No More Poking!

[Oh-MYo]

Just tried somethin. I HATE all that hole poking and I HATE crooked wicks if I dont poke enough. So I thought there-has-gotta-be-a-better-way!

So here is what I tried: Put a small straw over the wick before I poured. They are drink straws--I got like 500 at the dollar store for a buck. Once it's cool the straw slides right off.

And...tada!!..the wick stays perfectly straight....way cool.

I was concerned that hot wax might melt the straw. Personally I have always poured my wax at whatever temperature it is once my candle warmer has melted it. I dont even have a wax thermometer. Of course I'm just an amatuer.

The candle on the right has been poured and cooled. And yes, I repoured the top with the straw removed.

[Breanna]

Well, Thats inventive!!!

[grandmaskitchen]

Great idea! Just might have to try that myself!

:highfive:

[dandelion garden]

Hey, neat idea...I'm gonna try that!

[MasterBaker2]

Like the say on the commercial, "Brilliant" :highfive: Great idea.

[andrealh1975]

Call it my dirty mind, but when I saw the topic of this thread "No More Poking" I was a little scared to open it!! LOL

Glad i did though, nice idea!!

[Oh-MYo]

Andreah! <gasp!>....lol

Anyway, ty ty all. I was sorta expecting that some of the longtime pros here would say you-cant-do-that-because.....well...I dunno really.

The only concern might be that if youre pouring at a higher temperature it might just compromise the plastic straw--which fits so nicely over the wick. In which case you can buy harder plastic tubing at, say an aquarium supply store. Even glass tubing is a possibility, depending on how hard it is to get.

At some point you might even need to....put something on it so it will be slipperier---oh heck I cant think of a way to say it that wont have andrea's dirty little mind goin again...lol....sorry hon...just teasing.

[AngelaVA]

Interesting idea

[candlebean]

That is a good idea, but does it keep the wick straight all the way down or just the top? Just curious. I use popsicle sticks with a little hole drilled in them (my FIL is in charge of drilling holes and LOVES his "job"). Anyway, you just put the wick through the hole, give it a little tug to make sure it is straight, bend the extra wick over to the side, and use the clothespin to hold it tight. Not saying your idea is wrong by any means, just throwing another idea out there...I personally like the sticks because you can use them over and over and over again...but I guess you could use the straws again too now that I think about it....

[Oh-MYo]

Bean; yep, it does keep the wick straight all the way down. The straw fits right over the wick--goes right to the bottom of the container. And it fits perfect, loose enough that it still slides but tight enough that it cant bend.

So long as the straw is in place---wick cant go anywhere.

[MasterBaker2]

Even glass tubing is a possibility, depending on how hard it is to get.

I don't think you want to try glass since it's so brittle it would break pulling it out.

[andrealh1975]

At some point you might even need to....put something on it so it will be slipperier---oh heck I cant think of a way to say it that wont have andrea's dirty little mind goin again...lol....sorry hon...just teasing.

Keep 'em coming!!! :yay:

[Hibiscus]

Have you burned them yet? Sounds like something I might want to try. It's amazing the things we come up with when we're frustrated.

[Donita]

Now this got my attention. I don't do jars as my regular business, but I still could try this idea with other applications. Very cool!!!!! I love it when people experiment. I have little plastic tubes from instant thermometers...they aren't' very tall, but they might be more heat resistant. I use them to guide my wicks into jars...never thought about leaving them there. Thanks for sharing your genius. I will dip some straws into my very hot wax today just to see...........Donita

[MeAndMyPuppyDog]

I can honestly say, if that works, I would patent it. Sounds silly, but I see some of the ideas people have for keeping the wick staight and they are plain silly. This, on the other hand is smart. You could even make the straw out of a silicone coated poly or something to add value.

Good Job.

[topofmurrayhill]

The basic idea has been around as a product. Doesn't work with one pour waxes though. http://www.straightwick.com/

[Oh-MYo]

Doh!

Thanks for sharing that Top. So much for going into the wick straw business MeAndMyPuppy.....Just think of the profit margin on a dollar box of 500 straws at $2 a pop!

In the Tips section it says to make sure your wax is below 160 degrees when you insert the "wickstick" !! Sounds like my drink straws--but maybe thats just sour grapes on my part....lol "Unique composition" indeed!

Oh well, I will still use my idea and wickstick.com can bite me!!....lol

[Oh-MYo]

Yes, sorry Hibiscus, didnt mean to ignore you. I have been burning my candle, votive is almost burned down ---nice centering.

And just to whine some more that someone else beat me to the punch:

"Durable wax release poly construction" STILL sounds like a plastic drink straw to me.

Okay, Ill drop it, chocolate---I'm cominggggg!

[Candle Man]

Did anyone watch the video?

They pour wax into the jar then insert the pre-tabbed wick into the wick stick then insert the the wick and wick stick. They claim they make a SAFE candle. How can a jar candle be safe if you don't glue down the wick. When the candle burns down to the bottom you will have a Dangerous floating wick.

I guess everybody that uses the wick stick must be getting sued left & right for a very un-safe candle.

I think the Wick Stick company should be sued for claiming a safe technique, when in reality it is very dangerous.

[Candle Man]

Bumping to see if anyone saw the video.

[storm35]

What a great idea, thanks for sharing that, i need to try that when i get time to make candles.

Cxxx

[Oh-MYo]

Yes Candle Man I did see the videa. I have in fact bought many container candles that did not have the wick secured to the bottom. And often, since I only make candles for myself dont bother securing the wick to the bottom.

And "safety" as it pertains to candles is a relative term. Many candle warning labels say to burn it to the last half inch of wax in the bottom and stop. Now many of us burn till it wont burn any more.

Which may result in getting hot wax on ourselves, the furniture or whatever if we happen to pick it up or something without being aware that the wick is not secured.

But is that really any more dangerous than say a pillar which by it's own design is not terribly stable. Or for that matter a crooked wick that heats one side of the glass too much?

Just my thoughts.

[Tess]

Yes Candle Man I did see the videa. I have in fact bought many container candles that did not have the wick secured to the bottom. And often, since I only make candles for myself dont bother securing the wick to the bottom.

And "safety" as it pertains to candles is a relative term. Many candle warning labels say to burn it to the last half inch of wax in the bottom and stop. Now many of us burn till it wont burn any more.

Which may result in getting hot wax on ourselves, the furniture or whatever if we happen to pick it up or something without being aware that the wick is not secured.

But is that really any more dangerous than say a pillar which by it's own design is not terribly stable. Or for that matter a crooked wick that heats one side of the glass too much?

Just my thoughts.

The pillar should drown itself when it come to the "unstable part" As with Glass Jars, the wick just floats around and migrates to the side wall, therefore breaking the glass. Then when the glass breaks, the extra flow of oxygen feeds the remaining burning wick which then causes a fire.