cybersix Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Hi alla few days ago I made some tea-lights, I made them using straight paraffin and different FOs.I noticed that some of them mottled, using 3% FO.I wrote down the name of the mottling FO.So yesterday I tried a little pillar, straight paraffin, brown dye, and I used 6% FO (the fo is hazelnut creme). Poured at 190*, and let it cool normally. I used a polycarbonate mold (my alu molds are too big, and I just wanted to do a little test without wasting too much fo).It didn't mottle at all!Why???Maybe the wax mottles only when you don't want??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geekrunner Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Seems strange that at 6% FO it did not mottle. I know that adding stearic up to a certain point will increase mottling, then one reaches a point of diminishing returns, due to the fact that stearic will bind oils. You might try using just 3% load on another pillar. Your pour temp seems about right, but one thing you could try also is to wrap a towel around the mold to control the cooling rate. Sometimes it mottles better if it cools very slowly.Hopefully Top will comment on this, he does some great mottles!BTW good afternoon there in Milano! geek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted January 18, 2006 Author Share Posted January 18, 2006 Hi Geek!Thanks, it seems very strange because the tealights mottled even if I put them outside of the window to make them cool faster.I have to say that tealights were uncolored and I use a metal mold.. Dyes and colors can affect mottling in some way?Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Seems strange that at 6% FO it did not mottle. I know that adding stearic up to a certain point will increase mottling, then one reaches a point of diminishing returns, due to the fact that stearic will bind oils. You might try using just 3% load on another pillar. Your pour temp seems about right, but one thing you could try also is to wrap a towel around the mold to control the cooling rate. Sometimes it mottles better if it cools very slowly.Hopefully Top will comment on this, he does some great mottles!I'll comment but I don't know if it will help.I think the rules of thumb probably hold true in the case of just wax and FO. More FO = more mottle and slower cooling = more mottle. However, I've seen some counter-intuitive things happen that I suspect are connected with adding stearic to the equation. Stearic acid has a very complicated interaction with paraffin compared to other additives. I think the wax Sabrina is using might be the one she's mentioned in the past that already has stearic in it.Considering we don't know much about the mottling properties of this wax, investing more materials in mottle experiments is at your own risk. It may or may not work.I go with geek's suggestion of using 3% FO. For one thing, it's less to possibly waste. For another thing, it might actually help. It surprised me when I noticed wax with stearic mottle more with less FO, but recently I've seen the effect.Cooling slowly can also completely screw up a stearic mottle, if you overdo it. Pouring at 190 into a polycarbonate mold will make a very slow-cooling candle. If that's not working, pouring hotter or wrapping the mold will just take it to a futile extreme. I'd pour into a metal mold at about 185 or (second choice) pour into the polycarb at the coolest temp that will ensure a smooth surface. 175 maybe?These are speculative suggestions. You first result wasn't encouraging and it may not work. Good luck if you try again and keep us posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted January 18, 2006 Author Share Posted January 18, 2006 Thanks Top.The wax I used is plain paraffin with no additives in it. I used this because I saw a "spontaneus" mottling effect with some FOs I have (clean cotton was the best mottling, followed by Irish Cream and Hazelnut Creme)But maybe I did a mistake using more FO. I was thinking "more FO more mottling" but maybe it's wrong.Maybe I should try the "original" recipe. There are so many attempts to do!!Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Thanks Top.The wax I used is plain paraffin with no additives in it. I used this because I saw a "spontaneus" mottling effect with some FOs I have (clean cotton was the best mottling, followed by Irish Cream and Hazelnut Creme)But maybe I did a mistake using more FO. I was thinking "more FO more mottling" but maybe it's wrong.Maybe I should try the "original" recipe. There are so many attempts to do!!ThanksUsually that's true about the FO Sabrina. The wax generally mottles when it's overloaded with FO and more = more. It can be unpredictable though and the cooling rate is very significant. Your original recipe is actually to use 3% FO and crash cool the mixture, which you won't be able to duplicate in a pillar mold. But try pouring cooler and see if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybersix Posted January 18, 2006 Author Share Posted January 18, 2006 Ok I'll try this way, and see what happens!Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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