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Rustic surface problems


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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v600/starlessjade/pillarcloseup.jpg

I left the photo large so you could see what was going on.

When I pour rustics with fairly thin layers, I like how they turn out. But whenever I try to pour a solid-colored rustic, it comes out like this. It almost looks like there are teeny tiny bubbles all over the surface, and here's the interesting part- it's completely smooth to the touch. The other interesting part? The top of the candle always comes out with a nice rough texture and some frosting, nothing like the sides.

I'm using IGI 1343A with 3 T stearic per pound, 1/2 t UV inhibitor, 1/2 oz FO. I'm pouring into a room temperature aluminum mold with no mold release at around 150 degrees, and allowing to cool at room temperature. This has happened with different dyes, different amounts of dye chips, different fragrance oils, etc. I've even tried different pouring temps within the range of 145-155. I've tried pouring both slowly and quickly.

In other words, I'm completely lost here... what in the world am I doing wrong?

Thanks so much!

p.s. also, the bottom inch or so of the candles doesn't have so much of the "crystalline" look to it, and has actual pinholes that I can feel. I don't know if that helps any. My camera batteries just died, so that's it for photos at the moment.

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I poured a couple more... this time I whacked the molds with a knife, and did see some bubbles coming up... good... and I'm also cooling them with a box over the top to see what that does. I chilled one mold before pouring and left the other at room temp to see if there was any difference between the two.

I did notice when looking down into them that the bottom half of the molds had "cooled" wax coating the sides right after pouring but the top halves did not... interesting, I'll have to see if the top and bottom halves come out different from each other.

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You won't want to cover these candles with a box...you want rustics to cool faster.

I have a hard time making a one layer rustic...you have to pour even cooler than normal, more like 140, because the mold still heats up which will take away that rustic effect.

I don't chill my molds, just room temperature. Pour sloppy too, or pour a little in and swirl it around to give the mold a quick coating of wax and that will help add some of the frost you're looking for.

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