theisenk Posted January 7, 2006 Posted January 7, 2006 hello. i dont post very often but really appreciate all the great advice on this message board!i am experimenting with soy candles as a hobby and gifts for friends. i've been using soy for about 6 months and have made about 10 candles. each one has cracked after about 10 or so hours of burning. it is cracking around the edges and sometimes the crack goes all the way down the candle and splits it in two! i use ecosoya wax and pour at about 155. i am using the double boiler method for melting the wax and the temp usually gets up to about 180 and i let it cool before pouring. any thoughts???thanks in advance Quote
theisenk Posted January 7, 2006 Author Posted January 7, 2006 oh! and these are pillar candles. Quote
kathleen Posted January 7, 2006 Posted January 7, 2006 I don't make pillars, but I have had certain FO's crack my votives in half eventually. Quote
theisenk Posted January 7, 2006 Author Posted January 7, 2006 ah. i'll start keeping track of that. thanks Quote
Brat Posted January 7, 2006 Posted January 7, 2006 I'm using soy too, Naturewax V-1, for votives, and I notice they crack too. Kinda irritating... just got a sample bag of it, not sure if I want to get more. Quote
goosebay_1999 Posted January 8, 2006 Posted January 8, 2006 I used to have cracked votives all the time. I think I finally figured out the main issue. I have a ceiling fan in my dining room right above the table and it was cooling the votives way to fast. I shut it off today and made sure my molds are warm and wax right temp and not a single cracked votive. Quote
Brat Posted January 8, 2006 Posted January 8, 2006 Mine seem to be smooth out of the mold, but after they burn and cool, that's when the cracking happens. Not sure what to do about that, maybe move them under a box or something to keep them warm? Oh well, still haven't figured out how to wick the little buggers. Quote
Jeana Posted January 8, 2006 Posted January 8, 2006 I think Ecosoya wax is too brittle on its own. I have to add some KY to it to make it softer.I've been working with the S&P smooth pillar blend for a while now and find that it doesn't get brittle or powdery like Ecosoya. I haven't had one crack but usually I do need to do two pours. Quote
kathleen Posted January 8, 2006 Posted January 8, 2006 Lyschel at Candle Cocoon has a formula....was it 1 oz. beeswax and 4 oz. stearic per lb. of soy? Something like that... Quote
Jeana Posted January 9, 2006 Posted January 9, 2006 That seems like it would make it even more brittle. Quote
Marilyn Posted January 9, 2006 Posted January 9, 2006 Seems that way but I think after doing some experimenting it does help. Not sure about the beeswax, I do add stearic to mine. Quote
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