Candle Wick No Longer Centered

[CandlesforConnie]

My first candle! It is a Soy Container Candle with an ECO-14 6" wick.

Everything seems to be working the way that it should, BUT... during my third test burn, it is evident that my wick is no longer centered. The wick appeared to be centered BEFORE the pour, AFTER the pour, during cooling/curing, and during my first two test burns (four hours each). The candle is burned down approximately one inch at this point. My wick is DEFINITELY NO LONGER CENTERED.

I tried to use a wick bar to stabilize the wick during cooling. I was unable to use the wick bar in the way in which it was designed to be used. My wick was too thick to slide into the slit on the wick bar. In desperation, I tried to stabilize the wick by wedging it between two wick bars (one bar on each side, with the wick in between). Obviously, that method did not stabilize the part of the wick within the cooling wax.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to stabilize my wicks while maintaining tension on the wick (during cooling) to prevent it from "bending" in the hot wax?

Please, please have a simple solution... )

[islandgirl]

http://www.wickcenteringtool.com/

Check out the Wick Centering Tool Site.. Those little guys work great

[EccoLights]

Im sorry but call us cheap lol but a good old cloths pin works wonderful. For wider jars you have to clip 2 of them to themselves but it always centers up ours fine =) Probably cheaper then that "special tool" =)

This reminds me now, I got a ton of the wick bars to put in the classified soon =)

Best of luck and congrats on your 1st candle! =) Addiction classes are every Sunday =)

[CandlesforConnie]

Thank you both so much. I have saved the linked website to my favorites. If the cheaper method doesn't work out, I will definitely try the other.

I already have so much money tied up in this that I am now looking for ways to save a little money.

THANKS!

[CareBear]

Do you think it wasn't properly centered when you poured? Or as a result of the burn?

- If it's uncentered after it's been burned, I just nudge it into place as it cools.

Wick centering tools aren't much help when the wick is no longer higher than the sides of the jar. I only use those when I'm pouring candles, not on burned ones.

- If it's uncentered from the original pour, then if you are lazy like me you pinch the wick between the two sides of the handles of your wick trimmer... or two stir sticks stolen from Starbucks that have been rubberbanded together. Or anything else you can find.

[CandlesforConnie]

Thanks, CareBear. Easy solutions make me soooo happy!

[soy327]

Do you think it wasn't properly centered when you poured? Or as a result of the burn?

- If it's uncentered after it's been burned, I just nudge it into place as it cools.

Wick centering tools aren't much help when the wick is no longer higher than the sides of the jar. I only use those when I'm pouring candles, not on burned ones.

- If it's uncentered from the original pour, then if you are lazy like me you pinch the wick between the two sides of the handles of your wick trimmer... or two stir sticks stolen from Starbucks that have been rubberbanded together. Or anything else you can find.

:laugh2::laugh2:I'm lazy too. I only steel the sugar packets.

[soy327]

On a lighter note,:laugh2:There are these cool wick holders from BCN I just ordered (Thanks to Kyme). They are the bomb look like bobby pins.

[Wessex]

I prefer the cheap route myself. I use craft (popsickle) sticks with holes drilled through them. After attaching the wick to the base of the jar, I put the wick through the hole, put a little pressure on the stick to bend it inward a bit, bend the wick and paper clip it to the stick. Nice and taut. Since I warm my jars, when the come out of the oven, I have a second chance to pull them tight before I pour, if needed. Works great, but is a little tedious when pouring lots of jars.

Cheers,

Steve

[Stella1952]

So, just to be sure I unnerstand, did the wax become soft all the way to the bottom and is the wicktab still centered/adhered on the bottom of the container?

[nursenancy]

I use bamboo skewers, broken in half and secured at each end with a rubber band. They're tight enough to hold the wick taut and if the rubber bands are positioned where the rim of the jar is, it will hold in place.

[EricofAZ]

I wonder, if you just wedged the wick between two holders, it would easily be drawn down into the jar when the wax shrinks on cooling. That could be your off center observation.

hair pins work fine. I've found a variety at the dollar store that work on a 3 inch diameter container.

I also have been known to glue two popsicle sticks together and mark them so that one opening is centered and use mold sealer to hold the top of the wick.