HINTS AND TIPS


On this page we will try to cover some of the most common questions we have been asked and add to it as more arise.
 

How much wax do I need?
 
It is always a good idea to calculate wax usage to avoid wastage which is a very easy thing to do. All you need to know is the liquid capacity of your container or mould. You can then convert this to grams. So if your glass, jar or mould holds 150ml of water, it will take approx 150grams of wax and so on. Multiply by the number you wish to fill e.g 10 x 150grams = 1500grams of wax needed.
 

Which wick size do I choose?
 
Finding the exact wick size for your project is always going to be the trickiest part of the process. If you need to get a really good result, the only real way is to test the wick and keep a record so you can refer back to it.
 
The basics are that wicks are sized to fit the "width" of the candle at the widest part. The height of the candle has no bearing on the wick size as any wick can be simply cut to length. You are trying to achieve a good even burn across the top of the candle to avoid the candle burning down in the middle and leaving lots of wax on the outside.

Imagine putting a tealight size wick in a 3" candle. All you will get is a tealight size hole down through the middle. This is called tunneling and is something you are trying to avoid.
 
All of the wicks have size guides which are calculated on an unscented plain candle. Once anything is added, you usually need to increase the wick size and each wax, fragrance and colour combination could require a completely different wick even if you are using the same size container or mould.

 
When do I add fragrance and how much?
 
Fragrance is generally added at 5-10% of the wax amount and we personally think 10% is better. So for a 150gram candle we would recommend adding 15grams of fragrance oil. We also recommend weighing your fragrance oil as each scent will have a different density and therefore will weigh differently. Doing it this way will ensure accuracy of your finished items.
 
There is little point trying to add more fragrance oil than your wax can hold as it will just "sweat" out. There are products however that you can add to the wax so that you can increase the fragrance load such as Bipol-X or Vybar which can be found on the wax additives/hardeners page.
 
Fragrance should be added to cooled wax, around 55-60°c, just before pouring. Never add to hot wax otherwise it will burn off. Always make sure the fragrance oil is stirred thoroughly into the wax to avoid wax pools.

 
Why had my candle dipped or cracked?

You must never pour your candles as soon as the wax has melted. You must let the wax cool to lessen the contraction when in the container or mould. Ideally, let the wax cool to around 50-55°c and pour into slightly warmed containers. For better results, it's worth investing in a cooks thermometer which can be found here.
 
If your candle has dipped you will need to do a second pour or if you have used all the wax, you will need to melt down and start again. Some slight surface imperfections can be corrected with a hair dryer or heat gun held at a distance.


Will my candle or wax melts still smell if I add a fragrance oil with a low flash point to hotter wax?

The flash point stated on the SDS is the lowest temperature at which the liquid will ignite when given an ignition source and has nothing to do with mixing and pouring temperatures with wax and everything to do with the pure 100% oil. Liquids which have a flash point of less than 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) are classed as flammable but liquids having a flash point above that temperature are called combustible and therefore none of the oils we sell are classed as flammable.

The flash point is not the temperature at which the oil would evaporate completely during the wax making process.Therefore there is no harm in adding one of our oils which has a flash point of 43.3 °C to wax that has been heated to 80 °C and will not cause your wax products to have no scent.