Tempering Wax

[chuck_35550]

I was curious as to what "tempering" wax was all about and found this information:

Most candle making projects will require the use of wax additives. Certain additives change the temper, clarity, color, and scent of the wax. With this in mind, carefully choose wax and any necessary additives to give your finished candles the best overall burning quality and appearance.

So tempering wax means to use additives as a way of changing the melting point?

[Stella1952]

If you search the veggie wax forum (does not apply to paraffin), there have been many discussions about tempering. It refers to heating/cooling the wax to certain temperature points which encourage the growth of a desirable crystal phase and discourage growth of undesirable crystal phases (such as cauliflowering, frosting, etc.). This is a common technique used with polymorphic veggie oils. Chocolate, for example, has to be tempered to reduce "bloom" (frosting). Tempering helps to stabilize the crystal phase and improves the texture of the product.

I was curious as to what "tempering" wax was all about and found this information:

It's helpful to cite the source of information so we can read the entire text tp discuss it more fully. It is also appropriate to put quotation marks around text copied from another source so it is not confused with what is written by whom.

[chuck_35550]

I believe this is a term that you have used quite often and I was curious as a result. That was the only other source I could find that even remotely used that term....sorry about being inappropriate...just my nature. So? I use a "veggie wax" ? How do you temper the wax?

[Stella1952]

I found these old threads in the veggie wax forum:

Here's one description by Jason of Golden Brands in reference to GW464...

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?p=197532post197532

Here's some background on the whole tempering thing via chocolate discussions... follow some of the links in that thread - super interesting!

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61303&highlight=tempering

Here's another on the general subject of tempering...

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71076

There are two basic types of tempering:

manipulating the temperature and seeding

I sorta do both to cover all bases. When I make a big batch in my Presto, it will hold 9# but you cannot put all 9# in dry. So I melt 6# and take it up to temp (185°F), then I slowly shake in the remaining 3#, stirring continuously. This drops the temp to the cloudy, thick satiny point ~ 120°-125°F. At this point, I do one of two things. Either I run the temp back up to my desired FO mixing temp, transfer a pound to my pour pot, add FO and stir down to the pouring temp in the pour pot OR I turn the wax off and reheat it the next day.

When the wax is well tempered, it has a satiny, smooth texture with shiny tops.

I prefer tempering with the FO added in - seems to work out a little better that way. Usually I make the large batch, but only pour 1-2 pounds of the same fragrance at a time, so I mix the FO in the pour pot. Not quite as nice of results, but satisfactory enough.

Keep in mind I am using NatureWax C3 + USA. It may work differently for the wax that you use... Stirring is very important! HTH

Edited September 5, 2009 by Stella1952

[topofmurrayhill]

I'n not disagreeing with what Stella said, but I would add that the subject of tempering soy wax has been a little oversimplified as far as technique is concerned. The suggestions I've seen only involve hitting certain temperature points. You typically won't get anything wondrous from following those instructions.

If you look at the way chocolate is made by a skilled person, there's quite a lot to it and every step has an important purpose. The material is being heated and cooled in a controlled way, so that it not only hits certain temperature points but reaches them at certain rates. The chocolate is also being physically manipulated, which has a big effect on how the cocoa butter crystallizes.

There's no doubt in my mind that you can do something comparable with soy wax and that it can have a significant effect on the final product. I came up with some techniques that seemed very effective, but the best ideas came from searching out info on what affects the crystallization of solid vegetable oils. Just like manufacturers of other fat-based products, a larger candle company like Beanpod can design an automated process. For a hobbyist or small producer it kind of involves putting on a chef's hat, because there's both a skill and science to do it with small batches.

I've read a few descriptions of how people pour their soy candles that probably come closer to really tempering the wax than what you would accomplish by following the suggestions I've seen for tempering, so I think some people have kind of been doing it all along.

[chuck_35550]

wow, you guys are way over my head! So you are changing the structure of the wax through temperature and incorporating the fo does not cause that structure to be altered? I use Stasis 3020 (I know Top, its garbage) and these pure soy issues don't apply, but still, it makes me wonder if tempering my wax would cause a more uniform structure that might maximize the blending of the wax and fo? Large companies make slabs of colored/fragrance wax that they extrude into pellet shapes and then pour into a jar around the wick and then heat. So isn't that what we are talking about here? Do you think one of those home devices for tempering might work with wax?

