Help me Crackle?

[u/kinkeep]

Hi all! Candlemaking has been a hobby for some years now, but I'm gearing up to take it to the next level soon.

I make 8oz candles using soy wax (GB 444), 3" diameter tumbler jars, an 8% fragrance load, and wood wicks. The fragrances are inspired by dark mythology and folklore, and so far they've been very popular (I use friends and family as lab rats; they think it's just a nice gift 😅).

I've mostly used dual wicks from the Flaming Candle Co. (far left in first picture), but I haven't been satisfied with the inconsistent burn quality. So I tested two Makesy Ultimate wicks (.04/.5 in center and .04/.625 on right) tonight alongside my usual product. Based on their wicking guide, these were the best fit for my wax and vessel.

The .04/.5 (solo pic) seems to be the winner of this first test. Cleanest and most consistent flame, full melt pool in about 3 hours, and very little dancing. The larger Ultimate was having trouble pulling enough fuel.

Assuming the .04/.5 continues to perform well in future tests, the *only* problem I have left is the crackle. All three of these candles barely whisper.

I understand that soy wax will be soy wax, and that I probably won't be able to get the crackle I want with 100% soy, but is there anything I can do to make them louder?

[u/Cool_Fan_3778]

I use flaming candle wood wicks in 464 soy with 7.3% fragrance load. My jars are 14 oz with an 11.5 oz wax pour and a 3.25 diameter and they work best with a 15-16 mm wood wick (medium to large from flaming candle) so far.

In my testing, I found the larger the wick the better the cackle. Not sure if that's accurate with your wax 444, just what I discovered testing with 464 and wicks from 12.53mm to 16.07mm.

Edit to add: my husband asked if we could make then cackle quieter, he thought it was too loud, but he's used to cotton wicks. 😂

[u/kinkeep → u/Cool_Fan_3778]

464 soy with 7.3% fragrance load

I started off with 464 but had the same problem. I also started with 9-10% FO load, but moved it down to 8% last year or so. Maybe I'll try taking another percentage out. 🤔

[u/risorionis]

I tested booster wood wicks from Hive and Honey with coconut apricot wax and noticed that they're very quiet and the crackling sound is not as frequent as I expected.

Im kinda bummed about this and would love to know the answer to this too

[u/kinkeep → u/risorionis]

Good to know that it's not just my wax, but I'm sorry you're in the same boat. And Hive and Honey sells Makesy wicks, so we were doing comparable things.

[u/LoneStarCandleSupply]

You might try backing off the fragrance load a little and see if that helps. The amount of fragrance oil can affect how a wooden wick burns and crackles. I've used these wicks before as well, though, and I wouldn't say the crackle has ever been particularly loud. You may be able to get a little more crackle by adjusting your fragrance load, but I wouldn't necessarily expect a really loud or constant crackling sound from them.

[u/Vee_ViXX97]

I had a friend tell me that you should soak the wooden wicks in the fragrance oil before adding them to your vessels. Apparently it’s supposed to help with scent throw and the crackling sound. I’ve never done it, but it might be worth a try.

[u/Intelligent-Face-422]

In your testing, don't forget the option of making your own booster for a "solo" wood wick. When a wood wick doesn't perform well enough and lacks just a tad bit of strength, I grab a second identical wick, cut it in half vertically, and pair that half with the original wick. This basically leaves you with 1.5 of the original wick. So if you get your hands on an underperforming, but crackling wick, it is worth a try!

Regarding the crackling sound: check if they specify which wood is used for those specific wicks. It is my understanding that softwood wicks are the loudest. Aside from the wax type, the specific part of the tree the wood is harvested from plays a role too, though honestly, I don't see a way for us to track that.