Lolas Lights Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 I have been about to pull my hair out trying to make a mottle. Using paraffin, , paraffin with FO and steric acid, paraffin with mineral oil and FO, paraffin with steric, FO, mineral oil and I might get a little blotch of mottle out of all these experiments. This is driving me nutso. I just can't get it right, guess if I want a mottle I'm gonna have to buy some mottling wax.I think I'm gonna throw the towel in on this one or I'm gonna drive myself insane. (and I don't have far to go) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc26 Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 Have you remembered to cool slow? That might help you! Don't let the wax beat you!!!! you can do it! It is only wax! Make it do your bidding!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 What in the world kind of wax are you using. I get mottles of all kinds....I am just experimenting to see what kind will be my favorite. If you are using a blend then forget it......if it is straight paraffin there is no reason that it won't mottle doing what you are doing. paraffin + liquid (FO) = mottle. I like steric but a lot of people don't use it. The kinda basic receipe is 1 #wax + 1 oz FO. (about 3T) and I use 1 to 2 T steric to make it burn better and keep it from being so oily. I think that a little steric helps the mottle, but every wax is different and the way you hold you tongue seems to be a big part...LOL Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolas Lights Posted October 9, 2005 Author Share Posted October 9, 2005 tlc26, I've cooled really slow, wrapped towels around them and still no help.Donita, it's not a preblended just straight paraffin mp138. So I don't know what in the world I'm doing wrong. I think I'll take your advice and hold my tongue different ways and see if that helps...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wincie Posted October 9, 2005 Share Posted October 9, 2005 Good luck on your journey to mottling ....I know you'll get it soon...it took me forever too....make sure u share the pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Lola how much FO per pound are you using? And how much steric? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 tlc26, I've cooled really slow, wrapped towels around them and still no help.Donita, it's not a preblended just straight paraffin mp138. So I don't know what in the world I'm doing wrong. I think I'll take your advice and hold my tongue different ways and see if that helps......Yes but which wax is it exactly? Some don't mottle or not much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolas Lights Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 Scented, I'm using 1 to 1.5 oz of FO per #wax. and 2 TBS of steric and when I use the mineral oil about 2 TBS. Top, it's just straight paraffin, Cw138 that I got from hobby lobby. I thought paraffin was pararffin no matter where you got it. Are there different kinds of straight paraffin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Scented, I'm using 1 to 1.5 oz of FO per #wax.Top, it's just straight paraffin, Cw138 that I got from hobby lobby. I thought paraffin was pararffin no matter where you got it. Are there different kinds of straight paraffin?There are countless flavors of straight paraffin. Each is a unique "recipe" of paraffin molecules (they come in various shapes and sizes). That's why all kinds of properties like melting point vary from one to another.Most will mottle but some are resistant because of their particular molecular recipe. It's easy to simulate this. Microcrystalline wax is paraffin too, but add as little as 1% of it to any other paraffin and it will change the molecular recipe so that the wax won't mottle.138MP paraffin would most typically hold 3-5% FO, so if you're getting up to 6% without a mottle, best to try a different wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolas Lights Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 There are countless flavors of straight paraffin. Each is a unique "recipe" of paraffin molecules (they come in various shapes and sizes). That's why all kinds of properties like melting point vary from one to another.Most will mottle but some are resistant because of their particular molecular recipe. It's easy to simulate this. Microcrystalline wax is paraffin too, but add as little as 1% of it to any other paraffin and it will change the molecular recipe so that the wax won't mottle.138MP paraffin would most typically hold 3-5% FO, so if you're getting up to 6% without a mottle, best to try a different wax.Please enlighten me as to where I can find these these paraffin waxes and how do I know what to buy to make a mottle, besides buying the waxes that are especially made to mottle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 IGI 1343 and 1274 are widely available -- check your nearest mail order candle supply. http://www.bittercreeksouth.com has 1343 and http://www.candlescience.com has both.Those two are pretty similar and you can use them for anything you like besides mottled candles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc26 Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Lola check your pms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Top has been studying this and knows how this works......I have read all of the stuff he has read too, but I think he remembers it better because he is sooooooooo young....LOL.....Paraffin isn't just paraffin When a company "makes" it ....there are different ways to cut it. I personally am finding that I don't like the waxes that are made to mottle, that is unless you want your candle to look like granite....I don't.....personal perference. I like a more random mottle so that is why I am using Candlewics 4045EP rather than their mottling wax 4045H. They use to have 4045 and it mottled, but not consistently so they discontinued is a couple of months ago becuse customers were happy with the 4045H. What you bought as a straight paraffin from a store might have properties that won't allow the mottle. The average customer probably is buying that wax to make regular smooth candles and would be disapointed if it did mottle. I know that this can really drive you nuts, it does me, but I love it too. I love to experiment.....I wake up in the morning and come over to the studio and still am excited about what is going to come out of my mold. Some days I am happy ,others.....not so much....but my grandmother Ava said, "When you stop learning, you die"......so I keep learning something everyday where I want to or not. LOL Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Donita, I love to learn the technical details and it also helps me get to the results I want faster, but I agree that the greatest satisfaction is in the practice rather than the theory. To that end, I have 7 waxes here in the pillar melt point range whose mottle I've tested. So far I've accumulated 5 low melt point paraffins to experiment with mottled containers. Somehow I'm going to have to find a use for it all whether it mottled nicely or not, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolas Lights Posted October 10, 2005 Author Share Posted October 10, 2005 Donita, I love to learn the technical details and it also helps me get to the results I want faster, but I agree that the greatest satisfaction is in the practice rather than the theory. To that end, I have 7 waxes here in the pillar melt point range whose mottle I've tested. So far I've accumulated 5 low melt point paraffins to experiment with mottled containers. Somehow I'm going to have to find a use for it all whether it mottled nicely or not, LOL.Top, I really enjoy your posts, I learn a lot from them, but I have to read over them a couple of times as some of this stuff is so technical that it doesn't sink in my brain too fast....that comes with old age I guess. I am trying to learn all I can about waxes. Even if I never sell anything put containers, I still like to experiment for my own pleasure. Thanks again for your help in this. I will make a mottle if it takes me til next year. LOLThanks to all those that have chimed in and helping me with this paraffin wax problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Top, I really enjoy your posts, I learn a lot from them, but I have to read over them a couple of times as some of this stuff is so technical that it doesn't sink in my brain too fast....that comes with old age I guess. I am trying to learn all I can about waxes. Even if I never sell anything put containers, I still like to experiment for my own pleasure. Thanks again for your help in this. I will make a mottle if it takes me til next year. LOLThanks to all those that have chimed in and helping me with this paraffin wax problem.You'll have it on the next go-round. All you need to do is buy a wax that has known mottling properties. Your Hobby Lobby stuff was a tease. Just order one of those waxes I mentioned from close to you. If you don't mind ordering from farther away, that 4045 from Candlewic is arguably better stuff.Once you have the wax it will be easy. Keep it simple the first time and just use wax and FO. Put 4% in the 1343/1274 or 5% in the 4045. Cool at normal room temperature in a non-drafty place. You don't have to wrap it or do anything special. De-mold and behold!If by chance you get less mottle than you want, bump up those percentages by 1. Some FOs mottle the wax more than others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fehr4jesus Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Try www.cajuncandles.com hopes this helps.GOOD LUCK!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 I can hardly wait to unmold what I did today......I'm sure it will be a surprise. Top.....if you have left over wax.....you can always make chunkies. That's what I do. I have sold everyone I ever made.....even if they were ugly. LOL Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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