FO Temperature Question

[Paul]

Is it better to add FO while the wax is increasing in temperature or decreasing in temperature? I can never seem to keep my temperature constant working with a double boiler. If I keep my wax on the boiler while adding and mixing FO, my temperature will creep from 175 to 180. If I pull it off the boiler my temp will fall from 175 to 170. As an amateur trying to perfect my candles I’m just wondering if this affects HT.

I’m working with paraffin – IGI 4630.

Edited February 2, 2012 by Paul

[jeanie353]

Is it better to add FO while the wax is increasing in temperature or decreasing in temperature? I can never seem to keep my temperature constant working with a double boiler. If I keep my wax on the boiler while adding and mixing FO, my temperature will creep from 175 to 180. If I pull it off the boiler my temp will fall from 175 to 170. As an amateur trying to perfect my candles I’m just wondering if this affects HT.

I’m working with paraffin – IGI 4630.

Hi Paul....Welcome!

You would like to add your FO at 180-185 degrees unless the mfg. directions tell you differently. I'd say go ahead and add it while the pour pitcher is on the double boiler at that 180 temp. Stir and then get it off dbl boiler while you keep stirring. Some say stir 2 mins...some say less. Do what the mfg tells you or what you feel works best for you on the HT of your candles.

With paraffin I add at 180-185, stir about 30 seconds to 1 minute, and pour at recommended temp. Just keep the thermometer hanging on the side of the pour pitcher. The wax temp will drop as soon as you add your FO. It should raise back up for you fairly quickly by keeping it on the dbl boiler.

Problem with adding at too low a temp is the FO may not incorporate completely with the wax. On the other hand, adding at temps too high and/or stirring too long at too high a temp can cause FO loss.

What I've found working with paraffin vs soy is I don't need to stir the FO in the wax as long as I do with soy. Haven't lost any HT by stirring for a minute or a bit less. Soy is a different animal and we tend to stir that longer.

Edited February 2, 2012 by jeanie353

[Paul]

Thanks Jeanie

Edited February 2, 2012 by Paul

[HorseScentS]

I'm a newbie in my first year, but here's my 2 cents worth: Add your FO at 185, stir briefly, remove from heat and keep stirring thoroughly for at least 2 minutes as your mixture is cooling to your pour temperature, which for me is 150 with 4627 or 6006. I have a hunch that stirring as the wax is cooling and thickening helps create the suspension of FO and wax, since FO never really binds with wax, it just gets thoroughly suspended in the wax, even though you'll hear people talk about FO binding or not binding with wax.

I hate pouring at high temps because even if the mfg recommends a high pouring temp, the wax shrinks too much as it cools, so I like 150 or even less.