Hillary Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I'm testing 415. I started a while back and got sidetrack but now I'm trying again. I'm new to 415, well, new to pure soy in general. I'm trying eco's and cd's. I know it needs to cure.What I'm curious about with soy is what do I need to watch for besides the standard stuff? I've read things about soy "growing"??? I'm not using color so I'm assuming I don't need to worry about fading or discoloring. I hope?Are there any issues that would develope later? Should I keep them on the shelf for a while for any reason? I know soy has a reputation for being kind of unpredictable. I'm open to any thoughts or suggestions. TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 You asked so MANY questions all in one post!! My best suggestion is to read, read, read in the veggie wax forum and search for the items about which you have questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisa Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 hey Hillary, The board is here for us to learn so no problem about your questions The search features are sometimes a pain to have to filter threw a million things to and never really find an answer to your exact question. Im sure you tried to search first.Ive used 415 for several years and have loved it. Only a few fragrances have I had it "grow" On me, so alot depends on the the fragrance. But I have several candles I made 3-4 years ago that look perfect and smell so strong till this day.Most of the fragrances I used threw in 24 hours. Im not one to wait 2 weeks for a candle to cure.In MY testing if your not using coloring , the thing you need to find is what is the right temp in your working conditions to pour at to get smooth tops.. Slushy was the best for me. All candles have tweaks and testing that has to be figured out, but the 415 seemed pretty simple to use. Just finding the right wick is about the only headache..lol Hope I helped ya. Good Luck!!I'm testing 415. I started a while back and got sidetrack but now I'm trying again. I'm new to 415, well, new to pure soy in general. I'm trying eco's and cd's. I know it needs to cure.What I'm curious about with soy is what do I need to watch for besides the standard stuff? I've read things about soy "growing"??? I'm not using color so I'm assuming I don't need to worry about fading or discoloring. I hope?Are there any issues that would develope later? Should I keep them on the shelf for a while for any reason? I know soy has a reputation for being kind of unpredictable. I'm open to any thoughts or suggestions. TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Thanks. I'm a little too 'wordy' sometimes, lol. I wasn't really expecting specific answers to each question, just input on whatever might be important. I'll take what I can get! If soy is going to grow, at what point does this tend to happen? I'd hate to think I'd made a great candle and find out it's sitting in someones closet morphing into some gross cauliflower looking thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisa Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Most customers tend to burn there candles before that happens, but while im testing I always make a couple candles up so I have one for awhile and can check in on it to see how its doing. When I had my workshop and holding area in the basement (could be a bit damp in the air sometimes) I noticed this the most. In the the years Ive been making candles I have had only 1 customer call and say that happened, she had her box of candles on her back porch which was not temp regulated, so not sure if that had anything to do with it, but you start to notice patterns of when things happen like that for you. She said she burned and it was fine, just looked "Funny"lol.. I think all in all you will enjoy the wax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 So in your experience moisture and dampness seem to be the culprit. Good to know. That does help. I'm fine with the frosting, but I've never actually seen this 'growing' thing so I thought I'd better find out what to watch for. Parasoy doesn't have that issue, lol. Once they're poured that's pretty much it. Soy is interesting to work with. But so far, so good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mindy5140 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I agree with Stella there are tons of threads that deal with 415 wax. You'll learn alot from those threads.But on a side note, I've been using 415 for almost 3 yrs. I'm guessing when you say growth your talking about the cauliflower look after it burns.With any type of wax your going to have to test through out the yr. to see what happens with your candles.You just have to look for the same things as if you are testing any other wax. If you aren't dyeing your candles, don't think that you don't have frost, it's there but it isn't as noticable, as if you had colored it.415 is finicky once you think you have it down packed, something else will arise. My opinion is if you can get used to bumpy tops, the cauliflower look, and frost. Then this is the perfect wax for you. Mindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary Posted January 31, 2008 Author Share Posted January 31, 2008 Thanks. I'm all about the testing. I know how important that is and I'm ready for A LOT of it, lol. So far it's going suprisingly well!I agree with Stella there are tons of threads that deal with 415 wax. You'll learn alot from those threads.I have learned tons from those threads! I know the search feature is full of wonderful information. I use it quite often. This is how I decided to settle on 415. :smiley2: If this growth thing is referring to the chunky look of the wax as it burns down, well...that's just natural, I get that, I've seen that. But what I understood-from the thread that I read it in- was that it is an actual change in the appearance of the wax before it is even lit. But, it could be that I just mis-understood. