just a little vent.. very long

[dixiegal]

I beginning to think I don't have enough sense to figure this candle burning out. If anyone can give me some advice Id be grateful. Here's where I'm at now. Made some test candles. For each scent I used

8 oz sq mason jar no wicks

1 lb of wax 464 heated to 195

Added 1 tsp co to pot before pouring measuring wax

Added 1.5 oz @ 185 of the following fos

vineyard

monkey farts

cornbread muffins

kudzu

I was pouring @ 165 but found I got cracks and @ 150 I didn't have this problem

I made notes on everything including the temp and humidity of my shop and the weather outside.

Made 2 jars of each scent for testing

Let the candles cure.. started with eco 10 wick

ended up having to go to eco 8 on all of them as my fmp was very fast.. sometimes as little as 30 minutes.

With eco 8 they all burned great had amazing throw, I could smell them all through the house. A few had a bit of hang up at first but caught up nicely on 2nd and third burns.

Started testing the 2nd candle and without fail all of them didn't burn or throw as well.

Thought it was just a fluke and tried making some more the exact same way and none of them are burning as good with some the flame was so low I thought it would sputter out, I can hardly smell them at all. Since eco 10 was too big I tried some cd wicks, not much throw

Switched to LX 16 wicks and while they are burning better the throw isn't near as strong.

I just cant understand how the first candles did so well and the 2nd one flopped and now, maybe one scent yes, but all of them??

Edited March 19, 2010 by dixiegal

[deb426]

I think you have candlenose.

[Flicker]

How long after you make the candle are you test burning the first one? Soy needs 48 hours to allow for proper crystalization. Testing prior to that may cause you test results that are not accurate.

[jonsie]

I beginning to think I don't have enough sense to figure this candle burning out. If anyone can give me some advice Id be grateful. Here's where I'm at now. Made some test candles. For each scent I used

8 oz sq mason jar no wicks

1 lb of wax 464 heated to 195

Added 1 tsp co to pot before pouring measuring wax

Added 1.5 oz @ 185 of the following fos

vineyard

monkey farts

cornbread muffins

kudzu

I was pouring @ 165 but found I got cracks and @ 150 I didn't have this problem

I just cant understand how the first candles did so well and the 2nd one flopped and now, maybe one scent yes, but all of them??

Just so I understand, with every batch of FO your poured, the first candle would burn and throw very well, and the second would be bad?

My only thoughts are that maybe some additives are rising/settling between the two pours, and to try stirring before and during the pours. And depending on how you are heating your wax, you can have a 10*+ temp difference between the beginning of the first candle pour and the end of the second candle pour, and that can create a problem too.

Chances are you are already considering those things, but worth mentioning anyway. Best of luck to you.

Edited March 19, 2010 by jonsie

[dixiegal]

I think you have candlenose.

:Dcould be, I have been having problems not smelling things as strong lately but I can smell when I'm mixing fo's in the pot so I don't know. I can smell the tarts I made for my brother though. Plus the flame in the 2nd candles is are not burning as well either.

[dixiegal]

How long after you make the candle are you test burning the first one? Soy needs 48 hours to allow for proper crystalization. Testing prior to that may cause you test results that are not accurate.

The first candles I started burning after 2 days. The 2nd ones a week. How long should it take to burn an 8 oz candle? I don't have my notes in front of me right now but the first candles burned about 40 hrs. Maybe the eco 8 is too small? Its seems from what I've read most people use a 10 or 12 in that wick but the 10 made such a deep mp so fast I didn't even try the 12. Could humidity make the process take longer than 48 hrs?

Edited March 19, 2010 by dixiegal

[dixiegal]

Just so I understand, with every batch of FO your poured, the first candle would burn and throw very well, and the second would be bad?

My only thoughts are that maybe some additives are rising/settling between the two pours, and to try stirring before and during the pours. And depending on how you are heating your wax, you can have a 10*+ temp difference between the beginning of the first candle pour and the end of the second candle pour, and that can create a problem too.

Chances are you are already considering those things, but worth mentioning anyway. Best of luck to you.

The one thing I didn't think about keeping track of was which candle was poured 1st of 2nd. After the candles cooled I put lids on them and set them on a shelf. Odds are I didn't burn them in the order poured but I could have. I'll have to be sure and keep track of that.

[dixiegal]

Does tempering change the way a candle burns or just the appearance?

[mzpickles]

Maybe the eco 8 is too small? Its seems from what I've read most people use a 10 or 12 in that wick but the 10 made such a deep mp so fast I didn't even try the 12.

IMO the ECO 12 is definitely too big for that jar. I'm currently testing 8s vs. 10s and I find that I'm wishing there was a size 9!

[dixiegal]

IMO the ECO 12 is definitely too big for that jar. I'm currently testing 8s vs. 10s and I find that I'm wishing there was a size 9!

:laugh2:me too it would be perfect.

[Kigers24]

I use a CD 10 in the square mason with 464 wax w/CO on all FO's I have tested so far.

Has worked great.

[dixiegal]

I use a CD 10 in the square mason with 464 wax w/CO on all FO's I have tested so far.

Has worked great.

I'm testing that wick today along with 4 others...wish me luck, I'll need it:laugh2:

[TxSioux]

Congratulations for taking your testing so seriously & keeping really good notes. I've gone back to my old notes many times & have been so thankful they existed. It sounds like you have the heating - ingredients - cooling - pouring on the mark, just need to work through the wicks. For me, wicks are the biggest frustration. I've dumped a container or made other changes to suit the wicks I prefer. As for the throw, if the wicks aren't the proper size for your container it's possible to get an adequate 1st burn, but they won't be strong enough to burn properly when re-lit. If the wick can't produce enough fuel to accommodate the container, then you won't get a full mp & you'll have a very small source of throw. Just my thoughts ...

HTH - Susan.

[dixiegal]

Congratulations for taking your testing so seriously & keeping really good notes. I've gone back to my old notes many times & have been so thankful they existed. It sounds like you have the heating - ingredients - cooling - pouring on the mark, just need to work through the wicks. For me, wicks are the biggest frustration. I've dumped a container or made other changes to suit the wicks I prefer. As for the throw, if the wicks aren't the proper size for your container it's possible to get an adequate 1st burn, but they won't be strong enough to burn properly when re-lit. If the wick can't produce enough fuel to accommodate the container, then you won't get a full mp & you'll have a very small source of throw. Just my thoughts ...

HTH - Susan.

Ty for the compliment in my notes I have a terrible memory and don't want to take any chances,lol. Funny you should mention dumping containers, I was thinking the same thing earlier. I may have to try another if I cant get this one right. I hope not though because the sq masons have the lodge/cabin look I'm wanting. I'm not ready to give up on them yet but am open to the idea if I have to.