problem keeping wick centered

[3bees~1flower]

these are the only ones i had right now. it's not as dramatic as sometimes. but these were set with a wick centering tool and you can see they are not in the center. and as they burn the off center is even more apparent. the middle of them is where it is the worst. any ideas?

[Pam W]

I'm going to take a guess and say that you need to secure the wick tighter because as the wax sets up it is pushing the wick a bit off center. I use wick bars to hold my wicks tight but sometimes during the setting-up process, I'll come back and tighten them a little more.

[IwantItgreen]

I have had that happen as well. It has nothing to do with how well the wick tab is secured to the bottom of the jar, because when I've had it, the melt pool hadn't even reached the bottom of the jar. I'm thinking it has something to do with the temp. of the melt pool, i.e. getting too hot. I know Peaks (and some other suppliers) coat their wicks with 212* melt point wax. Not sure if that would help or not.

[Sharon in KY]

These candles haven't even been burned. You need to make sure you have your wick tab secured to your jar bottom and the tab is centered, then pour your wax, secure the top part of the wick with some sort of fastener and make sure it is pulled tight and is not going to move, up down or sideways. Your wick will be drawn down, into the wax as the wax sets up, if it is not tightly held. Bet if you tug on your wicks, just a little, they will come out of the wax. And never trim your wicks until you are completely done.

[3bees~1flower]

they are firmly stuck to the bottom of the jar, that is not the issue. i use those white centering tools. how do you secure them down tight with those things? what do you mean by not trimming them until i am done? done with what?

pam w....what is a wick bar?

[IwantItgreen]

they are firmly stuck to the bottom of the jar, that is not the issue. i use those white centering tools. how do you secure them down tight with those things? what do you mean by not trimming them until i am done? done with what?

pam w....what is a wick bar?

Do you use a clothes pin or paper clip on top of the white centering tools to keep the wick tight so it can't get sucked down while the wax is cooling. The wick needs to be fastened somehow so it can't. Peaks has the white centering tools with clip on them already to secure the wick. They also have a wick bar that allows you to keep the wick tight as well. http://www.peakcandle.com/products/Wick-Holder-Bars__A1023.aspx

Sharon said don't trim the wick until after the candle is completely cooled. If you are putting a 6" wick into a 3" jar, leave the extra's on until then.

Edited April 14, 2011 by IwantItgreen

[3bees~1flower]

thanks for the info on anchoring the wick better and the link!

oh, i don't trim them till they are >24hrs old. not sure where she got that, but yeah...no trimming till totally set.

ETA: OHHH! i love those white ones with the little hooks on them to hook the wick into. didn't even know those were an option. THANK YOU for letting me know about them. ordering some now!

Edited April 14, 2011 by 3bees~1flower

[Pam W]

they are firmly stuck to the bottom of the jar, that is not the issue. i use those white centering tools. how do you secure them down tight with those things? what do you mean by not trimming them until i am done? done with what?

pam w....what is a wick bar?

it's a metal bar that lays across the top of the container & has a little slot in it to hold the wick. Peaks has them on their website

[chuck_35550]

Zinc wicks were so popular because the metal kept the wick from sagging when heated. A nice tight clipped wick accomplishes the same thing. The wick might look straight from outward appearances but actually has sagged in the wax and after a few burns will begin to wander in the container. Just make sure the wick is nice and tight and your centering tool should take care of the rest. HTH

Steve

[Stella1952]

3bees~1flower, in post #20, I included a link to a wick bar to keep your wick taut while the candle is cooling. Only a dot of Permatex adhesive is needed to firmly secure the wick and prevent the seal from leaking. I have no idea of how many candles one tube wicks - many dozens for sure. Wicks have to be firmly secured at the bottom and held taut at the top to prevent the wick form being drawn off center as the candle cools. This is a common issue with many solutions. I don't trim candles until I am satisfied with how they look. There's no hurry.

My best suggestion is for you to use the Google site search and read, read, read. :smiley2:

[3bees~1flower]

thanks, stella. my wicks are firmly tacked down at the bottom. i can hardly get them off when i want to refill a jar for myself. when i do 100% soy, i don't have this problem. only with the soy/para blend. i ordered some of the white wick holders with the notch to hook the wick in from peak.

