Jump to content

Hole in Candle


Recommended Posts

Why does this happen?

C-3 wax

CT wick

Heat wax to 185 add FO and pour at 165

CD wick? I've seen that before and in waxes other than C3; shrinkage. What temp did you pour that at? Common causes might be pouring at a high temp or cooling too fast or both. Some people pour at the slushy stage to minimize wet spots (shrinkage) and craters. Others cool slowly. I think one need to find a happy medium, slushy pouring can lead to rough tops and cooling too slowly allows more or your FO to volatilize away (read somewhere that one wants to see solidification starting within 20 to 30 minutes).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't use that wax, but, I have had that happen a few times. I've noticed that it only happened when I poured at lower temps than usual. I got busy and when I checked the temp again for pouring it was about 5-10 degrees cooler than what I would normally pour. Those were ones that were for my personal use so I tried a heat gun and that took care of it. Had no problems in burning afterwards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

pour at 165

Hmmmm, I pour 464 at 160 so that is not much different and I have poured smaller containers that didn't crater, so I will let the C3 users step in.

Oh, is that a primed wick or a raw (unwaxed) one?

Edited by rjdaines
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is a classic sinkhole. The wick has absolutely nothing to do with this.Your heating & pouring temps are correct. The candle cooled unevenly, with the top & sides cooling way faster than the hot interior. Cool on a wire rack and protect the top from cooling so fast. This has been discussed in many threads. The temperatures are getting cooler in most places and you will need to slow down the cooling to prevent this.

Edited by Stella1952
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just received my C3 and poured my first candle yesterday (1st time using this wax so I still have a TON of testing to do) but I poured at a much cooler temp and got a beautiful smooth top. As Stella mentioned tho..temps are getting cooler especially where you live. I'm still in the 90's out here and that does have an effect on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use NatureWax C3 and have seen this many times. It is ALWAYS a cooling issue. How many candles did you make at one time? Just the one or more? Prewarming the container has little to do with it. Containers do not need to be very warm at all - just enough to knock the chill off. Cooling over a granite countertop is very different from cooling over a wood tabletop. The ambient air temp plays a role. Unless it's pretty cool and drafty, I cool on a rack on a wood tabletop with a paper towel thrown over the wicks to retain the heat somewhat but not too much ti impede air circulation around the candle. Hot air rises, right?

cooling too slowly allows more or your FO to volatilize away

WHAT? That is poppycock. FOs are NOT that delicate!!!

Edited by Stella1952
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It should burn okay after the heatgun (hair dryer), although the top may look like grainy caca. The appearance won't affect the burn. If I repour one like that, I usually make sure I crash that sinkhole very well so I can be sure the repour fills the hole. Best way to fix this is to learn how it happens and don't do dat no mo'...

Let us know how the testing goes. : ) Have fun!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had my first real experience with the sink hole today. I made 3 small batches, and the middle batch, I got caught up in Facebook and forgot about it, so it was a bit below 150 when I poured it, and I usually pour around 160-165. I don't remember exact temp because I was in a rush to hurry up and pour it before it got any colder, but it caused a nice little sink hole. I use GB 464 and Ecos.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it was a bit below 150 when I poured it, and I usually pour around 160-165. I don't remember exact temp because I was in a rush to hurry up and pour it before it got any colder

You could have warmed it, ya know... LOL I don't dare wander off or do anything else when I am pouring candles (or baking cookies). It takes very little time to stir it down from 185°F to 165°... FB will just have to wait when you're pouring candles LOL Stirring the wax gently as it cools to pour temp is important IMHO.

Edited by Stella1952
Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could have warmed it, ya know... LOL I don't dare wander off or do anything else when I am pouring candles (or baking cookies). It takes very little time to stir it down from 185°F to 165°... FB will just have to wait when you're pouring candles LOL Stirring the wax gently as it cools to pour temp is important IMHO.

Agreed, this is a temp / cooling issue and most have said everything perfectly already, but really just wanted to say Stella1952, utterly LOVE your siggy now!

We Are The 99%!

Ok, back to the topic at hand =)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could have warmed it, ya know... LOL I don't dare wander off or do anything else when I am pouring candles (or baking cookies). It takes very little time to stir it down from 185°F to 165°... FB will just have to wait when you're pouring candles LOL Stirring the wax gently as it cools to pour temp is important IMHO.

Oh, I have burned SOOOO many cookies (and supper) because I walk away and forget. The sad thing is, I have a table set up right next to my desk, so it's like an L-shaped desk now, so I have actually stirred while doing stuff on the computer. It's the weekend, though, so all three kids are home and running around, and for some reason, I just kind of forgot that I was even making candles. This is why I usually stick to making them when they are in school. Less interupptions, less chance of me losing my head all together and forgetting where I am, haha!

And yes, I normally do stir frequently while it cools, sometimes the entire time it cools, but then my arm kills me later, lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Crazzie, I LOVE that autumn leaf for your avatar! It really IS fall now here, but we don't get beautiful colors like nearly everywhere else in the country... That's the ONLY thing I miss about living in the north... We do have a few trees that turn color but NOTHING like the more northern latitudes...

The temp drops pretty quickly in a pour pot, depending on the room temp of course. If one does not prewarm the FO & dye mixture, it's drop the temp way too fast, which tends to "shock" the crystals in soy wax and contributes to frosting issues. Soy wax doesn't like rapid temp changes AT ALL. Slow and easy with it!! Nice slow easy stirring... I often think about walking along on a beach somewhere while I'm lazily stirring wax... keeps me calm more than musing about other topics which can get me so agitated, I catch myself whipping the wax like meringue LOL

Jill, I soooo agree about interruptions when making candles (or nearly anything else for that matter). There's nothing quite so perfect at scattering ones neural brain tissue like the word "MOM!!!" shrieked at high volume, the sounds of domestic destruction, the clumping of spousal feet, etc. Even when they were older, they still were a huge distraction... I mean, did the kids bother Marie Curie when she was working on radium? Hail no, or they woulda glowed!!

Have a good week, Y'all!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...