Paraffin In Pillars

[Quentin]

I've been making candles now for about 6 months. I've seen so many different ideas on which wax to use in pillars, in particular paraffin. Is it absolutely necessary to make probe holes everytime to fill the shrinkage area inside? Should I only do that if I see evidence such as a visible hole after the candle has cooled? I've got plenty  of questions, but this will do for now

[Jcandleattic]

With paraffin pillars yes, it is. Because even if you don't see shrinkage, paraffin cools at different rates and the top can be perfectly flat, however inside can be huge caverns that need to be filled, otherwise when burning the wick can hit one of those air pockets and do one of several different things. 

A) go out - best case scenario

B ) burn off center causing a lopsided and uneven burn, 

C) flop over causing something beside the pillar to catch fire

D) spill molten wax down the side of the pillar and onto whatever surface you are burning the pillar on. 

And several more I'm sure I'm forgetting to mention. 

 

It only takes a second to poke relief holes, and only a few more to fill them in once the relief holes are poked, so it's just easier to do IMO than have an iffy/unsafe candle. 

[Pam W]

I always run a probe down around the wick as the candles are cooling...two or three times during the drying process...only takes a minute.  Then when I do my final repour I dig around the wick again......but then, what else do I have to do while I'm waiting to unmold my creations...lol.

[Quentin]

Helpful information from both of you. I saw lots of things I was doing wrong by not running a probe. Thank you. How long do I wait in the cooling process before I start probing?

[TallTayl]

Another possibility to add on to JC's list: flares. When the melt pool disappears into an internal cavern the flame can flare Causing remaining wax to suddenly melt and make even larger flames. Scary to see when it happens. 

[Candybee]

I've seen all of the above case scenarios happen with my pillars. So yes I do poke around the top looking for air pockets. But you can usually tell where one is when you see an indentation start to form on top layer of wax. You can start poking as soon as the wax has cooled but is still warm. Just remember to pour the repour wax 10 degrees hotter than the original pour temp to help the new layer bind with the old.

 

i love paraffin pillars. They are probably my fav because when you burn a paraffin pillar you can 'hug' the candle to help level it and make it burn more evenly.

[Pam W]

On 12/19/2017 at 6:25 PM, Candybee said:

i love paraffin pillars. They are probably my fav because when you burn a paraffin pillar you can 'hug' the candle to help level it and make it burn more evenly.

Me too -- I love playing with my pillars.......kind of an obsession if you KWIM????

[Quentin]

On 12/19/2017 at 5:37 PM, Quentin said:

Helpful information from both of you. I saw lots of things I was doing wrong by not running a probe. Thank you. How long do I wait in the cooling process before I start probing?

What went wrong here? I poked a small parallel hole on either side of the wick.  Both went all the way to the bottom. So I took a little larger probe and made the holes bigger and twisted it until they were nice and round.  The candle burned beautifully for a couple of days, then disaster struck as you can see in the picture.  I'm going to take a guess at what I did wrong. Y'all tell me if I'm right or not. I pored more hot paraffin on the top and filled the well, thinking that this would fill the cavities inside.  I'll bet I was wrong. 

Edited December 29, 2017 by Quentin
Needed to make picture smaller.

[TallTayl]

That is a blowout. See the little slit in the rim? The wall got too thin as it burned and the molten wax burst through. 

[Flicker]

Yep. a blowout that is! That looks like soy? To me that means either your wick is too large or you burned it too long, possibly both.

What was specifically are you using?
What wick did you use? Size and series
What is the exact diameter of the mold you are using?
How long had you burned that burn cycle?
How long have you been burning each time?

[Quentin]

Thanks to all of you for your help.  This was paraffin poured in a mold.  It was doing great for a couple of days, then I walked away from it (which was pretty stupid) to go do a chore in the garage. I came back and found this. I could have set the house on fire! I don't know anything about wick sizes and series. I don't even know where to find that information. The mold is 3 inches in diameter and it was a pretty large wick, so you're probably on to something there. They were cheap wicks that came "free" with the mold. The wicks he sends out, I now know are junk.

 

How exactly do I find out what size wick I need?  What is a "series" when it comes to wicks?

8 hours ago, TallTayl said:

That is a blowout. See the little slit in the rim? The wall got too thin as it burned and the molten wax burst through. 

What would cause the wall to get too thin.  I think I'm doing a good job of centering but maybe not.

[TallTayl]

Could be too large of a wick. Or too small if it can't consume the wax as fast as it melts. The molten wax in the melt pool pushes on the softening wax in the wall and eventually breaks through. 

