Oh-MYo

Years ago we used to make jelly and melt parraffin to seal the tops of the jars. Now had we been trying to seal the jars with soy shortening, that would have been a different matter. You could also print out the MSDS sheets for both soy and parraffin and compare them. I just googled them both and then lost the plot. I am sure you can find them again. Here's another question, sort of along the same line; soy shortening does go rancid, does parraffin?

I got an Odor Eliminator candle last Christmas, made by some other brand. It also had a round rod of the scented wax which was inserted away from the wick. But parrallel if that makes any sense. I didnt understand then any more than now why that would make it an "odor eliminating" candle. I think the scented rod was rosemary and eucalyptus but the rest of the wax was uncolored and unscented. I look forward to reading how such configurations are supposed to be better at eliminating odor as opposed to a candle that is all made of scented wax.

I am certainly not in favor of the candle or home scenting industry being regulated. I have always felt that rules were a poor substitute for common sense. So yes, each individual gets to make their own choices about what they tell potential customers who ask. In the same way that each potential customer gets to choose whether he thinks the merchant thinks he's an idiot, and where he will take his dollars based on that. Candle making is a rapidly growing business. Which means competition is springing up just as fast. Whether you are buying candles, supplies, groceries or any other item who would you like to buy from? the people who are happily making the best product they can and operating in integrity and honesty? I know I would. I wonder, when you see the Reeses Peanut Butter Cups that cheerfully say on the front: "Made With REAL Peanut Butter!!!" Are you happy that they are actually using the real stuff as oppsed to the crappy fake peanut butter; or do you think they already think of the average consumer as an idiot who is easily influenced? I have never heard of synthetic peanut butter either but it does highlight the fact that it is so easy to tell a half truth or a misleading part of the truth and still think youre "smellin like a rose" but it only takes a 4 year old to know that the trust factor has just flown out the window. No offense to anyone. Interesting to see just how many people care about this, evidenced by the length of this thread.

Part of the original comment: "When they want soy, I tell them it is a soy blend. When they want parrifin, I tell them it is a parrifin blend" Whether a customer wants soy or parraffin, what they want first of all is honesty. The only part about the statement that is true is that it is a blend. Just because it contains soy doesnt make it a soy blend. Just because it contains parraffin doesnt make it a parraffin blend. A soy-parraffin blend would be honest. Or para-soy. But what would I know? I'm just another witless consumer.

Yep, that's what it's all about. Wickless candles are for sissies!...Oooops. just kidding, didnt mean to say that out loud.

The point is that you may not know why someone is asking "is it soy/is it parraffin? All you can really know is your own facts about the candles and how and what they were made from. And your own direct knowledge and experience are the most valuable to share with a prospective customer, far superior than parrotting the tag lines of any marketing board. We have all been pitched to and fed half truths by overzealous marketers and we know it when we see it. When we see it in a supposedly self enployed chandler, we are really just seeing another clone of big business. I'm sorry if that sounds unkind. It's just that I treasure the fact that opportunities abound for even the "little guy" to do what they love and market their products. And these are the people I like to buy from. Actually explaining the truth and showing your own passion for your product us such a great way to build customer confidence, even repeat business that I fail to understand why someone would do anything but. Sorry, I meant to edit my last post but couldnt find an 'edit" button

As a witless consumer I may not know the actual properties of various waxes but I do understand the word "blend" If having recieved an answer such as "soy blend" without further explanation, I would deduce that the person either doesnt know what it is blended with, is trying to actually hide part of the truth or just wants me to fork over my money or go away and stop asking questions. In short, someone whom I would not buy from. Any time a customer actually shows enough interest to ask a question they are handing you a golden opportunity. Why not treat it as such?

So long as we are into confessions, I too am Power Burner, if a little unsure of the meaning of the term. So long as I am home and not in bed a candle is burning and in all likelihood, the same one. If that's a power burner, then I am one. I trim wicks only when they get that orange glow on the end or the musrooms, also glowing orange. And not a minute before. If a flame is burning too high I add wax chips rather than waste the wick. I dont blow out my candles to trim either and end up with little black bits in my melt pool. Sometimes I fish out the bits with a Q-tip or other less flammable tool. If the wax is too dark for me to see the bits they stay there until the candle burns low enough to go to the "remelt station" where they get filtered out with a piece of pantyhose. I am not a professional chandler, just a witless customer who likes to burn every last bit of wax that she buys. Its like gold. Witless customers can think of dozens of ways to burn candles and I am pleased that ya'll are so consciencious about making and testing your products to be as safe as possible under as many conditions as possible. Next?:embarasse

Now that sounds interesting! Do you mean duct tape? or is it...aluminum? It sounds good to me, I just would like to know what section to look in. Thanks in advance.

