Solidification candle issue

[Mattp]

Hello,

I have been making candles for several years, but I have been experiencing an issue for several months now.

 

Even though I’m using the same manufacturing process, the same C3 wax, fragrance from the same supplier, and so on, my candles suddenly started showing defects. They don’t harden properly. Even after several days of curing, if I press around the wick, my fingers sink in because the wax isn’t firm enough. I also notice hollow areas around the wick at times.

 

This is frustrating because I have to fix them one by one by making holes and reheating with a heat gun.

 

The humidity level and temperature in the room are fine at the time of pouring.

 

Do you have any ideas about what could be causing this issue?

 

Thank you in advance!

[TallTayl]

Hello and welcome.  
soy waxes can be so finicky! I used C3 for many years, noticing slight variations from batch to batch that would flummox and frustrate me to no end.

 

have you made a baseline candle to see if it’s the wax? Just make a single candle with no additives as you normally would and see if it hardens as usual or not. 
 

some initial thoughts from similar experiences:

- the formula of the wax changed slightly. Wax manufacturers are not typically fixed formula operations, changing sources and formulations to meet a broad spectrum of tolerances.

- the soy beans are different, possibly a different strain or have more moisture. Those of us using soy in 2016 saw this phenomenon and it nearly wrecked us. 
- the wax is wetter than usual.  Happened to golden brands when their operations moved to Central America.  The hydrogenation process was injecting too much water into their wax. 

- cooling too slowly. If the wax cools unevenly or too slowly the grains form unequally and cause that cream of wheat candle middle.

- not heating to the optimal temp and stirring well enough.
- reformulation of the fragrance.  This happens ALL THE TIME and suppliers rarely, if ever, warn about it. The way to rule out the fragrance is to use an older bottle that worked properly (after the baseline wax test).

 

the goal is to isolate as few variables as possible to identify the root problem.

[NightLight]

I have had issues with suppliers shipping wax in winter. Wetness seeping into wax. Try and dry out your wax if you think its an issue.

Had this happen with 464 as mentioned above. if hollow around the wick then you will most likely have a crater inside and will need to skewer and heat gun. Having this issue testing a batch of 419 wax. My bag of wax has poured every single candle with craters around wick in every type of circumstance.