Votives

[CureJHD]

Hello all, I am new to this site. I started making soy candles 9 months ago. Took me a lot of trial and error, but finally got the jars down using 464. Now....... Trying to make votives. I got PB wax, and made 8 votives, they looked great, though I had to do a second pour. My question to all you seasoned candles is what is the magic wick? I tried the following, Eco 4, LX 14 (preferred wick by CS), CD 4, 5. My results were they either tunneled down the center within 3 hours, or they burned down to a clump of wax within 3-4 hours. It wasnt pretty. Any suggestions on making votives is greatly appreciated.

[Dolphin146]

Hi I to use ecosoya pb for my votives. First make sure you are burning them in a tight fitting votive container other wise they won't burn right. For wicks I use a eco 2 But sometimes I need to wick up to a eco 4 depending on scent. But you can try a cd 5 also and see how it goes.

[Chefmom]

A votive is basically a solid container candle. It isn't usually burned free standing, like a pillar, but in the small votive holders that all the craft stores and specialty shops sell. They are nice because customers can try out scents before commiting to a larger pillar or container candle.

I say that I like to have an affair with the scent, not marry it.

Ecosoya PB can be tricky to wick. When I was trying it for votives I found that I was destroying too many because it is so brittle and cracks easily when you remove it from the mold. Dolphin146 gave good wick suggestions I would start with the eco 2, I like that wick.

Wicking is the toughest part of candle making! There is no magic, just testing and more testing, getting to know each kind of wick with your wax.

[tam1116]

What other waxes have you all added to Ecosoya PB so it is not so brittle.

[CureJHD]

Been test burning past 5 hours with a Eco 4 in a glass votive cup, and it is doing well thus far. I have only tried Pb wax for votives, and only used 464 for my jelly jars. I feel ok with my jar candles, I use 1 oz FO per lb of 464 wax, and got the wick good on those. But now I am venturing into votives. If I burn votive out of votive cup, like I set it inside a lid, and after an hour it was a wax glob in the lid with Eco 4. I never made pillar candles. 9 months of trial and error, I am still learning. I could stick with jars, but wanted to learn the trick of votives. Like said, I could give people a scented votive to smell the fragrance. I did order a pack of 5 of the eco#2 today while taking advantage of CS FO sale.

[moonshine]

You can't burn PB votives like a pillar - they have to be in a tight fitting votive container

Several years ago I thought it would be cool to set a votive inside a mason jar for my sisters wedding and when I made all those dam things and did a trial run every one of them turned to a blob and burnt out in like 3 seconds

CS carries votive holders very reasonable in price and I think it was peak that has some new cool colors

I use LX14 and CD4 or 5 for most of mine

Tam- I use some 135 or 415 mixed in with PB for the votives- it softens it enough to where they don't crack coming out of the molds and helps with HT quite a bit IMO

[rjdaines]

You can't burn PB votives like a pillar - they have to be in a tight fitting votive container

Several years ago I thought it would be cool to set a votive inside a mason jar for my sisters wedding and when I made all those dam things and did a trial run every one of them turned to a blob and burnt out in like 3 seconds

CS carries votive holders very reasonable in price and I think it was peak that has some new cool colors

I use LX14 and CD4 or 5 for most of mine

Tam- I use some 135 or 415 mixed in with PB for the votives- it softens it enough to where they don't crack coming out of the molds and helps with HT quite a bit IMO

Same results here with PB and customers have a strange idea as to what "tight fitting" means. I no longer make soy votives.

[moonshine]

Lol- I make very few anymore myself- they are a PITA but I am enjoying making chunk votives...for the moment and your right about the customers- I keep a container here in the office to show them so there is no confusion

[CureJHD]

Thanks to all. I am currently burning the LX 14 in a "tight" votive holder, though the flame is small, it has been burning now for the past 6 hours.

Soy is the only wax I have used past 9 months. I use 464 for jars, and bought the PB to venture into votives. I will either purchase votive cups, or I will tell people what will happen if they don't use votive cup. Their little candle, will turn into the blob. Lol.

I don't know anything bout chunk votives or other waxes. Still in baby steps here. Lots of money, and fun, but still learning.

Again, thanks for replies, it has helped.

