Desired burn behavior for jars - wicking and melt behavior

[Paintguru]

I know this is probably a basic question, and maybe simply a personal preference, but what sort of burn behavior do you look for when burning a container candle?  I recall reading in a previous thread that one shouldn't expect a full melt pool until the 2nd or 3rd burn.  I've also read that you wick for the last 1/3-1/4 of the container.  

 

A few things I'm interested in:

 

1.  Where in the jar during the burn do you target a full melt pool, all the way to the edges?   Do you typically error on the side of over wicking where full wax melt pool and no wax on the wall happens earlier in the jar or do you error on the lower end of wicking where the a full, side-to-side melt pool doesn't occur until the last 1/4 jar?

2.  How long do you tolerate wax grabbing on the side of the jar?  

3.  When doing this evaluation, do you burn 3-4 hours at a time, do power burns, everything/anything else?

 

I may be over thinking this, but I'm an engineer, so I can only be me!!  

[BusyBee]

Everyone would have different preference on this subject.  I am one of those that is aiming for full melt pool from top to bottom.  For me, it just look better and right.  If you can achieve it without container getting too hot, then go for it.  It can be done.  It does get hotter bottom 1/4, but you still can make it a lot cooler than many name brand candles.

 

 

[Paintguru]

6 hours ago, BusyBee said:

Everyone would have different preference on this subject.  I am one of those that is aiming for full melt pool from top to bottom.  For me, it just look better and right.  If you can achieve it without container getting too hot, then go for it.  It can be done.  It does get hotter bottom 1/4, but you still can make it a lot cooler than many name brand candles.

 

 

Agreed that compared to mass market candles, we're probably a lot cooler.  Metal vs. glass may matter as well.  It is amazing the difference in behavior between the top 1/4 and bottom 1/4.  

[birdcharm]

I think basing wick size on the center part of the glass is as important note, regardless of the shape of the glass.  As for what is tolerated, well, there are some jars in which hang up can't be tolerated because they'll never catch up, for instance, very wide containers.  I think if there is still wax on the glass at the onset of the second burn, but it begins to melt or fully melts during the second burn session, all is well.  From my experience, if it's still hanging on by the third burn, some may eventually melt if the candle is left to burn for a while, but it's not a guaranty, so I usually will go up a size in those cases.  Part of the candle burning, imo, that has charm is when the candle is about half-way burned and the flame shines through the glass as much as possible.

[bfroberts]

I think it depends on your wax and your container.  I use containers that are significantly taller than they are wide.  If I have a FMP early on, I'm left with a hot mess near the bottom.  The solution is to wick cool enough that some hangup stays around for the first couple of burns.  Additionally, different waxes burn differently.  Some pool out wide and some pool deep before widening.  As with everything else in candle making, there are a ton of factors and it's all a balancing act.

[Paintguru]

1 hour ago, bfroberts said:

I think it depends on your wax and your container.  I use containers that are significantly taller than they are wide.  If I have a FMP early on, I'm left with a hot mess near the bottom.  The solution is to wick cool enough that some hangup stays around for the first couple of burns.  Additionally, different waxes burn differently.  Some pool out wide and some pool deep before widening.  As with everything else in candle making, there are a ton of factors and it's all a balancing act.

 

Agreed on the balancing act, and we all have different targets!  In my particular case, I had hangup on one side until the last 1/3 of the candle or so, where things caught up.  Good point by @birdcharm that part of the ambiance with containers is the light coming out through the glass in the middle.  Of course this wouldn't have been an issue if my new batch of 4630 matched my old batch!  😅

[bfroberts]

13 minutes ago, Paintguru said:

 

Agreed on the balancing act, and we all have different targets!  In my particular case, I had hangup on one side until the last 1/3 of the candle or so, where things caught up.  Good point by @birdcharm that part of the ambiance with containers is the light coming out through the glass in the middle.  Of course this wouldn't have been an issue if my new batch of 4630 matched my old batch!  😅

I prefer they reach a FMP earlier than that....if it's possible.  Really the only thing you can do is compare the next size up (or a different series entirely depending on how far you want to go down that rabbit hole) and just go with the best option.  Wax inconsistencies are brutal.

[birdcharm]

5 hours ago, Paintguru said:

 

Agreed on the balancing act, and we all have different targets!  In my particular case, I had hangup on one side until the last 1/3 of the candle or so, where things caught up.  Good point by @birdcharm that part of the ambiance with containers is the light coming out through the glass in the middle.  Of course this wouldn't have been an issue if my new batch of 4630 matched my old batch!  😅

 

I also have had some uneven "hangup" of wax which eventually melts away, as long as it does do that, then I think it's okay.  Apologies for my typo up there, "is as important note" should have been AN important note, and I do think that's really important.  Glassware that narrows in the middle is probably best considered an exception to feeling it should accomplish a with a full melt pool very quickly, as in order to not over-wick the lower portion of the container, the upper part needs to be what would normally be considered under-wicked if it was a straight-sided glass; those need to have wax cling in order to be safe when the candle burns down to the narrower section.  I guess this is why I prefer straight-sided glassware or wide mouth jars, much more simple to work with in that regard.  This could also be why I enjoy making gel candles from time to time, a little hang up can be quite useful and light still shines through, the same goes for dyed wax in a clear container, a little color up the sides is pretty with a flame behind it.  🙂

[TallTayl]

Would twisting the wick help even out the hang up issues?

 

[BusyBee]

We need someone to invent a wick that gets smaller(thinner) as candle burns down container?  Bigger flame at the top & smaller flame at the bottom???

[TallTayl]

14 minutes ago, BusyBee said:

We need someone to invent a wick that gets smaller(thinner) as candle burns down container?  Bigger flame at the top & smaller flame at the bottom???

In theory the wooden wicks could do that, but they just are no reliable any more either. 

[BusyBee]

2 minutes ago, TallTayl said:

In theory the wooden wicks could do that, but they just are no reliable any more either. 

You are right about that.  That is why I just asked @jancita(actually her husband) for little bit more information on wood wick patent specification.  Let's invent one here!

[ErronB]

2 hours ago, BusyBee said:

You are right about that.  That is why I just asked @jancita(actually her husband) for little bit more information on wood wick patent specification.  Let's invent one here!

 

What we really need is the old ones back that kinda looked like a weird sawdust texture, they were amazing in parasoy, burned perfectly no fizzling out.

[Paintguru]

10 hours ago, TallTayl said:

Would twisting the wick help even out the hang up issues?

 

 

I do usually do this, especially since I'm using HTP wicks.  It certainly helps.  The other worry is that as I move closer to the under-wicked side of things, am I losing hot throw? 

 

It would be great if we could fuse two sizes of wicks together on a single tab.    

[TallTayl]

1 hour ago, Paintguru said:

 

I do usually do this, especially since I'm using HTP wicks.  It certainly helps.  The other worry is that as I move closer to the under-wicked side of things, am I losing hot throw? 

 

It would be great if we could fuse two sizes of wicks together on a single tab.    

The A&P helix wicks are kind of like this. They twist two Aromalite together. The description says braided but I never looked closely enough to see for sure. They appear twisted to me.  You could in theory clip the bottom one I would think to reduce the burn. 

[TallTayl]

8 hours ago, ErronB said:

 

What we really need is the old ones back that kinda looked like a weird sawdust texture, they were amazing in parasoy, burned perfectly no fizzling out.

Totally agree! Talk about reliable!

[Kimmie]

I would love to know the answers to all of your questions! Hopefully, someone with lots of candle knowledge will chime in.