wicks

[Ruffsta]

ok, i know i am new and have to do alot of testing.. i agree that different wax is for different things.. but really now..

zinc series

cd series

lx series

htp series

eco series

Paper core wicks

Wood Wicks

alot more i have not listed on here.. but does there have to be that many different types of wicks?

i know candle making can get expensive, but i'm not made out of money here to be testing all these out.

all i want is a good wax and some good wicks, what does everyone here mostly use? i rather waste my time and money on things i know that work for most people than on things that suck and are a waste of time and money.

[Darbla]

I know zinc has its fans here, but I won't use them anymore. They make ugly black blobs at the tip of the wick that can break off and fall into the wax.

[ChrisR]

i know candle making can get expensive, but i'm not made out of money here to be testing all these out.

Well then you really are taking up the wrong hobby!!

Candle making IS expensive and yes there are a lot of wicks, waxes, FO's, etc. and they are all just a little bit different and all have to be tested. No one can tell you exactly what wick will work for you in your wax, with your FO's.......you need to do that yourself. I personally use LX now for my soy/paraffin blend wax, but have used many others in the past that worked good with different waxes.

[OverSoyed]

I know zinc has its fans here, but I won't use them anymore. They make ugly black blobs at the tip of the wick that can break off and fall into the wax.

The ugly black blobs (mushrooming) doesn't necessarily have to do with the Zinc itself. Too large of a wick, too much FO, and other factors can cause this.

[Ruffsta]

Well then you really are taking up the wrong hobby!!

that's your opinion... :/

i just may not have as much money as you or someone else on here to do massive testing is all i am saying.

what i meant was i rather spend my money and test those items out that have been tested and work really well by most members on here rather than go down that road and not know what to test out and waste time and money on junk.

[carol k]

you really need to set down with your daughter & figure out for sure just what type of candles you want to make. Find the closest supplier (suppliersbystate.com or fragranceoilfinder.com has a list of suppliers) to you, pick a wax that is designed to make the type of candles you pick. Then read the suggested wicks for that type of wax. If nothing is listed then call the supplier & ask their opinion. Most of us that have been doing this for years & years & have put out 10's of thousands of dollars are not going to tell you exactly which wax/wick combo's to use. I would suggest you start reading all the pages on this forum, you will learn alot about waxes & wicks.

[Starr]

My suggestion is see about "sampler" packs which I've seen pretty often and try out different things. The type of wax will have a big impact on what you need and starting with a supplier's suggestion IS a good baseline to start with.

Zinc may mushroom, but I've learned to accept that it is what it is. I've managed to find a combo that works with both my votive and container wax and I'm just not ready to even think about changing it yet.

[deb426]

that's your opinion... :/

That's not just her opinion, it happens to be a fact. There is no easy, fast way into candlemaking, unfortunately. It takes a lot of testing and testing costs money. You can cut down on your cost by researching the art of candlemaking, reading books, looking at tutorials and reading this forum. I admire your daughter for wanting to participate in something that is positive and that she can continue to enjoy as she gets older. But as with any hobby, no one becomes an expert overnight. The costs associated with candlemaking include the wax, the fragrance oils and the containers. Limiting yourself to one type of container (or votive, tart or pillar if that's what you prefer to make), one type of wax that is designed for your choice (votive, pillar, or container) and just a few fragrances will help keep your costs down while experimenting. You can then research what type of wicks seem to be working for that type of wax/container combo.

Your questions are just too broad. We'd like to help but making candles is just to complicated, with too many variables, to give you one easy answer. I'm sure the same could be said for many hobbies. I also like to garden and, believe me, there are a gazillion ways to plant a pansy.

HTH

Deb

[Gdawg]

There is no quick, easy or cheap way to make candles. I have been doing it on and off now for about 4 years, and still don't have the correct science down to it all. Each FO is different in the wax, then throw in the wick and that changes it also, what type of jar and what size? is it soy or pariffin that makes a different to.

I have read and re searched many things and in return tried what I have read, in the end it all comes down to the testing and seeing what works. Just because one thing worked for on doesnt mean it will work for all.

Most important besides testing is to just have fun and see what works.

[Debbie73]

This board has a wealth of information on it! Before you go any further, I would decide the kind of wax that you want to use and search everything about it on this board. You said previously that you bought a Yaley beginners kit. Yaley is something that Hobby Lobby carries and is not as good of quality as other suppliers. Search on here about other suppliers. Then I would order a kit from them, tell them you are just starting out and they will help you. Getting quality supplies is very important to making good quality candles. Good luck in your new adventure and remember, don't rush it! :yay:

[Jeana]

that's your opinion... :/

i just may not have as much money as you or someone else on here to do massive testing is all i am saying.

what i meant was i rather spend my money and test those items out that have been tested and work really well by most members on here rather than go down that road and not know what to test out and waste time and money on junk.

