Brenda (OH) Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Hello all I know I read a post about blackened wax or soot in wax before but after searching for almost an hour I have given up trying to find the right search words. So I am hoping someone can help me with this.I am testing a metal pail similar to those found at Walmart with the exception these are painted. I am using a 50/50 blend, triple wicking with 44-24-18z & no color. The melt pool is black once it reaches a FMP but not apparant once it has re-set up. My question is do I need to modge podge the inside before pouring or should I try smaller wicks even tho the MP and wick size looks and burns good? The fragrance oil is White Lilac from SS and I have not ever had this happen before. I'd like to use these for spring shows coming up if I can figure this out. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Hello all I know I read a post about blackened wax or soot in wax before but after searching for almost an hour I have given up trying to find the right search words. So I am hoping someone can help me with this.I am testing a metal pail similar to those found at Walmart with the exception these are painted. I am using a 50/50 blend, triple wicking with 44-24-18z & no color. The melt pool is black once it reaches a FMP but not apparant once it has re-set up. My question is do I need to modge podge the inside before pouring or should I try smaller wicks even tho the MP and wick size looks and burns good? The fragrance oil is White Lilac from SS and I have not ever had this happen before. I'd like to use these for spring shows coming up if I can figure this out. Any suggestions?I am not going to be much help on this, but I wanted to let you know that I have experienced this with some blends and can't figure it out. It seems like know matter what size wick I used it seemed to happened. I do know that certain types of containers contribute to the problem. I use soy and I do not have this problem hardly at all no matter what container I use. I had a couple scents that had a little bit of black on the surface but nothing like what I have gotten with blends. When I use to use a paraffin blend (no soy in it) I would get this in the taller jars (lack of air flow and oxygen) but when I used it in a shallow tureen I did not have this problem. My question is why is it that some wax will do this but not others? I think it is wax that produces more soot has the most trouble. The only thing I can think of is that in the taller jars with a slight lip on it the air currents push the rising soot back down onto the surface. I am not sure if this is it, but it did not appear to be a wick issue -- at least from what I could tell from what I tried. I even found that the smaller the flames were it was even a little worse. Really weird. I tested the Taylored 50/50 in a Victorian Candy jar (taller jar with round corners) and I had black on the surface. I can use my soy in this jar with no problem. I am not sure why the pail would be as bad though since there are no curves at the surface of the jar, but maybe because of the depth it causes the air current problem. What 50/50 blend are you using? I think some blend are more inclined to have this problem. I bought candles before that did the same thing and the wicking appreared fine -- flame height, etc. Sorry I am not much help but wanted to let you know you are not alone on this. Of course, I really do not have this problem anymore because I do not use paraffin or a 50/50 anymore. I do use a 70/30 for a second wax but only in the 10 oz. short apothecaries at this time. So, I do not know if it would do the same thing in the taller jars. Although, I tested it a little in the taller jars and it did not appear to have this problem. ~Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 P.S. You may want to try different types of wicks to see if it can help the problem with your wax. I did not have a lot of luck, but it can be different for everyone with different wax, etc. What percentage of oil are you using? You could try to reduce that if it is on the higher end. This did not seem to help me though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda (OH) Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 Thanks for replying Holly . . . I used 8% fo and there is no soot on the side walls of the pail. I have LX and CD wicks here I can try to see if that helps with the problem but I'm not so familiar with those as far as sizes to use for triple wicking. Oh mercy - another dilema for a cute pail Edited: Forgot to mention I am blending my own 50/50. J50 & 464 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candle Makin Momma Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 How are you lighting the candle? Are you using a regular cigarette lighter or a long handled lighter?Using a cigarette lighter will blacken the wax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Thanks for replying Holly . . . I used 8% fo and there is no soot on the side walls of the pail. I have LX and CD wicks here I can try to see if that helps with the problem but I'm not so familiar with those as far as sizes to use for triple wicking. Oh mercy - another dilema for a cute pail Edited: Forgot to mention I am blending my own 50/50. J50 & 464Hi, You are welcome. I had the same thing with the Taylored 50/50....no soot on the sides of the glass or the top.....just on top of the wax. I use a candle lighter. ~Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda (OH) Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 How are you lighting the candle? Are you using a regular cigarette lighter or a long handled lighter?Using a cigarette lighter will blacken the waxHmmmm - I usually use a lighter and didn't know this would cause wax to blacken it has never done it to me before. All I can say is this is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakalex Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 I notice this happeneing in my 16 oz Apothecary jars (double wicked). My melt pool is not completely black but there are a few spots in the wax. I am not much help either!It seems like I mentioned this to someone a while back...can't remember who...and they asked if I blew my wicks out or dipped them in the wax. It could be blowing them out could do this????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candle Makin Momma Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Maybe it's just my wax then. If I use a regular cigarette lighter it leaves black crud int he melted wax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justcountry Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 happens to me too in larger containers maybe because i dip my wick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda (OH) Posted March 27, 2007 Author Share Posted March 27, 2007 happens to me too in larger containers maybe because i dip my wick? This could be the culprit - I am a wick dipper too! I didn't think of this. I typically dip all my wicks but don't usually make triple wicked candles without color so I have not noticed it before. Thanks for your insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly Posted March 27, 2007 Share Posted March 27, 2007 This could be the culprit - I am a wick dipper too! I didn't think of this. I typically dip all my wicks but don't usually make triple wicked candles without color so I have not noticed it before. Thanks for your insight.I found this was not the cause for me. I wish it was. There was a thread on this a while ago, but I don't remember if it was on this board or not. I believe a manager from a wax company responded to it.....something like that....and I believe he said it is caused by the type of jar (usually something like a 16 oz. apothecary or something of that type shape). The weird thing is I do not really have this problem with straight soy....only once with Orchard Peach for some reason but not really that bad to where it was real noticeable. I really do think that part of it is the kind of jar -- lack of oxygen and air flow. It may also be worse if there are two wicks instead of one wick. It really did bug the heck out of me and was very discouraging. I hope you get it worked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geekrunner Posted March 28, 2007 Share Posted March 28, 2007 I would concur with the jar as the cuprit, although it doesn't explain why the MP in a pail gets discolored. I finally gave up on the 16 and 24 oz Melting Pot jar fo rthat reason. It would burn just fine till it reached about halfway, then the wicks would begin to drown and the wax would discolor with soot. It never failed, no matter what FO/wick combo I used. The shape of the jar contributed to bad airflow and starving the wicks of air. I could single wick without the drowning issue but it is nearly impossible to wick a 4" wide jar, and the sooting was still there.The sad part is that I really liked that jar. Oh well, I'm gonna try out Metros next.geek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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