Henryk

Likewise KY Soy votive pillar blend. I even used the KY 115 for some (left over wax from candles) and found that in low-wattage burners it worked REALLY well - trouble is, as was said, really soft. You couldn't package them, but they were just for myself so ....

I tried it when I first started - I had bad frosting issues - but it could have been me. If you want a low melt point soy I can recommend KY's 115 (I don't know if its a GF wax or not) - but it burns really nice (I use plain cotton wicks with it) and when tempering it I don't have as much of a frost issue as you would think with pure soy.

I have. They are nice - but, you only can get them in the primary colors. Since they are soy-based they aren't hard like the stearic-based ones (I believe the regular chips are made with stearic). They do give really nice colors, but the dye itself is not soy - just the carrier is.

I usually use the regular chips myself since I have so many (since they come in so many colors). As long as you heat the wax up to a good 170 or 180 you should be fine with them. I've even heated up the pour pot over a flame (holding it above the flame THE WHOLE TIME never put it on the flame and walk away) just to heat up the chip itself and and melt it - then I pour in the soy wax. I've had no problems this way - YMMV. (Naturally don't heat your wax up this way, never leave it alone, etc - the usual precautions!)

Some of the chips do seem to have more settiment than others - for instance the reds.

HTH

EDIT: Oh - I've never had them increase frost (any dye chip) unless you use a TON of them - then its just going to show anyway since you aren't going to get away from frost with dark colors in soy. I have had issues with the soy not setting up properly with using a lot of liquid dye but I've not had this issue with the chips --- the frost, thats the same though if trying to get dark colors. You can minimize this with tempering the wax though.

Well, there are lamp wicks - but those are made for oils:

http://www.antiquelampsupply.com/category/237/

In thinking about this, IMO I would try the LX26 for the tin and maybe the 22 for the other but I would test the heck of that rectangular jar. If its the one I'm thinking of its a pretty high jar - and the LXs can behave a bit erratically in deep containers. That said you can fine tune the LXs between the 18, 20, 21, and 22 if you need to. This is just at looking at specs for the CD vs. LX plus a bit of experience with the LXs in soy - but I have not used your particular brand of soy. Anyway, HTH a little - maybe to get you at least started.

Henry.....don't you have my instructions? I thought I sent you all of the tutorials.... I don't dunk.....BTW....how are you doing these days? Donita Louise

Hi Donita,

That is so kind of you to ask. I'm doing well, just bought some more BW and am ready to do a few things again. I've been trying to wait until the weather is warmer. It seems my candlemaking goes so much smoother if its not in the freezing temps!

I did PM you too.

I hope my first attempt at those look that good! How many "dunks" if I may ask?

Couple other things I read that are supposed to work wonders: sweatshirt fabric, restaurant supply house paper filters (kind for filtering vegetable oil), paint filters (used for automobile spray painters, like http://www.mytoolstore.com/astro/astpai09.html ).

Vicky is so right - that stuff is clogging your wick - you should be able to even see in build up on it - that is, if you can actually get it to burn long enough!

HTH

EDIT: About molds - I've never had beeswax stick in rubber or silicone molds. I would not use tin or aluminum molds myself - though I know others have used them with success. For the cracking, I would pour COOLER - what temp are you pouring at? Then cool slower. That is a good benefit from rubber/silicone molds - they will hold onto the heat longer.

As above has said - when you pour wax it hits the wick and cools and clings at the wick first - then the rest cools, which causes the problem you see. You can try removing the wick from the holder after it just sets so the cooled wax "follows" the rest - but sometimes you cause more damage doing that, plus its not practical if doing candles in bulk. I do it just for myself so its not a problem. Don't know what kind of soy you are using but pouring as cool as possible should help.

HTH

Thanks VERY much - I'll check them out!

Who are some the best suppliers for those 2-piece plastic molds? I'm looking for some Buddha-shaped molds that are different from the standard rolly-polly happy bald Buddha you always see.

Thanks!

Just bumping this up - in case anyone can answer? Thanks!

the yellow from wax works but just wanted to make sure it wicks about the same (roughly) as any other normal yellow BW.

