Let's Try Another Paraffin Wax

[rjdaines]

Not only have I been trying to work up a soy wax system which, by the way, has met with marginal success in the hot throw category using GW 464 but I have also been working with paraffin for pillars (4625) and votives (4794). Both of these waxes have given me excellent results to where I am satisfied that I have a consistent product.

This is not, however, true with container candles. I have a collection of FO that work for me in soy and (ignoring the issue of frosting for now) might be worthy of selling. There are still some FO that I want to give another try but in paraffin; I have worked with IGI 6006 but that is a parasoy blend and I would now like to try a "true" container paraffin but , oh, the choices which I shall list briefly here:

Numbers and comments taken from Lonestar Candle Supply

4627 - aka Comfort blend; melt point 123F, 6%-10% FO load;

4630 - aka Harmony blend; mp 115F, 6%-10% FO, ~single pour; great HT

4633 - aka J223; mp 124F, 8%-10% FO, ~single pour; excellent HT

4636 - J-50; mp 128F, 6%-10% FO, ~single pour; good HT

4786 - mp 124F, 6%-10% FO, NOT a single pour, great HT

I have done searches on most of these and pull up older threads with good info. Seems that each one has a band of followers which like the wax so I guess picking any of these would be ok. The FOs that I am most interested in getting to throw well are in the pine family and there are others as well.

The 4626 is available in 25# bags for about $50 so that may be out of the test as I really only want about 10#. The 4630 is the only one in the group with a lower mp, so that stands out as does the fact that 4786 is not a single pour. I'd be willing to do 2 pours if the throw was better, I do it now with the pillars and votives so it's not a big deal.

Please reply with your experiences and suggestions.

Edited August 21, 2011 by rjdaines
fixed typo

[SliverOfWax]

4626 - aka Comfort blend; melt point 123F, 6%-10% FO load;

Comfort blend is 4627.

Over the years, I've experimented with a LOT of different waxes, many of which aren't even available anymore. Once I tried 4627, my search for the perfect wax was OVER. It has a superior hot and cold throw at typically an 8% fragrance load. I never go higher than 8% with container candles, and use 7% on probably 25% of my oils.

Comfort blend is a one-pour; however, in masons, I usually do 2 because I tend to tug and jiggle wicks while they're setting up, plus I like a very smooth top. It's just my habit and the way I make candles. I don't double pour for throw; I do it for a perfect look. If you do a single pour, it won't crater or make a difference in the way it burns, but it will slightly dip, very slightly. That said, when I was making more 8 oz tins, I single poured and got flat tops. It a difference in the way the container cools.

Go ahead and bite the bullet. Get 25 pounds. You'll be glad you did.

[rjdaines]

Thanks Silver for that feedback and I fixed the typo as well.

[HorseScentS]

Comfort blend is 4627.

Over the years, I've experimented with a LOT of different waxes, many of which aren't even available anymore. Once I tried 4627, my search for the perfect wax was OVER. It has a superior hot and cold throw at typically an 8% fragrance load. I never go higher than 8% with container candles, and use 7% on probably 25% of my oils.

Comfort blend is a one-pour; however, in masons, I usually do 2 because I tend to tug and jiggle wicks while they're setting up, plus I like a very smooth top. It's just my habit and the way I make candles. I don't double pour for throw; I do it for a perfect look. If you do a single pour, it won't crater or make a difference in the way it burns, but it will slightly dip, very slightly. That said, when I was making more 8 oz tins, I single poured and got flat tops. It a difference in the way the container cools.

Go ahead and bite the bullet. Get 25 pounds. You'll be glad you did.

If 6% is 1 oz FO p.p. of wax, and 9% is 1-1/2 oz of FO p.p. of wax, and 10% is 1.6 oz of FO p.p. of wax, and 12% is 2 oz of FO p.p. of wax, what is 8%? I'm always confused about that. Is 1-1/4 oz of FO p.p. of wax 7% or 8%?

[coconut]

Divide 1.25 by 16 and you get .078. If you prefer to go with 15 oz. of wax it comes to .083.

As far as what wax to use, I use both 4630 and 4636 (J50). I use 4630 for lighter oils and J50 for heavier oils. If I could only use one kind, it would probably be the J50. Both have great throw. I did not test 4627 because I did not want to wrassle with the mess of this very soft wax.

[rjdaines]

This is why I convert to grams for weight, so much easier.

[lsbennis]

I have been using the 4630 for years in my parasoy blend and I love it, I get great HT/CT at 6% to 8% depending on FO.

[robertgibbens]

I found 4627 smoked more than I liked for the FO load I was using. Plus it is a pain in the butt to work with unless you can put the entire 50 lbs in the pot at once. I now use 4630. I'm seeing less to no smoke, and working with it is fantastic. I see now difference in hot or cold throw. Both are excellent.

[SliverOfWax]

I don't get smoking with HTP wicks. LX were horrible smokers. CDs are OK.

I cut out hunks with a large trowel that I got at ACE for something like $5. It's very sturdy and wide. Works like a charm. It takes a little getting used to, but actually, I much prefer it to breaking up slabs. I use slab wax with comfort blend for votives and tarts and dread having to break it up. But yeah, you need a strong trowel or large knife to cut it up. I cut the 25 lb squares into 4 pieces. When you get to the end, throw the whole thing, plastic cover and all, into your pot. When it's melted out of the little crevices and folds, just fish out the plastic and toss it.

J50 was one of the waxes I used before I switched to 4627. It's a great wax. I used a lot of J300, too, which I think is what Harmony used to be.

[coconut]

Sliver, I don't like breaking up slabs either. I switched to Astorlite V for my tarts. It comes in little pellets. It is a dream to work with, one pour, good release, great throw. The only downside is that it is a little hard to find.

[Darbla]

Divide 1.25 by 16 and you get .078. If you prefer to go with 15 oz. of wax it comes to .083.

You might want to divide that 1.25 by the total weight of FO and wax; not just the wax weight. A pound of wax plus an ounce and a quarter of FO weighs 17.25. So divide 1.25 by 17.25 = .072 = 7.2%.

Edited August 22, 2011 by Darbla

[HorseScentS]

You might want to divide that 1.25 by the total weight of FO and wax; not just the wax weight. A pound of wax plus an ounce and a quarter of FO weighs 17.25. So divide 1.25 by 17.25 = .072 = 7.2%.

Thank you! So 8% is really more than 1.25 oz of FO p.p. of wax, but when most people say 8% on this forum they mean 1.25 oz of FO p.p. I'm not good at math.

[robertgibbens]

Although 4630 is called a slab wax, you can cut through 4 or 5 slabs at once with a cold butter knife with no effort at all!

[robertgibbens]

Calculating the percentage of FO is not rocket science. But using the weight of the FO your going to put in before you calc the percentage is just simply wrong. To get 10 percent load on 16 oz of wax, it's simply 16*0.10 or 1.6 oz of oil. Some folks need to go back to high school math class and relearn percentages...

[coconut]

It doesn't matter how you figure it, before or after adding the weight of the FO. Both methods are right and used by successful chandlers. What counts is that the desired results are achieved. What matters is that you are consistent with your method and don't change from batch to batch. Some people like to use 1 oz of FO to one pound of wax, and call it 6% (it is .0625), some add 1 oz. of FO to 15 ounces of wax and call it 6% (it is .067). A true 6% would be .96 or .9 of an ounce. For the vast majority of people, it is pretty much impossible to put .9 oz. of oil in 15 ounces of wax. Percentages are confusing until you get used to working with them. Please remember people come here for help, not to be insulted.