Coloring a 70/30 blend

[VickiB in CA]

I'm playing with a 70/30 soy para blend I've made myself. For any who've used this ratio of waxes, how would you say the dyes work in it? Do you have to use much more dye as you would for a paraffin wax? And would it frost at all considering how much paraffin is in it?

Thanks for the help

[Beth-VT]

I use a custom blend of about the same ratio, and liquid dyes. Don't have to use a lot of dye, few drops per lb. in general, but some colors just require a lot more (or less). No issues with frosting at all. HTH.

[VickiB in CA]

Thanks! Can you tell me how you wick yours? I'm double wicking with LX18s in a 16 oz apothecary and was burning beautifully but now I'm noticing what happens so often for me. The melt pool on the sides of the jar starts to gradually shrink and then the wicks are getting shorter and shorter and shorter . . . Do you know what causes that? I'm going to try 20s instead and see if that doesn't give it enough "gas" to keep it going all the way down

Thanks so much for the info regarding using dyes in this type of blend.

[ah-soy]

I use GL 70/30 and liquid dyes...it takes them beautifully. Always start with just a touch and add more if needed.

I think you might do well with either 2 LX 14's or 16's in the jar...perhaps your two 20's are burning too hot and your melt pool is getting too deep causing the near drowning? Do a search for 70/30 wicking...I'm pretty sure there are quite a few posts with apothecary jars and pics

[Jeannie]

Vicki, it really depends on the paraffin you are adding as some are more opaque then others. The really opaque waxes are harder to color, like soy. Generally single pour waxes are fairly opaque, some are more translucent then others. One that comes to mind if I remember correctly is the Comfort blend I think they call it. I tried it many years ago and it was very translucent looking and colored very easy for a single pour.

My experience with LX wicks in single pours has always been iffy. The single pours are a more viscous wax. The LX tend to burn hot down instead of out and since they don't have the ridgety as some others they often drown out. I agree going up in size will only increase your melt pool. They generally start off nice or flame to high and again drown themselves. When double wicking with LX, I always seem to get caught in the crossroad. Uneven burn, to small to get to the sides or to hot to stay burning. Of course that all depends on your jars and the type of wax you are using. So many variables :undecided