Testing wax and wicks today

[mzphee]

Hello all I am looking for a little advice, I am ready to test today and I have 3 different soy waxes(gb444, nature wax c-3, and gb464) and 2 different brand wicks(rrd 29,34 and 51-32-18Z) I want to test. I am using 4oz and 8oz Jelly jars and would like to test FO Lemon Bundt Cake and Odor eliminator both from Palm Beach Candles. Ok I have the details of material out the way, my question is how should I wick? should I 1)wick all jars with hot glue or should I 2) use the wickless method to pour and remove tab from wick then test each wick in the wax? The second way would save me jars for other testing. Im just a little confused on which I should do:confused:. Any advice would be helpful.

[dbsumner]

i would wick them with glue gun

[IwantItgreen]

If you wick them with a glue gun, you can always pull the wick out with a pliers and insert a new one into its hole.

[mzphee]

If you wick them with a glue gun, you can always pull the wick out with a pliers and insert a new one into its hole.

I was just thinking should I make 6candles (3 4oz and 3 8oz) to test the wicks or should I just make 2 candles 1 4oz and 8oz and test the wicks from that point.or should I just make all 6 so I can see a side by side comparison?

[deb426]

I think you're trying to test too much at one time. 3 waxes, multiple wicks, two jars, two scents....I've been doing this a long time and I would not want to be you today. Good luck, though! (To answer your question, I'd use the glue gun. Its better to wait until you know your wax, wick and jars before you try the pulling the wick out method.)

[kandleindulgence]

Hi Mzphee,

I do agree with the previous posts in testing too many waxes but your questions does not pertain to the number of waxes. My recommendation would be to test all 3 waxes (since you're doing that) in the same jars & same wicks first. Do a process of elimination as to what wax burns better over the other (personally recommend GB464) to those particular wicks. Then once you have determined what wax burns better then move into doing the different wick testing based on container.

HTH,

Edited November 11, 2011 by kandleindulgence
update

[mzphee]

I think you're trying to test too much at one time. 3 waxes, multiple wicks, two jars, two scents....I've been doing this a long time and I would not want to be you today. Good luck, though! (To answer your question, I'd use the glue gun. Its better to wait until you know your wax, wick and jars before you try the pulling the wick out method.)

I know that is true, would you recommend testing the 4oz jar, 1 FO and the 3 wicks?

[mzphee]

Hi Mzphee,

I do agree with the previous posts in testing too many waxes but your questions does not pertain to the number of waxes. My recommendation would be to test all 3 waxes (since you're doing that) in the same jars & same wicks first. Do a process of elimination as to what wax burns better over the other (personally recommend GB464) to those particular wicks. Then once you have determined what wax burns better then move into doing the different wick testing based on container.

HTH,

thank you but you guys are right IM doing WAY TO MUCH!!!! so im going to test the 4oz jar 1FO, and the three wicks...does that should a little better? Question is it safe to say that since the 4oz and 8oz jelly jars are the same diameter they may take the same wicks? or as the rule of thumb test,test,test the 8oz anyway?

Edited November 11, 2011 by mzphee

[deb426]

That sounds much better. One jar, three wicks, one FO. The 4 ounce and the 8 ounce should be the same but you need to test the 8 ounce anyway. Do that after you've dialed in whichever jar you're testing now. Sometimes the depth does make a difference. Also, with the three wicks, I would actually test only one type of wick at a time, but three sizes. So, for example, if you are testing the RRD wicks, do three sizes of the RRD and see if you can dial in the wick size. If you still want to test the zinc, you can do it the same way. I'm not sure that zinc wicks are the best for soy but I could be wrong. Never looked into it, actually, so somebody on here will be able to give you better advice on zincs for soy. I use C3 and use Eco wicks and sometimes LX. Keep good notes. After you have one wax down, you can go on to the next wax and see if you like it better.

[IwantItgreen]

I would recommend the same as deb. 1 jar, 1 FO, 1 wick series at a time (different sizes is fine.) Remember to let them cure for at least five days tho.

[mzphee]

That sounds much better. One jar, three wicks, one FO. The 4 ounce and the 8 ounce should be the same but you need to test the 8 ounce anyway. Do that after you've dialed in whichever jar you're testing now. Sometimes the depth does make a difference. Also, with the three wicks, I would actually test only one type of wick at a time, but three sizes. So, for example, if you are testing the RRD wicks, do three sizes of the RRD and see if you can dial in the wick size. If you still want to test the zinc, you can do it the same way. I'm not sure that zinc wicks are the best for soy but I could be wrong. Never looked into it, actually, so somebody on here will be able to give you better advice on zincs for soy. I use C3 and use Eco wicks and sometimes LX. Keep good notes. After you have one wax down, you can go on to the next wax and see if you like it better.

maybe I should wait because I dont have a series of wicks yet, for the RRD I have 29,34,47,55 but for the Z I just have the 51-32-18 and the 44-24-18

[deb426]

Maybe someone who uses either of those wicks will jump in here and tell you more but I would go ahead and do two test containers with the RRD 29 and 34 and see where they go, while you order the missing ones in the series. If you're testing for scent, you should wait a week but if you're just testing wicks, you can burn after it cools completely. I like to wait until the next day. Peaks has an RRD sample pack you might want to look into.

