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Help me figure out what I'm doing wrong?


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I've been pouring my GB 464 blend at 150 degrees into Libbey status jars, cooling in the closed oven overnight and getting no sink holes but a little bit of a dip that leaves that tiny wax skirt around the wick. I've had great adhesion & no wet spots UNTIL I top them off, then I get a sort of a wet spot ring around the top of the jar. :sad2:

I'm not pouring above the first pour line (much) but I'm not necessarily paying great attention to what temp I'm doing my second pour at. Is this my problem or is there something else I need to change? Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated! :smiley2:

Edited by mzpickles
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try zapping the candle with a heat gun before doing the second pour. I have read on here that by having the 1st wax melted some will reduce the ring for the 2nd pour. I searched for it but could not find it. I do not do a 2nd pour with my wax but thought I would add my 2 cents.

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I *think* it sounds like a jump line - the chalky evidence between of 2nd pour. Soy is terrible for showing this, but you have better results if you make sure the 2nd pour is hotter than the 1st. I've found you're more likely to see this if the top-off is a very thin layer. Just the fickle nature of soy. Try not to let that 1st pour set to a hard cure before you top off.

Susan.

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...getting no sink holes but a little bit of a dip that leaves that tiny wax skirt around the wick.
Maybe it's just me and my lazy nature, but if after one pour I saw just a slight dip, I'd be satisfied and move on. I respect that you have your own standards and I wouldn't want anyone to talk me out of mine. But that second pour makes for additional labor cost, and I'm all about saving time and money. I'm sorry I couldn't help with your original question, but if you are open to the idea, I'd cut out the second pour.
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I don't use your wax, but I don't think you really need a second pour. If the top isn't as smooth as you like, just heat gun it and leave it. Or if you think there may be an air pocket, poke holes a couple times around the wick, then heat gun it to fill in the voids, no second pour needed. :cool2:

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GW and GB the same thing? I've used 464, CBA, and now C3 with good 1 pour results. But, I pour pretty cold, like 120 or so. Cold as I can get without it slushing up. Less sinking and wet spots, and I can't find a downside to doing it that way.

CBA says to pour hotter and gets wet spots if I do. Reading their instructions though, that's a feature not a bug...

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GW and GB the same thing? I've used 464, CBA, and now C3 with good 1 pour results. But, I pour pretty cold, like 120 or so. Cold as I can get without it slushing up. Less sinking and wet spots, and I can't find a downside to doing it that way.

CBA says to pour hotter and gets wet spots if I do. Reading their instructions though, that's a feature not a bug...

I believe they are the same...I pour at about 100-110, when it starts to get cloudy. Tops are smooth, no repour.

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I *think* it sounds like a jump line - the chalky evidence between of 2nd pour. Soy is terrible for showing this, but you have better results if you make sure the 2nd pour is hotter than the 1st. I've found you're more likely to see this if the top-off is a very thin layer. Just the fickle nature of soy. Try not to let that 1st pour set to a hard cure before you top off.

Susan.

Thanks Susan, but I'm pretty sure it's not the jump line, although I got those too at first. If anything I am pouring hotter the 2nd time since I tend to put the pour pot on the stove to remelt (in my double boiler), then wander off and forget about it! :whistle: The wax is probably at 185 or so when I get back to it! I have been letting the 1st pour set hard though, maybe I'll try doing the second pour sooner.

Maybe it's just me and my lazy nature, but if after one pour I saw just a slight dip, I'd be satisfied and move on. I respect that you have your own standards and I wouldn't want anyone to talk me out of mine. But that second pour makes for additional labor cost, and I'm all about saving time and money. I'm sorry I couldn't help with your original question, but if you are open to the idea, I'd cut out the second pour.

Well, my standards aren't *that* high, but maybe the dip is more than you're picturing it, the little bit of wax that stays clinging to the wick is about 1/4" above the level of the wax in the middle, I sort of feel obligated to fill it in! :tongue2:

You are pouring too hot.

Do you mean the first pour, the one I'm currently doing at 150? I started pouring at that temp after reading this thread:

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=87233&page=5

I was getting wet spots all over the place & sinkholes before!

GW and GB the same thing? I've used 464, CBA, and now C3 with good 1 pour results. But, I pour pretty cold, like 120 or so. Cold as I can get without it slushing up. Less sinking and wet spots, and I can't find a downside to doing it that way...

Yes, sorry, since it's Golden *Brands* my brain keeps interposing GB as the acronym instead of GW.

I'm going to try pouring cooler and using a heat gun if I have to, I'll see what that does! Thanks all! :grin2:

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I believe they are the same...I pour at about 100-110, when it starts to get cloudy. Tops are smooth, no repour.
Amazing. I get such horrible looking tops when I pour at that temperature, but I'm willing to keep trying. Do you do any tempering? And how do you let your candles cool down?
...the dip is more than you're picturing it, the little bit of wax that stays clinging to the wick is about 1/4" above the level of the wax in the middle, I sort of feel obligated to fill it in! :tongue2:
Again, my lazy self must look for the shortcut, lol... can you just scrape off the wax? I haven't worked with corded wicks yet so I'm really clueless about them. With wooden wicks I could scrape the skirt off w/o leaving a mark and move on.
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Presto heat to 180, pour into measuring pitcher ( I don't use dye), add FO at 150. Stir for 2 minutes, then occationally until it gets to that cloudy stage. I leave them sitting on my work table in my kitchen until they turn solid. I swear if I get in a hurry and pour before that temp they are rough and even the heat gun won't make them look right. I am a firm believer that it depends on what climate you live in. This is what works for me...

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I found that humidity was a HUGE factor when pouring soy. I believe & respect the people who swear by pouring cool, but it NEVER worked for me. I always poured soy hot & got a nice smooth surface.

Susan.

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I found that humidity was a HUGE factor when pouring soy. I believe & respect the people who swear by pouring cool, but it NEVER worked for me. I always poured soy hot & got a nice smooth surface.

Susan.

That is exactly what I mean...I live in a humid climate, and Waco is a nice dry climate. It affects everything.

Kyme

( I grew up in Vegas, makes me miss the desert...)

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Actually, Waco's pretty humid ... not Houston humid, but gets very muggy. When I was pouring soy I finally figured out that the weather was killing me. I didn't pour if it was raining, or heavy cloud cover w/ high humidity. It wouldn't ruin the candles as far as burning or throw, but an absolute guarantee for frosting, cauliflower tops, or a bizarre ugly appearance. Soy's just its own beast, cause a previously great candle would go whack when the weather/temperature changed. I tried every trick in the book & even made up a few of my own - LOL - but it just did what it wanted to. I finally gave up on pure soy, then worked on additives, then worked w/ soy blends ... now I'm trying to conquer palm. Best of luck.

Susan.

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.......I am a firm believer that it depends on what climate you live in....

OMG you are sooo right! When I originally posted this thread we'd been having a return to cold, snowy weather here in CO (not that it had ever really left, that's CO for you!). :laugh2:

This past week or so it's finally been consistantly sort of warm (high 60's to 80's) and what a difference that has made! Plus I've lowered my pour temps slightly (140-145) and if I do a second pour I'm doing it the same day, not the next day. HUGE improvements! :yay:

Thanks all!

Jo Anne

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