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Middle of candle cracked and sinking.

Tue, 03/28/2006 - 08:26 — luvbug

Hi,

Every candle that I did in my last batch was cracked on the top and was sinking in. What did I do wrong?

I have found that the "testing" can run into lots of money. Any suggestions on helping cut down on the cost?

Also - can someone tell me what "burn rate" is? What should I look for, etc.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and answer me back,

Donna :)

‹ making soy candles with essential oils-WICK? Candle cracking ›

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Fri, 04/21/2006 - 05:22 — michelle

Middle of candle cracked and sinking.

By "pour pot" I meant whatever container you use to add fragrance to your wax and pour it into the candle jar. You don't really need to buy an expensive "pour pot" from a manufacturer if you're producing a low volume of candles - you can use a measuring cup and a microwave if you want. :)

The "cooling down" thing is just a part of the "science" aspect of candlemaking. Since wax shrinks as it cools, waiting to pour at a lower temperature allows you time to stir it as it cools and redistribute the wax so it's more evenly cooled at the time you pour it into the candle jar.

In other words, it's shrinking all the time, but if you're stirring it up as it cools (and allow it to cool slowly) then it's less likely to crack.

At least, that seems to be how it works for me. ;)

Thu, 04/20/2006 - 13:51 — luvbug

Thanks Michelle

Once again, thank you for taking the time to help me.

I guess I am a little impatient in wanting to go on and pour. I do still wait to 155. I guess I should let it cool longer. It just seems to take a while. I didn't have any idea about the cooling off too soon. I just figured it cooled whenever it cooled. Like I said, I melt my wax in the microwave. Do you think it would be better if I got a fry daddy and a pour pot?

My candles still burn good and smell good. They just usually have crackes and sink in. I have purchased a heat gun and I can "fix" them. I'd just rather they looked good all by themselves. I was afraid that if I had to "fix" them then they wouldn't do as well.

I am new to this so I have lots of questions and of course problems.

Thank you again,
Donna

Wed, 04/19/2006 - 14:31 — michelle

Re: Thanks Michelle

[quote="luvbug"]How can the waxes be so different that some say pour at 105 and some say 175? That's a big difference to me.[/quote]

That seems like a big difference to me as well. I've even seen some soy wax distributors that recommend "pouring twice" with their wax, too (although the wax I use doesn't need it nor do the manufacturers recommend it). I suppose there's just a lot of different types of soy wax.

What seems to make the biggest difference in my candles is the type of candle container I pour into and how quickly the wax cools in the pour pot from the time I put the fragrance oil in it. If my workspace seems cool I will put the pour pot in the microwave (microwave turned off, naturally) so it cools more slowly.

I think the candle container thing is that some glass jars allow the wax to cool more quickly than others (thicker glass, smaller opening, bigger container, etc).

If your candles only look funky on the very top, you can remelt that rough top layer with a hair dryer (after allowing the candle to "set" for more than a few hours, of course) and it will give you a smoother top.

Wed, 04/19/2006 - 14:11 — luvbug

Thanks Michelle

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate you taking the time.

I saw a demo on line showing how to make soy candles. It said for me to melt 1 lb in the microwave for 6 mins on high. (I have found that 6 minutes is too long - it gets the temp up to around 190.) The temp should be 175 and I need to pour at 155. Do you think I still need to keep it in the microwave after it heats up? I am relatively new at this and only know to go by what the company says.

How can the waxes be so different that some say pour at 105 and some say 175? That's a big difference to me.

Anyway, I want to thank you for your response.

Hope to hear from you soon,
Donna

Wed, 04/19/2006 - 13:55 — michelle

Middle of candle cracked and sinking.

I usually pour between 105*-115*.

Every wax is different, though. I use a one-pour wax that I really like. Some wax manufacturers want you to heat the containers but I haven't had to with mine.

ETA: you might want to make sure your wax is cooling slowly enough before you pour it, which also seems to help with funky tops and cracked candles. If your pour pot fits in the microwave or oven you might put it in there since the small space will keep in the heat and help your wax cool more slowly.

Mon, 04/10/2006 - 09:30 — luvbug

middles sinking and cracking

Thanks for your reply.

I heat my wax up to 175-180. I then add my FO and my dye. I wait till 155 to pour. Is this too soon? I have even heated my containers first.

Thank you,
Donna

Sat, 04/08/2006 - 16:37 — wjreece

Middle of candle cracked and sinking.

Hi Donna,

Thanks for your post. Wax shrinks when it cools... which can cause the cracks or sinking in the tops of your candles.

You can try letting your melted wax cool a bit before pouring.

When it comes to testing, one way to save is to reuse the wax you have used. The above situation is a perfect example of when it is ok to bust up the wax in your candles, remelt, and try again.

Thanks!

-Will R.