Edited November 11, 2011 by deb426

[mzphee]

Maybe someone who uses either of those wicks will jump in here and tell you more but I would go ahead and do two test containers with the RRD 29 and 34 and see where they go, while you order the missing ones in the series. If you're testing for scent, you should wait a week but if you're just testing wicks, you can burn after it cools completely. I like to wait until the next day. Peaks has an RRD sample pack you might want to look into.

thank you I just look at Peaks site and they have alot of wicks to choose from, Im going to order the RRD,LX, and the Zinc to try

[Stella1952]

If you wick them with a glue gun, you can always pull the wick out with a pliers and insert a new one into its hole.

No, No, No!!! This may work with pillars which can be re-leveled to restart a test, but it is a bad idea for testing containers, especially if you are new to candlemaking and are relatively clueless as to what you are looking for. This is poor advice.

Choose one type of wax to test. Choose one container to test that one type of wax. Make 2 or 3 testers for each wick size you choose. Use the exact same FO in each one, if you must use FO at all. At the end of the test, do the same with the other waxes you wish to test and compare. Remember to use the same FO if you choose to use FO at all. At the end of the wax testing, make new testers with the wick that worked the best and compare the different waxes.

IMHO, you are off on a year-long spate of testing because of all the variables you are choosing to test. You will not be able to pick a wax by this method because each brand of wax is unique, with its own idiosyncrasies. It takes TIME and EXPERIENCE working with ONE wax to learn about it. This is why I loathe samplers of various waxes... the end result is still quite inconclusive. You only get the most shallow impressions of the different waxes by running a few tests with them.

I think your time and money would be better spent to research and focus on one wax and work with it for a while before trying another. And another. And another...

[mzphee]

Maybe someone who uses either of those wicks will jump in here and tell you more but I would go ahead and do two test containers with the RRD 29 and 34 and see where they go, while you order the missing ones in the series. If you're testing for scent, you should wait a week but if you're just testing wicks, you can burn after it cools completely. I like to wait until the next day. Peaks has an RRD sample pack you might want to look into.

I just talked with one of the CSR at Peaks and she recommend that I use cotton wicks with the GB444 or GB464, so I may be ordering the cotton wicks and the rrd

[Pam W]

No, No, No!!! This may work with pillars which can be re-leveled to restart a test, but it is a bad idea for testing containers, especially if you are new to candlemaking and are relatively clueless as to what you are looking for. This is poor advice.

I totally disagree. Containers can be re-leveled with a heatgun and the testing can continue without all the effort of remelting the entire container.

[Stella1952]

Containers can be re-leveled with a heatgun and the testing can continue without all the effort of remelting the entire container.

As an experienced chandler, this may wok for YOU, but it is bad advice for someone who is new to testing candles.

[Pam W]

As an experienced chandler, this may wok for YOU, but it is bad advice for someone who is new to testing candles.

That's how I started out when I was NEW and it saved me so much time and headaches but each to his/her own, ya know.

[IwantItgreen]

If a wick to too small and drowns out, there is no way you're going to burn to the end. Get rid of it! Pull it out, put a new one in its place and level with a heat gun. Easy peasy. Same if the wick is way too large and your jar gets too hot. Get rid of it! Pull it out, put a new one in its place and level with a heat gun. Easy peasy!

[Stella1952]

That completes the burn but doesn't give you data from the beginning. Testing isn't just a race to the end.

Edited November 12, 2011 by Stella1952

[coconut]

mzphee, I will take the middle road here. I initially pour my candles without wicks, poke a hole in the wax, and stick a cut wick in it to test. If that test goes well, I pour a candle with a fixed wick and test. When I first started out, I didn't have a good feel for the wax or wicks, so I used the method to pull a wick, heat gun the top, and test again. I don't do that anymore because I don't need to and I never found the tests to be very satisfactory. The reason I don't need to is that I have narrowed down my wicks to a couple of types and a few sizes. Save yourself a little aggravation. Get samples of the wicks most recommended for your wax. Pour 3 or 6 jars (8 oz wax plus .5 oz of fo will do 3 four ounce jelly jars). Take the size of wick most recommended and also one larger and one smaller. Test the three jars side by side. You will learn a lot and narrow down what works for you. Be patient. It took me five years to get the right combo for certain scents. Also try an easy to wick scent. Peak's Mango and Papaya, Jasmine, Spiced Cranberry and Watermelon were the easiest for me. Most important, take extensive notes of each test because after you test thousands of candles you won't remember the results. Good luck to you!