leenabug Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 I added 10% paraffin to my 464 soy wax and used the same wick when all soy (cd-10 in 8oz jj). I was testing for stronger scent throw and less frosting. The scent throw did seem a little stronger and the frosting was 50% better. To my surprise the texture totally changed, the tops were very smooth and the melt pool was deeper than normal. So my actual question is......Since the candle with paraffin has a deeper melt pool than the candle without paraffin (same wick) does that mean its burning hotter or the melt point is lower? Im a little confused here.......should I wick down to a cd-8 or will that lower the "heat" therefore decreasing the scent throw? YOu know I'm gonna try it anyway,lol:smiley2:, but I was just kinda wondering if my thoughts were going in the right direction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Depends on the melt point of the waxes. The higher the melt point, the more heat needed to produce the pool and the faster the burn. Your description seems to indicate a lower melt point as a result so less flame is needed. Does this sound right guys? Jump in here Stella. HTH.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soy327 Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 I used to make the 8oz quilted jj with soy only and used a cd8. Now I'm using a hex jar I like the look better, and I use a CD10 in most all FO. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenabug Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 okay with the holidays, snow, birthdays and sickness............I am just now getting back to this problem! ..............The last batch that I tested did not seem to improve the scent throw at all............If adding that paraffin is not helping scent throw...........why am I changing my formula??????lol!Does anyone else add paraffin, in that small of an amount, to their soy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwantItgreen Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I add paraffin to soy mainly to stabilize the soy. No cauliflower tops, frosting, ect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in KY Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 okay with the holidays, snow, birthdays and sickness............I am just now getting back to this problem! ..............The last batch that I tested did not seem to improve the scent throw at all............If adding that paraffin is not helping scent throw...........why am I changing my formula??????lol!Does anyone else add paraffin, in that small of an amount, to their soy?I do sometimes, but mainly for tarts to help the drying that sometime occurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProudMarineMom Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I use 464 as well and add a little 4630. Like IwantItGreen, I use it to stabilize the wax. I do color my candles and it has helped tremendously with frosting. Even after the candle has sat on the shelf for a few months. And, I can pour hotter and still get a smooth top.Right now I'm struggling with wicking. I get the best HT with the ECO's but they burn a little hot and I do get a small mushroom. The CD's burn the best for me, but I don't think I get as good of a HT.But, sometimes I just don't understand soy at all. Made some test candles with a fragrance and different wicks. One looked really good so some made more containers using the same 'recipe' and the keeper wick. Wouldn't you know it, every single one of them tunneled. Only thing I can think of is the environmental differences. I have a board I keep next to me to beat against my head.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Jump in here Stella.I'm steerin' clear of this one, Steve. I don't use paraffin and have only the most rudimentary understanding of its properties. I know it isn't as viscous as soy wax, so it burns more easily (less wick) but I have no idea of how much its inclusion in the blend would change wicking and at ?? percentage... But if I did want to use paraffin with my soy, I'd certainly be asking those same kinda questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenabug Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 thanks all. Wouldnt you know it, the one I tested yesterday,( whiskey sour)had almost no HT. I was so disgusted that I left it burning just to use up the wax in jar. Hours later I start smelling something......so I go looking thru my house and its that candle!??? No scent throw for the first 3 hrs, then on hour 4 and 5 it puts out a med HT? :confused:I am so NOT understanding whats going on! Am I the only crazy on this board?! lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricofAZ Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 This is an intriguing question. I did a lot of mixing a year ago, and for the last 6 months or so, I've been pretty much a purist of not mixing. I am of the belief that paraffin burns hotter than soy. I've seen some pretty low MP's for soy.One of the things I noticed is that the laser thermometer records lower temps in Soy before soy solidifies, meaning that it has to get closer to room temp than paraffin does to solidify. So that might indicate that MP is not the deciding factor. FWIW, I think all this is indicating that paraffin burns hotter and therefore the hotter flame creates a bigger MP.It is a no brainer that if you use a #8 wick in soy and #6 in paraffin in the same container with the same FO and dye, then a #7 would be good for a mix. However, I think it may favor the paraffin content more than the soy percentage, due to my belief that the paraffin burns hotter.Have fun testing. I think adding 10 percent paraffin to soy will have more effect on the wicking change than adding 10 percent of soy to paraffin would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 No scent throw for the first 3 hrs, then on hour 4 and 5 it puts out a med HT? :confused:I am so NOT understanding whats going on!Sounds like the MP temp finally got high enough for the FO to start throwing. Have you used this FO before with good success? When I am experimenting I always use a FO with which I am very familiar that throws extremely well in all of my waxes so there's no chance that a weak throw is the fault of the FO - it has to be the wick. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenabug Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 no, this was a scent that has never thrown well..thats why I was mixing .........trying to find a combo that made it work. I have to admit that I have never understood about wicks.................Its sounds like I test backwards from the way you do..........Its hard for me to believe that a different wick can change the whole scent throw of a candle???? I guess I always thought of wicks as a thing to adjust concerning the depth of the melt pool or how long the candle burned............So you think I should look at it different? that they affect the HT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 (edited) So you think I should look at it different? that they affect the HT?The wick affects the hot throw directly. A candle is a system. All components have to work together. If the wick is not putting out sufficient heat for the MP to warm up and throw the scent, the results will not be satisfactory. If the wick size is too large, it can burn off too much of the FO for a decent throw. Wicks can get clogged by impurities in the wax (or additives to the wax like FOs, and dyes). If the wick is clogged, it won't product heat well enough for a good HT. There's chemistry involved, too. Some waxes need a little boost from additives to have a great scent throw. Some FOs are just crappy FOs that won't throw for love nor money. Some need to cure in the wax for a period of time before they develop their full scenting potential. It's possible that too large of a wick is burning off some of the FO... Try wicking down one size and see what happens. I don't know if the 10% paraffin would make a whole size difference, but if I were having problems, I'd first try wicking down.Having said all that, if ONE fragrance oil doesn't throw for me, I surely am not going to change my wax and additives to try to force the issue. If I really like the fragrance, I get a sample from another supplier or three. If not, I move on to one of the other thousand or so fragrances that I'd like to try. Good luck! Edited March 1, 2011 by Stella1952 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 We wander in the dark with the elements of candle making. Wax and fragrance oil ingredients are mostly unknown. Hence, the more unknowns you add to the mix the darker your path. Paraffin changes the viscosity and may alter the original design of the wax blend in a cosmetic sense but rarely improves the intended results. I use a 70/30 blend (soy/paraffin) with no additives. I have introduced coconut oil and petrolatum when soy quality was brittle but otherwise I use it as intended. HTH Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenabug Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 every time I get something wicked decent with a decent HT, then I get the urge to try a new FO from a new supplier......................I really like this FO but the 435, nor the 464 works with it........thats why I was trying to mix some paraffin with it.........to see if I could come up with a combo that would "awaken" it!.............Anyone have any experience with this FO? Its called Whiskey SOur, made by Rustic Escentuals.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_35550 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Have you tried a little coconut oil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenabug Posted March 16, 2011 Author Share Posted March 16, 2011 yes i did.........maybe just a tidgen stronger....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted March 16, 2011 Share Posted March 16, 2011 Anyone have any experience with this FO? Its called Whiskey SOur, made by Rustic Escentuals..........I tried it in paraffin pillars and got almost no throw at all...hot or cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenabug Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 aww phooey.........i really like the smell.......guess I will just use it for melts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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