| Candle makers often talk about test burning candles.. | | | | Remember the trapped heat? You don't want your |
| It seems like common sense that a candle maker | | | | candle to burn all of the way out to the edge until |
| who sells a product would know how their candles | | | | the candle is about 1" down. Otherwise it will be way |
| burn. It is a bit surprising that few candle makers | | | | too hot by the time it gets to the bottom of the |
| actually have a system that will generate repeatable | | | | candle. This notion is generally held mostly for |
| results. A lot of candle makers have different ideas | | | | containers. There are some exceptions to this rule. |
| about test burning. But what exactly does "test burn" | | | | Very shallow containers (less then 2" deep) should |
| mean and how do you go about doing that. These | | | | get full melt pool on the first burn.. Pillars on the other |
| guidelines are created to help better understand what | | | | hand will start to consume their edges once they |
| a productive test burn involves in order to achieve | | | | start to get about 1" down. If they are too hot they |
| reproducible results. The important thing to take | | | | will blow out the sides. |
| away is that repetition is needed. | | | | The following details are for how a container candle |
| Simply put, the test burn is used to understand how | | | | should burn. Pillar candles burn the same after the |
| a candle burns. Pillars, containers, votives and tea | | | | first inch. Whereas container candle have different |
| lights all burn differently even if the same wax, wick | | | | burn zones. |
| and additives are used. Size (diameter and depth) and | | | | In the first zone the candle should feel warm on the |
| container (metal, glass or none) greatly affect how | | | | top portion and should burn out to within ¾" - |
| each candle will burn. Each candle type must be test | | | | 1" from the edge within it's given time period. (One |
| burned to insure accurate performance. For instance, | | | | inch per hour). When the candle reaches the second |
| the taller the container candle, the greater the | | | | zone the top wax "hang up" will start to melt. When |
| trapped heat factor. Trapped heat is the heat that is | | | | the candle has reached it's full burn time (2 hours for |
| trapped in the jar as the candle burns down. The | | | | a 2 inch diameter, 3 hours for a 3 inch diameter |
| further down the candle burns the more heat that | | | | candle) in zone two it will leave very little wax on the |
| builds in the jar. Containers will have more trapped | | | | edges. The melt pool may get as deep as about |
| heat and tea lights will have the least. This is | | | | ½". In the third zone the side hang up will |
| important to understand. A candle that seems to | | | | completely melt within it's proper burn time (one inch |
| burn well at the beginning of its life could become a | | | | per hour of diameter) and the melt pool may get as |
| flamethrower as the wick nears the bottom of the | | | | deep as 1". |
| candle. It is also important to understand, as the | | | | The deeper the candle the more exaggerated the |
| candle burns down the diameter burns out. This | | | | zones. In a 6" deep candle the first zone may extend |
| generates more trapped heat. This will be discussed | | | | down 2" or more. Different depth candles will have |
| later in the paper. | | | | different zone depths and it will take some |
| Do your research! I can't say this enough. If you plan | | | | experiments on your part to determine where the |
| on selling a product you should know that product! | | | | transitions occur. |
| Here are some things to consider when test burning | | | | Record your information-I can't say this enough. Keep |
| candles. | | | | very detailed information on everything that you do |
| Many wick sizes and types. When you have an entire | | | | to make your candles and while test burning. You will |
| line of candles it is usually not a good idea to try and | | | | then be able to reproduce them. You won't be able |
| use just one size or type of wick. There are many | | | | to "remember" all the steps. |
| different families of wick on the market today and | | | | Even the best minds get a bit hazy when dealing |
| each type is designed to perform best under specific | | | | with a bunch of candles. |
| circumstances. Braiding tension, type of material used, | | | | Some of the information that is important to note |
| possible inner core or flame retardant treatment all | | | | when pouring your candles; Room temperature, |
| contribute to the burning properties of the wick. | | | | humidity level, temp you add your scent and |
| Families of wick are HTP, CD, CDN, PK, RDH, Eco, | | | | additives, temp you pour your candles, amount of |
| square braid, etc. Each type of wick should have | | | | dye, amount of scent, amount of wax, and amount |
| application information. When testing choose many | | | | of additives. |
| wick families that you think will work best with your | | | | Factors that should be recorded when test burning. |
