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crystal pillar palm testing


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That HTP 126 did very good. I have 2 to test this weekend I think I'll use a htp 126. The one I'm testing now has a cd 12. Thanks again Laura it's has been really interesting. Keep the pictures coming. How many hrs so far? I got over 30 hrs on my 1st pillar, so you have a ways to go.:)

Linda

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That HTP 126 did very good. I have 2 to test this weekend I think I'll use a htp 126. The one I'm testing now has a cd 12. Thanks again Laura it's has been really interesting. Keep the pictures coming. How many hrs so far? I got over 30 hrs on my 1st pillar, so you have a ways to go.:)

Linda

I am on my 8th test burn so 24 hours so far . I am interest in seeing how tops is doing with the CSN and then try those too .

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...life DOES require some participation...

That was a flip remark with no ill intent. What I meant is that if you want a perfect shell, one has to pay attention to keeping the heat inside the candle centered. While it does not mean hovering over the candle, it does require some periodic attention and adjustment to the wick or candle position.

Remember my goal here is to try a find a wick that needs little attention.

That's what has to be kept in mind when someone is posting a test thread: what was the data being sought for which the test is being performed.

Carry on. I think you've got an interesting test going on that is yielding useful data. :D

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How's the height of the flames over the course of the burn time?

I am really bad at judging things like that but I stuck a ruler in there and I would say 1/2 inch on the CDN10 and maybe 3/4 on the HTP126

This go around it is not trying to split I took the curl off the wicks before i started though it was pretty small I trimmed anyway

Edited by lrbd
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That was a flip remark with no ill intent
I didn't take it with ill intent.. Not one little bit. I thought it was funny. I thought you were teasing me and I was giving back to myself.
I think you've got an interesting test going on that is yielding useful data.

Thanks ..though I have not found what I am looking for I am a bit closer I think.

The biggest surprise to me was the HTP . I just never thought it would work but figured I had them and should try them. I think it is doing pretty well.

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ok so this is the end of the 9th test burn.

The HTP held up (I thought it may split but it didn't.)

regaurdless of how big or small the wick is after burn time has ended I have to trim them to take off the bend. That is the only saving them from blowing out.

I could live with trimming a wick but I still want to try and find a wick that will burn centered without me having to remember to check on it .

post-11200-139458465333_thumb.jpg

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My concern looking at the CDN 10 and HTP 126 is that the flames seem to get small--if my eyes aren't deceiving me. Ultimately I suspect an inconsistent burn could be the most likely thing to blow out palm pillars.

I think it may be the photo because I don't recall during this test that ever being something that I thought or worried about. I could be wrong but I only recall that the LX22 was getting small and the LX24 was too high for my liking.

If anything giving that my shell is melting mean the flame is too high? Thanks

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If anything giving that my shell is melting mean the flame is too high?

Not always. Too large a wick with a big flame could cause a blowout, but it may not be the most common cause. When you have a steady burn, the wax level keeps dropping. If the shell melts through, it's likely to happen somewhere above the melt pool.

What I look to avoid is an inconsistent burn--one that dies down too much during the burn session. When the burn rate slows too much, the wax level stops falling. Too much wax starts accumulating in the melt pool and there's nowhere for it to go but sideways. In my paraffin pillars, that would cause the sides to bulge out. In a palm pillar, the wax would simply melt a hole and spill. Some of the holes I've seen in palm pillars are just horizontal slits at the level the melt pool was at.

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Your original goal was to find a wick type/size that would leave a nice, even shell without any "as needed" wick position or candle position adjustments.

Sorry you didn't get what you were looking for, but the burn you are seeing was predictable from the 2nd hour photos. If the heat is not centered in a pillar you are burning to leave a shell, one part will melt faster, thinning the walls and top edge in that one area.

What Top said about the horizontal blow-out is one explanation for the horizontal slits you experienced. I think your candle was slightly underwicked (as far as the CDN 10), so that would support his hypothesis.

A 2" high flame which settles down to a smaller 1" one that holds steady to the end of the candle is characteristic of what I have seen with palm pillars and CDN wicks. That smaller flame will burn slowly and truly all the way to the bitter end. It doesn't ever get big again unless the melt pool drains. So long as it's putting out enough heat to consume the wax slowly & evenly from the bottom, not drown out because of the weeping sides and still give off a good hot throw, I think you could put that in the "win" column.

Your candle will probably not self consume as well as it might have because the burn is so lopsided and the candle is underwicked to achieve that goal. With no "intervention" (ie. adjusting the position of the candle or wick to recenter the heat or compensate for the lopsided burn), the candle will probably not consume all of the wax on the high side.

Many people find the look your pillar has achieved very beautiful - and I would agree wholeheartedly! :D

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Looks like a good thing to me. You can get any shell you want by timing the burn. Don't try to get it with wicks that are too small. Either they'll blow out or, if you go even smaller, it'll just be a lame little burn for a pillar candle.

Edited by topofmurrayhill
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Your original goal was to find a wick type/size that would leave a nice, even shell without any "as needed" wick position or candle position adjustments.
That still is my goal. I didn't get that but that is still what I want.
Looks like a good thing to me. You can get any shell you want by timing the burn. Don't try to get it with wicks that are too small. Either they'll blow out or, if you go even smaller, it'll just be a lame little burn for a pillar candle.

