Pillar burn

[Lightning Bug]

Made this the other day and used a 24 flat ply in 140 melt wax with 3 Tbsp stearic, 1/2 tsp uv, 1/2 tsp vybar, and 4.8% Vanilla Bean Noel. The pics are of the first burn after 4 hours. No mushroom, straight flame, but it seems sort of tall to me. But it still has some area to the edge so thought I'd get some opinions. Just wondering about the flame height. Thanks. Beth

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[Pam]

The sides of the pillar looked to be a little thick, but then it is only your first burn. I find that with almost all pillars that I make that are 3", I use a 27 ply wick for, and the acheive a full melt pool, sometimes you have to hug them because they bulge out but I neve have a blow out with that wicking. Nice looking candle for one of your first. I really like to make pillars, you can be so creative with them.

Pam F

[Lightning Bug]

Thanks, Pam. I like making them too. I'm just starting and not to sure on the wicking. I am going to try the 27 ply thanks to CareBear. Do you put your wick a bit off center or twist or ? to get a centered burn? I did let it burn for another 2 hours and still no mushroom, but about a 3/8" wick and the edges thinned down fairly good, but especially on one side. The flame stayed a bit larger than I thought it should be, but not sure. Would like to get it down enough to give a few to family this Christmas. Will light tomorrow again. Beth

[Oh-MYo]

In my opinion, that's a huge flame. Although it's more about trimming than the wick itself. As the candle burns down you will want that strong of a wick to melt the sides of the pillar.

I think the width of the edge is just perfect at this stage. Notice how the inner sides of the pillar wall are all wrinkly, that's cuz they are melting from the heat of the flame rather than the heat of the melt pool. That's what you want.

As your melt pool goes even lower and you hug the top of the pillar the walls will melt and run down into the melt pool. And your wick is perfectly centered at this point--well done! so you should have no concerns about a blowout.

Wall thickness looks perfect to me, provided you tame down the flame.

Please dont be offended if it seems I am telling you stuff you already know. I think you did a great job.

Personally, I dont "hug". I love my candle followers. They look pretty and radiate just enough heat to the top so that it melts down into the melt pool without hugging.

[Pam]

Thanks, Pam. I like making them too. I'm just starting and not to sure on the wicking. I am going to try the 27 ply thanks to CareBear. Do you put your wick a bit off center or twist or ? to get a centered burn? I did let it burn for another 2 hours and still no mushroom, but about a 3/8" wick and the edges thinned down fairly good, but especially on one side. The flame stayed a bit larger than I thought it should be, but not sure. Would like to get it down enough to give a few to family this Christmas. Will light tomorrow again. Beth

I find with ply wick the candle as a tendency to burn a little off balance, no matter what you do to the wick. That is one reason I like to hug my candles to keep them going straight. When I sell to people I explain to them that this might happen and how to hug a candle.

Hope this is of some help

Pam F

[Lightning Bug]

Well, it is morning and the candle tunneled some and then the flame started flicking all over. I cut the sides off and again a steady burn. I figure it is just like in a container creating it's own air pattern...Now, the flame remains taller and burning brightly. So, would a bigger wick have a bigger flame? My 27 ply should be here soon and I will try it. Oh MYo, I am never offended with suggestions especially ones that have answers as well. Not sure how to get the flame smaller without loosing any meltpool. A different type of wick? And, I have never heard of candle followers. Does the melt always go inside the candle and not down the outside? Are they metal and where do you purchase such a thing? They sound and look really great. I thank you both for the info. I Feel like it is going to be a great day. Hope everyone is having one! Beth

[Pam W]

Yes, you can twist the wick - the curl will rotate as it burns...but a FB will always curl.

Wicks I have good luck with in 3" paraffin pillars are 24 & 27 ply, Eco 8 & C75 from Peaks...I'm really liking the C75 (cotton core) cause they stay straighter than any other wick I've used. I don't get the dreaded bulge with the CC wicks. Eco 8 burns a little hotter, has a deeper melt pool and does bulge after long burns. I've had only one blowout with the C75 and that was after a 9 hr marathon burn...my own fault:sad2:

[Oh-MYo]

Hey there Lightning Bug. I understand your concern about the melt pool. As your candle burns lower into the pillar you should have a bigger melt pool than when it is just burning at the top. The point is, as you say, when it burns lower into the "tunnel" you have a different combustion chamber...basically.

It's a hard thing for many, even experienced pillar burners to trust...that wax will melt. It seems that candle burning is as much a science as candle making. But such fun!

There are people who think that if a pillar has a burn cavity 1/2 inch down that it is tunnelling and therefore not a good candle. Not so. My "tunnels" are typically 1/2 to almost an inch deep and the melt pool is about 2 1/2 inches wide in a 3 inch pillar. I trim to ensure that my flame height never exceeds an inch.

But I suppose that just as there are tons of different candles there are also tons of different ways to burn them.

I found my candle followers at my local Michael's store. They were sold as candle decor rings but having researched it I knew what they were. They were on sale for 2 bucks each cuz I think most people dont know what they are for. Now churches that burn candles; THEY know what they are for:-)

As I researched it and experimented, I found that the outer ring of a jelly jar lid will work just as well provided you can find a candle that it will sit on properly, not too loose and not too tight. Imagine this ring without the threads that are meant to screw on to a jar and you basically have a follower.

Yes, they are made of metal although I have seen some glass ones available online but mostly for smaller diameters. They are also called candle Savers; with good reason, they save wax from running down the sides, even in the smaller diameters.

As you burn, you will notice if the melt pool is getting too close to the outside, which can happen if the flame is too high or burning off center but always below the follower itself. Another good case for not leaving your candles unattanded.

Apart from a few church supply stores that want a kings ransom for them, a few places online like this do sell them: http://www.swanscandles.com/Checkout4Pro/cafolsnu.htm

I wish they were more readily available. They would even be great in ceramic and the possibilities are endless. Maybe some day.

Enjoy your day.