Copper Tubing

[Oh-MYo]

Just a thought on the "straw" method to keep a wick centered as the candle cures. While plastic straws may not be the best combination with hot wax, copper tubing would have no problems with heat...and BTW does not bind to wax.

Many plumbing supply stores sell 1/8" and 3/16" copper tubing for refrigeration and water filtration uses.

[Beth-VT]

True, but copper also transfers heat very quickly and efficiently. I'd much rather pull a cool straw out than a hot piece of pipe.

Personally, I don't see the necessity for these. To me it jsut seems an extra step in the process, having to pull the pipe/straw then repour to fill the gap. I just use a wick bar to hold my wick on center till the candle is set up.

[Oh-MYo]

Actually I started using the straw method as an answer to having to poke holes several times as the wax cooled so that the wick would stay straight. To me that was just too labor intensive. I was looking for something easier and less labor intensive.

I wanted to pour it and walk away from it without having to babysit it and poke holes for the next hour or so.

Some people dont repour, some of us do, mostly because the center is lower than the outsides once the candle cools, no matter what we do to center the wick. I even pour much cooler than most so the plastic straw hasnt melted on me. I use paraffin BTW

I have found that even using the plastic straw, that since it seems to help the center cool more rapidly the center depression is much less. You bring up an interesting point, that copper is a great heat conductor---so that would/should help the center cool even more quickly.

And I would suggest that as long as the copper tubing is still hot, so is the candle--which would not be a good time to pull it anyway.

Of course if youre happy doing things the way youre doing them and they work for you---well thats always a good thing.

This is the original thread--so you know where I'm coming from. http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22398

[Beth-VT]

I have already seen the original post. I'm aware of the shrinkage in the middle that occurs with paraffin, I guess what I'm not understanding is why you (not meaning you, lol, but anyone) would need to poke relief holes to help keep the wick straight. Are you not securing the wick in any way at the top of the jar? If not, then I understand the issue.....but would then ask, why not support the wick? Wouldn't that eliminate the problem? I know you'd still have to repour, but that would be your only issue.

[AngelaVA]

I have already seen the original post. I'm aware of the shrinkage in the middle that occurs with paraffin, I guess what I'm not understanding is why you (not meaning you, lol, but anyone) would need to poke relief holes to help keep the wick straight. Are you not securing the wick in any way at the top of the jar? If not, then I understand the issue.....but would then ask, why not support the wick? Wouldn't that eliminate the problem? I know you'd still have to repour, but that would be your only issue.

This was my thought too. If you hold the wick taut with a wick bar or popsicle stick then you should not need to poke holes to keep the wick straight. If there is some shrinkage in the middle, a heat gun would be much quicker and more effective than doing a second pour. It just seems like you are adding in more steps than necessary and making it harder and more time consuming. Just my thoughts

[MasterBaker2]

This was my thought too. If you hold the wick taut with a wick bar or popsicle stick then you should not need to poke holes to keep the wick straight. If there is some shrinkage in the middle, a heat gun would be much quicker and more effective than doing a second pour. It just seems like you are adding in more steps than necessary and making it harder and more time consuming. Just my thoughts

My guess is Oh-My is doing pillars and it doesn't matter how tight you have your wick it's going to get knocked around a bit just by air pockets. I'm curious as to wether or not this helps eliminate the air pockets.

[AngelaVA]

My guess is Oh-My is doing pillars and it doesn't matter how tight you have your wick it's going to get knocked around a bit just by air pockets. I'm curious as to wether or not this helps eliminate the air pockets.

Nope, her post about the straw included a pic where she is using glass containers with a straw to hold the wick. Here's the link

http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22398&highlight=straw

[friendlyMOM]

For my containers I use close pins and for my pillars I tie the wick to a cabob stick and it works great, just another idea,HTH

[MasterBaker2]

Nope, her post about the straw included a pic where she is using glass containers with a straw to hold the wick. Here's the link

http://www.candletech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22398&highlight=straw

:tiptoe: heading back to my corner now.....

[Oh-MYo]

Hmmm..am I to assume then that I am the only one who has ever had a problem with wicks going crooked no matter how I attach them at the top?

Now let me say that I am just an amatuer. I only make my own. I even pour at a lower temp, most notably I dont add FO. I normally dont attach my wick tabs and 90% of the candles I have ever bought did not have the tabs attached in any way to the container.

I learned somewhere, perhaps here, that poking relief holes would fix this problem. Does no one poke relief holes then either? I found it to be tedious---so tedious in fact that I quit too soon and still got a crooked wick.

