adding Coconut oil?

[coffeebean]

Thanks a bunch elfcat I found it today right where you said it was. It was a lot cheaper than the one at the vitamin isle. I'm running test burns right now and the ones with 1/2 TBS co pp isn't as nice as the 1tsp pp candles, in case you all wanted to know. It definitly improved me cb135 scent throw and frosting issues.

[jps]

Coffeebean, you're only using 1 tsp per pound or did you mean 1 TBS? Thanks...........

[coffeebean]

I'm only using 1 teaspoon per pound.

[marcicj]

I found crisco worked way better then coconut oil for me.

[Sharon in PA]

I found crisco worked way better then coconut oil for me.

In what ways? Throw, adhesion? Do you use a straight soy or a blend?

[Stella1952]

I found crisco worked way better then coconut oil for me.

In what wax? Did it improve frosting, scent throw, etc.?

[leenabug]

Sorry, to bring this up again, but I was wondering how many of you that tried this are still doing it after a couple of months? Was it a "fad" thing or are you seeing a real difference? I have been testing it and I'm not trusting my judgement........I wonder if longer cure time is the real culprit to my better scent throw?

[elfcat]

I am still using it mainly to help with wetspots and to "harden" the wax a little. I've tested it with FO that did not throw as well and found that it did indeed improve the HT. It certainly does not hurt and it is inexpensive so I think I'll keep using it in my soy.

[Stella1952]

I use CO at some times of the year to help with frosting issues and to slightly harden the wax. It's a good tool to keep in one's trickbag.

[macaroni&cheese]

I am still using it, although more conservatively, meaning maybe a teaspoon per batch, but I believe even that little makes a big difference. I will be changing waxes however, and I will need to test before and if I re-incorporate into the mix. But CO makes a good wax with a poor HT work very well.

[idacandlelady]

I tried doing away with it, but quickly went back. I think it really does help with frosting issues. Not saying it takes it completely away but it helps, for me anyway.

[itsjustme]

macaroni.....you've had it...with the Advanced?? Me too.....am going to use up what I have here in FL, and Maine too. You're right - the CO helps this "very last" Advanced stuff.

[Circle]

In my classes it was: Tbsp for tablespoon and tsp for teaspoon

[BeagleBaby]

I tried a 92 degree coconut oil that I had, it was in solid form. I used 1 tsp to 1 # C3. Smoothed the tops out, gave nice glass adhesion.

My USA just came today so tomorrow I will and some to my C3 and see what it does. I'm gonna try it with and without coconut oil.

[Darbla]

Anybody using coconut oil these days?

I noticed most saying it made their container wax harder, and then someone said softer and greasy. So which is it?

Someone also said it can be used in votives but I didn't see much discussion about votives. I don't see how it could be used in votives if it makes wax harder, because votive was is already pretty hard.

The reason I ask all this is I'm thinking of mixing my IGI 4794 votive wax with a softer container wax to improve scent throw, but I would need something to make it harder. And if the coconut oil improved scent throw too, then all the better.

I also saw olive oil mentioned in this thread. Is that supposed to be another scent enhancer? Or is that just for improving mottling? And Crisco does what?

[Brenda (OH)]

In my parasoy, I am still using the 76* coconut oil. Not much only about 1/2 -1 teaspoon per pound. It may just be me but I find that it indeed does help with jar adhesion when I haven't tempered my wax. I also believe it helps with the HT. My experiences with my wax are that the 76* CO helps to wick with tough "wicker upper" oils. I haven't found that it makes my wax harder, per se, even after months of curing. The CT and HT are improved and it doesn't give the wax a bit of sheen. I wouldn't say greasy. I would think that the CO would be something more so for soy and soy blends than paraffin.

As far as the crisco, I tested it as an additive years ago when I was working with paraffin blends but I got extra soot during power burns. It does make the wax softer and more greasy looking IMO than the coconut oil. It is said to help with wet spots but cannot recall if it did or didn't.

My testing was with container waxes not votive / pillar waxes. I posted to give you an idea how they behaved in my testing. If you are trying to improve the throw of the 4794 by softening up your wax I'd try crisco first.

[Carrie]

Reading this thread has me confused. I was considering testing coconut 76* in my 415. People have posted that it makes the wax harder and raises the melt point of the wax. How can that be? I can see it making the wax harder but there is no way it can raise the melt point, is there? You add an oil that melts at 76* to an oil that melts at 120*-125* and that lowers the melt point.

Can someone explain this to me? I am trying to test 415 in 8oz tins. Right now I'm using 3% beeswax and I'm not satisfied with any of the 12 wicks I've used. I don't want to double wick and they either won't give me a full melt pool or I get a torch with horrible mushrooms. I thought the lower MP oil would help to lower the candle melt point and make it easier to single wick.

What am I missing?

[Stella1952]

Carrie, you might want to read Top's remarks about wicking 8 oz. tins in the following thread...

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82638&page=3

As for why CO makes some soy wax harder and more prone to cracking, I do not know the answer, but it is a commonly reported phenomenon and one I have personally observed. Different oils have different chemical and physical properties - melting point is only one of those properties! Good luck!

[Carrie]

Thanks Stella. I'll continue to test the soy/beeswax until the bottom, maybe they will catch up. I just hate the huge mushrooms.

[Stella1952]

Can't remember who or where right this minute, but another member commented recently that she believed that the FOs have a great deal to do with 'shrooming and I agree. Some FO & wick combinations are a marriage made in hell. Throw in waxes with different properties and you have a tough time figuring out which thing is causing your problem.

When we first began testing in earnest (after we realized how important it was and how many variables there are to making a consistently good candle), first we wicked with straight wax - no dye, no FO, no additives, etc. We got that down. Then we added "additives" (by this I mean ANYTHING added to the straight wax) one at a time; got the wicking straightened out to our satisfaction, then went on to another. By the time you get to wax + UV + USA + dye(s) + FO, you've gone through a LOT of testing!! *faint* But it helped us a LOT (and we loved burning the testers and sharing with our friends and family). Nowadays, when something is different, we can spot the culprit pretty quickly. Then we moved on to cosmetic issues caused by temperature sensitivity. We dialed in the temp range that works best for us with the blend of ingredients we use in this old house in rural Humidityville. Now a lot of folks are simply not going to go to that much trouble to test, test, test, but that's what we did...

I just wish I had been as organized and downright anal about NOTES then as I am now... would have saved us a lot of retesting!!:rolleyes2

[Carrie]

All of the testing that I'm doing right now is unscented. I had tested these containers before but lost all of my notes (DS loves spiral notebooks and I think he got his hands on it) I knew the additive percentages because I had that written on the box.

[nursenancy]

I started testing CO at 1/2 tsp pp in my soy votives and containers. So far I've been pretty pleased.

My testers seem to have a better hot throw & burn more evenly and the votives are quite a bit shinier.

I love the fact that you can get it at Wal-mart for 5 bucks even though I hate going there. It's pretty convenient.

In any case, I don't have any adverse effects that I can see.