bktolbert Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 These were not the results I expected to see. I expected CD-10 to have the smallest melt pool and gradually get bigger to CD-18. CD-10 has just as big (if not bigger melt pool) than CD-18. CD-12 is the smallest, followed by 14, and then 16. They all have relatively the same depth. Wax is 90% soy and 10% coconut Candles were burned for 3 hours Wicks from The Flaming Candle No fragrance Are these the tops to be expected of coconut-soy wax after burning? I am content with how they look on first pour (smooth finish), just wondering if there is any way to remedy the craters. I guess it looks more natural but ugly lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forrest Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 I’ve had some odd results testing CD wicks before but nothing quite that interesting. When I did my 6006 test I was shocked that the CD results were perfectly normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandleRush Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 So far I’ve been testing wax combos too and tried all different percentages and I found the more soy to coconut ratio the more the tops looked cratered. So I upped the coconut wax and now their smooth even after they burn and cool. True, coconut is softer but I like smoother tops. I think that’s just the nature of soy and not a big deal to many. I know someone will chime in and add their wisdom. As for wicks, I’m so not there yet so I can’t comment. I love the pan method for testing. Those melt pools look good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bktolbert Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 2 hours ago, CandleRush said: So far I’ve been testing wax combos too and tried all different percentages and I found the more soy to coconut ratio the more the tops looked cratered. So I upped the coconut wax and now their smooth even after they burn and cool. True, coconut is softer but I like smoother tops. I think that’s just the nature of soy and not a big deal to many. I know someone will chime in and add their wisdom. As for wicks, I’m so not there yet so I can’t comment. I love the pan method for testing. Those melt pools look good! I plan to eventually sell, and for fear of the candle doing anything weird at higher ambient temperatures (beading or melting when shipping to Texas in the summer), I don't want to push the coconut percentage past 15%. I have no idea how people are selling candles that are majority coconut. At 20% coconut, the tops look mushy and take forever to dry completely solid. My happy spot is between 7-14%. I think I just need to accept/embrace the "rustic" tops after first burn lol. I thought the pan method would allow me to flip my candle container over the melt pool and determine the wick: https://youtu.be/esnBcoafKNQ?list=PLXl4OlJunEc7DJBdeUq8gbuky2yEk8vSq&t=144 But that isn't so given my results. Next experiment is to test CD12-16 in candle containers halfway full of wax and see how the flame affects the glass after a 3 hour burn. Best of luck with coconut-soy. It's an adventure for sure! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pughaus Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, bktolbert said: just wondering if there is any way to remedy the craters. ( whispers) paraffin 😏 Edited February 21, 2019 by pughaus 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Larger wicks often are able to more easily consume the melted wax leaving a narrower, more efficient melt pool. When the wick is to the point of being too hot you’ll see more cragginess in the cooled wax along with discoloration and bigger mushrooms. smaller wicks createmore heat/melted wax than the wick can consume, so a wider melt pool. The temp of these pools is usually lower, meaning less energy to boost heavy waxes like soy into the air. This is is a good start to your baseline testing. Your future choice of containers will move the needle up or down depending on dimensions and material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bktolbert Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 4 hours ago, pughaus said: ( whispers) paraffin 😏 Haha, true. But I have a feeling paraffin candles are losing their marketability on the internet as this "all-natural, eco-friendly, clean" fascination/obsession trend continues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bktolbert Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 3 hours ago, TallTayl said: Larger wicks often are able to more easily consume the melted wax leaving a narrower, more efficient melt pool. When the wick is to the point of being too hot you’ll see more cragginess in the cooled wax along with discoloration and bigger mushrooms. smaller wicks createmore heat/melted wax than the wick can consume, so a wider melt pool. The temp of these pools is usually lower, meaning less energy to boost heavy waxes like soy into the air. This is is a good start to your baseline testing. Your future choice of containers will move the needle up or down depending on dimensions and material. This is good insight! Hopefully, I can narrow down to two and switch up depending on the fo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TallTayl Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 1 minute ago, bktolbert said: This is good insight! Hopefully, I can narrow down to two and switch up depending on the fo. Do the next burn tests to see if things change further down. I usually start using the one with a melt pool 1/4” or so smaller than my container. The heat and air circulation of the container impacts things quite a bit. If the container is glass with a neck, even smaller since the glass necked jar traps a lot of heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trappeur Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 17 hours ago, bktolbert said: I think I just need to accept/embrace the "rustic" tops after first burn lol But that isn't so given my results. Next experiment is to test CD12-16 in candle containers halfway full of wax and see how the flame affects the glass after a 3 hour burn. Best of luck with coconut-soy. It's an adventure for sure! Trust me BK, no one is ever going to say anything about how a candle looks after a burn. They just want a nice smelling candle. Trappeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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