Pam W Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Just an FYI:Had about 3 lbs of unused wax left in the melt pot over night, set it on burner, turned heat to low like I always do...went about cleaning some molds, etc. Just as I turned back to the stove, it blew straight up like Old Faithful. Hot wax went everywhere, the stove top, the back of the stove, the wall and even up in the hood. Can't repeat the words that spewed from my mouth !! So, I considered it a lesson learned and next time I poked holes in the wax before putting it on the burner. Came back a few minutes later, the holes had sealed over so I stuck a poker into the unmelted wax to reopen the holes and it blew again, this time all over my hand, arm, face & hair. Hurt like heck but the wax wasn't hot enough to blister the skin...just my pride. Today I'm cleaning the stove Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Am I understanding this right? You had a pour pot with wax and you put it directly on the stove? No double boiler? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaVA Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 That sounds really dangerous. Glad you're okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted July 26, 2005 Author Share Posted July 26, 2005 it wasn't the pour pot but a large enamel coffee pot that I melt large quantities of wax in then pour into the pour pot as need...but yes, that's about it. Been using it for months w/o a problem but it only takes once to cause injury. Thought it was a good idea to share the experience so that others will be aware of the danger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Yikes what a mess that has got to be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenoftarts Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 OMG, candle making 101, you need to start over and find somewhere else to make candles. The prestos are only $20.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freezin Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Well even tho I have two presto's, I still need my stove for my re-pours. Although, I do use the double boiler method with my pour pots. So those of us that do repours still need a stove top or a a hot plate of some sort. Glad you are okay Pam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Sounds like you had some water in your wax, thats about the only way that could happen. If I remember right... Lin had this problem months ago and it was water in the wax heating up and building up pressure to the point of it blowing off the top unmelted wax. She posted pics and it was a mess.Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butterfly Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Bruce I was thinking the same as I read. Pam use your heat gun to help with the clean up. Just don't start a fire by getting something to hot w/ it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creativegems Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Pam I'm glad you are ok. I'm glad it isn't me cleaning up that mess! Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drcobane Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Pam glad you are ok But if you have a presto can you not put water in it to heat the water to 89 and place the pour pot in that and turn off the presto. Then use the spicet to drain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rsvlbrat Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 So glad you are ok (well...didn't get burned). Thanks for sharing your experience.That has got to be a bear to clean up! Heat gun should help, like butterfly suggested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted July 26, 2005 Author Share Posted July 26, 2005 Don't know if I trust myself with a heat gun at the moment!! Could of had a presto for what I've spent on wax remover & the expenditure of elbow grease is a just reward. Got the stove top cleaned but haven't started on the hood. There's only 4 screws that hold it on so I will probably just take it down to clean it (yep, I know to turn of the breaker before disconnecting the wires). Hubby's response was "guess we'll be eating out for a while".I think it might have been trapped air rather than water cause I noticed an unusually large amount of air in this new block of wax that I just started using. I've melted a lot of wax in this pot w/o incident but this time the conditions, whatever they were, were just right to create the eruption. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linnyeg Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 But if you have a presto can you not put water in it to heat the water to 89 and place the pour pot in that and turn off the presto. Then use the spicet to drain?If you're using a presto you can melt the wax directly in it safely (below 200 degrees) You dont need to add water to it.Pam I'm glad you're ok, please dont use direct heat next time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Oh, man, I bet that is a mess! Glad you didn't get burned.A lesson learned. Direct heat and wax don't mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drcobane Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 True thought she was keep it warm to pour miss read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
candlemomma Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Just an FYI:Had about 3 lbs of unused wax left in the melt pot over night, set it on burner, turned heat to low like I always do...went about cleaning some molds, etc. Just as I turned back to the stove, it blew straight up like Old Faithful. Hot wax went everywhere, the stove top, the back of the stove, the wall and even up in the hood. Can't repeat the words that spewed from my mouth !! So, I considered it a lesson learned and next time I poked holes in the wax before putting it on the burner. Came back a few minutes later, the holes had sealed over so I stuck a poker into the unmelted wax to reopen the holes and it blew again, this time all over my hand, arm, face & hair. Hurt like heck but the wax wasn't hot enough to blister the skin...just my pride. Today I'm cleaning the stove OMG!You are so lucky you or nobody else was hurt!!Eeek..never melt wax directly on the stove.. Scary~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmen3032 Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Thank God you were not seriously hurt, or burned for that matter. glad the stove suffered all the injuries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanya Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Sounds like you had some water in your wax, thats about the only way that could happen. If I remember right... Lin had this problem months ago and it was water in the wax heating up and building up pressure to the point of it blowing off the top unmelted wax. She posted pics and it was a mess.BruceBet that is what happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuepie Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 I can relate. We all know how dangerous that was to do, but it took alot of swallowing pride to tell everyone. I appreciate that for sure. Like the saying goes "experience is very expensive" in all aspects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenniejr Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 OMG!! Glad no one was hurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Put your oven on Pam, let the stove top wax melt then just wipe off!!Although I think it "could" have been water, if I read it correctly you were using direct heat. That is ver bad no matter if it is a coffe urn or whatever. WAX CANNOT BE HEATED DIRECTLY!! Why? Because the bottom heats way to fast and the top is still cool, hence "Ol faithful" . Becareful, and get your self a presto pot!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceCarvesWax Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Put your oven on Pam, let the stove top wax melt then just wipe off!!Although I think it "could" have been water, if I read it correctly you were using direct heat. That is ver bad no matter if it is a coffe urn or whatever. WAX CANNOT BE HEATED DIRECTLY!! Why? Because the bottom heats way to fast and the top is still cool, hence "Ol faithful" . Becareful, and get your self a presto pot!!Yep, what tess said now that I think about it.I have had customers tell me about candles that they sat on melters and they would blow from the melting expanding wax on the bottom building up pressure. Maybe a little water in there too. I have probably melted more wax with direct heat than any one else here and never had a blow up that didnt involve water in the wax. BTW presto pots are direct heat also, ever wonder what would happen if the thermostat went out and the presto went crazy?Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvcandletarts2 Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Glad to hear you are OK. Presto pot is a really good way to go and only $20.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted July 26, 2005 Author Share Posted July 26, 2005 Went & looked at the presto pots, found the $20 one but didn't get it. I'd like to get the model w/spicot that some of you have talked about. Wal-mart didn't have it. Otherwise, whatta ya'll do..dip out the wax? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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