It has begun! or There goes the budget! :)

[Valien]

Hi all,

Well a couple of weeks ago I decided to pick up a starter kit from Peaks (container kit with the 8 oz tins and 4630 wax). My wife and I have been having a lot of fun making candles! So far we've made 3 Fruit Slices and 3 Lilac candles (1 pound wax per pouring over 3 tins).

Finishing up a burn test with the Fruit Slices one and been really happy overall. Great throw, good melt pool, etc. The only issue is that the wick has been mushrooming pretty bad during a 4 hour test burn (yes, we trimmed it to 1/4" before burning...). Oh, the wick is the 51-32-18Z (zinc core wicks).

Any thoughts on the mushrooming wick or is that 'normal'? We'll be doing a burn test on one of the Lilac candles tomorrow (it's cooling at the moment) and seeing how it responds.

This is fun! Our house smells good all the time.

Oh, just ordered a bunch of supplies from Candlescience tonight as well (more tins, some different wicks, etc.) as we have wax and FO's but no containers! (tin ones).

Yay!

~V

[sassyQ]

Congratulations!!!!! IT is very addicting. I do not do much with containers but maybe try a smaller wick??? I use the zinc core with glass containers. I'm sure someone else will come along with much better experience and tell you exactly what you need. This is a great board. Good luck and post pictures when you can!!

[diamondk]

I use the 51-32 zinc in my tin with the 4630. My experience is the first burn I usually get mushrooming but it does tame down. It all depends on the FO too. Sometimes I will get mushrooms and sometime not. HTH

[Sara]

Well.

Welcome to the obsession. Don't let it overtake too much of your house.

How's the Lilac working for you now? Do you notice a difference in the burn?

[Candybee]

Welcome to the candlemaking fever! I think all of us have blown our budgets starting out. Of course I never do that anymore!:rolleyes2

Zinc wicks are prone to mushrooming. It comes from the buildup of carbon during the burn. You either have to embrace it or try some other wicks.

Coreless wicks like the LX series don't tend to mushroom because they are designed to have less carbon buildup.

I have been making container candles for several years and always come back to the zincs. I always get a better scent throw and a steady unflickering burn. The drawback is the mushrooms. I just live with em.

[Valien]

Thanks for the replies. My wife did a test burn on the lilac today. Great throw! Wow. Some mushrooming but not a ton. Will see how it goes. I did order some stuff from Candlescience and will try out a few non-zinc wicks (HTP wicks).

It is fun!

[sassy906]

And the addiction begins . Dang nobody told me there was a budget . Glad you are having fun. Each room in my house has a different scent going at any given day.

[lindanelson]

Budget???? Too late for that.

Welcome to the addiction. It's a good one to have.

[Starr]

Budget... What budget?! Yeah, it's gone now, just accept it.

I use the zinc too, it mushrooms, unfortunately, there's not too much that can be done about it. Pretty much, this is me agreeing with everyone else. They are a good wick though, I'm going to try a few others, maybe, hopefully I'll find something to replace it, but if I don't, it's still a good wick.

[Candlemwoman]

[

Finishing up a burn test with the Fruit Slices one and been really happy overall. Great throw, good melt pool, etc. The only issue is that the wick has been mushrooming pretty bad during a 4 hour test burn (yes, we trimmed it to 1/4" before burning...). Oh, the wick is the 51-32-18Z (zinc core wicks).

The mushrooming in your case is from letting it burn too long.

I tell my customers to watch after about 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours, they will see lite stream of black smoke coming up, that is a sign to blow it out, trim the wick and relight it. If after doing that it still smokes then you need to look at overscenting or wrong size wick. Hope this helps.

[LeahRB]

When I used the 4630 is used the HTP wicks because they are self trimming. The only thing I did not like about them is that they curl to one side and I usually ended up with an uneven melt pool or wax hang up on one side of the jar. With the zincs I had an even melt pool but with mushrooms. I guess just go with whatever bothers you less. Have fun!:smiley2:

[oneozppo]

Welcome to the addiction!!! You can forget about the budget though. You will find your self buying fo's, wax, wicks...ect and before you know it, your in the hole. But at least you will be happy. Happy waxing!

[Valien]

hehe..yeah...already ordered some new stuff from CandleScience and received it in 1 day! I like that! Got some new tins to work with..new wicks...sample FO's...ah..fun fun!

[cindym]

Budget?????? Did you say Budget LOL Welcome and enjoy. You will have a blast. Please stay away from the B and B section, don't want you getting ideas over there :laugh2: I love soaping tooooooooooooo:laugh2:

[cwayneu]

Who said this was addicting?

Billie (my better half) started a couple years ago after a lot of research with candles. They turned out really great and I became interested. First it was containers from wax, then soy, then blends, then votives and tealights, then round pillars, square pillars, hexagon pillars, hurricane candles, ... with wicks, colors, and FO's of every variety. OMG... :smiley2:

Then as if that was not enough, she researched soaps. That looked like fun. Oh yes; hot process, cold process, jelled, non-jelled, log molds, round molds, hearts, cameos, and more FO's. (just shoot us)...

Then (oh yes), skin lotions, lip balms, and fragrance sprays galore. SOS... :rolleyes2

It has now taken up the majority of our basement, our budget is shot, and we LOVE IT.

Oh yes, we need professional help...

[miniiB]

THERE IS NOT BUDGET !!!! atleast for me its gone now ahaha.. its too addicting.

[miniiB]

Budget?????? Did you say Budget LOL Welcome and enjoy. You will have a blast. Please stay away from the B and B section, don't want you getting ideas over there :laugh2: I love soaping tooooooooooooo:laugh2:

Thats a whole another chapter .. hahahaha

[kandlekrazy]

Welcome to the fun...and sometimes insanity of candle making. You will for sure have hours of pleasure and a few frustrations, but all well worth it.

When you try the htp wicks, twist them before putting in jar, it helps with the uneven burn. The wick will untwist as it burns and burn a little more evenly for you.

Good luck in your testing.