Chunks

[candlebean]

Hi everyone,

I decided to play around and make my first chunk pillar last night (I only made the chunks last night, and I am going to do my overpour tonight). I used 4625 to make the chunks and since that is the only pillar wax I have, I am going to use it for the overpour too. I don't have a lot of the 4625 left so I started researching other pillar waxes to see what's what and now I have a headache .

So, I am looking for someone who has used any or all of the following to see how it worked for you....:

Hassle Free IGI 1250

IGI 1218

IGI 4625

CBL 141

What I am looking for right now, is to make chunk pillars with brightly colored chunks, and a nice white overpour. Eventually, I will also want an overpour that is perfectly (or as close to it) clear.

Can anyone share their opinions?

TIA

[Snapdragon2]

I have used IGI 4625 to make chunk pillars and find that it works very

well. I can see the colors vividly through the overpour. I don't add any

color at all to the overpour, just fo. I also put fo in the chunks. HTH.

[candlebean]

Thanks Snap - I can't wait to do my overpour tonight. I scented my chunks too

[Donita]

I used CBL 141 for years (for chunks) and then the formula got screwed up last year and when I poured it on the cookie sheets....it rippled too much. So I switched to 4045 or 4045H and added my own vybar and stearic.....I don't scent my chunks because I make hundreds of candles and mix up several colors of chunks.....and I use dozens and dozens of FO's.....so I only scent the over pour....sometimes if I want it opaque I add a little vybar....but most of the time I like it to have more of a gem stone quality and very bright so I only add 3% stearic and I color the wax. I use a straight parafin without any additives for the overpour..... It just depends. If you want it white be sure to pour cool so it doesn't melt the colored chunks.....I ususlly do that at about 165 to 170 and pour slowly....when I use the bright colors I pour at 190. Everyone figures out what works best for them.....hopefully..... (smile) and it is usually after hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars of experiments (smile).......I have been able to keep my friends and relatives in free candles for years. Good luck, Donita Louise

[candlebean]

Thank you so much Donita - One question though - if you only scent the overpour, does it still throw well? I thought about not scenting the chunks to be able to save time in the future (when I do more than say, oh, 1 at a time, LOL) but I wasn't sure if I'd still be able to smell it as well. Then again, maybe people still think that pillars are more for looking at than for smelling.... I can't remember what I expected from a pillar before I started making candles :embarasse Oh well, if I wasn't testing something sometime every day, then I guess I'd never be learning!

Thanks again!

[Donita]

IMO.......I like to make candles that Look good and smell good. Looking good is a high priority with me. There are scented candles in just about every store you go into ......but I go for the unusual artsy look too. My orbs and canes aren't scented and I have sold thousands of them. If someone wants to buy a plain scented candle then they can buy one....if they want one of mine that looks different and still smells good....then I get the sale. Being just a one person company.....I can't scent the 20 colors of chunks to go with the overpour I choose to do.....My candles have great cold and hot throw...usually (smile)......I don't want to just make a candle. I have to always take it to the limit. I have sold every candle I have made and people come back for more so I guess I am doing something right. Donita Louise

[fredron]

Not to confuse you any more than you are, but I've been using 6228 for years for all my pillars & votives, and have made hundreds of chunk pillars with it. It gives bright colors for the chunks, and the over pour is pure white.

I can't imagine anything that would be better.

Fredron

[Crafty1_AJ]

I use 4625 for both chunks and overpour. I scent either both chunks and overpour, or nothing at all. LOL I think if I didn't scent the chunks, but did scent the overpour, I wouldn't get much throw because I cram the mold fairly full of chunks, and very little of the total candle ends up being overpour. It's mostly chunks.

[candlebean]

Well, I finished my first chunk last night. It didn't come out too bad....I just have to work on my wicking I think. I'll burn some more tonight, but my melt pool wasn't what I was hoping it would be - perhaps it's just me though and I'm so used to my (containers) burning all the way to the edge. I have to remember that I don't want my pillars to do that!

Thanks for all of the great tips - I'm always willing to listen and try different things out :highfive:

[Brenda (OH)]

Not to confuse you any more than you are, but I've been using 6228 for years for all my pillars & votives, and have made hundreds of chunk pillars with it. It gives bright colors for the chunks, and the over pour is pure white.

I can't imagine anything that would be better.

Fredron

Thanks Fredron ~

I am glad you posted this about the 6228. I didn't know if it would work well, now I am anxious to try.

Brenda (OH)

[Groovy Chic]

Just a quick tip-

If you don't scent your chunks but want a kicking candle, use universal additive (Peaks carries this), and you can add more scent than you normally would to the overpour. Works every time.