Help wicking 3 inch pillar

[Klamb]

Ughhh! Can anyone please help me with wicking a 3 inch by 4.5 inch pillar? I am using the IGI 4625 pillar blend wax, UV Stabilizer at 1 tsp/ lb wax, FO at 1 oz/lb wax, and a color block dye (mid color range). I am having trouble with all the wicks I have tried so far tunneling. I have my 2 inch pillars where I am happy with them but this 3 inch is making me go crazy. I have tried the zinc core 51-32-18; LX-22; 24 and 30 and 36 ply flat braids; 1/0 and 2/0 square braids. I have not been able to be a burn pool larger than 2.25 inchs and then it tunnels. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for the help.

[Chefmom]

How many burns did you do before you decided that the wick wasn't working? It takes about 4 or 5 burns (3-5 or6 hours each) before you can see how the sides are going to be consumed.

A 2-inch pillar burns like a giant taper candle, first burning outward toward the edge, making a melt pool with a lip to contain the wax. Then the wick consumes the liquid wax and then burns down a little, then it will melt the lip and keeps going to have almost total consumption in the end.

A 3-inch pillar does not really reach the very edge, but leaves about a 1/2-inch (ish) dam as it burns down. After about 4 (ish) burns the top edge will become thinner and thinner, yet the edge more near the flame is thicker. The whole thing is "V" shaped. Once the flame reaches down inside the pillar about an inch to 1 1/2 inches you will see the top start to melt down and be consumed.

If it is wicked correctly by the time the candle is about 2 inches tall on the outside, the wick will be reaching the point that it shouldn't be burned because it can make the center liquid the whole way through the bottom and the safety is iffy at best at this point. It's also a great reason to only burn pillars on safe pottery surfaces where any wax can't leak out and make a mess.

If you are only burning once or twice and seeing tunneling, you need to keep going in your testing and see how things go further along. About half of the wicks you mentioned will work in 4625. I would say that you should see good burns with the LX-24 and both the 30 and 36 ply. The 1/0 and 2/0 square are a little small, I would use a #1 or a #2 square.

In 100% 4625 with color and scent, I would go with the LX24 or even a 26. With color and no scent, the 36 ply would be my choice, with the square braid a very close second. I love the central burn of the square braid. You sometimes have to be sure that the flat braid wick is standing up and even adjust it to keep one side from getting too hot. The square braids seem to stay central in a 3-inch pillar. They excel if you are using a percentage of beeswax in your recipe.

I have spent the past year and a half to two years experimenting with paraffin, para/soy, beeswax and beeswax blend pillars and wicks. I have burned a LOT of pillars and you really need to burn them side by side to see what each wick does vs the other. I use 4625 in my blended paraffin pillars and like it a lot. By itself it has a tendency to soften and bulge at the top, so I add stearic or beeswax. It's a matter of playing with different recipes until you have one you like.

[Klamb]

How many burns did you do before you decided that the wick wasn't working? It takes about 4 or 5 burns (3-5 or6 hours each) before you can see how the sides are going to be consumed.

A 2-inch pillar burns like a giant taper candle, first burning outward toward the edge, making a melt pool with a lip to contain the wax. Then the wick consumes the liquid wax and then burns down a little, then it will melt the lip and keeps going to have almost total consumption in the end.

A 3-inch pillar does not really reach the very edge, but leaves about a 1/2-inch (ish) dam as it burns down. After about 4 (ish) burns the top edge will become thinner and thinner, yet the edge more near the flame is thicker. The whole thing is "V" shaped. Once the flame reaches down inside the pillar about an inch to 1 1/2 inches you will see the top start to melt down and be consumed.

If it is wicked correctly by the time the candle is about 2 inches tall on the outside, the wick will be reaching the point that it shouldn't be burned because it can make the center liquid the whole way through the bottom and the safety is iffy at best at this point. It's also a great reason to only burn pillars on safe pottery surfaces where any wax can't leak out and make a mess.

If you are only burning once or twice and seeing tunneling, you need to keep going in your testing and see how things go further along. About half of the wicks you mentioned will work in 4625. I would say that you should see good burns with the LX-24 and both the 30 and 36 ply. The 1/0 and 2/0 square are a little small, I would use a #1 or a #2 square.

