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Centering Wicks @ top of Jar


Cissy

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I have no problem getting my wick centered at bottom of jar. I'm mostly testing now, but have tested a few scents/wicks, etc. that I'm ready to start pouring to give to family & friends as gifts for opinions before I even start to sell. I have used the wooden skewers on a few candles, taping them together, etc. but have still had a couple not 100% centered. I am picky & want them "exactly" centered at the top & bottom. After pouring my candles, I have never put the lids on my Hex jars until they cool. I might test some Jelly jars soon & I'm wondering what would happen if I put a smelly jelly lid with the slots & hole in the center on top as soon as I pour & pull the wick thru the center hole and tighten with a clothespin. I don't have any of these lids, so am not sure exactly how big the hole is except from pictures. Chemically or otherwise, what would it do to the candle while it is still hot, by having one of these lids with the slots on top. Would it affect the curing, wax, or FO, or just steam up the jar? ...just looking for an easier, more stable and accurate way to center wicks at the top, too.

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I use wick stickems on the bottom centered in the middle of the jar and then a wick bar to hold the wick..makes a straight wick everytime. Not sure about your smelly jelly lid idea..maybe someone else will know about that one.;)

I also use wick-stickums and a wick bar to hold the wick at the top. It works great at keeping the wicks centered and they are really cheap. Lonestar has wick bars for .59 each and Peak has them for closer to $1 each.

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What I do is use popsicle sticks with holes drilled just big enough for the wick. I also have some with two holes for dbl wicking. I secure the wick to the bottom of the jar, slide the popsicle stick down the top of the wick and let it rest across the top of the jar. I fold the wick over the stick so it stays nice and taught make sure it is centered and then pour. I wait 24 hrs before putting any lids on.

HTH,

Mary

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What I do is use popsicle sticks with holes drilled just big enough for the wick. I also have some with two holes for dbl wicking. I secure the wick to the bottom of the jar, slide the popsicle stick down the top of the wick and let it rest across the top of the jar. I fold the wick over the stick so it stays nice and taught make sure it is centered and then pour. I wait 24 hrs before putting any lids on.

HTH,

Mary

The only problem with this is the wax will soak into the wick and cause it to droop in the center of the jar. And they setup that way. The wick bars are a MUCH better idea and a low cost investment.;)

Fire

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Cissy,

Like you, I am picky about having my wicks centered on top and on the bottom of the jar. :D I use something like this that I made out of cardboard:

http://www.ezwicksystem.com/default.asp?S=503&A=E&PKV=WICK-28|0

I made some myself because I don't use jelly jars. I made them using a Fiskars circular cutter and punched lots of holes around.

After the candle is poured, I slide the circle down, pull a little (just enough to make the wick taut), and secure it with a clothespin. As long as the edge of the cardboard is flush with the top edge of the glass, the wick should be centered.

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Hi, I just wanted to add my two cents. When I went to wick my candle today, I used the wick bar and it cut my wick at the top of the jar. Now I have no extra wick to hook anything to,to the keep it straight :undecided. Just keep in mind to be careful, it was also my first time using the wick bar.

Connie

LOL, I've had that happen to me. That little notch cuts wick like a scissor if you aren't careful.
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Thanks everyone for your imput.

Top...I was hoping you could give me a scientific reason for not using the Daisy lids.

I have used the metal wick bars & didn't really like them much better than the skewers. It is heavier & doesn't slide as easily as the skewers, but it still gets in the way, poking out, and you still have to eyeball it to make sure it's centered, and I had to spread my jars apart further & be careful not to let the bars hit each other. Even with them taut on the wick, they can still move a little if you're not careful. I will check into the ezwicsys.com jar ones.

They look much more convenient & accurate, and shouldn't cut the wick in two. I believe they will save time also, when after lots more testing,

hopefully, I can start pouring in larger batches.

Funnygirl & Moniek...When I start doing Jelly jars, I might try those you suggested from BCN

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i used the daisy lids for a couple of years with no problem at all. it was a pain to remove the lid for my second pour. my wick was perfectly centered every time. i used a binder clip on top of the lid to hold the wick in place.

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HI this is Robert with EZ Wick Systems. Don and I will be coming out with the WCT for containers in the middle to late March. There will be 3 sizes Small Medium and Large. They will fit Jelly Jars and alot of other different sized containers. The large will fit the 16oz Apothecary jars and other size jars and it will have multiple holes for double wicking. The center line of the holes will match the multi EZ Wick Setter for double wicking. I am attaching a couple of pictures of the tool. With these you dont have to worry about the wick not being in the center it automatically holds and centers it. You dont have to worry about it getting bumped and moving on you. You can have your containers close together and you can place the tool on the container before you pour. You dont have to remove it to do a second pour it can stay on the container until you are ready to trim the wick and put the top on. I will keep everyone posted when they are available. Thanks Rob in tx

www.stephscents.com/Images/picture-6.JPG

www.stephscents.com/Images/Feb06541.JPG

For more information go to www.ezwicksys.com and go to the Wick Centering Tool page. We will keep you posted.

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I use these and like them very much. They do not get in the way...no eyeballing...and so far, no wicks cut. .79 each with a price break for 100

http://shop.candlesandsupplies.com/candles/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=Candles&category%5Fname=Candle+Holders%2FAccessories&product%5Fid=WC

I use the same ones above, I love them. I used to use a clothes pin to but when I was testing the Kerr wide mouth jars, the clothes pin wasn't long enough.

Mindy :)

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I hadn't looked at the ones from Candles and Supplies before....mine are like the ones from JBN which do "poke out" more than CS's. I do like the grooves in those and they look like they would stay in place better than mine. But, now that I have seen the ones from ezywicksystems and haven't already purchased a large stock, I think I will just wait for those to become available. They look like they will be even better than CS's.

Edited to add: I just looked at JBN's & they have apparently changed wick bar styles since I purchased mine last September...their current ones are like Lonestar's & Peaks and cheaper than the ones I have.

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