Grrrr, I am frustrated

[ragnarock47]

I've made a whole lot of candles and cannot get a good hot throw.

I've been using NG's Joy Wax and have tried:

- Various FO amounts from 6-10%

- Different wicks: mostly zinc in 44, 51, 61, I tried CD and HTP

- Different pour temps, different add FO temps

- I used the same container for most all of them

They all have great cold throw. The only somewhat, but less than good hot throws were NG's Cinnamon Bun and a pine blend from either WSP or NG.

I also tried some of JS's 123 and one of their blends, which I am not sure as Becky was cool enough to throw the samples in when I placed an FO order. I only made one container of each so I can't really make an evaluation cuz I didn't really test them, but thr throws on those aren't good either.

I am pretty frustrated.

[geekrunner]

Sorry to hear you're having trouble, it can get frustrating at times, but when you get it right, it is all worth it!

Sounds like you tried a bunch of different things. What size jar do you have? Maybe you have some candlenose going. It may help to get a fresh nose involved, and to offer an honest opinion on your burning candle's hot throw. Unfortunately, I can't comment on Joy wax, although I gather its a parasoy or some wacky soy blend

geek

[Fire and Ice]

Have you cured the candles? Soy wax really should be cured for at least five days prior to testing.

It might be best to put you questions to those in the Veggie wax section of the boars too.

I use soy wax and never test a candle that hasn't cured.

Fire:cool2:

[ragnarock47]

Mostly I am using 10 oz jelly jars Geek.

I do let them cure Fire. All but one cured for at least 4 days. No throw and I'd put them back on the shelf and fire them back up in a few days after that. I am not sure is the Joy Wax is more veggie or paraffin. NG says they don't know the ratio of the blend as their supplier doesn't let them know. Of course the big reason I am gonna bail on the Joy Wax is because I can't get it to work. The other reason is because I think they should let people know what the blend ratio is.

So now I am trying to figure out which wax to go with. I am thinking to go with an commonly available wax, not a proprietary blend from one supplier.... like NG's Joy Wax, or the numerous offerings from other suppliers. I am thinking just going with an IGI.

[MoonShadow]

Hmmmm...that's wierd. I love Joywax. I've tested others and always come back to Joy. I know it used to be posted as 95% soy and 5% food-grade parrafin and other botanicals. As with most soy waxes, there will be differences in batches, so maybe they figured it's safer not to give a definitve % to get the blend each time. It sounds like you've tested all the right stuff...could it be the FO's themselves?

[wickedwanda]

ragnarock 47, i am as new to this as you are, i have tried several waxes also, so far i really like the igi6006,(from lonestar) they have sample slabs(which i like to buy to test) so far the 6006 is great(for me) no problems except for one jar, it tunneled, leaving a void in middle of candle, so i used it for a test jar, and when it burnt down the wick was off centered therefore it left wax on one side that i scraped down to the mp, after that it still burns to oneside..but i am still burning it. i used a cd 7 wick, in the 6.5 oz. 12 sided jar. i do think the wick could be a little small, so i think next time i will wick up one size. btw, cold throw was good, hot throw good, used butterfly kisses for fo, used a medium light yellow for color. and everybody loves the fo.

And for the seasoned ppl, please post any suggestions you might have for me. ty

[MoonShadow]

I guess the only other question I would have is, after all your testing, were you able to get a full melt pool?

[wickedwanda]

I guess the only other question I would have is, after all your testing, were you able to get a full melt pool?

not sure if this is meant for me or raganrock, but i will chime in. the mp stays at about 1/4 in. takes about an hour to get that. and the bad side is now melting down much better than it was. btw i am still learning about the mp, time, depth etc. , what is good what is not. i quess i have been more focused on smoking, sooting, burning even, and the throws, which all go hand in hand..with the mp.

sorry ragnarock, if i and i did hijacked your thread.

[MoonShadow]

The melt pool is the key to hot throw, IMO. (Assuming the FO's being used are known to be good throwers in soy and the % is right. Too much and it affects hot throw.)

The more full the melt pool, the more scent can be released into the air. If the melt pool is to small...the hot throw is minimized. If the melt pool is too big or deep...the hot throw is also minimized, plus you get sooting and mushrooms and a fast burning candle.

Different FO's will react positively or negatively in achieving a melt pool, which is why wicking is so tricky. But achieving that perfect melt pool by testing, testing and more testing is what's so addictve about candlemaking!

[ragnarock47]

No problems Wanda I hope someone answers your hijack question

Moonshadow, for my first few candles the pool was way to much to soon. But as I made more I got the ratios and ingredients more the way they should be and the MP's are ok as far as I am aware. They do seem to go full diameter sooner than what I have read they should, but the depths are good.

I sincerely appreciate you helping me in troubleshooting. Maybe the wicking/testing will be fun once I get a candle that works and have a baseline to go from. Right now it sucks. I know this is the glass is half empty thinking but I alter something to try another test, and have to wait 4-5 days to see it not work. Seeing as I have had no success as of yet, it's just frustrating.

I think I will try the 4636 (former J-50). I have had 2 batches of Joy Wax, so I wouldn't think it was a bad batch... it most likely has to be something in my technique.