In burning my candles made using a straw I find no air pockets(nor crooked wicks)--which is what the poking relief holes was supposed to be all about. Since the straw itself is basically one big relief hole it seems to have killed 2 birds with one stone. Maybe I have just been lucky so far.

Rather than being an extra step, for me anyway, it makes it easier and saves me steps.

For the record I only make and burn container candles because they are that much more stable.

[Beth-VT]

OK...a few things ...

If you are not affixing your wick tab to the bottom of the container, that could contribute to your air pockets around your wick by letting the wick move around, even if they are secured at the top.

One of the main reasons for affixing the wick tab is for safety. Once the candle is burned down low and becomes liquid at the bottom, the wick tab (if not secured) can slide around and allow the flame to get too close to the side of the container, causing excess heat and possibly cracks and/or shattering.

Now, if you secure your wick at the bottom, and secure it at the top either by a wick bar, or popsicle sticks or whatever, it prevents the wick from moving, and slouching down (which will also contribute to air pockets) and you should not have to poke any relief holes. Paraffin can shrink like a mother down the center that's for sure, and a repour may be required, but you should have no trouble with air pockets. Simply top off and your done.

Of course, this may be dependent upon the type of wax you're using (you haven't mentioned that, it could help with some recommendations), but try securing you're wick tab and securing at the top and I bet you'll see an improvement. HTH.

[Oh-MYo]

Now please dont feel I want to turn this into a contest. I just want to clarify a few things of my own.

The kind of wax I use---anything at all. I often shop half price sales and get 23 oz container candles for $4. Even though I wont burn huge big honkin candles, there is a lot of wax for me to repour into my own configuration. I will sometimes mix in a little pillar wax from sale candles if I have some.

Why dont I burn big candles? Several reasons; more chance of soot on glass walls--even using those fancy dancy long candle lighters. Occasional air flow problems when they burn down low--which can also contribute to soot. I'm not saying others shouldnt--its just my own preference.

I have never had a glass crack from a "floating" wick; possibly because I purposely choose heavy glass. To me it just makes good safety sense. Apart from that I dont see any reason for a wick tab to move; even if it is in a totally melted pool of wax unless the candle is picked up at that point---but who would do that? And why?! Asbestos fingers?

And if I have to repour anyway, slipping a straw(or copper tubing) out of the center takes less time than trimming the wick--which by the way I dont need to do. The straw supports the wick so it doesnt have to be any longer than what I need it to be when the candle is finished.

I'm not saying my way is the only right way or your way is wrong. With copper tubing---as per original post, one can easily glue the tab down even with the copper tubing over the wick. Pour. Support so it is totally vertical. Cure. Remove tube, repour.

You say tom(ay)to. I say tom(ah)to. There is more than one way to skin a cat...etc etc. I guess what I'm saying is that it works for me. I've seen your candles---they're great.

[giedre11]

Ok, newbie here too. Now I'm totally confused! I always thought the main reason for poking air holes was not so much to keep the wick straight, but rather to help get rid of any air bubbles in the wax, so that when your candle set up it wouldn't hit any air pockets and burn badly. So, would putting a straw around your wick keep your wax bubble free as it's setting up? I must not be getting something right?

[gerrie]

Beth brings up some good points, the main one is being safe. I admit, I've never had a wick tab move on me, but have had them tip to the side if the melt pool was to deep, and usually the wick drowns, but once it hit the side of the jar and cracked it. I always use a wick stickum on my tabs to secure the wick to the bottom of my jars, but years ago I used to test without securing the wick so I could pull them out if the wick didn't work and insert a new one. I found I could never test a candle to the very end because of the above mentioned facts, either drowned wicks or tipped wicks.

Just be careful, a wick that is not secure scares me, and it's just not worth the worry, the wick stickums are sooooooo cheap.

[topofmurrayhill]

Now please dont feel I want to turn this into a contest. I just want to clarify a few things of my own.

In support of your point, container candles have been made with unsecured wicks forever and tons are still made that way. It's not a crime.

Hobbyists used to make them that way too, but became savvy to wick stickers and adhesives. If you're only making a few candles I think you'll find it's no more difficult and more sensible to put a sticker on the bottom. With a little tension on the wick at the top it'll stay perfectly straight. Any problem with air pockets, just cool them slowly.

If you go on using your technique and want to experiment with metal tubes, I think you can obtain steel tubing pretty easily too. Copper isn't used in candlemaking because it discolors wax.