Wow! that is a whole lot of attitude from a newbie.

Not one of those wick series are "junk". You just have to take the time to learn how and when to use them.

If you want to make a candle that is just handed to you buy some of the kits out there.

Why should we have to spend thousands of dollars and thousands of hours on testing to hand over our information to you cuz you don't want to? It would be different if you had legitimate questions about specific products.

[NewOrleansLady]

The thing about testing is you learn so much from even from your failures if you keep the right kind of notes. And that is what makes a good candle. It's the knowing what works as much as the knowing what doesn't work for your particular product. It's the same thing as with scents...you can have 5 people test the same fragrance in different parts of the country and you'll get 5 different reviews. The way I look at it is this....my name is on the product I'm selling so I'm gonna stand behind my products knowing I did everything I could to make it the best product possible...not on someone else's word. When my customer comes back saying it doesn't burn right I can't tell her "Well the girls on this candle chat board told me they used it." Candle making is no different than any other business venture...you have to put money into it before you'll get money out of it so invest in yourself and your product and that will be investing in your success.

[Judy, USMC]

i know candle making can get expensive, but i'm not made out of money here to be testing all these out.

all i want is a good wax and some good wicks, what does everyone here mostly use? i rather waste my time and money on things i know that work for most people than on things that suck and are a waste of time and money.

There are 6,000+ members here all with varying degrees of experience. I venture to say all the wicks listed above are used by some members. Reality - you will not get a concensus on anything ... not what wax ... not what wicks ... not even which fragrance supplier. And I won't even get into the variety of additives. The ONLY way to find what works is wasting your time and money on testing ... or find a close supplier who has tested their products and let them guide you based on their experience.

[RichardLOZ]

Even taking the advice of a supplier can only be used as a rough guide. My supplier here has their own wicks, and along with each jar they sell they do give a wick recommendation, however even with the limited experience I have compared to some on here, I can only use it as a guide. In some cases it works, however in most it does not. They give a starting point, then you have to account for your FO, particular wax, additives if used etc.

Yes it does cost both time and money, and lots of but it can be and is a very rewarding hobby / business depending on which way you would like to go with it.

We now have custoemrs coming back to restock. Considering the limited time I have done this for I am very very happy. I know that by spending the money and testing, testing and more testing, I have a product that I can be proud of and that the customers like and want more of.

You have to be confident in your product and know exactly what it is likely to do, or how it may perform under different circumstances. Yes I test burn under controlled conditions, however I will also test with a draft blowing through, by burning continuously for 8, 10 or 12 hours. This way I know what my product is likely to do even when used under not ideal conditions.

Some of the comments may seem harsh, but a lot of the people here have been doing this for many many years and have put time, effort and money into it. People here will give you advice which you may choose to take, or you may choose to ignore. Ultimately it is only you and your daughter who will suffer, as you will become frustrated in making a product that does not perform optimally or even a product that may be unsafe.

Sit back, chill, listen and learn and it will be a very rewarding activity for both you and your daughter.

Off my soapbox now

Cheers

Richard

[LeeAnn Carlton]

Also About the time you think you have it right....something will change( wax,fo.ect...) Can get very frustrating! So in saying that...everyone has different combos(wax,Fo) that might not work for you. It sounds crazy...but someday you will know what we mean by test,test,test. Twice now we have had everything noted the way we wanted it( two years later) and had to start over! Heartbreaking! You just want to cry. The good thing is...you definantly walk away with learning something. You will never be out of testing stage. Hope that helps. LeeAnn~

[NewOrleansLady]

If I've learned one thing from being a chandler it's you never stop learning unless you close your mind to it!

[radellaf]

Wow! that is a whole lot of attitude from a newbie. ...

Why should we have to spend thousands of dollars and thousands of hours on testing to hand over our information to you cuz you don't want to? It would be different if you had legitimate questions about specific products.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle...

What's with the secretive attitude? Are you in competition with your fellow candle makers?

Why should the community as a whole do redundant testing when some members have enough experience to avoid that kind of waste?

If it's only a business to you, fine, but this is a _hobby_ to many of us and the right attitude is to want to _share_ info.

That said, it's true, there are too many combos to be really sure about wicks. But, if you stick to a popular wax, known type and size, set amount of a known popular FO and not too much of a good dye... then _many_ different wicks will work and someone somewhere, here or a store, will help you out.

[LeeAnn Carlton]

Talk about the pot calling the kettle...

What's with the secretive attitude? Are you in competition with your fellow candle makers?

Why should the community as a whole do redundant testing when some members have enough experience to avoid that kind of waste?

If it's only a business to you, fine, but this is a _hobby_ to many of us and the right attitude is to want to _share_ info.

