# my new Soap Hutch mold!



## JBot (Mar 30, 2015)

Pictures of My Precious!

The large dinner fork in the first picture is just to show scale.

The "dams" shown in the fourth picture can be adjusted to make your log molds any length you want.

The sixth and seventh pictures might look the same at first glance, but one of them shows the mold with the two 10-bar dividers (two different kinds of soap at once, if you like) and the other shows the 20-bar divider.

The eighth picture was taken right after I poured my HP.  Ugly, right?  Hide and watch!  The ninth picture was taken after I inserted the dividers.

The results are amazing.  I unmolded about 8 hours later, and the bars are gorgeous.  Perfect sides, straight and smooth.  I usually end up having to do a TON of trimming and planing, because I don't always want the rustic look that you often get from HP.  But now!!!  I might not have to do any trimming or planing at all, it's THAT nice!

Tomorrow I'll try to post close-ups of the bars as they look now that they've been cut and drying for a few days.


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## AKjulz (Mar 30, 2015)

That's an amazing piece of equipment, Congrats!  Nice colors on your HP too


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## CTAnton (Mar 30, 2015)

talk about ALL N ONE!If that's not a go to mold, I don't know what is!! Congrats!


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## dixiedragon (Mar 30, 2015)

If I may ask...how much was it? I requested a quote from him but he hasn't gotten back to me.


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## LBussy (Mar 30, 2015)

Yeah I was afraid to even ask ...


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## Luv2Soap (Mar 30, 2015)

One mold to rule them all! LOVE THIS!!!!!


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## not_ally (Mar 30, 2015)

Definitely a thing of beauty.  LBOT, meant to post this on another thread, but your bars *don't* look like HP, you are right, they are too smooth and pretty!  Now I really want that mold, but I have a feeling it is going to be expensive enough to wait for a while.


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## LBussy (Mar 30, 2015)

No kidding, they are gorgeous.  JBot you say "pour" and I've never used any term other than "glop" for HP soap.  Are you really able to pour?


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## Seawolfe (Mar 30, 2015)

I wanna see the pictures of that HP soap in there after unmolding!! Up close on the edges please 
Thats a really really interesting piece of equipment!!


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## not_ally (Mar 30, 2015)

Can you really make different batches if you put the dividers in?  Ie; no seeping through the bottom?  I have had problems with that just doing certain swirls w/different colors in one mold/1 batch.


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## CritterPoor (Mar 30, 2015)

that is a beast!


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## Cactuslily (Mar 30, 2015)

Congrats Jbot on your mold and your lovely soap. I'm still waiting on my order. I ordered beginning of Feb., but I know wait will be so worth it in the end. Thanks for sharing those  pics! Looking forward to seeing your soap cut! In the meantime, aren't you just thinking up all the possibilities?!


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## doriettefarm (Mar 30, 2015)

How many lbs does that sucker hold?  I think I'm in love with your Precious


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## JBot (Mar 30, 2015)

The first picture shows the bar exactly as it was after cutting.  Totally raw.  My wire cutter leaves the edges really rough, though, so the subsequent pictures were taken after I swiped the long edges over my beveler. I did NOT bevel the short edges -- they didn't need it at all!  Only the edges that were left ragged from the wire.  I hope the last picture shows how clean the mold leaves that short edge.   



doriettefarm said:


> How many lbs does that sucker hold?  I think I'm in love with your Precious



About 18-20!  This "half" batch was 9.5 lbs, and I didn't fill it to the tippy-top.  But you could also make a batch as small as a single bar.  I love the flexibility.



Cactuslily said:


> Congrats Jbot on your mold and your lovely soap. I'm still waiting on my order. I ordered beginning of Feb., but I know wait will be so worth it in the end. Thanks for sharing those  pics! Looking forward to seeing your soap cut! In the meantime, aren't you just thinking up all the possibilities?!



If it's any consolation, I ordered mine in mid-January.  And yes, it's absolutely worth the wait.  The possibilities are keeping me awake at night!



dixiedragon said:


> If I may ask...how much was it? I requested a quote from him but he hasn't gotten back to me.



It wasn't cheap, that's for sure.  About $400, but I ordered a cutter/splitter at the same time, which I think reduced the price a bit.  I'm excited to receive the cutter; hoping for straight cuts and no more ragged edges!  The cutter is delayed because I requested some last-minute modifications.  (Rich has been VERY patient with me!)

