Jars help please

[Joannec]

Please can someone help me before I throw all my supplies in the bin!!!

I am trying out 2 jars, one straight sided about 3 inches diameter and the other is the one pound honey jar that has shoulders. My problem is that any jar that has shoulders the wick seems to get really small about halfway down the jar, first few burns start off well then at halfway point wick gets really small but then towards the end of the jar the flame picks up again and burns ok again. I am not happy that the wick gets so small halfway through. Surely it can't be lack of oxygen as the flame picks up again when the candle is near the end? Any ideas?

Also are the straight sided jars hard to wick? I thought they would be easy peasy but the problem seems that as the jars are about 3 inches wide and have no shoulders there is not any extra heat to help with melting the wax and I find that I don't get any scent throw for at least the first half of the candle?

[Old Crab]

Hello,

What type of wax and wicks are you using?

Measure the Honeypot at it's widest (shoulder I believe), if it is the jar I am familiar with you will probably have to double wick it.

On the straight sided jars, how deep is your melt pool at the three hour burn mark?

[Joannec]

Hi,

I was using a blend of 80% paraffin and 20% c3. The honey jar is 75mm wide and 95mm tall. The straight sided jar is 3 inches wide by 3 inches tall. I have been trying cd and eco wicks, achieved nearly full melt pool on first burn with a cd16 in the straight jar but then on subsequent burns it never managed to get to full melt, have also tried upto an eco12 but again never got to full melt apart from right at the bottom of the jar. Thanks

[Vernie1]

I haven't used the honey jar but I do use the straight sided jar you're speaking of. I've used a similar blend with a smaller wick size. It may be that your wick is too big for the 3" jar. If I remember correctly, I used a eco 4 or 6. Try testing a eco 4, 6 and 8. I'm sure you'll get a better melt pool with a smaller wick size. HTH

[chuck_35550]

Jar configuration is really important. The honey jar depends on circulation or draft for efficient performance. The top half of the jar sucks in oxygen and it circulates easily but half-way through; the jar configuration causes the heat of the flame to push out the air and prevents a draft or circulaton of air. Further down the jar the flame does not interfere with the circulation because it is a lot like the beginning of the burn. Straight sided jars do not interfere with adequate circulation and create a nice large melt pool that releases your fragrance into the room. You probably need to look at a zinc or cd wick. The zinc burns cooler and the candle lasts longer but the cd burns hotter and the fragrance oil is vaporized and fragrances the room. Try upping your fo percentage and change out your wicks. Get rid of the honey jars if you want to keep all your hair. HTH

Steve

[Joannec]

Jar configuration is really important. The honey jar depends on circulation or draft for efficient performance. The top half of the jar sucks in oxygen and it circulates easily but half-way through; the jar configuration causes the heat of the flame to push out the air and prevents a draft or circulaton of air. Further down the jar the flame does not interfere with the circulation because it is a lot like the beginning of the burn. Straight sided jars do not interfere with adequate circulation and create a nice large melt pool that releases your fragrance into the room. You probably need to look at a zinc or cd wick. The zinc burns cooler and the candle lasts longer but the cd burns hotter and the fragrance oil is vaporized and fragrances the room. Try upping your fo percentage and change out your wicks. Get rid of the honey jars if you want to keep all your hair. HTH

Thank you for this wonderful information, I have been trying to wick the honey and smaller jam jars for ages but kept having problems with dying wicks, it's nice to know that it isn't me it could possibly be the jars causing this.

With regards to straight sided jar I have tried Eco 4 and 8 and didn't get full melt pool. If I just use paraffin one pour container wax what cd wick size should I start with?

Many thanks

[chuck_35550]

I liked lx wicks when I used J-50 or j-223 in a jelly jar (width pretty much the same for all) and depending on the fo most of time it was a 14 or a 16 but with a cd you could start with a 10. Sooting will be your greatest enemy with a one pour paraffin and zinc, lx or cd will smoke you out if you don't get the combination down with the fo load and wick. Buy sample packs and pour your tester without a wick (I know, I know) and take any small metal rod and make a hole in the middle and insert a wick. Burn and take notes on how it goes for a couple of hours. If you can't get full melt pool, too much soot, too hot, ect ; pull the wick out and let cool and insert another wick. Now understand this will be with each fo that you want to use but once you get that down then you are set for the time being. Be sure that the jar is truly up and down straight and not flared. Make sure the jar has been designed for burning candles. Take notes of how hot the jar gets with a power burn (8 hours or longer) and work for a combination that burns efficiently, good cold and hot throw and meets your standards of what a candle ought to look like and behave. HTH

Steve