Techniques for achieving a better mottle???

[jsanger]

I have been playing around with making mottled containers for quite some time now but have yet to achieve a consistent result across the board with all my fos/colors. I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out what the problem is with my equation. I use 130mp straight parrafin and I normally use 1oz per pound of fo if it will hold. I bring it to 190 add my dye stir well, add fo at around 185, stirring well until I pour into warm (not hot) jars at 160. I have found that just putting them on the counter to cool gives me the most consistent results but still I can never count on it. I have tried adding stearic with varying results but usually it makes the mottle a little weird or it decreases my hot throw. I am aiming for a complete, but more muted/oil in water appearance for my candles, not stark snowflakes or blotches.

After consulting with the lady where I get my wax I tried adding 1 tbl of crisco /lb and decreasing my fo to 1/2oz/lb with my trouble child dark green mistltoe candle and got a better mottle but a significant decrease in ht. According to her this should have strangely enough helped with ht??? I have searched the board over and have tried and tried various combos and concoctions and found my current "technique" to get me the closest, but there is still something I am either missing or doing wrong and I can't seem to put my finger on it. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated :)

[Pam W]

I've not done container mottles but with pillar wax, adding more FO will give the add'l mottling - along with slow cooling - for my pillars, I wrap the molds with towels to keep any cool drafts off of them. Stearic if added up to 3tbl pp should not cut down on the HT.

Up your pouring temp to 180*, cover & let cool slowly.

[ksranch]

I've not done it containers either - but what Pam W said works for me as well. The only time I have to add steric is with the FO's that I need an ounce per pound for adequate (in my mind) HT because in the mottling wax I use it only likes about 1/2 to 3/4 oz pp without it - otherwise it just seeps out. Was your FO seeping? If not, there's not a reason that I know of to cut back, especially when it's affecting your HT. I've never added Crisco to mine, and don't know the benifit of it - perhaps someone else that does mottling will chime in...

HTH

[jsanger]

Pam W., in your experience does adding stearic change the look of your mottle? When I have used it, it does help my wax retain more fo but it has made my mottle more "starbursty". I will try pouring at 180, but what would you recommend for cooling them slowly. I have tried cooling them in a warm (but turned off) oven overnight but this must have been too slow because they hardly mottled at all???

Ksranch, my wax does seep at 1oz/lb about 1/3 of the time so for those I cut back a touch at a time until it holds. I am however one of those people who likes my candles strong enough to burn my nose hairs. The lady that I consulted with told me that by adding oil (such as crisco) it would soften the wax therefore giving me better ht even with 1/2 the amount of fo. With my limited experiments however, this definitely was not the case - although my mottle was better as was the overall appearance of my wax.

Thank you both for your help

[Pam W]

when I used straight paraffin, I got splotchy mottles which I do not like and I did notice that when I poured pumpkin colored candles, the mottles were even worse - that's the only color that I've seen to interfer with the mottling process. I did not find that stearic made any difference but keep in mind that I'm talking pillars not containers. I finally switched from straight paraffin to 1274 mottling wax and get a beautiful, complete mottle every time.

There is a liquid additive that you can buy to increase mottling but I didn't like it because it created that starburst effect....some ppl like it, I don't.

[jsanger]

I sooo hope that I can figure this out with my wax because I love the hot and cold throw as well as the fact that I finally have a handle on the wicking with most of my fos (now watch that I said that out loud that will go do the drain too..yikes). I have tried using mottle max as well and that too failed to give me that complete soft mottle, instead it produced that starburst, blotchy effect that I want to avoid...pmho

[ksranch]

Keep working with it, you're bound to find that sweet spot that gives you the results you want, and the victory will be worth it! I'm like Pam again, I switched to 1274 and don't have to use additives (other than steric). But, you've made me wonder about the crisco thing - sure it'll be after the holidays b4 I have a chance to play with it though. Would love to see pics of your candles, quite curious about mottled containers - sounds like you are going for a unique look (not like palm).

[barncat]

certain FO will not mottle as nice as the next one, I also try to cool my candle down asap, yet keep the warm air trapped inside by placing the lid or something over top of the candle.

[jsanger]

Ksranch...thanks for the encouragement, I am bound determined to figure this out. As frustrating as candlemaking can be sometimes the feeling you get when you finally get it right makes it so worth it. As soon as my ahha moment arrives and I can declare victory I will post pic.

Barncat...when you say you try to cool your candle down asap while trapping in the warm air do you mean like just on the counter with a lid fast or like in the refrigerator with a lid fast? This is something I haven't tried but I I will tonight for sure.

[Pam W]

Cooling in the fridge will kill your mottle

[ksranch]

You want to cool them slowly - I put mine on the counter and put a box over them

[barncat]

Barncat...when you say you try to cool your candle down asap while trapping in the warm air do you mean like just on the counter with a lid fast or like in the refrigerator with a lid fast? This is something I haven't tried but I I will tonight for sure.

I put the lid on after my repour then stick a fan on them. Snowflakes come out right away.

[Pam W]

I think the op is trying to achieve full mottle not just snowflakes. I get a full & complete mottle by letting the candles take all day to cool - anytime I try to hurry them, I end up with splotchy-ness which I find just plain ugly.

[jsanger]

The look I am trying to achieve is definitely a complete, soft mottle...not bright snowflakes. Not sure if that's what happens when you hit them with a fan or not but I am curious about putting the cover on after the repour. Would you mind telling me if your candle is completely cool when you do your repour?

[Pam W]

I cover my candles after the 1st pour and let them cool completely then do 2nd pour and cover till done.

[ksranch]

I cover my candles after the 1st pour and let them cool completely then do 2nd pour and cover till done.

Ditto

[barncat]

i dont cover mine until the 2nd repour. It really depends on the fragrance though, certain ones leave a beautiful mottle, the net..nothing happens. Mine has also vaired from each batch of wax i recieve.

[jsanger]

This is the part that is so frustrating when trying to get a consistent product. Just the time I think I have it figured out I'll pour another candle (different scent) and that one will suck. What do you do with those fragrances that you love but have an ugly or non-existent mottle? Hard to sell a candle that isn't pretty even if it smells awesome.

[Pam W]

Ran across this while browsing:

http://www.candlemaking.com/store/1286-Mottled-Container-wax-P494C43.aspx

[jsanger]

Thank you Pam for the link, this is actually one of the first waxes I tried when I started this mottling crusade. It is a very nice wax that mottled very nicely most of the time, actually better than my current wax, but didn't give me near the ht I am getting now. I haven't tested it in quite a long time though so maybe I will pour a couple of candles later to test them head to head.