Relief Holes

[peppermint]

I just made my first pillar. It honestly turned out pretty ugly! As I was making it I didn't know how many times or how often I need to poke relief holes.What is the norm on this??? The directions just said poke several times.

Thanks Everyone

Suzanne H

[topofmurrayhill]

As you've probably noticed, wax shrinks like crazy as it cools, so that you have to pour in more at the end to fill up the space. The idea behind the relief holes is to make sure all the shrinkage happens where you can see it and fill it with the second pour.

Pierce the top 3 or 4 times after it skins over and then starts to get concave. Use something a little wide like a chopstick. I like to use the blunt end to make a slightly bigger hole.

Every half hour or so, poke through until you hit liquid wax. The idea is to keep these holes open so air will get sucked into the candle and take the place of the shrinking wax.

Creating these cavities that you can see and fill prevents hidden cavities from forming. Otherwise all the shrinkage would usually a form deep sink hole the center of the candle. The pull of the shrinking wax could suck air in around the wick to form hidden cavities, or it could cause the wax to separate from the mold in places.

HTH.

[peppermint]

Thank you so much! At least now I know a little about what I am doing. I just melted my candle down again and re did it. It turned out better this time but no rustic on it!

[topofmurrayhill]

Thank you so much! At least now I know a little about what I am doing. I just melted my candle down again and re did it. It turned out better this time but no rustic on it!

Is it the whitish frosted look on the outside you're failing to get?

If you tell us what wax and additives and pouring temperature, we can probably help you sort that out.

[peppermint]

I am using Peaks IgI 4624. I melted to about 190 is when all the wax was melted and added my color and Fo and thats it no other additives. Then I poured at 160 but poured down the sides first then placed it in a water bath. it seems to have caved a lot on the second pour as well. It smells really good though!

[topofmurrayhill]

I am using Peaks IgI 4624. I melted to about 190 is when all the wax was melted and added my color and Fo and thats it no other additives. Then I poured at 160 but poured down the sides first then placed it in a water bath. it seems to have caved a lot on the second pour as well. It smells really good though!

I suspected that. You can get cold pour effects with 4625 but not the frosty sort of rustic look that you might have seen in gallery pics. It contains the wrong additives for that.

To do those, you should start with plain paraffin wax. 4045H from Candlewic makes a good quality rustic if you live anywhere near them. IGI 1343 is widely available so a lot of people use that, or you can try out anything around 140 MP. The "Eugenia formula" is 3 tablespoons stearic per pound and pour at 150. You can vary that to do your own thing and experiment with ways of pouring and sloshing.

[peppermint]

So the wrong wax, darn it. I thought for sure I read on hear to by this wax. Well I did want to try those picture hurricanes and with how shinny this wax is I could try those. Thanks for taking the time to help I really appreciate it.

Suzanne H

[peppermint]

I was wondering if I can use this wax for votive? It seems there is different was for pillar and votive but what is really the difference?

[Everito Bandito]

You can use IGI 4625 for votives, according to the description on this page(scroll down a bit to pillar waxes).

http://www.candlescience.com/wax/paraffin-wax.php

I would think that any wax that is used for a pillar, could be also used for a votive. After all, they are both molded candles. But I do reserve the right to be wrong...

[eugenia]

I would think that any wax that is used for a pillar, could be also used for a votive. After all, they are both molded candles. But I do reserve the right to be wrong...

You are correct; any pillar wax can be used for votives BUT the opposite does not always hold true. The MP of some votives waxes is too low for pillars.

e

[eugenia]

To do those, you should start with plain paraffin wax.

In a pinch, I've used nameless slabs from the craft store with

the same results as 4045H and 1343. As long as it's straight

paraffin, it should work.