I know some people probably think that's an insane amount to pay for a mold, but it was totally worth it to me.  Now that I've had the chance to use it and experience the quality first-hand, I'm toying with the idea of ordering another one.  No joke.



not_ally said:


> Definitely a thing of beauty.  LBOT, meant to post this on another thread, but your bars *don't* look like HP, you are right, they are too smooth and pretty!  Now I really want that mold, but I have a feeling it is going to be expensive enough to wait for a while.



Thank you!  I've worked hard to get past that lumpy look.  They aren't marble-smooth like cold process, and I won't pretend otherwise, but they look a lot better than my first few HP batches.



LBussy said:


> No kidding, they are gorgeous.  JBot you say "pour" and I've never used any term other than "glop" for HP soap.  Are you really able to pour?



Well. . .I tip the pot over the mold and it all just kind of slithers out.  I've never had to scoop or glop it in with a spoon.  But it's not like the pancake-batter liquidity of cold process, either.



Seawolfe said:


> I wanna see the pictures of that HP soap in there after unmolding!! Up close on the edges please
> Thats a really really interesting piece of equipment!!



I hope the edges are in good focus here; I'll try to take some more later on.  I'm working with the camera on my cell phone, so I don't get the best depth or perspective in the pictures.



not_ally said:


> Can you really make different batches if you put the dividers in?  Ie; no seeping through the bottom?  I have had problems with that just doing certain swirls w/different colors in one mold/1 batch.



I think so.  I didn't get any seeping through the bottom, but HP is naturally much thicker.  I'll post again when I do a CP batch.


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## not_ally (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks for taking the time to respond so thoughtfully and comprehensively.  Very helpful.


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## Seawolfe (Mar 30, 2015)

Oh those are nice! Thanks for the pics. 
I don't think that's a crazy amount of money for all the options you get, it's pretty spectacular.


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## jules92207 (Mar 31, 2015)

Wow, that is one amazing mold!

Edit to add - and an amazing soap! Lovely!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Mar 31, 2015)

I don't think that it is too expensive for all that, especially as it is not really just 1 mould - but pretty much every mould you will ever need.


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## LBussy (Mar 31, 2015)

A related question - has anyone used anything to mechanically vibrate the mold when loading?  I was thinking a "vibrating table", like the old football games but with more "omph", might be cool.


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## dixiedragon (Mar 31, 2015)

I've requested a quote for one that also has the vertical dividers so you can do swirls, etc. Pretty much like this one:
http://oilandbutter.blogspot.com/2013/01/soaphutch-uber-mold.html

I want mine tall enough so I can do a square log. IDK if I can justify $400, though.


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## JBot (Mar 31, 2015)

LBussy said:


> A related question - has anyone used anything to mechanically vibrate the mold when loading?  I was thinking a "vibrating table", like the old football games but with more "omph", might be cool.



Is the idea that the vibration would help it fill up without any gaps or bubbles?



dixiedragon said:


> I've requested a quote for one that also has the vertical dividers so you can do swirls, etc. Pretty much like this one:
> http://oilandbutter.blogspot.com/2013/01/soaphutch-uber-mold.html
> 
> I want mine tall enough so I can do a square log. IDK if I can justify $400, though.



I don't think they're all quite that much.  Part of the price has to do with how much material it takes to make the mold, and mine was pretty big.  It was also a new design; having two separate 10-bar divider sets in one mold is very unusual, so Rich had to engineer that AND make it fit in with everything else.  He's a genius, really and truly.


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## LBussy (Mar 31, 2015)

JBot said:


> Is the idea that the vibration would help it fill up without any gaps or bubbles?


That was the thought.


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## not_ally (Mar 31, 2015)

I think people blanch about the cost of a custom made mold (or even a a regular good one that is hand made), but it takes so much thought/work/effort.  I am pretty OCD and have gone through various thought processes on various molds/cutters, and have have sort of come to the conclusion that you get what you pay for.  Unless:  you make soap; make molds/cutters,  have gone through the processes of both over time; and, finally, are willing to be open to changes.  That is a tough bill to fill. I don't envy the mold/cutters, it must be hard.


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## FlybyStardancer (Mar 31, 2015)

LBussy said:


> That was the thought.



