Flakey soy candle after burning

[bramoncada]

i am testing my GB 464 soy candles out and im using a eco 14 wick... i burned my candle in its tin for about 6 hours straight yesterday to put it through a beating and when i blew it out and let it cool the result was ugly.. im not sure if any candle can stand the beating but it just looked ugly and i would be embarresed to even sell it to anybody. whats wrong?!

[jonsie]

Are you using any additives? When I use Coconut Oil with GW464 I find I get ugly candles post-burn.

I've since stopped using CO and I've been playing around with a palm blending wax as an additive. It seems to help with the post-burn appearance.

[soy327]

Jonsie,

I don't think we can get that palm blending wax here in the USA. I have search the internet and only found it in Australia.

[Sharon in KY]

Are you using any additives? When I use Coconut Oil with GW464 I find I get ugly candles post-burn.

I've since stopped using CO and I've been playing around with a palm blending wax as an additive. It seems to help with the post-burn appearance.

Just about every soy candle I burn looks like that.

We don't have the Palm wax you all have. I checked every where and no one in the states carries the non crystallizing Palm. Too bad.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Sharon in KY

[nadiap]

I've since stopped using CO and I've been playing around with a palm blending wax as an additive. It seems to help with the post-burn appearance.

Isn't the Blending Palm meant for Pillars though? Here's what I read on the distributors' website:

"PALM WAX - BLENDING PALM WAX -This blending palm wax is a natural wax used to blend with the soy pillar wax when making pillar candles.... It will help strengthen the soy wax and not give any crystal pattern. "

I've been testing the following in small doses and seems to work ok in containers:

"PALM STEARIC ACID - The highest quality triple pressed and filtered, natural palm stearic acid.This additive is used widely in the candle industry for many reasons, but mainly to allow a higher fragrance loading, reduce sweating and also to harden the natural wax of Soy Wax"

[soy327]

What is the benefit of using the palm steric? I believe I have read that here before but can't find it.

Also in testing the 464 I have found a build up of what I call crud on the jar that doesn't melt off looks milky.

[jonsie]

Jonsie,

I don't think we can get that palm blending wax here in the USA. I have search the internet and only found it in Australia.

We don't have the Palm wax you all have. I checked every where and no one in the states carries the non crystallizing Palm. Too bad.

Oh wow! That explains why I couldn't find much info about it here at CraftServer or anywhere else.

Could you try using a small amount of any other palm wax in your 464 just to see what it does? I'm guessing that something like 1% of a crystallizing or starburst (or any kind) mixed in with the soy would not affect the creamy appearance in the container yet still help gloss up your post-burn wax. You might find that your candle burns hotter so some wicking might need to be adjusted.

Isn't the Blending Palm meant for Pillars though? Here's what I read on the distributors' website:

"PALM WAX - BLENDING PALM WAX -This blending palm wax is a natural wax used to blend with the soy pillar wax when making pillar candles.... It will help strengthen the soy wax and not give any crystal pattern. "

Thanks Nadia! Who is the distributor?

This is how my supplier describes their Blending Palm Wax:

Blending Palm Wax: Our blending palm is useful for blending with soy container wax or soy votive wax. Available in 25kg bags bead form.

Usage: 1-10%

Funny how one suggests it for pillars and the other for containers.

I've been testing the following in small doses and seems to work ok in containers:

"PALM STEARIC ACID - The highest quality triple pressed and filtered, natural palm stearic acid.This additive is used widely in the candle industry for many reasons, but mainly to allow a higher fragrance loading, reduce sweating and also to harden the natural wax of Soy Wax"

I haven't tried the Palm Stearic Acid yet, but I think it will be worth a go. Thanks for the suggestion.

[bramoncada]

Just about every soy candle I burn looks like that.

We don't have the Palm wax you all have. I checked every where and no one in the states carries the non crystallizing Palm. Too bad.

I dont want to add too much stuff as i want the soy candle to be as pure as possible.. however.. what do you suggest as an additive to the wax to make it? i heard the stearic acid isnt all that great in soy wax... and you also suggest crystallizing or starburst ?? whats that mean? thanks!

