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Need help on wick for J225


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Boy oh boy, do I ever need help! Im useing 16 oz jelly jars, J 225 wax with 2 oz. FO per lb. I tried some of the low smoke zinc, and well, they really werent, LOL! My jars are solid black! I really want to get away from zinc wicks anyway. Anyone have any suggestions on wicking this size jar and useing the high FOs so my jars arent so "ugly", LOL! I mean, the candles smell terrific and I can deal with it, but I dont think my customers will appreciate it. :undecided

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Thanks! I have been eyeballing the LX wicks. The J225 is pretty simualar to the J 223, it just holds more fragrance and is supposed to eliminate fragrance bleeding, whick I was having a HUGE problem with. What size LX wicks do you suggest useing in the 16 oz. jellys to get a good burn pool. Im really picky about burning level.

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Thanks! I have been eyeballing the LX wicks. The J225 is pretty simualar to the J 223, it just holds more fragrance and is supposed to eliminate fragrance bleeding, whick I was having a HUGE problem with. What size LX wicks do you suggest useing in the 16 oz. jellys to get a good burn pool. Im really picky about burning level.
The amount of FO the manufacturer says you can put in the wax is a vague suggestion of what might be possible. The actual maximum depends on the FO. With some the wax may hold that amount and with others maybe half. If you were having a "HUGE" issue with fragrance bleed before, it's because you were using too much FO. Sounds like now you are using even more. Is that sensible?
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I guess I should have been more specific. I was having a HUGE (LOL) problem with fragrance leaking in the J 223 and was useing 1 oz per lb. BUT, after reading a post on another board about someone else having this same problem, especial with heavy vanilla FOs, I think I know what I was doing wrong. The debate was that by adding FO at too low of a temp, you get fragrance leaking, and that by adding FO at to high of a temp, you burn up the fragrance and lose it. I have been adding my FO in the J 223 at 160 degrees which appears to be too low accourding to the majority. They suggested adding the FO at 185-200 degrees, and said you will not lose any of your fragrance and your oil will incorperate better, meaning less chance for fragrance leaking. Would you all agree? My J 223 has excellent throw, I was just gonna try the J225 because of the leakage problem. Also, the J 225 hold 12% FO (2 oz. per pound roughly) and so I was thinking that would definatly help with the leakage problem. But hey, if I just need to add my FO at a higher temp then I am all for sticking with J 223.:D

What do you all think?

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Adding your FO at 180 or above is generally recommended, and no it won't burn off. But no, it won't help significantly with incompatible FOs like certain vanillas and many others. You can't go anywhere near the theoretical maximum with these FOs. Nowhere near it. Switching to J-225 and doubling the amount of FO isn't going to work and adding it hotter isn't going to work. J-225 might be helpful but start with the amount you were using before and see how it works.

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I think I am gonna stick with the J 223, add FO at 180 or above, and on those Heavy FOs, try .5 oz per lb instead of 1 oz. Test, test, test, blah.......LOL! Im also gonna try the LX wicks and see how those do. Thank you everyone for your help! I REALLY appreciate it!

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I think I am gonna stick with the J 223, add FO at 180 or above, and on those Heavy FOs, try .5 oz per lb instead of 1 oz. Test, test, test, blah.......LOL! Im also gonna try the LX wicks and see how those do. Thank you everyone for your help! I REALLY appreciate it!
Right on. The nice thing about those heavy FOs is that they are often strong. Even though they don't mix well with wax, you can use half the amount and get a nice throw. Good luck.
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Funny thing about this board is that everyone is really "discouraging" when it come to anyone using more than 1oz p/p. I don't know the specifics on the J225, but I currently use J223. J223 can hold OVER 1oz pp with no problems. I have wanted to try some waxes that hold 20% for shits and giggles. The vanillas are little harder to incorporate into wax because it is so dense. There are many oils that act the same. As for your separation problem, don't give up yet. There are ways around it besides cutting back (take this from actual experience).With vanilla I can add well over 1oz p/p in my J223 and I am able to avoid separation.

First thing is to make sure your wax is hot enough. So like J223 for ex. is supposed to be poured @ 140-150, I heat it to about 180-190 and pour the Vanilla. I then stir with a wooden spatula (not a whisk), and stir like mad making sure to get the bottom since the FO settles. Stir it until you get to about 155-160 and then pour. It takes a lot of stirring but the end result is usually no separation. (This works for me and is suggestion not a guarantee) IF that does not for you, well gradually cut back until you can get away with it. Some FO's if they are poorly made will not incorporate no matter what. And anything that has to be cut back to more than 3/4 oz FO in order to incorporate is a piece of crap FO IMO. :tongue2:

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Actually, adding heavier FOs like Vanilla and Sugar Cookie at a higher temp does help. I learned this trick from the pros on here when I first started making candles. I had a heck of a time getting certain FOs to mix at 175*. I started adding them at 190* or so, and never had a problem again. ;)

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Actually, adding heavier FOs like Vanilla and Sugar Cookie at a higher temp does help. I learned this trick from the pros on here when I first started making candles. I had a heck of a time getting certain FOs to mix at 175*. I started adding them at 190* or so, and never had a problem again. ;)
The temperature is the only thing that lets it fully mix with wax at all. At room temperature a lot of it wants to separate, which is why you can't use as much. If you do a polarity test at room temp it's like oil and water.
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The temperature is the only thing that lets it fully mix with wax at all. At room temperature a lot of it wants to separate, which is why you can't use as much. If you do a polarity test at room temp it's like oil and water.

The reason why it seperates is because there is either too much or it did not incorporate with the wax.

The heat of the wax helps the Fo "blend". So even when it cools to room temp, you will not have seperation. Have you tested this wax or J223 (which is similar?) Because speaking from actual experience and 7 years of testing, once I get it the FO mixed completely with the wax, I have no problems at all. Even with all the temp changes since I go from about 100+ outside to 65 inside. Never had a problem, unless I failed to mix correctly.

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It's true if you understand what I meant. It will help it incorporate but the wax still won't hold as much as it will of a more compatible FO. 2 oz pp ain't gonna work.

I understand what you meant. But sometimes all the "polarity" tests in the world don't measure up to actual experience. Point is, I know it's not true because I do just that on a regular basis. In fact I have done 2oz p/p without a problem in J223.

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Oh my! Dont make me turn into a mom here guys! LOL! :D

I just wanted to say I appreciate both of your help. I have never put 2 oz FO in J223. It's always been 1 oz. per pound, and I was haveing a big problem with the leakage. I am positive that it is because I have been adding fragrance at way too low a temp (160) for fear that I would "burn of the scent" by pouring it higher.

Now, I am pretty sure that if I applied my new found knowledge to the J225 wax, Im sure I could get away with 2 oz per lb. with alot of FOs, maybe not the heavier ones, but alot of them. The J225 "supposedly" can hold 12% FO so, there you have it.

Its all my fault, LOL! But thanks to everyone here, I can hopefully do better this next time. Now I just gotta get rid of these zink wicks I hate. :undecided

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