Questions re Airpockets vs. Sinkholes

[Holly]

When a person uses the term sinkhole is that the same thing as when someone uses the term airpocket? If not, what is the difference?

I would think that if there is a difference, a sinkhole would be a visible hole from the surface and an airpocket would be a pocket of air under the surface. If this is the case, the airpocket, once the candle starts to burn, will become a sinkhole. I am not really sure what the difference is.

I have never gotten a "visible" sinkhole from the surface. The only thing that I have recently gotten is a sinkhole/airpocket that will appear after it starts to burn. I only had this happen one time with my test candles that I poked the wicks in but had it happen more when the wax was poured into the container with the wicks already adhered to the bottom of the container.

If you can't see the holes from the surface before the initial burn, how do you know where and if relief holes need to be poked?

Thanks in advance.

[realmarcha]

At times, with air pockets there will be some kind of cracking, or sink hole, but not all the time. You have explained it well. A sink hole is visible from the top of the candle, and an airpocket can be either visible with cracking and a sinkhole, or not visible at all. I do not know what wax you are trying to perfect, but if it were me, and I liked the wax, I would just make it a routine of poking relieft holes while the candle is setting up and doing a repour. Better safe than sorry! HTH