Mary Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Hello All,I haven't posted in months due to personal issues...It feels good to be back in the swing of things!My question is for those of you using J50 have you had any issues with air pockets in the wax? I have used this for a long time and have always purchased from Bittercreek North. My last batch of 55lbs seems so different from the previous ones. It used to make a smooth creamy beautiful candle. Now all I'm getting is what looks like air bubbles going all the way up the sides of the glass and it's making a really ugly candle. I would not even give these away.I'm wondering if I should try another supplier or if this problem is everywhere with this wax?Thanks,Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 There's a real easy way to rid yourself of those air bubbles. Take your trusty heat gun and heat each side of the jar...in a sweeping motion so as not to concentrate too much heat in one spot, or your jar could crack. As your doing this, you will see the sides starting to liquify and the air bubbles rising to the surface of your candle. Do this till all of the bubbles rise to the top...then let it solidify. If you have any air bubbles, which is rare, on the top surface of your candle once it's solidified, just zap it with your heat gun until the surface fully liquifies and then let it set up again...and that should solve your problem. :smiley2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted August 23, 2006 Author Share Posted August 23, 2006 Thanks Fern,I did try that and it did work but seems like so much work to do to every candle.. I never had to do this before like I said so I was wondering if something has changed with the wax itself. The company says no, but I wanted to hear what other users were saying!Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candle Man Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 There's a real easy way to rid yourself of those air bubbles. Take your trusty heat gun and heat each side of the jar...in a sweeping motion so as not to concentrate too much heat in one spot, or your jar could crack. As your doing this, you will see the sides starting to liquify and the air bubbles rising to the surface of your candle. Do this till all of the bubbles rise to the top...then let it solidify. If you have any air bubbles, which is rare, on the top surface of your candle once it's solidified, just zap it with your heat gun until the surface fully liquifies and then let it set up again...and that should solve your problem. :smiley2:True, that will work, but why have to do that now, with this wax, when in the past it set-up without the air bubbles. That is so much extra work, cutting into profit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I get the air bubbles on occassion. Sometimes I think it's caused by pouring too fast...or pouring too hot. I usually pour mine at around 150 degrees and try my best to pour it slow but steady. I realize it's a lot of work to heat gun the candles if you've poured quite a few, but I'd rather do that then remelt and rewick a whole slew of candles. I guess you have to decide which is more of a pain in the ass then the other. Edited to Add: I've only been using J-50 for about 6 months. I used to use J223 prior to that and found that they were so similar, aside from J-50 being a bit firmer, that I really can't tell much of a difference between the two. If you're not doing anything different from what you've done in the past, then maybe you got a bad batch of wax...at least that's all that I can come up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted August 23, 2006 Author Share Posted August 23, 2006 Fern,If you don't mind me asking, who do you use for a supplier for the j50?Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Candlewic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I just went thru 5 cases of J50 from a diff supplier and had a similar problem with my jar candles. Sure you usually get a few wet spots but this batch was unbelievable. Huge, I mean huge wet spots all over the place. It would be way too much work to zap each jar with a heat gun. But it only did it with some of the fragrances while others came out perfect. I found it baffling. Some jars were positively crappy looking while others were perfect. I tried lower temps and higher temps and it didn't seem to make any difference. I could only surmise that it was the wax itself cause it never did that to me before.But what really gets me is the price of wax and shippping is so high I drive to the supplier to get the wax. I saved about $200. Its not like I have a whole lot of choice of using a different supplier. There are no suppliers in Virginia so I traveled to West Virginia to get my wax.I still like the J50 but this is gonna make me get off my butt and start test out some new waxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I use the J50 from Makes Scents candles in Ohio. I have always had wet spots. Now I am going to try Makes Scents MSC300, supposed to be less wet spots but I just got it yesterday. Gonna make some today and try the new wax. I find the J50 has a great scent throw but does not make the prettiest candle due to wet spots. JS123 made a good looking candle with no wet spots but I couldn't get it to throw, so back to J50. I also got a new case of J50, haven't tried it yet. I will post on the MSC300 in a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda (OH) Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I use the J50 from Makes Scents candles in Ohio. I have always had wet spots. Now I am going to try Makes Scents MSC300, supposed to be less wet spots but I just got it yesterday. Gonna make some today and try the new wax. I find the J50 has a great scent throw but does not make the prettiest candle due to wet spots. JS123 made a good looking candle with no wet spots but I couldn't get it to throw, so back to J50. I also got a new case of J50, haven't tried it yet. I will post on the MSC300 in a few days.I am currently testing Makes Scents MSC123, alone and blending with soy. It is a J50 dupe, cheaper, and so far testing very good. No air bubbles or sink holes poured at 150* and actually minimal wet spots in my jars. I have read somewhere that the J50 and J223 has changed since the IGI buy out from Astor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 I just poured 6 candles testing out the MSC300...so far so good! Easy to work with, not as soft as the J50. Its also from Makes Scents. They smell pretty good already out of the jars, haven't burned one yet. The J50 has a great hot throw I think, hope this 300 has as good a throw. I'll let you know. Dee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 Thank You for all the replies..I'm really hoping I can make this wax work. The scent throw is the best I've ever found. I am planning to test 6006 if the 50 turns out bad. What are your thoughts on the 6006 if any of you are using this?Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyp Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 I have been making candles for almost 6 years now and have used the J-50 since I started. After Astro sold to IGI, that wax has not been the same at all, it looks different, it pours different, it sets up different, and I couldn't get a throw for the life of me. It is not the supplier, it is the manufacturer. I finally started testing other waxes and I really like the IGI 4627 it is very similar to the J-50, and I absolutly love the GL 70/30. I have not tried the 6006, so I can't help you there. Good luck, I know it is a pain in the butt to have to basically start all over with your wax. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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