# Bees wax Candle Wick fail?



## ChuckReburn

David LaFerney said:


> I know nothing about candles, but since we have accumulated a fair amt of wax my wife has been experimenting lately. Mostly she pours wax into some kind of glass container with a wick. The thing is they don't burn very long or very bright because the wick just kind of burns up. She's tried various wicks from hobby lobby or Jo-Anne's but they all basically do the same thing. So what's the problem?


The wick is too small. Beeswax candles need thicker wicks than paraffin and poorly refined beeswax needs thicker wicks even still.


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## David LaFerney

How thick? Where do you get them?


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## ChuckReburn

David LaFerney said:


> How thick? Where do you get them?


Wick Guide

60 Ply Wicking - >3" (7.62 cm) diameter candle
2/0 Wicking - 1" - 3" (2.54 cm - 7.62 cm) diameter candle
4/0 Wicking - < 1" (2.54 cm) diameter candle

http://www.mannlakeltd.com/beekeeping-supplies/category/page162.html


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## Bee Bliss

Chuck is correct. Beeswax requires more heat to develop a melt pool and so needs a thicker wick. The wick also needs enough oxygen. Deep glass containers are not ideal. Not sure what you are using. Never use paraffin wicks for beeswax candles.

Proper beeswax wick, clean beeswax so wick does not clog up, proper container or none..............all very important. If the wick is not drawing up wax, instead of the wax combusting, the wick will burn.


I get candle supplies at Mann Lake, Betterbee or Glory Bee.


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## David LaFerney

Thanks - I put some on my wish list for Mann Lake.


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## FlowerPlanter

Thanks I was also needing this info.

Would there be any difference to the sizes above if the candle is in a glass?


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## Bee Bliss

Flower planter, It might matter due to heat build up. You'll have to test it out.


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## KQ6AR

Another difference is that beeswax candles use square braided wick. 
Wax must be clean or it will clog the wick.


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## David LaFerney

Clean as in how?


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## Bee Bliss

Beeswax that is filtered through "coarse" filter media will have debris, that while not visible to the eye, will clog a wick. 

Beeswax filtered thru a layer or two of quality paper toweling and into distilled water is clean. Keep in mind that beeswax dripping into hard water can have a mineral layer on the bottom of the cooled, solid wax cake.


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## KQ6AR

I run my wax through cotton dress shirt material for the final filtering.


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## zaxbeeswax

4/0 Is too small. I use that for tea lights. 3/0 for Votives. 60 PLY for jars. If your making Pillars you want #6....all are square braided except for the 60 Ply which is flat braided


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## Ravenseye

I had problems with my candles until I went to a larger (than recommended) wick and I did a final cleanup by filtering hot beeswax through old (but clean) t-shirt material just prior to pouring. I've been fine since then. The beeswax that I was using was pretty rough to begin with since I was salvaging it from very old foundation. It was dark wax and was originally filled with lots of material. Took a while but it was worth prepping it for candles.


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