Soy problems

[fredron]

I'm new to soy wax, having used paraffin exclusively since startup. I am using Nature Wax C-1 (also tried C-3). No matter what temp I use to pour, I get surface cracks. I've tried every 5 degrees increment from 115 to 170. I use warm jars, and 1 oz of FO.

C-3 was worse.

Any ideas?

[KFTS]

There is a thread a couple dozen down about C3 wax that might be helpful. I haven't used C1, but with the C3 always get air pockets so I poke & heat gun

[nbkfdu4]

I've been using C-3 and I was having a problem with an air pocket next to the wick. I also heated my jars on low in the oven and I poured hot at 180. Always an air pocket. But now the other day I warmed my jars up by my little heater that stays on my workbench. It's on low and I poured hot again at 180. I then moved the jar back near (not too close) my heater and I haven't had a air pocket since. I think maybe because it cures closer to the temperature it was poured. I don't know if that makes any sense but it has worked for me.

What are you talking about when you say surface cracks? I've only had air pockets.

Hope this helps.

Pam

[fredron]

Maybe I'm confusing terminology. What I got was a crater in the surface of the candle, about the size of half a quarter, with 1 side kind of straight, and the other curved. The curved side was sunken down and was sort of hollow.

[islandgirl]

That is a sink hole...

Just zap it with a heat gun and it will fix the problem!!!

That will happen from time to time... Try and pour a little cooler, somtimes that helps too!!

[Fern-Marie]

Ok, just one question on this: I had a situation a few days ago where the sink hole was really deep, and next to the wicks.

I realized that I had heated the wax hotter than normal, usually at 155, and I went up to 170. So, I doubled back and tried to recreate the 155 deg perfection, unfortunately, happened again. So, I poured it a lot cooler, like 115. I also poured close to the wick...just to see what would happen. I think there are sink holes, but hard to tell as they only went down about a half an inch. Now, that I could zap, but they have been burning for a couple of hours, and seem to be burning fine.

If the hole was deeper, as before, what then? I reheated the jars with the sink holes, and guess what...it did it worse. My fear is that there would be a hole, and it wouldn't be visible from the top or sides.

What do you think?

Thank you for the help.

[Jeana]

Other people are saying they put beeswax, stearic, or a universal additive to stop the pits and cracks in this wax. I haven't personally tried it but I thought I would pass this solution on.

[Fern-Marie]

Hi Jeana,

I don't know what universal additive is??

Thanks

[Heatsink]

You can get soy universal additive from justbynature.com, and several other places. It works pretty well. The sinkholes and whatnot are probably caused by non-uniform cooling, since the outside walls are where heat is transferred to the container from the wax. So the outside is cooling faster than the inside of the wax column, which would create voids in the middle of the column. I'd guestimate cooling the candles very very slowly in a controlled environment would fix it, but who has time or the equipment for that?

[topofmurrayhill]

It really shouldn't be called that or it's going to cause massive confusion.

Universal Additive normally refers to IGI 4734, a partly petroleum-based and partly synthetic additive that's used for paraffin candles.

In contrast, what we're talking about here is a mysterious soy modifier that's sold by a handful of suppliers. Nobody yet knows what it is, but it's supposed to help with set up and such. One supplier has unfortunately chosen to market it as Universal Soy Additive, which sounds a little too much like the paraffin additive.

[Fern-Marie]

Thank you Heatsink and Top,

I do understand the explanation of the cooling too fast, I didn't understand as well when I read it by other writers. You explained it very well, and it makes perfect sense. It was like a lightbulb going on. It just makes so much sense.

I have read in a few areas of the forum, that there are additives to use to fix various types of problems.

Do I have to add something to soy, or can I keep it just fragrance or fragrance and dye? I really would rather not. I just don't want to start messing with the formula, I feel as though I would have to start all over again with testing just when I have hit my stride. That would discourage me greatly.

I have found that pouring at a much cooler temp of 115-118 seems to work at eliminating the air pockets and sink holes. As long as I stick to that, I don't have any problems. This has produced several good candles. Many of the supply sites advise a pour temp of 126 and over - without heating the jars. I just don't get it. I tried it, it failes miserably, and now I am back to my original formula, and everything has just fallen into place beautifully.

Anyway, thank you both for this valuable information.

It is very much appreciated.

[bugtussle]

I just gave up on C-3. Now I'm mixing it with my 223 (2/3) and C-3 1/3. I have been coming up with the nicest container candles. No sinkholes and after several weeks of testing, no wetspots.

[Fire and Ice]

I solve the problem by doing two pours. I've uswed C-3 with two other hot pour soys for nearly two yewars now and unless you use a heat gun or do tow pours, it always happens. I will not add anything to the waxes just do a second pour or zap with heat gun.

I love Cargil waxes too much to switch and go through testing again. I want pure soy candles with no parrafin wax.