LX wicks

[Pam W]

just received an order of LX wick samples packet from Peaks. I plan on doing some serious pillar pouring over the next couple of days with 1343A - have any of you used these wicks with this wax? Do they curl? Any sharing will be appreciated.

[Henryk]

Did they give you any LX21s in your sample packs? I would try them first. I've been using the 22s in 1343 rustics. Depending upon the additives, colors, and FO they burn great - sometimes they will consume themselves complely with no hugging, other times I'll have a 3/8" wall if not hugged. 1343 with just stearic you should still really be able to hug the wall in if needed. The LXs WILL have a somewhat high flame in this wax - as long as they don't flicker and smoke I don't worry about the flame size - its a published fact about the LXs. They will also bend - but not too bad. I guess you are going to use wick pins so that you can switch out? I use 3x3.5 molds for testers because its faster to do and you use less wax and the pretabbed wicks are either 6 or 8" depending upon who you get them from. And if they are 6" and you use a 6" pillar mold you won't have enough spare wick to light if you pour up to the rim of the pilar. My reasoning on the small pillar size is that if it burns properly through 3 inches it should be fine in the 6" ones - and I have found that to be the case.

Honestly, although the LXs perform good in 1343 I'm starting to look at braids for the pillars, but I haven't done any real testing. I just hate to bother priming and tabbing them but will if they prove to be much better. I want something with a bit of a fatter flame and I think squares should do that - just a guess. The only thing I'm concerned about is if they flop over too much. What I would like to replicate all the time is a pillar that just burns down on its own with no hugging. (I can dream).

HTH

[Pam W]

Yep, I got some 21's. they sent everything from 8s to 30s.(13 packs) so I can just wick my little heart out. I like a nice big flame but then I'm a pyro...ya' know.

Will be making Hot Cocoa (rustic w/vybar - don't want mottling) & Asian Sandlewood (tilted layer rustic w/stearic as mottle is ok on this one), Black Cherry Bomb & a Vanilla(haven't decided on the style yet). All 3x6".

I too have started making my testers 3x3s. And yes, I'll be using pins - When using flat braid wicks, I found that if I unmold the candle then the slip it back on the wick pin, I can feed the wicks down the hole while slowly lifting the candle off the pin, the wicks go straight thru w/o hanging up. One time I had a dark colored candle that I couldn't get wicked properly to save my life so I took 3 24 plys, braided them together, and the candle totally self consumed down to last 1 1/2" w/o any hugging. The wick looked kinda funky but performed beautifully.

[Fern]

HenryK: I'm surprised by your comments that the LX wicks bend. I use LX wicks for both my pillars and containers and have found that they bend slightly in the smaller size wicks that come prewaxed and pretabbed. For my pillars I buy the LX raw wicking and prime them myself using a high melt point wax. In my pillars I have always had to wick way up. My 3" molds require at the very least an LX-26, but usually an LX-28. I've used them in both 1343 and 4045 and they never curl...always burn straight as an arrow...that's why I always use them. I wonder if it's because I buy the raw wicking and prime them myself???

[Pam W]

Fern:

do you have to wick up even more for darker colors and heavier FO?

[Fern]

PamW: Yes, you would probably have to wick up a heavily dyed candle. I made some Blackberry candles using 4045 wax awhile back where I went real heavy on the dye to get a very dark purpley blue color. The FO itself was not heavy and an LX-28 was too small for this particular 3" candle. So you really have to play with these wicks. If you're going to get some to make pillars, I'd start at LX-24's and go up to the largest size they have...I think it's a 30. Don't even waste your money on anything smaller if you're going to use them in 3" or larger molds. When you find the right size for your candle, you probably won't want to use anything else....at least I don't.

[Pam W]

I planned on going fairly dark with the hot cocoa - more of a deep chocolate so I think I'll save time and to straight to the 30 for my 1st test.

There have been several members that like these wicks so I figured I might as will give them a try.

Pouring Sweet Pea right now.....house sure smells good

[Fern]

Sounds like a good plan Pam. Good luck to you!

[Scented]

Just going to add that on my 3x3.5s I have more success anywhere between the 26-30s. I only put 24 into candles if using a flat braid and #2s on the square braids as starters. There's a slight curl on the pretabbed and prewaxed wicks.

[Henryk]

Fern, they definately bend* - but its not like an HTP bend or anything like that. I use the 22s right now - but I do hug the pillar. I personally think I need to play with them too much so that is why I am looking at other wicks.

Pam - I would listen to Fern and Scented - they have much more experience than I in the pillar department.

* I do use the pre-tabbed ones, and I've been using LXs for 2 years and I have noticed definate differences between different vendors' pre-tabbed LX wicks. My current LX batches are from WSP - they were having this HUGE sale a while ago (they were not going to carry them any longer) something like 3.00 dollars PER hundred - so I snatched those up! Back on the old veg board there was even a thread long ago how different the wicks looked coming from a couple different vendors. We figured out the one place was coating HTP wicks with beeswax instead of paraffin, but the vendors I talked to about the LXs always fell back on the old "high melt point paraffin with proprietary ingredients".

Pam, I wish I could get a better visual on how you are able to get flat braided wicks through a wick pin hole. I happen to be using Peaks' molds and pins and I don't see how I could get them through without priming them first. Glad you can do it though

[Pam W]

Henry, should have mentioned that I do prime the wicks first but even when primed sometimes they still want to snag along the way.

Just completed 3 1/2hr test burn of 3x3 hot cocoa(1/2tbl vybar, 1 oz FO, LX 30) - - 1/8" wall, perfect burn. Hopefully the 2nd burn will do as well. there was an ever-so-slight bend but just at the tip of the wick and a little mushrooming but no biggie!

[Henryk]

I never used that large of wick in mine, but glad that is working! LX wicks will usually mushroom much MORE on the very first burn, but after you trim them after they have been burnt (when they are black) you will see much LESS mushrooming.

[jillgunter]

I had a decent burn in a 3" pillar using a LX 18. Probally could have gone up a size and would be perfect. I dont recall the IGI wax I was using tho. I have been making more containers etc than pillars.

[Henryk]

Pam, I was just wondering how your pillars where burning with the larger LX wicks? You said it was going great with the 30 - is that still working - I was just wondering because you went almost to the edge of the pillar with just 3.5 hours on the very first burn. I was just wondering what would happen if you burned longer than 3.5 hours.

I wicked one with a 28 just today - hope that works too!

Thanks.

[Pam W]

HenryK, it's doing ok. Probably cause the candle is so dark. Don't think I'd use one this big in a lighter color though unless it's a heavy oil. I'll be pouring some patchouli in a few days and might try the 30 in that and wick down one size if necessary.

[Scented]

Pam, I burned a patchouli with good results using an LX30, colored black with minimal green and yellow in it and got a decent burn. Also used a flat braid 36 and got a good burn. Total difference was 1 hour between the burns. The LX actually lasted longer. Wax used was 1343, with additives. Forgot to mention, this was for a 3x3.5, lasted 57 hours on the LX.

[Pam W]

Scented,

thanks for that info. Patchouli pillars are on my weekend to-list. Last Patchoulis I did for this particular friend were deep red rustic but I didn't use 1343. Not sure what color she'll want but she stopped by today to tell me that she & BF got married yesterday ... so I want to make the candles a wedding gifts & I can be creative. I'll have to browse the gallery for some inspiration.