Scented Candle Magic
HUNTSVILLE, AL February 10, 2004–Quality scented candles appear deceptively easy to make. Many people believe it is a trivial matter to turn out a fine candle. When you understand the science behind candle burning, you realize that this is not so simple to create a quality scented candle.
The candle system can be broken down into three parts: 1) fuel 2) feeder and 3) ignition. Placing each of the three systems in harmony is the key to a quality scented candle. At a high level, the fuel is the votive candle wax and surrounding oxygen, while the feeder is the wick and finally the ignition is the flame. When heat is applied to the system (by match, for example), the wax is melted (turns into liquid state). The wick then draws the liquid wax and scent up via capillary action until it reaches the top. Because of the heat, as the candles wax and scent reach the top, the wax vaporizes (turns to gas). This gas, mixing with the oxygen present in the surrounding environment, then ignites throwing the scent molecules into the air.
As noted, the fuel system is the wax and surrounding oxygen. By actually mixing in the scent while the wax is in liquid state as Los Tomases Candle Makers LLC does (rather than simply spraying it on the outside), the company ensures that as the scented candle melts there is plenty of scent molecules available to be “thrown” into your living room. This is a delicate balance. If you simply pour lots of scent into a candle, you are replacing the fuel molecules in the wax with scent molecules and with less fuel available when ignition occurs, you have less energy to fling the scent. As a consequence, the company?s master candle craftsman does not load up scent for the sake of “triple scenting.” Rather, for a nice scent distribution pattern the candle maker adjusts the amount of scent put into a candle on a scent by scent basis.
The feeder system is fascinating unto itself. The key is a quality wick and in understanding that it must deliver the right amount of wax and scent molecules at the right rate. Since this portion of the system is based on capillary action, it is critical that the wick be fine tuned to work with the adhesion properties of the liquid wax and scent. It is the adhesion of liquid wax to the walls of the wick that cause an upward force on the liquid. The surface tension of the wax holds the surface intact, so instead of just the edges moving upward, the whole liquid surface is pulled up. Over the years, through trial and error, the candle company has determined the proper composition of the wick such that their scented candles achieve the right rate of delivery of the liquid wax.
The ignition system is also quite remarkable and must be understood to see another facet of quality scented votive candles. The shape of the flame is created by the hot gases leaving the ignition system and expanding the air around it. When the air expands, it creates a small partial vacuum that pulls the flame upward into its distinctive shape. Within the flame there are three regions that the candle company focuses on. The outermost region is where the surrounding oxygen first combines with the wax molecules to produce the ignition. In this region, the scent molecules receive their kick and are thrown into the environment. The more surface area created here means more scent molecules capable of interacting in the ignition at any one time. A tall narrow flame, however, does not necessarily imply more surface area. A sphere shape, for example, provides more surface area for a given diameter. Continuing to work inward, the ?incandescent? region is where light is given off like a light bulb, and a romantic candle will have a nice, soft, soothing glow here. The final region focused on is next to the wick. Reactions here are heat induced and cause rearrangements of the molecules before they reach the important outermost ?fling? surface. The company strives to minimize this region as much as possible so that the scent molecules do not get changed into another scent! While a number of factors outside of a candle maker?s control help determine the eventual shape of the flame, Los Tomases Candle Makers LLC does consider it and makes adjustments in their fuel and feeder system to accommodate the best flame possible with the elements they have control over.
There is a tremendous amount of thought that must go into candle making if one wants to produce a top of the line scented candle. Los Tomases Candle Makers LLC understands this and continues to study and explore the best ways to produce the finest scented candles.
About Los Tomases Candle Makers LLC
Known as the source for hard to find quality votives, Los Tomases Candle Makers LLC offers over sixty different flavors of the finest scented votive candles. The company maintains its reputation for consistently producing the finest votives by using the same machines and processes since 1944. Through its online store http://www.OnlyVotives.com, Los Tomases Candle Makers offers free shipping within the continental United States.