htaylorrn Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 It's well-natured, and they know I can be a little OC about somethings...but they really DO need to burn the candles I give them for the first time until they get a full melt pool...and they need to keep the wicks trimmed...and the tins CAN get hot so they should set them on something heat resistant.They are like it's a candle...you light it, you burn it, you toss it when it's gone. GRRRRRRRRRR!Am I being to compulsive with my instructions??And then yesterday, I was talking to one of the secretaries, and she had a candle going on her desk (mass produced with very little throw) and I swear the wick was 3/4 inch long with a big, ole mushroom on the end of it. The flame was 2 inches high!!! I told her...girl, you need to trim that wick...see how that candle is smoking?? (The jar was blackened really badly.) They just laughed at me. There goes Heather on her candle soap-box again.I really don't care. Like I said, they aren't being ugly about it. It's their candles that they are burning the best they could, and we are great friends. But does this annoy anyone else????~Heather~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRC06301983 Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Make hurricanes. Its less stress. No one technically burns a hurricane.And if they do......they will be in for a new one shortly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CathyinME Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 Hi! It makes me nervous. People seem to forget that a candle is FIRE. I call the caution labels idiot labels!! Cathy~*~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsyjen Posted February 11, 2006 Share Posted February 11, 2006 For this reason, I now do wick tests without trimming the wicks. I'm sure most customers will not bother to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 You do what you can. You give them the proper instruction and warning.From there on, it's up to them. You did your part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 For this reason, I now do wick tests without trimming the wicks. I'm sure most customers will not bother to do this.I've considered doing this but would appreciate any more input on how you approach it. What do you look for? I think we know the results often won't be so good if you leave the wick untrimmed. If you change the wicking to compensate for that, then the results won't be good if the wick stays properly trimmed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bugtussle Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 My candles will be made right. It's up to the buyer to burn them correctly. I had a customer catch a tin on fire last week. She lit it in her antique shop in the morning and never checked on it. By late that afternoon, it caught fire, burning the top of her table. My warning label says specifically not to burn over 3 hrs and to discard when there is only 1/2 inch left. It also reminds that "a lit candle is a fire." Some people just don't use common sense when burning a candle. I've asked my customer to use a warmer from now on. I think she will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 Heck I let a gal at work burn one of mine, but she wouldn't follow the instructions. She told me she's older than me and has been burning candles all her life etc. Well she had an accident with one of the palm pillars and since she refused to trim the wick, she got a waterfall of wax. So I told her no more candles for you till you learn to pay attention to instructions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsyjen Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 I've considered doing this but would appreciate any more input on how you approach it. What do you look for? I think we know the results often won't be so good if you leave the wick untrimmed. If you change the wicking to compensate for that, then the results won't be good if the wick stays properly trimmed.Top -- I PM'd ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 My friends laugh at my instructions too, if they even read them in the first place. What does help is to explain why they must do it that way, not just to say they must do it that way. When they understand the why of it, it can sometimes make people more obedient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VerticallyEnhanced Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 I will see your OC and raise you the anal award my testers hve lovingly given me. This is just but a small exerpt from my test sheet:At the risk of sounding bossy, I ask you to follow the directions to the letter. Failing to do so will give me inaccurate results. I am not only trying to find out if this candle will cut the smell factor but also trying to see if the wicks will work and if I need to use bigger or smaller wick. I can only determine this from the results of your burns if they are done so according to the guidelines.Thanks so much for your time and willingness to help me test! I appreciate your help so much and it allows me to offer the best candles out there. BASIC INSTRUCTIONSYou will burn this candle five separate times. Each time you burn the candle, it has to burn for at LEAST four hours and no longer than five hours. The only time that you can burn it for under four hours is if the melt pool gets too deep. (The melt pool is the pool of liquid wax). If the candle’s melt pool is more than 3/4 of an inch deep in under four hours, extinguish it and let me know. Also, please let the candle completely re-solidify between burns.Please record your burn times in the space provided. This is probably the most important part of the test burn. If something comes up and you are not able to burn it for the full four hours, please make note. I also need for you to record the depth of the melt pool at the end of your burn. Please use a ruler and do not estimate. Only trim the wicks if you think they need it. If they seem exceptionally long or have a mushroom on the tip (build up of wick that looks just like a mushroom cap) then trim it. When you trim it, please use scissors instead of pinching it off with your finger. The latter can cause the wick to be too short and burn incorrectly. You want your wick to be around 1/4 of an inch long. Please burn the candles in an area that is free from a draft (ceiling fan, ceiling air vent, etc.).If you feel the candle is not smelling strong enough and it is in a large and/or open room, please try it in a smaller room and make note in the appropriate area on the test sheet.See, I told you I was bossy. At the end of five burns, please call me so I can pick up the candle. I need to be able to see the candle and get your test sheet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFTS Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 It's well-natured, and they know I can be a little OC about somethings...but they really DO need to burn the candles I give them for the first time until they get a full melt pool...and they need to keep the wicks trimmed...and the tins CAN get hot so they should set them on something heat resistant.They are like it's a candle...you light it, you burn it, you toss it when it's gone. GRRRRRRRRRR!Am I being to compulsive with my instructions??And then yesterday, I was talking to one of the secretaries, and she had a candle going on her desk (mass produced with very little throw) and I swear the wick was 3/4 inch long with a big, ole mushroom on the end of it. The flame was 2 inches high!!! I told her...girl, you need to trim that wick...see how that candle is smoking?? (The jar was blackened really badly.) They just laughed at me. There goes Heather on her candle soap-box again.I really don't care. Like I said, they aren't being ugly about it. It's their candles that they are burning the best they could, and we are great friends. But does this annoy anyone else????~Heather~My friends now call me the 'WICK NAZI" , but I think I probably deserve it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustpuuppy Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 I once told someone that the proper wick length, for optimal performance is 15/64 of an inch, but 1/4 will work OK in a pinch.I'm not quite sure if they knew I was joking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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