At What Point Do You Abandon?

[Bottlecrafters]

I am testing some CD wicks in 3" containers. Depending on FO, I have used CD10-14 with varying degrees of success.

I have attached a picture of one container with a CD10, which is on it's 4th 3 hour burn. There is approx 3/8" hang on one side, and it is "stair-stepping down". I have twisted the wick, but this doesn't appear to help the hang.

I have heard some here say to burn to the end. If I do this, and it does eventually catch up; lets say at the bottom 1/3", would the customer not be happy with this burn cycle?

Would you abandon these type test? How many tests do you give before you know to give up?

Edited February 8, 2012 by Bottlecrafters

[rjdaines]

Is this the on'y container you have? If not, pour another one with a larger wick and just keep this one going to the end. I will make 2 to 3 testers (wicks) and burn them all at once. That one you show may be a dud in the end but unless you burn it all you won't know but don't let it stop you for testing something else. As far as a customer is concerned, I would not like that type of burn and it may never catch up. I rarely abandon a test unless the wick drowns out.

[Chefmom]

I don't abandon a test burn unless it comes out that the wick is hopelessly small and just won't keep going. Even if it is too big I burn it as long as the jar isn't dangerous hot, just to see what it will do in the bottom half of burning. I actually have one now that I'm burning that looks a lot like your photo. I keep burning it, even though the wick is too small, just because it is REALLY hot throwing well. My room scents within 30 minutes, but by the 2 hour mark the flame is quite pathetic, however the scent is still really nice so I keep at it.

If I want to scary test my candles, I just give them to my daughter. I tell her over and over to trim the wick, don't burn over 2 or 3 hours etc, etc. She does what she wants and soots them up etc. I figure it's a good test of what a "customer who knows it all and doesn't care what I say" would do.

[chuck_35550]

How well does it fragrance the room(s)? Did you have to mess with it a lot to make it burn? It stunk up the joint real good and it didn't go out or have to play with the wax to make it burn right? That's all a customer generally cares about; they're used to candles that hang up a whole lot worse. I test a wick and rip it out and put in another one if it doesn't produce the results I want. No point in me waiting a wick out to the bitter end if it isn't doing the job from the start. I might try several types of wicks before the right one comes along; then I pour a new tester and burn it all the way to the end. You do this long enough you recongnize the nature of it almost from the very beginning but continue on with your current procedure if unsure. HTH

Steve