amyrose2712

Hello, a few years ago I started making soy candles, and like many of you, after making my first batch I believed the hype and had big plans. Well after much testing(and testing and testing...) I have still not sold any candles. It is defiantly not the simple throw a wick in it process it at first appeared. Anyway, I have just started up after and a hiatus(or 2) and I still have a few questions about testing. Here it goes:

1. When coming up with a line of candles, do you settle on one type of wick and stick with it, or do you test different wicks for each new scent?

(What I have been doing is testing 2 of each container size with LX vs HTP and using the better performer.)

2. When testing a new scent, how much do you normally purchase to start?

3. I purchased about a qua-zillion 1 oz CS FOs during the sale, but I didn't think clearly during the FO addiction haze, so I only purchased one of each. How should I go about testing with such small amounts? Should I make 2 (LX and HTP) 8oz tins at 8%( I seem to have a harder time achieving a hot throw) or just try my luck with one 16 oz apothecary at 6%? OR should I just break down and get enough of each to test 2 of each size?

Ok I guess that is it for now. By the way I use EcoAdvanced I have been considering changing waxed but I have put so much time in this one I just haven't been able to make the switch. I'll take advice on how to transition to a new wax. Thanks in advance and sorry for all the questions.

Forget it can i delete this post?

I keep finding Mango Peach Salsa.

Why oh why, must you tempt me with these high end fragrance oils. YIKES. I WANNA TRY THEM!!!!

When I used CBA, I ended up using the LX wicks but I only use jar containerd-not tins. LX seemed to be most consistent with that wax. Now I use C3 and LX does not work as well in this...hth

Do you like C3 better I'm thinking about changing, but I have put sooooo much into this CBA if I change now things will not be pretty in this house!

point?

Do you use multiple brands of wicks to get a good throw? I don't mean wicking up or down, but maybe an HTP for one FO and a LX for another. And how many wick types will you test at once. Also, if you make 8oz tins what have you found to be best wick for this, my best combos seem to be either LX24 or HTP104?I have, like many discovered that ADV is difficult. But as of now I'm going to continue working with it. I do have quite a list of keepers. Also, I may even move to para-soy, now that i know most of the hype about the soy is green-washing. Thanks.

during test burn. It only occurs in the last inch of the burning wax. I use Eco Advanced wax. I noticed in multiple FO at various %. Does anyone know what this is? Am I not stirring enough? Or is it a temperature issue? Thanks.

I just leave it sitting there. I close out the window. I've gone back three weeks later and it still was sitting right there

Oh I suppose you don't clean your cookies everyday. My browser does it automatically when I close. So I'll just have to tie my self down until then.

LOL same here , but my cart is sitting there ready for me to push " order" !

OMG! I hate that I have to wait until Friday!(Payday)

YAY! Just got my mail! WOOHOO! Like I need more samples to play with. Is there a Fragrance Anonymous ? I think I am still addicted. I have curbed my sample purchases, but yelled WHOOHOO! when I got my email like it was the best news I have ever received.

If you click on their Newsletter signup link, you will see a list of the emails they have sent out over the past several years. If you read the titles of the emails, you will see that for the last three years, the sale has been the third week of March.

Good thinking, Thanks.

They usually do two per year - once in Spring & once in Fall. Maybe soon?

Yeah, that is what I was hoping for. There are some I wanted to try but I have a terrible feeling if I get them now, the sale will start the next day!

Is it something they do yearly? Thanks.

Yea, I thought maybe those FO with higher specific gravity would need a larger wick than one with a smaller sp.Gr. It doesn't seem to work that way thoough, thanks.

Companies that publish wick ROC do so by using a wax they select for the test and they try to keep the wax the same for multiple tests. Not all companies use the same wax. Most don't tell you specifically what wax is used so your wax may vary. That's why the ROC charts are just a guideline.

The viscosity is what gets the wax moving in the wick along with the burn capability of the mixture that you mix minus the impurities and wick capping.

