Cookedup Candles Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Hello all, I am new to this but really need some advice when it comes to making soy candles. I have been making candles for almost a year now and have had great success at finally making a product that I feel confident with. Recently I filled an order for a client and something went terribly wrong. The candles were smoking heavily, the flame was flashing and out of control, and the glass jar on some broke. I have done some trouble shooting and tried adding the fragrance oil at a hotter wax temp, I’ve tried reducing the amount of oil I’m using but I keep getting the same result with this crazy flame. I am so confused as to how Ive been making candles for quite some time and never ran into this issue but now there is this weird problem. Has anyone else experienced this?? I feel so confused and would love some advice. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Sounds like you need to step back to square one: wicking. Sooting, smoking, flashing are all related to wicking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 (edited) Need some more detailed info. What wax and jars you using What style and size wicks are you using What oil and what percentage of oil per pound you do What temperature did you add your oil to wax Are you using the double boiler method to make your candles Sounds like a wick problem to me.... Trappeur Edited July 23, 2018 by Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerven Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 What soy wax, wick series/size, and container style/diameter? If you're experiencing a wildly dancing flame, smoke/soot, and breaking glass, the wick might be too large. Candles that burn too hot and whose flame flickers or leans in a particular direction will heat the glass unevenly, causing a single section of the jar to become very hot, leading to the glass cracking or shattering. Sometimes, a breeze or draft can cause the flame to do this to the glass. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookedup Candles Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 28 minutes ago, Trappeur said: Need some more detailed info. What wax and jars you using What style and size wicks are you using What oil and what percentage of oil per pound you do What temperature did you add your oil to wax Are you using the double boiler method to make your candles Sounds like a wick problem to me.... I am using GW444 soy wax, Eco 12 soy wicks, wide mouth mason jars, I use oil from the Flaming candle company and usually use 11% oil per pound. I use to add my oil at 160 degrees but recently have been adding at 185 degrees but still have gotten the same result. And I am using a double boiler. Even though I have been using same wicks, same wax, same oil, same process, why do you think now I would experience a problem? Should I change my wick even though it has been working for me up until recently? Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runner14jc Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 @Cookedup Candles Is this a new fragrance that you are using? Every fragrance burns differently and some fragrances need a smaller or bigger wick than other fragrances. I would test wicking down and see if that helps control things. Also, are you measuring your fragrance on a scale by weight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 (edited) Ok Cookedup, here are some things that you should probably be adjusting and experimenting with. 1. Back way down on your fragrance oil to 6% - I would do that right off the bat. I didn't ask....but are you curing the candles for 2 weeks because curing is a very important step.... 2. Changing your temperature from 160 to 185 that I would myself recommend on all your candles. 160 is way too low. 3. Now the reason I asked if you were using a double boiler is because when you said your flame was flash dancing the first thing that came to my mind is "water" in your pot. You could very possibly have the tiniest pin holes in the bottom of your pot and water entering your pot through the holes...that could be a possibility. 4. All fragrances are vastly different and some just may not be compatable for your wax. So we have to test. Is it different fragrances that you are using that this just happened or are some the same fragrances? 5. And yes definitely could be no throw with a certain wick your using. So experiment with another wick style I would suggest. Sooting is contributed to wicking so there is another good area to be testing and you might be using too big a wick. I don't use eco's so I can't advise what size wicks to go in that wide mouth mason jar even though I use that jar from time to time, but I use all cd wicks and use 464. Too much heat definitely could cause glass breakage without a doubt. 6. I meant to ask what what temperature are you pouring into your jars. The jars aren't cold are they? Canning jars are made to withstand heat and I use them 100% of the time, so that is a shocker right there......That would give the willeys if that happened to me.....gosh..... Wow that is scary with the glass breaking.....did this happen to your customer or you? Trappeur Edited July 23, 2018 by Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Did you recall your candles until this is all figured out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah S Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 On July 23, 2018 at 10:54 AM, Cookedup Candles said: Hello all, I am new to this but really need some advice when it comes to making soy candles. I have been making candles for almost a year now and have had great success at finally making a product that I feel confident with. Recently I filled an order for a client and something went terribly wrong. The candles were smoking heavily, the flame was flashing and out of control, and the glass jar on some broke. I have done some trouble shooting and tried adding the fragrance oil at a hotter wax temp, I’ve tried reducing the amount of oil I’m using but I keep getting the same result with this crazy flame. I am so confused as to how Ive been making candles for quite some time and never ran into this issue but now there is this weird problem. Has anyone else experienced this?? I feel so confused and would love some advice. Thanks!! Yikes! That's scary! Did your test candles do that? I saw in your answer to Trappeur that you use Eco 12s. Do you mean you use the same size wick for every fragrance? That might be your problem right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebleo Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 Another thing to think about with using the double boiler method...another way you can be getting water in your pot is by condensation buildup on your vent that is dripping down into your pot. Make sure and turn your vent on to prevent this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdcharm Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 I'm not sure how many crafters use a double boiler with soy wax or if it's considered necessary to do so. I only use one with paraffin, but for soy or gel, I use an electric burner on a very low setting. I know a lot of people use Presto Pots. I think the double boiler may use more energy, take longer, put more moisture into the air, and possibly into the wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moonshine Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 (edited) Eco 12 doesn’t sound unreasonable for that jar being wide mouth but 11% FO is crazy high even for soy I don’t know how long you have been doing this or realize soy has undergone significant changes and most are needing to be wicked smaller now as a result and eco is about the hottest burning series out there So maybe try a 10 recall all your candles and Start over is my advice back your FO down - 1 ounce per pound is roughly 6% but doesn’t always work in soy you may need 1.5 ounces per pound which is roughly 9% and you shouldn’t need more than that at all start with eco 10’and go from there retesting all your scents it could be contaminated oil if it’s all the same fragrance with the issue but still imo you need to back down the fo load and try a wick size down this likely sounds to me like a cavern issue - 444 is notorious for creating caverns under the surface - you very well may have hit a big air pocket I take no chances with this wax and poke relief holes doing a second pour And some lots are worse than others I have found Edited July 26, 2018 by moonshine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 In addition to the above advice, have you retested as you buy more wax? Sorry if someone else said this my eyes are not focusing right today! This has been a huge problem for all of us, I've had to wick down almost every scent with my wax changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScentedPleasurez Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 11% fo is to much imo. The most ive ever seen was 10% and even then not all waxes can holfd that amount. If you are measuring and not weighing your oil you could possibly be using more than 11% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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