What do you use to attach wicks to the bottom of a container? There are various options out there, but what ones are the best to use. If you are a seasoned candle maker, you already know what you like and what you don’t like. I am a slightly seasoned candle maker and I finally found out what works for me.
It took me 3 years to figure out what I like to use and what helps the wick stay stable so you can straighten it out the best.
I don’t want you to have to wait 3 + years before you find out exactly what would work for you. What you are looking for right now is the best adhesive that will allow you to possibly move the wick and tab around to make sure it is centered, the wick and tab are securely stuck on the container, when the hot wax is poured into the container you don’t want the adhesive to come unglued.
Here are all the wick tab adhesive ways I have used:
- Place the wick into the container and pray when I pour the wax into the container that the wick stays centered. This is during my early candle making months
- Glue dots
- Universal Hot Glue
- High Temperature Glue
- GE Silicone
- High Temperature RTF silicon gasket maker
Well, I think you definitely know that option one is out along with option 2 and 3. I have used option 4 , high temperature glue, for the past 3 years and I would still have trouble. I would return again and again to my candles to tighten the wick in the container to make sure the wick was straight. More times out of ten the wick would come lose especially if the wax was poured too hot or the container was too cold when I hot glued the wick tab in.
Another problem I would have using hot temperature glue is that when I would pull the gun away from the wick tab I would have a stream of hot glue from the wick tab to the glue gun. I eliminated this problem when I swirled the tip of the glue gun on the outer edges of the dot I left on the tab. This lessens the amount of glue on the tip. After I swirled the glue gun tip I would then touch the tip of the gun again to the metal tab.
I had so many gags, but it worked better than all the other options I knew about. That is what I am here for. If you are going through the same trials and errors I am, I don’t want you making the same mistakes and not knowing about any other option. I want you make the most perfect candle for your customers.
I am starting to use GE silicone and it isn’t bad. You can buy this from any hardware store, or home supply or repair store. It is fairly easy to use. Just apply the silicone to your wick tab like you would with the glue gun. Try not to cut too big of a hole in your silicone otherwise you will have a mess. Make sure their isn’t any silicone run off also.
The silicone allows you to center the wick easier, but you do have to wait until the silicone cures. The amount of time you have to wait for the silicone to cure which is around 12 to 24 hours is a down fall, but if you plan things out well you can make it work.
That is an advantage that the hot glue has over the silicone. I still use the hot glue, but for my candle testers or at home use candles.
The 6th option is one that I am not familiar with. I have never used high temperature RTF silicon gasket maker, so I cannot give you a fair assessment of this option. It sounds like the “big gun” of wick attachment options.
When I read about this option the candle maker using it was concerned about the safety feature of the whole wick assembly. The adhesive they wanted could not soften or release. If the wick tab released allowing the wick tab to wander or to break the seal underneath, liquid wax was allowed to seep under the wick tab. This would then not allow the “self extinguishing” feature of the wick assembly to extinguish the candles once the level of wax falls below the neck of the wick tab.
I have never tested the “big gun” wick tab adhesive, but the logic behind it sounds reasonable. I do think properly attaching the wick tab using high temperature glue or GE silicone would accomplish the same thing.
Use the option that works best for you. Keep this agenda in mind.
- Stable enough to keep the wick tab stuck to the container
- Completely seals the wick tab securely to the container
- Allow you to play around with the tab in order for you to center the wick
Do you use another option? Tell us about it.
Many Blessings,
P.S. Join our forum
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
No Problem. I learn something new about candle making all the time. I enjoy it so much. How do you attach your wicks? I do like the silicone so much better.
Thanks for sharing…