So that means:

1. A more viscous wax / mix (FO and Dye and additives) will move faster through the wick than a thicker viscosity.

2. A mix that burns and consumes faster will vacate the wick and allow more mix to be drawn in faster.

3. Impurities will clog the wick and slow down the burn. Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.

4. A wick that 'shrooms or carbon caps (usually from FO) slows the flow.

So sometimes I filter my wax. One of those restaurant style grease filters does a great job. Make sure the wick is not carbon capping or 'shrooming. http://www.webstaurantstore.com/10-paper-grease-filter-cone-50-box/121100.html

I get a pretty mean HT with EO's by filtering before adding the EO.

Specific gravity is just the density of your mix compared to water. Not the same as viscosity. http://www.csgnetwork.com/specific_gravity_viscosity_liquids.html

It depends on the wax some move better than othrps there are charts but only for reference. And usually the only charts are for parafin.

I use CBA and I am aware of the HT issues. I am thinking about trying another wax again. I did try a few when I first started and really loved the was the CBA looks. And I know there are as many answers to this question as there are waxes, but I want to see what others have done after giving up on the CBA. Now that I have a much better and more organized testing system I would like to test another wax. To those who have left the CBA for another wax which have you switched to and got the best results. I guess I am mostly interested in those that use the 8 oz tins. Because contrary to all that I have read, I have had great luck with getting the CBA in a 16 oz Apothecary. Thanks. Sorry, my brain is running a bit manic tonight:shocked2::yay::p.

http://www.candlescience.com/learning/wick-guide.php

Don't treat it as "gospel"

You might also try a CDN10, which from what I understand may give you a bigger melt pool. Not sure about the heat, etc. I am just now pouring some containers that will have CDN10 to test.

Last year I decided to test only HTP and LX because they seemed to work best with the CBA and the FO I was using, mostly CS. But I feel that I may be missing something but not testing the other wicks. I am mostly testing 8oz travel tins and 16 oz apoth jars. I have CD ECOs and RRDs available. Any advice here? I'm wondering should I make a tester for each wick all at once or should I just stick with testing using the LX and HTP and then move to the others only if they dont work well? Thanks. Sorry for all the questions tonight.

Last year I decided to test only HTP and LX because they seemed to work best with the CBA and the FO I was using, mostly CS. But I feel that I may be missing something but not testing the other wicks. I am mostly testing 8oz travel tins and 16 oz apoth jars. I have CD ECOs and RRDs available. Any advice here? I'm wondering should I make a tester for each wick all at once or should I just stick with testing using the LX and HTP and then move to the others only if they dont work well? Thanks. Sorry for all the questions tonight.

I wonder because sometimes I think that a candle has a weak HT, but I walk up the stairs and notice all the scent seems to have risen and is hovering above our heads. And we have a big open great room, with a loft above and all the heat seems to gather up there while the rest of the house remains in the mid 60s.

I just received a sample of Nag Champa from CandleScience last week and it smells EXACTLY like traditional incense.

http://www.candlescience.com/fragran...fragrance-oil/

HTH

I actually have a CD-8 in a 3" status. I've tried 10, 12 & 14 these past weeks. They burn perfectly until 3rd or 4th burn, then go crazy. Pulsating, dancing, stretching, ugly flames. CandleScience suggests HTP73 in my size jar, which is equal to a CD-8 per the list someone posted. The 1st burn I tried left 1/4" hang-up. Burned well, trimmed wick to start a little longer then normal since it's so much smaller. I'll let y'all know as the burns go.

what is the ability of the wax to move through the wick measured? Would that be capillary action or viscosity (which is a measument of the fluid itself-so whatever that is called in the medium and what does this all have to do with specific gravity. I am asking because I am wondering how the specific gravity of the fragrance oil affects the way the wick works. I know that people will say I am over thinking this and its all about the HT and I know. But I am kind of a scientist of sorts(10 credits away from a BS in Environmental Sci from 10 years ago) and that is just what I do. I feel I should already know this, but it is driving me batty. Thanks.