CMG Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Hi all.I've been lurking for a while and have pick up tons of useful information. Alan sorry to see the problems you have been having. Hope you managed to get all the stuff back. its a great message board.I have been making candles on and off for a number of years now. Lately i have started to get more pro about it and in time hopefully even sell my candles.(so far they have been given away as presents) Anyway i have been reading with envy all the different types of waxes people are using here . In Ireland i'm finding it hard to find a place that sells different types of waxes. Parrafin wax i can get no problem.So what i was wondering is it possible to mix up your own wax using parrafin wax and different additives.If so any suggestions as to how?Also is there a way of working out the melting point of a wax when you don't have any written details on it.Hope this doesn't sound to crazy CMG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Ohh, them are some hard questions Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMG Posted July 20, 2005 Author Share Posted July 20, 2005 Thanks SatinDucky..Yep they are, they have been puzzling me for a while. but they do make for a grand entrance from lurker to poster Hopefully someone might have an ideaCMG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 In Ireland i'm finding it hard to find a place that sells different types of waxes. Parrafin wax i can get no problem.So what i was wondering is it possible to mix up your own wax using parrafin wax and different additives.If so any suggestions as to how?CMGI use straight paraffin all the time. I prefer it to a preblend. My additives of choice are vybar (will make opaque and aid in scent retention and stearic (a/k/a stearine) which will also aid in scent retention without imparting opaqueness. Typical use of vybar is 1/2-1 tsp. per lb. and stearic, 1-3 tbs per lb.e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scents for me Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 Ohh, them are some hard questions Good luck!LOL, I would have thought you could give her an answer instead of just racking up posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemomma Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 Hi all.I've been lurking for a while and have pick up tons of useful information. Alan sorry to see the problems you have been having. Hope you managed to get all the stuff back. its a great message board.I have been making candles on and off for a number of years now. Lately i have started to get more pro about it and in time hopefully even sell my candles.(so far they have been given away as presents) Anyway i have been reading with envy all the different types of waxes people are using here . In Ireland i'm finding it hard to find a place that sells different types of waxes. Parrafin wax i can get no problem.So what i was wondering is it possible to mix up your own wax using parrafin wax and different additives.If so any suggestions as to how?Also is there a way of working out the melting point of a wax when you don't have any written details on it.Hope this doesn't sound to crazy CMGThose aren't hard questions at all.. I follow basically the same receipe as Eugenia, I tweek it a bit until I am happy with it usually it is 1 tsp Vybar and 2 Tbs. stearic acid per lb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 LOL, I would have thought you could give her an answer instead of just racking up posts.That was my way of bumping her post back up since it was almost at the bottom of page with no answers, not trying to rack up posts Apparently I read it wrong.. I thought she was asking how to make paraffin for some odd reason And her other question still isn't answered.... to me it's a hard question. And since that was the thread name, that was the question I focused on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belfrie Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 I had seen a guide somewhere for determining the meltpoint, but can't recall where it was off hand.AS for mixing your own blend, it is very possible. The improtant thing is to test and test and test some more. I'm still working out the ups and downs of additives.If you are wanting to do a mottled candle, use a bit of stearic and FO, but no vybar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gottabt Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 This is what a chemist at Astorlite told me about determining the meltpoint - I have never tried but he said that you melt the wax just to the point where it is completely melted. Dip in the thermometer so that the bulb only is immersed for a second - pull out the thermometer and turn it slowly around and around - the temp registered should give you a fairly good idea on the meltpoint. Again - I have not tried this but maybe it is a starting point.HTh, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henryk Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 Belfrie, if its the same thing I saw, basically you want to melt a small bit of it, then take your thermometer and stick it in. At the point it starts setting up - note the temp - that is roughly the meltpoint. Its actually the "congealing point". The meltpoint is actually around 1 to 2 degrees higher (in paraffin). CMG - England is close so if you want to you can order supplies from there. I think its ok to post these here because I don't think people in the US will be paying the shipping http://www.candlemakers.co.uk/http://www.candleicious.biz/html/candle_supplies.htmlhttp://www.thorne.co.uk/candles.htm (beeswax related)HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 Definately need to save this in my notes! Good info, thanks ya'll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMG Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 