jennie12 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 I've only been experimenting with candle making for about 2 months now, and I feel like I must be missing something. My understanding is that the wax pool should expand to the edge of the jar rather than leaving unmelted wax around the sides and "tuneling." My problem is that when I use a wick large enough to create a full melt pool, I'm left with this odd, not very attractive, residue on the side of my jars. I haven't seen this happen with soy candles that I purchase. I am using 464 with 6% FO, and I've effectively eliminated FO as the issue here, since I've had the same thing happen with other FO's and unscented candles. I am warming the jars prior to pouring and I don't think pour temp is the problem either, since I've tried pouring at various temps. Would GREATLY appreciate any insight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 Its just one of those things thats normal for soy wax. It leaves a residue. Probably the 'soy' candles you have burned that left a cleaner glass had additives in it or was a soy blend. Its very common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 They can also be over wicked. No major problem, its normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjdaines Posted January 14, 2012 Share Posted January 14, 2012 This bothered me too, I wanted a candle that was a clean as a Slatkin but, alas, I don't have a lab or the R&D budget to formulate a custom blend. So as the others said, this is normal. I'd call a 1/4 inch or more of wax tunneling, this is just residue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennie12 Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Thanks for the replies. I've experimented with some different wax blends in an attempt to minimize this look, but in the end the wax that has the best scent throw is still leaving the residue, so I'm just going to work on accepting it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leslee42 Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I have been using 464 for several years and I love it. And it also will leave some residue like you have. It is a great wax and what you have is normal for this wax. I agree with Candybee that to have a "clean" glass the others may have been a soy blend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 What is the diameter of the container you are using and what wick/size do you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennie12 Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Stella - the container is 2.75" diameter with an LX 20 wick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmc Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Candybee is right...when I used CBA the glass was very clean but it has botanical oils added to it. I now use C3, & with either co or usa added to it, I get a pretty clean burn. IMO, when I used CBA, the LX worked really well, not so much with C3 or 464...maybe try another wick like CDNs-really like how they burn hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 You might try a CDN 10-12 and see if it give a more complete burn without heating up the container too much. I have found with C3 that some FOs cause a subtle change in the burn that doesn't warrant going up a whole size, but leaves slightly more residue than I like. Other FOs are perfect and leave a squeaky clean container. I have not had any customer complaints about residue, but it does irk me but that's just my own perfectionism at work. There is no reason to tweak and retweak a candle system that falls within reasonable parameters just to accommodate my desire for a clear container at the end of the burn.What I see from your photo is a container that is about halfway down. Since the temp increases in the container during the last 1/2-1/3 of the candle, the container may heat up enough for the residue to thin out and clear the glass with less residue than what is seen in the photo. Residue has nothing to do with pour temp - it is the wax itself (viscous & milky) vs. the heat in the container. The FO load does impact the efficiency of a wick, so I try to use the least amount of FO needed to get the HT I want. While it is normal and actually desirable for a soy candle to not make FMP during the first burn, usually by the second burn one sees a FMP. Have you tried bumping up your wick size one step to see if that helps the burn without heating up the container too much during the last half of the candle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennie12 Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 CDN is actually the only wick I haven't tried yet. I'll give them a try. I also decided to try coconut oil - just did my first batch with 1 lb 464 and 1/2 tsp co tonight. In general I have noticed that C3 leaves less of this residue than 464, but overall I like 464 better in other regards because my tops come out smoother and HT is better. thanks so much for the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennie12 Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 wow, apparently that's much easier said than done...I can't find a supplier that offers small quantities of CDNs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChandlerWicks Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Candle Coccoon sells them for .25cents a piece the last time I bought them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennie12 Posted January 27, 2012 Author Share Posted January 27, 2012 Candle Coccoon sells them for .25cents a piece the last time I bought them.THANK YOU!! I just placed an order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChandlerWicks Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Welcome! CCs Fos are incredible also. If you do buy, follow her FO%s to the T. I've wasted weeks testing with too high %s as it distorts the scent & creates all kinds of havoc with wicking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennie12 Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 While it is normal and actually desirable for a soy candle to not make FMP during the first burn, usually by the second burn one sees a FMP. Have you tried bumping up your wick size one step to see if that helps the burn without heating up the container too much during the last half of the candle?Stella, what you said about not getting a FMP on the first burn really intrigues me. It seems like most of the information out there stresses achieving a FMP at all costs. Some of the results I've been happiest with in my test batches involve what most of these sources would probably consider under wicking. I've been on a quest for the perfect wick that would give me FMP while leaving the jar clean, but I think I'm going to revisit some of the smaller wicks and do some more testing in that range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 what you said about not getting a FMP on the first burn really intrigues me. It seems like most of the information out there stresses achieving a FMP at all costs.Quality of information matters. To clarify, it is not important to achieve FMP on the first or even second burn in some cases. The candle SHOULD achieve FMP after that. The heat in a container rises as the candle burns down into it. If a candle hits FMP on the first test burn, chances are it will be burning too hot later down in the middle and to the end of the candle. FMP is important because the MP has to achieve a certain temp for the FO to throw well. Because the surface of the MP is where the lion's share of fragrance is released, you want a FMP to maximize the surface area and to not leave wax all down the sides of the container, wasting the customer's money. A well-designed candle burns all but minor residue and the bottom 1/2" of wax from its container. The reason the bottom 1/2" should remain is because of the temperatures reached in the container when the bottom 1/2" is liquid - safety. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brew259 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 wow, apparently that's much easier said than done...I can't find a supplier that offers small quantities of CDNs.Try candle science, I thought I saw them on there the other day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmc Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 CS carries CSNs...not the same as CDNs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChandlerWicks Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Candle Cocoon has CDNs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HorseScentS Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 This bothered me too, I wanted a candle that was a clean as a Slatkin but, alas, I don't have a lab or the R&D budget to formulate a custom blend. So as the others said, this is normal. I'd call a 1/4 inch or more of wax tunneling, this is just residue.I'm having this problem with 4627 Comfort Blend, which is paraffin, do you have the same problem when you work with 4627? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjdaines Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I'm having this problem with 4627 Comfort Blend, which is paraffin, do you have the same problem when you work with 4627?May container candles are now quite clean but I am working with 4630 and blended with 464 with it. So, my candles are more paraffin than soy but it might also work the other way if you want a candle that is >50% soy. I can't offer a specific advise for 4627. 4630 tends to leave no residue anyway so adding some you doesn't alter this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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