That's what big-time chocolate makers do to get bubbles out of their bars! Might be an idea for searching.


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## FlybyStardancer (Mar 31, 2015)

LBussy said:


> That was the thought.



That's what big-time chocolate makers do to get bubbles out of their bars! Might be an idea for searching.


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## houseofwool (Mar 31, 2015)

If you find one I would love to know about it. I keep thinking about mounting an orbital sander upside down.


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## reinbeau (Mar 31, 2015)

There are lab vibrators that people have recommended in the past, you can find them on eBay for about $30


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## LBussy (Apr 1, 2015)

There definitely are commercial shakers out there.  I was thinking something a little more low tech.  Take your standard work table and clamp a motor which swings an imbalanced load.  I have motors laying around so I may do that.  Small induction motors commonly available do about 1725 RPM, and since there's no real load on these nearly anything will work.  The eccentric can be as simple as a pulley with part of the circumference cut away to make a "wedge" shape.  That would net a ~28Hz vibration which should be more than enough.  A light table or platform could use even an old fan motor, while a heavier workbench might need a 1/4 or 1/2 HP motor to swing a heavy enough weight.

Seems like a "stuff I had in the shed" project ... if only my wife had not made me clean out the shed. :?


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Apr 1, 2015)

Can you put it on the washing machine in a spin cycle?  Might work in a pinch, if a little bit too loud.


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## LBussy (Apr 1, 2015)

Erf!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq6T5BojXc8[/ame]


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## dixiedragon (Apr 1, 2015)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> Can you put it on the washing machine in a spin cycle? Might work in a pinch, if a little bit too loud.


 
I'd be scared of spilling soap all over and in the washer. 

What about getting a pair of those hand held massagers and taping them to a piece of board?


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## LBussy (Apr 1, 2015)

dixiedragon said:


> What about getting a pair of those hand held massagers and taping them to a piece of board?


Yeah ... those aren't really used for massage ... :razz:


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## cmzaha (Apr 1, 2015)

I have been stewing on asking this key question? Are you sure cp is going to release without lining or are you going to use mold release such as vasaline or mineral oil. Also do you use Sodium Lactate in all soap and always gel? I exclusively use hdpe molds and cp will not unmold unless I let it sit in the mold for weeks and I find it just to messy to always use mold release. As for cost of hdpe molds, hdpe is very expensive especially in the thickness it takes to make a big mold. Sorry, not trying to be a killjoy, I am just wondering if you know something I do not


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Apr 1, 2015)

Hmmmm, maybe not then :shock:


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## Cactuslily (Apr 1, 2015)

Just got notification that my mold will be delivered tomorrow! Now I have to decide what to make and in in which chamber. Today, I need to get a rubber mallet to put this beast together. Maybe I can rig something to make a peacock swirl?


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## Cactuslily (Apr 1, 2015)

ETA  the mold comes with a silicone liner for the bottom. The sides don't need lining. After talking with a few people that have these molds, only one lines the bottom because she damaged her silicone liner for the bottom.


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## Cactuslily (Apr 3, 2015)

ETA: per convo with Rich, he suggested using a bit of mineral oil for first few batches until the mold becomes "seasoned". JBot, how's your mold doing?


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## dixiedragon (Apr 3, 2015)

cmzaha said:


> I have been stewing on asking this key question? Are you sure cp is going to release without lining or are you going to use mold release such as vasaline or mineral oil. Also do you use Sodium Lactate in all soap and always gel? I exclusively use hdpe molds and cp will not unmold unless I let it sit in the mold for weeks and I find it just to messy to always use mold release. As for cost of hdpe molds, hdpe is very expensive especially in the thickness it takes to make a big mold. Sorry, not trying to be a killjoy, I am just wondering if you know something I do not


 

On my HPDE mold I grease the dividers and the sides with mineral oil. I line the bottom with a sheet of baking parchment. Mine is a Cumberland mold and a sheet of baking parchment is the perfect size for the bottom.

Recently I got a can of food-grade silicone lubricant and that worked like a DREAM in unmolding. BTW, I gel, no sodium lactate. 

Also, if your dividers have a hole in the top, the perfect thing to use to get a grip to pull them out is one of those giant nails - the ones slightly thicker than a pencil.