That said, it's true, there are too many combos to be really sure about wicks. But, if you stick to a popular wax, known type and size, set amount of a known popular FO and not too much of a good dye... then _many_ different wicks will work and someone somewhere, here or a store, will help you out.

Thats not true just sticking with one popular wax. We would love too...but when it has changed you are forced to change.( not because we want to) So really with us all telling you this, this alone should help you out and save time and money. You could learn the way we did, had the perfect wax(formula) and poured a bunch of candles with a new batch of wax and every one of them had to be trashed....talk about time and money wasted! So no....not even the best chandler can help out. Hope that helps!

[bugtussle]

Been making and selling candles (a lot of them) for almost 7 years and I can tell you nothing stays the same! I've even been using the same waxes, same wicks and many of the same FOs for the entire time. My testing has never stopped and never will. Every week there is a new challenge. If your serious about candlemaking for hobby or selling, get used to it. Carole

[Georgia]

Geez we can be a hostile bunch sometimes.

As everyone said, all of those wicks have a fan somewhere on this board. I started with zinc, moved to HTP, RRD and settled on LX. Oh, and the same wick from different suppliers may perform differently. Sorry, I know you were looking for a direction to turn, but we seriously cannot give it to you.

You can buy sample packs of different wicks. There is a ton of information on this board (and others). You can buy wicks from the classifieds (well, you are a newbie so maybe not yet, but soon). You can put up an ISO (in search of) ad to find some different wicks to test.

[deb426]

If it's only a business to you, fine, but this is a _hobby_ to many of us and the right attitude is to want to _share_ info.

I believe if you review the contents of the board, you will find a lot of sharing going on. I always try to help if I can. I think that if you are going to participate in a hobby, any hobby, it is good to educate yourself by getting your hands dirty. You can't just go the easy way because you won't understand why things happen. Then you are limited in your ability to branch out. If this is the case, you're not really trying to become a chandler, you just want to work on a production line. I'm not talking about you personally, I just mean in general. Testing allows you to understand what others mean when they try to help you.

JTTH

Deb

[nursenancy]

I'm always happy to share whatever works for me, but as others have said, that could only be considered a guide, or starting point AT BEST. There are too many variables. For example, I started double wicking 16oz apoth's over the winter and thought I had them down! (My shop is kind of chilly)

Now that it's getting warmer up here in the Catskills, I think I could probably wick down a little for the summer stuff. I learn something new about candles every day!

[LynnS]

I use 3 size lead free cottion wicks and they all do the job so far.

I will check the sizes and get back to you.I get them from 2 companies.I have now alot of those you listed BECAUSE of one single scent I was trying to wick for a customer.One scent was a bad batch from the supplier.She sent it back. So now I am stuck with these wicks till I think about getting them on the classified.

Small medium and large is all I use.So far they all work with a 8,9 and 16 ounce candles.

Yes I have also tested and was so confident till that last scent I used.URRRRRRRRR!!!! Chestnuts and Brown Sugar

LynnS

[chuck_35550]

Stop talking and read. I wouldn't bother to test a single thing without first reading the archives on down. That's what this board is set up for (thanks to Peaks). You read for knowledge and guidance to figure out how you want to start learning the craft. Asking for information won't give you what you want. Read, read, read and then go to the other forums/boards and read some more. Copy information and print it out and put it in a binder and study it and then order some stuff and see how close it matches your expectations.

[radellaf]

So you're saying that say, if he gets some IGI4625 and uses 1 chip per pound of, say, flutter dye, and maybe a peak FO at 3%, to make say 2.5x6" pillars... and gets a sampler of LX wicks at 14,16,18 (perhaps), that at least one of that first batch of candles won't burn well enough?

Granted, I'm fairly new at this myself, but it's been my experience that more often than not I get decent results. CSN 9 in a 2 1/8" pillar and feather palm wax worked first time. Beeswax in the same with a #2/0 sq braid, no probs. Tapers with #4/0, seems like a guaranteed win.

Yeah, I've had some screw ups. #18 flat braid works beautifully for a 4625 wax taper, but not for a votive. The included wicks with the votive mold worked great, though (zinc core, forget the exact size).

Worst screw up? Palm wax tapers with CSN 5. Drippy mess. 'course I messed up measuring and had 5 oz wax when I thought I had 11 so the dye & FO was excessive. Still, from the looks of it, Palm wax is just not suited for a taper.

My point is, though, that maybe I'm underestimating the level of perfection you need to offer candles for _sale_, but if your goal is to make some for yourself that will burn well enough and smell nice... well, it hasn't been that hard.

Granted, I'm using premix waxes and going easy on dye & FO. They plenty scented and colored for me, tho.

(I'm not interested in container candles, maybe they're harder, since the burn conditions are so different at the bottom of the jar than at the top)