First of all, I am wondering; did you write the company to complain, including the pic? Or give them a chance to apologize. I know it's fun to talk about crappy candles that we have bought because we have all gotten some doozies. If it was a fairly expensive candle I am thinking that the makers are charging for the name. A name whose value they have an interest in preserving. Perhaps the wrong wick got placed in that candle, a Monday or someone having a bad day. It happens. Maybe the quality checker went on vacation. Maybe the person who shipped them wicks labelled them wrong. Maybe they would like the opportunity to rectify the situation. Maybe they started out with the same passion for making good candles as so many of you here. I have found that the general guideline about burning an hour for every inch of diameter is only a loose guideline. Depending on the wax, FO, or the many other variables it can take a lot longer. So if it was underwicked that would have been abundantly clear after the first 3 hour burn. By your pics there is every reason to assume that was the case. I am not doubting you. I guess since I have bought a lot of cheap candles I am pay attention to what is happening with a candle and if I were in that situation, I would have trimmed the wax off because the wick clearly wasnt there to burn it. And a second burning would have created a situation I didnt want. A lot of people buy and use candles differently. Some like that shell look, some just buy them for decoration and smell and never burn them unless the electric goes off. So it's pretty hard to make a candle that will make everyone happy. Personally I would like to hear of an update after you write them. They might not care, but then they might. You would.

Yep, I have been using my 2 dollar follower on a cheap department store 3" pillar and it is working fine. It only gets as warm as the wax gets on the top outside of a burning pillar, soft enough to hug so I am assuming it is the weight of the follower that pushes the outside down. Along with a little reflected heat. The general rule still applies about burning an hour for every inch of diameter. Now I know why those church services are so long.....lol I have also seen them in glass online, although they are hard to find. Ceramic would do well I would think. I have been racking my brain trying to think of what household items would work. So far, all I have come up with is the ring part of a canning or jelly jar. Which is pretty much what my follower looks like except without the threads on the inside. In true OhMYo fashion I am going to do a little experimentation. Today I am going to pour a pillar with container wax to test the concept. Oh my I can hear the gasps from all you pros. I stand corrected on the melt point of beeswax candles, just parroting what I have read. Maybe its about the dripping. I will take pics and post later

Well, youre just not going to please everyone. Likely your best measurement would be what YOU like. There are just so many variables to what makes a candle burn great and what people like in their candles. I have a big peeve about a flame too high. Also about it being too low. A half inch to 3/4 of an inch is my margin. I only make candles for my own use and typically overwick rather than underwick, only because I can control the burn better. if it is burning too high, I just add some small wax chips or beads to the melt pool. As for those big honkin 26 ounce mason jars, no offense meant anyone, I just dont like the flame starving and fluttering as it burns lower to the bottom. So if it's a candle I have been gifted that is about the time I will remelt for another candle. For my own use, I use 2 1/2 and 3" metro jars, the ones with the straight sides that allow the wax to burn right to the sides and not get smokin hot at the same time. A lot of people buy candles just to look at and almost never burn them. A lot of container candles are very pretty to look at but lousy to burn. Hazardous even. So what's best is whats best for you.

Lucky you. If it was me, I would be melting them to make chunks for chunk candles. Then you can still scent the wax that you pour in around the chunks. Now I just make candles for my own use and break a lot of cardinal candle rules but I find that its stuff like this that helps me learn new stuff. Be bold, Have fun :-)

Funny how the universe responds to my interests. I recently bought a 3" candle follower at my local Michaels craft store, marked down on clearance for $2.00. This was on the exact same day that I discovered that there was such a thing. At Micheals it was packaged as a "candle decor ring" I found that the few pillars I did have were less than 3 inches so I substituted using the screwed part of a 2 part jelly jar lid. And to my delight it worked just fine. I have never really cared for pillars because of the tunnelling, hugging, blowout and other issues. But as I understand it, a simple ring on the top of your candle deals with all of these problems. Who'da known? The candle followers are classically used with beeswax pillars because of a lower melt point. Hence, most likely found in church supply stores. Now if I could only find, say square followers or even adjustable ones. The design is really very simple and the follower itself never gets really hot. In my opinion, a vastly underdeveloped part of the market.

Once upon a time people did used to melt crayons for color. These days most crayons have way too much plastic in them. They will clog a wick in no time. If you are using cheap colored candles you could find the darkest colors possible, chop them up small and keep adding bits of colored wax until you have the color you wish. As for straining old wax I find a piece of old pantyhose works great and gets all the little burned black bits out. If it's a new candle you just have to remove the wick itself. Unless of course they have put weird things in the wax like seashells or leaves. If your parents dont mind you experimenting with burning things ;-) there are many things you could experiment with. Google brought up this page on a search for "non traditional candle wicks" http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20030235797.html Coffee filters....hmmmm. Obviously someone wants to patent it, which I find is a hoot. Patent creative uses for coffee filters? I have done a certain amount of my own experimenting with wicks. Have tried popsicle sticks and veneer, have tried those reed thingies from reed diffusers, tried dry pithy sticks from trees, rolled up wax paper and paper towel. Still find that traditonal wicks give me the best consistent burn. Traditonal Japanese candles use "rush fibres at the core with specially prepared paper coiled around it": Traditonal Japanese homes were built of paper and wood so they were pretty concerned about a safe candle. http://www.pingmag.jp/2006/05/30/japanese-candle-making/ Anyway, have fun experimenting. Let us know if you discover something cool.

well, no actually I was looking for cotton probably---like regular candle wicks----only wide..lamp wick might work---but would surely be an overwicked candle, yes?

