will1434 Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Hi all and happy Saturday. I am about 3 months in to soy candles using GB 444 with 6% FO, light dye, 1/2 tsp UVI and 1 tsp coco oil per Lb. I use color chips (although they are tough to dissolve completely) and sometimes liquid dyes, but prefer no dyes since they seem to contribute to frosting. I add dye first out of the melter and then FO from 140-150, stirring constantly, then pour around 100-110 in warmed containers. (I have tried all other temps for pours). I then oven or styrofoam cool on wire racks. I still usually get frosting, so I have been remelting the candles, "swizzling" them with popsicle sticks, and oven cooling them again. Voila! No frosting, rough tops, or wet spots (usually) :DMy question is, am I basically tempering the wax by remelting and slow cooling again? Why the heck do I get frosting with 6% FO and 1 dye chip when I stir CONSTANTLY and pour cool? 2 oven cools seems like a lot of energy for an attractive soy candle. Does anyone have a single pour technique for GB 444 that is working better for them? I love this wax for throw and burn and want to keep it. Your assistance is valued and yes I promise I did several searches on tempering and remelting before posting this question.Thanks,Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Hi Will! I too have noticed this, so you're not hallucinatin'!! My personal theory is that this has to do with the "temper" of the wax. I have gotten to the point that I melt my wax, then allow it to cool completely overnight, then remelt the next day to pour. There's a WORLD of difference between candles poured the first day and those poured after the wax has hardened and then remelted. Sorry, I can offer no explanation other than what I've experienced in my own "laboratory." Others may not experience the same issues, but since we DO have this problem, our compensation is simply to melt and cool once before pouring. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LightofDawn Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Hi Will, first of all welcome to the board! I also remelt my wax (C3). I usually mix up a batch in a pyrex measuring bowl, then let it set up. I then remelt just prior to pouring. For me, the result is a creamy candle with no frosting. The only issue I am trying to resolve now is playing with different pouring temps to get rid of (or minimize) the sink holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 The only issue I am trying to resolve now is playing with different pouring temps to get rid of (or minimize) the sink holes.That's caused by the tops cooling more quickly than the bottom. Slow down the cooling and help it to be more evenly distributed and you'll have it licked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in KY Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 Maybe the warm jar is not working? I have much better luck with cooler jars, but that may be just me. If this is the only way you get them to look good then be sure to not cut your wicks first. I can remember doing this in the old days, remelting in the jar and it worked sometimes and sometimes it didn't and looked lots worse. But I never took notes and don't know if I melted all the way when they looked bad or what the difference was. But if your doing a bunch at a time the cost might not be that bad? Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will1434 Posted March 1, 2008 Author Share Posted March 1, 2008 Maybe the warm jar is not working? I have much better luck with cooler jars, but that may be just me. If this is the only way you get them to look good then be sure to not cut your wicks first. I can remember doing this in the old days, remelting in the jar and it worked sometimes and sometimes it didn't and looked lots worse. But I never took notes and don't know if I melted all the way when they looked bad or what the difference was. But if your doing a bunch at a time the cost might not be that bad? Good luck.First thank you all for the timely and useful replies! I have tried using room temp jars - the wax solidifies instantly from a 105 degree pour and looks perfect but then I get massive wet spots sometimes. I will try cooling them more slowly because I love the "insta-smooth tops and sides" effect from pouring cool into cool jars. The warm core just needs to be cooled more slowly, I believe. Thanks again for the experience and information! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eden Sass Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 This happens to me too! I usually heat them up on the fireplace stovetop to remelt them and they always turn out so much better the second time!Stella, can I ask you, when you say you melt your wax twice, are you putting the dye and scent in before you remelt it, or do you get the same effect with simply melting the wax twice in the presto pot? (I haven't tried the latter yet... only remelting 'finished' candles already poured)TIA,Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted March 3, 2008 Share Posted March 3, 2008 Nope. I melt all the basic stuff except the FO and dye in the Presto, temper it, then turn it off. I wait at least a day, sometimes more and then remelt and distribute into individual pouring pots for dye & FO. I keep the pour pots warm in an old electric frying pan to be sure my temp doesn't drop more than I want after adding the FO & dye and stirring a bunch. Then I pour into warm containers and cool slowly on racks, covered, or in the oven, uncovered. The containers always seem to come out better after remelting the wax... kinda like chili or gumbo or spaghetti is better the next day, I guess. Ya know what else? When I just turn off the Presto, and cover it, when the wax cools, the top of the wax in the Presto is FLAWLESS! No sinkholes, no graininess, no frosting...Kinda like it's sayin' "nanny, nanny boo boo" at me...Oh crap... I'm hearing the wax talk to me now... I think that's a sign...:embarasse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eden Sass Posted March 4, 2008 Share Posted March 4, 2008 How long do you have to make candles before your wax starts talking to you? (lol)Thanks Stella... gonna try to melt some wax for tomorrow right now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Shoofitz Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Can you edit these pictures? Way to big.What the heck is swizzling=tempering. Come on people, what is up with these new words? Better add them to wikipedia so we can look them up. :o :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Can you edit these pictures? Way to big.What the heck is swizzling=tempering. Come on people, what is up with these new words? Better add them to wikipedia so we can look them up. :o :o Too big or not, I'm glad they were included. However people choose to describe things when they do not know the terms or have the words, AT LEAST THEY TRY! I don't think it takes a translator to understand the meaning, if one bothers to read the discussion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michi Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 It's kinda hard to READ this thread, since the OP blew out the page, and ya have to scroll back and forth back and forth to even read anything, it's giving me a headache. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudiGa Posted March 5, 2008 Share Posted March 5, 2008 Wendy and Michi, maybe you need to change the resolution on you pc 10284 pixels x768 pixel go to control panel, display, settings and there is a slide bar to adjust the screen. HTHs and you can see the pictures properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will1434 Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 swizzling is stirring the remelted wax in the final container. Images resized. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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