wow. thanks everyone at least now i know i'm not crazy for thinking about blending. Some intersting ideas there about working out metling points i must try. I do use stearic and straight parrafin wax and really like how the candles look compared to pre mixed stearic and parrafin you can get here. My main idea at the moment is seeing if i can create different blends with different melting points that can be used together like in an embed candle where the centre melts and not the outside, like hurricane candles. Hence the questions.Eugenia and candlemomma what types of candles do you make with your blends, at the moment i'm mainly doing pillars and novelty ones.Henryk thanks for the websites. they look good and useful. The only problem with the UK is the exchange rate. What i save on shipping i lose on the exchange rate.That was my way of bumping her post back up since it was almost at the bottom of page with no answers, not trying to rack up posts Apparently I read it wrong.. I thought she was asking how to make paraffin for some odd reason And her other question still isn't answered.... to me it's a hard question. And since that was the thread name, that was the question I focused on.Thanks SatinDucky for looking out for me. also i'm an Irish Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 My main idea at the moment is seeing if i can create different blends with different melting points that can be used together like in an embed candle where the centre melts and not the outside, like hurricane candles. Hence the questions.Eugenia and candlemomma what types of candles do you make with your blends, at the moment i'm mainly doing pillars and novelty ones.I make votives and pillars with my straight paraffin. You really do need a higher MP wax for hurricanes. What is the highest you can find? Typically they are above 160 degrees, but still straight paraffin. I don't do hurricanes but I have made embedded pillars. I make a core candle, leave the wick long. When you wick the core candle, underwick it a bit, a might smaller than what you think it should be so it burns slower. Thread the wick of the core candle through the wick hole of a larger mold. Pour the higher MP wax around the core candle.e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Thanks SatinDucky for looking out for me. also i'm an Irish Man. Pandon me, kind SIR There was a thread in the old board about doing a candle like you've mentioned... I'll have to go poke around and see if I can find it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMG Posted July 22, 2005 Author Share Posted July 22, 2005 Hi E.Haven’t got into the votives yet, I have made a few embedded pillars alright. First few times I used a metal insert but that didn’t work out to good . I use the same method as yourself except I use a wick pin which I find great to centre the core candle. The higher MP wax I was using was a hurricane wax I had got from the states as part of a kit. That’s when I found out how much shipping wax to Ireland costs. It is really nice wax but just too expensive in the long run.So that’s what started me thinking of how would one go about raising the MP of straight paraffin wax and how you would work out the MP as you went along. (I think I may have being an alchemist in a previous life. ) So you wouldn’t have to go and buy special waxes, for some strange reason I like the idea of creating my own blends. Also I’m curious about the effect heating wax to different temps has on the wax. You know when you see a project in a book its says to heat to a certain temp?Pandon me, kind SIR of course dear Lady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 And now with the old board back as an archive, there's lots of info to browse through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henryk Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 You may want to look into microcrystalline waxes. (micro waxes). They are designed to raise meltpoints. On the whole they increase opacity though, so you may not want to use much if you want hurricanes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raginabr Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 I am going to try and remember how to determine a melting point but it has been a long time since I was in chemistry. If I remember my chemistry lab correctly, we took a range for when the substance melted. We noted when we first saw the substance turn to a liquid and then when all of the subtance was melted. Ideally, it should only be a few degrees between first observation of melting and total melting. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotJustFragrances Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 And now with the old board back as an archive, there's lots of info to browse through Oh really, where did I miss that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 Oh really, where did I miss that?It' back where it used to be...http://www.candletech.com/cgi-local/yabb/YaBB.cgiIt was working earlier. Now you can go in but can't open any of the posts. Another glitch, but it'll get fixed Sara also made a sticky with some links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMG Posted July 27, 2005 Author Share Posted July 27, 2005 Meant to post sooner but been away. Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Has certainly given me some ideas so I guess its time now to get down and play mad scientist and do some experiments. will let you all know how i get on if your interested.CMG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agentelrond Posted July 27, 2005 Share Posted July 27, 2005 u can also try a site calledhttp://www.fullmoons-cauldron.co.uk/they have loads of things and they try to get all packages to you the next day if they can hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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