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Severe problems with Mushrooming.


Garf

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I have gone to making candles in glass for my own use but I have had severe problems with wicks choking with mushrooming or having sooting problems from too high a flame. I use Parafin wax, either 1343A or 4625, or a mix of the 2. I have tried wire core wick and HTP wick in various sizes. My best results were with the smaller wire core wicks with the wires removed, but that gives me trouble when the wax cools and contracts. I even tried paper core wick which was a total disaster. I need help. 

 

Phil Brown

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Guest OldGlory

Both of those waxes are designed for making pillar candles, not container candles. I would suggest either making pillars with those waxes or using a wax designed for making container candles in your jars.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Most of my containers range between 2" to 2.5". I have a few that are larger. I may have made a mistake on the 4625 because one of the two waxes I use is dead soft and can be molded by hand. I need to check on that. 

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4630 should be darn near perfect with HTPs. I use that wax with HTPs and have very little trouble with mushrooming. What size HTP have you tested? I would think a 52 would be spot on. Are you using dye?

Edited by bfroberts
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Guest OldGlory

I'd like to suggest soy wax if you add no dye. I make candles for myself without FO in 464 and use wood wicks from Bittercreek North. I just love them! (464 soy wax costs less than paraffins, not to mention that they soot very little.) My poor nose is overwhelmed with fragrances and there's very little I can smell any more, so a candle without fragrance is even better for me. I can help you narrow down the wicking if you are willing to try Premier wicks.

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Give me specific jar diameter (where they are widest, not generally the opening unless they are straight up and down) for each and I can make recommendations based both on 4630 and 1343. Keep in mind some mushrooming is normal and will never be eliminated entirely though, just a byproduct of anything that burns.

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The glasses are slightly tapered from bottom to top measuring 2" to 2.5" at their widest point at the top. I have tried HTP from an assortment that range from 31 to 1312. I have tried unprimed wire core wick from a large spool with the wire removed. They work fairly well. Label is missing but it came from Michaels. 

Edited by Garf
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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Candlemaking is fun, the basic process is pretty easy to master.  However...getting the wicking right.  lololol that might put you in a nut house!!

 

Your best bet is to gather up the test pack sample size of various wicks and try a few different kinds at a time.  It is easier to do in mass when they are unscented...just mark the jars (and the wicks) well.  :)

 

Your size jar sounds like it's just a touch bigger than a votive jar, so smaller wicks are going to be the ones to test first.  Also, be sure you are testing in areas without drafts.  I have tested two jars with the SAME LX wick in them and have one mushroom and one burn fine.  I discovered that I had my jars too close together and the draft caused by the flame burning actually messed up the other candle.  It was a mistake that I had two of the same wick, but fortunately I caught that because I mark all of my wicks individually.  But I noted it because I thought it was weird. 

 

You noted that the purchased tealight wick worked well.  It's possible that it was a TL wick, they work very well in tea lights and votives.  Finding them in sizes larger than tea light size is tough....without buying masses of custom wicks anyway...

 

Don't forget about the old school wicks!!  Flat braid and square braid can usually be bought plain untabbed and unprimed in small amounts, and that makes small testing easy and affordable.  Flat braid 15 and square braid 3/0 and 2/0 burn well in small jars.  I don't think I've ever had a flat braid mushroom, I usually use them for pillar candles, but have tried them in votives off and on. 

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I don't use your wax or jars but everytime I switched waxes I would make testers in 3 of the same jars with 3 different wicks to narrow down what type worked best overall- I would then make 3 more with wick of choice in 3 different sizes - after picking the best size I would donut again and power burn the jars

Time consuming yes but it helps narrow down your wick type and then with every new scent I would test which size of that wick - I am down to 3 sizes in 2 different wick types for most all of my applications - all oils are not equal and burn different but if your not using FO it should be much easier but if you ever do add FO keep in mind they all need to be tested

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  • 9 months later...

I am beginning to think that the problems I am having are due to my burning methodology rather than my wick choice. I am going to detail my setup. I will start with an overall pic of my setup then I will detail everything. 

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The base is heavy glass and has a taper holder on the top side and is plain in the center on the bottom. The glass has spacers made from pieces of auto vacuum hose to allow airflow at the base. The container has a spacer under it made from an inverted tuna can to insulate the container from the base.  

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Here are closeup pics of the spacers on the glass. They are starting to get a little frayed and will need to be replaced soon. I have some better tubing to use next time. One pic is the glass inverted , the other upright with the camera almost even with the counter. 

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Edited by Garf
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