Anybody make soap in here?

OlJarhead · January 31, 2012, 10:17:38 AM

Also make sure the mold is leak proof (I failed there) and use freezer paper instead of wax paper! The wax paper melts

Another hint is to use a knife or something to make sure there are no trapped air bubbles.

MountainDon · January 31, 2012, 10:25:28 AM

Is that a full recipe or a part?

January 31, 2012, 11:37:46 AM

Quote from: MountainDon on January 31, 2012, 10:25:28 AM
Is that a full recipe or a part?

What do you mean? The Canolive II is the one I made and it's the full recipe with no additives (add scents only by using scented oils, fragrance oils or essential oils)....

Oh wait! LOL you mean IS THAT as in the pictures, a FULL Recipe -- yes! Sorry.

That's the full thing -- What I did is drop the 16oz of coconut oil (do a search for 'soapers delight' coconut oil online to see where I got mine) into the pot and start it on low. I then weighed out the canola and olive oils and then combined them into a jug together (to make pouring them in easier) and put a few ounces in with the coconut.

I added the lye to the water (outside) and mixed it in -- takes about a minute to do this *be careful*

Then I set the Lye mix in a sink of cold water to cool it down while heating up the oil to 110 degrees (this is important)...once all of the oil was mixed in and heated to temp and the Lye was lowered to ~95 degrees I mixed it in and stirred with a whisk like a mad man!

Then took a break and stirred with the spoon (use all stainless steel -- no aluminum) and whisked and stirred and didn't know what trace was so kept going and going and going and an hour later gave up and poured into the mold....and put in the oven.

And it worked

If it fails, no problem! Just put in a crock pot (after a couple days of letting it semi-harden) and cook on high (covered) for about two hours stirring it after the first hour and then periodically until all of it is melted like jello then put in mold and let hard (you can use remelt as soon as it's cooled)....

MountainDon · January 31, 2012, 01:19:24 PM

Thanks... yes I was wondering if you made a full batch or a part batch.

Coconut oil at Walmart, shelves above the lard.

OlJarhead · January 31, 2012, 01:34:24 PM

Quote from: MountainDon on January 31, 2012, 01:19:24 PM
Thanks... yes I was wondering if you made a full batch or a part batch.

Coconut oil at Walmart, shelves above the lard.

Cool! You only need 16 oz I think but I like having a lot

I found out the Glycerine in the soap is the reason it feels so good after using it -- has something to do with absorbing into the skin instead of leaving oil ON the skin. Whatever it is, I like it! Also cheaper to make then buy.

I just need to improve my mold a bit and get MUCH better at cutting it -- might have to make a jig just for cutting as I found the miter box doesn't provide a way to cut the loaf length wise before cutting into bars...

February 01, 2012, 07:27:26 PM

You know the cardboard GratinGs they use to keep thinGs seperated in boxes. I am thinkinG
you could make the same thinG from some stainless steel sheet. I wouldn't think you would
need anythinG thicker than about 30 GauGe. Just slip it in at the last moment.

Just an idea,
Bruce

MountainDon · February 01, 2012, 07:33:00 PM

Gee Golly i am wonderinG, puzzlinG about that very thinG.

OlJarhead · February 01, 2012, 07:45:16 PM

Quote from: firefox on February 01, 2012, 07:27:26 PM
You know the cardboard GratinGs they use to keep thinGs seperated in boxes. I am thinkinG
you could make the same thinG from some stainless steel sheet. I wouldn't think you would
need anythinG thicker than about 30 GauGe. Just slip it in at the last moment.

Just an idea,
Bruce

You can certainly use smaller molds or shaped molds so it's certainly possible to do it that way I suppose. However it seems easy enough to use the box mold off millersoap too.

firefox · February 02, 2012, 10:21:47 PM

MD: The cat removed the "g" key

Bruce

February 02, 2012, 10:32:50 PM

I thought you were being funny or weird. I had the "F" key break once. Got a new keyboard (laptop) from Laptopjacks . Easy install and their service was great.

firefox · February 03, 2012, 01:35:48 AM

Thanks MD, I usualy reserve the humor and weirdness for Gary. He needs all the
help and supervision he can get.
I am eventually going to break down and and get a new computer, but I want to wait until I move to Eureka, NV, Until then I will have to cut and paste this g.

Bruce

MountainDon · February 04, 2012, 05:00:40 PM

We/I made some soap today. Same recipe as Oljarhead, the Canolive II from the Miller Soap Making website. But we elected to go with a half batch for our trial balloon.

I measured and stirred and Karen gave me moral support.

I used the stick blender after the initial minute of stirring the lye/water solution into the oils with a wooden spoon. That caused a near instant change in the mix. I think it was ready after about 12 minutes but I went for another 8 - 10 and then noticed a change to being more thick. I could see drips I made on the surface not disappear very quickly. Looks like vanilla pudding or maybe cheesecake.

Poured the mix into a glass baking dish (lined with plastic wrap just in case it wanted to stick) and stuck it in the pre warmed oven. Left the light on, oven elements off with a tray of water in the oven along with the soap. Read that someplace. It peeked and touched it a short time ago and it was surface solid at least and unlike a soufflé it did not fall.

So now we wait till tomorrow morning.

A thought on stick blending...by stick I mean electric stick blender not a wooden stick.