So what would you suggest? I can't say this enough...as much as I value and appreciate the two of you and your knowledge. I am lost right now on what my next try should be. If the 12s and 14 are blowing out my side and the 10 are causing my tops to melt is it safe to assume I will not be able to get a shell unless I turn the candle every hour? thanks much guys
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That still is my goal. I didn't get that but that is still what I want. So what would you suggest? I can't say this enough...as much as I value and appreciate the two of you and your knowledge. I am lost right now on what my next try should be. If the 12s and 14 are blowing out my side and the 10 are causing my tops to melt is it safe to assume I will not be able to get a shell unless I turn the candle every hour? thanks much guys

Don't give up. Maybe its time take a step back from this and rethink it? I think sometimes we can really over think stuff and get ourselves so frustrated that we just can't see things for what they are. I know I can do that to myself. I'm no expert on this but from reading recent posts from some of the members that have been around a long time even though they don't post much and from some of their PMs to me, its becoming more and more apparent to me that this is quite possibly being made more difficult than it has to be. I know I've seen posts about soy that this holds true.

We're working with the CSN 11 and so far so good. Also Peaks suggests RRDs for palm so it might be worth your time to try those. I always liked how they burned in my soy with the exception of the big mushrooms I seemed to get with them.

I believe that most customers are not going to take the time like has been discussed while burning a pillar just to get a shell. Also. I've had several of our pillars that burned beautifully leaving the shell I was going for. However, after having several of them break while moving them, or being bumped, I realized how fragile these shells can be which led me to question whether it was worth my time to try to wick for this. I question how much a customer will appreciate now having another dust collector around their house than will need a battery operated tea light to use and can break easily when moved or touched. As beautiful as I think Stella's candles that have been wicked to leave a shell are, I am questioning the practicality of this method from the standpoint of a customer. I now for me, its not practical.

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Thank you for the pep talk. I needed that.:)

Heres the thing... I am not so much going for the shell for people to keep around. Though some are so pretty I may want to do that. I am going for the shell because I think it looks so much better as it burns . I think once its done most people will get rid of it and that's ok but don't you agree that a candle burning in your home for 40 some odd hours looks much nicer with a shell than melting down like my testers are doing? I think it is sloppy looking :sad2:

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Hi Laura, What are the beautiful yellow ones wicked with? When are you going to test those or have you already?

Hi Meridith, Are you using the CSN 11 in your 3" and does it leave a shell? I have to say I really do prefer the shell for the glow inside and I melted my 1st on down Lavender Vanilla and made 10 tarts, hows that for recycling didn't want to waste the wax :laugh2:they smell great. Anyway I also took the plunge and bought a 4"x 4" and I have some CSN 14's Do you think those will burn nice in that mold? or are they to big? I am going to put in an order at CS and thought I could try the CSN's need some more of the Lavender Vanilla love that one.

Linda

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So far the 11 is leaving a shell but we have not completed the burn. I totally agree that a shell allows for a beautiful burn. I love how it glows. But I've also come to appreciate the look of the candle when the top starts to chip away. Palm wax is just gorgeous burning. But I'm just not sure at how practical it is to leave that shell. To get it thin enough to really see a beautiful glow appears to leave it fragile enough that breaks too easily for me. I'm just a bit torn because I do so love the look.

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That still is my goal. I didn't get that but that is still what I want. So what would you suggest? I can't say this enough...as much as I value and appreciate the two of you and your knowledge. I am lost right now on what my next try should be. If the 12s and 14 are blowing out my side and the 10 are causing my tops to melt is it safe to assume I will not be able to get a shell unless I turn the candle every hour? thanks much guys

Okay, here are my thoughts FWIW.

If you burn the candle for a shorter time, you will get more of a shell, right? You can burn the candle any way you want to.

Apart from that consideration, you still would want a wick with a good consistent burn. You would also want to be able to burn the candle for a reasonable amount of time whether you want to preserve a shell or let the sides melt--meaning that you don't have to blow it out after a short time or have to burn it all day.

My instinct is that it will hinge on which type of wick you choose, and that CDN will probably not make it easy to get all that. Maybe you should consider adding CSN to the lineup.

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Maybe you should consider adding CSN to the lineup.

Thank you and i am thinking about that. I am waiting it out to see how you make out with your test. Now listen to this... very weird... Today I got up and lit my new yellow CDN 10 It burned for 12 hours straight. It has a perfectly round shell . I did mess with it about 4 times during that time , meaning I adjusted the wick. Now who knows what will happen next but it was very pretty glowing away all day . So I don't even know what else to say... so confused . But yes I am thinking about the csn as well.
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Today I got up and lit my new yellow CDN 10 It burned for 12 hours straight. It has a perfectly round shell . I did mess with it about 4 times during that time , meaning I adjusted the wick. Now who knows what will happen next but it was very pretty glowing away all day . So I don't even know what else to say... so confused

Maybe Top will weigh in on the extended burn time... :)

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