In 100% 4625 with color and scent, I would go with the LX24 or even a 26. With color and no scent, the 36 ply would be my choice, with the square braid a very close second. I love the central burn of the square braid. You sometimes have to be sure that the flat braid wick is standing up and even adjust it to keep one side from getting too hot. The square braids seem to stay central in a 3-inch pillar. They excel if you are using a percentage of beeswax in your recipe.

I have spent the past year and a half to two years experimenting with paraffin, para/soy, beeswax and beeswax blend pillars and wicks. I have burned a LOT of pillars and you really need to burn them side by side to see what each wick does vs the other. I use 4625 in my blended paraffin pillars and like it a lot. By itself it has a tendency to soften and bulge at the top, so I add stearic or beeswax. It's a matter of playing with different recipes until you have one you like.

OMGosh! You just made my day. I thought I was going crazy. I was burning it 2-3 times only and saw the tunneling and thought it wasn't burning correctly. I was trying to get it to burn more like a 2 inch pillar. I will try again with your suggestions. Thank you so much for your help...it makes sense to me now. Again thank you so much.

[EricofAZ]

Your build is almost identical to mine. I use mostly the 60-44-18 Cotton. This has turned out to be nearly the perfect wick for me. I have tried your wicks, didn't like them.

The 44-32-18 Cotton tends to tunnel and the 62-52-19 Cotton core tends to leak and overflow on longer burns.

I get the least amount of soot with those. If I were to ever change, I would consider retesting with ECO's or HTP's.

[EricofAZ]

Here are my 3x4 pillar notes (3x4.5) with 4625... If a wick was so badly off that I knew better, then I did not make notes. I only noted the ones that were close.

LX-18 burns tall and bright and melt pool is about right for a 4 hour burn. The problem is excess soot trail from the flame. Too bad, the flame is like 4 inches tall and small diameter which is pretty delightful.

CD-10 not so good, it soots a bit. Second burn seemed to not soot. Pool was fine at first. Need a power burn on this one.

CD-14 too hot. Melt pool to large and runs over the side

44-32-18 Cotton. Not a large flame and tends to tunnel. This was originally thought to be a bit too small for the pillar. However, the first power burn of 12 hours worked out just fine and the second spilled at the 10 hour mark. On restart there is some initial sooting. There is mushrooming. Some other candlemakers have expressed that a smaller flame is better for customers. This may be a better wick than the 60-44. // This has become the wick of choice, however, one tester said it soots when blown out. Otherwise, perfect burn.

60-44-18 Cotton. This has turned out to be about the perfect wick IF you limit to a 4 hour burn time. It pools large enough for good HT and the sides curl in. 6 hours is about it. 8 hours and the sides open up and the pool leaks. No sooting except on re-start. Lots of mushrooming.

62-52-18 cotton tends to leak over the side at the 4 hour mark. Very little sooting except if there is an airflow and wick flickering.

Edited October 8, 2013 by EricofAZ

[Klamb]

Here are my 3x4 pillar notes (3x4.5) with 4625... If a wick was so badly off that I knew better, then I did not make notes. I only noted the ones that were close.

LX-18 burns tall and bright and melt pool is about right for a 4 hour burn. The problem is excess soot trail from the flame. Too bad, the flame is like 4 inches tall and small diameter which is pretty delightful.

CD-10 not so good, it soots a bit. Second burn seemed to not soot. Pool was fine at first. Need a power burn on this one.

CD-14 too hot. Melt pool to large and runs over the side

44-32-18 Cotton. Not a large flame and tends to tunnel. This was originally thought to be a bit too small for the pillar. However, the first power burn of 12 hours worked out just fine and the second spilled at the 10 hour mark. On restart there is some initial sooting. There is mushrooming. Some other candlemakers have expressed that a smaller flame is better for customers. This may be a better wick than the 60-44. // This has become the wick of choice, however, one tester said it soots when blown out. Otherwise, perfect burn.

60-44-18 Cotton. This has turned out to be about the perfect wick IF you limit to a 4 hour burn time. It pools large enough for good HT and the sides curl in. 6 hours is about it. 8 hours and the sides open up and the pool leaks. No sooting except on re-start. Lots of mushrooming.

62-52-18 cotton tends to leak over the side at the 4 hour mark. Very little sooting except if there is an airflow and wick flickering.

