need wick help

[Forest Hill Candles]

Hi all,

I have been making soy candles for a short time. I love it!!!!! Wish I would have started a long time ago. Anyway.... a lot of info on web sites, so I'm trying to read and learn as well as test, test, test. I use CB135 in mostly 8 oz. or a 16 oz. mason jars with pretabbed wicks. I place my wicks with hot glue before I pour the wax. I just read to place pretabbed wick as soon as the wax starts to set in bottom of jar. Occasionally, I do have wicks move when the melt pool gets to the bottom of the container. But not with every candle. So do I wick before I pour or after?????

[Stella1952]

Occasionally, I do have wicks move when the melt pool gets to the bottom of the container.

Movement is a bad thing. It allows the sustainer base to move around too close to the sides of the container (via convection currents in the liquid wax) and also will allow the wick to keep sucking up liquid wax through the base instead of self-extinguishing at the top of the sustainer as designed.

The high-temp hot glue I was using was not sufficiently "high-temp" enough to resist the heat at the bottom of some of my jars, so I switched to high-temp silicon gasket maker (from Autozone - red tube). I have only had one lose its seal and suck wax. None have released the wicktab, allowing it to move.

I have read of people using this method of wicking also and they can do what they wish, but I sure wouldn't!

So I vote for "before" - 24 hours for the stuff I use to fully cure and gain strength.

[Forest Hill Candles]

Thanks Stella for the info and the high-temp gasket maker tip. I'm heading for the store tomorrow.