| candle and go from there. | | | | 1) Initial weight of candle (you can weigh the jar with |
| All wicks are not the same. When you test 5 | | | | the candle in it since you will be using the change |
| different wicks from different wick families that are | | | | over time to determine how your candle burns) |
| supposed to perform well in the same wax and burn | | | | 2) Weight after certain time periods (we do ours |
| the same diameter they will not perform the same. | | | | every ½ hour) |
| That is why test burning is so important. Different | | | | 3) Flame height |
| families of wick burn better in different wax/scent | | | | 4) Melt pool depth at different times, melt pool |
| dye combinations. For instance, that HTP 1212 may | | | | diameter at different times, when does the candle |
| work wonderful in a 4" EL soy container jar with | | | | get a full melt pool, when do you have to trim the |
| Serendipity scent and Scarlet Fever dye crystals but | | | | wicks, is the candle smoking (sooting) and does the |
| it will fail when you use it in a 4" EL container jar with | | | | jar get excessively hot. |
| Patchouli Dreams and Midnight dye diamonds. | | | | 5) Another good thing to look at is first ignition. (How |
| All waxes are not the same. Just because two | | | | long does the flame stay up when it is lit for the first |
| different waxes are 100% soy does not mean that | | | | time at the beginning of every burn? If more than |
| they will burn the same, have the same scent throw | | | | one minute the wick capillary action is probably too |
| abilities or even the same dying abilities. The soybean | | | | strong. Steadiness of flame is another factor to |
| can be taken apart to form many different | | | | study. (Does it bounce around?) The more stable the |
| compounds. I'm sure that you are all familiar with tofu | | | | flame the less soot and mushrooming. |
| or soymilk. Both of these are from the soybean. Now | | | | 6) And finally record the final weight of the glass |
| can you see burning either one of them? Some | | | | when the candle has fully burned. |
| waxes will be easier to burn then others. Some will | | | | You may find in your own testing that there are |
| have better scent throw then others. And some will | | | | other factors that you may want to include. My list is |
| change their burning properties whenever something | | | | by no means all-inclusive. |
| is added. | | | | Determining the winner.-With all of your testing |
| All fragrances and additives are not the same. These | | | | information it is much easier to determine the winner. |
| are the factors that will have the most variability. | | | | Which one did the best overall? You now have plenty |
| When testing you will want to hold them constant as | | | | of information to compare to wick manufacturer |
| you test for wick size. Use the manufacturers | | | | specifications and your own guidelines. Little soot, |
| recommended about of scent for your testing. Just | | | | good melt pools, jar not too hot, short initial burn |
| because a wax can hold 10% oil doesn't mean that | | | | flare-ups, no bouncing flames, flame height the |
| you should use that much! In fact, sometimes using | | | | correct size (check manufacturer's guidelines), few |
| too much scent can "lock up" the scent or change | | | | wick trims needed, etc. |
| the scent as it is burning. Also, super concentrated | | | | After we have determined which wick to use we |
| scents need very little scent because there are more | | | | make a couple of candles and give them a torture |
| raw materials in their composition and less filler. Filler is | | | | test. The torture test is to let them burn all day, |
| cheap and will often be used in inexpensive scents to | | | | about 6-10 hours. We can then see what they will do |
| keep the price of a pound of wax low. But you just | | | | if a customer lets them burn too long. If they don't |
| end up using more oil to get any scent throw. | | | | need an excessive amount of wick trimming and the |
| After you have picked out wicks, wax, additives and | | | | jar does not get super duper hot I feel much more |
| scent it is time to start testing. | | | | confident about my results. After a good torture test |
| Burn multiple candles with the same wick.-Another | | | | we then alternate between normal burns and torture |
| important component of testing is to make sure that | | | | burns. A normal burn is when you give your candle |
| you can duplicate your results. Make sure that you | | | | one hour of burn time for every inch of diameter. So |
| have at least two of all of your wick sizes/types | | | | a four-inch candle gets four hours. You will notice |
| that you are test burning. This helps to insure that | | | | that the candle will consume the first inch of |
| your results are accurate. Any number of problems | | | | diameter much faster then the last inch. That is why |
| may affect an individual wick. You may get an | | | | it needs the full burn time for a good test. Your |
