SimpleScentsCandleCo Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 So, I made too many testers. Long story short. I wicked em all, and don't like the wick. Thusly, instead of pulling the wicks (that were all fixed to the containers)...I remelted and repoured wick-less.WHY are they all so perfect wickless..and I couldn't get them (initially) to look this good when I poured the first time (for the majority)? Now, don't ask me the original pour temps, because I DON'T have those in front of me right now. I just find it amusing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlover Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Maybe due to the lack of air around the wicks? Any time I have sinkholes or any kind of weirdness, it's always around the wick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimpleScentsCandleCo Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 Same here catlover....any issues for me with 464 are always around the wick.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 (edited) I couldn't get them (initially) to look this good when I poured the first timeThis comes under the heading of "tempering" soy wax. This can be accomplished in one of several ways. Some people just melt the wax then unplug and let the wax resolidify. The next day, they run the temp up again, add FO, then stir down to the pour temp.Other methods are similar to tempering chocolate. One way is raising the temp high enough to discourage the growth of the undesired crystal phases then drop to a point that encourages the growth of the desired crystal phase. Slow stirring is very important to this process. Never just let the wax sit over the heating element... that wax will be exposed to far hotter temps than the wax around it. I stir from the time the wax is melting to the time it's poured.If you search the veggie wax forum for "chocolate" and "tempering soy" you will find a LOT of discussion about this. Many folks think it's bunk, but results don't lie. Some successful soy candlemakers do not realize what they are doing "right" in their techniques. What you accidentally stumbled on to is very common. Soy wax manufacturers temper the wax before it is shipped to you, so I think that's reason enough to realize that this IS very important in getting the best appearance from soy waxes.Sinkholes are caused by uneven cooling of the candle. Place the candle on a cookie rack so that air can circulate all around it. Drafts are very bad things for cooling candles. Cool the candle slowly (there IS such a thing as TOO slow, also). Don't cluster the candles too closely, but don't place them too far apart. The "right" distance depends on the size/shape of the candle as well as other conditions in your cooling area. Please don't ask how far for a certain sized candle - that depends entirely on the environmental conditions in YOUR cooling area and varies widely from place to place in your home, in your state, during a given season, etc. There are some things one simply has to discover by trial and error. Learning what works FOR YOU is called experience! A GREAT thing to do is keep excellent notes on every little thing you do when making candles - from the humidity/temp to everything you did while pouring and cooling the candles. For example, in the wintertime here in the Louisiana Gulf South, in my drafty, inconsistently heated 90 year old house, I like to cool candles in my oven (warmed to about 150° F, then turned off right before the candles go in). This keeps the temp more even, and eliminates drafts completely. YOUR mileage may vary LOLAny time I have sinkholes or any kind of weirdness, it's always around the wick.Think about it, catlover, the wick is in the middle of the candle. The CENTER is the last to cool. If the center then is a LOT hotter than the top (the top cools too fast - faster than the bottom and sides), the top will contract, or be pulled down toward the warmer center as the center cools completely. Many chandlers have experienced candles having PERFECT tops when they go to bed (and the candles are still warm in the middle) only to find sinkholes and even cracks in the tops when they check the candles in the morning. This actually makes sense and is not so much related to the wick as it is the center of the candle. THis same phenom happens to tarts, too, if they are allowed to cool too fast and unevenly. Edited September 24, 2011 by Stella1952 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlover Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Yep, that makes perfect sense. Since I started cooling my candles on wire shelves, about "so" far from each other, they're pretty happy....still the occasional air pocket around the wick, but I think those happen to keep us humble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted September 25, 2011 Share Posted September 25, 2011 Catlover, if the tops are still getting some sinkholes, then the tops are cooling a little too fast. I sometimes throw a paper towel lightly over the wicks to retain the heat a little bit while the candles cool. The paper towel is a few inches from the surface of the candle and is very loose. It just depends... If the room air is real cool, I might even put a big box over the candles or I might cool them in the oven. It also helps to "thump" the containers a few times on the counter as they cool so that any air bubbles can rise to the surface and pop. It just depends on how the air pocket is getting there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franu61 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Stella, all your tips are so helpful. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 (edited) You're very welcome, Fran. If it saves someone else some wear and tear on their last nerve, it's all good!! Edited September 26, 2011 by Stella1952 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlover Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Stella, I love the paper towel idea. I'm not having many sinkholes since I put a small space heater in my workroom to keep the temp constant, but every now and then with certain fo's.... I tried the box thing back when I was still making candles in my kitchen, and it was a disaster! I've just draped paper towels over a batch of Pumpkin Souffle, which is one that tends to act up with me more than others. I've been doing the "thumping" ever since I read that from you a year or two ago--it really works. I cool my candles on wire shelves now, so I thump the wax in the pour pot, then I thump each candle before I put it on the rack. My husband can't figure out what I'm doing in there. Thanks, again and as always!Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I hit on the paper towels during the warm season - the room temp was PLENTY warm, but still had some draft that would cause minor dips in the top... The paper toweling is light enough not to trap much heat, but obstructive enough to keep out those bothersome drafts. Except when its very cold (my home is not environmentally well-controlled, so the inside tends to be a lot like the outside), I cluster the candles more or less depending on how warm the air temp is, and throw the paper towels over the wicks. If it's cool, I throw two over - one in one direction and the other the other way to enclose the area above the wicks a little more. If it's real cold, it's time to break out the cardboard box. I don't thump my pour pot, but once the candles are poured and cooling, I thump 'em a couple of times to dislodge any pesky air bubbles and allow them to rise and break. My dogs start barking 'cause they think someone is knocking on the door! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catlover Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Cute! Good to keep the dogs on their toes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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