6oz tin wicking and problem with hot throw

[Tizimarezie]

I'm using EZsoy and "Vanilla Velvet" FO from BCN in a 6oz tin. I used 4.7oz wax and .5 FO. Not too keen on the FO because the cold throw seemed pretty weak to me to begin with. I've tried 3 different wicks (first CD12, then Eco8, then CD14). I'm not getting much of a hot throw with the CD's...in fact, I'm an hour into burning with the CD14 and I can't smell a thing until I get within a foot of it. The Eco8 gave a better hot throw but wasn't anything to rave about and there was some wax hangup on the edges after 4 hours of burn time. I don't think I should add more FO because I'm already at the high end of the ratio (1.5oz FO to 1lb wax)....but what do you think?...add more? Any suggestions? Wick higher? CD16?...CD18? No CD's at all? Stick with the Eco8? The wicks I have to work with are CD's, Premier 700 series, and Eco's.

TIA

[Carriegsxr6]

did you say you use 1/2 oz of FO for only 4.7oz of wax? It sounds like you are using too much FO. I think 1/2 oz FO with 5oz of wax is over 10% FO load. Most Soys can only hold a 9% FO load in order to burn correctly. I believe 9% FO load is about 1oz of FO for 12oz of wax. Try backing off the FO and allow your candle to cure longer before you test for scent throw.

Also I believe vanilla FOs will be harder to wick just in general.

[Tizimarezie]

Thanks for responding, Carrie. I'm using an Escali scale which only gives one digit behind the decimal....so when my calculations came out to .44 oz FO (.09375oz FO X 4.7oz wax = .44), I have to round up or down. So, I rounded up. Bad move? I'm pretty good at math but all these calculations are head spinning! I made the candle yesterday and began testing today...not a good idea? I read so many different opinions varying from one day cure time to one week but that the soy cure time is less. Maybe give it a TWO day cure? What would you suggest?

By the way, I love your avatar!

Thanks again.

[Tizimarezie]

I'm going to go with Eco10. The size of the flame is strong but not torching, the melt pool is spread out nicely and not tunneling like the Eco8, and I'm getting a fairly good hot throw. No mushrooming and the tin isn't too hot to the touch. This is a nice wick!

[topofmurrayhill]

I'm going to go with Eco10. The size of the flame is strong but not torching, the melt pool is spread out nicely and not tunneling like the Eco8, and I'm getting a fairly good hot throw. No mushrooming and the tin isn't too hot to the touch. This is a nice wick!

This being a tin, you won't really know what you're going with until you burn down to the bottom. Save some time and make testers for both ECO 8 and 10. At least in my experience, the size you're loving in the top half is probably a size too large.

[mptex]

I have always had goodluck with a 51c in those tins. I also add a little beeswax to them so they don't burn too fast...

HTH!

[Tizimarezie]

Thanks for the replies. Top, I like your idea of testing two at a time and will do that next time I test. I'll definitely burn to the bottom with this candle to see how this wick is performing. So far, the Eco10 isn't doing to badly. I'm marathon burning the candle today with the Eco10. At first the flame was weak (for about the first hour) and I think the Eco8 would have drowned out. The Eco10 took off after the hour and though it isn't as big a flame as last night, it's burning steady and strong now...but I sure have a lot of wax hangup on the sides of the tin! That's the only drawback I see so far. The hot throw is about the same as last night (noticeable but light). Would wicking up to an Eco12 be a good idea? The candle is half gone now and I don't know if wicking up at this point will give me any accurate answers. Should I be overly concerned with the wax hangup along the walls of the tin?

TIA

[topofmurrayhill]

I think to get the initial idea of what wick to use, you should make fresh testers and burn them for 3 hours at a time all the way to the bottom. Once you have your selection from that test, you can make an additional candle to marathon burn or whatever else you want to do.

The funny thing about tins is what happens at the bottom. Metal conducts heat a zillion times better than glass and that heat starts running back up the sides to melt the hangup. Plus at the bottom they liquefy quickly and start burning hot.

A typical experience was when I was wicking 6 oz tins with CB-135. With a typical FO, ECO 6 left a lot of hangup in the top half of the tin. Even ECO 8 left hangup but it was less. I figured the hangup would be no prob with the ECO 8 since it was a tin and that was going to be the right wick for sure. It looked very promising.

In reality, by the time I got to the bottom in 3 hour sessions, ECO 6 had burned everything fine and the ECO 8 tin was sooty.

That's just my experience but I think it's not unusual.

[Tizimarezie]

Thanks again, Top. I tossed the candle and will start over. Since I didn't have the measurements right in the first place, even if I did end up wicking this one to where it seemed okay, it wouldn't be a good 'model' for any others like it (er...any similar ones made with accurate measurements :rolleyes2 ). Might as well do it right from the get go! Your info regarding the Eco6 and Eco8 was very helpful!

:highfive:

[stacien]

I make favors with 6oz tins. I usually have to use a CD 18-20 depending on the FO. I haven't had any problems with the hot throws. I will add this I use 415 and I tried Vanilla Velvet from BCN whom I love but that particular FO did not throw well at all and I used max load as I could go that was with a 16 oz jar wicked with HTP 104's. I can't place which thread maybe someone will find it but I saw someone mention the same problem with that FO. I just made 100 tins of Extreme Vanilla from Millcreek. That stuff wicked with CD18's was filling my whole kitchen from that little tin. Maybe its not your wicking as much as the FO. Try a different Vanilla there are several. If its also easier for you measurement wise. Make four six ounce candle instead, to test four different wick sizes. Measure out 16oz of wax then measure 1-1/2 ounces of FO. Then just pour out each candle evenly. You don't want to overfill the 6oz either since 4oz usually is about what Yan*** fills theirs to. After I test them. I reuse the tins for more testing. It actually kills off a lot of testing time by burning four different sizes at once.