Wick Clay

[Howard]

When I was buying wax, wicks, FO, and glass at Makes Scents Candle Co. I asked them if they had any of those double stick wick stickums. They said they didn't carry those but told me to try the wick clay. You roll a small ball about the size of a BB and place it on the bottom of the wick then press the wick to the bottom of the jar.

Anyone herd or use this? I used it on the 20 candles I made today. It's easy to work with. You just can't tug on the wick. In the picture I show the clay as it looks on the bottom of a glass container, then a ball of it on the wick base and finally what the chunk looks like.

[Sharon in KY]

I have used this to plug a hole in a pillar mold but not in container candles. Would think it's ok for testing but not for sales since it's not a permanent wick stick. I use GE Silicone to stick wicks. The wick tabs I only use for testing. But everyone has their own way of doing things. You might like the clay but I bet it would get expensive if making a lot of candles.

[topofmurrayhill]

That's normally called mold sealer. I've never heard it called wick clay or seen it used to secure wicks in container candles. I don't think it's an appropriate material for that because it's not really an adhesive. It shouldn't be a problem or anything if you used it in your testers, but for the future there are some better alternatives that you should be able to get very easily.

Besides the wick stickums you can get rolls of double stick 3M mounting foam at the office supply store. It works exactly like wick stickums except cheaper and more reliable. You can use GE Silicone like Sharon, from the hardware or home supply store. Another alternative is a hot glue gun. Occasionally it's unreliable if the candle gets too hot, but it works. Just make sure to get the high-temperature glue sticks, not the universal ones.

Edited December 7, 2009 by topofmurrayhill

[Howard]

The clay sticks the wicks pretty well and it does allow you to slide around a little to get the wick centered.

I was using high temp hot glue for my first 8 container candles. I did not like the little string of glue that is left once you drop a dot of glue on the base. Also, once you place it on the glass it's stuck. No chance for re-positioning. It did however allow me to tension the wick slightly with a clothes pin on top of a popsicle stick. That kept the wick dead center and straight. You cannot tension the wick with clay. It pulls it off the glass.

I will try some 3M double stick mounting foam and some stickums next.

Thanks!

How do you all get the wick stuck in the exact middle?

Do any of you tension the wick slightly to keep it centered?

[Stella1952]

Do any of you tension the wick slightly to keep it centered?

Oh my - YES!! I use bow tie wick bars to center & retain tension on the wicks during cooling. This is especially important with palm wax candles because the crystallization pulls the wick so much as the candle cools.

I use mold putty for molds, but never for containers. It isn't designed to do what is expected of an adhesive for the wick assembly. The wick assembly is not only to hold the wick up - it's a safety device. For the safety features to work the adhesive must not soften or release, allowing the wick to "wander" or to break the seal underneath which keeps the wick from sucking liquid wax from underneath the wick tab. It must remain stuck and sealed for the self-extinguishing feature to extinguish the candle once the level of wax falls below the neck of the wick tab. I use high temp RTF silicon gasket maker for a permanent seal.

Edited December 7, 2009 by Stella1952

[Billie]

This is probably silly but I use a straw placed over my wick and can center the wick pretty well. Then I use my chopstick and go around the tab and push down to make sure it is stuck well.

[topofmurrayhill]

Do any of you tension the wick slightly to keep it centered?

Some mass-produced containers aren't made that way, but almost all crafters and hobbyists tension and center the wick. That's one reason you need an adhesive to hold it.

Silicone is good for production work but needs hours to cure before you can pour. For home use or testing, hot glue or sticky foam can be more convenient and more removable.

You can come up with a homebrew solution (clothespins, popsicle sticks, etc.) for holding the wick, or you can use one of the special doohickies. There are some that fit perfectly over specific jars and center the wick. There are general purpose ones like the bowtie holders that Stella mentioned. One of my favorites is this simple wick bar that holds and tensions the wick very securely.

[Gypsyjen]

Howard, I use the EZ Wick Setter from BCN - also available at other suppliers - to center and apply my wick. Works like a charm!

Edited December 8, 2009 by Gypsyjen

[Howard]

I ordered an EZ Wick Setter today. I also just received some of those white plastic wick centering tools.

Tomorrow is candle making day!

Just got home from doing a DJ job. Did a military christmas party.

Here's my DJ site.

www.standixonentertainment.com

[Howard]

Picked up some more supplies at Makes Scents Candle Supply today. I have some candles to make for friends at work and they wanted specific scents.

I asked about the wick clay. Well, it's NOT mold clay. It's a specific high temp clay designed for attaching wicks. (super secret chemical formula).

It's easy to work with. I'm going to try a few candles with wick stickums and some more with the clay.

I will let everyone know my results!

[Candybee]

Top mentioned it was mold sealer not mold clay. Thats what the description of it sounds like to me too. You use a bit of it and roll it around in the palm of your hand to soften it and shape it and press it into the hole at the bottom of metal molds to seal the wick in place. Its for pillar candles and not designed for container candles.

It would also be way too pricey and not the most effective way to use for holding a wick in place for container candles. There are better and more cheaper methods for that like wick stickums, glue dots, glue gun, etc.