Unsecured wick tabs on votives?

[jinker]

Hi,

I've been searching the forum this morning but not found anything which addresses this. . .

I've been making and testing container candles and votives. From my research I've learned that wick tabs need to be secured to the bottom of the jars for container candles for safety reasons (so that the wick tab will not come loose and float to the side of the jar when the wax starts liquefying at the bottom of the jar; so that wax will not be "wicked up" from the bottom of the wick, negating the self-extinguishing feature of the wick tab).

But, what about votives? I have noticed that when my votives are getting down to the bottom of the votive holder, the wick tab has the potential to float around down there. I've been watching it carefully to make sure it stays centered, but should I be securing my votive wick tabs to the bottom of the votive holder in some way as I do with container candles? Does anyone do this?

Or, should a properly made and wicked votive stay solid at the very bottom and never become liquid at all? From what I've read so far I don't think this is the case, but I'd like to be sure.

(Just for information's sake, I made standard 2oz votives using IGI 4794 and Candlescience Lavender. Two of them with LX 10 wicks burned 13-14 hours in nice snug votive holders before I got nervous about the floating wick tab and put them out).

Thanks everybody. I've learned so much on this board so far. :smiley2:

Jinker

[Stella1952]

I don't know how others think about this issue, but here're my thoughts... For container votives, I secure the wicks same as any container candle. But for free-standing votives, one cannot do this. Some folks use a shorter neck on their wicktabs so as not to have so much wax leftover, but I don't. I use the same height wicktab because I want it to extinguish earlier, if possible, so that the heat doesn't have a chance to build up quite so much when the candle turns liquid. There are larger based wicktabs that keep the wick centered and some folks choose this solution. Other folks don't use wicktabs at all for pillar-style candles (including free-standing votives), arguing that when the wax becomes too soft to hold the wick upright, it'll keel over and self-extinguish. The main thing for safety is to burn the votives in a close-fitting container and to keep an eye on them, particularly when they are more than halfway burned down. Strong emphasis should be placed on extinguishing the candle when only 1/2" of wax remains. It isn't a contest to see how far down one can burn a candle!:rolleyes2 Rather, it's how far down can one burn one SAFELY. HTH

[jinker]

Thanks, Stella, this helps a lot. I just looked at my LX wick assemblies...they're 6mm, from Candlescience. I have other wicks from Lonestar and they have taller necks. I think I will get the LXs from there next time. I don't mind if there's extra wax left at the bottom!!

Thanks a bunch!

[NewOrleansLady]

During the height of my votive selling days I would put a typed instruction sheet in the box and the small sticker instruction on the bottom of each votive. The votives were put upside down in the box so they were visible.

The instructions emphasized what Stella said, to baby sit it once it was 3/4 of the way burnt, to straighten and trim the wick after extinguishing. I also sold votive holders that fit the candles best and candle quenchers to extinguish it properly. The instructions are basically the same things I tell my container customers.

[shantillescandlecreation]

:yay: always the best advice for any question.

I don't know how others think about this issue, but here're my thoughts... For container votives, I secure the wicks same as any container candle. But for free-standing votives, one cannot do this. Some folks use a shorter neck on their wicktabs so as not to have so much wax leftover, but I don't. I use the same height wicktab because I want it to extinguish earlier, if possible, so that the heat doesn't have a chance to build up quite so much when the candle turns liquid. There are larger based wicktabs that keep the wick centered and some folks choose this solution. Other folks don't use wicktabs at all for pillar-style candles (including free-standing votives), arguing that when the wax becomes too soft to hold the wick upright, it'll keel over and self-extinguish. The main thing for safety is to burn the votives in a close-fitting container and to keep an eye on them, particularly when they are more than halfway burned down. Strong emphasis should be placed on extinguishing the candle when only 1/2" of wax remains. It isn't a contest to see how far down one can burn a candle!:rolleyes2 Rather, it's how far down can one burn one SAFELY. HTH