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Cure Time Test Plan


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Sadly I suffer from MSS, Mad Scientist Syndrome. My candle hobby seems to have taken two separate paths, making and testing. Every time I find some facet of candle making that I hadn’t thought of I have to devise a test for it, even when TT tells me what the outcome will be I still have to test it. Well, with cure time I think I’ve hit the motherlode. The first hurdle was finding some way to measure HT. I have a hallway in my house with a bathroom at the end of it. My plan is to turn off all the fans, burn the candle for 30 minutes and then move down the hall until I smell the candle. My data is the distance from the bathroom to the smell point. I’ll take the same measurement with my wife to get second data point. Below is a rough outline of my test plan. The final plan will have to deal with environmental issues and any other factors that will affect the test results. I’m very excited about this, but mad is just a synonym for crazy.    

 

Objective one: document a reasonable estimation of the effects of cure time on HT.

Objective two: test the possibility of storing blended wax for use after extended curing.

 

Step one: choose a FO, something with weak HT.

Step two: make five identical candles and blend enough extra wax to make another candle. Store the extra wax

Step three: burn one candle at two weeks and record data plus detailed notes on HT

Step four: burn one candle at three months and record data plus detailed notes on HT

Step five: make another candle and a candle out of the saved wax at five and a half months

Step six: burn one of the original candles and the two new candles at six months and record data plus detailed notes on HT

Step seven: burn one candle at nine months and record data plus detailed notes on HT

Step eight: burn one candle at twelve months and record data plus detailed notes on HT

Step nine: write report on test results  

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God bless your patience. 

And your wife. 😂😂

 

Sounds well-reasoned to me, although I had to read your steps through a few times. If it were me, I would want to reduce some of the variables, that's a lot to keep track of. Or maybe tighten up some of the testing parameters.  Same diff, right?

That's a lot of candles to keep track of, plus with that length of time you'd run into the seasonal HT issue discussed previously, and I find (anecdotally) that the HT vastly improves for my candles about halfway down the jar. So a few more variables not mentioned, although perhaps you've already thought of them. 

 

I hope you are planning on using a FO that your wife likes. That's a lot sniffing. 😄

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I guess candles & supplies haven't taken over your house like they have mine...lol.  We are drowning in product and still I sit here contemplating pouring some candles today.  I know what happens to mine over time simply because I make more than I can sell, or I make things that no one likes but me.  Never any shortage of old stuff around here to burn, that's for sure.  Have fun!

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1 hour ago, Sarah S said:

 

 I find (anecdotally) that the HT vastly improves for my candles about halfway down the jar. 

This is a key point. 

 

The oxygen deprivation from that point on down the jar causes much more air circulation/current. It is also the point when my wick choices will ultimately fail if wicking for the top or middle. 

 

 

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On 10/27/2018 at 12:21 PM, Sarah S said:

Sounds well-reasoned to me, although I had to read your steps through a few times. If it were me, I would want to reduce some of the variables, that's a lot to keep track of.

 

It is actually two test using one of the same candles; however, I believe I have shown that if you remelt aged wax it is like going back to square one, which is kind of what TT told me, so I may skip that part. I've picked out a nice tropical fruit scent that my wife will love if the HT can be improved.

Edited by Forrest
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On 10/27/2018 at 12:21 PM, Sarah S said:

plus with that length of time you'd run into the seasonal HT issue discussed previously,

I can run the heat or air to keep the temp in a good range, but only on test days. The humidity may be an issue. I have a dehumidifier, but it can't get the house as dry as it is during the winter and I have no way to measure humidity.

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On 10/27/2018 at 2:05 PM, TallTayl said:

This is a key point. 

 

The oxygen deprivation from that point on down the jar causes much more air circulation/current. It is also the point when my wick choices will ultimately fail if wicking for the top or middle. 

 

 

And I thought thought jars would be easy to wick. My are over and under wicked.

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On 10/27/2018 at 1:01 PM, bfroberts said:

I guess candles & supplies haven't taken over your house like they have mine...lol.  We are drowning in product and still I sit here contemplating pouring some candles today.  I know what happens to mine over time simply because I make more than I can sell, or I make things that no one likes but me.  Never any shortage of old stuff around here to burn, that's for sure.  Have fun!

candles & supplies are kind of like the grass around hear. they grow and spread until my wife lets me know I better do do something about.

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