Hi all. it's been some time since I was here last. New idea: Now the wood wick idea just sucks. I know cuz I have been all over it, upside down and sideways. The one thing I did really like about it was the wide pretty flame. So is there out there a wide wick, half inch or so? As I understand it flat wick is braided so that it bends over as it burns, which may or may not be a good thing. I have experimented by priming several wicks together, even binding them together with cotton thread. So that they stay flat. Some success although I am still playing with it. So is there any wide wick out there?..or any other ideas on how this wide pretty flame can be accomplished? Nice to see ya'all again :-))

I too bought one of those expensive Woodwick candles...I just had to have one! The whole idea was fascinating to me. One was enough. I didnt see it as a fire hazard because I just dont like a high candle flame. And since it is wood, you have to keep it trimmed REALLY low so it wont smoke. You also have to be there ALL the time so it doesnt begin to burn too high and start smoking again. hence--the "wick" has to be trimmed REALLY low--so low that the flame gets drowned the second you breathe on it or move the candle. I ended up melting the candle down for the wax and throwing out the last half of the wick. Pretty flame though--and yes it did crackle..well..sort of more like a hiss.

Hi all. What can I do with crooked wick? I bought some bulk wick at Michaels that was basically rolled up in a bundle, not around a spool...just like twisted around 2 fingers then popped into a little bag. Now it has little bends in it. I prime it with wax and make sure it stays straight in a fold in wax paper as it cools and leave it that way overnight. Sooo--it's nice and straight when I place it in the candle, I keep it tight as the candle cools and even though I have struggled with this sixteen ways from Sunday, once I burn it and the wax starts to melt, wherever the bends were previously, thats where they show up. I can accept a wick that bends over slightly as it burns but this is bending almost over into the wax so I end up getting a wimpy little flame. Even if I pop it up straight with wick trimmers, it bends over again within a few minutes. Is this just crappy wick or is there something else I can be doing to solve the problem? I am burning container wax and I am not sure what kind of wick it is except that it is NOT zinc core. Should I just pitch it? Thanks all....shera

I am officially giving up on wanting to create a wood wick! I got an OVC WoodWick candle on ebay mostly cuz I really wanted to try it and to see how difficult it would be to duplicate. This after several months of experimenting on my own. PROS first to be generous. I did like the pretty wide flame. The gentle hissing/crackling of the wood was nice...although it didnt add much to the effect----great for marketing I guess. The jar itself was pretty--more of that in Cons. Great hot throw and cold throw. Immense melt pool--up to 3/4 inch deep in some places and extending to the edge of the glass---see further. Clearly I am reviewing the wood wick idea as well as OVC's ww candle. CONS: First that pretty hourglass shaped jar. Purdee ..until you burn it. I think it is the shape that allows hangup on the sides as wax only hangs up on the top half where the outward flare is. It certainly isnt because the candle is underwicked. I had thought of keeping the glass just to pour other candles in--but having learned that, I dont think I want to. Now the wick. As cool as the idea sounds, the fact is that unless you keep it brutally trimmed you will have a bonfire flame as well as a smoking one. The instructions on the candle suggest to keep it trimmed to 1/8 inch and I concur. I burn a flame no more than an inch high and most of the time it's 3/4 or less. As such it needed constant watching to be sure it didnt turn into a smoking torch. I trimmed most often by scraping my wick tool across it--chipping tiny pieces of wood off basically. I could have blown it out and waited till it was cool..but the flame would rise too high before I could get a good melt pool diameter..which would have given me more hangup. Soot in my wax doesnt really bother me that much...I know, I know it's a safety issue but I also know I'm not the only one. Hangup itself was actually minimal---again--only about 1/8 inch and only in a few places.---it's just that it makes it less pretty. Now here is the thing that I would have never thought of unless I had burned one. having a wick that is 1/8 inch high---or less means that it easily extinguishes even by simply picking up the candle. I had even extinguished it by breathing on it once--although I had a nice 1 inch high flame at the time. So for those who dont like them--I'm with you. Others dont always care about the same things though. Clearly quite a few people do like them. So, I gave it a good honest try. Now I know. Hope you find this helpful. For those of you who still wish to experiment....dont give up--you might just create the perfect wick:grin2:

Yes please, I'd love to see it. I will probably "save" about half of my OVC candle wick just because I wanna see it myself. But I am happy that others are eager to experiment too. More brains.. Also a pic of the candle tab might be helpful. One other thing I am wondering-----if the wick is shorter than the top of the container--how do we actually keep the top of it perfectly straight?

