Golden Brands GW444 test result thread

[geekrunner]

I posted this on another thread, but here is my quick cost analysis on MC soy with 3% BW compared to plain GW444:

With the regular MC soy at $37 per 50 lb box, shipping to me takes it to $51. The new GW444 would be $61 to me, and raise the cost $0.20 per lb to $1.22, and not have to add anything to it (besides UV inhibitor). Currently at $6 per lb of BW I'm adding 1/2 oz BW per lb of soy, the cost of adding BW to soy is $0.19 per lb.

So it's pretty much a wash as far as price goes. Factor in the time savings from pouring hotter, and it makes it worthwhile to switch.

So for those of us who use plain MC soy, your per-candle cost will increase $0.20 on a 16 oz, but if you add BW to MC soy there would be no net increase.

Sounds like a winner to me!

[jacobSue]

this is the best wax I have ever used.......

one word.....

WOW.

[Abbiepql]

WOW, $6 a lb. for beeswax, that is very high.

I buy from Candlewic for $4 a lb., in pellets no less. I could not afford to add BW even 1/2 oz if it was that much!

Abbie:-)

[geekrunner]

WOW, $6 a lb. for beeswax, that is very high.

MC gets ab $5.25 and with shipping it is about that. Peak's is a honeycomb six-sided shape, and MC comes in little pellets, which is easier for me to use. besides, MC ships to me REALLY fast! I can order online on Saturday and I get my stuff on Tuesday! In fact I got some more goodies yesterday!

[Gypsyjen]

MC gets ab $5.25 and with shipping it is about that. Peak's is a honeycomb six-sided shape, and MC comes in little pellets, which is easier for me to use. besides, MC ships to me REALLY fast! I can order online on Saturday and I get my stuff on Tuesday! In fact I got some more goodies yesterday!

If you'd like to order beeswax in bulk, I highly recommend Columbus Foods (www.soaperschoice.com). You can buy white or yellow beeswax pastilles (pellets) at $3.25 - $3.59 per pound in a 25 pound box. They have always shipped my soapmaking oils very quickly to me.

[lvnmt]

Hi Geekrunner

Thanks again for posting your test results, they are very helpful. I am not sure if you already answered this or not. But what did you think of the hot/cold throw. I know that you probably did not cure them for very long, but were they still OK? Thanks again.

angela

[geekrunner]

I only cured for 24 hours, the cold throw did not seem as good as MC but the hot throw was equal to MC, and depending on the FO was better. I could be experiencing candlenose however, along with the dreaded Crusty Nose I get every time the weather starts to change

Even if the throw was not better, it appears to be easier to work with than plain MC, would not have to worry about buying/adding BW, pour hotter than MC.

Spoke to Jason and soon I will test the 449, the other soy blend. He said it behaves a little differently, but should be a good one aslo. We'll see!

[lvnmt]

Thank you

As soon as I get my kitchen cleaned up, I am going to try the 444 and 449 as well. I have a lot of BW, but it would be nice not to have to worry about adding anything else to this wax. And pouring hotter is nice too. I currently use the calsoy CB3, which is really a nice wax...except for the frosting is terrible. But the throw is outstanding. Might try mixing the 444 with the CB3 and see what happens. Yea for new wax!!!:smiley2:

[Cindy/WI]

I got my wax yesterday and poured a test candle of each. 9.9 oz Victorian Jars. 8.4 oz of wax, .07 FO (Captivatingly Currant, Chestnuts & Brown Sugar from JS) RRD 47 wick in each. I checked on them this morning. I did have some wet spots but nothing major, I'm thinking it was b/c my work room is in the basement and it's getting cold & snowy here in WI. I also had small holes in the top of each one but nothing a heat gun didn't take care of. I wasn't going to burn these for a couple of days but decided to just check and see if I could use the same wick with this wax. Right now I'm burning CC and oh my god the scent throw is filling up my whole house of 1500 sq. ft.!!! If this is a sign of how this wax is going to do I'm all for the switch!! I will post results on the GW 449 as soon as I test burn it. HTH, Cindy/WI

[geekrunner]

Great job Cindy! Anyone else out there testing yet?? Don't be shy!

[Golden Brands]

I’ve done some testing and I love these waxes. I think perhaps my opinion is a little skewed.?

Just jokin,

jason

[Kaybee23]

Thank you

As soon as I get my kitchen cleaned up, I am going to try the 444 and 449 as well. I have a lot of BW, but it would be nice not to have to worry about adding anything else to this wax. And pouring hotter is nice too. I currently use the calsoy CB3, which is really a nice wax...except for the frosting is terrible. But the throw is outstanding. Might try mixing the 444 with the CB3 and see what happens. Yea for new wax!!!:smiley2:

In my test adding the beeswax, it did nothing for this wax except make the tops rough and flakey looking. It did much better w/o the BW IMO.

[lvnmt]

HI all

I also poured some testers last nite of the 444, 449, and plain 435. I did three different sets, all three plain, with 3% BW, and then mixed 50/50 with the CB-3 wax that I am currently using. I used 9% FO, with no color. All were heated to a T of 175-180, and poured b/w 125 and 140 degrees. I let them sit overnight on my kitchen counter and my house was 65 degrees. There are NO wetspots at all. Microscopic frosting, and smooth tops. The plain 435 top was a little rough, as were the 444/BW, and 449/BW combos. Kaybee is right, I dont think that the BW does anything as far as appearances go for the waxes. The cold throw is really outstanding. I am going to let them sit for a couple of days to cure, and the will burn. I am really impressed and also would be willing to change waxes if the hot throw is substantial. Thanks Jason!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[realmarcha]

Just poured my first tester with the 444 and am waiting for it to set up. I heated to 180*; used color flakes at one measured Pinch; used 10% Apple Jack fragrance. I will report further results tomorrow. Jar used: a 6 oz. tumbler.

