Another math problem, I need HELP! lol

[joyofsoycandle]

Ok, obviously i am not doing well with math. I need someone to please give me a formula to figure out how much wax I need when I am using a certain amount of scent. For example, I have 0.7 oz of FO and want to use 8.5% Fo, so how much wax do I need? I need a way to figure this out, because every way I do it, its not coming out right.

I took .085 times 12 (12 oz wax) and got 1.02 so I rounded it down and assumed I needed 1 ounce of wax. But if you take 1 (the amount of fo, 1oz) and divide it by the total amount (13 ounces total) it only equals .076...not 8.5% UGH!!!!!!!!

What am I doing wrong. I need a formula to figure out how much wax I need to use up the oils I have left. Please help! lol

[topofmurrayhill]

When you're working with percentage formulas you don't start off with the weight of wax but rather the total weight of "stuff" you need. Let's say you want to make ten 2oz votives with 8.5% FO. So you need 20oz of stuff to fill the molds, which is:

8.5% * 20oz = 1.7oz FO

91.5% * 20oz = 18.3oz wax

The percentages always add up to 100%, so the wax is 100 minus 8.5 = 91.5%.

[DonnaGA]

http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71&highlight=formula

Hi Laura, I posted this formula in the above thread....

I posted this on another board.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Ever wonder what you are gonna do with the last little bit of FO in the bottle? How much wax will I need?

Here is a useful formula to determine the amount of wax you need for your available FO.

[(amount of fragrance by weight) divided by (fo percentage load you use)]

Example: you have .7 ounces of FO and you usually add 9% FO ppwax.

(.7/.09)=7.78 ounces of wax.

....or using your example (.7/.085)=8.235 ounces of wax.

HTH.

Donna

[Donita]

I just posted a chart in a new thread. Hope it helps. Donita

[Beth-VT]

Here ya go:

If you have .7oz and you want that to be the equivalent of 8.5% in your candle, then .7 = 8.5%.

Take 100 (%) and divide by 8.5(%)...you get 11.76. Meaning 8.5 goes into 100 11.76 times.

Multiply the 11.76 times .7 (the equivalent of 8.5%) and you'll get 8.23, that's the total oz. of scented wax you'll have to pour. Remember that 8.5% of that 8.23oz. is FO (your .7oz), the other 91.5% is wax/additives.

100 ÷ 8.5 = 11.76

11.76 x .7 = 8.23

8.23 x 8.5% = .7 oz. FO

8.23 x 91.5% = 7.53 oz. wax/other additives

HTH.

[joyofsoycandle]

thanks for all your help!!

[joyofsoycandle]

Im making sure I have this right....

I have 1 ounce of oil...so 1 (amount of oil by weight) /.085 (percentage Fo I want to use) = 11.76 oz And then subtract 1 ounce (FO) from 11.76 oz (total wax) to get actual amount of wax needed before adding FO, which is 10.76. Is that correct?

[geekrunner]

I've worked it out myself, and Donna has it right, IMO.

(amt of FO in oz) / (FO load) = (amt of wax needed in oz)

[DonnaGA]

Hi Laura, You don't need to subtract anything from your final wax total.

To double check your figures....take the amount of wax you think you need (8.235 ounces) and figure out 8.5% of that using your calculator.

8.235 X 8.5% = .699975 ounces of FO

Hope this makes it clear as mud. LOL.

Donna

ps-thanks geek for the double check & backup

math mistakes can be expensive

[Beth-VT]

Laura, in hopes of confusing you even more (just kidding) Donna and I are both right but in a different sort of way

It all depends on how you look at it. Donna's formula is correct, it's the much easier explanation of what I was trying to say, lol (Thanks Donna, yours is easier). But, it also depends on how you want to interpret it.

What I mean is, When Donna pointed out the 8.23oz. of wax needed, I assumed she meant that much wax in addition to the .7oz. of FO. My explanation meant 8.23 oz. of wax with the FO already included.

If you take the 8.23 oz. wax and add the .7oz. FO to it, you actually end up with a mixture that is 7.8% FO.

If you take the 8.23 oz. of wax as already including the .7oz FO, your % of FO in the mixture ends up at 8.5%

Like I said, Donna's explanation is right on (your FO on hand ÷ the % you want to achieve). What you do from there, however, may alter your end result. Although it's not a huge difference in %, it can add up to a lot of extra wax at the end. When you do it my way (I really don't want this to sound like my way is the right way, it's not, it's just a different way, lol) you can make up an amount that gives you the exact amount needed to fill your containers. You don't end up with any leftover wax.

Confuzzeled yet?

[DonnaGA]

Laura, in hopes of confusing you even more (just kidding) Donna and I are both right but in a different sort of way...confuzzeled yet?

LOL! CONFUZZLED! I'm gonna have to remember that...LOL.

Laura,

Mathmatically, Beth is correct. Everything added to the pot should equal 100%. I however am more of a 'horseshoe and hand grenade' kind of gal. I wouldn't even think about weighing dye. My head would explode. I have squirted too much FO into my pot & needed to add more wax ASAP. (I'm sure nobody else has everdone that. LOL.) The simpler the formula the easier/quicker the calculation.

As long as you are consistent in your formulas you should not have a problem which ever method you choose to use.

You just need to decide on your formula and stick with it.

Beth can somebody end up 'Double-fuzzled'? LOL

Donna

[Beth-VT]

Beth can somebody end up 'Double-fuzzled'? LOL

Donna

Oh....absolutely!!

I'm with you, I don't weigh my dye, that's just nuts. Only additives, when used. It's just something to consider when you decide how you want to figure. If you base your calculations on XX amount of wax added to that same 8.5% of oil as discussed above, then add say 3% stearic and maybe X% of something else, that all adds up to increased volume overall and ends up diluting your beginning % of FO, and making more volume than your container can hold (in other words, extra).

It doesn't matter how you do it, as long as you understand what it's doing and the end result