sweetlyloved4 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Hello, I'm making floating candles using ecosoya Pillar Blend. When I light them and float them in a bowl of water, they start to slightly crack on the sides (the cracks are usually so thin you can barely see them) and water slowly seeps in and extinguishes the flame. Do you know how I can prevent the cracks from occurring? or have you had this happen to your floating candles before. TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Gotta photo of the floaters? Different shapes have different stresses... What size/type wick are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetlyloved4 Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 Hi Stella, I dont' have photos yet, but I will try to take some and post it up here. Basically, I made three different types of floaters: tart shaped, heart shaped, and leaf shaped. All of them when floated in the water cracked on the side and their flames were extinguished by the seeping water. I used TL 15. Would the wick have anything to do with cracking of the floaters? Thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 The wick could indeed have something to do with it. The wax is one temperature, similar to that of the water until the wick is lit. If the wick heats the wax too quickly, it could cause a crack.The reason I would like to see a photo is to see the thickness of the edge where the crack begins (obviously weakest or it wouldn't crack there).I am not familiar with TL wicks... where are they from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetlyloved4 Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 Stella, TL (I think they stand for Tea light) wicks are from Candle Science. I usually use them for tea lights as well. I burnt the floating candles for only about 30 minutes and then they started to have slight cracks. After 45 minutes or so the flames were extinguished because water seeped in. So, the walls of the floating candles are pretty thick. Thanks again for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I think you will have to play with the wicking. The wax you are using is slightly brittle, so if there is a large difference in temperature between different areas of the candle, cracks are going to happen. I would guess that too much heat too quickly would encourage the wax to crack since the part cooled by the water cannot expand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I don't use that wax, but I do use the TL in my floaters & tea lights. I use a soy/paraffin blend for my floaters and don't have any cracking, but then again I don't use those shapes either. Try adding some pillar or votive paraffin wax and see how that works. You are sealing your wick tabs with wax aren't you?? On my first floater I didn't, not even thinking the water went up thru the tab and fizzled right out.....DOH!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 You are using a wick tab for floaters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetlyloved4 Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 Hi Chris, Yes, I'm sealing my wick tabs with wax. I'm just baffled and confused on what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I didn't let it cool long enough? I let it cooled for about 24 hours. Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flightoffancy Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I add 15% container blend to my Ecosoya PB for my floaters. I had the cracking issue like you're describing and the addition of the CB seems to have fixed the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Does the candle crack near or along the wicktab? There is no need to use a wicktab in this application. The metal may be part of the problem... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Stella the wick tab has nothing to do with the cracking for pete's sake. I've been making my floaters this way for 9 years now and I DO know what I'm doing and I've sold hundreds!!! If you don't make them with wick tabs, good for you and if you read her post, she said they cracked on the side, not at the wick tab!! Sweetly, I think you let them cool long enough, so I've got to think it just may be the wax. Try what Flightof fancy suggested, if you have some container wax add a bit and see if that helps, or some paraffin if you have any around. PM me if you need a bit to play with and I'll gladly send you some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iammommytwo Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 I remember when I had the same problem w/my floaters- using the same wax as you.Try adding some container wax, to soften them up a little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Stella the wick tab has nothing to do with the cracking for pete's sake. I've been making my floaters this way for 9 years now and I DO know what I'm doing and I've sold hundreds!!! If you don't make them with wick tabs, good for you and if you read her post, she said they cracked on the side, not at the wick tab!!Actually, Chris, I have had floaters crack in JUST THAT WAY because the wick tab was in a thin amount of wax which is WHY I MENTIONED IT (and why I don't use wick tabs in floaters because they are not needed). The side has two planes, Chris - horizontal and vertical. It wasn't mentioned which way the crack was oriented. Do you know for a fact that this lady's floaters look EXACTLY like the ones you have made for 9 years and sold hundreds of?When people are TRYING to help, how's about having a little patience as we are ALL guessing in the dark here with no photo to go on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 And you Stella are not the know all and be all expert in candles and sometimes you actually need to read a post before you jump in half cocked. You would have never mentioned the wick tab if I hadn't brought it up and your condensending tone was unnecessary. And there are actually 2 sides(left and right), plus a top and bottom!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakalex Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 I played around with these before the holidays for my MIL with the ecosoya pb/blend and the same thing happened to me. I will try adding container wax the next time and see if that helps. Good advice! Thanks!:smiley2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 And you Stella are not the know all and be all expert in candles and sometimes you actually need to read a post before you jump in half cocked. You would have never mentioned the wick tab if I hadn't brought it up and your condensending tone was unnecessary. And there are actually 2 sides(left and right), plus a top and bottom!!I never have claimed to be ANY kind of expert, Chris! I was not being condescending to anyone (I believe it was you who brought up the years and numbers and all...). ANYONE can have an idea here and there, even me... or you ... or a rank noob! I did not jump on YOU, but I won't be bullied when I am only trying to help, same as every other poster in this thread. I asked a lot of questions because I did read the posts carefully and was actually thinking about many possibilities coupled with my own limited experiences. There's no reason for the acrimony! It only makes people sorry they tried to share anything in the way of ideas or help...:undecidedOnce again...When people are TRYING to help, how's about having a little patience as we are ALL guessing in the dark here with no photo to go on... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetlyloved4 Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 Hello, Thank you everyone for your help and input. I apologize for not posting the pictures sooner. Because my pictures are so big in size I wasn't able to attach them directly on here. So, here is the link to that will allow you to view them on the web. http://www.sweetlyloved4.blogspot.com/Thank you again for all your help and I will take into consideration all of your great ideas/feedback and let you know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetlyloved4 Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 Hi, forgot to mention that there are three pictures on the web...if you don't scroll down long enough you may think there is only one. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Yep that is ecosoya PB alright I was waiting for pics to make sure what you were talking about and yes straight ecosoya PB will do that. You can do like others have suggested add a little soy container. I went a different way and added a little micro wax to mine. You just need to get the wax a little more pliable so when it expands and contracts it does not break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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