Whats happened to my votives?

[Wick'n'Wax]

I tried my first votives yesterday. 6% fo and 1/2tsp of vybar.

I poured at 175 and they all had pin pricks on them.

I remelted and tried again, this time I poured 3 at 150 and 3 at 160, all were very rustic.

So...... I remelted again and poured 3 at 170 and 3 at 165 with the repours 10degrees higher.

The 170 is great down till about the last inch, the 165 loads of rustic still.

What am I doing wrong?

Left on the piccie is the 170 pour, right is 165.

I've tried all the variables on pouring degrees, is it something else I'm using/doing or not using/doing?

Please advise as I love these new votives and want to make loads.

Its straight 135mp paraffin btw.

thanks

[Sue-NY]

Not sure if this helps but I heat my votive cups before I pour. Have you tried that? I am lucky my DH heats the cups with a heat gun while I mix the scent and color in the wax. HTH

Sue

[topofmurrayhill]

So the hotter you pour them, the less jump lines they have on the bottom, right? (Hint, hint )

[britishgirl]

have just sent you email:)

[Wick'n'Wax]

So the hotter you pour them, the less jump lines they have on the bottom, right? (Hint, hint )

blimey, did I just take a hint

so....... just how hot should I pour them?

try 180 and 185 or even higher? cos I'm having to do at least 2 repours and need to go higher with each repour right?

[chrisasst]

I pour mine around 185

[Wick'n'Wax]

christasst, do you have to do repours? how high do you do them if you do?

I thought pouring as high as 175 cause the pin prick effect, thats why I lowered the temp

[Candle Man]

I heat the molds in a toaster oven between 200*F & 250*F and pour hot between 180*F & 200*F. I re-pour / top off one time and I get smooth votives every time. I don't always get flat tops but not a major dip either.

[Wick'n'Wax]

moulds in oven on tray, lowest setting, wax currently at 200. Will pour at 185 and see what happens

suck it and see, as they say

[Wick'n'Wax]

poured..............

*drums fingers*

[AnjieBurdett]

waiting :whistle: ................ lol.

With votives, how do you get that kind of flaired out lip at the top?

Anjie,x.

[Wick'n'Wax]

the moulds are flared Anjie, I pour upto the flare and do the repour above that.

[chrisasst]

Yes I do repours to fill in the "sink" hole which I have been repouring around 195..I also heat my molds up in my oven, usually aroun 200..

[Wick'n'Wax]

what you put the oven on 200degrees? hells bells, only had mine on 50 but they were warm.

Poured at 185. will repour at 195. how long do you leave between 1st and 2nd pour? and do yours take about 2hours to fall out the mould?

I'm going to perfect the finish, then try the wicks and burn. Then maybe, just maybe, one day I'll be able to sell something

[topofmurrayhill]

I recommend complicating things only when really necessary. If you get too fancy off the bat, you'll do more work without knowing if the simpler approach might have been just as good or better. Each wax works differently for votives, so you won't necessarily duplicate anyone's results by using their methods. Develop your own.

For now, I suggest not to bother heating the molds or anything, just pour hotter to solve the problem at hand. I think 175-180 should work, since it almost works at 170. Another time you can experiment with more elaborate techniques if you want.

More than one repour is too much for votives. Wait until the candle is almost completely cooled off and hopefully the second pour will do the trick.

[Wick'n'Wax]

It's dipped slightly with the 2nd repour, to get it flat would need a 3rd, but I'm ok with it as it is.

Will check the finish and see what happens.

What other wax can you make votives from?

I have cb135 and soy pillar, or can you mix waxes?

Would like to practice

I love the feel of soy

[flightoffancy]

I use the ecosoya pillar blend for my votives and it works great.

[Wick'n'Wax]

ooh thats the soy I've got, might try some. can you mix some with para too?

just to let you know, those votives poured at 185, have turned out.....

BRILLIANT

dead chuffed, so happy I could crush a grape

off to pour a few more and see if not preheating the moulds makes any difference.

thanks guys xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[chrisasst]

I use 4794 wax..

[Sally]

Hiya Wick,

Ecosoya PB is fine for votives but they do have a tendency to crack.

I'm working with my own soy/para blend now which is much more stable than the soy alone, & the HT is usually great.

My blend is fab for pillars & tarts too however I have someone asking for soy only pillars for her shop so it's back to the lab to see what I can come up with.

Experimenting is the key!....along with keeping accurate notes in an organised manner! lol

Yes, I now have a proper folder or 2 & write it all down as I go.....or my brain forgets!

Sally.

[Wick'n'Wax]

Test burning one now

How many do I have to burn to prove they ok?

I'm ready to mix up some more votives.

Mango

Cherry Burst

Lemon

Summer Melon

for starters,

I've only got 50wicks, not sure if anything else I have will be suitable to make my own.

[Wick'n'Wax]

how long do you burn a votive for for first burn? and can I just leave it burning till its gone?

[topofmurrayhill]

how long do you burn a votive for for first burn? and can I just leave it burning till its gone?

Best to burn it long enough that the top melts flat. Personally, I design them so the wick trims itself and you can burn them top to bottom in one session if you like, but not everyone does that. It's possible with some waxes, maybe difficult with others. Not sure it would work for a soy votive.

[Wick'n'Wax]

I thought it had gone wrong because the side burst, then remembered someone saying they were pillars that turned into containers.

Its been going for 2 hours nearly now, it has a bit lump of wax still behind the flame but rest is flat so far.

Will it even out, not sure whether to take another piccie now or 3 hours