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Curing times.


Tea

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I have noticed that some talk about curing times, some a week and others a month. Is this necessary, and what is the purpose of this. How are we to test candles if we have to wait a month to try?

Curious.

Tracey

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I have noticed that some talk about curing times, some a week and others a month. Is this necessary, and what is the purpose of this. How are we to test candles if we have to wait a month to try?
Even after your candle is completely set up and cooled, it never stops changing in some way. There are two issues as far as curing time is concerned -- burn testing and scent throw testing.

When the candle cools off, the wax and ingredients aren't completely finished arranging themselves. If you want to test how a candle burns, it's good to wait a day or two.

With soy waxes in particular, the scent throw seems to improve over time. So if you want to see how well the candle throws, it's good to wait a week. Most people say the longer the better, but a week seems to be accepted as a good curing time for test purposes.

Curing time for scent throw doesn't seem to be an issue with paraffin candles.

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Thankyou for your replies. Does this also apply for palm waxes, as far as scent throw goes?

Tracey

Palm wax needs a very long cure to get a decent scent throw if any kind.

When I say long~ I mean months. Palm is a finicky wax with FO and burns differently than any other wax. If your looking to make pretty candles with interesting textures, Palm does the trick. I call them "dinner candles" something that adds ambience but not much scent.

You won't need any cure time with 1343, but they do seem to improve somewhat with time. Any candle you make will keep changing properties over time.

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I don't cure for very long because I know that I "pour-to-order". I chose waxes that allow for this though, so keep that in mind. Soy waxes generally need a longer cure time than paraffin. I use a paraffin blend for my containers and a few days is more than enough cure time for me. Still, they do tend to smell stronger/better the longer they are allowed to sit and cure. But when I test a new FO, I don't wait for two weeks. If it doesn't throw well after a few days, it just isn't for me.

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I allow 3-4 days for cure time. I tell my customers that processing time is 3-4 days so the candle can cure and for the orders that have to be shipped that is even more time to cure. But it doesn't make a huge difference with my candles after 2-3 days of curing.

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I have a couple of silly questions. I just made some test candles yesterday and am curing them now. They smell so good that I want to keep opening them to smell. Does it affect the curing in any way to keep taking lids off? I know I am going to find it very difficult to not keep smelling them every few hours. Also, I read about others putting their candles in the oven or a cooler to let them cool slowly. When I poured them, I barely moved one and it messed up the candle line, i.e. the wax line wax uneven at top of candle. How do other move hot candles into a box or the oven without doing this...other than "carefully". I barely touched this candle.

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As far as keeping the lid on the candle, you will get different opinions. I for one, dont for at least a day. But that is just me.

As far as moving the candle...let it set first. It will not be completely cool and you can move it then

Im with bizzy, I wait a day then cap. Or at least until til they are completely cool!!

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Thanks for responding. I am waiting for the candles to cool before I put the lids on, but then I want to keep taking the lids off frequently just to smell them. I wasn't sure it if taking them on & off to smell during the curing time (2 or 3 days, however long I cure them) would affect the throw in any way.

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Also, I read about others putting their candles in the oven or a cooler to let them cool slowly. When I poured them, I barely moved one and it messed up the candle line, i.e. the wax line wax uneven at top of candle. How do other move hot candles into a box or the oven without doing this...other than "carefully". I barely touched this candle.

You either move them *immediatly* after pouring, while they are still totaly liquid, or wait til the set up, like bizzy said.

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If I am only pouring a few, I will pour while the candle is in the oven. Put jar on a cookie sheet (wicked and ready to go). Pull out the oven rack only as much as you need to pour your candle, pour and push back into the oven. Now, if your oven is older like mine, you may need to grease the rack up a bit so it pulls in and out nicely. Otherwise, you'll shake the candle a bit when you push the rack back in. But this works well for me and then I don't have to bother moving them once they are poured. I've also poured candles while they were sitting in a cardboard box. That's a little more difficult, but doable too.

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Thanks AngelaVA

You figured out exactly what I was trying to say. Great idea/solution!

You know how to think back on a beginner's level.

Scented: I might just try that...pouring an extra dollap to sniff.....might save the temptation of stripping the threads on my lids!

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