Questions about tart making

[DasBreenee]

Hello everyone! I'm new around here.

I'm also pretty new to tart making. I've only just begun my journey into the wonderful world of trial and error of creating the perfect blend of wax. 

So far i have purchased different waxes including EcoSoya PB, Problend 400, Problend 450, Problend 600, and Problend 650. I bought all these waxes from The Flaming Candle to avoid buying in large quantities while still testing, since they sell in two pounds.

I have a couple of questions. 

When you blend two waxes that have completely different fragrance loads, what do you do? I'm assuming you would average it out? Say one wax has 6% and the other has a 12% load. Say you load it with 9% to sort of average it. What happens to the excess FO that can't be held by the wax with a lower load. Would it just.. disappear? 

Also, when blending waxes with different melt points and different FO load heats. Do you melt the waxes separate and then combine them? Or just combine and heat, does it make a difference? And finally, FO load. When they have different FO load heats, when do you add them? Average it?

 

 

 

Edit: Ive been considering trying 4625 with 4627, I hear good things. Does that sound good? Has anyone tried it? That's mainly why I'm asking as one seems to have a 6% load while the other has a 10-12% load. 

As of now this is still me testing and giving everything away to friends and family, but I would love to make this a side job since I have SO many ideas running through my head! 

Edited June 1, 2016 by DasBreenee

[Guest OldGlory]

I will try to answer some of your questions...

Waxes with different FO loads -you can test the average if you are using equal amounts of each wax. Take good notes and keep them, that way you won't make the same mistake twice. The point is that you will learn the most from doing your own testing. If the average is 6%, personally I would try 6% andd 8%. Sometimes you can really push the upper limit in a melt but it depends on your waxes. If 8% works and I wanted to push it more, I would try 10%.

Temperatures - you can try melting the waxes together at the lower suggested temp. See if the FO binds well enough with the waxes. If not, turn it up a bit, etc.

With wax melts you can try anything you want. I think some people here use 4625 and 4627 and are happy with it.

[DasBreenee]

9 hours ago, OldGlory said:

I will try to answer some of your questions...

Waxes with different FO loads -you can test the average if you are using equal amounts of each wax. Take good notes and keep them, that way you won't make the same mistake twice. The point is that you will learn the most from doing your own testing. If the average is 6%, personally I would try 6% andd 8%. Sometimes you can really push the upper limit in a melt but it depends on your waxes. If 8% works and I wanted to push it more, I would try 10%.

Temperatures - you can try melting the waxes together at the lower suggested temp. See if the FO binds well enough with the waxes. If not, turn it up a bit, etc.

With wax melts you can try anything you want. I think some people here use 4625 and 4627 and are happy with it.

Thank you!  

also, is it possible to add the fragrance oil at too low of a temperature? I know most

say to do it around 180 degrees or so, but would the scent throw become lesser by adding the fragrance oil, at say maybe 140 degrees or something? 

[Guest OldGlory]

Yes it is possible. When the FO doesn't bind you end up with FO that has separated and is floating in the bottom of the pouring pitcher. That's the only kind of non-binding I've experienced but there might be other instances. When you pour the unbound part, it is a big mess because it's just liquid - not waxy. You can fix it by heating it up. I use a hot griddle (like you use to make pancakes) to keep pitchers warm between pours of pillars. When the wax is at the right temperature the FO mixes into the wax.

[DasBreenee]

On June 1, 2016 at 8:59 PM, OldGlory said:

Yes it is possible. When the FO doesn't bind you end up with FO that has separated and is floating in the bottom of the pouring pitcher. That's the only kind of non-binding I've experienced but there might be other instances. When you pour the unbound part, it is a big mess because it's just liquid - not waxy. You can fix it by heating it up. I use a hot griddle (like you use to make pancakes) to keep pitchers warm between pours of pillars. When the wax is at the right temperature the FO mixes into the wax.

What a great idea! I'm waiting until I get my formula just right and then I plan on investing a presto pot with a spicket. Making wax on a double boiler gets so tedious!