Candle barely smells...

[Jenny]

So, I made some candles using 4627 and CS's Birds of Paradise. I used 1.7 oz. pp, and I am getting barely any HT. I don't think I mixed the FO at too high of a temp, I mixed FO at 170 and poured at 160-should I pour hotter? Won't the FO burn off at a high temp? I did four testers in 4oz. jelly jars using these wicks: HTP83, Eco 4, Eco 6, and 51z. The one with the best mp (biggest) was the HTP83, so this is the one that I am burning now with no HT. I didn't get a full mp in the two three hour burns I have done, but I think that is okay, and this is the third burn I am doing. Hopefully, this will help get the leftover wax on the sides, but maybe I should wick up? Or does this have something to do with my pour temp. Think I should try some CO?

[nmhoneybear]

I always add my FO at 180 and pour at the same temperature. I heard that the temp needs to be at 180 and stirred for 2 minutes for the fragrances to bind with the wax. The instructions for that wax at Peak say that the working temp is 175-185, so maybe try increasing the temp a little bit.

[Jenny]

Thanks! I will do that next time, I just felt like I was burning the FO into outer space...I mean my house smells GREAT when making, but when burning the candle, I have to stick my face in it to smell anything...

[ckelley116]

I actually add my FO at 190 and pour at 175-180. I use 4627 as well and get great HT with HTPs

[Jenny]

WOW! Thanks!

[JacquiO]

There's a couple things you need to factor in when testing hot throw. One, did you let the candle cure for a least a week? Two, how many candles did you make before testing? Candle makers get what's referred to as candle nose where our noses become desensitized to certain fragrances. The best way to test hot throw is to take it to a friend or relatives house when the candle is at least a week old and then burn in a closed off room such as a bathroom or small bedroom where it won't get affected by too many other odors in the house.

It's very hard to judge the throw of a recently made candle because it probably hasn't cured yet and your house is still probably overwhelmed by the fragrance from having just made it.

[soy327]

I agree!!!! this is what i've been going through testing HT my house is small and it is overcome with the FO. I let my candles cure for a week or more. I might add I absolutely hate waiting:angry2::laugh2::laugh2:

[Jenny]

I waited a day fo rthe first burn, did the second on the next day, and the third on the next day (today). But, since it's straight parrafin, I wouldn't think I had to wait? I had burned some other things since making them, so I don't think I had candle nose, but maybe I did. I had a tart burning in my son's room across the house, so maybe that wasn't good. I noticed today though, that I actually did smell it more. I had it in my kitchen on the island, and walked around it and smelled it. Just not great HT, but I didn't have to cinge my nose hairs to smell it. I think I just made a bad batch.

[WillowBoo]

I mix 4627 with C3 and I get an immediate cold and hot throw. As soon as the candle sets up, I'm burning it away!

[JacquiO]

I waited a day fo rthe first burn, did the second on the next day, and the third on the next day (today). But, since it's straight parrafin, I wouldn't think I had to wait?

I made paraffin candles for years before switching to soy and I always had to cure them before getting a good hot throw. Curing is just one of those issues that candle makers tend agree to disagree. But for me the proof was in the pudding. I would custom make candles and give them to my customers pretty much a day or two after pouring and they would come back complaining they didn't smell only to find after refunding them their money that a week later they would throw just fine. It got to the point that I never sold a candle less than a week old.

[EccoLights]

Personally guys, with the FO being add'd at 170 or higher, and not having experience with the waxes your using, we would have to assume that the flash point of the FO was much lower and you burned off the scent... Just our thoughts

[topofmurrayhill]

Seriously, you don't need to cure candles made with 4627. Absolutely never. These paraffin blends have been discussed very thoroughly here, and I think cure time in reference to 4627 is just backwash from the veggie forum.

It doesn't matter what temperature you add the FO. There's no binding, just a simple matter of mixing the wax and FO together. It will work at 150 or 190. You would have to really cook the mixture to burn the scent off. Normally there's no way anything is going to evaporate enough during the making of the candle that you would notice the difference in the scent throw.

The explanation for this is probably just one of the common problems: the FO doesn't throw well, or it isn't being used at the best concentration, or the candle isn't wicked optimally.

Edited May 3, 2010 by topofmurrayhill

[Jenny]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions

[chuck_35550]

I would back off on the fo % from nearly 11% to a starting point of 6%. More is not necessarily better when it comes to fragrance concentration. One ounce per pound should be plenty for that wax blend.