grrr...testing J50, any ideas??

[schmoopie]

Hi All! New to the boards and I want to thank everyone for all the valuable info here! It's wonderful!

I am currently testing J50 wax, 1-1.5 % FO, in straight sided 13.5 oz tumbler (which hold approx. 10 oz. wax) that are 3 " in dia.

I have sample packs of the HTP , Zinc, and LX series. So far I have tried, without success: LX22, LX 20, HTP 105, 51-32-18z, HTP 73, 60-44-18z, and LX 18. The last 2 burned to a 1/4 inch of the jar in 3 hours time but the melt pool was very deep. Any ideas where to go next?

I am also doing 8 oz tins with the same wax and have tried the HTP 83 and 51-32-18z, with no luck.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

TIA

Lisa:bliss:

[von691]

try double wicking your jar with 2 - 51z or 2- 44z wicks and see how they work. I don't do them often but I have 1 customer who I have done that for and she hasn't had a problem so far. Just remember to keep them trimmed up.

As for the tins I haven't done them so I am not able to say about them. HTH.

[Fern]

Hi Lisa...Welcome to the board!

I don't use J50 but I do use J223 which is very similar. In a round 3" diameter container, I use an LX-28 and it works beautiful...but then again, it also depends on the type of scent you're using. I imagine if I used a real heavy scent I'd have to wick up to a 30.

Fern

[shooterkim]

I use J50 with 9oz hex jars which I just measured and they are 3in across. I use 51zinc wicks with almost all scents except for the heavier oils when I bump up to either a 51cotton or 60zinc. Do you have any 62zincs you could try? If you do decide to double wick, start with the 44zincs and work down from there. What FO are you trying to wick?

[schmoopie]

Thanks for all the imput! I am wicking a custom blend and the base is Lilac from peaks, so I think it is heavier.

The 51's just are not working for me, and I did try the 60-44-18z, but I do have the cotton 60-44-18's.

I have been afraid to wick up too agressively, due to the deep melt pool. Is that caused by it being to hot or too small of a wick?

tia!

Lisa:cool2:

[schmoopie]

On the double wick issue.......I really haven't tried it because I'm not sure exactly how to do it....as far as spacing goes? Is it an inch between wicks? and then how do you keep it centered?

[shooterkim]

A custom blend of Lilac and what? lol...vanilla? I don't use Peak's FO's but have to imagine that the Lilac isn't a heavy oil? Zinc wicks are the coolest burning of all wicks. Cottons are a tad hotter so you could try a 51c or 60 cotton. They are just a pain to keep standing upright due to not having a solid core for support. I use popsicle sticks with a rubber band on one end to clamp my cotton wicks with to keep them standing straight up. As for double wicking, just space the wicks evenly in the jar. Divide the jar into three equal parts and place your wicks accordingly. When you are test burning, how long do you burn? and are you doing subsequent burns after? Sometimes a candle will look like it's struggling on the first burn but will catch up on the 2nd and 3rd burns. Even if there is hang up on the jar, sometimes the other burns will take care of that?

[schmoopie]

No, it's Lilac and a sea type FO. The hang up was at least 1/2 an inch thick. Don't think it'll catch up. It's just sort of tunneling down.

I am burning for at least 3 hours, since the container is 3 inches wide. If it gets close enough I will do another burn but if it's still a 1/2 inch away I don't bother. I figure it's time to move on to another wick.

So, you divide container into 3 for 2 wicks? I'm not getting it....maybe I need more coffee? Do I just measure to make sure each wick is 1/2 from the center, so that they are an inch apart?

[Tess]

I use J50 with 9oz hex jars which I just measured and they are 3in across. I use 51zinc wicks with almost all scents except for the heavier oils when I bump up to either a 51cotton or 60zinc. Do you have any 62zincs you could try? If you do decide to double wick, start with the 44zincs and work down from there. What FO are you trying to wick?

DANG!! :shocked2:

I use 9oz hexs and J223 also, but 51's and 62's especially seem to large for that size and wax. Your jar does not get too hot?? I use the 40 series in my hexs.

[Tess]

No, it's Lilac and a sea type FO. The hang up was at least 1/2 an inch thick. Don't think it'll catch up. It's just sort of tunneling down.

I am burning for at least 3 hours, since the container is 3 inches wide. If it gets close enough I will do another burn but if it's still a 1/2 inch away I don't bother. I figure it's time to move on to another wick.

So, you divide container into 3 for 2 wicks? I'm not getting it....maybe I need more coffee? Do I just measure to make sure each wick is 1/2 from the center, so that they are an inch apart?

How long are you test burning for? The melt pool shoud be about 1/2 in 3 hours for the hex. Also are your wicks decent quality? You aren't adding any other additives (other than UV) are ya?? What about your dye? I have used the same combo in the past for about a year, and I used the 44 zincs. Alsways got a perfect melt pool.

[KimOCandles]

May need to bump up to 62's. When I used straight j50, my large is a 3 1/4" diameter, and some fo's needed bumped to 62's. Most worked with the 60's, but a few needed the 62's. I would try that on the zinc's before throwing in the towel. Can't help you on the lx's. I use lx's now, but I use a j50/soy blend now, so can't help you much, except I do have to go all the way up to 30 sometimes on some fo's, but 24's are *usually* the key for me on my blend. HTH & Good luck!

KimO