Single Pour Wax... Truth Or Fiction

[Quentin]

I've been curious lately about the single pour waxes I see on the market. Mainly as a substitute for some of the paraffin pillar blends like IGI 4625, just to give one example. 

Do they really live up to that claim?  No second pour or topping off or punching holes in the bottom? Really?  I'm not being lazy. I'm just looking for ways to cut down the time involved with all that stuff. What I'm saying is, time is money. I'm skeptical about single pours.

[Laura C]

I'm beginning to think that one pour or single pour waxes are just wishful thinking, but could just be me. Maybe someone with lots of experience will add something. The few waxes I have used, I have always gotten some type of dip in the center of my candles, usually not bad. Seems like no matter what I do or temps I use. I hear ya, would be nice to eliminate those extra steps.

[Quentin]

13 hours ago, Laura C said:

I have always gotten some type of dip in the center of my candles, usually not bad.

Same thing here. I wonder how they get it nice and flat on top at the factories. I might jump over to YouTube and check it out.

[Jcandleattic]

15 hours ago, Quentin said:

I've been curious lately about the single pour waxes I see on the market. Mainly as a substitute for some of the paraffin pillar blends like IGI 4625, just to give one example. 

Do they really live up to that claim?  No second pour or topping off or punching holes in the bottom? Really?  I'm not being lazy. I'm just looking for ways to cut down the time involved with all that stuff. What I'm saying is, time is money. I'm skeptical about single pours.

Do you mean for pillars? Then no, not really.  But if you are looking for container wax, and don't mind using paraffin, then yes, there are some still available. I use J50 - or what is now known as IGI 4636, and it is truly a one pour container paraffin blend. I never get a dip or have to do a repour with this container wax. 

 

Now with palm container, all I do for those, is once the top forms a 'crust' so to speak and is solid enough to hold the liquid in below, I just flip my containers over. No second pour, but to get the timing down right it takes some practice. If I didnt' do the flip though, I would have to do a repour.

 

For pillars though, the closest I've come is pouring cool and having to only do 1 repour, I've never seen, nor heard of, a single pour pillar wax.

I know people try to single pour their palm pillars, as have I, but it never really works out. 

[Kerven]

Edit: Nevermind. They weren't pillar waxes.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Kerven

[Laura C]

18 minutes ago, Jcandleattic said:

Do you mean for pillars? Then no, not really.  But if you are looking for container wax, and don't mind using paraffin, then yes, there are some still available. I use J50 - or what is now known as IGI 4636, and it is truly a one pour container paraffin blend. I never get a dip or have to do a repour with this container wax. 

 

Now with palm container, all I do for those, is once the top forms a 'crust' so to speak and is solid enough to hold the liquid in below, I just flip my containers over. No second pour, but to get the timing down right it takes some practice. If I didnt' do the flip though, I would have to do a repour.

 

For pillars though, the closest I've come is pouring cool and having to only do 1 repour, I've never seen, nor heard of, a single pour pillar wax.

I know people try to single pour their palm pillars, as have I, but it never really works out. 

Wow, flipping wet candles over, i'm impressed. That scares the crap out of me. I'm sure it does take some practice, I'll leave that to the pros. LOL 😕

[Quentin]

19 minutes ago, Jcandleattic said:

Do you mean for pillars? Then no, not really.  

Yes. Pillar single pour wax is what I was really after. I guess I can't change 160 years of candle making overnight. I'm trying though.

[Laura C]

10 minutes ago, Kerven said:

I'd add the FO at a certain temperature based on the flash point, then stir for 2 minutes, then cool to 135F or slushy stage, then pour.

 

The coconut waxes have been decent as single pour waxes but they're a pain to wick. Maybe a little cratering when pouring too hot but otherwise nearly paraffin-like in finish.

Hi @Kerven.

For myself, I pour container candles. Yes, I noticed that too, usually the coconut wax candles I make have a hard, smooth top like paraffin candles.

 

What's the deal with adding the scent based on the FO flash point? Does that make a difference with cold & hot scent throw? If there is a post on here I should read just let me know.

 

[Kerven]

I don't know what that was about. I think it was a method I found in one of the guides at Nature's Garden. I was new to candlemaking at the time.

 

Although there may be no single pour pillar waxes, that doesn't mean you couldn't blend one of your own.

Edited August 24, 2018 by Kerven

[Jcandleattic]

51 minutes ago, Laura C said:

What's the deal with adding the scent based on the FO flash point? Does that make a difference with cold & hot scent throw?

