Which wick to go with?

[LilyJane]

I just started making candles a month ago, and I've made a bunch so far using C3 wax and Eco wicks. I used the 12oz Libby Status jar (from Candle Science) for all of them, and tried the eco-10, 12, 14, and 16 wicks. First, when I tried the 12, 14, and 16, the 14 and 16 both flickered like crazy and smoked. The 12 seemed fine, but after making a bunch more test candles with that wick using different FO's (all at 6%, and one at 10%), a lot of them tunneled. So, I bought some eco-10's to try out, and surprisingly, the candle seemed overwicked. Granted, these were all with different FO's. I had a snickerdoodle candle with an eco-12 burning right beside a cinnamon bun candle with an eco-10, and the eco-10 flickered like crazy while the eco-12 tunneled. Neither one had an even burn; the eco-12 left a thin layer of wax clinging to the sides after a 3 hour burn. Is there so much variance between FO's that I'll need a different wick for different scents? I'm going through a lot of materials, and I feel like I'm not making any headway towards the right combination. 

 

Also...does it make sense to pour the containers half-full for testing? I read that somewhere on this forum, but it seems to me that the burn wouldn't be the same as it would lighting a full candle because of the trapped heat and difference in airflow. Thoughts?

 

And lastly, has anyone noticed a benefit from heat gunning the tops of candles before selling, aside from aesthetic purposes? I wonder if doing this will help it burn more evenly on the first lighting. I know I can try these things myself, but all my FO's give me different results, so I figured I'd ask someone with experience. Thanks! Sorry if I'm a little scattered. 

[TallTayl]

Your wick choice will often vary with your fragrance.
 

Likewise C3 hardens quite a bit over time. What looks perfect a week after pouring may be too small three weeks or so later.
 

With C3 I always found cd wicks to work well. Eco  tend to burn hot and create soot easily. 
 

On your first burn do not worry about a little bit of hang up on the jar. Don’t worry about hangup until almost the halfway point. A lot changes after that. If it’s smoking at the top it’ll be smoking worse at the bottom.