markewallace Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I made my first candle tonight, a simple container candle that turned out alright except for the fact that I forgot to save enough wax for a second pour. Thus, the candle, as expected, has a big sinkhole around the wick.What should I expect from this candle when I burn it? Do I need to go melt some more wax and get a second pour in, or will it be okay as-is?Thanks,Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 More than likely it'll drown the flame. You could always zap the top with a heat gun to level it out. Or as a last resort, put it in a warm oven for a bit until it melts enough to level itself. Watch it close though so you don't melt it completely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markewallace Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 Thanks, Ducky. Perhaps here's my excuse to go buy a heat gun.As if guys need excuses to buy heat guns.... - Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I couldn't live without mine! I even have a spare backup for emergencies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang67 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Yeah.....my husband had one of those.......I play dumb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markewallace Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 Hmmm....next question...really an extension of the first.I already trimmed the wick down to 1/4" or so. Once I level this candle out per Ducky's advice, that little wick stub will be submerged. Is there a way for me to lengthen the wick now so that it will be long enough once I level it off? Seems that one should be able to use a little melted wax to attach another short length of wick to what's in there already, but I'm not sure if that'll work. Seeking help from the experts....Thanks,Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 NO, it wont work. Sorry. Once you lit it, the wax on the wick would melt and fall into the melt pool and drown anyway. Ok, you have 2 choices. Stick the whole thing in a warm oven and melt it all so you can pluck out that wick and replace it. Or take a knife and carve out the taller excess wax so that when it's leveled it'll be lower than the wick.Umm... NEVER trim the wick until you're completely done. I know, you wish you'd known that before you did it right? Cutting a wick too short is kinda like running into a brick wall. You may be able to pick yourself up, dust off and crawl around the wall, but it'll take a lot of effort.Wait... This is your first candle right? Did you keep the wick pulled tight until it was completely cool? It's a common mistake to NOT keep it secured long enough. In your case, it might help you. Without support, the wick will sink and shift down in the wax some as it cools and shrinks. IF that's the case, you should be able to warm it in the oven enough to softer the wax and pull up the slack. It's a long shot but I'd thought I'd ask... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markewallace Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 NO, it wont work. Sorry. Once you lit it, the wax on the wick would melt and fall into the melt pool and drown anyway. Was afraid of that. Sigh. Ok, you have 2 choices. Stick the whole thing in a warm oven and melt it all so you can pluck out that wick and replace it. Or take a knife and carve out the taller excess wax so that when it's leveled it'll be lower than the wick.Of the two choices, is there one that is generally better? Umm... NEVER trim the wick until you're completely done..Lesson learned. Wait... This is your first candle right? Did you keep the wick pulled tight until it was completely cool?Hmmm...no, I didn't, so maybe there's an out for me there. Once the top solidified, I removed the clothespin that was holding the wick taut. Is there any way to say how likely it is that there might still be enough wick in there to give me the length I need? (No, not my length....the wick's length.)Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Of the two choices, is there one that is generally better?Not in my opinion, just which ever you feel like doing. Me, I'd zap it a bit to soften it up then grab the knife and start carving. Or if you got the heat gun, zap to melt the top and pour off. BUT that's just because I like playing in wax. Watching an oven is not fun and I don't get to make a mess Hmmm...no, I didn't, so maybe there's an out for me there. Once the top solidified, I removed the clothespin that was holding the wick taut. Is there any way to say how likely it is that there might still be enough wick in there to give me the length I need? (No, not my length....the wick's length.)Ummmm... you'll have to check that yourself, for either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markewallace Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 Alright. Well, thanks for your help. I like the heat gun idea, since it gives me a reason to go buy something new. We'll see how it goes.I think somebody needs to come up with a product for situations like this. I totally feel like less than a man now due to my ewicktile disfunction. - Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I think somebody needs to come up with a product for situations like this. I totally feel like less than a man now due to my ewicktile disfunction. - Mark:lipsrseal :tiptoe: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Thanks, Ducky. Perhaps here's my excuse to go buy a heat gun.As if guys need excuses to buy heat guns.... - MarkI had that happen with my first and only so far, (I'm kinda slow), but the heat gun worked well. Just keep it low setting and far enough away. It works well and don't let it melt down the candle too much so it won't look like a layer of frost. That's what I did first time and it worked great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth-VT Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 If this is a tester, just pull the wick out with some pliers, level off the top, poke a hole and reinsert the wick. Absolutely no need to totally remelt for testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markewallace Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 This was my first-ever candle. Thus, I guess everything is a tester for me.So, you're saying I could just yank the wick, level the candle, and put a new wick in? Would the wick need some sort of pre-treatment first?Pardon the total rookie questions. I've been at this for all of two days now.- Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vio Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 No and it's a good way to be able to swap out wicks too on testers. I did it that way. My first wick was too small, and since I had no tab on it and just sunk it when it was almost set up, I had no problem pulling it with the plyers. I hit it with the heat gun and took a long pointy wire and stuck it in the middle and just stuck the next size up in there as far as it would go, and hit with the heat gun again to let wax go into wick area again if it was away from wick. Worked great for me with my first and only tested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markewallace Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 Ack...but I just realized that this candle has a wick tab at its base, and (for some strange rookie reason) I knotted the underside of the wick. I'm pretty sure this means that there's no wickin' way that this wick is coming out without remelting the whole thing. Sound right to you?I have the feeling that I'm back to the original options; i.e. either remelt the whole thing or just level off the top. Or is there something (besides the obvious...skill) that I'm missing?- Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SatinDucky Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Not that I can see...I just assumed it was tabbed to begin with. Many people testing wicks wait until it cools, poke a hole, insert the PRIMED (coated in wax) wick and fill in around it. Then you can pull it and change sizes if you don't like the way it burns. Remember though... letting it burn once for an hour is not enough to tell how it will perform.Oh yeah, wick tabs... no knotting...lol. When you put the wick in, crimp the neck with needle nose pliers or a crimper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markewallace Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 Oh yeah, wick tabs... no knotting...lol. When you put the wick in, crimp the neck with needle nose pliers or a crimper.Alright. Well, I'm off to the store tomorrow to get a heat gun and try to bring this thing back to level. We'll see how it goes.Honestly, I have no idea why I knotted the wick. I knew to just crimp the neck, but somehow my brain led me to think that a knot would be a great idea too. Live & learn.- Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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