silkysoycreations

Definitely the mushroom is usually bigger on the first burn - my theory on that after watching very closely what is happening is that because you are trimming an unburned (not charred) wick - the cut flattens the wick because of the priming and makes the top flare out a bit - and when you light it you can even see sometimes that the threads in the wick split out on the edge - and THAT is where the shroom gets bigger and bigger and splits off into those hydra-type mushrooms. Its even worse if you trim with dull scissors. Since after the first burn you are cutting a charred wick - that doesn't happen, and the mushroom is smaller since the wick is not usually split out like it was on the first cut.

I'm trimming a charred wick every time...what is it suppose to be? Every wick I've used (except for zinc which has been self trimming) I've had black residue from wick all over my hands and fallin into the jar...but not sure how to avoid that. How did you know I've been cutting with dull scissors? Hehe! I had no idea how it's cut will make a difference...interesting!

Duh me...nevermind on the charred wick...I get what you're saying now.

I don't think it should take >6 hours to get a full melt pool on a ~2.8" jar.

Most of us are in the same boat.

Underwicking can also cause a mushroom. The mushroom is just unburnt fuel (wax, FO, dye) that has been sucked up to the top of the wick but not burnt off. So a mushroom can be the result of too little burning or...too much sucking...(or both).

Another symptom of overwicking (in addition to the mushroom) is a lot of smoking. I didn't see any indication of that in your pic, although I realize it's just a picture and you can't see everything that way, of course.

Glad you found a solution to the throw issue.

I guess I didn't make it clear that the FMP wasn't in 6hrs. but that's when I took the pic. I'm not real sure but I think about 4hrs. for a FMP with hang-up on 1/3 of jar...the hang up over the next couple of hours still hung around but hoping the deeper it gets it'll catch up. I guess I've been relying on not getting a FMP in a timely manner to tell me it's too small of a wick. But I think you're right and need to just double wick this jar.

Yes I did, thank you and I failed to mention that...it's in our master bath...it has made a huge difference and fragrances the entire area, 12X10.

Ok, that's what I need to hear...I have zero experience with double wicking. I need to order a sample pack of CDNs then. I had no clue how to wick it...just did something bigger than what I'd use for a 2.5" diameter and hoped for the best . Can you explain further what is telling you the wick is working too hard? I'm struggling with understanding what I need to change wick wise when I see certain things. Big mushroom I understand to wick down but that's as far as my knowledge goes on trouble shooting wick size. TIA for your feedback...much appreciated!!

I got restless and bought one at the container store in addition to the 26oz (think that's the size). I agree completely...it looks really small. The libbey's 8 oz status is a lot taller but when I asked my hubby which one had more he picked the vibe and thought it had about 3oz more than the status so that's pretty close. I looked at the 4oz vibe too but it looked like you could only fit a pebble in it, lol. Visually it just doesn't look the oz. it should hold. How did you wick it Carole?

Also wanted to add I couldn't find any place local that's carrying this style either...doesn't that seem weird?

1st burn 3hrs. 15 min. and 2nd burn 5hrs. 45 min. Total of 9hrs. so far. Thoughts? Mushroom wasn't as big this time, btw.

Here's my 2nd test burn at 6hrs. burning when pic was taken. FMP but some hang-up on the back side (1/3 with hang up). Any thoughts, comments, etc... Does anyone think so far this is a good wick for this container? I'll keep updating if this is useful info to someone out there!

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i170/workingmomathome/P8020210.jpg

Once again I'm right there with you. I've spent countless hours reading old posts in hopes of finding clues to finding a great performing soy wax. I have a mentor in a different state tell me what she uses (she wholesales her candles)...I tried it on my end and the scent throw is just ok plus it was an ugly candle. Maybe I'm just too picky and scent throw is probably good enough for potential buyers. I've even bought an Er'go candle to test and mirror but all their scents are perfume like but have fantastic scent throw for a small 7oz. container.

I'm right with you...I'm getting pretty discouraged and frustrated. I've been mainly testing with C3. I've tried C1, Golden's 402 & 444 with different wicks too...LX, Zinc, CDR, RRDs. So far I think the best throw out of the 3 is the 444 but it's an ugly looking candle. So far no scents are knocking my socks off. I'm going to test out GL's 70/30 just to see if there is a big enough difference in throw to start looking into blends. I do notice with the C3 the longer it sits the stronger it gets but still not the throw I'm wanting.

Good point...I've been testing in my kitchen which is an open floor plan to our family room...duh me! Going to move candle to our master bath...that should help...thanks!!!

