I have a problem see the picture

[soapsud]

I have just started back making candles after a 10 year break, and there are lots of new things happening in candles like Soy wax, I made my first batch after lots of research

I did a mixture of soy wax

2% coconut oil

2% pure beeswax

The top of the candle looked very nice, but I am not sure about the bottom of the candle, you can see in the picture the rimming I know from previous experience that beeswax shrinks and pulls

away from the glass, so I dropped the percentage down to the 2% as at 4% I got cracking on the top

Anyone seen this problem before, I thought the coconut oil would help with the adhesion to the glass appreciate all your thoughts

[soy327]

I wood leave the BW out. It's kind of exspensive anyway isn't it. What soy wax and how big it the jar?

[soapsud]

Thanks for the reply, I am using a cargill soy wax and the glass was only a test glass I think it is about 3ozs, I would really like to use some of the BW because of the picture going on my jar it has a bee on it do you think it is the beeswax and not the coconut oil that is causing the problems

Also read that the BW helps with the scent throw

[scentlady]

I don't use that wax so I can't give specific help but maybe you could make another tester without the coconut to see what happens. Or you could go down to 1% beeswax and leave the coconut. I haven't made candles in awhile but I did use beeswax but not much. Can't remember the exact amount right now

[soapsud]

thanks scentlady

I want to leave the coconut oil in the candle, but I might drop down the BS just looking at the problem in the glass, this is the kind of problem you get using beeswax on it's own, it tends to shrink away from the glass and eventually fall out. I will try the lesser quantity of the BS and see what happens

[jonsie]

I think we call those 'wet spots'? At least I always did :embarasse

I haven't worked with your wax either, but I am guessing because there is a thick glass base to your container, the bottom wax cooled a lot faster, causing the lower section to pull away from the sides, yet the top adhered nicely.

So some suggestions I would make w/o adjusting your formula yet are:

1) Heat up your glassware, and see which heat ranges give you better results

2) Try pouring at different wax temperatures

3) Try letting your candles cool off more slowly, such as covered with a box or in a closed oven.

And if you don't get better results doing that, then I'd attempt to drop the BW as much as you can.

Good luck. Soy can be a beast.

[soy327]

I'm with Jonsie. I experimented with some cargill and did get the wet spots, but it was winter time. If you can't correct the problem maybe try another soy wax? Are you by a supplier that you can pick up your order?

[WillowBoo]

Looks like a huge wet spot!

[R.S.]

yup, a wet spot.

I had good luck with some sticky wax that GL sold.. decreased my wetspots significantly.. but alas they are out of business, JBN didn't pick up the additive and I can't find it anywhere else.

Currently retesting my formula.

[Carriegsxr6]

Warming your jars before pouring is a good way to prevent this, also leaving the beeswax out will help prevent shrinkage of the wax.

[soapsud]

Thanks every one, The wet spot, The coconut oil that I added should have taken care of that , from what I have read.

I like the thought that it may be a temperature problem, if the glass has a thicker bottom then the temp on the bottom would be colder, that makes sense, this was poured on its own but when they are poured huddled in a grouping would this eliminate the problem, or the other option is to pour at a slightly higher temp to begin with, so that it does not cool down to quickly.

As you can see I like to ponder the solution before trying out several things, otherwise I end up with glasses all over the place with my testing, some times 20-30 of them, I have sort of learnt in the past to analyze the problem then try something close to the answer.