boogieluv

lol.This only feeds my OCD tendencies!

No drafts. The other flames I just lit are steady. I guess its back to the drawing board!

In my 3"+ straight-sided tumblers, the flame always changes about midway down the container. Is this to be expected even with the "right" wick? Deal breakers for me are excessively tall, flickering, and sooty flames but what about the ones that may sputter a little, bob about and/or burn sideways even with a nice 1/4"+ deep MP. Is that to be expected or is it a sign of over- or under-wicking?

ChandlerWicks - what kind of wicks did you use? Was wicking a problem or pretty easy? According to CS's new wick guide, with the exception of 2.5 - 3" diameter candles, they recommend the exact same size LX wicks across the board so I'm expecting that finding a wick for Cajun's blend should be pretty straight forward.

I'm currently very happy with a 4627/4786 blend that ChandlerWIcks suggested but was wondering if anyone has tried or is currently using a blend of 60% 4786 with 40% 4633 that Cajun Candles claims they use to make their candles, or any other 4786/4630/4633 blend. I happened upon 50lbs of 4627 very cheaply, however, as I'm already half way through the 50lbs it would be more cost effective for me to switch to 4633 or 4630 with 4786 since I can get them either of them in 10lb slabs for about 100% shipping cost via USPS Priority flat rate. I live in Hawaii and have gotten estimates from suppliers all over especially on the West Coast but they all come out about the same --anywhere from 151% to 250%+ in shipping costs via USPS for 25lb to 50 or 60lb cases of 4627. Yes, you read that right --its not cheap to live in "paradise". I'm just a small time operation so I don't need large quantities of any wax and I'm happy to receive my shipments 10lbs at a time if its the most cost effective method. Of course, because of the consistency of 4627, no one offers them in quantities less than 25 lbs with the exception of the 2lb samples from Peaks. So I guess my question is, should I stick with my current 4627 blend or switch to a 4786 with 4630/4633 blend? Is the extra cost worth the benefits of 4627 or are there too many trade-off with 4630 or 4633? I'd love anyone's experience or insight!

Good luck! Let me know how it goes. I can also suggest some Premiers and zincs that may also work depending on your container size.

Definitely harder. I like that I can trim my wicks without worrying about messing up the top of my finished candles. I don't have much experience with other waxes but this combo is definitely more opaque than straight 4627 but still capable of giving off rich, vibrant colors. Creamy? I guess so. I'm not sure what that means but it looks a lot like pure 4627 just harder. If you're looking for any trade-offs with blending with something 4786, I really can't think of any. In my opinion, the throw is amazing, maybe even a little better. And after being hard-headed about lowering my FO% (after all, more is better right?), I've finally jumped on the 1oz per lb bandwagon with no regrets. Finally, the biggest benefit --wicking is sooooo much easier!! I was getting really frustrated and feeling very defeated. Thank you so much to ChandlerWicks for suggesting the blend and putting me on the right track!

Congratulations, MrsM! It may not be like finding a cure for cancer but it sure does feel great doesn't it? Good luck with all your candles!

That's one of the things that I like about the LXs - the flame. It may be on the small side but very full-bodied. It'll grow bigger the longer it burns. If you're using straight 4627, I'm not surprised about going up to a 24. I'm burning a 24 now and that's with 60% 4786.

Depending on the container size, I use LXs, zincs, or Premiers.

Right now, I'm burning one with LX-18 and one with 20. Definitely try the 18.

I totally understand where you're coming from. That's why between test burns, I don't trim my wicks because I don't think my customers will either. And so far with the LX wicks, I haven't found a problem with flame height like I did with HTPs. Of course, the largest container I work with is 3" in diameter so I'm not dealing with very large wicks to begin with.

If your worried about a taller flame with a larger wick, try trimming your wicks shorter. When I first start my burn test, if a flame is too high, I extinguish it, trim it a smidge and relight. Works every time.

Hi Kinesis - I'm so glad you found success with the LX wick. Good luck with your wax, FO, and deadline Jfear - I got the same results with HTPs no matter what wax and containers I tried it with. I don't even bother testing with HTPs anymore.

After so much difficulty wicking straight 4627, I decided to try ChandlerWicks suggestion of 60% 4627 with 40% 4786. I'm currently doing burn tests with 6% FO and a dark dye. The color is not as vibrant but I actually like the depth of having something a little more opaque since I prefer strongly colored candles and this allows me to use less dye. The throw is awesome. Glass adhesion is a non-issue --I've been heating my containers but I've found that even if I don't, I still don't have any problems with wet spots especially with small to medium containers. I like that I can trim my wicks without disturbing the wax around it. I do find that I have to do a second pour --regardless of whether I heat my containers or not-- which I really don't mind. I had to do that anyway with straight 4627. No sink holes but just a very slight dip towards the center that would probably be imperceptible to customers. However, once I noticed it and corrected for it with a small repour, it made all the difference in burn tests.