What's my issue... wicks or wax?

[kittywings]

OK, I've been trying to make this wax that I bought on sale work. It's a 50/50 soy/paraffin blend that will not throw ANY scent at all.
I have added 1/3 shortening and square braid wicks and it's a LITTLE better. They have always melted well and have good adhesion, etc. It's basically the throw with which I'm having an issue.

Last night, having bought some more paraffin wax (just the stuff they have with the canning supplies at the grocery store, I didn't want to wait for shipping :?), I put the candles in the oven on 175 degrees to re-melt them and proceeded to vacuum, etc. upstairs. My whole house TOTALLY smelled like my candles!

Does this mean the wicks are the problem? I saw on Peak's website that htp wicks are good for viscous waxes.

FYI- I have previously used the same fo in straight paraffin candles before and the throw was amazing!

 

[carebear]

container candles?

I've never tried the grocery store wax - so don't know about it, but are you getting a decent melt pool with your wicks you know - the 1" per hour thing (mine go faster initially but take longer to reach the edge). if not - rethink your wicking.

1/3 shortening seems like an awful lot. I've read about people using about a tablespoon per pound of wax.

+++++++

Wait - re-reading your post: if you had great throw with 100% paraffin and trouble with a 50/50 mix, try backing down on your soy: I use 75% paraffin container wax & 25% soy wax (or thereabouts)

 

[kittywings]

It's a 50/50 mix already, so I bought the extra paraffin to help up the paraffin %. Someone on a different forum said that they do 2:2:1 soy/paraffin/shortening. It not separating or anything and the wax feels solid to the touch (when not lit). I'll light one and report back on the melt pool....

Oh, and yes, it's a 3" container candle.

 

[carebear]

kk - I'll be around

But I'm NOT a candle pro by a long shot. I know what I do, I know what didn't work for ME, and I know a bit of the chemistry - but I'm not one of those candle making gurus that I follow along behind with my tongue hanging out.

I always say - soap is easy, candles - now they're HARD!

 

[Lynnz]

when I read these posts I so wish we had the wonderful variety of waxes to play with that you have in the USA. The idea of a paraffin/soy mix sounds wonderful

 

[kittywings]

I'm waiting on some RRD wicks from Peak that I just ordered, they look identical to the wicks that were used in the Votivo candles that I have and those throw amazingly well. I made a few test candles with different wicks and one double-wicked. So far, I've only tried the double-wicked one and I'd say the whole top inch is melted within an hour... so that's probably too much... it also probably has something to do with the shortening.... the level doesn't seem to go down though. The throw isn't that great, but I also kind of screwed up... I forgot that I still had the burner turned on and went outside... when I took the temp of the wax it was 340 degrees!!! :shock:

I added a little more FO once it cooled, but that whole escapade might have had an effect on the whole thing.

UGH! To think... I used to wonder why people had issues with candles!

I'll report back....

 

[beerfish]

Have you tried adding vybar to your wax?

Also... I'm sure you probably realize how bad an idea it was to leave the wax and forget it, but seriously... you could have easily hit the flash point of the wax and burned your house down. For your own sake, be careful!

 

[kittywings]

I guess I'm glad I'm married to a firefighter!

 

[dagmar88]

don't think he'll be following you around 24/7 though

 

[beerfish]

I guess I'm glad I'm married to a firefighter!

I know I don't want to work on a computer when I get home (I'm in IT), and I doubt your husband wants to put out a fire in his house when he gets home!

Just wanted to stress the point. Some people don't realize that wax can superheat very quickly and in seconds turn into a fireball. Fragrance oil can often have a flash point much lower than the wax and go up even faster.

 

[kittywings]

LOL, in THEORY, that would be correct (not wanting to do your job at home) HOWEVER, he'd probably love it, considering that most of what they do at work is play xbox.... it is a good point though.

 

[carebear]

oooooooooh did someone say flash point?

I AGREE THAT OVERHEATING WAX ON THE STOVE IS DANGEROUS. AND YOU MUST USE A DOUBLE BOILER OR THE LIKE. Never heat wax in a pan directly on the stove.

Now, back to flash point. it's one of my favorite phrases. so let me just pull out my soap box and climb on...

First - the flash point of the FO is irrelevant once it's mixed with the wax. well, actually the flash point of the mixture is more or less an "average" based on the components and the proportions. yes, yes there is some chemistry involved but it truly is close enough to calculate it that way for any need we have here. which makes the flash point of an FO in wax pretty much meaningless.

Second - the flash point is the temp at which the fumes of a substance evaporating can be ignited by a flame. If you don't have an open flame then you aren't talking flash point.

So........ don't overheat your wax, but use the term "flash point" carefully or I'll have to pull out my box again.

(I've been in the fragrance oil manufacturing business for more than 15 years now)

 

[kittywings]

Well, in fairness... I DO have gas burners....

 

[Larissa]

And many, if not all, stoves still have open pilot lights. Pilot light = open flame. Don't kid yourself that it's not.

Years ago, the pilot light in the stove at my parents' house went out, and I remember my mother throwing in a match without thinking about it. The gas was still on. My mother was missing her eyebrows and the front of her hair for quite a while after that, and the house smelled pretty damned awful.

Point is, BE CAREFUL. One drip of wax down the side of the container, and you've got wax+open flame. BAD IDEA.