Edited May 5, 2010 by bramoncada
stupid question.. haha

[bramoncada]

i also am having that "crud buildup in my tin"... i may try the PALM STEARIC ACID

[elliecat]

that is just what soy does... nothing to worry about.... soy is not perfect nor should it be... all part of the soy experience...

[scifichik]

Just my two cents' on the subject: it's been my experience with soy that if my wick isn't large enough, I don't get a decent melt pool and do get the wacky crud.

[mzpickles]

i also am having that "crud buildup in my tin"... i may try the PALM STEARIC ACID

My 464 soy looked like that until I started adding a bit of 6006 parasoy & USA from the CMS. I also changed wicks from ECO to CD and now my tops burn and look smooth after they've burned and cooled.

Edited May 9, 2010 by mzpickles
correct mistake

[kyme1911]

So would you use the palm stearic acid in place of CO, or in addition too the CO?

Kyme

[jonsie]

I don't have any Palm Steric Acid so I haven't tried it yet. Hopefully I can pick some up this week and report back soon.

[bramoncada]

that is just what soy does... nothing to worry about.... soy is not perfect nor should it be... all part of the soy experience...

:tiptoe: yea thats true.. i guess instead of trying to make it better aesthetically i should just accept thats how it rolls. Edited May 12, 2010 by bramoncada

[bramoncada]

Just my two cents' on the subject: it's been my experience with soy that if my wick isn't large enough, I don't get a decent melt pool and do get the wacky crud.

Its in a fairly small tin and the wick is what was reccomended to me by the people at candlescience. So im not sure if its the which but i feel like maybe if the wick was bigger it would put a little more heat out to melt that back into the pool.. hmmmm.. but with other waxes it doesnt do that with the same setup.. so then again it must be the wax.

[LuminousBoutique]

I pour 464 and only get that with certain FO's... and I just wont sell them or I move onto a different brand but same scent to see if I can get different results.

I pour in glass containers though, which might make a difference because I can wick up slightly... where in tin it would get too hot. I have seen that crinkley top quite a bit with tin containers.

Trust me, you can work with it... it just takes time, time, and more time. Testing, testing, and more testing. The only thing I add to my GB is coconut oil, 1 tsp PP. It helps with throw, and I think it helps with the tops too. Any soy wax thats cooled very fast is going to have those problems... but as I said in your other post, I've never had a single customer even mention it. And if they did I would say the same thing I've said before... its just the characteristics of soy wax, and I think its worth working with!

[bramoncada]

I pour 464 and only get that with certain FO's... and I just wont sell them or I move onto a different brand but same scent to see if I can get different results.

I pour in glass containers though, which might make a difference because I can wick up slightly... where in tin it would get too hot. I have seen that crinkley top quite a bit with tin containers.

Trust me, you can work with it... it just takes time, time, and more time. Testing, testing, and more testing. The only thing I add to my GB is coconut oil, 1 tsp PP. It helps with throw, and I think it helps with the tops too. Any soy wax thats cooled very fast is going to have those problems... but as I said in your other post, I've never had a single customer even mention it. And if they did I would say the same thing I've said before... its just the characteristics of soy wax, and I think its worth working with!

IM gonna try the coconut oil today... im pretty sure they sell it at the local grocer.

[kyme1911]

IM gonna try the coconut oil today... im pretty sure they sell it at the local grocer.

Yes they do

[bah67]

I really think that it is the FO, especially ones with cinnamon, nutmeg etc. Wicking may be part of it but I have come to the conclusion that it's a lot about the FO.

[bramoncada]

:yay:I hope that using the coconut oil will help with the crud buildup...

[deena]

I too have found this to occur with certain FO and when I have used colour, of course I am not sure which variable is the reason for the occurance. I had also wondered the first time this happened with me if it was because I had poured to cold, I had knowingly accidently let it cool to much, I had assummed this was the reason for it.

[Sharon in KY]

I too have found this to occur with certain FO and when I have used colour, of course I am not sure which variable is the reason for the occurance. I had also wondered the first time this happened with me if it was because I had poured to cold, I had knowingly accidently let it cool to much, I had assummed this was the reason for it.

I think it's just soy wax, it looks ugly to some and natural to others. Soy will never look like paraffin, you can add things to it that help but. I'm always trying but haven't found the magic , yet.