Candle Making Tips

Why Do Candles Smoke?
There are many reasons why this could be happening. A few of the more common ones ar because the wick needs trimmed or the wick is too large. This makes the candle wax too hot. Also adding too much fragrance or too much color may be the cause.

Why Does The Fragrance Oil Sink To The Bottom Of The Candle?
This could be a sign of too much fragrance oil. If too much fragrance oil is added it will either fall to the bottom or pool at the top of the candle. Adding too much fragrance oil causes it to get trapped at the top or the bottom of the candle. Another reason could be that the fragrance oil is excessivly thick and heavy. Try warming the oil a tad before adding it to your wax. Fragrance should be added by weight. Add your fragrance last, just before pouring. Use a lower melt point to produce a larger melt pool so fragrances can release. Do not use too much of any binding additives.

What Causes Wet Spots And Air Bubbles?
They are caused when the wax on the outside of the candle cools too quickly and pulls away from the jar. One way of minimizing this effect is to wash and heat the jars or molds prior to pouring and make sure the candles cool slowly. Try pouring at a hotter temperature; pour more slowly and carefully. Tap the mold to release air bubbles. Keep in mind that it is difficult to eliminate these completely.

Testing The Color Of Your Candle Before Pouring.
The color of the wax when hot will usually not be the same color when it cools. To test the color before you pour your candles, simply place a small amount of wax onto a piece of wax paper and let it cool.

White Frost Marks Or Jump Lines.
Too much stearic acid was used; the mold was too cold; you poured too cold. Try using less additives. Try warming the mold before pouring. Pour at a hotter temperature.

Why Does My Wick Mushroom?
Wick mushrooming with zinc core wick is normal. This is also a good indication that the wick needs trimmed. They should be trimmed to about 1/4 inch above the wax line.

Sink Holes In The Center Of The Candle.
Shrinkage while cooling is normal. Wax naturally expands as it is heated and contracts as it cools. This is normal and unavoidable. Try warming the mold or container before pouring. Also, the hotter the pouring temperature, the more the shrinkage will be. Poke holes around the wick and refill while cooling.

Cracks In The Candle.
Candle was cooled too fast. Cool at room temperature or in warm water. Cooling in the fridge or freezer can cause cracking.

Re-Pour Layer Not Blending.
Second pour was too cool. Do the re-pour when the candle is still warm and not fully hardened yet.

Small Pits Or Pot Marks.
Too much mold release or poured too hot. Try smaller wick size. Use higher pouring temperature and poke release holes and refill. Keep the wick trimmed to ¼ inch. Less oil will reduce smoke and soot accumulation.

Wick "Drowning" Or Not Staying Lit.
The wick might be too small, or it could be getting clogged up. Also could be caused by too much fragrance. Try larger wick size. Try using less fragrance. We recommend that you use ½ ounce fragrance per pound of wax.

Flame Too Large.
Wick is too large. Try to use a smaller wick size. Also remember to trim your wick to ¼ inch before burning each time.

Flame Too Small.
Wick is too small. Try to use a larger wick size.

Melt Pool is Too Small-Leaves Leftover Wax On The Sides Of The Container:
Your wax is too hard or you are using too high of a melt point. Your wick might be too small. Try a lower melt point or a softer wax or try a larger wick size.

Flame Flickers Or Sputters:
There is water trapped in the wick from water bath or there is water in the wax. Make sure wick hole is sealed completely on the mold. Be careful not to let any water drops from double boiler get into wax.

Oil Droplets On Candles Surface.
There is too much oil in the wax. Reduce amount of oil added to avoid oil leaking or seeping out.

How To Figure Out How Much Wax Is Needed To Make The Number Of Candles I Want To Make?
It's just a little math. Each pound of wax will make about 20 ounces of liquid wax once it's melted. You will need to know how many ounces of liquid your containers (jars or molds) hold. Say you're making 8 oz. jar candles, and you want to make 15 of them. 15 x 8 = 120 ounces of liquid you will need. Divide that 120 by 20 (which is a pound of wax) and you get 6. Therefore, you will need about 6 pounds of wax to make fifteen of your eight-ounce jar candles. Always figure a little high just in case, it's easier to have some left over than to have to melt more and try to match the same color again!

How Much UV Inhibitor Do You Add To Your Wax?
U. V. inhibitor is used to slow down the fading of the color of the candle. Keep in mind that some fragrances will discolor the wax or cause it to fade more quickly. We recommend that you only use about 1/2 of a percentage. This is a very small amount. It would equal to about the same as a pinch of salt.

How Much Color Should You Add To The Wax?
Color is to your preference. Keep in mind that too much color can affect the burn of the candle. Start out with small amounts you can always add more. If you want to see the true color you are working with, once you have added the color to the wax, pour a small amount out into a Dixie cup and allow to cool. The finished candle will be slightly darker than the sample.

Remember to TEST! TEST! TEST!

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