Quentin

Well now. Why didn't I think of that? That will probably take care of those problematic high temp waxes like the IGI 6028 I mentioned. I'm going to make a couple of assumptions from your suggestion. 1) Ditch the putty completely and just use the high heat tape with that wax, since it will go through the putty anyway. 2) When you say "burnish" it down you're saying rub it down really nice and flat over the 1/2 inch of wick that protrudes through the hole.

This makes sense, but I've been told here and read elsewhere to make sure you heat your wax to somewhere around 185-190 F and then to add the FO and the dye. Are you saying here to throw that general principal out the window? Perhaps I took the 185-190 F rule to apply across the board when I shouldn't have. One wax in particular that I use is IGI 6028 Single Pour Votive/Pillar blend. A "hybrid" is term the seller uses, I think. Information on this wax is pretty sparse. I've inquired with IGI but they've yet to respond. The only guidelines are those I've gotten from the vendor. They say heat that particular wax to 200-210F and pour at 200! When I've poured it at that temp, it is so hot that it melts the sealing putty on the mold and the wax pours out of the wick hole. One day I decided to throw caution to the wind and didn't pour it till it was around 150F. The wax still found its way through the putty. Things like this may have been what you were referring to when you said: "Be sure to compare and adjust to manufactures recommendations".

This is something with some real substance here. I'm the type that likes to have an instruction sheet or an owner's manual. I'm also the type that actually reads them and follows them step by step. I start by ripping out the parts written in foreign languages. That immediately makes the task seem much less formidable. I'll do the same with what you just gave me. This is one I'll print off and use. I might even laminate it.

The only thing I don't like about it is that when it shrinks during cooling, it REALLY shrinks. Ends up extremely concave. I then have to use the heat gun to level it off. Since I try to keep my votives at 1.75 oz, topping off isn't an option unless... I thought about this the other day. I suppose I could pour it a little short like 1.6 oz and then do a second pour to bring them up to 1.75 oz. Do you think that might work?

Reminds me of when I accidentally ordered a case of 4794 Votive Blend instead of what I intended to order. I see a lot of votives in my future.

It wouldn't surprise me to find one around here. I've bought every other gadget that eBay and Amazon have for sale.

Other than a visual observation, how would I determine that?

You also left your secret notebook in view.

I got the part right about you being an engineer. After that, I completely missed what your original post was about. I see now that you were talking about good old-fashioned troubleshooting. If I go out to the garage in the morning and the car doesn't start, I would never start to attack the problem by removing the tires, popping the hood, randomly remove parts and check them all out until I finally get to the battery. If I walk into a room, flip the light switch and it doesn't come on, I certainly wouldn't start my investigation by going around the house and changing all the other light bulbs. I can't explain why that sort of horse sense hasn't carried over to my candle making. Instead of testing one candle, I've been doing my "testing/troubleshooting" by making an entire new batch. So I really haven't been testing at all. I just thought I was! Now I will say that I don't change the wax and/or the wick at the same time. I also leave the fragrance load the same (once I've checked that I've been in the prescribed range) but until reading the posts here the last couple of weeks I had no idea that the FO could be the culprit. @Arch Rock pointed out that perhaps I was concentrating too much on temperature and not paying attention to the other important factors. He wasn't the first one to tell me that in this forum, but for some reason that was the first time the light bulb turned on above my head. Patience. I must work on patience.

Yes, I think that's wise. I suppose you can purchase a laboratory quality thermometer for who knows how many $$$$$$$$. I doubt that you would accomplish much to justify the cost.

I THINK I know what you're saying here. I'm pretty sure your occupation is an engineer of some sort from reading your posts. Would I be correct in that assumption? Let me see if I get it from a Liberal Arts point of view. Then tell me if I'm even close. This may take some time. I'll pretend I have a line of candles. The line has two model numbers. Model No. 1 & Model No. 2. Model No. 1 is a 16 oz round pillar. It is available in one color and one fragrance only. As long as I make Model 1 each time using the same wax from the same manufacturer, the same wick, and always with the one fragrance (we'll use Lavender) from the same company at the same fragrance load, then everything should turn out just the same each time. At least fairly close. Naturally, that assumes that I'm staying as near as is humanly possible to the same temperatures for adding dye and fragrance in addition to the same pouring temperature using my Wizco hot plate and my HappyJoy4U Chinese thermometer. Am I correct so far? Time for a new paragraph. Model No. 2--- my Premium Collection. Model 2 is also a 16 oz round pillar but I offer it for sale in a dazzling collection of 3 colors and 3 fragrance choices. All the other stuff about the wax, temperatures, wicks, fragrance load and equipment is just like Model 1. Both come off the same assembly line. Model 1 is my Chevrolet. Model 2 is my Buick with all the chrome and extras. My process is the same but because my Buick requires different fragrance and dye components coming from different sources, I can't make it to be a consistent reliable performer as I can with Model 1. Whew! I think that's what you just said.

How is the butter used in this application?

Or use the Velcro to hang them from the ceiling.

I've moved on from worrying about that temperature drop. I find it annoying since I want everything to work out perfectly. When I first noticed it happening, my first thought was "Oh no! I've damaged my fragrance oil beyond repair." Of course, I had absolutely nothing on which to base those feelings. Panic is my first reaction to just about everything that doesn't turn out the way I expected. I need to step back a little and remind myself that all I'm really doing is melting wax, adding some nice smelling stuff, some color and sticking a piece of string in it. It's not a crisis like a nuclear war or anything.

Very possible! This post has made my day. Really. You're a psychotherapist. I'm a psychiatric patient. What are the odds we would meet here?You used the word "focusing". Your diagnosis is right on target! A.D.H.D. A big ROFL going on here. Today will be a good day. I can see it coming. You gotta love it.

This is the method I currently use. Then I just move them from room to room as they get in my way.

What is SM3?

One of those round rotating types.

How about a spice rack or maybe these: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D12GGJ7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I bought some of these tiers to put on tables at shows. Perhaps you could use them on a shelf or in a cabinet.

Or a nice floral arrangement in the center.

Maybe so. "That is why I hate writing my thoughts because a lot of people think I am mean"--- Shelley. How could anyone think you were mean?

About how high above the candle are you holding your heat gun?

@MilosCandles Holy mackerel! That's awesome! Incredible! Extremely cool!

---- "You are being given your answer and you now have to determine something else." This one is pretty clear too. "Quentin, you idiot. You still don't get it?" [Imagine sitting in my chair when you read this one posted on a forum]