Pillar burning opinions needed

[thebeesknees]

Hi! I'm making paraffin pillars for the first time. I would like your opinion on if this is a good fit for wick to wax. Also, should I be rolling the sides down as it burns down further?

The first photo (sorry they are all upside down. I couldn't get them right side up.) is after 3 hrs, the second after 6hrs, the third after 9 hrs.

The flame in the pictures looks fat and wild. It truly wasn't.

Thank you!

Laura

[Vicky_CO]

That is not a bad burn and yes I would start rolling the sides in. I do it after the second burn just squeeze the tops a bit.

[Scented]

Looks fine upside down lol! If you cool it and then burn it three more hours say, see if it bulges. I wouldn't mess with it unless it starts to bulge, but that's me. 

I'm curious what the size of your rim is though and what wick you're using. 

Edited January 12, 2015 by Scented

[justajesuschick]

I dropped your pics into iPhoto, rotated them and dropped them back here. Hope this helps!

[thebeesknees]

Thank you for turning them upright, Karen.

Scented, it is 3" with LX 22. It does look like it is going to bulge on the next burn, but I'll test that tomorrow.

If it does bulge, should I go down a wick size?

[Scented]

Actually I'd try going up then to an LX 24. I found with that wick, in my wax anyway, that going up helps control the bulge. Your paraffin might differ from the concoction I use though. However, going up on an LX also means the flame gets a little bigger, particularly on relighting. 

[thebeesknees]

I'm going to continue with the lx22 today and see how it goes. If it bulges, I'll try your suggestion. Thank you all for your help!

[thebeesknees]

This is what the candle looked like after 7 hrs of burning. Is the rim too thin? I think it is, but I'm not sure.

[Guest OldGlory]

I am not the most experienced pillar maker on the board, but I will offer my 2 cents...

First of all, NICE JOB! I love the look of your pillars! Don't you love working with pillar wax?

To me, it looks like your pillar is a bit over wicked. The rim looks too thin and your are going to get an overflow pretty soon if you burn 3 hours at a time. Now, some people prefer the overflow look, so if that is what you want, you are almost there. If you are wanting the candle to roll inward as it burns you will have to reduce the size of the wick. When you get the size right and you are left with 1/4 - 1/3" rim, you can gently squeeze the top each time you blow out the candle and it will just keep on rolling inward.

[Scented]

This is what the candle looked like after 7 hrs of burning. Is the rim too thin? I think it is, but I'm not sure.

Possibly. What kind of melt pool and throw are you getting?

[thebeesknees]

Thank you, OldGlory.  I'm experimenting with surface looks, mottle, rustic, non-mottle.  I think i like the mottled look best.

And yes, i do like working with pillar wax.  It's all new to me because i've been a beeswax, soy person for so long.  

I was thinking it was over wicked.  I like having a rim.  I think it adds to the glow when it's burning.  

I'm testing the same wax, different scent today with a smaller wick.

[thebeesknees]

Scented, my melt pool is 1/2 or less.  The scent throw ( Strawberry Musk) started off being not that great in the first 3 hrs of burning, but blew me away the rest of the time.  

[Scented]

Keep burning it and see how it goes the rest of the way. I think you'll be fine. 

[Pam W]

Depending on how it does on subsequent burns, you might want to wick down one size.  I like my candles to have a full melt pool but I do watch then closely.  That said, I won't wick them like that for other people - I'll wick down just to be on the safe side.

[puma52]

Thebeesknees.....your candle looks great! Love the mottle look!

[Jcandleattic]

I missed this original post I guess, I am with OldGlory on this, it looks a bit overwicked and like you may end up with a blowout on consequent burns. My burn very similar tot he pic shown by OG, and after I extinguish the wick, I "hug" my candles, meaning exactly what she explained - I roll the warm wax in toward the melt pool so that by then end of the candle all but an inch tall stub has been burned.

I always remember the old PartyLite parties I would go to as a teen and early adult, and one of the gimmicks in their spiel was "Do you love your candles? If so give them a "hug"... And they would proceed to show you how to "hug" the rim of your candle into the melt pool to get the most out of your candle. That's where/how I learned and I still employ that technique today. (And use the line on my customers when explaining how to burn them. ) 

 

Then I pull the remaining wick (if I can) and break up the wax and use it in my melter. 

[Scented]

SM is a heavy fragrance, so I don't think there will be a blow. Depending on where she got it from, it will demand a wick up or you'll get a small flame and large walls as it goes down. What kind of wick gets used might make a difference in it flowing over though.