Am I completely nuts???

[KoalaGirl]

Or does anyone else think this is worth a try?

Im just sitting here mulling over candle 'issues' {like you do} and looking evil daggers at the residue? that is sometimes left on the glass after the wax has pulled away in places. Im using CB135 which *should* stick to the glass but doesnt always.

Now since my understanding is that a slower cool encourages glass adhesion, Ive come up with a cunning plan. My origional cunning plan involved a stubby holder, but wouldnt you know it, there's not a stubby holder in sight when you want one! Cunning plan number 2 involves a sock....a nice thick woolen one. Now if I cut the top 6 inches or so off the sock and slide it around my jar before I pour, that should make a cosy little buffer between the hot wax and the outside world that is hell bent on causing me grief.....shouldnt it?

Anyways, Im going to try it tomorrow since there is an endless supply of socks with big holes in the feet but perfect tops, in my hubby's sock drawer.

Just thinking out aloud here because I know you guys understand what it's like to chase the perfect candle and my family just think Im obsessed!!

Hey wait till they see all the candle jars all snug in their wooly socks......they'll KNOW I'm obsessed!!

[nursenancy]

Interesting idea. Easy enough to try. I say go for it! :smiley2:

[CareBear]

sounds great, but why cut the sock? can't you just put it on top-down right after you pour?

no sense wasting good wool socks (which I adore)

[Stella1952]

the residue? that is sometimes left on the glass after the wax has pulled away in places. Im using CB135 which *should* stick to the glass but doesnt always.

Are you talking about "wet spots" or after the candle is burned? If it's after burning, perhaps pouring a little hotter or cooler will help.

If it's "wet spots," do you wash & prewarm your containers? The residue from glass manufacturing can cause incomplete adhesion and even frosting. Prewarming the glassware helps promote adhesion and helps to prevent frosting. Some wet spots are unavoidable because the glass contracts at a different rate than the wax and, in cool weather, the amount of contraction overcomes the strength of the adhesion in some places. You will notice this on even the best commercial candles. Also happens in warm weather from air conditioning.

For sure give it a try - nothing to lose, but I think that will keep the wax TOO warm which may promote *interesting* wax crystal formation - like cauliflowering. Sock top-down would insure bad tops and leave the bottoms of the container uninsulated...

Have you tried cooling in a styrofoam cooler on a rack? Or on a rack under a large, heavy cardboard box? Can also slow down cooling in a prewarmed oven... set on 175°F - turn off when the candles go in. Placing your candles a little closer together (no more than 1/2") can help retain heat and slow down cooling, but you have to cover them to keep the outside ones in the group from cooling quicker than the ones placed inside the cluster... HTH

[KoalaGirl]

Hi everyone, the reason for cutting the sock top off {as opposed to pulling the whole sock down over the top} would leave the top open and also allow me to put the sock on before I pour the candle. Ive cooled them in all ways, i.e in a turned off oven, under a box etc. I dont have major problems with wet spots but would be happy if they didnt happen.

Since the socks I will use have just about come to the end of their life as socks, I will in affect, be re-cycling them and making use of the good part thats left. If it works, I will be able to use them over and over again.

Kind of a nice way for a sock to spend its twilight years....wrapped snug around a warm candle instead of a smelly foot? Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Pitty wet spots didnt give me the same warm fuzzy feeling!

As soon as Im finished my coffee, I will go sock hunting and report back in a couple of days.

[soy327]

I use 135 too, Can't wait to here about this:yay:

[KoalaGirl]

[attach]18896[/attach]

Ok here he is. He's been in his sock for about 8 hours now. I'll let you know tomorrow how he turns out. The scent is Dragons Blood and their is no dye. If nothing else, he sure looks cosey:laugh2:

[Stella1952]

Gives me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Ya gotta go with that!!

[soy327]

I wonder if that would work for palm wax:yay:Gotta go I think I have a wool sock around here somewhere.

[Stella1952]

Now for palm wax, it'd work GREAT! I have used newspaper, dish towels, bubble wrap, etc. to keep palm candles warm, but never thought of socks! I have a bucket FULL of orphan socks I'm gonna try the next time I pour pillars. :yay:

How's it comin' with the CB135 soy candles, KG? Did this work out the way you wanted it to do?

[naomiheck]

Remember when leg warmers were all the rage many years ago (when the movie Flashdance came out)? That's what it reminds me of!

Naomi

[KoalaGirl]

[ATTACH]18940[/ATTACH]

Ok its been 29 hours now {I took the sock off after about 12 hours} and no sign of even the smallest wet spot {or pull-away} but we all know that wet spots have a tendency to lull us into a false sense of security and then raise their ugly heads several days later. I shall keep monitoring it. In the interests of accuracy, I did put a box over it when cooling.

I cooled another couple of candles at the same time, {the peachy one in the pic} just using the box cover, without the sock. They came out just as good! I poured both at 60 degrees celsius. We are in the middle of summer here so Im thinking the sock method might be benefitial in colder weather?

Oh and Stella, the 'cake' rack works a treat to eliminate frosting on the bottom of the jars. Ive found an old oven rack that I kept when I threw out my old oven {for some unknown reason....probably the same reason I hate throwing anything out...''It might come in handy one day!". Its big enough to hold probably 15 or more candles!

[cybersix]

I always pour my soy wax (it's C1) around 100 F and I have no wet spots, they show after a burn but I think it's normal because due the eating and cooling both wax and glass expand and shrink..But I really like the socks idea for palm wax pillars, thanks for sharing!!

[Stella1952]

''It might come in handy one day!"

Hey, I resemble that remark! :yay:

[WillowBoo]

I made candle booties from socks last year and posted it here. As I recall no one like the idea. LOL!

[Stella1952]

I may be a glutton for punishment, but I'm gonna try this. I may screw this up 6 ways to Sunday, but I'm gonna try it on soy containers, palm containers and palm pillars. :tiptoe:

when I threw out my old oven

And now that you mentioned this, I have an old oven sitting out under the carport rusting... hmmmm....

Edited February 22, 2010 by Stella1952

[KoalaGirl]

Hi Willowboo, I just found your thread. It looks like great minds think alike! Are you still using the socks and has it made much of a difference? to frosting? wet spots? Is it more successful to warm the jars first?

Im still awaiting results, and wont do the happy dance until at least a week has passed and still no wet spots {its only been a couple of days}. My reasoning for trying this, is that the warmth of the sock would be a barrier between the hot wax and cool outside air. Less of a 'shock' to the wax you could say.

Anyways, Im interested to hear how it works with other waxes, particularly palm.

Stella, I bought myself one of them pyrolytic {or something} ovens that clean themselves. If anyone has ever wondered if they actually work....yes they do!! No more cleaning an oven for this little black duck. More time for candle making!!

[hsteveberry]

Ok, Trying the Candle Sweater thingie as we type. If I'm going to have wet spots it will be with this wax and jar. It in the 30s outside an room temp has just reached 70.

[soy327]

koalagirl, how are those candles looking? looks like you started something here LOL:laugh2:Too bad nobody thought of this in November thats when winter started here in Colorado:laugh2:

Linda

[CareBear]

by the way, KG - whether or not the sock thing works in no way impacts your insanity.

[KoalaGirl]

Update: I let the sock candle cure for 6 days. There was not a single wet spot to be found. Perfect adhesion. The candle sat uncovered on my sideboard while cureing. The weather hasn't been cold. I lit it today, since it was initially made for testing a wick and I need to get those results.

I will pour a couple more using the sock, and put them away for a while to see how they behave in various temperatures over longer periods.

I'll also test to see how coloured candles behave.

Has anyone else got results to share?