Forrest Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Trapp’s post about the best throwing wax got me thinking about HT and cure time. We know the molecular structure of wax changes as it cures. My hypothesis is that different waxes cure at different rates and that the HT for fully cured candles will be approximately the same no matter what wax you use. Of course how long it takes to be fully cured varies greatly depending on the type of wax. I base this in part on my recent experience with a 16 month old candle I had made with 464. Two weeks after those candles were made they had almost no HT; at 16 months the HT was overpowering, it was as strong as any candle I have ever burned. Of course we don’t wait for over a year to judge our candles, we judge them in a few weeks after making them. So maybe when we say we want the wax with the best HT what we actually mean is we want the wax that cures the fastest. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura C Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Forrest said: So maybe when we say we want the wax with the best HT what we actually mean is we want the wax that cures the fastest. I want it All... and now! LOL Edited January 28, 2019 by Laura C 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 21 minutes ago, Laura C said: I want it All... and now! LOL Exactly! Instant curing and easy wicking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah S Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 You can get that with pre-blended paraffin waxes. It's the veggie based waxes that really need cure time. Pure paraffin can have great throw in 48 hours or even less. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 13 hours ago, Laura C said: I want it All... and now! LOL I'm trying, I'm trying Laura! Trappeur 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandlekrazy Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 Forrest, I've noticed the same thing. When I moved I uncovered a few candles I made over 10 years ago and clearly noted right on the candle that the HT was unacceptable, well same thing, threw like crazy. (Is it a little crazy that I kept it that long?) Now it was in a covered jar and stored in the box that the glass comes in always in a cool place. IDK that this would be across the board but I think you're absolutely right about cure times and HT with soy wax anyway. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jcandleattic Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 7 hours ago, kandlekrazy said: (Is it a little crazy that I kept it that long?) No. I still have candles that I made a year or 2 after starting in 1997, so well over the 10 year mark (more like 20) and I agree, the HT is f'ing fantastic!! I think it's just like in soapmaking. There is nothing but time that will hasten a good cure. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted January 28, 2019 Share Posted January 28, 2019 I hate waiting!! 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura C Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 10 hours ago, kandlekrazy said: When I moved I uncovered a few candles I made over 10 years ago and clearly noted right on the candle that the HT was unacceptable, well same thing, threw like crazy. (Is it a little crazy that I kept it that long?) 2 hours ago, Jcandleattic said: No. I still have candles that I made a year or 2 after starting in 1997, so well over the 10 year mark (more like 20) and I agree, the HT is f'ing fantastic!! I think it's just like in soapmaking. There is nothing but time that will hasten a good cure. Like a fine aging wine, they get better with time. I know I need to get a life and get out of the house more, (LOL) but I get excited when I come across an old candle that has a scent I love. You open that beautiful jar and the wonderful scent swirls around your nose and you can't help but smile. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 4 hours ago, Candybee said: I hate waiting!! Me too, but being a masochist, and having tortured myself with tureens to the point I can't feel the pain any more, my new project is to make a years supply of candles and let them cure for six months before I start burning them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arch Rock Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 We paraffin-based users are not immune to the curing phenomenon either. I think you're onto something, Forrest. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Anyone remember the old Ecosoya Advanced or CBA wax? Must be the most finicky soy wax I ever tried working with. Just about O hot throw with every FO with the exception of maybe 1 or 2 after months of testing. Wonder if after a year it too would have a great hot throw?? I am a doubting Thomas on that one but you could be right Forrest on even the most finicky waxes like the old CBA. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 23 hours ago, Arch Rock said: We paraffin-based users are not immune to the curing phenomenon either. I think you're onto something, Forrest. My thinking is that paraffin cures faster than most other waxes, I'm thinking about getting a slab of paraffin to play with while I wait for my 6006 candles cure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 Paraffin is not polymorphic. Those regularly shaped wax molecules drop right into place with no need to shift. Imagine how ping pong balls settle right into a box versus tinker toys. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted January 31, 2019 Author Share Posted January 31, 2019 12 hours ago, TallTayl said: Paraffin is not polymorphic. Those regularly shaped wax molecules drop right into place with no need to shift. Imagine how ping pong balls settle right into a box versus tinker toys. Well that brings up another question, or two three. It seems like Paraffin clearly has the best short term HT, but would a fully cured polymorphic wax have a better HT? What does the fully cured structure of a blend like 6006 look like? Does this mean Paraffin is fully cured once it is cooled? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted January 31, 2019 Share Posted January 31, 2019 5 minutes ago, Forrest said: Well that brings up another question, or two three. It seems like Paraffin clearly has the best short term HT, but would a fully cured polymorphic wax have a better HT? What does the fully cured structure of a blend like 6006 look like? Does this mean Paraffin is fully cured once it is cooled? If wicked well it seems soy has as good a chance as others to perform well. Given it is a hydrogenated oil (natural product chemically altered), soy is prone to oxidation making its overall life more like a bell curve than a straight line of improvement. I have some old soy candles that are nasty dry and grainy. They look like pressed paraffin beads. No idea on the 6006, but know paraffin helps fill in the gaps of soy. We can see that by how the tops are less curdled and less frosting is common when blended into soy. Micro waxes fill in too, though probably *too* well thereby *locking* in Scent. Not sure which paraffin is used in 6006. Not sure which additives. So this is an academic and theoretical thinking out loud. Yes to paraffin being ‘mostly’ cured when cooled. Though every formula is different so additives take time to complete their crystallization. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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