Does the type of wick have a large impact on scent throw (hot)?

[TheNovice]

Are wooden wicks just a fad?  Can they offer similar scent throw to other types such as cotton?  Assuming they are both properly wicked for the vessel, is there a difference? Or is it more related to the wax, FO load, and proper mixture of the candle?

[TallTayl]

A wick is just one variable of many, but to answer the original question, yes... wick is one of the biggest impact variables. Too hot or too cool and you’ll miss the sweet spot where the whole candle system just works. 

 

Major variables:

wax

wick

vessel material

vessel size

vessel proportions

vessel shape

fragrance

fragrance load

color

ambient conditions while burning 

[Forrest]

11 hours ago, TallTayl said:

A wick is just one variable of many, but to answer the original question, yes... wick is one of the biggest impact variables. Too hot or too cool and you’ll miss the sweet spot where the whole candle system just works. 

 

Major variables:

wax

wick

vessel material

vessel size

vessel proportions

vessel shape

fragrance

fragrance load

color

ambient conditions while burning 

I think I need a dissertation on how the four vessel characteristics impact hot throw

[TallTayl]

42 minutes ago, Forrest said:

I think I need a dissertation on how the four vessel characteristics impact hot throw

 

Lol, it’s coming. 

 

Now that the ren Faire season is over for me (for good) I have plans. Big plans. Stay tuned. 🤣

[pughaus]

I think wood wicks are here to stay. I wouldn't call them a fad, more of a niche.    

 

@ForrestI haven't noticed a difference in vessel material but have noticed more pronounced hot throw from a single wicked 8 oz straight jar than I do from the identical FO /wax combo in a single wicked 3 x 3" tumbler.  The relatively narrow/tall jar has a kind of chimney effect that seems to concentrate and then push the fragrance up and out - more so than the wider mouthed tumbler.  I'm not describing that well, but hopefully you get the gist.  I noticed the same effect in a 3" x 4 " tall tumbler.  I could totally be imagining that, but to me it seems to be a pretty noticeable effect.

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2019 by pughaus

[TallTayl]

12 minutes ago, pughaus said:

I think wood wicks are here to stay. I wouldn't call them a fad, more of a niche.    

 

@ForrestI haven't noticed a difference in vessel material but have noticed more pronounced hot throw from a single wicked 8 oz straight jar than I do from the identical FO /wax combo in a single wicked 3 x 3" tumbler.  The relatively narrow/tall jar has a kind of chimney effect that seems to concentrate and then push the fragrance up and out - more so than the wider mouthed tumbler.  I'm not describing that well, but hopefully you get the gist.  I noticed the same effect in a 3" x 4 " tall tumbler.  I could totally be imagining that, but to me it seems to be a pretty noticeable effect.

 

 

 

I have a few heavy ceramic and even concrete containers that throw the super hard to wick FO  like MAD when they get hot enough.  Problem is getting them hot enough.  Wood wicks can be great fo that.

 

 

[pughaus]

Interesting- so the ceramic kind of absorbs and dissipates the heat?  Now that you mention it, I did have some trouble wicking my concrete tumblers.  I had to use a bigger wick than usual but finding one that wasn't so big it began to smoke at the end was tricky.

[TallTayl]

4 minutes ago, pughaus said:

Interesting- so the ceramic kind of absorbs and dissipates the heat?  Now that you mention it, I did have some trouble wicking my concrete tumblers.  I had to use a bigger wick than usual but finding one that wasn't so big it began to smoke at the end was tricky.

It takes a lot of energy to heat that jar, especially in winter.