 

I would do a little investigating into common popular wicks for that wax so you know so you know which way to go next time. Popular wicks come in so many sizes you're bound to stumble into the right one.

 

pillars are tough. You need to leave just enough shell to prevent blowouts, while letting the shell begin to "weep" into the candle as it burns down. It's a balancing act for sure. 

[Jcandleattic]

Knowing exactly which paraffin wax you are using will help us with the suggestions on which wick to use for that sized mold. I use flat braid wicks for my paraffin pillars, but the size of the FB wick will vary depending on the size mold, and which paraffin wax I happen to be using at the time. 

[Quentin]

Just to show you how new to this I am; I first thought all paraffins were the same. I've bought "Paraffin Wax" from Michael's craft store. That's all the information the package gives. Then I did a search for paraffin on Amazon and found "General Purpose" wax. I submitted a question as to what exactly is general purpose wax. I got several answers from consumers and  even the seller that it was 100% pure paraffin. So I ordered a 10lb. slab which I haven't used yet. 

 

Not all the pillars I've made have been like the disaster shown in my picture.  I just never know what to expect. Mostly, I've used molds that are 3 inches in diameter. That's all the information I have to offer at this point.  I take constructive criticism quite well, so lay it on me.

 

Q

[Jcandleattic]

I don’t have criticism per say. You are working with straight paraffin and not a blend, and I believe even the all purpose will be straight and not a blend (meaning it doesn’t have any additives already blended in) so it’ll be more versatile, and you can do more with it. However, it won’t hold as much fragrance as a blend. 

 

For your 3” mold, I would probably start with a 24ply flat braid with 3% fragrance load. 

I typically work with a paraffin blend for my pillars, but others who use straight paraffin might be able to help more. 

[TallTayl]

My big question is about the "pure paraffin" part. What does the seller mean? Not blended with other waxes? No additives? Pure paraffin with zero additives can have a melt point  that ranges from 115-150+ farenheight. 

 

If it is sold as a candle wax, chances are it has some additives in it. Which is not a bad thing. Additives help hold fragrance in suspension in thenwax and make colors behave well. It helps clue in on what the wax really is under that seller's marketing nomenclature. Where this knowledge becomes important is repurchasing. If that seller is not stocking exactly the same brand and type of wax consistently, each order you receive can vary by quite a bit. So, nailing your wick now will mean starting over again if the wax you receive next is different. This is the maddening part about hobby shops.... you never ever know what they are stocking since they purchase based on cost. 

 

I would remelt that candle above and try another wick. I'd probably not add anything else, just a different wick to learn the wax and minimize waste. 

[Quentin]

Thanks to both for all the thought provoking ideas. I've been mulling it over in my head. Would I accomplish anything by using the same stuff as before and same size, but start out with the thinnest wick in my possession and see where it goes from there?

[TallTayl]

20 minutes ago, Quentin said:

Thanks to both for all the thought provoking ideas. I've been mulling it over in my head. Would I accomplish anything by using the same stuff as before and same size, but start out with the thinnest wick in my possession and see where it goes from there?

It would not hurt. Heck you have the stuff, why not?

[Scented]

On 12/30/2017 at 6:23 PM, Quentin said:

Would I accomplish anything by using the same stuff as before and same size, but start out with the thinnest wick in my possession and see where it goes from there?

Personally I would trash the wicks you have that were free or came with your wax so you know what you're using, because say you want to reproduce what you did ... you don't know what you're using. You might as well start note taking. 

I'm late to your post, but when I'm poking, I do four around the wick by habit. If you have the ability to burn several sizes of wicks ... or even two ... try that. I think JC suggested a 24 flat play and I'd say try out a 27 with a 6% load if you're using additives. 

[Quentin]

1 hour ago, Scented said:

Personally I would trash the wicks you have that were free or came with your wax so you know what you're using, because say you want to reproduce what you did ... you don't know what you're using. You might as well start note taking. 

I'm late to your post, but when I'm poking, I do four around the wick by habit. If you have the ability to burn several sizes of wicks ... or even two ... try that. I think JC suggested a 24 flat play and I'd say try out a 27 with a 6% load if you're using additives. 

I've pretty well decided that the wicks I've been using is a major problem. Some of the the "free" ones the mold seller "gave" me, look more like something you would use to tie up your tomato plants. They've already been put out in the garage.  You are certainly right about not knowing what I'm using.  I took the advice that JC and TT gave me and I'm looking right now at a candle that is burning beautifully. I'm making some more pillars on Friday. I'll use the same formula you just gave me in the same mold and see how that works. Only one problem with that. I can't remember what wick I used!  I'll start taking better notes. Really! I promise! 

Q