Making votives that totally liquify?

[ronniee]

I'm new to candle making out of necessity. Due to allergies and sensitivity to scents (They trigger migraines) I'm only able to burn unscented candles. In the past I've purchased a "party plan" brand of votives that completely liquify and look beautiful in clear votive holders. They no longer carry colored votives - so I'm determined to try to do it on my own. I've tried blending container and votive blends and different wick combos. Just haven't hit the right one yet. Is there anyone who could point me in the right direction?

[Trish]

There are many votive waxes that should work for you. The most popular seems to be Astorlite V and IGI 4794. These will definitely liquify when wicked properly.

[sudsnwicks]

When you say 'completely liquefy' do you mean the top part liquefies completely or the whole candle liquefies? Because for votive waxes it is only the top part which will liquefy completely and the bottom will remain solid.

[ronniee]

What I'm looking for is for it to completely liquify like the votives I had purchased. Do I need to use a different type of wax?

[topofmurrayhill]

What I'm looking for is for it to completely liquify like the votives I had purchased. Do I need to use a different type of wax?

Sounds like an interesting design project. I have some questions so as not to go off on the wrong track.

How long does it take them to liquify?

Do they do this in a close-fitting votive holder?

Do you know for certain they're paraffin based?

Are they completely opaque or translucent?

Is there any info online about the product you're referring to?

Seems to me if they don't have to be scented it might be easy to do.

[ronniee]

Thanks for your reply. They take approx 1 -1 1/2 hrs to completely liquify. According to their website their 100% paraffin and use cotton wick. The melt point is pretty low. I've tried regular gulf wax but either the melt point is too high or I've not used a hot enough wick. These are also burned in a tight fitting holder.

[Sharon in KY]

Party lite use to have votives like this. I loved them and bought several along with the pretty votive containers to burn them in. They are paraffin, what kind I don't know. The flame was not big either, no zink wick. I have three holders that are different hights with long stems. The clear wax looks so pretty when they are all melted and just a hint of color. Maybe some of the wax companys could tell you which wax would melt clear and a low melt point. They are smaller votives, maybe 1 1/2 oz.

[topofmurrayhill]

I was hoping to test this idea myself but haven't had time.

All I can think of is to start with the lowest MP straight paraffin you can get. If you're on the East Coast you can try the CF from Candlewic. Alternatively, BCN carries IGI 2281.

These are semi-refined scale waxes and the oil content makes them too soft and sticky to mold if used straight. To make votives they can be upgraded with an additive, but you want to upgrade them only just enough to mold them. Maybe 1% UA or Vybar 206 or maybe 2% of a hard high-MP microcrystalline. It's going to take some experimentation to see if this is the right approach and perfect it.

Sounds like a job for cored wick - maybe RRD. You need a wide sustainer base if the candle is supposed to liquify. Maybe one of those self-centering tabs for votives would be best. You also need a holder with a pretty flat bottom.

[Carol M]

I used to love those Party Lite votives; they did look so pretty when completely liquified in a pretty crystal holder. They had virtually no scent throw to speak of, though, so the only redeeming quality was the appearance.

[MuskokaMom]

I compared party lite votives with mine long ago. Party lite votives are only 1 oz compared to our 2 oz votives. Not sure what size wick they use, but it always looked pretty small. Their tabs were always really tiny, like a tealite. I wonder if a tealite wick would totally liquify one of these partylite votives. I have the votives, but not the wicks to try. And of course they would only work properly in THEIR holders!!! Sharon, I wonder if that was the iced crystal trio that you are talking about. I had them too and agree that a liquified votive looked beautiful in them. Inface I used them as table centre pieces with a hurricane for my wedding!!

[ronniee]

I'd been playing with blending IGI 2281 & 1284. It's been a couple of months since I've had the chance to work on this. I looked at some of my old notes and with an RRD 29 it was almost completely liquified @ 2hr 15 min - but then smoked. LX 12 was bettter but smoked after 6 hrs. I burned them in the Ice Crystal Trio with a Partylite candle to compare. The Partylite was 1.25 oz and mine was 1.34. I looked at the wicks again and the cotton part of the wick is small but it has a thicker wax coating than the LX or RRD wicks. It is also pure white unlike the CD's or HTP's. Are there any other cotton wicks with that thicker coating?

[topofmurrayhill]

I'd been playing with blending IGI 2281 & 1284. It's been a couple of months since I've had the chance to work on this. I looked at some of my old notes and with an RRD 29 it was almost completely liquified @ 2hr 15 min - but then smoked. LX 12 was bettter but smoked after 6 hrs. I burned them in the Ice Crystal Trio with a Partylite candle to compare. The Partylite was 1.25 oz and mine was 1.34. I looked at the wicks again and the cotton part of the wick is small but it has a thicker wax coating than the LX or RRD wicks. It is also pure white unlike the CD's or HTP's. Are there any other cotton wicks with that thicker coating?

You can't go by the wax coating because the wick manufacturer doesn't do that. Distributors and suppliers use a machine to add the wax coating and it can be any thickness.

Mainly the trick to this will be the wax. I think 2281 with an upgrading additive will melt more easily than the blend you used. If you go to cotton core wicks you can try some that are smaller than RRD-29.