Lightning Bug Posted April 5, 2008 Share Posted April 5, 2008 Hi. Well, I needed this to be done for a benefit basket and despite a few flaws, I think it turned out fairly ok considering it is only the third or forth one I've made. I like the color and the embeds...just some areas that are sort of whiter that maybe are air? Any suggestions for future ones will be gladly received. Thanks. Beth[ATTACH]15327[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I think it turned out very pretty! I don't see any flaws Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharyl55 Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Looks very nice. Will be a great addition to the benefit basket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 That is very very very pretty!!!!!!!! Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidijo Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Very nice! The red and green colors are quite lovely with the white. Are they flowers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning Bug Posted April 6, 2008 Author Share Posted April 6, 2008 Thanks for all the kind comments. The problem is the white. It must be trapped air or frosting? Not sure if it could be frost or not. I am making them in a 65 degree basement, and using 160 melt temp paraffin with 1/2 oz. micro 180/lb of wax. I heated to 205, added color and poured. Here is a picture of the wax remainder that cooled in the presto. See the white...ideas? This one had less than the others I made. The one with the fabric I put down to sizing, but now I'm not so sure. The petals are dried rose and the green was some dried thing I got at the florists. I just wish I knew if I should add something, change wax, or what to get the white gone. Thanks again as I think it works even with the whiter coloring. Beth[ATTACH]15329[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 That sounds like the same thing snow was asking about over in the other section... the mottling, snowy stuff. I've never noticed it develop in my pot before but I've only done plain white. When I get it inside my canes, it's a surface texture as well as the snowy look. Umm.. is that a plain paraffin you're using or a blend? That really looks more like a traditional mottle from plain paraffin, but it requires oil to make it mottle. I'm stumped, sorry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 I don't like the 160 melt point as much as a little lower. Also....65 degrees isn't a good temp for making candles. Huge candle companies have "warm rooms" for pouring and they are 80 degrees. When you are pouring at such a high temp and they are in a cold room.....I see problems that can happen. When summer comes I'll bet you can do this the same way and won't have a problem. Wax is very much about temperature. If you have to work in a cold room....heat the molds with a heat gun before you pour. That can help too. Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heirloomoriginals Posted April 6, 2008 Share Posted April 6, 2008 Very nice!Steph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenniejr Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I think it turned out very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassy906 Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Very very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnitaG Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Nice looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I would suggest heating the mold slightly with a heat gun....and pour under 200.....those white spots sure look like mottle to me. I think it is the wax. I have had wax that wouldn't behave for me. Sent it back. My favorite wax ever for canes is from Candlewic....5055. I hardly ever encounter a problem with it. I have made thousands of canes with it. With embeds or photos or sea shells or sand etc.....and no problems. I pour usually at 195......I have used other waxes and have had white marks. Sometimes using a little bleached beeswax will fix a problem too. Just a little and see if that smooths out the problem. Beeswax is pretty amazing. Donita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning Bug Posted April 7, 2008 Author Share Posted April 7, 2008 Thanks all. I will look into some lower melt wax. Since Swans has the best shipping to me, I used them. They also have a 150, do you think that would be better, Donita? Or should I just go with another brand? Wonder what I'd get mixing the 140 and the 160...150? I would love to have them turn out perfect...at least better. I'm saving the rest of my dried flowers for wax without frost. Also, I'll try doing them in the basement bathroom, at least it is heated. Do you think it will always return after being there? Maybe I should just stick to growing plants. It is getting so frustrating. Thank you all for the kind comments. It does keep me wanting to keep on. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspencreek Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Looks great. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donita Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I like the guy from Swans. He seems to really know his waxes and has experimented with them. I buy my beeswax from him. Try his 150 and see. I have used up some 160 mp from Genwax that gave me problems. I probably will order from Swans very soon for some hurricane wax. Donitaps....I just checked his prices and see that a case is $59.84. His shipping has always been resonable for me too. I will order a case. I am anxious to try it and see how it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snow Posted April 19, 2008 Share Posted April 19, 2008 That sounds like the same thing snow was asking about over in the other section... the mottling, snowy stuff. I've never noticed it develop in my pot before but I've only done plain white. When I get it inside my canes, it's a surface texture as well as the snowy look. Umm.. is that a plain paraffin you're using or a blend? That really looks more like a traditional mottle from plain paraffin, but it requires oil to make it mottle. I'm stumped, sorry Those are the spots I was getting inside my canes. But I added 6 pellets of vybar to the wax and left them in the water bath longer and NO MORE SPOTS! I really think it was a cooling thing. Taking out of water bath to soon and then as they cooled at room temp the spots appeared. Anyway...I'm so glad they are gone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning Bug Posted April 20, 2008 Author Share Posted April 20, 2008 Hi again. Made another with a bit of 140 melt wax and a bit of beeswax and heated the mold and heated the water bath to 80 degrees and then cooled in a warmer room...It came out very shiny with less white, but still some. Considering I had to scrape the wax off the floor, table etc. as I was multi tasking (a no-no) and blew the breaker...grandchild with small heater in bedroom on the computer, presto pot, bathroom warming...well, you get the picture. The final straw was the heatgun on the spigot which I forgot was open and of course it finally decided to melt as I flipped the breaker back. Anyhow scraped a lot of it up, reheated, strained and tried again. Slow learner, but the lessons do stick! lol. If you can, let us know how the 150 wax works Donita, and I'll try that next. Still really lo9ve doing these canes! Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted April 21, 2008 Share Posted April 21, 2008 I want to see it lit. It looks quite pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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