# HoneyBunches of soap - new pic



## Woodi (Sep 10, 2011)

I call this batch (which is OMH scent) 'Honeybunch'. Are these pics too small? I can enlarge them a bit.

Here's the log, with its caramel-colored top (soon each bar will turn caramel-color):







Peeling off the lexan is very easy when the soap doesn't stick : (please ignore the dark pool in center, which shows partial gel....from a covered mold in a cold basement).






Cutting the log with my handy-dandy paint scraper tool, in DH's homemade cutting box-thing:






Weighing each bar: (I try to make them each 4.2 to 4.5 ounces, but they never come out all the same.






and drying them overnight on the racks, before they move to the cage.






and in case you've never seen my soap "cage" (mouseproof), the door and walls of which are covered with heavy guage steel mesh:


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## saltydog (Sep 10, 2011)

Very cool set-up!
 Thanks for showing us. I like that soapcutter your hubby made. Wish mine was handy like that.
Usually when I start talking about soap, his eyes just sort of glaze over..


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## nattynoo (Sep 10, 2011)

Lovin up on that big long mould.
Hope it smells as good as it looks.

Great idea with the mesh doors.


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## AmyW (Sep 10, 2011)

Drooling...  The soap looks lovely and I love your mold and cutter and "cage"!


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## KylieO (Sep 10, 2011)

WOW WOW WOW, that's some super impressive equipment you have there!  no wonder you make great soap 

thanks for sharing (and fuelling my addiction for a soaping space)


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## saltydog (Sep 10, 2011)

KylieO said:
			
		

> thanks for sharing (and fuelling my addiction for a soaping space)



oh yeah i'm eyeballing my basement hard


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## Woodi (Sep 10, 2011)

Thanks for your nice comments! If I get a chance to clean up down there a bit more, I'll show you the rest of my setup. I've been soaping down in the basement laundry room for 11 years now....sheesh, can't believe it's been that long. Time is speeding by so very quickly. 
I wish I had found this hobby earlier in my life.

I do sell, but don't much like the selling part. However, getting cash for the soap (I don't make a big profit) pays for the oils and scents which I love, and which fuels me to keep on going. Besides, my family all enjoy the soap and count on it now.

I only make soap when I want to nowadays, but am on nearing my 700th batch this week. (each batch is either 15 bars of 30 bars). That IS a lotta soap!


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## KylieO (Sep 10, 2011)

WOW, that is a lot of soap.  yep, would love to see more pics of your soap room 

SD, i hear ya, surely my car doesn't need a garage right?


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## Relle (Sep 11, 2011)

Woodi said:
			
		

> I only make soap when I want to nowadays, but am on nearing my 700th batch this week. (each batch is either 15 bars of 30 bars). That IS a lotta soap!



Love the photos,especially the top one ITM, might have to get hubby to make a cutter like that one  .You'll just have to wash 3 x a day to use up all that soap  .


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## Lynnz (Sep 11, 2011)

Yeah!!!! sure hoping for more pics Woodi      love the name for your soap...................and as for that hubby of yours be careful I just dont come and pinch him.......LOL just kidding. How spoiled you are to have such a wonderfully creative husband


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## Woodi (Sep 11, 2011)

You're right, Lyn, I am totally spoiled.

 He initially created the SoapMaker program as a spreadsheet, just for me!.....if I hadn't bragged about it and shared it all over the forums (with those who owned Excel), there wouldn't be a program today. It's still selling slowly but steadily, all over the world. He has customers in Japan, Iceland, Africa even! He exclaims aloud to me the unusual places (otherwise he is a non-talkative, very quiet person).

and he is also a very patient and dedicated worker, who will spend all kinds of his time to help a single individual, no matter how unskilled they may be with computers (there are still some of those around, believe it or not....) as well as helping other people build physical things.

He also makes great furniture (when he had the time) although it takes forever to complete cuz he's a perfectionist. It took him two months to design and build a ladder for a monk who needed it to climb to the loft in his 'kuti' (small cabins in the woods which these monks sleep and meditate in).

However, there is a downside to having such a husband: everybody wants a piece of his time, and he gives it generously. So many's the day I have felt like a widow.

Good thing I have soap, and soapmaking friends, to keep me company!


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## Midnight Rowan (Sep 11, 2011)

Wow, sooo jealous!  :wink: My hubby's eyes glaze over in just that way when I start talking soap lol. I've even tried to get him interested in making me molds and cutters, and no go there too   

Nice to see the pic of the lexan though, I've really been thinking about trying some liners like that.


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## Tater (Sep 11, 2011)

VERY IMPRESSIVE


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## Woodi (Sep 12, 2011)

Don't forget it took us 11 years to get it this far, and no further. Some soapers have made businesses out of their soapmaking, so I don't find my little hobby workshop all that impressive. I don't have a real business personality.


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## saltydog (Sep 12, 2011)

Woodi said:
			
		

> Don't forget it took us 11 years to get it this far, and no further. Some soapers have made businesses out of their soapmaking, so I don't find my little hobby workshop all that impressive. I don't have a real business personality.



Well, I find the whole thing impressive. I think those of us cleaning up our kitchens constantly would love to have a space dedicated to soaping.

I've looked at your software before, (nice to meet you  ) congratulations on it becoming so huge! I'm sure it's a fantastic tool to have and  I would love to try it someday. 
I wish you much continued success!


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## Woodi (Sep 12, 2011)

Thank you Val, saltydog. Nice to meet you too!


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## Woodi (Sep 13, 2011)

Here's those bars now, darkened to .....light vanilla color?


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## Lynnz (Sep 13, 2011)

Woodi I couldn't live without my soapmaker programme now, goodness knows how I went so long without it


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## llineb (Sep 13, 2011)

I can't get over your soap cage...amazing!  I just showed my husband the pic and said "I want this for Christmas"...he just looked away and acted like he was watching TV...the funny thing is that the TV is on "What Not To Wear"...nice try hubby!

Love your set up!!!!!!!!


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## Bubbles Galore (Sep 14, 2011)

Looks great Woodi.  :wink:


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## saltydog (Sep 14, 2011)

llineb said:
			
		

> I just showed my husband the pic and said "I want this for Christmas"...he just looked away and acted like he was watching TV...the funny thing is that the TV is on "What Not To Wear"...nice try hubby!


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## Woodi (Sep 14, 2011)

Don't forget, my hubby is 68 (just turned) and semi-retired ( I say 'semi' cuz he still works on Soapmaker and also volunteers a lot with me at the Buddhist monastery near us.)

So your hubby has a bit of time yet, let's hope!


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## Dragonkaz (Sep 21, 2011)

Wonderful photos of your wonderful soaps and soaping gear!

If my hubby was still alive he'd be busy ...


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## TuxedoKat (Sep 30, 2011)

Wow, that's great looking soap! I really like it!


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## Pretty n Plain (Oct 1, 2011)

When I look at your soap woodi, I think, relax relax relax, just me and your soap, oh and my laptop in the tub...oh wait a minute and my soaping stuff and some nice relaxing music and my black forest choccy and, um, that should do for now I think.


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## Guywithsoap? (Oct 1, 2011)

The setup looks really top notch.

I especially like the lexan log mold? I can't see how it is assembled. if you dont' mind would you explain how it fits together? 

I was thinking of building one because it would not need the parchment paper component like a wooden mold.


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## Woodi (Oct 1, 2011)

Guywithsoap: 

visit my hubby's website at www.soapmaker.ca and click on the 'extras' and 'free tools' button at left, then look at the log mold pictured there. Click on it once and it will show you different views. how it's designed. Enjoy!


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