IGI 1343 scent throw?

[PurpleHippie]

I have been experimenting with IGI 1343 for pillars. I was told that the max it will hold is 3% FO. I've found that to be true and even sometimes 3% may be too much. I am also finding that the scent throw is not that great. I am using high quality oils that are awesome in regular container candles but low throw in the 1343. Is this normal for this wax?

I have tested various wicks. For those of you that use this wax, what wicks do you prefer and why?

[joym]

I use Vybar at about 1 t/#, 6% fo, mostly CD wicks, and have awesome throw.

[Scented]

flat braids or LX and with additives you get more than 3% load. I personally love the wax. I'd probably love to try some 4045, but right now I'm not paying shipping for 1343.

[topofmurrayhill]

I assume you're using more FO in the container candles. Some fragrances will throw very well in lower concentrations but you'll have to be more selective. It's not the quality of the oils. Scents just vary in strength because of their chemistry, regardless how good the supplier is.

Pillars don't necessarily get as large a melt pool as containers, or form a melt pool as fast, so you have to factor that into your expectations as well. Sometimes variations in additives and wicking affect the throw too.

[PurpleHippie]

Thanks everyone! I tested the CD wicks but they bend and burn more to one side then I like. I always get lop sided big bulges. So far the LX are producing really large, tall flames. Even with constant trimmings. I may continue testing them just for comparision.

Top - thanks for explaining the FO issue. I've often wondered if there was more to the FO problem then simply being quality. I've have many mid range FO's that produce awesome scent throw. I have also tested MANY expensive FO's from a few suppliers that receive very high marks here. Their oils work great in my B&B products but they always give me poor hot throw. Now I understand that it's not just a matter of quality and cost.

[topofmurrayhill]

Exactly right. Each scent is a different chemical concoction to make it smell the way it's supposed to. Regardless of getting them from a reputable source, FOs perform differently for that reason.

Some scents are crazy strong and others are way way weaker, so you have to use more if you like it. Some burn well and some fry wicks. Some burn fast and some slow. Some mix well with wax and some bleed out. Some smell completely different in candles versus soap. Some hardly throw in candles at all. Some make soap accelerate, some make it discolor, some morph, some fade. Bottom line, each fragrance is a different additive that you're putting in your product.

One way of looking at LX wicks that is that they have taller flames than other types. Another way of looking at it is that they burn more down the center, so the wax level drops faster and the longer wick produces a taller flame. If you used a lower MP wax you'd get a wider melt pool and shorter flames with the same wick.

Finding the best type and size of wick for a pillar takes a lot of experimentation. Sometimes you can reach a better result if you consider experimenting with both the wick and the candle mixture itself to fine tune the results. A lot of people find it convenient to choose one paraffin and not vary that part, but you can still vary the additives and FO to make a significant impact on the melt pool, flame size, tendency of the wax to sag or bulge, and other things.

[PurpleHippie]

Thanks Top, I always learn so much from your post!

I am going to continue experimenting with additives as you suggested. I've tested with stearic now I am going to try vybar. Which wicks are more likely to burn out rather than down? I have CD, Eco, zinc, RD, LX, probably many more:grin2: . Other than mixing different waxes is there any other way to lower the melt point in order to produce a wider burn versus one that burns more down?

[topofmurrayhill]

My pillar wicking results are classified but try some different types and you'll see. I think you've already noticed that CD burns wider than LX but you've also seen a downside.

Fragrance oil typically creates a wider burn. Otherwise the only additive generally used for that purpose is stearic acid. Adding stearic makes paraffin melt more easily. What you have to watch out for is that the combination of fragrance oil and stearic acid can be pretty hard on wicks, leading to mushrooming and inconsistent flames.

[PurpleHippie]

I didn't mean to ask for your trade secrets such as a specific wick and size for the pillar that I am testing. I was just wondering if there were any wicks with that type of burn. I will keep testing. Thanks again for your help. :smiley2:

[PurpleHippie]

I just wanted to add that Top's explaination of the melt point makes perfect sense. It may also explain a problem with another wax. There is/was a very popular container wax that in my testing produced very tall flames no matter what type of wick I tried. Others insisted that they were very pleased with their results. That wax has a very high melt point, especially for a container wax. Now I think I understand why I had problems with the flame height. Thanks again Top!