Recommendation for CD wicks

[Pau]

Hello! I’ve just started out making dessert candles. I’m using 464 soy for my base, 464 + ecosoya pb for my whipped cream and ecosoya pb for my embedds. I’m using a 10oz jar, 8cm(3.15”) in diameter but slightly narrows down inside the jar. It’s the really common jar with the bamboo lid. I’ve been testing with CD18 wicks. I’m not able to get a full melt pool after 4 hours, just a tiny bit of ring left but I feel that my candles are burning out too quick. My CD18 wick isn’t leaving a clean glass when it burns all the way down too, there are still wax clinging onto the glass. I’m thinking of wicking down to a CD16 but afraid it might be too small since my CD18 don’t even give me a full melt pool. But I’ve seen people using wicks way smaller than mine in the same jar. I’m conflicted.

[TallTayl]

Hi and welcome!

When wicking tapered glass, choose a size for the bottom of the candle to ensure it won’t get too hot during the later burns. 
 

Wicking down may help several of your issues. It sounds counter intuitive but a smaller wick that consumes less wax can help develop a larger pool during a burn. We generally don’t wick with the intention of full early melt pool as it often creates safety issues later in the candles life. If the candle glass exceeds common safe burning temps at any point during a burn it is considered a fail. As long as any hang up clears by the midpoint to end it is a win. 

[birdcharm]

I personally like whipped toppings to burn very slowly so they create an outer shell as they burn and are lit up internally until they melt down.  I've never used ecosoya pb, so I can't offer anything about the wick size or type.  I think if it forms a full melt pool by the second or third burn, that would be okay.  Sometimes wax hang-up on the glass doesn't melt away right away.

[Pau]

On 5/5/2023 at 3:41 AM, birdcharm said:

I personally like whipped toppings to burn very slowly so they create an outer shell as they burn and are lit up internally until they melt down.  I've never used ecosoya pb, so I can't offer anything about the wick size or type.  I think if it forms a full melt pool by the second or third burn, that would be okay.  Sometimes wax hang-up on the glass doesn't melt away right away.

I have since tried CD 12, 14 and 16. All of them don’t give me a full melt pool, but what I’ve noticed is that CD14 and above are all producing black smoke while burning. And the hot throw is really faint. CD12 doesn’t come close to a full melt pool after 4 hours, but after the second burn, it leaves about 1/4 inch of wax around the glass. I read a few forums and most people using the size of my jar recommends CD10-12, but they all do flat candles. I’m wondering if my melt pool is because of my whipped candles. Is CD12 too small for my jar?

[TallTayl]

3 hours ago, Pau said:

I have since tried CD 12, 14 and 16. All of them don’t give me a full melt pool, but what I’ve noticed is that CD14 and above are all producing black smoke while burning. And the hot throw is really faint. CD12 doesn’t come close to a full melt pool after 4 hours, but after the second burn, it leaves about 1/4 inch of wax around the glass. I read a few forums and most people using the size of my jar recommends CD10-12, but they all do flat candles. I’m wondering if my melt pool is because of my whipped candles. Is CD12 too small for my jar?

I think you’ve concluded already that the black smoke sizes are just too large.  The wick cannot consume the fuel being pumped through it.  
 

You’re using two entirely different waxes in your candles. Each wax likely requires a completely different wick size and series.  
 

Pillar blend is designed to leave a shell on free standing pillar candles.  trying for a full melt pool in a pillar candle is counter to what the wax is made for.  It is made to burn down then out, slowly melting the shell further down in the candle.  If you wick for full melt pool in the top of the pillar blend in the candle you’re likely going to be in trouble when that wick reaches the container blend lower in the candle. 

 

464 is a container blend designed to turn to a mush/slush as it burns within a container. It is designed to reach a wider pool than pillar blend.
 

the middle area where the 464 and pillar blend meet will produce a different challenge as those two different waxes blend for a time. The two will compete to burn and might not burn as expected. 
 

You may need to test new wick series to find one that might be able to handle the wide differences in requirements.  Bleached square cotton wick is fairly generous with waxes. Premier 700 series may handle the challenges. ECO might work. CD series has a fairly narrow set of waxes it performs optimally in. According to candlescience’s wick guide, LX is the first choice for pillar blend, but not recommended for 464.