For those of you interested here's a pic of a 12oz libbey vibe jar, http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i170/workingmomathome/P8010209.jpg

FMP in a little over 2hrs. This pic taken at 3hrs. 15min. Back side wasn't as deep with MP. I'm using 444 GB wax, CDN14 wick, Cinn Bun FO with one drop off coffee dye. This wax seemed promising with an awesome cold throw but hot throw is just so-so. I still haven't made anything (soy) that the hot throw is just awesome . I don't know how you guys are doing it or I'm just too picky.

That's how Jason (GB) referred to it as LP402, thank you!

I've emailed a company and asked if their wax is Golden Brand and got a reply the same day saying, "yes"...you might want to shoot this company an email and see??

Ah, sounds good...thank you very much!

Silly! You wait for the wax to set up!

geek

I understood that but here is what I've been experiencing..."limp wick" ...it has only happened a few times but it has drown in the wax towards the end of the candle life....doesn't make it to the metal tab...but only a couple of times this has happened.

It's not in a whole container full of melted wax, just a little hole. There's not many places for it to go.

Walk me through this...so you're saying don't fill a full container of wax/wick (like a regular candle) but instead fill it up 1/4, 1/2 way and poke hole for wick, wick it, heat gun it, let it set, then test?

My experience so far is I get different MP when I do a first time burn to about the last 1/3-1/4 of the container. I like to try the smallest wick possible for that container & see if the sides eventually catch up but need to keep burning the candle almost all the way down. Does that make sense? How do you know how the candle will perform unless you make a 'real' candle to test? I'm all about doing it easier so please help me understand how to test properly & get good results. TIA!

Ok, so how does the wick stay taught (sp) and not sink into the wax?

I'm self taught so probably doing a lot of things the wrong/hard way...so when you poke a hole how do you get the metal tab at the bottom so it stays?

Sounds good guys...I'm testing Peak's cinn. buns at 8% in this wax. I had something weird happen...not really frosting but about 1/2" all the way around part of the jar that looked slushy. My wick got off centered so I'm heating the entire jar and will straighten out the wick (testing new jar, wick and wax...what was I thinking?!). I'm at the point where appearance doesn't matter as much as scent throw....I can always go colorless & hide a lot of imperfections. Hubby thinks I'm crazy as he can smell everything I burn but I have to get right over the candle to really smell it (hint of it when I walk in the room).

My hubby spotted a Yankee store on our way home from dinner last night. Believe it or not I'm one of the few that has never purchased/burned one. Anyhoo, we went inside to check it out. I don't know if all Yankee candles are like this but they were not a solid color...swirly I guess is the best way to describe it. The tops were rough and had 4-5 little waxed over bubbles on top. Is this the look they're going for? The swirl was neat...how did they do that in a container? I use soy so thought maybe if I could do something like that it would help with some appearance issues I've been having. Anyone know some 411 on Yankee? Just curious.

I've read through old posts on GB's 444 and seeing everyone's FO % which is far less than the 15% FO it's suppose to hold. Can anyone explain to me why you haven't tested this max amount? I see some complaints about throw & wondered if you up'd your FO maybe that would of helped??

Ah, ok...thank you for replying!

Is there another name for Golden Brands 402?

Silk, here's the issues with the bigger LXs (the 24 and up - those that use the NTS2 treatment) in 3" with the parasoys I've tried. They never get the hangup, they burn down more than out even after many burns, and that burning down I see just compounds the hangup. If you try to power burn them instead, they start flickering and you get some soot. Thats why in the other thread (per suggestion of Shannon) I'm going to wick down on the LXs now. The hope is the wick/flame doesn't suck up so much fuel it won't tunnel down as much and stay more on the same level to give the sides time to melt down. I hope it does work, but I've tried other wicks where the ROC is less that the LXs I've used and they left the same type of hangup. For instance, the ECO 8 and 10 have lower ROC than the LX 24 - yet all three had the same issue for me - hangup, and if I let the LX go longer, I got soot. (I know the ECO and LXs are different types of wicks, but both are coreless by the same manufacturer - WEDO - so I assume they would use the same ROC-type test).

Be careful if you try to extrapolate from my or other folks results who aren't using C3 because you are using a different wax. It was easy for me to go from soy to CBA because everything was pretty much just one wick size down. With the parasoys it seems to be more involved than that to get a good balance - wish I was better at that.

I hope some day soon I'll understand what you just said...I'm going to bookmark and come back in a few weeks...we'll see then !

Just ordered the 12 oz vibe and can't wait to try it. I use 223/soy blend. In my thinking, a wick always gets hotter in the last 1/3. Well, the last 1/3 is larger, so it should work perfect. Ha!!! Will post results. Carole

I'm having a hard time finding them...where did you buy yours at?

Has anyone tried to wick this container with soy? Is it pretty difficult? My only experience is with even diameter from edge to edge/top to bottom and kind of scared to do one with any various shape to it but really like this jar.