First test burns - GB 464 - Not sure what to think!

[JerseyGuy84]

Hi all!

So I've been messing around with candles for the past few weeks. I've decided to buckle down and start doing some REAL tests! First up, I'm testing Golden Brands 464 wax with a 4" 5oz tin from CS.

I made two candles to test LX and CSN wicks. Both of these were heated to 180, added 10% FO (it may have been closer to 12%, the scale jumped around a bit...)

These pictures are after 3-4 hours of burn time. This is their second burn, after 4 hours last night. They only cured for 24 hours, but I just couldn't wait!!

Candle 1:

CSN 26 wick. The HT on this one is AMAZING!! I mean..wow. It smells up our bedroom, which is pretty big. However, the pool looks pretty big. Is this something to expect out of tins? Or is the wick too big? There is also quite a bit of mushrooming...

Candle 2:

LX 24 wick. This wick is too small, I think. There is almost no HT in our tiny bathroom. I smell it a little bit, but the scent is completely lost when I move the candle to a larger room. Also, I noticed a milky white substance near the wick, almost like seeing oil/water mixed. Is this FO? I can't tell.

Opinions? :smiley2:

Edited September 5, 2013 by JerseyGuy84

[ChrisR]

First you have way too much FO. You realistically should need more than 6% (1 oz./lb.) and if you can't get a good throw with that, look for better FO's. The CSN wick is too big, especially for a tin. My tins don't start clearing the sides till the 3rd burn, as the lower it burns, the hotter it gets. You can see the bottom of your candle, so I can tell it's way too hot already.

I use LX wicks, but not your wax and I use a smaller wick for my tins. It could be that because of the overload of FO, it is causing the LX wick to drown. I personally would pour again using the correct FO usage and try again. Good luck!!

[JerseyGuy84]

Lower FO? It seems like nobody can agree on FO. I've heard that 10% is the best, because it will cause a good, strong scent. 6% sounds a bit low. Will it have good HT with such a low amount?

[ChrisR]

All my FO's I use at 1 oz./lb. (6%) or 1/2 oz./lb (3%) never more than that and all have a super strong throw. It's a total waste of money IMHO to use more than 1 oz./lb, plus too much FO can cause clogging of your wick, wick mushrooming and soot. With the many suppliers and thousands of FO's available, it's foolish to use more than necessary.

[JerseyGuy84]

That makes sense. I'm very new to all of this, just trying to figure it all out I am actually considering switching to 6006 parasoy, because it gives off better HT. It seems like scent throw is more of a crapshoot with pure soy. I tried a batch last night, but there's no CT at all, which worries me a bit. I'm trying to let these cure for 48 hours before I burn them. What wicks do you usually use in your tins??

[ChrisR]

Straight soy is VERY picky on what FO will work and the testing to find the right FO's is a pain in the butt. I used it many years ago and hated it!! I switched to my own blend of parasoy & never looked back when my customers really didn't care what wax it was, as long as they got a great burn & throw. I use LX wicks for all my candles except my beeswax, where I use square braid.

[JerseyGuy84]

Just a quick update...the LX wick is working out very well. It took a few test burns, but now the HT is VERY good! I'm trying out my 3" parasoy mason jars today with CD wicks...we'll see how it goes