How To Use and Wick Tortoise Shell Palm

[topofmurrayhill]

Summary

• Tortoise Shell is an unusual palm pillar wax that produces exceptionally hard candles with a unique surface pattern and a durable, lustrous finish.
  
• Candles have outstanding hot and cold scent throw.
  
• Sets up with a large hidden air cavity that must be filled with a second wax pour.
  
• Burn times may need to be shorter than with other palm pillars, especially in warm conditions.
  
• Wick selection is critical. Using an incompatible wick results in very poor burn performance.
  
• Fragrance selection is critical. Fragrance oils must be tested to eliminate those that compromise burn performance.
  
• Candles are very easy to unmold.
  
• Manufacturer is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
  

Manufactured by PT. Sumi Asih

Imported by CandleScience

[topofmurrayhill]

Additives

No additives are recommended for use with Tortoise Shell Palm.

[topofmurrayhill]

Pouring & Finishing

Tortoise Shell Palm should be poured between 175° and 185° F into slightly pre-warmed molds. Good results may also be obtained with room temperature molds. Covering the candles with a box to slow down cooling results in a bolder and more striking tortoise shell pattern.

Shrinkage of the solidifying wax produces an air pocket in a form of a large spiral cavity extending deep into the bottom of the candle. Pouring temperature and cooling rate have no effect on the formation of this hidden cavity. It must be filled with wax so that the melt pool won’t drain into it as the candle burns down. Be sure to save wax for a second pour.

After the candle has fully cooled, expose the void space by cutting at least two holes in the bottom with a small craft knife. The holes should be 2 to 3 inches deep (taller candles will have a deeper void space) and angled slightly towards the wick. Leave any wax shards in the holes. To help ensure the candle extinguishes before hot wax can leak out, cut the wick so that it doesn’t reach the bottom of the candle. After cutting the repour holes and the wick, pour 190° F wax into the candle until it slightly overflows the holes. To avoid creating more air pockets, it can be helpful to fill the void in stages, allowing time for the wax to cool between pours.

Level the bottom on a hot surface when fully cooled. Clean the candle with a soft cloth or paper towel to bring out the shine.

[topofmurrayhill]

Wick Selection

It’s particularly important to choose compatible wicking for Tortoise Shell Palm. Incompatible wicks deteriorate while the candle is burning, resulting in a shriveled wick and a small flame by the end of the burn. Compatible wicks remain intact and produce a consistent burn from beginning to end.

Wick sizes for certain candles are suggested below, but size selection should be based on testing. The best wick size should burn for the length of the test sessions without melting through the side of the candle. It should also not leave an excessively tall or thick shell of wax when the candle has burned to the bottom.

A wick that’s too small can produce a wide melt pool because melted wax accumulates faster than it can be burned. A large wick can also produce a wide melt pool from the heat of the flame. Wick sizes both larger and smaller than the best size may melt through the side of the candle in test burns. To avoid confusion over whether to wick up or down, it can be helpful to test a range of sizes simultaneously to find the wick with the most balanced burn.

3-inch pillars are typically designed and tested to burn for 3 to 4 hours at a time. However, Tortoise Shell Palm candles may have a shorter allowable burn time than other palm pillars, especially in warm conditions. When testing wick sizes, it may be necessary to limit burns to 3 hours.

RECOMMENDED: CSN

• Best compatibility and performance with Tortoise Shell Palm.
  
• Burns true to size.
  
• Consistent flame heights.
  
• No manual wick trimming required.
  
• Available as raw spooled wicking and wick assemblies.
  
• Full size range for tealights, votives, containers and pillars.
  

3-Inch Pillars: CSN 11

Standard Votives: CSN 7

Manufacturer:

Wedo

Suppliers:

CandleScience

ALTERNATIVE: RRD NST2

• NST2 wick treatment is robust in Tortoise Shell Palm.
  
• Can work better than CSN with a difficult fragrance oil.
  
• Careful manual wick trimming required to avoid tall flames.
  
• Produces wide melt pools, which can shorten burn times.
  
• Directional wick should be oriented with braiding pattern pointing towards the bottom of the candle.
  

3-Inch Pillars: RRD 34 NST2, RRD 37 NST2

Manufacturer:

Wedo

Suppliers:

Candlewic

INCOMPATIBLE:

CD, CDN, Classic Flat Braid, ECO, HTP, LX

[topofmurrayhill]

Fragrance Selection

For acceptable results with Tortoise Shell Palm, wick selection and fragrance selection must go hand in hand. Incompatible fragrances cause poor burn performance even with proper wicking. When testing with a compatible wick such as CSN, deterioration of the wick and a fading flame during the second or third burn indicates that the fragrance oil may not be compatible with Tortoise Shell Palm. It may, however, work fine with other palm waxes.

[lrbd]

Great job . thanks

[debratant]

Thanks for all of these Top. Will definetly keep all these palm wax threads handy. I have benefited from the visuals immensley. I'm a pretty visual person. I tend to need to see why something does or doesn't work. Doesn't mean it will work the same for all...but it's nice to see what you need to look for.

[hotmama]

Thanks so much for the info. been having trouble with this wax but I absolutely love the finished product! I'm going to try your suggestions!