How many wick types do you use?

[EmJean]

Hi everyone,

Do you use one wick type (per wax and container) or do you find that you need to use different types depending on the FO used? I am using Ecosoya CB135 wax in a square 8 oz mason jar. I started off with Peaks cotton wicks (C-70 & C75 mostly) and then started testing with the LX wicks. I've been mainly testing 4 scents so far and tend to lean more towards the LX in each one. I would like to use just one wick type in this jar but is that realistic?

Emily

[moonshine]

Absolutely it's realistic- at least in my world!

I drove myself crazy testing way to many type of wicks for every fragrance- I narrowed it down to 2 types of wicks for my wax which are very similar - CD and CDN and if a FO just doesn't play nice with either I drop the FO and move on

If your finding LX is working 135 (which is what I used when I used that wax) I would just go with it and test a few different sizes for each fragrance

[EmJean]

Just the answer I was looking for!! THANK YOU!! I am driving myself crazy just with the two wick types. And, I think I probably could have picked an easier jar to start out with. Those darn edges on the square mason are really messing with me. Oh well, I guess it is just good practice! :rolleyes2

[Ravens]

Same here, I don't think you're being unrealistic. For me it is zinc and LX wicks. I use paraffin and parasoy. :-)

[moonshine]

I also use the square mason as well and if I remember right with the 135 I used the LX22- I could look back at my notes but I also used 9% FO load - I use 415 now and some do take several burns to get the corners- not sure what wick size your using but maybe try going up and see if it helps but doesn't get too hot towards the end

[EmJean]

In straight ecosoya (no dye and no FO) it does look like LX22 is the winner. I was testing Amish Harvest at 7% FO load and LX22 cleaned up the glass nice but the flame was kind of small towards the end and it never really reached full MP, it just continued to melt the sides down more and more as it burned. The LX24 was way too big and the C70 was too big. Now I'm testing at 8% FO and the LX22 seems to be doing better (the flame hasn't gotten too small). Do you remember if the 22 worked for most of your FO? I'm about to test Pink Sugar in a 22 because the 24 seems a little too big. It almost seems like I need an LX23, which I don't think they make.

Is it OK if the MP never really reaches the edges as long as the wax does clean up from the sides by the end of the candle?

Emily

[moonshine]

I will look back at my notes today and see - I didn't use 135 for very long though so I know I didn't have a great amount of FOs tested

In my experience with soy if it doesn't reach full melt pool by the end it will not clean the sides- under wicking for me always leaves huge chunks on the glass - a slight film is acceptable for me as I would rather that than wick up and be way too hot

And this was years ago that I used that wax for containers- I still use it for votives with PB and use LX wicks for most of those but some I do have to use CD wicks - I find they burn a little hotter - that may be one more wick type you may want to try with that wax if your finding the 22 isn't enough but the 24 is to much ...in that jar I would start to test with the CD10 and see how it compares- CD seems to work for a lot of people in all types of soy

Another thing I have found is depending on the supplier wicks do not burn the same- my LX wicks for votives from CS burn much different than LX wicks from candlewic- candlewic in a 14 will not burn for me- the coating is different and much thicker

Edited January 12, 2014 by moonshine

[EmJean]

Wow - I had no idea they could vary depending on the supplier. That is really good to know. I'm trying to keep my suppliers right now to a minimum and I've been ordering mostly from Peaks but I think I will try those CD's. They seem to be popular here. When I was testing the LX22 in Amish Harvest I almost wrote it off half way through because of the sides but decided to keep going and was surprised how nicely it cleaned up. There is only a little film on the glass and no chunks anywhere. But I'm not so sure it would work if someone burned it for short time periods. All of my testing is generally around 3 and a half hours. Who do you buy the CD's from?

Thank you so much for all your help.

[moonshine]

I do get my CDs from candlewic - they have the 6mm neck size which IMO is the perfect safety length for that jar- other suppliers have much shorter necks which cause it to burn way to far down and get the glass too hot at the end- I do like like lonestar as well but there necks are way taller which IMO for the 8 ounce leave way to much wax left at the end- I use those for the 16 ounce jars for now to use them up and what I like about candlewic is you can have them cutom made to suit you and your wax- I haven't done this yet but I plan to and have them coated with the higher melt point wax

Edited January 12, 2014 by moonshine

[EmJean]

I will have to try those. This is totally frustrating. If I get a good looking MP then I get mushrooms, soot and the glass feels too hot. A nice warm jar, no mushrooms or soot, and I get a MP that looks like its constantly trying to catch up. GGRRRR!