yponce Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I've been reading for months and finally attempted by first candles. I am using GB 444 , 9 oz bottle. ECO wicks from Candle Science.I poured two candles for testing (Same FO). One with ECO 10 Wick and the other with ECO 12. They burned almost identical ! . I thought it would be so obvious which of the two worked best. I did notice that the ECO 10's melt pool was a better width then the ECO 12. Do you trim the wick after each burn? I wasn't trimming and eventually noticed some mushrooming. So I poured another set with a different FO. This time I poured without the wick because I read in a thread here how it's easier to switch wicks if needed (hand't even thought about that). This FO is a little stronger then the other, so I am thinking it will need a higher wick size? I am afraid of starting to low and then getting tunneling. When you test this way do you start higher and them lower wick size as needed? Thanks for your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 You have to burn the candles all the way to the end to see how the wick handles burning during the entire life of the candle. Typically, temperatures increase as the candle burns down, so overwicking usually shows up during the last half of the candle's burn.Trim your wick to 1/4" before each burn. Record the net weight of the candle when you begin testing and after each test period (1 hour per inch of diameter of the container or pillar). From this you can compute the rate of wax consumption per hour.I generally begin on the lower side of the wick size I think I need. The last thing I want is an overwicked candle. I do not anticipate and change the sizing just because I change the FO unless I have prior personal experience that this is necessary. The perceived "strength" of a FO has nothing to do with the wicking. I am afraid of starting to low and then getting tunneling.Don't be afraid to experiment. That's what testing is for and is how you learn. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I poured two candles for testing (Same FO). One with ECO 10 Wick and the other with ECO 12. They burned almost identical ! . I thought it would be so obvious which of the two worked best. I did notice that the ECO 10's melt pool was a better width then the ECO 12. ==============I'm not familiar with your wax but I do use a lot of ECOs. You will notice a difference in #10 & #12 when your burn gets further down in the container. If the #10 gave you a fuller MP where the #12 did not, then the #12 was probably consuming your wax faster and will get pretty hot as it nears the bottom of the container. Tunneling can also happen when you have over-wicked...it may sound weird but if a wick is too big, it will consume the wax so fast that you'll never get a full melt pool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxSioux Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I always do at least one test run w/o ever trimming the wick. It kills me to do this, but I've found that no matter how much you talk, or print labels, the majority of people are idiots! You really need to know what will happen when someone uses your product incorrectly, cause far too many of them do! If you prepare for the worst, then you'll excel at the best. FWIW, I also do a start to stop marathon burn. If I have to go to sleep before a candle is done, I set it level in the bathtub, just to make sure a major fail doesn't turn into a fire.Susan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricofAZ Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 (edited) When I first started testing wicks in containers, I tested based on the recommended burning instructions. 4 hrs max. Trim wick. Dip wick in wax to extinguish.All for naught.People don't read the instructions. They light the candles and ignore them or use them for a night light. They never dip or trim the wick. They burn 20 minutes at a time or 20 hours at a time. No rhyme or reason.So now I use "abuse" testing procedures. I burn overnight, blow out the wick, never trim. I grab the container to see if it is hot or not.It is not easy, but I think I have a few wax/container/wick/FO combinations that work.I've found the small ply wicks smoke the least, but also fall over in the melt pool after extinguishing. Stiffer wicks like ECO's, etc, stand up but smoke more.By trying to build a candle that can take abuse, I've found they perform very well to proper burning techniques.The major issue that I have found to be a concern about who I market to - is burn time. I can build a great candle that burns start to finish (80 hours) and has a cool container touch and no hang, all catches up. I can build the same candle that burns 2 hours at a time and give the same stats. ... I can not build a candle that does both. Take the 2 hour candle and let it go all weekend and you'll regret it. It is hot, hot, hot. Take the continuous burn candle and use it in short bursts and expect a tunnel.I also noticed that the first burn has a taller flame. Take that into account, but don't base your entire burn on that. I also noticed that containers tend to heat up at the top very hot at about the one hour mark and later when the glass saturates and turns to a heatsink, the top is not so hot, the entire container is close to the same temp, and its fine. So the peak temp of the container at the upper portion during the first quarter of the burn is also something that I monitor. Edited March 23, 2011 by EricofAZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMori Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 ... the majority of people are idiots!Hey, that's my husband's theory on how the world works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfWax Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I always do at least one test run w/o ever trimming the wick. It kills me to do this, but I've found that no matter how much you talk, or print labels, the majority of people are idiots! You really need to know what will happen when someone uses your product incorrectly, cause far too many of them do! If you prepare for the worst, then you'll excel at the best. FWIW, I also do a start to stop marathon burn. If I have to go to sleep before a candle is done, I set it level in the bathtub, just to make sure a major fail doesn't turn into a fire.Susan.I thought I was the only person who tests in the bathtub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I thought I was the only person who tests in the bathtub.same here - safest place in the house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxSioux Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hmmm ... rub-a-dub-dub, we test in the tub! LOLSusan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hmmm ... rub-a-dub-dub, we test in the tub! LOLSusan.:laugh2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella Rose Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I always do at least one test run w/o ever trimming the wick. It kills me to do this, but I've found that no matter how much you talk, or print labels, the majority of people are idiots! You really need to know what will happen when someone uses your product incorrectly, cause far too many of them do! If you prepare for the worst, then you'll excel at the best. FWIW, I also do a start to stop marathon burn. If I have to go to sleep before a candle is done, I set it level in the bathtub, just to make sure a major fail doesn't turn into a fire.Susan.That is awesome...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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