Question for rustic pillar makers... UPDATED

[Alohagirl]

Has anybody noticed that rustics don't turn out right when the room temperature is warm, like 80 degrees or higher?

I've been trying for almost a year to get rustics that look like those in the gallery. Usually I get a thin smooth frost over the entire pillar giving it a uniform look, not the interesting patterns like other people get. Sometimes all the frost sticks to the mold, and sometimes there is no frost, just a dull wrinkled surface.

I've tried just about every kind of straight paraffin, lots of different pouring temps, molds chilled, frozen and room temp. I've tried many different FO's and various amounts of stearic, sloppy pours, fast pours and slow pours. I precisely followed lots of people's directions doing exactly what works for them, but don't get the same results.

At first I thought it was my Hawaii climate, but this month I'm in Arizona and getting the exact same results. The only thing I can think of is that I keep the air conditioner set at 80 degrees in both places. Could it be that my room temperature is too warm?

UPDATE: I tried the suggestion of multiple layers. I used 3 TBSP stearic poured at 150 degrees into room temp aluminum molds.

I made three identical 3" rounds with 3 layers each and let them cool at room temperature until they easily slid out of the mold. 2 of the pillars left all the frost in the mold. One of them had frost on the middle layer only.

I also made a square pillar with tilted layers. The first layer was wrinkled but not frosty, and the other two layers came out with smooth, uniform frost.

Can anyone offer an explanation? Thanks!

[Sara]

It very well could be. Have you tried popping your molds in the freezer for a few minutes before pouring? That might help.

You get patterns form tilting and layering. Doing that also helps keep the temperatures cooler. Letting your wax (in the pot) form a skin and mixing that in before pouring also helps keep the wax cooler. You might want to try that. Also, when you pour all your wax at once it heats up the mold fast and can lose the "rustic" quality.

[Henryk]

Thanks Sara,

I have some of the same problems Devra has with these, but I think your explanation is going to help alot. The first couple times I tried these where with one color of wax - and got that uniform frosted look Devra is talking about. I haven't tried any rustics lately, but when I did just two layers it came out MUCH better.

So, when you say "You get patterns form tilting and layering." I'm thinking now that (multiple layers) is the trick along with cool temps - those PLUS to me it looks like some people use VERY thin layers at some points in their pouring which sit between the main layers - something else that could give them different "webbing" patterns on top of the wax (giving those candles a more "disorganized" look as opposed to the "uniform look"). Do you think that is the case also? (I haven't tried this yet).

[Sarah]

also... don't be afraid to be a little sloppy when you pour. let it slosh around a little bit.

[Alohagirl]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Putting the mold in the freezer gives me an alligator texture, but no frost. Sloshing onto the sides when I pour gives me uniform frost with a light imprint from the sloshing.

Today I'll make some with multiple layers and see what happens.

[Henryk]

Putting the mold in the freezer gives me an alligator texture, but no frost. Sloshing onto the sides when I pour gives me uniform frost with a light imprint from the sloshing.

I could have posted this EXACT same thing. Well, misery loves company I guess.

[Alohagirl]

Thanks, Henry. Sorry you're having this problem too, but it's comforting to know I'm not the only one getting these weird results.

By any chance is your room temperature warm when you get the uniform frost?

[Henryk]

Well, the weather is warm, but the air conditioner is running (temp is about 72 inside). Are you getting the uniform frost even when you pour multiple layers? When I have time I'm going to try the tips Sara suggested. Let us know how things turn out for you, ok? Thanks.

[Alohagirl]

Are you getting the uniform frost even when you pour multiple layers?

I got it on a square pillar, but not on the three rounds. This is so frustrating!!