soya advanced

[Doodles]

Hi, I am new to making soy candles and I have wasted 6 dozen so far. My candles are dipping in the middle. I am using Eco advanced, with colour, without colour, with wick, without wick, pouring hot and pouring cold and in between. the wax dips in the middle (no smooth surface at all) as well it adheres to the sides and the wick so the wax pulls away to create breaks in the wax. Room temp is even 21C (I am in ireland do not know F)

Please any suggestions most helpful:embarasse

[hexie]

i only use c-3 so if you change over at any time i can help, but in the mean time, sorry!

[homecomfort]

Welcome to the challenging world of soy!! You will find a TON of great information on this page by using the search feature. A lot of people have used or tried the same wax that you are using and have shared their experiences, tidbits, and educated explanations.

You'll learn that the cooling process is VERY important when making candles - especially container candles. Since you've tried various pouring temps, the dip in the middle you are referring to sounds to me like the wax is cooling too quickly. Try slowing down the cooling process - there are a lot of ways to do this, everyone has their own preferences. For me, I turn on the oven, let it heat up just a bit, turn it off, pour my candles and then put them in the cooling oven overnight. In the morning, my tops are nice and flat, no dips and no cracks. Not sure if this process will work with your conditions and quantities but you could give it a shot.

As for the the glass adhesion this too is usually an effect of the cooling process. I'm pretty sure CBA is one of the wax types that is designed to pull away from the glass so the fact that it is even adhering at all may not necessarily be a good thing. In time, you might get some serious wetspots as part of the wax contracts and pulls away from the glass while other parts do not. If you change your cooling process, you may find that the whole candle will pull away and you won't have to worry about those pesky wet spots if they bother you.

There are also a variety of different additives people have found to enhance the esthetic and performance of their soy - such as coconut oil, beeswax, paraffin - the list goes on and on.

I hope this info helps. It's a start at least. I strongly encourage you to read this forum through and through because these topics have been discussed many times. I swear, I'm starting to go cross-eyed from reading all the info on here. Good luck and keep us updated on your progress!!

[hexie]

i second the slow cooling, i alway have sink holes in c3, well i cooled mine in my oven and SMOOTH tops. very happy.

[Doodles]

thank you ever so much for your reply. On my way home now, you are a gem. will let you know how it goes.

doodles

[Doodles]

made my candles last night and put them into the hot press and wonder of wonders it worked. Nice flat top.

One small problem was that wax is adhering to the wick and riding up it a little bit so when all the wax is dry some stays on the wick and breaks away from the candle. I am using CDN. Is there a different wick I should be using for the eco advanced?

ps I put the failed jars into the microwave for three minutes to melt the wax and left them in overnight and they came out great.

[Judy, USMC]

I put the failed jars into the microwave for three minutes to melt the wax ...

OH DEAR! This tidbit of information made me very nervous! Microwaves and metal do not react well together ... I am very suprised there were no sparks flying. If you use wicks that have the metal tabs on the bottom I would NOT ever put it in the microwave. Although it worked (possibly because of the quantity of wax) I don't think it is worth the risk to try it again.

Please use this link to read the reason why I am concerned. It presents a very basic explanation from both a Physics Instructor and a Microwave Manufacturer's point of view. www.chemistryquestion.com/English/Questions/ChemistryInDailyLife/23c_microwave_metal.html

Hope it Helps!