Wick Lines - your preferences and why? (I use whisper Jars)

[wiscwicks]

4" containers (12oz Whisper Jars), C3 wax, no color, frag only. I ordered HTP series wicks from local supplier (www.nuscentscandle.com). Only wick to create a full pool reaching edges of container was the HTP1212. Tried double wicking with smaller wicks to avoid a huge flame, but just created two melt pools that never combined.

Want to test other wick lines, but not sure the best route to start before ordering a bazillion from an out of state supplier, or paying a fortune in shipping by ordering a few here and then.

I've read some comments about Eco line wicks, and someone wicked these jars with Eco14. CandleScience website states for 3.5-4" container to use Eco16, and Eco10 for the smaller jars.

I know it's all a guessing game, but thought I'd ask for people's opinions on wick lines for soy, before I head off in the completely wrong direction. Nothing worse than starting a road trip and getting to New York, only to realize you were supposed to be in California!

Thanks for any feedback on your own experiences with different lines.

Lisa

[Wessex]

I can't be much help on the type of wick, as I use palm wax. But as far as the Whisper 102 (12 oz) jar, I have never been able to get a correct burn with a single wick. I have been double wicking this jar and gotten very nice results. Again, I am using palm, no C3, but your best bet might be to double wick with whatever type of wick you decide to go use. Hope this helps a little.

Cheers,

Steve

[Stella1952]

The shape of that lovely jar is the problem. Best suggestion would be to use a CDN 18 and burn it all the way to the bitter end before you give up on the hangup melting.

The product photo used here...

http://www.jarstore.com/catalog/product_cat.php?subid=20

reveals something interesting about this container. It looks to me like it will burn best when poured just to the widest part of the jar...

[RichardLOZ]

When we first started I was using those jars, although only the 4oz. For us in the wax we use CDN's worked the best. It is a tough one to wick due to the jar shape. We stopped using them as I couldnt work out where to place the label.....LOL

[Tom30601]

I've recently been making a very large quantity of the Libbey 102 (12oz Whispter jars) a Christmas charity, and find I have the best results with the following using Ecosoya CB-Advanced:

- I heat the wax to 180 in a double boiler, the draw off what I need for a particular batch.

- I immediately add my liquid candle dye (NG Spectrum), and the allow the wax to cool to 150.

- I add my FO, typically an NG Christmas scent at 9% by weight, and allow it to cool to around 120-125.

- I pour into a pre-wicked Libbey 102, up to the shoulder where the lid is inserted.

For most FOs, I use an HTP105 that give a full melt pool after 2 hours, at about 3/8" deep (1 cm). I get about 70 to 80 hours of clean burning - no hangups. For a few fragrances, namely ones heavy with cinamon and such, I need to wick down to an HTP104. I've tried ECO and CSN wicks with very little success.

I do get some frosting and some wet spots - worse with greens and red, but we are in a cold climate, and all my efforts to eliminate these are usually lost the minute the person carries the candle out the door into the cold.

Hope that helps.

[wiscwicks]

"For most FOs, I use an HTP105 that give a full melt pool after 2 hours, at about 3/8" deep (1 cm). I get about 70 to 80 hours of clean burning - no hangups."

Do you have issues with the wax not burning clean from the sides of the jar? That's why I tried the HTP1212, in an effort to create a larger melt pool faster so it would reach the sides of the containers faster and possibly help with that issue. But maybe I was just aggrivating it with that thought process by creating a deeper melt pool faster in the center? Don't know. I just don't know which direction to head first. It's all a guessing game, but picking the brains of "the pros" who have been doing this longer than I have might get me headed closer to the right path.

Thank you for your information!

[Tom30601]

As the candle burns down, I get a little hang up on the side -- not much, until the candle is about 50% burned. At this point, I think the shape of the container begins to hold the heat, and the sides become very clean. We usually burn either a 102 or a 103 (18 oz) Whisper in our studio, and the finished candle is very clean -- leaves about 10 grams of unused wax in the bottom below the wick tab. In fact, these are the candles we use to show how clean soy wax burns.

As a side note, we also make a lot of 478 Status and 807 Interlude jars, and both achieve the same effect using an HTP104.

Unfortunately, I don't have a burned down one right now -- we just finished one the other day and I have already refilled it. I'll take a picture of this one as we burn it down, just to give a point of reference.

[IwantItgreen]

Tom, was only curious to know if you've ever tried the CD wicks in the whisper, status or interlude and what your conclusions were. Thanks!

[CandlesforConnie]

Tom30601, are the HTP 105-HM wicks considered "all-natural" as the ECO wicks? I am having trouble with my melt pool, as well.

I started a new thread regarding my problems, but I don't know how to attach it to this reply...

Becky

"Candles for Connie"

Happily making candles in memory of my mom.

[wiscwicks]

For anyone interested, I tried to Eco16. Disaster. Total wax layer residue on the sides. Although it creates almost a lumierie (sp?) or hurricane candle effect, so it's actually kind of pretty.