour the new about 30 degrees cooler than I could get away with using the old.

Think it was Kerry that suggested this via PM and I finally had time to try it. Thank you. At least I can pour this warm, if not hot. :smiley2:

Since I try to single wick everything, for soy it would be anything 3" or under, un-sharp corners if angled, AND without a small neck. (Thats why I usually just use tumblers or status-jar type containers - I'm too picky with burns).

I think a lot of what people think of as curing is simply a coat of FO that migrates to the surface of the wax. They take off that lid and it hits them in the face. Wax, IMHO, does need about a day to do whatever it does to burn right however so I wouldn't test burn a candle the same day you pour it to test the wicking. (You can see this for yourself with mottling wax. It'll set up hard and have some mottling, but it'll take about a day to get the whole effect.)

JMO.

I agree(d)

http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=veggiewax;action=display;num=1110139978;start=1#1

Like Devra says, soy is very opaque. Poeple have done it though. Here are a couple links:

http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=veggiewax;action=display;num=1093542427;start=2

http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=veggiewax;action=display;num=1087224113;start=5

If you want to stick with all soy, I would try using ecosoya advanced container blend (poured cool) as the over pour. It seems to take color a bit better than 100% or soy/cottonseed blend, so it may allow you to see the chunks better. I just poured IGI 6006 without color and it glows in glass containers much better than soy so you could use that if you don't mind using a natural/paraffin blend.

If you are talking about soy pillar chunks candles, all the soy pillar waxes I used are so opaque I couldn't imagine them working (though you would use that for the chunks themselves). When soy pillars are lit only the part right by the flame may glow a bit at the rim - but it seems to be just the light coming out the top of the pillar. Basically, you would only see the chunks as a seperate color, not the wax glowing. IMHO Paraffins are the best at doing these.

I'm trying WYW's Perfect Pumpkin in both Ecosoya CBA and IGI 1288B. I just poured them earlier so I don't want to burn them until tomorrow. Throw is objective obviously but the cold throw in both seems good. Its a pleasant smelling bakery pumpkin (not rough if you know what I mean). Unfortuantely I have no other pumpkins to compare it to. It does seem lighter than WYW's Sweet Potato Pie, but it is in the same vein, category-wise. I'll post back if you are interested.

You may want to read these threads:

http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=veggiewax;action=display;num=1113016238;start=0 (discussion of the old version of CBA)

http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2196 (discussion of the new version).

You aren't doing anything wrong. I would try a couple FOs that you KNOW throw strong in regular soy. Hot throw is from the meltpool, not the flame, so assuming you have a good meltpool, you don't need to change your wicks (at least on the intial burns, but as you get deeper into your container you may find you do).

Crisco and Vybar aren't going to do anything except make the wax even softer (which this wax doesn't need to be) and frost it (vybar aggravates frosting if there is a tendency toward it) respectively. These won't help throw. Though you can try a bit of BW if you wish (see above first thread).

From what I gather on different boards, the "new" soy waxes have a tendency to throw less but have a fantastic appearance. (That is a generalization on my part. I haven't tried every "new" soy.) I really like the old version of CBA, but the throw just isn't there if you want it super-strong. The new improves on this, but if you want it even stronger you may have to use Eco 135, KY, or whatever - and just put up with some visual imperfections and IMO waiting to pour cooler.

BW will melt at ~146F (depending upon its composition). Since you should have your soy up to ~170 or so to add your FO anyway, you should be fine adding it right with the soy. When I used to do that I just threw them both it at once. I would tare a paper plate on the scale, weight the amount of BW I wanted, then added soy to the same plate up to the correct amount, then dump it all in.

Depending upon the amount you add however, if you pour your soy cool, it will change the temp it will start congealing - I think mine used to start around 116F.

(BW will smooth out the tops in soy both before and after burning. Personally I didn't think it did anything for throw but it seemed to burn a bit better. Adding it at 3% shouldn't change your wicking).