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Hillary, the thing to remember about soy based waxes is that they are dynamic and changing. We worry not only about how a candle looks right after it is poured, but whether its structure and appearance remains stable during storage and burning. Some candles that look BEAUTIFUL before lighting, end up looking like pondscum after a couple of burns. Each time the wax melts, there is an opportunity for the wax molecules to crystallize in patterns we don't want, depending upon the temperature of the melted wax, the container and the ambient air temp and drafts. While I will accept a little whitishness around the edges, I do not want my candles to look like the surface of the moon after they are burned. I want that melt pool to cool to a reasonably smooth, shiny surface - perhaps not quite as flawless as before it was burned, but pretty close. Others feel differently. It's all good. We all make compromises with our wax in terms of appearance, etc. What one person shrugs off, another person would find unacceptable. The cosmetic issues of cauliflowering, frosting, etc. do not seem to affect the burn or the throw from what I have experienced, so what we're mostly talking about is cosmetics. For some folks, nothing short of perfect will do; for others, they are content as long as the wax is in the jar, the wick lights and the candle smells good. I think each individual chandler aspires to their own mental image of a quality soy wax-based candle and that's a good thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stacien Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 Stella is right! I personally think everyone is their own worst critic. I have seen YC throw out some pretty messed up tops. Consumers don't care as much. They open the lid and smell. That is their first instinct. Then they look at appearance. I have used 415 for four years now, and I keep coming back to it. The thing to remember is just stick with the Golden Brands directions. It usually starts to thicken around 99-100 degrees. Just treat it as chocolate and keep it in constant motion before your pour and don't let it cool too fast. This is called tempering. It will promote a smoother pour. Since you don't use any dyes it will set up even nicer without any hassle of frosting. Yes, frosting does appear after several months of storage, but it won't impair the fragrance. I have had candles smell stronger after a year of storing in a dark cool basement. You just need to keep working your technique and understand soy wax does not have the same stability as paraffin. Just remember to keep enjoying the craft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justcountry Posted February 2, 2008 Share Posted February 2, 2008 415 can grow and I am not talking about after they burn I love my 415:yay: , but have learned the hard way not to cut that wick to short and I have on the extreme had a couple to grow past the top of their container:shocked2: the best I remember it was hot weather and only a couple of scents lilac (yuck) and a melon scent they burn just fine but its not something I want to happen:laugh2: :laugh2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary Posted February 2, 2008 Author Share Posted February 2, 2008 Stella and Stacie, thanks . I actually like the look of a funky, bumpy soy candle as it burns, lol. I'm not really trying to fix that. To me it looks kind of organic and primitive. Justcountry~thank you. That's what I was talking about. BEFORE they burn. So do you think it was the warm weather, maybe humidity, or the scent you used, or maybe just the combo? How long do you think it takes for this to happen to the wax? I can't believe it got past the top !!! If it's a rare occurance then I won't worry about it. But if it's preventable then I'll do my best to avoid it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillary Posted February 2, 2008 Author Share Posted February 2, 2008 When I had my workshop and holding area in the basement (could be a bit damp in the air sometimes) I noticed this the most. In the the years Ive been making candles I have had only 1 customer call and say that happened, she had her box of candles on her back porch which was not temp regulated, so not sure if that had anything to do with it,It seems from both experiences the climate is definitly related. Either dampness or humidity maybe. This could make for an interesting experiment. Might have to try that next!415 can grow and I am not talking about after they burn I love my 415:yay: , but have learned the hard way not to cut that wick to short and I have on the extreme had a couple to grow past the top of their container:shocked2: the best I remember it was hot weather and only a couple of scents lilac (yuck) and a melon scent they burn just fine but its not something I want to happen:laugh2: :laugh2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justcountry Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 Not something I would worry a lot about but yes I think it might be a combination of things most likly humity and heat but I ain't going to say for sure cause I really don't know but if you notice a lot of the 415 grows a little after so much time usually its the one that have set on the shelf awhile and containers that I don't have a cover for but I am trying to get away from those tho I do have a lot of request to keep carring my coffee cups for holiday candles I don't mind the bumpy tops after they burn i still love my 415 but I have tweaked it just a bit but with a small amount of comfort blend . good luck,Mavis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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