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## Cactuslily (Apr 3, 2015)

Thanks Dixie! Haven't put this beast together yet. Where did you get food grade silicone?


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## LBussy (Apr 3, 2015)

Cactuslily said:


> Thanks Dixie! Haven't put this beast together yet. Where did you get food grade silicone?


You can often get it in hardware stores, Rest Supply and the like.  HEre's a link to one on Amazon with Prime Shipping if you have that:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00192D0TQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I never thought about using that ... brilliant!

I will tell you that silicone does inhibit foam in drinks - not sure if that impacts lather or not.


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## SplendorSoaps (Apr 3, 2015)

What an amazing mold!  Your HP soap is so incredibly smooth, too.  I'll definitely check out Soap Hutch next time I'm in the market for a mold (just got a new 7 lb. loaf mold from WSP, so I'll have to wait a bit...).  It sounds like it's well worth the wait!


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## JBot (Apr 5, 2015)

Cactuslily said:


> ETA: per convo with Rich, he suggested using a bit of mineral oil for first few batches until the mold becomes "seasoned". JBot, how's your mold doing?



It's fantastic!  I'm ordering another one :-D



cmzaha said:


> I have been stewing on asking this key question? Are you sure cp is going to release without lining or are you going to use mold release such as vasaline or mineral oil. Also do you use Sodium Lactate in all soap and always gel? I exclusively use hdpe molds and cp will not unmold unless I let it sit in the mold for weeks and I find it just to messy to always use mold release. As for cost of hdpe molds, hdpe is very expensive especially in the thickness it takes to make a big mold. Sorry, not trying to be a killjoy, I am just wondering if you know something I do not



I usually use sodium lactate, and I always gel.  I haven't tried cold process in it yet, but when I do, unmolding might be easier because I'll have done multiple HP batches, which will help "season" the mold and allow it to release more easily.

You mentioned you use HDPE molds exclusively but don't like using mold release.  Does that mean you usually do something other than CP?

Cactuslily, have you tried yours yet?!


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## KristaY (Apr 5, 2015)

JBot, that mold is AMAZING! Plus, your soap is beautiful. If I didn't know it was HP, I'd have thought CP. Great colors and great work! :clap:


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## Cactuslily (Apr 5, 2015)

Jbot, I haven't even put it together yet. It's mocking me 
Hoping to soap next week when I'm feeling better. In the meantime, I'm formulating recipes.
Am I the only person who gets overwhelmed with indecision? What recipe? What FO? What color? 
So, in the meantime, I formulate, watch videos, and read about all the soaps I'm not making right now...your soap, is beautiful Jbot! Everyone here makes such beautiful soap.


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## JBot (Apr 10, 2015)

Cactuslily said:


> Jbot, I haven't even put it together yet. It's mocking me
> Hoping to soap next week when I'm feeling better. In the meantime, I'm formulating recipes.
> Am I the only person who gets overwhelmed with indecision? What recipe? What FO? What color?
> So, in the meantime, I formulate, watch videos, and read about all the soaps I'm not making right now...your soap, is beautiful Jbot! Everyone here makes such beautiful soap.



So. . .have you tried it yet?!

I too can get stuck in "analysis paralysis."  When this happens I try to just choose SOMETHING (recipe, FO, color) that I haven't done before.  That way, even if it turns out lousy, I have a real-life sample of that soap/scent/color that can help me plan batches in the future.

My biggest issue is actually batch size.  If I'm going to get out all my stuff, set it up, and clean it up, well, I want to have more than 2 pounds to show for it!  Except that then I'm afraid of a 6-10 pound waste of ingredients.

It would help if I had a dedicated soaping space and my set-up wasn't such a production.  But alas, sometimes I need to use my soaping space -- I mean kitchen -- to prepare food.


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## Cactuslily (Apr 10, 2015)

Hi Jbot, sorry to report I still haven't used it. I haven't soaped at all yet :-( I put together the base, was able to get most configurations together, but I still have so many pieces left! Kind of like putting a ceiling fan up and having extra pieces left...they must go somewhere! The instructions didn't show all the configurations. I couldn't find a video putting it together. Emailed Rich in hopes he can talk me through remaining parts. My mold is smaller than yours. I got the Uber Kate. It's heavy! Using a rubber mallet definately helps me put it together. Excited to see more creations from you using yours!