[ladysj]

You can't burn PB votives like a pillar - they have to be in a tight fitting votive container

Several years ago I thought it would be cool to set a votive inside a mason jar for my sisters wedding and when I made all those dam things and did a trial run every one of them turned to a blob and burnt out in like 3 seconds

CS carries votive holders very reasonable in price and I think it was peak that has some new cool colors

I use LX14 and CD4 or 5 for most of mine

Tam- I use some 135 or 415 mixed in with PB for the votives- it softens it enough to where they don't crack coming out of the molds and helps with HT quite a bit IMO

About what percentage of container wax do you add to the PB?

[moonshine]

I use 25% container and 75% PB

I have done this with 135- 464 and 415 with great results but I do have to say the 135 for this mix was my favorite but I hate to order it for just votives

[rjdaines]

I use 25% container and 75% PB

I have done this with 135- 464 and 415 with great results but I do have to say the 135 for this mix was my favorite but I hate to order it for just votives

...and they pop from the mold easily? I've got a "ton" of PB and don't know what to do with it. This may be the answer.

[CureJHD]

I didn't add anything. I just melted 1 lb pb wax, then poured into votive molds. One batch I scented, and another batch I added 1 oz of CS Buttercream FO. When I did test burn, I didn't smell buttercream, so am playing with wicks. Thus far, LX 14 burns slow with small flame. The LX 16 was too big, big flame, burned fast. Eco 2 was too small. Eco 4 burned well with good flame, but no smell. I bought 10 lb. bag of the PB, so still experimenting. Believe me, I wasted some product with the jars, now here I go again with the votives. But at least I am having fun.

[moonshine]

...and they pop from the mold easily? I've got a "ton" of PB and don't know what to do with it. This may be the answer.

Yep- I use the wick pins also and what I do is after I pop them out (super easy) I tap the top of the pin on my concrete basement floor in the storage room and they usually slide right off- once in awhile I will get one that cracks and breaks off on the bottom a little but I just use those ones for myself and I let them cool overnight also

And I forgot to add I do a second pour also

Edited March 14, 2013 by moonshine

[moonshine]

I didn't add anything. I just melted 1 lb pb wax, then poured into votive molds. One batch I scented, and another batch I added 1 oz of CS Buttercream FO. When I did test burn, I didn't smell buttercream, so am playing with wicks. Thus far, LX 14 burns slow with small flame. The LX 16 was too big, big flame, burned fast. Eco 2 was too small. Eco 4 burned well with good flame, but no smell. I bought 10 lb. bag of the PB, so still experimenting. Believe me, I wasted some product with the jars, now here I go again with the votives. But at least I am having fun.

Try a CD 5 with that scent and if its to hot try a 4

[CureJHD]

What is the preferred recommended wax for votives? I think the Eco 4 in the pb wax burned well yesterday during test burn.

[Dolphin146]

I didn't add anything. I just melted 1 lb pb wax, then poured into votive molds. One batch I scented, and another batch I added 1 oz of CS Buttercream FO. When I did test burn, I didn't smell buttercream, so am playing with wicks. Thus far, LX 14 burns slow with small flame. The LX 16 was too big, big flame, burned fast. Eco 2 was too small. Eco 4 burned well with good flame, but no smell. I bought 10 lb. bag of the PB, so still experimenting. Believe me, I wasted some product with the jars, now here I go again with the votives. But at least I am having fun.

How long did you let the PB votives cure before you burned them. I let mine cure a week or better. The longer they cure the better.

[CureJHD]

Cured less than a week. On test burns, I think the Eco 4 did the best.

[ladysj]

I use 25% container and 75% PB

I have done this with 135- 464 and 415 with great results but I do have to say the 135 for this mix was my favorite but I hate to order it for just votives

Have you tried this combo for making pillars? I think I'm going to try & see & also for my embeds & see how it goes. Thank you

[moonshine]

No I have tried a pillar - I am to scared to even go there with wicking- I tried a heart before, not tall but very wide and required 3 wicks... Blew out the sides everytime and I gave up! Not sure if it was the wicking or if the container wax made it to soft...

But I do use this for colored "chunks" in the votives- the only dying I ever do and it works and wicks the same but they are in votive holders- not pillar style