Bernadette Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 In the eleven years I've been making candles, I've heard so many opinions from other candle makers and customers about how big a flame an "ideal" candle should have. Now...what beats all is I've been watching alot of movies(or just started noticing, LOL)where the flame height of burning candles is a minimum of 5" and you can see the smoke coming off them! Take for instance, Pay It Forward. At the end of the movie they have a vigil where everyone is holding a taper with a plastic cup near the top of the candle and the flame is coming waaaay out the top of the cup. Or the movie, What Lies Beneath. They burn alot of candles in that one, and at one point, Michele Pfifer carries one to another room(a pillar) and the flame is so big, I keep waiting for the side of her hair to catch on fire! What kills me is alot of people tell me that's how they consider it's a good candle. I think I must be missing something because I would never consider that a good or safe candle. So I thought I would ask everyone here(because to me you all are the pros)what do you consider the proper flame height on your candles? TIA for your responses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanncat18 Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 You know you are a candle maker when....in movies you are noticing flame height of each candle in scene.No, those don't sound very safe but the media has a big part in what people think things should be like, but we all know Hollywood is not real life. I guess just educating your customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenscandles Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Guess Hollywood doesn't trim their wicks! :laugh2:When I have the right wick and it has the nice flame like when I light a new tester with a 1/4" wick...I let my flame get a little bigger than that but not much. I was testing my palm pillars with RRD last night, first burn, and one flame was pretty good but the other even after only one hour was very "fat"...won't be keeping that wick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Movies are all about drama and big flames enhance drama. Anything much over 7/8" is probably gonna burn too hot for my druthers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgirl Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 You know you are a candle maker when....in movies you are noticing flame height of each candle in scene.I do this all the time.... I drive my DH crazy.. It drives me crazy too!!I will start saying...Look at that candle, the flame is huge and smoking!!!! Now he is starting to notice it too!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flicker Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I figure if it looks too big it probably is. What kills me is per the ASTM safety standards flames should not exceed 3" in height. OMG! I about fell off my chair over that one. It's nuts and it's certainly not safe, not at all. I would say a flame should never exceed 1" even after that candle has been burned a really long time. 1/2" flame height seems about right to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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