Double Wicking

[Pierre]

Ok folks, so here is the situation. We've always used a Libbey 14 oz tumbler (the 918cd, specifically) and have always double wicked, as this is a 3 3/8" diameter jar. We use J-50 and double wick almost exclusively with Eco-1. There are a couple of tougher oils that require an Eco-2.

Now on to my question. We are now introducing a new line of Apothecary jars and in testing with the 26oz apothecary (we buy ours from TV Guilfoil), we seem to be having trouble with even the Eco-2's. I am fairly certain that it's due to the fact that as it gets further down into the jar, oxygen deprivation becomes more extreme, and the flames become smaller and smaller.

The Eco-2's have done slightly better than the Eco-1's, but still not quite good enough. In your opinions, would moving up to Eco-4's do the trick?

I'm partial to Eco series wicks as I've found them to be the most reliable, and we have tested extensively. Most every other wick was unusable in our double wicking, even with the aforementioned tumblers, as they would always drown out. Not sure if it has to do with the Eco's construction or what, but it seems that it requires less oxygen to maintain a nice, strong flame.

Having said that, I don't HAVE to use them so if anyone has experience double wicking this type of container (the larger apothecary style jars), please let me know what you have used, and how it has worked for you.

Thanks in advance to everyone.

P

[ChandlerJane]

Wow. This is odd. I was about to post something VERY similar. I can't wait to see some responses.

[ChrisR]

I don't use apothecarys anymore, but I used to wick them with (2) LX10's for most FO's and usually got a full melt pool on about the 3rd burn. My wax was a parasoy blend.

[ChandlerJane]

It's not the melt pool that's the problem, I think, it's the oxygen lacking when you get further down in the jar, on the TALLER ones (16oz, 22 oz, 26 oz, etc), with flames that begin getting smaller and smaller.

I've tested LX-10's and you are right, after a couple of burns, they are fine, but, they absolutely don't work once you get further down in the jar. They aren't big enough.

I've also tried going DOWN in size, as some have suggested that the smaller sizes tend to require less oxygen, and, while that makes sense, in practice it didn't work. I have found that the smaller the wicks, the less likely they are to work in this scenario.