another hurricane question

[Lolas Lights]

Can you use pillar wax to make a hurricane candle, or do you need to buy the hurrican wax??? yep anothe dumb question from this fairly newbie.

[SatinDucky]

Some people have, but I don't. Seems like there's a micro wax you can add to up the melt point, but I don't remember what it's called. If you were to strictly use tealites in them, maybe a piece of cork in hte bottom and keep well ventilated, it might work okay. The problem is whether or not your customers will follow instructions

[Pam W]

I've made several hurricane types w/pillar wax & just repour the deep tunnel and it worked fine...but that was for my personal use. I wicked down to keep the heat away from the shell & raised the wick tab off the bottom. But as SatinDucky, you can't count on the customer burning it properly.

[Donita]

Nope.....they will eventually melt on the sides.....even if you are burning them yourself.....a little extra draft in the room might cause the wick to blow to one side and melt it (ask me how I know).....I don't think it is worth the time and money to experiment with something that won't "really" work. You can add clear crystals (fisher trop) to the wax and it will harden it without making it opaque, and if you fill up the center to about an 1 1/2 from the top and use only a plastic tea lite sitting on some kind of pad then you can get away with it. But why? Buy a higher mp wax and be done with it.....you can use your lower mp wax for yourself to experiment with, but as I said, be ready for it to melt if you forget about it. My sone and his girlfriend once let a large oval hurricane burn overnight.....luckily I made it correctly....wasn't damages a bit and either were they......good luck... and I do use higt mp wax but if the diameter is a small one, I still fill mine up with wax.....the 5" or 6" are the only ones I feel a little safer with....people still don't understand the word CENTER TEA LIGHT (and keep it centered)...hee hee hee......Donita

[Lolas Lights]

Thanks all!! I'll just play around with my pillar wax for my own personal use til I get the hang of it. Don't want to make something that some careless person might burn their house down. After I think I can make a decent one I'll get some cane wax then make some to sell.

Thanks again. Ya'll are the greatest, don't know what I'd do without the help of this board. Have a great day.

[SatinDucky]

I'll just play around with my pillar wax for my own personal use til I get the hang of it.

After I think I can make a decent one I'll get some cane wax then make some to sell.

I really don't mean to be discouraging but.... that would be like shooting yourself in the foot. In my opinion anyway Hurricane wax is a completely different beast. Mine is anyway, IGI-1554. Texture is kinda grainy inside, hardens rather quickly, it's just different to use. Once you get the wax, you'll have to repeat the whole process of "getting the hang of it" anyway. I'm sure someone will jump in here with other opinions... lol

[sharyl55]

I agree with Ducky. Once you get the hurricane wax you'll have to start over with the learning process. Most suppliers will ship you a slab of cane wax if you want to do some testing.

[Mtngrl]

....people still don't understand the word CENTER TEA LIGHT (and keep it centered)...hee hee hee......Donita

You just gave me an idea, but I'm wondering how viable it is. Let's say I've made my 'cane, let it set up, then de-mold it. Pour some high mp wax in the bottom like 1/2" (?) and before it sets up completely set an empty tea light holder into the center (the wax would only reach 1/2 the height of the tealight holder). When the 'floor' completely solidifies, remove the holder. That way, when someone puts a tealight in there, there will be a hole for it. At the same time, if someone uses a small container or whatever sized whatever, there'd be enough support for it. Good idea? Bad?

[Donita]

I think it would work for me. But sometimes when people burn tea lights or votives, they don't burn down completely, leaving some wax in the container. See......then they would have to take a sharp object and pry out the old wax so they could put in a new tea light. I guess that is why I haven't done it. I guess???????????? Or would the plastic come out and then you could just put in a new one???????? I have a plastic tea light plug for pillars. I guess you could put it in the bottom of the hurricane and pour in a little wax...hmmmmmmm. The wax doesn't stick to the plug.....it is some kind of hard rubber. Bought it from Pourette last week. Let's experiment. Donita

[topofmurrayhill]

Considered doing something like this but chickened out for my first 'cane because I didn't want to complicate it and have something go wrong.

I think a center depression to "suggest" that the inner candle should be centered would be sufficient. What I envision is pressing down with the bottom of a glass (just a little wider than a votive glass) while the wax is still pliable, then hitting it briefly with a heat gun to make sure it's level.

Another thought that has crossed my mind for next time is to poke the bottom in one spot with a skewer so I can easily make a little hole with a drill after the candle sets up. I have an angle plate and heater that I use to finish the top rim, but I have a problem with the air inside heating up and sputtering out. It slightly messes up the finish.

[Mtngrl]

I think it would work for me. But sometimes when people burn tea lights or votives, they don't burn down completely, leaving some wax in the container. See......then they would have to take a sharp object and pry out the old wax so they could put in a new tea light.

The picture in my mind is just a cavity in which one could place a tealight AND holder. Then, once the tealight had burnt itself out, one could just turn the 'cane upside down to get out the holder.

Of course, your post has made me aware that it might be a good idea to create a cavity that is just a little larger than the holder.

It's just a thought. I get so many ideas from reading everyone's comments. I really do appreciate the sharing & learning that goes on in this board. It's a process that makes me happy!

I haven't heard of the plug thing from Pourette. I wonder if it's new.

[Mtngrl]

Considered doing something like this but chickened out for my first 'cane because I didn't want to complicate it and have something go wrong.

It seems to me keeping something simple the 1st few times of doing it is an EXCELLENT idea.

[scrubzz]

I haven't heard of the plug thing from Pourette. I wonder if it's new.

They have plugs in different sizes - for tealite and for votives

http://www.pourette.com/dept.asp?d_id=7010&l1=7010

[Mtngrl]

Initially, I purposefully didn't go to Pourettes 'cuz I didn't want to be tempted to buy anything. And of course, that link took me right to the page that included the hexagon votive molds I was just thinking about. lol.

The best way to resist tempation? Just keep on walking! er .... close the page quick.

But seriously, Scrubzz, thanks for the link.