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Sink Holes...


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Enough is enough...I'm at the desperation point and after much experimentation I need to pick your brains...

After my jar candles cool and set up, each and everyone of them has a sink hole. Which of course requires some serious "topping off" with my heat gun. My jars are the square classic victorian from Candles & Supplies and I use the exact recommendation of FO per pound. My wax is EcoSoya CB Advanced and I melt and pour at the exact temp as recommended from their website. Then I tried pouring a few degrees cooler and a few degrees warmer, cooling the jars at rooming temp on my kitchen table ( ohhh, you mean those are for eating at?) and then cooling in a warming box. Warming the jars before I pour and then not warming them at all. I stir, stir, stir and add the FO right before I pour as well. After hair pulling, I'm thinking that the sink holes seem to develop in the same location where I initially poured, so...I tried pouring real slow and then pouring quickly and again, to no avail....SINK HOLES! I'm now at the point of obsession and need your help desperately! What in the world can I do?

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I would like to know as well. I just started making my own candles as well. I am on my third batch of testing with the same problem. I heat my 9 oz hex jars and I use GB444. I also cool them on my kitchen counter. No air blowing and repourt but I still get the hairline crack from the wick and a sink hole.

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Ok, I have been pouring for almost 9 years. This is what I have learned. You have to burp your candles. They all come out with a hole around the wick, if not you need to wiggle your wick to get rid of any air bubbles. I use a toaster oven. I put them in on broil at 200 degrees. This smooths out the tops. Also it melts the tops just enough to be able to wiggle out the air bubbles. You will be surprised how many will have bubbles. If you don't get the bubbles out, your candles can burn right down the middle. The bubble gets under the wick and when you light it, there is a hollow part there, so the wick burns a little hole in the center. NOT GOOD. Some people dissagree with this method, because they think the oven will take the scent throw away. But that is not true. They are only in there a minute. It is much easier than the other methods.Maybe this will help.

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For me...the only thing I've ever done to be rid of sink holes was to cool the candles in a warmed oven turned off. I only make candles as a hobby so I make them 1-2 lbs at a time and usually at night after work. By morning, the oven has completely cooled and my tops are flat.

Just something to try...maybe this'll work for you too.

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I've poured EL container and votive soywax for over 6 years. The only time I've encountered any type of sink hole or crack around the wick, is when I've poured my soy too warm.

Not always are the manufacturers recommended pouring temps correct. Depending on your geographical area, humidity, heat, etc you may find pouring temps to vary 5 to 10 degrees or more, from those recommended.

Many say that EL should be poured at or under 100 degrees... I find that around 105 - 107 works best for me and 2 of my FO's pour wonderful at 110, they never seem to reach anywhere near the slushy point, yet don't frost either. Smooth tops, no sink holes and awesome throw.

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