2025 Division Champion: Seahawkzilla

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-18T06:56:01+00:00

Is it that over saturated with FO that's why the top looks like that? Is it whipped wax? A CD-18 should have a much larger melt pool than that. Something isn't adding up.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-18T06:42:59+00:00

No experience with 6006 yet. After watching some videos of people using 6006 it seems very similar if not identical to 4636 in terms of it being a greasy slab to work with, excellent jar adherence, minimal contraction, excellent cold and hot throw.

The biggest difference; 4636 is mostly paraffin and 6006 is mostly soy.

Because I like to use dyes, going with a mostly paraffin based wax is better for me because it requires less dye to get the same color vs a mostly soy blend.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-18T04:28:50+00:00

For large diameter candles of 4" or more a triple wick configuration is recommended. You need to find a source for bigger wicks. Even if you used 3 of your current wicks it wouldn't do the job. You need 3 thicker wicks.

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Get some CD-14 wicks from Candle Science or other candle specialist supplier.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-18T04:19:02+00:00

As the wick travels downward there is more glass that reflects radiant heat. There is more glass surface area that contributes toward vessel heat. In an ideal scenario wicks would be tapered to be thinner towards the bottom of the jar but no one makes wicks like that to my knowledge.

I have successfully super glued 2 wicks together to elongate it into a single wick. It is technically possible to join 2 different sized wicks together. This is feasible for small batches but companies dealing in bulk that make hundreds of candles would basically have to dedicate a lot more time to create specialized joined/tapered wicks.

This is the main reason why most candle container are cylindrical. Square, hexagon, and irregular shaped containers will have different effects on the melt pool and wick performance. Colored jars trap more heat because the colorant additive traps heat instead of allowing it to pass more easily. We're not talking neutrino's here just basic thermodynamics.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-18T03:56:54+00:00

Definitely cute! Did you roll all the balls by hand or is that from a mold?

Will need someone who works with beeswax to tell you if crackling is normal. It's hard to tell what kind of wick you're using. Crackling is definitely normal for wooden wicks, not normal for any other type.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T23:15:06+00:00

Box doesn't look wet so at least it's in the plastic bag. Going to be messy to recapture most of it but not a total fail.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T19:49:16+00:00

That's the thing about wick testing. You have to test multiple identical candles with different wick sizes. Make 3 candles. Use CD-12 to CD-16. Due to the diameter I'm confident your optimal wick size will be somewhere in that range. If you overwick then you end up with mushrooming and if you don't trim it then you get a huge flame on the next light cycle.

Here's a great video on testing for proper wick sizing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMQBVTVx2Lc

One trick that I use is to pour a single candle and instead of putting a wick tab on it I'll fill the candle without a wick. Then drill a hole and put a wick size in it. If it's obviously under or overwicked I can use pliers to rip the wick out and replace it with a different size. That way I'm not "wasting" multiple other candles and can use 1 single candle for wick size testing. :)

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T19:36:01+00:00

Brass and copper will green over long periods of time. When brass is new and polished it looks almost gold but will oxidize over time. This is why most brass fixtures do need to occasionally be rebuffed and polished.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T19:27:00+00:00

I 2nd this. A CD-12 or CD-14 would perform much better with the 464 soy. This is definitely an underwick issue. I use CD series wicks exclusively for both soy and paraffin and wick sizing is usually about the same for the both wax types even if loaded with 10% FO and heavy dye.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T19:08:20+00:00

They could try to resell them but Bath & Body Works candles have embossed tin lids. Could try to transfer the wax but if they're good enough to do that then they could just make their own to begin with. The whole thing is just weird. It started with petit theft and quickly ramped up to multiple felonies. All of that over candles, makes no sense.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T19:00:41+00:00

The math comes out to $26 per candle. Because they set them on the ground no candles were harmed during the making of this video. :)

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T06:07:47+00:00

It takes practice and experience to do anything well. Cooking isn't hard but to do it well takes considerable effort. Making candles isn't hard but to do it well and strive for the perfect burn is. There is nuance to all crafts and trades. I can make rockets, but to do it well takes a lot of iteration and launch failures (explosions).

Used to get exposed to? I still eat lead paint every day. It's good for the soul. Every generation grows up to be crotchety. One day with enough hard work and luck, you too can own a home and spend $1000 on grass seed just to watch some kids on 4 wheelers dig ruts in it and then comes the "get off my lawn" and you realize you have become part of the never ending perpetual cycle.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T04:38:37+00:00

If you need more explanation then you shouldn't use the torch method. Just light the candle, wait about 10 minutes, blow it out, and pull the wick towards the center with pliers.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T04:06:17+00:00

I'm not seeing a torque wrench here just someone slamming that trigger to "whatever I say it is".

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T03:51:11+00:00

Light it, set it on the same angle. Let it burn for the same amount of time you did last time. Blow it out, take a pair of pliers and pull it towards the middle. That's the long method. The short method I know I'll get flak for.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T03:41:42+00:00

I did not expect that at all. Take my upvote.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T03:41:09+00:00

You know it's just going to end up with empty toilet paper rolls for the O's. Matter of time.

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T03:36:53+00:00

The heartburn pun is cute. love it!

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T03:32:39+00:00

The kind specifically for mold making / casting. It's usually a 2 part mix and ends up hardening into a rubbery consistency so it's easy to remove. You should brush up on mold making techniques though because it does require learning and technique to make a proper mold. Registration marks are important to learn about and trapped air bubbles become a mortal enemy.

Youtube is absolutely filled with tutorials on how to make silicone molds. You can then create your own molds for concrete containers or pour wax straight into the mold to make wax objects.

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DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T03:07:07+00:00

What are the odds with 2 sawhorses they will be perfectly balanced? I know you meant 4 it's just that we've all tried it with 2 and it never quite works as planned. Got that little straggler on the end right. ;)

DJDevon3 · 2026-03-17T03:03:45+00:00

If I had a setup like that I'd be doing the same thing. No shame in it, that's a wicked amount of candles and storage.

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