# What Equipment Do You Use?



## maria6 (Sep 19, 2014)

Hello there, guys!

As I am preparing for entering the world of CP soap making, I would really like to hear about the equipment you use to create your soaps.
I think a stainless pot would do just fine, right?

In which kind of pot do you prepare the lye solution?

About the measurements, I have a digital scale, but it is not sensitive to measure decimal numbers.
It would measure from 1 to 5000 g.
Do you think it could do the job for 500-700g of soap?

Also, for stirring the reaction mixture, should I use a mixer fixed somehow, so that it remains stable as long as the reaction lasts, in order to avoid stirring the mixture manually?

I have read that after the reaction is complete, people want to keep the reaction mixture's temperature for a few more hours.
So, using towels to cover it would be fine?

Is a silicon mold suitable for pouring the mixture in after the reaction is complete?

I apologize for the long post and the many questions!
Looking forward to hearing your opinions!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Sep 19, 2014)

Here is an article I wrote on the subject http://www.soapmakingforum.com/basicequipment.html

But if you are planning on using the Bicarb rather than the NaOH, can you expand on the process?  For example, in "normal" CP, the reaction is not complete until it has been in the mould for at least 24 hours which doesn't fit with what you are saying here.  Also, knowing the process will help people to relate to terms like "reaction mixture" which is, I think, the first time I have ever heard it called that.  I imagine you just mean the soap batter, the mixture of the oils and the lye, but I want to be sure.


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## KatsKreations (Sep 19, 2014)

I am a new soaper. I started just over a month ago. I took a trip to walmart and got a very basic 8 quart stainless steal cheepo pot for 6.95. I also got a an 8 cup Anchor glass measuring cup about 6 or 7 dollars. It has a lid. I use that for my lye water. I have a hand blender you can get usually 30 or so dollars. I have a plastic spoon to only mix lye with. I used an old spoon without slots. I got my long rubber gloves several months ago for handling peppers but they were about 4 dollars. I also have safety goggles and a mask. I do not know cost of those as I have had them a while. I used lined boxes as my first molds then I found a mold I love and happened to be on sale. I got it at Essentail depot and it is the natural silicone mold with the wire rack. Best thing I have bought. I find I really like CPOP and this mold lets me do that easily. You need an accurate scale. Forgot how much mine costs. Also a 5 dollar thermometer that you do not use for anything else. All your soap stuff is just soap stuff from here on out. 
Something you can do is watch a lot of videos but realize most people on the videos do not use basic safety practices. Learn good habits to start with. I learned by first watching hour after hour of soaping 101 videos, Soap Queen and so many I can not count. Protect your eyes you can not replace them! I feel like I have a million hours more of learning before I get to almost where I want to be! Welcome and listen to everything the experts tell you. I hope to learn right beside you! Good Luck


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## houseofwool (Sep 19, 2014)

Please do not use glass for your lye water.  The glass will get etched and could easily shatter creating a potentially dangerous situation.


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## shunt2011 (Sep 19, 2014)

Do not use glass for your lye solution.  Use a plastic pitcher #5 or stainless pitcher.  Glass can become etched and fracture from the lye over time.  There are many posts on this forum in regards to this.  A stainless pot, stick blender, spatulas, good scale are some items needed for soapmaking.  I'm also don't quite understand quite what your process is.


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## KatsKreations (Sep 19, 2014)

I take away the glass then. Sorry


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## Susie (Sep 19, 2014)

KatsKreations- this is how we all learn.  I was using similar until told the same thing.  Don't feel bad.  Just learn better, then share that knowledge with the next person.


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## maria6 (Sep 21, 2014)

Also said:
			
		

> Thank you for the link! I found it very very useful! Regarding the term "reaction mixture", saponification is a chemical reaction, and the ingredients used for a chemical reaction put all together are called areaction mixture. One question tough! You suggest not to put the lye in a glass container. How about a pyrex container? About the plastic container, NaOH is caustic, so won't it react with the plastic?


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Sep 21, 2014)

I have the good old fashioned Pyrex at home, but don't use it for soaping. One of the big dangers is the thermal effects causing shattering. Lye solution all over the place.....

While saponification is indeed a reaction, here in the world of soaping we tend to call it the soap batter.

