Wick sizes for best burn quality and burn time

I know everyone will probably 'fall off their chair' when I state this....For most of our light colors we have had excellent luck with CD 12's (one) for our 3.5" diameter apothecary jars. We've never used over a CD 16!! For our 2 1/4" diameter 5 oz jars we've never used over a CD 8, and usually use a CD 7. When we tried a CD 8 in some scents/colors, such as Pumpkin Spice--orange--it definitely burned all the way out to the edge....way too quickly and went down even quicker!! For our 3" diameter tins, we use CD 10 or 12. We are at a loss for the best way to do this. We'd like to keep it as standard as possible for most or all of our scents/colors, but maybe that's completely unrealistic. I know some people find the size wick that will make even the 'hardest of colors/scents' burn to the edge well, and then they make that standard for all of their colors and scents. But, we've been hesitant to do that thinking that then some of the scents/colors will burn way too rapidly and not get the good burn time we have been proud of. Do you guys vary the wick sizes for each scent/color combo? What sizes do you typically use for those sizes of jars? I know when I looked at Scott/Sara's wick guide it said CDS16 for 3.5" diameter candles. But, there again, does that mean you should be able to use that size for all the colors/scents?

Carol, when you say the CDS 22, is that for all of your scents/colors then?

Hello Everyone,
I am not saying that this is t h e e way to do this. I am only saying that this is what works for me.

Let's start with color: I am very careful with color that I use. I use color blocks for my more bolder and darker colors. I use liquid dye for my lighter colors. I have been told that I can use up to 10 drops per pound of soy wax with the liquid dye. I found that if I use more than 5 drops per pound, I get a chemical smell. My wick also get's plugged up. So, I tested with color blocks. I use a gram scale and measure out my color, I then crush the color very well. I then mix the color block with my fragrance oil. I blend this very well. I allow this to set while I get the wax ready. I have my soy wax heated to 190 degrees. I draw up my wax. I add my UV Inhibitor and blend very well. I go back to my color and frag. oil and blend again. I add it to my hot wax. I then take a hot air gun and quickly heat up my wicked containers. By then the hot wax has went from 190 to 150. I blend again. Then I pour.

Wicks: I found after blending in this way that I had very few problems with my wicks burning right. Sometimes I will have a problem. I will then up the size of my wicks. I usually use a cds 22 for a 3.5" diameter candle. When I get to the larger candles, I found that using 2 - cds 18's works great. The diameter is still the same. It is just the depth is larger. People seem to like the burn better. It does burn a little faster. Not much. I simply do this because I found that I had leftover wicks and needed to use them up. So, when I found it worked really great. I continued with doing it that way. For some you won't want to. It works for me.

Well I am on someone elses computer, so, better cut it short. Will get back to you when I get home.

Later,
Carol

Carol & Dan
The Fort Village Chandler's
beth's soy candle co. LLC
bethssoy@ticon.net
Fort Atkinson, WI
920.568.9770

We chose a standard wick for a particular container, and have a formula worked out for each color-scent combination so the burn time is roughly the same.

And to Carol; if we may ask, if the color blocks you are using are vegetable wax, where did you find them?

We would love to use color blocks, but we have looked all over and have only found paraffin ones.

Bob & Carol Sterenberg
American Harvest Candles, LTD.
Star Lily Brand Innovative Soy Products

chandler@americanharvestcandles.us
www.americanharvestcandles.us

Bob,
I have been making my own.

Carol & Dan
The Fort Village Chandler's
beth's soy candle co. LLC
bethssoy@ticon.net
Fort Atkinson, WI
920.568.9770

How do you make your own? I'm new to making soy candles, so I'm curious about what it takes to make the color blocks.
Thanks,
Amanda Drew
Alight Soy Candles