chuck_35550

high oleic sunflower or canola

I have to agree with Top on this one. Supposedly Soapcalc is looking into changing the values to accomodate the change in formulation. Have you considered a meat shortening product as a sub? Steve

No it wouldn't. I have added 1 tsp pp of wax and find that to be sufficient. Crisco now uses palm in their formulation and you could try a tsp of Crisco to see how that works. HTH. Steve

I feel like my candles are much safer if they don't obtain a full melt pool right off the bat. As long as you have a pool of wax that is accomplishing the job and your container is staying warm and not red hot; then you have nothing to worry about the safety of your product. The candle should catch up about half way down and hopefully won't over heat by the end of the burn. I notice that Walmart candles appear to have a core that looks like a pillar with an overpour. It certainly burns that way too. Those guys use very heavy glass to insulate heat and the wax system burns slowly and safely.

I tried the powdered coconut and it immediately turned into some kind of blob that walked up my spoon. I beat it for quite a while and just didn't care for the look or the smell and dumped the soap.

The current Crisco contains palm oil. I don't know how much but it may be significant enough that you get the best of both worlds.

I sweeten mine (Bert's Apple Dumpling or JS New Mac) with a little creme brulee. It knocks the edge off the macintosh but too much hides any crust if you have it. I usually add about 1/4 ounce to a little over an ounce of the fo. HTH Steve

The rule of thumb that I learned off the Miller Soap site is that when your soap rises by 2 degrees its ready to pour. I watch my thermometer and wait for that 2 degree shift. If I pour past that climb in temp its usually a much thicker trace and is much more difficult to smooth out and remove air bubbles. Watch the next time you soap and see if that happens and then pour your soap. HTH. Steve

How about in pot swirls? Those are easy and look good.

I use a hot plate and a coffee carafe with a digital oven thermometer that has the attatched cord (a good long one). I pour wax from the spigot on my turkey melter and then place on the hot plate and put the thermometer in and then take my shot glass out of the toaster oven and measure out the fo and pour into the pour pot. Set the timer for 2 minutes and stir with a slotted spoon and then pour into pre-wicked warm jars. Usually, at the end of the night (when I'm tired) I'll pour up several without paying attention to temp and the first ones look great and the last one looks awful (adhesion wise). Ht is the same though. Everything is weighed out on the scales by the way. HTH. Steve

I think Stella may be on the right track concerning wicking. Have you tried cdn wicks? I use cdns in a blend of 464 and 6006 and get the best result for ht. The fos are a real hit and miss for me. I tested wildberry mousse and it blew the doors off but another fo from the same company was really weak and disappointing. There is a lot of information on the board about which fos work in particular waxes. HTH. Try different formulations other than 50/50 too. Steve

I use the one from TCS. It just fills up the whole joint with the most pleasing fragrance. I poured some Spicy Apples and Peaches too...yum.

I make goats milk from fresh whole milk and have tried powdered buttermilk and powdered coconut milk soaps and never used a preservative.

Top's especially right about fos speeding things up. I used a green aloe and clover that instantly put the soap into a thick heavy trace. I used the stick blender to even it out and quickly poured it in the mold. You never know until you try it and see what happens. I soap at really cool temps (I guess) around 80 degrees and match my oils and lye water temps but depending on the formula; sometimes you may need to soap at a warmer temp. HTH. Steve

You could try Melt & Pour as an inexpensive way to begin soap making. Just make sure and buy soap bases that are all natural and don't contain harsh ingredients. That way you can discover if you have a market and if you like that sort of craft. I love to Cold Process soap. You go to Soapcalc (or i do) plug in your oils (you can buy most at Wally world) and get a can of lye from Lowes (make sure you get the right stuff) and can make a mold out of nearly anything. Read up and don't be afraid to try a really rewarding craft. There are is a ton of info on the boards. HTH. Steve

It could be a problem with the fo not fully incorporating with the wax. Heavy fos can sometimes sink toward the bottom and you don't get a scent throw until halfway down the container. I experimented with using a single beater hand mixer to blend wax and fo. The ht was crazy good but the air bubbles made it look like a bomb site. I even thought about pouring the wax through some kind of micro screen filter to break up the bubbles and then decided the whole thing was crazy. I sold some of them to a private label and they couldn't believe how strong they were. HTH?

Burning one in the office today. What an outstandingly great fo.

What is the best balance of saturated to unsaturated?

Oh no you don't Tootie! I get a sample for being a loyal customer all these years! LOL...jk. Can't wait. Do you think Tennesse will offer it or can you say Brad? Steve

I know some people are adding palm wax but I have tried palm oil. Palm oil really helps in small doses and does not cause sooting. Using a blend of 6006, 464 and a teaspoon of palm oil per pound has given me good results with adhesion and both ct and ht. I just have to be honest and say that nothing competes with my old 70/30 veggie wax from Clarus, that you can pour and sell the next day. Easy to wick but really expensive.

I have a number of cases of 4 inch, 8 oz apothecary jars that are just sitting in the shop. I use a 70/30 veggie wax and use a cd 22 in that container. The flame tends to be really high and hot unless you trim the wick really low. They work and they look nice but I just don't like the large flame and I hate double wicking, because customers believe the candles burn quicker. I had to switch from a tumbler to a salsa jar because of the lack of a good lid. My customers love the new jar and its easy to wick. Customers just won't buy a jelly jar and I only sell those to some private label customers. I don't know what jars you were using but it sounds like it would be less hassle to just locate them from another source and pay the shipping. HTH.

Thanks, that's a good place to start indeed. I have read good things about tallow but have never played with it. I can't wait to get started.

I ordered some tallow and wondered how many of you use a recipe with tallow, what difference it makes in the quality of your soap and how you like the results? Thanks, Steve

You do know that Crisco has changed its formula and now uses palm oil? I don't know how much or if it makes any difference concerning your problem but just thought I would toss that info in there. HTH.

Wow, that sounds promising! I still haven't found what I'm looking for in a wax (sorry U2). Please let me know what you have Brad...before I totally run out of 70/30. Thanks, Steve