For my refined BW I use candlewic - and both their white and their yellow are pelleted form. The white is really white - and the yellow is bright yellow. If you go to the site you may think they only sell in large quantities, but if you click the "order now" link you will see they sell it by the pound also if you want.

EDIT: The white is more flattened pellets, while the yellow is more rounded. KY Candle also has good white beeswax - but it is more ivory in color if that is a concern to you.

As soon as I read your post, I thought a perfect scent for what you want is BCN's "Witches Brew" (just rename it) - http://www.candlesupply.com/scentdescriptions.html#T-Z . The color suggestion is even black. I had a sample and its pretty nice - very similar to what the description reads.

As far as black color - the BEST black for me has been either Candle Cocoon's or BCN's "pitch black" crystals/flakes.

HTH.

Hi,

Yes you can color it, but if do, then you may want to get the white BW, otherwise with they yellow, well ... you get the idea.

Also BW is more opaque than paraffin, so you will need to use more dye, but it will still not be as translucent. I think BW looks best natural - or if dyed, just earth-type tones - and then just a bit of dye (pastel - like soy). JMO.

I was looking for these last fall and I really like the BCN "primitive" type lids (the heavier looking ones). I bought some black, rust, and zinc ones. They are all really nice and actually FIT on the jars - and the rust is actually rust in feel and look - not that painted stuff. I bought the ones for the 8 oz. jelly jars - but I'm pretty sure they have the 3" ones also.

HTH

I would say the 1212.

With the wax I've been getting lately, I use #2 sq. braid for 3 inch pillars... #1/0 sq. for my little 2 inch grubby pillar... #1/0 for votives ... and #3/0 for tapers and they're all burning perfect. It does vary though. =/

Varda

Hi Varda,

So you mean (after reading this thread again), that you are only using a #2 square for a 50/50 blend of their Acacia and their regular (yellow) BW ? Even with the yellows I've used I've been using a #4. I was just wondering if when you said you used a #2 you mis-typed ? I was going to get some of the yellow from wax works but just wanted to make sure it wicks about the same (roughly) as any other normal yellow BW.

Thanks very much !

Here's two good ones (IMO) that I have bookmarked:

http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4295

http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/... 705537;start=

HTH

(Delete)

Hey Marsha - how are you ? Good advise on the candlewic white - you gotta admit though - even that, if you smell it - no doubt that is not paraffin!

I don't know ... I'm wondering - how long are you burning these for per time? The reason I ask is that you burned a beeswax pillar for barely two hours. If you do that, then put it out, then restart it - because of the "memory" of the candle, its never going to catch up and burn right - its just going to tunnel and then drown. I think with BW of any type, the pillars just burn soooo much better if they are burned in say, an evening, instead of trying to apply the same type of burns and tests you would do with paraffins.

I can't wait to get my wax so I can give these a go myself. If I can't get it to work in 3" pillars I'll bet these waxes would make really nice tapers - or, I'll blend it with refined.

Thanks for all the pics !

Good luck on that 4" soy pillar :tiptoe:

WOW! - wait a minute - a #3 square in a votive WENT OUT ???

(Also, are you guys using this stuff straight - or are you adding FO or anything.)

What hotmama said ... however, if you want to add FO, the bakery-type ones which compliment the natural fragrance would be the way to go I think. Personally I would never add FO to BW myself - JMO. As for additives - don't add any - none needed.

I think its two things - marketing - "cotton" or "unbleached cotton" sounds so natural - but its also its a crop that I've read is grown with a lot of pesticides. Hemp wicks seem to be much more free of that sometimes its grown with ZERO pesticides. The hemp wicks are also much hotter than zincs - and thats the second reason - zinc wicks are "cool" wicks as opposed to the others you normally see being used like HTP, CD, cotton, (Edit: and of course, your "paper" wicks), etc. I also guess people still think zinc is like lead wicks - which of course they are not. Sometimes zincs are just what you need too - I've found that they work really well in the couple of soy/para blends I've tried.

Personally if a wax "system" worked well with zincs - I wouldn't worry what others used - and I would use them. MANY people use HTPs and CDs in soy - and they do burn well, I personally prefer a more centered burn - so I use cottons or hemps instead, but I would use ANY wick if it was the best one for a particular candle.

Good luck!