Started test burning :(

[enchantedflorest]

I'll start by saying any help would be greatly appreciated. I am a verrry new candle maker. I started with 8oz cracker jars mouth diameter of 3 to 3 1/4in. I get all my supplies from a person who also makes candles (same mouth dimensions, FO, color) she had given me some "start points" to work with for each FO/wick combo. I made a few of each F/O and just started test burning. So far for the most part none of them seem to be real good

Most if not all have "mushrooms?" ranging from what I would consider small to huge! Also the melt pools are way off center (maybe just the wick is way off - I hope thats an easy enough fix). And the burn time seems real low. 1 I called it quits on at around 20 hours.

Another bummer.... theres still alot of wax on the walls of the jars some on just 1-2 sides other all over. HELLLLLLLLLLP please

From what I see its like the wick is to big and to little all in one----ugh.

[enchantedflorest]

Sorry forgot to add.... I use EL classic soy wax.

[goosebay_1999]

What kind of wicks and sizes are you using? What % of FO are you usng as well?

[enchantedflorest]

I'll give you a couple to starters....

wick cd-22, FO .8oz/lb, color .025

wick PKN15, FO .8oz/lb, color .025

#2 sq. braid, FO .8oz/lb, color none

and CDN18, FO .8oz/lb, color .050

quite a variation. The person I get my FO from makes it herself, it tends to run reallll potent so at a max its 1oz/lb. a norm is .8 and very fragrant FO is at .6

Thanks for any help I can get. I started reading some posts on mushrooms,... sounds all to common

Also do you think maybe I need to burn them at longer intervals, currenlty 3 hour test burns. mouth is 3 1/4 base of jar is between 3 1/2 to 4in.

[MichelleOH]

Yes I think you need to test burn longer and have you considered double wicking? With a jar that wide I personally would double wick it. HTH

[candleessence]

I don't use soy, but I might be able to help with the "off-centered" melt pools. When you make a container make sure that you keep the wick centered & tight. Sometimes when I make containers as the wax sets it will pull the wick off centered. I won't be able to see this until I start burning the candle a few times & notice that the wick is no longer in the middle of the jar. Also after you blow the candle out, re-center the wick if necessary. HTH

[daniedb]

With the CD wicks, the MP will tend to favor one side or the other, because the wick bends toward one side of the container. I don't worry about it as long as you have a clean burn, because both sides will even out once you get past the 2 hour or so mark.

Also, I would suggest just sticking with one FO right now - trying to test more than that is going to drive you NUTS - since each FO acts differently when bound with wax. Just choose one you don't mind smelling, and perfect that one.

Your CD 18 is nowhere near going to clean up those sides - try the CD 22 again, with that amount of FO, burn the jar for 4 hours and see what you get. If you're going to double wick, which is *much* easier, I suggest using 2 CD 7s for that size jar, start there and see where you get.