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## JBot (Apr 10, 2015)

Cactuslily said:


> Hi Jbot, sorry to report I still haven't used it. I haven't soaped at all yet :-( I put together the base, was able to get most configurations together, but I still have so many pieces left! Kind of like putting a ceiling fan up and having extra pieces left...they must go somewhere! The instructions didn't show all the configurations. I couldn't find a video putting it together. Emailed Rich in hopes he can talk me through remaining parts. My mold is smaller than yours. I got the Uber Kate. It's heavy! Using a rubber mallet definately helps me put it together. Excited to see more creations from you using yours!



Because the Uber molds can be configured several different ways, you SHOULD have pieces left over when it's assembled!  Some of the pieces will be common to more than one configuration, but many will not.  What is the Kate supposed to do?  Slab, logs, and also dividers?  Can it make logs of different sizes?  Does it have pieces that allow you to sub-divide the logs lengthwise for certain designs?  (You would pull those out toward the end of your design; they're meant to keep different colors temporarily separate in the mold.)

If you post a picture of the pieces that don't seem to get used in any of the configurations you've put together, perhaps I can help.  I've spent a LOT of time playing with mine.


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## Cactuslily (Apr 10, 2015)

How kind you are! To answer your ?'s: it is a slab, which can be converted into 3 logs. You can place a dam to shorten a log. It also can be 9 bars, or depending on your amount desired, can be larger bars or bars of various sizes. I've seen Kenna from modern soapmaking use hers to do a modified tiger stripe. It's on YouTube. Very cool. Rich had never thought of using pieces like that, so I think you're only limited by your imagination. My health right now is limiting me to only playing around with the pieces right now, but hopefully soon I can actually put it to use! Did you oil the sides of your for the first few batches BTW? Have you CPOP'd with it? Once again, thanks for your kind offer. If I can get my iPad to upload pics, I'll PM them to you.happy soaping!


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## dixiedragon (Apr 10, 2015)

Cactuslily said:


> Thanks Dixie! Haven't put this beast together yet. Where did you get food grade silicone?



Stole it from work.


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## zolveria (Apr 10, 2015)

Where Did you get that BEHEMOTH I want one.


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## Cactuslily (Apr 10, 2015)

Soaphutch.com website not very user friendly, by maker Rich, is. Will custom design a mold to your specification. Worth the wait, and when you break down the multi function and quality of the mold, is truly reasonable cost wise.


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## cmzaha (Apr 11, 2015)

JBot said:


> It's fantastic! I'm ordering another one :-D
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I cp almost exclusively. Only hp with impossible to cp fo's, do not usually gel and do not use sodium lactate. I line mine with freezer paper. I do not like mold release on my hp molds because they get sticky and /or oily from it. Plus even with silicone or mineral oil I still have a hard time unmolding. Just hate my molds feeling yucky


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## reinbeau (Apr 11, 2015)

Good luck getting one.  I can't get him to respond to my inquiries.


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## shunt2011 (Apr 11, 2015)

I personally dislike HDPE molds except for salt bars.  CP sticks like a bugger even with mineral oil which I dislike using.  Mine has dividers so I only use them for salt bars and they come out fantastically as long as unmolded while still warm but firm.   I much prefer silicone 1000 times over.  I know it's a personal preference.  I have two HDPE slabs.


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## cmzaha (Apr 11, 2015)

shunt2011 said:


> I personally dislike HDPE molds except for salt bars. CP sticks like a bugger even with mineral oil which I dislike using. Mine has dividers so I only use them for salt bars and they come out fantastically as long as unmolded while still warm but firm. I much prefer silicone 1000 times over. I know it's a personal preference. I have two HDPE slabs.


I love my hdpe, but have to line them. I do agree soap, loves to stick to hdpe, I have even had it stick when using vaseline, silicone or mineral oil, so I learned to make friends with freezer paper. If I had time to let it sit in the mold for a month or so, after the soap has already shrunk it might release, then try to cut the darn stuff...;-) I am going to follow this as I am very interested to see if it reason does "season" over time and not just get sticky from the release agent. Please let us know


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## Cactuslily (Apr 12, 2015)

Reinbeau, have you tried calling him? I found he is much better if you can catch him " in person".


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## Chrisje (May 29, 2015)

OMG!!! :shock: I want 1 of those molds now!!!


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