Eta- with the reaction (saponification - again people tend to refer to the reaction by name) saponification has barely started when you pour it in to the moulds. This is important to remember - the bulk of saponification happens in the mould, not in the pot that you mix in.


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## Susie (Sep 21, 2014)

I have Pyrex measuring cups I weigh my oils in.  NOT heat the oils in, and not mix the lye into, but weigh.  I use the heat transfer method on my bar soaps, so that is all I really need, something to weigh in.


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## goji_fries (Sep 21, 2014)

houseofwool said:


> Please do not use glass for your lye water.  The glass will get etched and could easily shatter creating a potentially dangerous situation.





shunt2011 said:


> Do not use glass for your lye solution.  Use a plastic pitcher #5 or stainless pitcher.  Glass can become etched and fracture from the lye over time.  There are many posts on this forum in regards to this.  A stainless pot, stick blender, spatulas, good scale are some items needed for soapmaking.  I'm also don't quite understand quite what your process is.



Does pyrex or kymex work though? I use two lab beakers for the mixes. Is that bad?


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## cmzaha (Sep 21, 2014)

A rubbermaid pitcher works great for lye. I have been using the same 2 pitchers for 5 yrs. Even when I make 1.5 quarts, 50/50 lye to water, at a time in them they do not melt down. I do keep the pitchers in the sink when I am filling them up with my solution. Be aware of pitting in cheap stainless steel pots it usually happens in time. Even one of my better stainless steel pots has started to pit. Several years ago I started using #2 hdpe buckets for soaping. You can get them in various sizes from industrial supply houses, such as McMaster Carr, Uline etc


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## CiCi (Sep 21, 2014)

The Dollar Store and/or the 99 cents store is your friend. You'd be surprised at the stuff you can find in there...plastic mixing containers, spoons, plastic measuring cups, buckets, etc. I had purchased a cheese slicer off ebay for $3.89 and found it two weeks later at the 99 cents store. I've learned to check there frequently, being that their inventory changes. They had some rolls of nice, decorative shelf vinyl so I bought 5 and that is what I use to cover my counter when I am working. Wipes clean very easily. The only problem with the vinyl, however, is that if you spill fragrance oil on it, it bubbles up the plastic. So, I simply put paper towel under my scale. Welcome to the soaping world. Demolding your soaps is like Christmas. You never know what you are going to get out of the package (mold). The anticipation is full of excitement!


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## houseofwool (Sep 21, 2014)

I wouldn't recommend the inexpensive SS pot from Walmart. I gave it a go tonight and there was some kind of reaction because it caused some kind of black crud to form, ruining a large batch of soap.


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## Susie (Sep 21, 2014)

Ouch!  Just so I will know for sure(and stop telling people to go buy it) did you magnet check it first?


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## KatsKreations (Sep 21, 2014)

So far I have no problem with mine at all. no flaking, no reaction. I made sure it was SS not aluminum. Not saying in time I will not have a problem. I was just trying to go cheap at first to see if I even liked doing this. I had not discovered the forums. I had watched a lot of youtube. I know if this continues past another month or so I will trade out things with better things. Also I have now started acquiring suitable plastic buckets from the purchased oils so I can switch out the lye water container. they have the correct rating that you guys recommended


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## houseofwool (Sep 21, 2014)

I did not use a magnet beforehand (I did later, it didn't stick). It was labeled as stainless, and not all stainless will attract magnets.


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## KatsKreations (Sep 21, 2014)

I am sorry you lost your batch of soap! It takes so much work to get everything right then to lose it that way. :sad:


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## houseofwool (Sep 21, 2014)

It was a huge batch too, 48 bars. Thankfully I hadn't added the essential oils yet...


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## cmzaha (Sep 22, 2014)

houseofwool said:


> I wouldn't recommend the inexpensive SS pot from Walmart. I gave it a go tonight and there was some kind of reaction because it caused some kind of black crud to form, ruining a large batch of soap.


Yep, that is why hdpe buckets are so much better! I learned that lessons several years ago with cheap stainless steel. Even heavier gauge stainless can start pitting over time, but the stuff from China will pit much quicker, also many times the handles are not attached with stainless steel studs so you do not want to get lye or batter on the studs.


