partyowl7478@yahoo.com Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 OK. I melted my first first batch of candles becasue they looked so bad. Bought a thermometer, heated to 185, poured at 170, added more color at 180 (the color looks nice). heated the jars before hand. The containers are 8 oz bell jars. They did not sink as bad but the wax still looks like it has hairline cracks all thru it and it still has some condensation between the wax and the glass. I re-used the wax from my first pour. I am using a 10lb parafin wax slab and sol id FO and color chips. HELP!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 What type of wax? Did you get this from a craft store or a candle supplier? My initial assumption is that you don't have container wax, that you have pillar/votive wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jillgunter Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 They are probally cooling to fast. You can cover them with a box or stick them in a cool oven to cool. Small jars tend to cool to fast sometimes, and I have had cracks in my little jars before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
country creek Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 My first feeling is that you poured too hot. But it sounds like deb is on to something to. Is this wax from a craft store? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partyowl7478@yahoo.com Posted December 18, 2006 Author Share Posted December 18, 2006 It is wax from Hobby Lobby. A 10 lb slab of parrafin. There are no pouring or melting instructions on the wax label so I looked on this site. I poured at 170. Heated to 185. This is the second time around for this batch of wax (because the first one came out worse than than these did). The first time I did not have a thermometer so I just guessed. WRONG. So, should I start over with new wax or does it matter how many times you have melted the same wax? Does remelting the wax do anything to the FO? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauimom Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 God, my wax from Hobby Lobby was so bad that after I got some from a supplier, I threw it away! Never will I use it again. Also, Joann's supplies as well as Target's. All gone to the garbage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debscent Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 My thought is not that it's not bad wax, but it's not a container wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 You more than likely have a slab of straight paraffin for pillars and votives. What you need is a container wax which is "soft" and has all of the additives necessary already in it. In addition, the wax is too hard for a container...it's going to completely separate from the sides and clank around in the container. I would also imagine that you would have an awful hard time trying to find a wick that would give you a complete melt pool using that wax in a container as well.Sorry honey, but you're going to have to get the right stuff. Forget Hobby Lobby and the other local craft stores. Although their paraffin is fine for making pillars, votives and candles, you need to add additives to them in order to get them to hold a decent amount of fragrance oil and to improve the burn and appearance of the candle itself. Using it just as it is will give you terrible results. The fragrance oils from these kinds of places are of very poor quality, so I wouldn't waste a penny on them. Get to an actual candlemaking supplier in your area. You can do a search for those closest to you. If you want, you can pick some out and then come back on the board and ask our opinions of them and we'll steer you in the right direction. Then we can begin to talk about what kind of "good" supplies that you will need to get to make some nice candles.Good luck and let us know so we can help you the rest of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partyowl7478@yahoo.com Posted December 19, 2006 Author Share Posted December 19, 2006 I am in the DFW Texas. Any suggestions on a local dealer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Lonestar Candle Supply has a great selection of candle waxes, their fragrance oils are superb and they have great customer service. They're located in Keller, Texas. For a container wax, I would suggest either J-50 or J-223. Although there are other container waxes listed on their site, I only have experience with these, outside of soy and joy wax. These container waxes already have all of the additives needed in it, so there's no figuring out anything in that area. When the wax arrives, it will have melting and pouring temperatures and instructions for you. As far as fragrance oil goes you want to use 1-1.5 oz of oil to 1 lb of wax to get the best results. But usually, 1 oz will do unless you've got a naturally light scent that you're pouring. You can order some 1 oz fragrance oil samples to try out first so you don't have to spend a lot of money up front. Check them out...here's the link: http://www.lonestarcandlesupply.com/wax.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
country creek Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 I love Lonestar!!! Partyowl~ GO get you some good stuff and see what results you get in comparison to what you have got now.....I am sure you will never buy generic candle supplies again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partyowl7478@yahoo.com Posted December 19, 2006 Author Share Posted December 19, 2006 Thanks Fern. I appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fern Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 You're very welcome. :smiley2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katinka Posted December 19, 2006 Share Posted December 19, 2006 Just so that you don't feel silly - I also did that the first time I made a container candle... Then I realised my foolishness when I started researching on the board!!! Thanks heavens for the people here - they generally prevent us newbies from making asses of ourselves on a regular basis!Once you have used a container wax suitable for the job you will see what I mean!Good luck!Katinka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partyowl7478@yahoo.com Posted December 20, 2006 Author Share Posted December 20, 2006 I will need more than these guys to keep me from making a ass out of myself. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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