They do get warm even with intermittent power on and power off. It might be an idea to have two. I placed a moistened cloth in the freezer and used it to wrap the motor housing for cooling. I didn't freeze it just got it good and cold.

MountainDon · February 04, 2012, 10:40:08 PM

Looking at the soap through the oven window I'd say I could have poured it into the mold earlier. The surface still shows some slight drips and bumps that never flowed out after the pour. I imagine it'll still be good soap and the bumps will soon be gone after staring to use it. Picture when I go to cut it tomorrow.

Carla_M · February 05, 2012, 02:10:27 AM

Wow! Guys making soap. Too cool. Do you make scented or unscented? I like natural real soap but have an awful time finding any that is just plain old soap. If I want to smell like lilac or mint or bacon I'd like to add that for the special occasion rather than have to have that scent all the time.

February 05, 2012, 09:52:33 PM

Kathy (millersoap) told me the stick blender will trace in 8-10 minutes so I suspect you were right about pouring it earlier. But it sounds like it was fine anyway.

Careful with plastic wrap and wax paper

Mine melted! The soap gets VERY hot in the first several hours.

Let's see some pics?

MountainDon · February 05, 2012, 11:39:48 PM

No pictures of the weighing or mixing. Here's the soap in the glass dish...

And after we removed it from the mold. It came out with relative ease by pulling on the plastic wrap. No problems with that.

And then cut bars. They're not pretty, not evenly cut, but I'm keeping them, not selling them.

This was a half batch. No scents or colors, just plain soap.

I could not wait to try it. Washed up after doing some dirty renovation work and it worked! Lather was good. My skin is still intact. I have a spot on one arm that sometimes gives me grief with dry skin itchies. So far so good on that. A week or two use would tell. The soap is supposed to improve with some aging but feels okay right now.

MountainDon · February 05, 2012, 11:41:48 PM

I can see how it would be nice to have a square sided box with narrow kerfs for slicing, maybe with a wire like a cheese slicer?

OlJarhead · February 06, 2012, 12:23:54 AM

Using already? It's my understanding that it's supposed to cure for a month after using the cold process to make. Am I wrong?

OlJarhead · February 06, 2012, 12:24:47 AM

Quote from: MountainDon on February 05, 2012, 11:41:48 PM
I can see how it would be nice to have a square sided box with narrow kerfs for slicing, maybe with a wire like a cheese slicer?

Your soap looks great by the way! Much nicer then mine too! I was told the mixer would do that to it and I can see it in the pics...think I better get one!

OlJarhead · February 06, 2012, 12:27:16 AM

Something I just learned: soap makers (manufacturers) remove the glycerin from the soap using salt and some process akin to 'souring' it like making cheese and separating the curds and whey -- anyway, they take out most of the glycerin and then add it to oils to sell it to you.

Now do the math:

Store bought soap has no glycerin.
Store bought soap dry's out your skin.

You now need a lotion for your dry skin -- which just happens to contain glycerin....

Hmmmmm

Make your own soap and you won't need the lotion and will save tons

February 06, 2012, 12:28:05 AM

Quote from: OlJarhead on February 06, 2012, 12:23:54 AM
Using already? It's my understanding that it's supposed to cure for a month after using the cold process to make. Am I wrong?

I had to give it a try on one hand. Hours later no problems, so two hands. Don't tell anyone. Ooops, too late for that!

MountainDon · February 06, 2012, 12:31:20 AM

The moment I turned on the stick blender I could see the liquids in the pot change to a cream color. Just like that! Bang! And within a minute I'd say it had reached the fully cream color, but still thin.

Yes, I read about the glycerin removal in commercial processes. Quite capitalistic of them.

MountainDon · February 06, 2012, 12:36:47 AM

I made it about 10 AM and left it in the oven overnight with the light on for a little heat and with a pan of water alongside. I noticed the temperature went up over the first hour or so. By next morning it was still 85 in the oven. I removed it and cut it about 23 hours after I placed the soap in the mold and oven. It's firmer than I thought it would be right off (at the 24 hr mark).

Rob_O · February 12, 2012, 12:33:48 PM

Quote from: OlJarhead on February 06, 2012, 12:27:16 AM
Something I just learned: soap makers (manufacturers) remove the glycerin from the soap using salt and some process akin to 'souring' it like making cheese and separating the curds and whey -- anyway, they take out most of the glycerin and then add it to oils to sell it to you.

Now do the math:

Store bought soap has no glycerin.
Store bought soap dry's out your skin.

You now need a lotion for your dry skin -- which just happens to contain glycerin....

Hmmmmm

Make your own soap and you won't need the lotion and will save tons

Glycerin is a byproduct of making biodiesel fuel. Find someone that's cooking their own fuel and you can probably get gallons of the stuff for a few bars of the finished product

OlJarhead · February 12, 2012, 01:45:35 PM

Quote from: Rob_O on February 12, 2012, 12:33:48 PM
Glycerin is a byproduct of making biodiesel fuel. Find someone that's cooking their own fuel and you can probably get gallons of the stuff for a few bars of the finished product

It's also the byproduct of making soap so no need unless you're planning on making Glycerin soap which has a higher level in it and comes out clear...

However, the home made soap I'm using (remelted) is pretty awesome as is. Frankly I'm stunned!