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## houseofwool (Sep 22, 2014)

I have been using the HDPE buckets, but they are somewhat awkward.  I was hoping to find something that is a little bit shorter.  The 16 quart stockpot was a perfect size.  *sigh*  I really have no intention of spending $30 on one at this point, but maybe someday.


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## lionprincess00 (Sep 22, 2014)

Wow. I use stainless steel Wal-Mart bowls...the large for my oils and the small for my lye water. 
I even warm my oils directly on the burner of my electric stove, direct contact, on a low heat. It's been wonderful actually. Glad mine is working, but sorry to hear yours was ruined!


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## dixiedragon (Sep 22, 2014)

I also use an SS pot. I actually got a group of those cheapo SS pots for cooking, but found out the bottoms are so thin that all they are good for, cooking wise, is boiling water, b/c with anything else, the bottom burns. So I use them for soaping. Never had a problem.

I highly recommend silicone spatulas. Not the plastic ones at the Dollar Store - those will become hard and brittle. 

Also, stainless steel measuring spoons, or a tiny glass measuring cup. I have found some at Big Lots that are about the size of a shot glass, and measure teaspoons, tablespoons, milliliters, etc. Some fragrances will melt plastic, so I always use stainless steel measuring spoons, or my tiny glass measuring cup, for fragrance oils and essential oils.


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## gaerwen (Sep 22, 2014)

I have a stainless pot for oils, and a stainless bowl for lye water, a stainless stick blender, silicone spatulas, and went to a restaurant supply store for plastic bowls with measurements on the sides for blending color etc. The pot was most expensive and the fact that I have gone through 4 plastic stick blenders, lol. I have a regular kitchen scale that measure grams, ounces, lb, and kg.. Oh I also have stainless steel whisks, and measuring spoons, small glass bowls for additives and eo, so they don't stink up the plastic.

 goggles, gloves, candy thermometer!


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## KatieShephard (Sep 22, 2014)

Originally bought a cheap Taylor thermometer from Amazon, and it is so off that it itsn't funny.  So I broke down and purchased a laser thermometer last week and was able to finally use it this weekend.  It's awesome!  Highly recommend.  And the kids love pointing it at the wall and windows and just about anything else 

The model/brand is Etekcity ETC8380, and it cost me less than $20 on Amazon.


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## goji_fries (Sep 23, 2014)

KatieShephard said:


> The model/brand is Etekcity ETC8380, and it cost me less than $20 on Amazon.



This is a great find.


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## AKjulz (Sep 23, 2014)

Got tired of washing fragrance containers so now I use 5oz Dixie cups (not the tiny paper ones, but the next size up that are waxed) for my FO's and EO's.  I get them at costco so they are super cheap.  I usually use them for mixing colors too. And instead of paper towels for clean-up I use microfiber cloths.  Got them from amazon, something like 36 of them for $10 (they also sell them at lowes/Home Depot but a bit more expensive).  Since I have a bunch I just throw the dirties in a bucket and wash them together as needed...after the soap remnants have saponified.


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## Susie (Sep 23, 2014)

houseofwool said:


> I did not use a magnet beforehand (I did later, it didn't stick). It was labeled as stainless, and not all stainless will attract magnets.



This is true, but the stainless that I know will be lye safe is magnetic.  The other might be also, but I have had problems with that kind.  This is why I use a magnet to determine which one to buy or not.  YMMV


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Sep 23, 2014)

Ah, I'll bear that in mind when searching for pots.  There is a massive flea market every year near here (and I do mean MASSIVE!) so I was thinking of getting some pots.  I'll take a wee magnet with me.


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## gaerwen (Sep 23, 2014)

I knew nothing of magnetic stainless steel... :-o  Will check now.


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## houseofwool (Sep 23, 2014)

Susie said:


> This is true, but the stainless that I know will be lye safe is magnetic.  The other might be also, but I have had problems with that kind.  This is why I use a magnet to determine which one to buy or not.  YMMV



Yeah - in the future, I will definitely be trying the magnet to verify the quality of the pot.

In good news, my KD8000 should arrive tomorrow.  I am so flipping excited.  I hope that the platform on it is big enough to allow my buckets to fit and still see the screen.  I think I've worn out the little scale I got from BB a couple of years ago.  The last few days it seems really touchy, even after changing the batteries.


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## houseofwool (Sep 24, 2014)

My new scale arrived today. I cannt wait to use it!!!


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