Great! Thanks for trying that. I loved the idea of using wire cutters to cut the....wick. Never thought of that. I have been racking my brain looking for the right kind of.."wood" wick to use. I have had moderate success with popsicle sticks. Well, some burn great, even crackle.....others...well, they look kinda like your burning pics. Not uniform wood<grrr> I have tried skewers too....kerrrrap! I have tried incense sticks.....just a little better than kerrrrap. They started great but drowned out way too fast--and this in a votive sized candle. I have tried rattan reeds like they use for reed diffusers....kerrrap too! I tried a piece of the skinniest part of a cedar shim....again, wouldnt burn hotter than that wimpy little glow. I tried some pine veneer that we happened to have but it had glue on the back of it---maybe fire retardant or something....kerrap again! So I growled and bought one of those damm OVC WoodWick candles off ebay. It just came by UPS yesterday so I havent tried it. The wick looks about 3/4 the width of veneer and about the same thickness. I am thinking it might help to prime the wick with parrafin oil. So it soaks into the wood fibers. Maybe it's hardwood like mahogany or something. Now, I'm looking for some unglued hardwood veneer--or might try the cedar shim again...primed. I just really like the wide flame..it's so pretty.While the patent on wood wicks hasnt been awarded yet and OVC is producing the only wood wicks for their own candles.... . So, I'm not ready to give up.....the frustration passes dear.....lol Thanks for sharing your ideas...will pass on mine when I get some success......See ya in the asylum:tongue2:

yessiree you can melt them down. In my house, wax is like gold. I too seem to have a perpetual box of candles, since I'm such a candle nut people keep giving me candles. Only, they dont seem to quite understand that I dont do pillars..and that's what they give me....lol I have had such fun with them that I take to buying any old pillar as long as it's a great deal..and my box seems to be getting fuller rather than emptier....lol I have added crisco, petroleum jelly, even plain old vegetable oil to lower the melting point for my container candles. Mind you I am a strict amateur and only burn them myself. BTW, I got a great deal on ebay yesterday, 10 lbs of soy container wax for $2.00 US. Ahh..shipping is $30 though. oh well. Have FUN!

Now please dont feel I want to turn this into a contest. I just want to clarify a few things of my own. The kind of wax I use---anything at all. I often shop half price sales and get 23 oz container candles for $4. Even though I wont burn huge big honkin candles, there is a lot of wax for me to repour into my own configuration. I will sometimes mix in a little pillar wax from sale candles if I have some. Why dont I burn big candles? Several reasons; more chance of soot on glass walls--even using those fancy dancy long candle lighters. Occasional air flow problems when they burn down low--which can also contribute to soot. I'm not saying others shouldnt--its just my own preference. I have never had a glass crack from a "floating" wick; possibly because I purposely choose heavy glass. To me it just makes good safety sense. Apart from that I dont see any reason for a wick tab to move; even if it is in a totally melted pool of wax unless the candle is picked up at that point---but who would do that? And why?! Asbestos fingers? And if I have to repour anyway, slipping a straw(or copper tubing) out of the center takes less time than trimming the wick--which by the way I dont need to do. The straw supports the wick so it doesnt have to be any longer than what I need it to be when the candle is finished. I'm not saying my way is the only right way or your way is wrong. With copper tubing---as per original post, one can easily glue the tab down even with the copper tubing over the wick. Pour. Support so it is totally vertical. Cure. Remove tube, repour. You say tom(ay)to. I say tom(ah)to. There is more than one way to skin a cat...etc etc. I guess what I'm saying is that it works for me. I've seen your candles---they're great.

Hmmm..am I to assume then that I am the only one who has ever had a problem with wicks going crooked no matter how I attach them at the top? Now let me say that I am just an amatuer. I only make my own. I even pour at a lower temp, most notably I dont add FO. I normally dont attach my wick tabs and 90% of the candles I have ever bought did not have the tabs attached in any way to the container. I learned somewhere, perhaps here, that poking relief holes would fix this problem. Does no one poke relief holes then either? I found it to be tedious---so tedious in fact that I quit too soon and still got a crooked wick. In burning my candles made using a straw I find no air pockets(nor crooked wicks)--which is what the poking relief holes was supposed to be all about. Since the straw itself is basically one big relief hole it seems to have killed 2 birds with one stone. Maybe I have just been lucky so far. Rather than being an extra step, for me anyway, it makes it easier and saves me steps. For the record I only make and burn container candles because they are that much more stable.