candlemaker74 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 I have been testing with C3 now and having “good” results now. I have been taking my containers and warming them in the oven at 170 (lowest setting) for 10 minutes then melting the C3 to 175, mixing, then cooling to 160 and pouring the wax into the warm containers and then returning the containers to the warm oven and turning it off.Everything looks good except for a small circular crack in the center of the candle, there also is a slight indentation where the circular crack is.Anyone have any ideas as to how to get rid of this circular crack and indentation?Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Accents Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Heat gun. That's what I do. I poke a hole in it too, especially if there's an indentation because sometimes there's a hidden sink hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 If the "C3 crack" is fairly shallow, let the wax harden for a few days, then you may be able to rub the circle with your thumb to make it disappear. There will be a slight indentation left, but if it is shallow, that's not really objectionable IMHO. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logcabinmomma Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 If the "C3 crack" is fairly shallow, let the wax harden for a few days, then you may be able to rub the circle with your thumb to make it disappear. There will be a slight indentation left, but if it is shallow, that's not really objectionable IMHO. HTH That's exactly what I did. A warm finger can ease the cracks so they're not really obvious. Heat guns will frost that sucker something FIERCE. IME, heatguns and dyed C-3 don't make a pretty candle.-Kristi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 Allow the candle to set up for 12 hours and do a secon pour right on top! I've used C-3 since it came out. a second pour works no matter what. Fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemaker74 Posted January 22, 2008 Author Share Posted January 22, 2008 Allow the candle to set up for 12 hours and do a secon pour right on top! I've used C-3 since it came out. a second pour works no matter what.FireAt what temp do you pour the second pour at?Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 At what temp do you pour the second pour at?Thanks! 180 degrees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toni S. Posted January 23, 2008 Share Posted January 23, 2008 I agree with Fire & Ice, the repour is well worth the little time and effort it takes and you have a perfect candle everytime. Good Luck with yor candles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemaker74 Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 I have re-poured at 180, 185, and 190 and although the tops come out perfect, you can see the two different layers when looking through the side of the container....And about a third of the time, I get frosting after the re-pour...What am i doing wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 If your candle is just slightly sunken in middle, you only need to do the repour to even out the sunken area. If you do it right, you shouldn't see the layer. I use C-3 and have never done a re-pour, but that's the way it's supposed to be done from what I've learned. I just zap the top with low setting on my heat gun from about a foot away and it melts pretty fast with minimal wind blow effect. The trick to heat guns I think, is getting one with a low setting, for tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logcabinmomma Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Yes, only repour the sunken area (or cracked area). This is barely any wax at all. What I do is save some wax from my first pour (if you're only doing a couple candles at a time, pour into the silicone ice cube molds from Target- they're perfect). Then when I want to top off the candle tops, I pop whatever amount I'll need out of the mold and into the pour pot to melt on a double boiler. Drizzle that out all over the top, just barely covering it. Two things happen at this point- that wax is EXACTLY the same color/ etc as the original pour AND it's been "tempered" by hardening and remelting and is less likely to have any frosting on it, making the tops a perfect color. Since you're only putting JUST enough to cover the original pour, there should be no "lines" and it will cover the cracks and sunken spots without needing any additional babying...-Kristi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemaker74 Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 If your candle is just slightly sunken in middle, you only need to do the repour to even out the sunken area. If you do it right, you shouldn't see the layer. How do you do it right? I use C-3 and have never done a re-pour, but that's the way it's supposed to be done from what I've learned. I just zap the top with low setting on my heat gun from about a foot away and it melts pretty fast with minimal wind blow effect. The trick to heat guns I think, is getting one with a low setting, for tops.C3 is supposed to be a single pour wax...When I use a heat gun, I always get small rough patches around the edges...HELP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Picture the top of your candle. From the edges moving towards the wick, it's sunken down. So, you want to fill only the area that's sunken, and not come above the line that touches the jar edge which is higher than the sunken area, of the already poured wax. You're just filling in the sunken part to level off the top, and don't want to add to the edge, so when it comes to the edge, just before that, stop pouring.Imagine you're spackling a hold in a wall. With your spackle knife, you move over just filling in the hole. The rest is flush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemaker74 Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Yes, only repour the sunken area (or cracked area). This is barely any wax at all. What I do is save some wax from my first pour (if you're only doing a couple candles at a time, pour into the silicone ice cube molds from Target- they're perfect). Then when I want to top off the candle tops, I pop whatever amount I'll need out of the mold and into the pour pot to melt on a double boiler. Drizzle that out all over the top, just barely covering it. Two things happen at this point- that wax is EXACTLY the same color/ etc as the original pour AND it's been "tempered" by hardening and remelting and is less likely to have any frosting on it, making the tops a perfect color. Since you're only putting JUST enough to cover the original pour, there should be no "lines" and it will cover the cracks and sunken spots without needing any additional babying...-KristiOk... so you just pour a very thin layer, just enough to make it barely touch the edges on the container and no more.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemaker74 Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Picture the top of your candle. From the edges moving towards the wick, it's sunken down. So, you want to fill only the area that's sunken, and not come above the line that touches the jar edge which is higher than the sunken area, of the already poured wax. You're just filling in the sunken part to level off the top, and don't want to add to the edge, so when it comes to the edge, just before that, stop pouring.Imagine you're spackling a hold in a wall. With your spackle knife, you move over just filling in the hole. The rest is flush.Gotchya!!Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logcabinmomma Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Ok... so you just pour a very thin layer, just enough to make it barely touch the edges on the container and no more.... YES!!! You're only pouring to get a smooth top. Your first pour should be all the way to however high you're wanting the candle to reach. The second is purely for looks. Try it, it's the only thing that worked for me with C-3. The ones that weren't too bad I did the warm finger rubbed over the crack. Then I started saving back a little wax just in case. Works like a charm. Of course, then I switched to 464 and haven't looked back!!!-Kristi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemaker74 Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 YES!!! You're only pouring to get a smooth top. Your first pour should be all the way to however high you're wanting the candle to reach. The second is purely for looks. Try it, it's the only thing that worked for me with C-3. The ones that weren't too bad I did the warm finger rubbed over the crack. Then I started saving back a little wax just in case. Works like a charm. Of course, then I switched to 464 and haven't looked back!!!-KristiLOL, I have a case of 444 and a case of 464 on its way.... You dont have these problems with the 464? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 LOL, I have a case of 444 and a case of 464 on its way.... You dont have these problems with the 464? sounds like you need to slow down. I think a support group for TiffTiff, Sparkette, VanillaSniffie and Candlemaker74 is in order. Are you from the same place they are? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tereasa Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 what didn't you like about the previous waxes you've tested? How many different wicks, FO loads, etc. did you test before dismissing a wax? Have you done all the research (or gotten people here to hand feed you) about the wax and learned it's quirks? There is no perfect wax. Yet you still persist in jumping around from wax to wax from paraffin to soy... and always asking 'what's the easiest?' This isn't the particular hobby for easy. I've already been chastised for thumping you on your head... but seriously... slow down. Research what exactly your goals are, what wax you want to work with, and stick with it. Learn it, get a feel for it... use different pour temps, different temps when you add your FO. You'd be surprised what can affect the outcome. Yet, instead, I see you jumping to another wax because you want a quick fix. And, you'll probably ignore all of the suggestions to slow down because you want a great candle to sell and you want it now. I've been there. I learned my lesson. Now, I understand the importance of patience and practice. I tend to let my patience go when dealing with people... but never with candles....ETA: may I please have two rude bitch points taken off now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemaker74 Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Alright... I did the re-pour just enough to cover the the circular crack and half of them look had a tiny air bubble and half of them had a crack that went from one side to the other...The temp of the re-pour wax was 180...What did I do wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 OK I'm no expert, and because of that fact I'm even wondering what you're doing that this is happening. I don't get these results with C-3, even when I pour carelessly. What are you using to melt your wax? What kind of thermometer do you have? What FO are you using? What dye are you using? What is the lowest setting on your oven and have you checked it for accuracy? Are you using the rack to let them set up, in oven? How far are you spacing them from each other while cooling? How much wax are you melting at a time? Where do you live, and what's your weather like lately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I think the problem is the difference in temperature between the thin layer and the candle itself. I have this same type of issue occur and it is because of variations in temperature while pouring and cooling. Filling a depression means that area will be deeper and take longer to cool than the rest of the layer. This is where you need to slooow down and observe instead of jumping from product to product. Develop some patience and discipline. As you are discovering, it's a heckuva lot more than buying a certain brand of wax, melting and pouring it and sticking in a wick. By thoroughly learning the issues and remedies of a particular brand of wax, you know more of what to look for and test for in the next wax. Take GOOD notes and many observations. The more information you observe, the more pieces of the puzzle you have with which to work.People who have been using veggie waxes, especially soy based ones, over a span of years have ridden with all the things you are experiencing. We've felt like humming a few containers out the window more than once. The one thing you can't hurry is experience. Knowledge, product selection, instructions are all well and fine, but they will never replace "time on the job." That's why some folks get impatient with noobs who seem to desire overnight success with a medium that takes time to master (or at least tame a little). Slow down a tad and pour more candles. Pay attention to the details of WHAT you are doing, WHERE you are doing it WHEN you are doing it and the SPECIFICS of your environment when making candles. It's the same reason that you and I can buy the same cake mix but often end up with very different results. There is an art to manufacturing, learning what causes what and when to do what, etc. The reason I chose NatureWax C3 was the expectation of consistency in product. It has not disappointed me in this regard. From the first case I bought to the last one I just finished, C3 has been the same every time it was delivered. The DIFFERENCES in how it has behaved in the candles I made from it have been solely due to environmental and manufacturing ones - ie. what I bring to the equation in terms of technique and environment. Consistency of product is often confused with consistency of manufacturing (making candles).Hang with it. See the product through the change of seasons. Nearly anyone here who has worked with soy wax based products can speak to the fact that seasonal changes bring unique problems to that time. We all work with our formulas and our techniques to be able to produce products that are consistent, day in and day out, but few of us are "there" yet. We are individuals who live in many different climates and circumstances, so some brands and techniques may "fit" us better than others, but EVERY brand has issues. Cracking and frosting and wet spots are common wintertime issues. In early spring, the screaming and gnashing of teeth will settle down a little until temps become warmer. The next predictable seasonal issue will be syneresis - bleeding of FO. And funky tops. It's always something, but over time, you'll learn how to "roll with the punches" and obtain better uniformity in your products. I gots faith in ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tereasa Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 you say almost the exact thing I say, Stella... and I get called a rude bitch and get asked to not post any longer? Guess not everyone likes House. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mizbizzyb Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 you say almost the exact thing I say, Stella... and I get called a rude bitch and get asked to not post any longer? Guess not everyone likes House.I do...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Me too. I even think he's hot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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