bfroberts

You might want to try alternating where you burn your testers, and making notes of that. Some areas in my home are total dead zones, and other areas have great air flow that wafts the fragrance all over the house. And it could just be that the FO isn't a strong performer. So many things to consider.

For me, it can be anywhere between 10 & 30 minutes, depending on the container, where it is located in the house (air flow is a big factor), the particular FO, and any number of other factors. Eco wicks burn hot, and 2 Eco 8's are going to be really, really hot. That can hinder throw. A single Eco 8 or 10 should be all you need with a container of that size.

Obviously it's a good idea, but I swear...the candles I am currently making are so darn perfect, they are practically idiot proof. I woke up the other day to find I'd left one burning overnight, and the MP was still perfect, the flame was still small. It would take some doing to make them perform badly. But based on the responses I received, I will be making some care cards and I will distribute them with my wholesale orders. Thank you all for the feedback. It is greatly appreciated.

Sea Salt Blossom and Baja Cactus Blossom are both nice, and they sell well.

Good info. I had not considered that add'l info might get a look-twice that the standard warning label does not. Thank you @TallTaylI totally understand why you'd include that info. An alarming amount of people don't seem to know how to properly burn tapers or even pillar candles. I definitely need to rethink my pillars. Would you consider it in any way necessary or beneficial to include additional info for a run of the mill mason jar candle?

Do any of you guys do this? I don't, and I really don't see the need since all the info anyone needs is included on the warning label. According to social media, care cards are the thing. It also seems to be a way of shuffling blame to the customer in the event something goes wrong. I am confident in my candles so I just don't see any need for additional instructions (and the added cost of including them). I was just wondering if any of you guys are doing this and why. If I am missing something, I want to know. We are starting a new business venture and trying to cover ALL the bases. Thanks.

Try a smaller/cooler wick.

Did you keep any records for yourself, such as what was stocked/sold/etc?

Try lowering your FO % to 6-7%. 10% isn't necessary and can create problems. I think LX 18 is reasonable with a 3" diameter container w/4636. HTP & zinc will also work reasonably well if you want to give those a go just to see. Personally, I've been underwhelmed with the WWC FO's that I have tried (albeit Ive only sampled a few), and it may be that they just aren't going to throw great no matter what you do. A longer cure may be somewhat helpful, but if they aren't performing in a tart, they usually aren't good performers in a candle either. The wax itself most likely is not the problem, in my opinion.

Lowering your FO load and using the smallest wick that gets the job done can help with the soot.

Agreed. Is this “General Wax” THE General Wax? I feel like I’m missing something with these posts.

I use 6-7% across the board, no exceptions. Reputable suppliers really aren’t cutting FOs.

When I used 6006, I liked Eco 6 or 8 with containers around 3” in diameter. I’m not sure if 6006 is still the same, but that’s where I’d start testing. A 2 week cure is best. Burning too soon can be unreliable. CD and LX also worked well for me. The trick to a good clean burn IME is allowing adequate cure time, not overloading with FO (6-7% is all you need) and holding back on a full MP until the 3rd or 4th burn.

Single wick containers that size. Doubles are too much. 6006 doesn’t burn with a wide melt pool, so don’t get hung up trying to make it do what it doesn’t want to do. The MP is not a concern as long as you end with a clean jar.

Very interesting. Thank you. I haven’t seen anything like that but I appreciate being made aware. Gonna have to do some investigation. I just lit a bunch of testers to see if I could recreate and none of mine did anything alarming. In fact, I don’t see any difference in lighting a zinc vs. a CD, Eco or RRD. I wonder if there’s a difference in lighters. I’m really stumped on this one.

I have not purchased but I’ve kinda been considering it. Kohls has a similar doc dated 2021 that can be viewed here: https://www.kohls.com/media/digital/k-link/downloads/pdf/100_T-CANDLE_INCLUDING_FREESTANDING_TAPER_TEALIGHT_VOTIVE_ FILLED_ NOVELTY_CANDLES.pdf It doesn’t mention ASTM in regards to container temp. Their requirements are no greater than 140 for metal and 175 for glass. I want to think those temps are increased from their previous requirements, but I can’t remember for sure. So…a mystery.

I was wondering what you’re seeing with zinc wicks and plasma lighters. I’m using both exclusively right now and I haven’t seen anything alarming, but if there’s an issue there I may need to rethink. Thanks 😊

If you are ordering from Candle Science, the following scents always throw very well for me no matter what type of wax I put them in: Mac Apple, White Current, Sea Salt & Orchid, Christmas Hearth, Apple Maple Bourbon, White Tea, Lux Linen, Cactus Flower & Jade. There are many more but those are what immediately come to mind.

Yes, that will be way over-wicked.

I understand what you are looking for but it’s not quite as simple as you’re probably thinking. Reputable suppliers aren’t diluting FOs. Some FOs sold at lower price points can be weaker and less complex, but there are tons of great strong oils available through mainstream suppliers like Wholesale Supplies Plus, Candlewic, Rustic Escentuals, Candle Science, etc. And a fragrance being made only for candles doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be stronger. Sometimes strength can be compromised to a degree when making an oil skin safe or phthalate free, but it’s not an automatic indicator that the oil will be weak. You also cannot judge how an oil will perform based on a sniff out of the bottle. In other words, paying more and buying direct from the manufacturer isn’t a guarantee of success by any means. I could help you acquire some oils, but to be 100% honest, if you’ve been testing for years and are striking out 99% of the time, it sounds like you’ve got a problem elsewhere. Where have you been buying your supplies?

I buy directly from labs. What exactly are you looking for?

I haven’t used 6006 in a good while. I’ve heard that some of the newer batches are different so what you have may very well not burn the way I’m used to. Yes, I would think 8% would be fine unless it’s one of those FOs for which wicking down is necessary. Most all of my experience is based on using 6%, and any time I’ve tried to significantly increase FO load, all I’ve achieved is creating more soot and mushrooms, so I do think it’s worth consideration. If you’re fully cured and it’s burning as pictured at 3 or so hours, I would definitely try a smaller wick or a different series altogether. If you go with a different series I’d suggest CD. I just mentioned an Eco 8 because that’s what would typically work for me in a jar of that diameter. Looks like there’s a good chance the newer 6006 is just different, which would also explain CS recommendations. They were pretty accurate when I was using 6006, but in this craft nothing ever stays the same, unfortunately. Good luck!

I haven’t used 6006 in a while but when I did I found Eco wicks to be a great fit. But the size has to be right because even 1 size too large can be ugly. I’m not overly familiar with that jar but based on the diameter I would have started with Eco 8. It’s important to note that 6006 continues to harden for a long time. A burn after a long cure is very different than the burn of a freshly poured candle. Curing also improves the burn and results in significantly less mushrooming and soot. If you aren’t curing a couple of weeks prior to testing, I’d recommend holding off and allowing the candle more time to settle in. If you have cured sufficiently, I’d try lowering the FO load before trying a different wick.

When I blend waxes, I melt mine together. I think most people do. There are a lot of factors involved….your wax types and the percentages of each, for starters. What exactly are you trying to accomplish by blending?

I agree about Witches Brew. It’s very good.