Thanks Stella and Top

[Stella1952]

So you are changing the structure of the wax through temperature and incorporating the fo does not cause that structure to be altered?

"Changing" might be too strong a term because one does not "change" the basic polymorphic structure of soy wax. Tempering is a way of reducing the number of incorrect phase crystals and increasing the desirable ones. The wax can lose its temper - just as a chocolate bar left in your glove compartment will lose its temper and "bloom."

I think the FO does cause changes in the structure, which is why, as I said, I prefer to temper WITH the FO, dyes, etc. in the wax. Even when I do not temper with the FO & dye already in the wax, it helps with frosting and texture issues considerably.

If you look at the way chocolate is made by a skilled person, there's quite a lot to it and every step has an important purpose. The material is being heated and cooled in a controlled way, so that it not only hits certain temperature points but reaches them at certain rates. The chocolate is also being physically manipulated, which has a big effect on how the cocoa butter crystallizes.

As Top pointed out, tempering isn't simply heating to a certain temp, dropping to a certain temp, etc. It is a technique which involves a lot of stirring and timing. The type of melter (Presto) that many folks use does not heat the contents evenly. The element is simply on or off. When it's on, it is putting out far more heat than is desirable to the bottom surface of the kettle. One has to keep the wax moving so that it does not stratify (layers of different temps) and overheat some layers and underheat others. A double boiler or water jacketed melter would do a more controlled job of heating the wax evenly and not overheating. The wax will not hold its temper if allowed to sit at a higher temp than is desirable for the phase of crystal one desires. Because this is not an easily explained nor demonstrated process, I agree that "searching out info on what affects the crystallization of solid vegetable oils" is a more practical solution.

I don't know your wax. This technique applies to veggie waxes. Parasoy blends are not included because the paraffin stabilizes the crystal structure of the soy and therefore would not need to be tempered.

I have no knowledge of home tempering devices but I suspect they would not be of large enough capacity to be practical.

I'm a little confused as to what issue(s) you are trying to resolve with your wax... If you are having trouble with incorporating FOs evenly, I would suggest that you stir more continuously and longer after adding the FO. Stratification does not pertain only to temperature; poorly stirred ingredients will stratify into layers also.

[chuck_35550]

Oh its not necessarily my wax issues that has me interested in this subject. I just enjoy learning. You never know what arcane piece of information might significantly alter the performance of your product.

Thanks,

Steve

[Stella1952]

I just enjoy learning. You never know what arcane piece of information might significantly alter the performance of your product.

:laugh2: Truer words were never spoken, Steve! I wish everyone felt the same way! Edited September 5, 2009 by Stella1952

[Royal Star Candles]

There is a wax that they sell on candlewic.com that already has the proper additives so you woulnt have to worry about how much and what kind of additives to use.

www.royalstarcandles.com

[Stella1952]

To which product are you referring? There are many suppliers and manufacturers who hawk waxes that are claimed to be one-pour and no need for any additional additives 'cause they are ALL in there already. I don't mean to sound jaded, but I take marketing hype with a grain of salt. :rolleyes2

For people who do not want to blend paraffin with their veggie wax, the typical soy problems persist from wax to wax... what issues one wax resolves, they are deficient in another... :rolleyes2 That's what the tempering discussion is all about - how to understand and, hopefully, virvually eliminate the challenge of stabilizing the wax structure. I think soy wax is marvelous stuff, even if it is more difficult with which to work.

[chuck_35550]

Especially since the formulas are guarded secrets and the mfg doesn't specifically identify all the ingredients in the wax. If waxes were formulated to such perfection, you wouldn't see all of these chandlers constantly trying to improve their product. This discussion is not about additives anyway, it is about understanding how the wax crystalizes next to the glass wall and how it reacts as it cools toward the core. The differences in structure are the cause of loss of adhesion due to the core shrinking because of the differentiation in the structures and the environment in which the candle was created. So this is about using temperature as a way to stabilize the wax with one type of structure and how to maintain it. Does that sound about right to you Stella?

By Jove

[Stella1952]

Does that sound about right to you Stella?

Close enough for state work... But I still hedge my bet by using USA, too...