No. Flashpoint has literally nothing to do with when to add the FO, at what temp or anything else. Flashpoint of a volatile material is the lowest temperature at which vapours of the material will ignite, when given an ignition source, such as a spark or open flame. 

In our world it will mostly determine whether an FO can be shipped by air or ground. Unless you are working near an open flame (which let's hope you are not) then you do not have to be concerned with the flashpoint. 

[Jcandleattic]

56 minutes ago, Laura C said:

If there is a post on here I should read just let me know.

There is one, let me find it - 

 

 

[Laura C]

5 minutes ago, Jcandleattic said:

Thanks @Jcandleattic, I went and read that post. That's what I thought, that it was bs. Evidently the "add FO at or below Flash point" is the same kind of hokum as "paraffin wax candles are bad and will kill you" that just keeps surviving and making it rounds. The hokum doesn't die. LOL.

 

 

[Jcandleattic]

@Laura C nope, hokum doesn't die. LOL 

[Laura C]

1 minute ago, Jcandleattic said:

@Laura C nope, hokum doesn't die. LOL 

I was going to React with the Laughing face emoji but I can't. I received this message, "Sorry, you cannot add any more reactions today.". Guess I've been busy on here today. LOL

[Crafty1_AJ]

Pillar candles are meant to be unmolded, so the wax needs to shrink to pull away from the sides of the mold.  That's why you don't see single pour pillar waxes.  Since they shrink as they cool, they're going to need a repour.

 

Now with container waxes. it is a different story.  As JCandle said, J-50 wax is a good example of a single pour.  I tested that years ago, and assuming it's still the same formula since IGI bought out the Honeywell waxes, then it's true to form.  I remember being amazed at how smooth the tops were when I followed the mfr's directions for use.

[jbradshaw]

I use 464 in a tin and never have to do a second pour - but in general my experience with 464 is sooooo different from most people on this forum. I think it must be my climate/altitude or something because I'm definitely not as experienced as most here. 

[Quentin]

On 8/24/2018 at 12:35 PM, Jcandleattic said:

I've never seen, nor heard of, a single pour pillar wax.

You are correct. I should have been more specific. Some of the sellers of the hybrid waxes are coming close to making claims that some of their products are "one pour" pillar waxes. IGI 6028 is one that comes to mind right now. At least that's the information coming from Candlewic.  As I said, I'm skeptical.

[Jcandleattic]

5 minutes ago, Quentin said:

You are correct. I should have been more specific. Some of the sellers of the hybrid waxes are coming close to making claims that some of their products are "one pour" pillar waxes. IGI 6028 is one that comes to mind right now. At least that's the information coming from Candlewic.  As I said, I'm skeptical.

As @Crafty1_AJ said though, pillar waxes need to shrink and pull away from the side of the mold though, or else it was be very hard to remove from the mold. I'm with you, I'm skeptical about this. 

[Quentin]

On 8/24/2018 at 1:20 PM, Kerven said:

Although there may be no single pour pillar waxes, that doesn't mean you couldn't blend one of your own.

Now you're talkin'. I like it when people think outside the box.

[Quentin]

15 hours ago, jbradshaw said:

I think it must be my climate/altitude or something

Those factors come into play in just about every activity you can imagine. Simple things like boiling a pot of water are affected by those things. I often wonder about recommended temperatures. We all use different thermometers on different heat sources and in different climates. Were those temperatures tested on top of Mt. Everest or at the bottom of the Marianas Trench?

[Quentin]

On 8/24/2018 at 2:15 PM, Laura C said:

"paraffin wax candles are bad and will kill you"

Love it. We haven't had a typical smothering muggy summer around here in a few years now. Must be global warming!

[TallTayl]

21 minutes ago, Quentin said:

Love it. We haven't had a typical smothering muggy summer around here in a few years now. Must be global warming!

I know where your humidity went.... developing gills here just to survive the horribly wet, hot and muggy summer.  It has changed how our candles burn and need to be made, that’s for sure!

[Laura C]

30 minutes ago, Quentin said:

Love it. We haven't had a typical smothering muggy summer around here in a few years now. Must be global warming!

And just for the record, I don't have a problem with paraffin wax. ☺️

[Trappeur]

I can get 1 pour tops pretty easy with 464 if I very carefully watch the temperature and don't walk away.  Actually I just did some 15 minutes ago.

 

Trappeur