[pirateswench]

Thanks for the hint about the Permatex! I want to give some candles to family members after I do some more testing and I was concerned about the wicks sticking to the container. I found a tube of this at Napa auto parts today. The guy there looked at me crazy when I said I was looking for it for candles lol! That should do the trick nicely and I don't have to worry about the wick safety. Time for some more test burns =D

Kat

[Stella1952]

The guy there looked at me crazy

I hear ya. I get that all the time. They REALLY look at me funny when I lie & tell 'em I'm rebuilding an engine and need it for the heads & valve covers.:laugh2:

[pirateswench]

I hear ya. I get that all the time. They REALLY look at me funny when I lie & tell 'em I'm rebuilding an engine and need it for the heads & valve covers.:laugh2:

LMao! Maybe I should tell them that next time and really baffle them then =D

[IwantItgreen]

I hear ya. I get that all the time. They REALLY look at me funny when I lie & tell 'em I'm rebuilding an engine and need it for the heads & valve covers.:laugh2:

Ohh, that was funny right there!! Thanks for the laugh, Stella

[pirateswench]

I'm super stoked! My wick centering tools from Peak came today yay! No more crooked wicks!

[Aimee81]

3bees~1flower, in post #20, I included a link to a wick bar to keep your wick taut while the candle is cooling. Only a dot of Permatex adhesive is needed to firmly secure the wick and prevent the seal from leaking. I have no idea of how many candles one tube wicks - many dozens for sure. Wicks have to be firmly secured at the bottom and held taut at the top to prevent the wick form being drawn off center as the candle cools. This is a common issue with many solutions. I don't trim candles until I am satisfied with how they look. There's no hurry.

My best suggestion is for you to use the Google site search and read, read, read. :smiley2:

Will the white large wick centering tool work for my 4 inch apothecary jar? It says 3-3/8". I have a dual EZ wick setter and I have always used a popsicle stick and clothes pins. The wick is very secure at the bottom but after the candle has cooled sometimes it doesn't look too centered to me. I am speaking about my dual wicks btw.

[Stella1952]

I don't know what large white centering tool you are speaking of... I don't use any purchased wick setter device to center the wicks when I am placing them on the bottom of the container. I use a bullseye target in a homemade jig and an empty pen barrel to press the wick into place.

If your wick is centered when you affix it to the bottom, but isn't centered up top after the candle is poured, the top method of centering & securing is letting you down. I use bow tie wick bars on the top (these accommodate double wicks as well as single wicks). Whatever method one uses on top, you must be sure that the wick is held taut so that as the wax contracts as it cools it cannot pull the wick off center or cause it to bow. HTH

[ladysj]

I have some plastic wick holder bars that have little slide tabs on them. However, I don't use the slide tabs I have found pulling my wick up through the bar, making sure it's straight & using a close pin to clamp the top makes it really tight so no moving. I check it during the cooling process to make sure it's still centered & if not just move it a little bit. I've not had a wick come loose yet. I am going to however try what Stella recommended to fasten them just to be on the safe side.

I do like the ones that Peak's has but wish they gave more containers that they would fit. Think I'll post in classies to see if anyone has 1 of each they would sell me.

Edited December 28, 2011 by ladysj

[Candybee]

Will the white large wick centering tool work for my 4 inch apothecary jar? It says 3-3/8". I have a dual EZ wick setter and I have always used a popsicle stick and clothes pins. The wick is very secure at the bottom but after the candle has cooled sometimes it doesn't look too centered to me. I am speaking about my dual wicks btw.

When I was wicking my apothecary jars I used the "large" size wick centering tools to hold the top straight. I would get them from Peaks as they have the ones with the notch on them to pull the wick taut and hold in place. You can also purchase little clear plastic sleeves that go on the ends of the centering tool to make the tool fit more snug on the jar. But with the apothecary you probably won't need them. I use them only on my tools that go on my pillar molds to hold them snugly on the mold rims.

I've been using the medium size tools for my salsa jars I bought from Peaks and absolutely love them!! I love how you can pull the wick tight and keep it in place with the notched centering tool.

[Beth]

When I was wicking my apothecary jars I used the "large" size wick centering tools to hold the top straight. I would get them from Peaks as they have the ones with the notch on them to pull the wick taut and hold in place. You can also purchase little clear plastic sleeves that go on the ends of the centering tool to make the tool fit more snug on the jar. But with the apothecary you probably won't need them. I use them only on my tools that go on my pillar molds to hold them snugly on the mold rims.

I've been using the medium size tools for my salsa jars I bought from Peaks and absolutely love them!! I love how you can pull the wick tight and keep it in place with the notched centering tool.

I use the ones from Peak, too. Love them.