bfroberts

Def. try the larger Premier sizes like 790 & 798. Yrs ago I worked with 464 and the Premier 798 in apothecaries. I never really got there but it was close. The waxes have changed a lot since then so it just might work. You can get bags of 12 Premier wicks for $1 from Aztec.

That's the one I've been waiting for! I've got so many blends in mind. I just ordered. Thank you!

I think the major change was when they went to "clean scents." Many of the standards were discontinued and they came up with clean replacements, some of which are just really off-putting. Now all the scents seem to have a similar undertone to my nose...kinda like all BBW products have a common undertone. Or maybe it's just me. I had a few of the old scents duped. Although the dupes aren't all 100% the same, I am happy with them and they perform well. I haven't noticed anything different lately. Like a glutton, I still buy samples whenever they come out with something new. Old habits...

I like LX wicks in 4630. For better results, cure several days before testing, don't overload with FO or dye, and don't aim for a full melt pool within 3 hours on the first couple of burns. IIRC, LX 18 usually does the trick for me in a 3" tumbler.

I guess I'm a fan now too. Super easy to wick and they look great with black lids.

I've been selling mason jar candles in our store for years. I've used various scents and waxes over the years but generally always in masons. I like to use containers I can source locally to save on shipping, and I have used other more high end containers here and there, but the masons always sold best (maybe because we are in the mountains? idk). This winter I found a big stash of 9ox hex jars at a thrift for super cheap. I really don't know why I bought them. I've never really liked those jars. The Home Interiors vibe, I guess. I finally got around to pouring them last week, and the minute I put them out to sell they started flying off the shelves. I never expected it. Over the course of the week, I couldn't make them as fast as they were selling. So the point of this post is, don't be afraid to try something new even if you don't really love it. These hex jars sold so well and so quickly that I've just had to order more, and I haven't ordered any jars online in a really long time. You just never know.

😲 For goodness sakes, that's insane. Get the base from The Candlemakers Store. It's great. If memory serves, the ingredients are the same or very close, but I prefer the base from TCS.

You do a great job! Thank you!

I know exactly what you mean. I wick consecutively and I used to fear customers would consider the candle a dud if they didn't get a big melt pool and a knock your socks off throw immediately. In my attempts to create a safe power-burnable candle, I found out that more conservative wicking truly does make a superior candle. One that burns cleaner and produces a more pure scent - from top to bottom. I've never had anyone complain about lack of throw but I have had customers remark on how clean and "perfect" the candle burned from top to bottom. It took me a really really really long time (years) to get here

If it needs a smaller wick in the center, it really just needs a smaller wick. Don't get hung up on getting a full melt pool at the top.

Yep, but it can go both ways depending on the wick type. In one way or another, the wick that works shortly after pour doesn't usually end up being the wick that is appropriate after a good cure.

I have sold a lot of status jar candles with 6006 over the yrs. It can successfully be done. 3" diameter is really not a hard container to wick at all as long as you are realistic about the melt pool. You should have some hangup for the first few burns. Also, with 6006 you really need to allow the wax to cure at least 10 days or more. It will look totally different after 3 weeks than it does after 3 days. The burn quality is substantially improved with a longer cure. I have used a lot of wicks with 6006...zinc, LX, CD, Eco, HTP. I prefer a non-curling wick for a more symmetrical melt pool in this style container, but all of the types mentioned work well and are pretty simple to dial in. A good cure is essential. I wouldn't double wick a 3" container.

6006 doesn't burn with a wide melt pool like soy and some other waxes. It burns down and then outward, creating a deeper but narrower melt pool. If you wick for a full melt pool in the first part of the jar, it is going to be massively over-wicked in the bottom half of the jar. Correctly wicked, it is going to look different than what you may be used to with 464. I like to have some hangup until about halfway down the jar. That usually keeps the jar temp moderate, the throw good and you end with a clean jar. Try 51z if you have some of those.

In my experience... 1. Smell OOB is not necessarily indicative of the final result. I've had some nose burner oils that were lackluster in wax and some light scents that came alive when in wax. I don't judge an oil from a bottle sniff alone. 2. Those high FO loads are a waste of money, in my opinion. Super high loads (10-12% or more) can create excess soot & mushrooming and/or wicking problems without actually increasing the throw of the candle. A good oil that makes the cut with me will have a strong throw at 6-7%. There are tons of oils out there that are just meh...no matter how well made the candle. Some are better suited to B&B than wax. Some are just softer, lighter scents by nature or composition. It may take a long time and a ton of testing to create a lineup that performs to your satisfaction. That's why we all have wayyy too may oils. 3. Soy generally has a better cold throw than paraffin. Just the nature of the beast. Keep the candles lidded as they cure.

With a 6% fragrance load, Eco 1, 2 or 4 work, but it does largely depend on the FO. Cure 2 full weeks before testing.