Anyone getting ANY frosting with the 444? Would really be nice if there is finally a soy wax out there that does NOT frost! :highfive:

Edited to update test results: Once the candle set up I did have a circular crack in the middle of the top. Will try pouring a bit cooler and pour one a bit hotter tomorrow to see what happens with the cracking.

[islandgirl]

Mixed up the 444 last night.

9% Balsam

Heated to 177 added FO

Poured 145.

The set up this morning was really nice. No wet spots, top was beautiful except a small sink hole around the wick, which I zapped with the heat gun and that cleared that up!!

( I will try a different pouring temp with the next ones.)

Cold thorw was better than I expected!!

I will burn this later tonight!!!

[Marilyn]

I had poured 444 with orange dreamsicle in jj before all you guys results so I poured too cool. But Anyway, I zapped the top with the heat gun (actually to even out the top before I tried a new wick) and this morning there are hairline cracks going across the jar. That is a problem I was having with my other wax. What is causing this? AM I heating the wax too high? I usually go to 180*.

[Kaybee23]

I don't think you are heating too high on your initial melt. Sometimes in the winter when I have the heat running, overusing the heatgun will sometimes do that. Something about the combo of the heat in the house and the dryness it causes and the heatgun is enough to do it. If that isn't the case, then I don't have any other ideas. I have had mine do that before, but it was a combination of the beeswax, the heat in the house and trying to heatgun them on the top. It was too much on some of them and caused the little hairline cracks. Looked like there was a hair laying on top of it, it is so fine.

[islandgirl]

By me!!!

Mixed up the 444 last night.

9% Balsam

Heated to 177 added FO

Poured 145.

I have been burning the balsam for 2 hours now and it has a good 1/4 melt pool!! It is burning beautiful!! No hang up!!!!

I made it late last night and the hot throw is really great for being burned less than 24 hours later!!

Still have a lot more testing to do... But so far so good!!!:smiley2:

Gonna wait to let a few more cure before burning!!!

Very nice wax so far!! :highfive:

[geekrunner]

I have been burning the balsam for 2 hours now and it has a good 1/4 melt pool!! It is burning beautiful!! No hang up!!!!

Did you wick it the same as your regular wax?

the geek

[islandgirl]

Hey Geek,

I used a cd 14 in an 8oz JJ.

I could probably use a cd 12 in this one. Will try that next time. HTH:yay:

I just blew it out, gonna relight later for the second burn..

[Marilyn]

When I burned mine, several jars left a waxy-like (palm oil?) not hang-up but not clean sides. It happened with diff. FO's so I don't think it was that. Did that happen to anyone else?

[Holly]

When I burned mine, several jars left a waxy-like (palm oil?) not hang-up but not clean sides. It happened with diff. FO's so I don't think it was that. Did that happen to anyone else?

This is similiar to what the CB-3 Calsoy does. It does not leave hang up if wicked properly but it leaves more of a residue than paraffin blends do or some other soys. I am not sure if it is a "palm oil" substance, but it just looks like excess wax (thin film and raindrops) that cannot get off the glass -- sticky. It is not bad but I would rather not have it. I use thicker glass so I am sure it is worse in these than it would be in the thinner glass jars.

[realmarcha]

444 testing update: Burned the Apple Jack today for 7 hours straight in a 2 3/4" jar...had a +1/4" melt pool and good hot throw. I have a bit of candle nose right now, so am thinking the hot throw is probably better than what I can smell right now. Burned less than 24 hours after pouring. I am going to let this one sit now for a couple days then relight to give it some cure time.

I am pouring another tester tonight since I did get a circular crack pouring at 130*. After speaking with Jason today, he told me, since I did not have a wick in my tester this could be a part of the cracking problem. He also suggested I pour between 135* - 140*. I am going to try the hotter pour and put a wick in it.

Also, for those of you wondering about wicking, Jason suggested I use the same wick I am using now in the Kysoy125. When I test burned the above mentioned Apple Jack, I wicked it the same as my Kysoy125, and it is burning just fine. HTH

The jury is still out on this wax, but so far I am liking it! Still need to do more testing for the final verdict!

[geekrunner]

When I burned mine, several jars left a waxy-like (palm oil?) not hang-up but not clean sides. It happened with diff. FO's so I don't think it was that. Did that happen to anyone else?

Now that you mention it, I do have that residue also. You can see it in my previous pics I posted, and in the one below. I noticed it earlier, but it never occured to me that someone might think it would be unattractive.

I rewicked this one and did a sixth burn, but i'm getting down to the point the wicks ar falling over. Still great MP, great hot throw, very slight mushrooming. Probably will pour another with tabbed wicks, and do a side-by-side comparison with same FO and MC with BW, and burn 'em down to the tabs.

[workingwithsoy]

I get the same type of residue on the jars after they burn from EcoSoya 135. My wax sample isn't here yet, but I can't wait to start testing!!!!! My wicks and jars are patiently waiting!!!!!!