| unreliable burn if the wick was not primed correctly, | | | | candle may get all of the way out to 2" (for a 3" |
| something got into your candle, the wick incorrectly | | | | diameter candle) in the first 30 minutes and then putt |
| labeled, braiding tension was faulty, etc. Thus, if you | | | | along for the next 1.5 hours to reach the outer |
| have two or more of the same wick/wax/scent/dye | | | | edges. The closer the flame is to the wax the |
| combinations and they are burning the same you can | | | | quicker it will melt and the further away from the |
| be more assured of the accuracy of your results. | | | | flame the longer the wax will take to melt. |
| Other things to be cautions of while test burning are | | | | The final burn-One last step. Now that you have |
| improper wick priming, trimming the wick too short, | | | | determined which wick that you want and given the |
| not trimming enough, pigment in the color clogging | | | | final torture burns it is really a good idea to make up |
| the wick, drafts, etc. | | | | two more jars with your chosen wick, wax, dye, |
| Example--When we test our 4" diameter jars we use. | | | | scent combo and burn them like it says on your |
| We use EL soy container wax. We use about 6 | | | | instructions. Again, one inch for every hour the candle |
| different types of wick and many different sizes. In | | | | burns. You can go a couple of extra hours some |
| all we have about 20 - 24 jars burning at a time. . | | | | days but don't give them any torture tests for this |
| That is 10-12 (wax,wick,scent,) jars with a duplicate. | | | | one. Then when the candles are finished burning |
| For example, 2-CD18, 2-CDN18, 2-CD20, 2-CDN20, | | | | evaluate how they did. If they burn out nice and |
| 2-CD22, 2-CDN22, 2-#2 square braid, 2-#5 square | | | | clean you are ready for production. If you have |
| braid, 2-HTP 1212, 2-PKN15, 2-PKN20, 2-RDH 15, | | | | problems it is back to the drawing board. Look at all |
| 2-RDH 17 | | | | of the components and see what you did differently. |
| Also, make sure that you burn all of the candles at | | | | You may have even mislabeled something. You may |
| the same time. You will be able to see how each is | | | | be tempted to skip steps and cut corners because |
| doing compared to the others throughout the entire | | | | of all of the materials involved but remember you are |
| test. Remember not to put the candles too close to | | | | creating a product that someone will be burning in |
| one another or their heats may affect each other. | | | | their homes! You should really know the candles that |
| Burn the entire candle. Candles burn differently | | | | you are selling. |
| throughout their life. As a candle burns down | | | | Enjoy the trip-- Try not to feel bad if you do need |
| vertically it will burn further out horizontally. This is | | | | to spend more time on evaluations and further burns. |
| due to the heat of the flame creating more trapped | | | | This is what being a candle maker is all about. If |
| heat as the candle burns down. Containers hold this | | | | everyone could make a candle there would not be |
| heat more drastically then pillar candles. This trapped | | | | any reason for candle makers. And don't forget that |
| heat helps to burn the sides of jars and pillars. There | | | | testing and knowing your candle will really set you |
| is little trapped heat until the candle burns about 1" | | | | apart from hundreds of other candle makers out |
| down. It could take many hours to get to this point. I | | | | there. Which in turn will help you sell your candles! |
| will call this zone one. When the candle is about 1" | | | | Think of all of this testing as an investment. |
| down the flame will start to melt more of the | | | | One last word on test burning. Legal issues. Insurance |
| "hang-up" on the sides of the candle. This will be zone | | | | iis not enough. If you document the fact that you |
| two. As the candle burns down and the flame nears | | | | know how each one of your candles burns you will |
| the bottom of the candle the trapped heat is the | | | | be in a much more stable place if there is ever a legal |
| greatest. This will be referred to as zone three. If | | | | question. Keeping your test burning records along |
| the wick is burning too hot it can cause excessive | | | | with giving burning instructions make it much more |
| sooting or it can shatter glass. | | | | difficult to indicate negligence on your part. How could |
| How the candle should burn. The general rule of | | | | you be negligent if you took the time and effort to |
| thumb is that for every inch in diameter that a candle | | | | know your candles! The burden of proof them falls |
| measures, it should take about 1 hour to burn. A | | | | on the customer to show their burning records. |
| three-inch diameter candle should take about 3 hours | | | | And most of all have fun! I hope that you enjoy a |
| to burn as far as it is going to burn. The burning | | | | little of the science of candles as well as the |
| diameter will expand as the candle burns down. | | | | aesthetics. |