New and need some help

[Danielle]

Ok i have purchased the following from LoneStar

wax is IGI-4627 (Comfort Blend)

wicks were CD Series Wicks

and the scents were clean cotton and Cappuccino Brulee

i am pouring them into containers 3.7 oz i thought small to start with until i get the hang of it.

the probelm that i am having is this i am not getting a good scent throw and when the candle cools a hole creates around the wick. I am unsure as to how to measure the scents i have been sorta eye balling it which may be my problem. :undecided

Any help with how to measure and if the items i purchased may be wrong for what i am trying to do please tell me. also once i get the container candle down i want to try making pilars. what is the best wax for this?

Thanks

Danielle

[OutlandishLady]

You're gonna need a scale. Measurements need to be pretty precise. I don't know much about CD wicks but for that size container they're going to need to be pretty small. The air pocket around the wick may already be there, are you cooling the wax too quickly? The tops can look solid and you can still have air around the wick, let them cool really slowly and you might want to poke holes in the wax to make sure there is no air. Of course then you'll need to repour or get a heat gun. I don't know how I survived without my heat gun. HTH a little.

[Danielle]

ok a scale got it whats the best kinda scale to get? Is a standard kitchen scale ok or is there a special type?

I let the candles cool right on the counter for 24 hours after about 5 is when i notice the hole around the wick.

The hest gun are they the same ones you can buy at Lowes or Home Depot?

Thanks

Danielle

[OutlandishLady]

I have a digital scale (or did until it died yesterday). If you are going to do candles make sure you get one that does goes past the decimal point by at least one digit.

Yep, you can get a heat gun anywhere. It fixes all kinds of problems!

[bugtussle]

Lone Star's Clean Cotton is very light. Have not used the Brulee.

[Cissy]

Walmart has a "Good Cook" brand digital scale, I and many others on the board are using....measures up to 5 lbs. in lbs/oz/grams (you can find it in the cooking appliance section). You can also get a great heat gun "Wagner" brand from Walmart, in the paint dept. I kept post-poning getting the heat gun and regret not getting it from the start. I am still in the testing stage, and use it to heat & level my wax each time I pull out an (unanchored) wick to test a new one in the same jar. You might want to post more info such as what size wick you are using, at what temp you are adding FO/dye and temp you are pouring the IGI 4627, so that others (I'm a newbie, too) can assist you.

[Danielle]

Well i am heating the was to 170 and preheating my glasses to 125. I am waiting to add the FO until the wax gets to the temp of 160 then I pour.

I was not aware that I should allow the candles to set for about a week before testing them I have a few i poured about a week ago I will oull one out and see how it does. You guys have been great help I am so glad I found this board:D

Danielle

[htaylorrn]

Ok, here is what I do...not saying it's the RIGHT way, but it works for me.

Heat wax in my presto pot to 190. Use a thermometer constantly to monitor this temp.

Dip out with a heat resistant ladle into a pyrex cup. I'm making 8 oz tins so I know that takes 400 cc melted wax to make 2 tins, which is 2/3 of a solid pound. (20 oz melted wax (600 cc)= 1 lb weight solid wax). I immediately add 1/2 tsp UV inhibitor. I found out really quickly that sunlight fades my candles without it.

Then I stir in my dye, knowing that I have to adjust my usage to 2/3 of the amount used for one pound. Same with FO...0.6 to 0.9 oz. of FO (which is 2/3 of 1.0 to 1.5 oz/pp). I do these three steps really quickly because I've read FO bonds best to your wax around 180.

I stir and let it sit until it is 150, then I pour into my tins.

When I use glass, I heat my jars to 170 and pour at 160.

This makes two 8 oz tins or three 6 oz tins or add 25 cc of wax and it will make 2 9 oz oval hex jars.

I use IGI 4630 with HTP wicks.

Some scents like Clean Cotton haven't had a strong throw for me, but I think that's because they are a light scent. You just kinda have to play and figure out what works for you.

~Heather~