First soy

[Ravens]

Now let's see how long it'll take me to throw it out the window

Poured 2 container candles using C3 and Cucumber melon from Bert's (1oz. FO to 1 lb. wax). Used CD wicks in a status jar.

Will 2 or 3 days be enough as far as curing goes?

They set beautifully, nice and creamy looking. If they don't co-operate (no throw), out the window they'll go.

[Stella1952]

Sure - give it a try after 3 days. Don't throw it out the window if it gives you headaches - take some pics and let's see if we can help.

What size status jar (diameter) and what size CD?

[Ravens]

It's 3.125" in diameter. I used a CD 12 and a CDN14 because I do not have CD14. I hope there isn't too much difference between the CD and the CDN.

I will not throw it out the window, will try to keep my temper in check. If I end up with little or no throw or if it burns badly, I will definately beg for help. I thought of posting pics tonight, but who would want to see a freshly set soy candle? lol. Oh, guess I should mention that I heated the wax to 190, turned off the heat, added the FO and poured around 160. will these temps affect the final product? Home temp 75 degrees.

[Stella1952]

will these temps affect the final product

Sure, but those are very similar to what I use and seem to agree with C3. I use CDN 12 in that container.. without actually consulting my dusty ol' data cards, I think the 14 heated up the container more than I liked when I tested it. Expect some initial hangup with the 12, but it should catch up around the halfway point.

Did you use any colorant?

who would want to see a freshly set soy candle?

Ummmm....me?

Speaking for myself, I love seeing freshly poured candles!

[rjdaines]

Me too, post photos. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, it communicate container shape, color, wick positioning and such.

Ooooh, I hate hang up and am always tempted to using a slightly larger wick to eliminate it but ONLY in candles for myself and these are in non-straight-walled containers.

[Ravens]

Ok, let's see if I can load them correctly. The one on the left is the first one I poured; it's the Cucumber melon from bert's. The two on the right are Desire from NG. l though I poured all of them at the same temp, I'm noticing a fine crack all around the candle to the far right, yet the candle right next to it does not (same FO - Desire); hmm, wonder why. Oh, I did not pre-heat the containers, really don't want to do that if at all possible.

[Ravens]

Sorry, don't know why the pictures show up like that, one is over my typing. The one with the circular crack in the wax is visible - I hope - in the second picture, the candle to the right. Those two candles were made using Desire from NG (1oz. to 1 lb. of wax), same pouring temp. The one to the left is just fine, the one on the right has that crack (heat gun needed, I guess?)

[Stella1952]

Those look VERY nice for your first C3 candles. Nice job!

That's the infamous C3 crack. Happens because the candle cooled unevenly. A heat gun will fix it. Don't expect the top to look as pristine as the others after heatgunning 'cause it won't. The crack will fill and the top will be level, but the shiny, virgin top appearance will be gone. Don't obsess too much over the C3 crack - you'll learn how to avoid it. While you can still remember, think about how you cooled the candles. The one with the C3 crack cooled slightly differently from the other two.

How are the sides looking in terms of adhesion and frosting?

I hate hang up and am always tempted to using a slightly larger wick to eliminate it

If a candle cleans the sides during the first burns, it worries me 'cause I know it's gonna get hotter than I like later on. Minor (1/4" or less) hang up bothers me zero during the first half of a candle. If it doesn't catch up by the end, then I am perturbed. A little residue isn't a bad thing, but hangup at the end is a wicking failure in my book and I make changes to remedy that in future testers.

Edited May 8, 2011 by Stella1952

[Ravens]

Well, the Cucumber melon candle wicked with the CDN14 is showing something peculiar. It looks as if the wick "grew" and has a bit of wax around it. The CD12 is perfect, so far.

Glass adhesion is great! They sure have a great CT (you know my fingers are itching to light up a match, lol). Will take more pics tonight or tomorrow and post them. Stella, I wonder if the crack was caused by the little extra wax I poured a few minutes too late. I wanted both candles filled to the same level, so I added more wax to the CDN14... could this have caused it?

[Stella1952]

It looks as if the wick "grew" and has a bit of wax around it.

Does it look like the wick grew or is the wax heaving or contracting somewhat around it? A few crumbs around the wick are not a major cause for concern. Contracting is normal during the first 48 hours. Wick "growing" is scary because it may indicate that the adhesive on the bottom of the wick tab has let go and the contraction of the wax is moving the wick. Heaving of the wax is more scary at this point because it indicates that the crystal structure underneath is morphing into a larger, spongier phase (cauliflowering). If I had a new candle that showed signs of heaving or cauliflowering, I'd melt that one down in the oven (180°F), turn off and let it cool in place. Trimming wicks early can sometimes come back to haunt you if a remelt or other major overhaul needs to happen...

I wonder if the crack was caused by the little extra wax I poured a few minutes too late

Depends on the temp in the container and the temp of the wax poured and how much later... This is a common issue with C3 and is temperature-related, so it wouldn't surprise me if your tardy pour caused the issue. Soy wax is very sensitive to temperature and temperature changes. While C3 can be poured at high temps or at lower temps, the in-between temps can be problematic. Different types (phases) of crystals form at different temperatures, so, sure, this could have been the cause in this case. The C3 crack will appear when people don't add extra wax a few minutes later, however, so it's more a function of uneven cooling or temperature change.

[Ravens]

Focus isn't the best, I can see that. The adhesion is perfect. Stella, it's just what you called it, "crumbs around the wick", and hope you can sum a lot, focusing on the C-3.

I decided I'm going to stick with this soy wax and this particular container. In the past I would just jump from one wax to the next, one container to the next, and I can see now I did myself no favors, lol - just frustration and headaches. Ok, here's the pics