rjdaines

I just ordered a dipping container and I have some HL paraffin (135 degree, I can some strearic to it) and spools and spools of LX wick. I did a search on taper wicks and didn't see LX wicks mentioned. I there an LX wick that would be acceptable to use in a taper? Thanks

Bayberry and sandalwood sounds interesting. I don't have any at the moment but I seem to recall that it might be on my wife's "don't you dare buy that scent" list. I'll have to check, thanks for the suggestion.

I am using a 3.5" Variable diameter container and use a HTP 1212 which works well with the Ecosoya Advanced wax. I tried the lager LX wicks all the way up to LX-30. By the time I got a good melt pool the darn thing mushroomed like crazy. Dropping back down eliminated the mushrooming but brought back the hang-up. The HTP wick don't do that for most of the burn. Towards the end of the candle's life when there is no solid wax left (all melt), the HTP wick can get a little ugly as the self trimming seems to fail. However, for 3/4 of the candles' life it looked pretty darn good.

I think it's kind of fun to do so I may do some more once I finish these darn wick tests with the soy wax. Wonder what would go with bayberry?

Someone may have the exact answer but in terms of applying the scientific method here you have too many variables between the additives and the temp change. I find it best to make one change at a time and observe the effects. It means more candles and test burns but the cause of the results will be more clear.

Probably not an original idea but I am playing with container candles with two layers each with a different scent. So far I have tried this with soy but I don't see why it won't work with other waxes. Potential problems are the eventual mixing of the FO over time in an unburned candle. I'd be curious to know if others have tried this and what their experiences were.

I am working with some 3 1/2" containers with the Ecosoya Advanced soy wax and am having luck with the HTP wicks, the 1212 or 1312 might be a thought. Peaks sells a nice sample pack. So far, most of the suggested wicks I've seen on website (even the Candle Science wick calculator) seem to describe paraffin burns and not soy (even if they say so). I have not checked everywhere. For me, the best idea was to get the sample packs have at it. For a large candle like yours, doing melts and re-pours sounds tedious so I'd consider pouring with no wick, insert a needle and make a hole when cool and just insert your test wick (no bases) and burn for a while. If it is no good, pull it out and insert another one.

The upside is I get to have fun making and burning candles

Thanks for the report Ladysj, my pillar is doing well to (HL wax +2 tbl SA, LX-22), I'm doing a little hugging but not sure it is needed, it's just fun. I did get some of the LX-20 wicks and will try them some time soon but the next real step is to add FO to the candle and see how that effects the burn. The 2" made with the same wax but with a LX-10 wick is also doing very well (looking at it now). After so many disasters, I am thrilled to see a good burn. All this experiments sure uses up a lot of supplies.

Interesting, can anyone explain the science behind this curing effect?

Ahh, yes I did but to the touch the mold was already cool it just refused to release. So I assume that the freezer is not a good thing to do? Thanks for the reply

Got some more HL paraffin wax (for consistency) and added 2 TBSP of Stearic acid to harden up the wax. The 3" pillar seems OK but the 2" pillar is cracked in multiple places. I am guessing that this may suggest that I add too much stearic acid. On both candles the mold release was not as good as before the SA was added and made the surface rough and white. Do I need to go heavy on the release spray when using SA? All that said, the burn seems better, no sagging yet.

Excuse my newbie-ness but what does FB stand for? Thanks for the informative posts.

Oh gosh, another variable, additives. Besides the LX, what wicks would be worth trying. Thanks

I actually did start with soy and made some awful messes, some candle just collapsed within a few minutes of burn (Ecosoya Soy Pillar Blend). This is why I am backing up and trying paraffin. Are soy pillars supposed to burn down and leave a shell? I have a 2 inch pillar mold which the wicking has completely elluded me, soy or paraffin.

Where does one get the coupons? Unfortunately HL is a 40 mile drive for me (V8 truck too).

I ordered: Straight Paraffin Wax-IGI 1343A; Mottling Wax-IGI 1274; Pillar Blend-IGI 4625 That should keep me busy for a while

Thanks for the replay ladysj, I have the LX-16 wicks on order but in the mean time I'll try the LX-22, should prove interesting if the correct size is LX-16. I found the wax at HL to be rather pricey and even worse at Michaels and have taken to ordering paraffin from Peak Candles. It's nice to know that I use HL as a back up.

This is paraffin wax from Hobby Lobby, not that I will be using it in the future but I wanted to get some experience with paraffin. It is a 133 -135 melting point wax, no additives other than a little green coloring. I can pop out the LX-18 wick and try the LX -22, I have some LX-16 on order if I need to go that way. I realize I may have to relearn this when the wax I want to work with arrives but in the mean time I will have learned some basic principals (hopefully).

OK, my first attempt a a paraffin 3" pillar (light color, no scent) has an LX-18 wick. It has not leaked wax but the top is deforming, becoming squat and bulging while the upper most part is curling inward. In this case does one wick up or down? This link has a photo. http://rjdaines.com/pillar.jpg

Interesting, I can't tell from the 6 hour burn if there is a reduction in height, so many that I see just burn a hole down into the candle. It is totally bad form to have the candle drip a little wax down the sides?

In your opinion, how should a pillar candle burn throughout it's life? I've haven't bought many in my life left alone burn them. Now I'd like to make them but I really don't know how a 3" diameter pillar candle should burn. Thanks

Haven't used it but in the same vein I am getting some Jojoba wax to try. While some of these more rare vegetable waxes are quite pricey and it may not be practical to use them as a 100% ingredient, however, used in a lesser a amount in a specialty candle it might be quite interesting.

Come summer I can do that oven trick out in my garage, I'm sure it gets near that hot out here in AZ and no electricity used.

I use the same wax and i think the same molds since I've sliced my finger on them a few times. Regarding the release, I don't have any issues getting the out and I use mold release too. So why do mine come out and your don't? Can't say for sure, I pour hot (160) and clean the molds with Goo Gone.