Layered GG palm candles

[brudil18]

Hello everyone,

I've searched the forum but haven't had any luck finding info on this. Anyone know how to make layered (different colors) using GG palm wax? After the first pour how do you keep the layers from bleeding together? what I mean is the jars are preheated so on the second pour do you preheat again to maintain the crystal pattern of the wax?

I'm confused and any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Bruce

[mparadise]

Honestly, I only preheat my jars in the dead of winter when my workshop is so cold that the wax starts to set up immediately upon hitting the jars so I may not be of much help. If I have an issue hitting the side of the jar quickly with the heat gun (while the rest of the wax is still liquified) usually takes care of it. I only do an occasional jar with layers without them being whipped wax bakery candles that is a totally different technique but I find that if you let it set up just enough to have a firm set layer on top but not completely cooled enough that it has started to possibly pull away from the sides at all you will be all set. If you let it completely set up you will have issues with some wax dribbling over the edge between the jar and 1st pour of wax like if you were pouring pilllars or votives. Hopefully someone else that makes more of these will come along and offer more guidance for you.

[Candybee]

I'm wondering myself if you really need to preheat the jars when doing a second or third layer. Have you tried it? Unless your work room is cold the glass should already be slightly warmed by the wax cooling in the jar.

But if you find it allows your wax to have a better crystal structure why don't you use a heat gun. Wait until the last layer has formed a crust on top before pouring the next layer. Give the inside of the glass a quick blast of heat from your heat gun, just enough to warm the inside glass without melting the top layer.

I've done layers with crystal palm pillars without heating my metal molds. I waited til the top layer had crusted over before pouring my next layer. At the end of layering I poked relief holes through the top and down into each layer. I didn't worry about any color bleed as I found that the out layer of the candle had already solidified and any bleeding that would occur would be inside the candle where you don't see it on the finished candle.

[Debbie73]

Look in the tutorial section, Jakalex did one several years ago. I haven't seen her on here in a while, but she really did know a lot about palm wax, I learned a lot from her!

Deb :smiley2:

[nursenancy]

IMO, It has to be done with a heat gun. The first layer, you pre-heat the jars, then let it set up enough so the 2nd layer doesn't melt the 1st. this way the layers won't bleed.

After you pour the 2nd layer, hit it with the heat gun just enough to melt the coating that forms on the sides of the jar when you pour.

and so on for consequent layers. This is how I do it. Someone else may have a better way....

Edited to say - actually now that i'm thinking about it - haven't done layers in awhile, I did preheat the jar from the inside with a quick blast form the heat gun, but not enough to melt the first layer. Just enough to warm the glass. I still had to use the heat gun on the outside, though.

Edited June 28, 2010 by nursenancy

[nursenancy]

.......

Edited June 28, 2010 by nursenancy

[snewbie]

I did it without a heatgun. I waited until the layers already there were nearly completly cooled. Make sure the wax is hot 190F and cover if necessary.

[Stella1952]

This is not difficult, but it requires personal testing to see what works best for you.

Generally, I pour layers when the previous one is still warm, but has a thick enough top to support the next layer without bleeding or melting. This is common sense stuff. If you are pouring red & white, for example, you need to wait longer so that the colors do not bleed. For green & blue, this is not as critical.

Get busy and just make some and you will discover what works best for you.

[brudil18]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I'll try out the suggestions and see what happens. It will be fun to experiment