Gretchen Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 OK; I know I don't show up around here often; usually when I've got a problem. This one is starting to feel like the biggie some of us had with ecosoya what, 3-4 years ago? All of a sudden I've got a crapload of candles that won't burn! Didn't change anything. I've bumped up the wicks; didn't help. I added crisco at the suggestion of my supplier; didn't help (could not even believe that I was adding crisco to a candle! About killed me to do it!). In the morning I am going to try bumping higher without the crisco. I have a bunch of those freebie premiere wicks from a couple years ago; maybe should try those. Basically I want to know if anyone else is having problems and what, if anything, you might be trying to rectify. I just landed the mother of all accounts; haven't started delivery yet; and this is exactly what I don't need. The timing is more than troubling.Because I know the question is coming; I use the Eco CBA; three inch tumbler with either a CD-12 or 14; and a 4 inch jar with a CD-16 or 18; size dictated by scent; and I scent with an ounce per pound. For those who want to say I need to double wick; never did and honestly got a great 3 and 4 hour melt pool from both sizes. Never used any additives; don't know much about using them (probably why putting the crisco in was kind of gaggy). I'll entertain any thoughts, suggestions, criticism; whatever. Feeling rather desperate (and tired!)TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning Bug Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Sorry to hear about your problem. It seems to happen with all varieties once in awhile. I had it with 415 and tried crisco, lower melt soy etc. Never did get it fixed. Best (but not near perfect) was with paraffin. Though it isn't the help you want, it is probably easier to just get it from a different distributer after checking batch numbers with them and make your order up. All that retesting just before sending out an order would be really time comsuming and discouraging. Hope sombody chimes in and can tell you how you can fix it...you didn't need this right now! Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Ok, the wax is setting up as usual? Not noticeably harder or softer? Crisco has palm in it now and that could possibly aggrevate your problem. The wick is sputtering and then drowning or tunneling and drowning? I would double wick those containers to get you through this bad batch of wax. Unless your distributor wants to help you out and pull from a different batch number; then you might as well do whatever it takes to make the things work. You might search mineral oil and see what you turn up. I can't see adding more soy/palm except if the soy in that batch is really poor quality. HTH.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 All of a sudden I've got a crapload of candles that won't burn!Well, THAT'S disconcerting! I'm not sure what exactly you mean by "won't burn," but here's my best guess:Is it possible that moisture has gotten into the wax and/or wicks?If the products are new, have you sent your case/batch numbers to your supplier and NGI to see if they have had other complaints? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretchen Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 I did call and speak to my supplier twice now. She's the one that recommended the crisco. I added it bumping up one size on the wicks. They seemed to burn better for a couple of hours but the melt pool was a little shy of the sides and they were on the path to putting themselves out. So I called again and we decided that they were definatly softened a bit to help the wick burn the wax, but need a little more power behind the flame to keep it going so I bumped the wick up one more. So what used to be a CD-12 was now wicked with a CD-16! Worked great again for a couple of hours, but then started getting weaker & weaker as i watched it. (I really HATE watching a candle burn because I have to!) This is really the worst of timing! I just got this wax order a couple of weeks ago; 1800 pounds; 36 boxes. That's a lot of ca-ching! And the new account is Whole Foods. I think I'm in line for a stroke!OK- suggestions guys! Please! I'll call NG tomorrow. I really don't feel like I can double wick; it wouldn't be what they approved. I'd rather delay the candles part of the order. But, I still need to figure this out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretchen Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 Chuck- no sputtering, just tunneling and drowning (w/o crisco) , and burning rather well for a while with it, then drowning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 (edited) I'm not sure what's going on but GL Candle Supply is up and running. They have the sticky additive to soften up soy wax and improve adhesion. Check it out and buy a pound or so and see if it doesn't help. HTH. http://www.glcandlesupply.com/GL-Sticky-Additive_p_278.htmlSteve Edited December 9, 2009 by chuck_35550 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 (edited) 1800 pounds; 36 boxesHOLY TON-O-FUN, BATMAN!!! *faint*More thoughts:Have you tried making a small candle without FO to see how it does by itself in case it's the FO that's changed?What about dye - is that new?Have you tried a different batch of wicks just in case those have gotten moist? Ya know, with this weather being so suckified all across the country, if the wax was real cold and you melted it, there could be moisture in there from condensation. Maybe you could heat some up, hold it at a reduced temp for several hours, then let it cool & remelt later to see if that makes any difference with the burn... Check the batch number on the case and open a case with a different number and see if it's any better... That's all the ideas I have right now... I don't think you need any additive - that doesn't sound right for any wax!!!I sure hope you can get this worked out!! Please keep us updated and maybe post the batch numbers from the *off* case here in case anyone else is having issues...Good luck!! Edited December 9, 2009 by Stella1952 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Ok, one more idea. I poured some Christmas mugs and got tunneling around the wick. It occurred to me that the wick is pulled very tight and that in cooler weather temps, the wax is pulling away from the wick as it shrinks. I don't know how you fix your wicks but you might probe with a skewer and see if you have air pockets around your wick. That could explain the wick slowly drowning and you could try having a fairly loose wick assembly. HTH.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy, USMC Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 I'm not sure what's going on but GL Candle Supply is up and running. They have the sticky additive to soften up soy wax and improve adhesion. Steve ~ When I go to this page it says they are closed: http://www.glcandlesupply.com/I don't know if you order through their website if it just goes to JBN to fill ~ or if they just forgot to shut down the rest of the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Hopefully one day we will have a reasonable explanation for why a soy wax wouldn't burn properly. We get these posts like clockwork and the description of what happens is always the same. I have run into it myself with 2 different types of soy wax: the old CB-Pure Soy and GB 415. Burns that look strong and totally normal but fizzle out by the end for no apparent reason.I've been under the impression that certain types of soy wax had more reliable burn properties. The ones with cottonseed oil always seem to burn well for instance. I thought that CBA was supposed to be reliable that way too and the manufacturer seems to claim so, but apparently it's not immune.I wonder if getting it to set up differently would affect the burn at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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