CD testing woes

[Kerven]

@ShineOn: Those are the wicks I use, so I guess we can rule those out.

 

My first guess would be that the dye in the 4oz jar may have influenced the burn of the ECO 4 wick enough to make it an acceptable burn. Then again, that's a huge step from a good burn to something that smoked like a chimney, so it probably wasn't the dye. If the 8oz jar is the same diameter but a different height, it should have worked with the ECO 4, at least early on. I have no idea what happened there. I agree with your results and the supplier's recommendation for the 4oz jar - ECO 4 is a good starting size for 2.75" jars - with adjustments as necessary. That was going to be the next size for my fragrance test, if I hadn't accidentally used an ECO 8 instead.

 

The recommendation for the 3.20" jar... I haven't worked with coconut in jars that large. Based on Northwood's suggestion of wicking down a size from what you'd use in soy and my experience of needing to wick down two to three sizes, ECO 10 seems like a decent starting point for a 3.20" jar. You said you tested that recommendation from California Candle Supply and the results were the same. Did it burn too hot? I'd have thought ECO 10 might perform somewhere between CD 10 and CD 12.

 

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a slow-wicking wick for thinner waxes. I've read that cotton cored wicks are recommended for coconut wax. I've also seen online merchants selling coconut blend candles with woodwicks. Woodwicks... Hmm! For their 90% coconut blend, Northwood suggests their ribbon wicks or ECO's.

 

Blending is something I'd like to try with coconut wax. With 464's recent issues, the negative reviews on the quantum waxes, frosting, long curing times, and general frustrations of using soy, I'm excited for new plant-derived waxes and blends. There are people blending coconut and soy at varying ratios. 50/50, 10/90, 90/10...etc. If you're accustomed to wicking soy, it might be easier to use a blend of 90/10, soy to coconut. I can't seem to find the page I was reading a few weeks ago, but it did say that up to 10%-15% coconut wax shouldn't have enough of an affect to require changing wick sizes. I'm curious to see if soy will harden coconut wax enough to make it easier to wick while improving wet spots (I get horrible wet spots from coconut wax) and not contributing any frosting. Maybe use a soy pillar blend? Coconut is terribly soft.

 

@birdcharm: Not in cosmetics. I haven't dabbled in any of that beyond melt & pour soap. I've been browsing additives, wax blends, and such, and stumbled upon several patents and resources. Some use antioxidants to preserve the fragrance and wax, others use large percentages of fatty alcohols rather than vegetable wax, one used antifoaming agents to help the hot throw, another used polymers... They're patents, so I can't copy or use the formulas or techniques. Just looking for a bit of insight and inspiration. I never knew so many things could be used in candle wax to influence the burn and throw.

 

It is costly both in time and money. I wish I had used the tray method for the unscented tests. It would have been so much easier and speedy. At this point, I'm on the fence over whether or not to continue with coconut wax. If I sold candles, sure, there might be a niche market for it, but as a hobbyist... I don't want to say that it is more frustrating than soy but it definitely isn't an easy wax to figure out. Not what I had anticipated. Not a wax for beginners.

[TallTayl]

I have a ton of sunflower wax that I should try with it.  On its own sunflower wax does not burn very well. Needs a WIC like beeswax.

[Moonstar]

I never even knew there was a sunflower wax  ?  You amaze me  

[birdcharm]

3 hours ago, Kerven said:

@birdcharm: Not in cosmetics. I haven't dabbled in any of that beyond melt & pour soap. I've been browsing additives, wax blends, and such, and stumbled upon several patents and resources. Some use antioxidants to preserve the fragrance and wax, others use large percentages of fatty alcohols rather than vegetable wax, one used antifoaming agents to help the hot throw, another used polymers... They're patents, so I can't copy or use the formulas or techniques. Just looking for a bit of insight and inspiration. I never knew so many things could be used in candle wax to influence the burn and throw.

 

It is costly both in time and money. I wish I had used the tray method for the unscented tests. It would have been so much easier and speedy. At this point, I'm on the fence over whether or not to continue with coconut wax. If I sold candles, sure, there might be a niche market for it, but as a hobbyist... I don't want to say that it is more frustrating than soy but it definitely isn't an easy wax to figure out. Not what I had anticipated. Not a wax for beginners.

 

I think some of the interest in vegetable-based waxes has to do with the non-synthetic aspect of it in some ways.  So, in other words, adding a polymer, such as vybar, for instance, or other non-plant based additives, takes away from that in a sense.  I have read before that Yankee may use what is called a slip agent to their wax, but, as you say, these things are trade secrets.