Thank you so much for your help and information. When I tried the LX-22 it was also a tall flame. Very pretty but it actually scared me a bit. I think I will try the 60-44-18 to see how it burns for me. I do have one more question - On a 3 inch candle is it OK

to take 4 hours (instead of 3) to reach a full burn pool?

[EricofAZ]

Well, the time it takes to reach a full pool size is a bit controversial here.

If you want your customers to like your candle, it needs to get to a burn pool fast. Yankme can get there in just over a half hour. Folks really don't want to wait much more than that. After all, this is the age of fast food.

Generally speaking, the larger the pool, the better the throw.

What I find challenging is getting to a large pool fast and then not having the pool increase over time.

I know some folks want the tall LX flame and delightful burn and use a snuffer to put the wick out. They get to a large burn pool in a half hour and an hour later put it out. But there are folks who light these things and walk away and they want great throw, safety, no leakage, and no responsibility.

I didn't write a note, but I think the small cotton was good for a start to finish (72 hour?) burn. Candle curled in on itself all the way down. But the melt pool does not get large right away, so it would pass the safety test and fail the fast food test.

[robertgibbens]

I use lx-24 on all my 3 inch pillars. They all burn perfectly everytime.

[robertgibbens]

In testing I burned my lx-24s for as many as 6 hours. Never had a blow out.

[Chefmom]

In testing I burned my lx-24s for as many as 6 hours. Never had a blow out.

Yes, the LX-24 is the winning wick in most all of my paraffin and parasoy 3-inch pillars. I do like to give it a couple of twists and it burns more upright.

I too have power burned them, 5+ hours with no blowouts.

I don't know about scent throw, I don't make scented pillars. I make containers and votives and tealights that are scented, and then pillars are just colors and "ambiance".

[Klamb]

Thanks for everyone's replies. I have full melt pool at 72 hours. Never though of trying to get there quickly. Will have to play with that.

I am having a bit of a problem with the flat braid and even the square braid (though not as much) burning more on one side than evenly down the middle. I guess it is because of the curl. I am waiting on my order of the LX 24 to come in to try that one. The LX seams to stay centered better. I keep centering it but I am assuming most people won't want to baby sit their candle like that.

Another question - I am having to trim the wick about twice during the burn (3 hours). Is this normal. A big flame makes me uncomfortable.

[rjdaines]

I'm testing a LX-21 now, so far so good. If this works, I will need to buy a spool so I can twist the wick more easily.

[EricofAZ]

The LX produces a very tall thin beautiful flame. I love it for that. It also produces a lot of soot. Black smoke off the top and into the ceiling. I don't love that.

[Klamb]

I do not like soot either! Does it produce the soot even if you do not blow the wick out? And is there a difference between the square braid and LX as far as producing a better hot scent throw? Is one better than the other in that regard.

[EricofAZ]

I have noticed my LX wicks tend to produce soot just on a normal burn. I bought a candle a while back from Rustic Candles in Tucson (she uses LX and has been making candles for more years than the age of the earth I think). Hers sooted as well. Might be that it won't soot in the right wax with the right additives, but I gave up trying.

As for the square braid vs. LX, with palm, I found the square braid to be the better wick. But you, my friend, have the joy of embarking on a testing spree to see what you like best, what works best for you, in your environment with your scents and sizes and additives and colors.

I live in the desert and I do find a slight wick change depending on whether its summer or winter. It is also usually very dry here.

[Klamb]

Ahhhh...more testing.

I have tested the LX to the squared braid and flat braid in a couple of fragrance. They were close but I think the square braid had the greater scent throw but not by much. I need more testing to be sure...some days my nose is better than other days. Guess I should also try the paper core and HTP wicks. So much testing. Does it ever end?

[rjdaines]

No, it never ends. The LX-21 tunneled so it's back to LX-22 for yet another test. While it's great to strive for perfection, I don't think that it is always possible because of all of the variables that we can't take into account.

[EricofAZ]

I can tell you that I am a fan of the HTP as well. I like cotton core, HTP, Eco the most. I don't use the square braid for your wax, but do use it for palm. I'm well settled now with the 60-44-18 cotton for the 4625 three inch pillars.

[viczye23]

For all of my 3 inch pillars I use LX18, burns perfectly every time, flame is the right size, i get a full melt pool after 3 hours.