Desertrose Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Once, for some unknown reason I decided to try mixing crystalising container palm wax and feathering (pillar) palm wax together........just to see what would happen. :rolleyes2It was, from memory a 50/50 mix and the result was some rock hard (I mean they "clinked" together and you needed a chainsaw to break them) tart melts that were smooth - no crystalizing at all.Surprisingly though they came out of the molds fine but DH hated them...for some reason? lol!Anyway.......our current dilemma is that we are experimenting making our own tart molds from silicone and we don't want the crystalising effects of palm but nor do we want to use soy (summer and the heat here)Do you think there's any way that by mixing these two palm waxes that this could be done without them being like concrete?Anyone experimented with this at all in any other percentages.......you know, kind of in a mad moment like I did?Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 (edited) Why not try mixing some pillar soy with the pillar palm wax? Palm wax is naturally a very hard wax which doesn't detract from its scent throw or burning qualities. Mixing 2 palm waxes together will not produce a softer wax. Try using some container soy if you want to soften the palm wax somewhat.BTW, even though silicon molds will take the heat needed for good crystal patterns, you can pour palm wax at a lower temp and it will be very hard and smooth with no crystals. The crystals actually look good in molded candles... I wasn't sure I would like it, but after making some, I think it looks great!Here's a stepped ball candle we poured with palm wax at low temp. Palm wax takes dye much better than does soy, especially the darker value colors. After the wax hardens (about a week), the candle can be polished to a high gloss with an old tee shirt.This little root guy is nicely crystallized and I really like how it looks!These moas are one of our best sellers, The green one on the left is a NatureWax C3/pillar palm blend; the one on the right is straight pillar palm. Both were poured hot, so there is a little crystal pattern on the green guy. Edited October 9, 2009 by Stella1952 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Stella those are gorgeous! I love the look of molded palm wax candles. They look 'marbled'. Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 Wow, I love those Stella! Very nice. I know exactly what you mean about using the crystalising effects of palm to your advantage. I have all kinds of ideas for future molds we could make but for now we are going for the more prim type style.For example, I made some little salt box houses for melts.Problem being that even though I poured the palm cool , from one batch to the next I would get random little crystalized "splotches". Just a tiny area but enough for me to have a major hissy fit in the end because I couldn't seem to get the right temp to avoid it.Then I found also that if I let the wax cool TOO much it went back to crystalizing again but in a more "frosted" kind of look.In the end I got so frustrated that I abandoned all attempts at anything we had made molds of because the crystals were driving me bonkers!I know soy pillar palm would probably be an option but we've never used it and it would be yet ANOTHER wax to buy and I do worry that perhaps in high temperatures it might not hold up at outdoor markets? (We're currently switching to palm container wax for our jar candles because of this)Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 (edited) Thanks for your kind words about the candles - we really love making them.I know soy pillar palm would probably be an option but we've never used it and it would be yet ANOTHER wax to buyI think you would be better served by adding a small amount of a container soy to your palm to soften it somewhat. Yeah, it's another wax, but palm + palm may not give you what you are looking for.Pouring cold did not leave me with any random crystals, but jump lines are a problem. I can't remember what the pour temp was for the black ball, but it has no crystals. If I were guessing, I'd try around 165°-170°F. Palm wax doesn't have much of a soft, slushy stage between solid and liquid - it's more black & white, so you do have to be careful to pour warm enough not to have jump lines or end up with the candle going solid too quickly, but not SO warm that the crystals begin to reappear. I know there's a non-crystallizing palm wax out there, but don't know where it can be purchased...What kind of soy were you using that isn't holding up for you at shows? What did you not like about it? Edited October 9, 2009 by Stella1952 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted October 9, 2009 Author Share Posted October 9, 2009 The soy wax is 464 - all Richards department, the jars, because I don't like soy. Too much of a headache for me with all the frosting, air pocket problems. Plus, as you say it doesn't take colour as nicely as palm does.We have done an outdoor market before back in Perth in warm conditions and our soy jars started melting on the top, and that was under the cover of a Gazebo! Wasn't even a terrifically hot day either!Where we've moved to in the Blue mountains here it gets REALLY hot in summer so we figured, what the heck, instead of trying to fight with soy we'll just switch to all palm in summer and go back to soy in winter again.Perhaps if I persist with the palm ( and actually record the pour temperature ) I might find a method to be rid of those crystal spots. For some reason it seemed easier with those hippy pillars I was pouring before at cool temps. I wonder if the smaller amount of wax you pour makes any difference - perhaps because it's setting quicker or something?I don't know.......it's all just guesswork at the moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdesousa5 Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 Stella those candles are stunning!! I love the ball what kind of mold is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted October 10, 2009 Share Posted October 10, 2009 I like that one, too. It's a 2 piece plastic mold I got from Pourette (now closed). Peak used to carry them, too, but I don't see them anymore on their website... crap! :undecided Uh oh... Gotta find a new source before I blow out this one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judette Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Stella, those are gorgeous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdesousa5 Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I like that one, too. It's a 2 piece plastic mold I got from Pourette (now closed). Peak used to carry them, too, but I don't see them anymore on their website... crap! :undecided Uh oh... Gotta find a new source before I blow out this one... Oh boy, I hope you find another source. If you do please let me know. I guess I should buy one of your candles so I can at least enjoy one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in KY Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 The soy wax is 464 - all Richards department, the jars, because I don't like soy. Too much of a headache for me with all the frosting, air pocket problems. Plus, as you say it doesn't take colour as nicely as palm does.We have done an outdoor market before back in Perth in warm conditions and our soy jars started melting on the top, and that was under the cover of a Gazebo! Wasn't even a terrifically hot day either!Where we've moved to in the Blue mountains here it gets REALLY hot in summer so we figured, what the heck, instead of trying to fight with soy we'll just switch to all palm in summer and go back to soy in winter again.Perhaps if I persist with the palm ( and actually record the pour temperature ) I might find a method to be rid of those crystal spots. For some reason it seemed easier with those hippy pillars I was pouring before at cool temps. I wonder if the smaller amount of wax you pour makes any difference - perhaps because it's setting quicker or something?I don't know.......it's all just guesswork at the moment!How about the palm oil you use for soap making. It's not an oil but more like crisco or mineral oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desertrose Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 Oops, almost missed this.I'm not sure about that Sharon. Would have to look into it.For now we're just doing tart shaped melts so it doesn't matter about the crystalizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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