# Melt & Pour from scratch Help Please :D



## Aspiringdakini (Jan 6, 2013)

Hello Everyone.2 questions... I am attempting to make some melt and pour soap from scratch. I am having problems with conversions. I live in the UK and this recipe calls for US ounces. Fluid oz are a different amount in the UK but regular ounces are the same in US as UK. Do you measure the liquid oils in fluid oz and the solid as (regular oz)?:crazy: So confusing. Or all just regular oz? I thought it would be easier just to convert it all to grams. That way it is just one simple measurement.Grams in the UK are the same as grams in the US so I wouldn't have to worry  about the difference in measuring fluid oz and regular oz etc. Can anyone in the USA convert this recipe from oz to grams for me?  Here is the recipe:


5oz Distilled Water (for Lye)
2.6oz Sodium Hydroxide (Lye)
5oz Castor Oil
6oz Coconut Oil
6oz Palm Oil
9oz Propylene Glycol
3oz Glycerin
3oz Sugar dissolved into 3oz Distilled Water


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## squigglz (Jan 8, 2013)

I'm assuming that this is all WEIGHT, and not volume. Far as I know, you're supposed to measure everything-oils, water, fragrances, EVERYTHING- for your soaps by weight. That's how I've always done it, and I've not had a single messed up batch yet.

141.748grams Distilled Water
73.7088grams Lye
141.748grams Castor Oil
170.097grams coconut oil
170.097grams palm oil
255.146grams Propylene Glycol
85.0486grams Glycerin
85.0486grams sugar dissolved into 85.0486grams Distilled Water

Hope this helps!


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## maiseycat (Jan 8, 2013)

I would also recommend running anyrecipe you find online through a lye calculator, even when it comes from a trusted source. Even the best of us make typos.  The one I normally use, soapcalc.net, does not have entries for Propylene Glycol or Glycerin, but since I don't beieve they contain any saponifiables, I just left them out. It looks like that one is about a 3 to 4% superfat.


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## Aspiringdakini (Jan 8, 2013)

Yes it is weight I was referring to. I just wasn't sure whether to weigh out the liquid ingredients as FL. OZ. and solids in OZ. on my scales. It was confusing but I know now to weigh it all in OZ.


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## squigglz (Jan 8, 2013)

Yeah, all by weight. Can't rely on fluid ounces since some of the stuff we use to soap weighs more than others while occupying the same volume (a fluid ounce of honey weighs over an ounce of mass, for instance). Safer to stick to the scales


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## Aspiringdakini (Jan 9, 2013)

What was confusing me is that my scales had a weight option for fl.oz.! I knew I was supposed to weigh the ingredients, but just wasn't sure in what format. Then I thought, well maybe I could melt everything and weigh all of that in fl.oz lol. I was thinking, surely it is not this complicated!! lol. Then I didn't know if my measuring jug and scales were imperial or metric ugh. It was confusing Thank you Squigglz for converting that into grams for me and helping to clarify. I understand now. Thanks again xoxo


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## squigglz (Jan 9, 2013)

Aspiringdakini said:


> What was confusing me is that my scales had a weight option for fl.oz.! I knew I was supposed to weigh the ingredients, but just wasn't sure in what format. Then I thought, well maybe I could melt everything and weigh all of that in fl.oz lol. I was thinking, surely it is not this complicated!! lol. Then I didn't know if my measuring jug and scales were imperial or metric ugh. It was confusing Thank you Squigglz for converting that into grams for me and helping to clarify. I understand now. Thanks again xoxo



That's so odd! I would imagine FL oz could only be determined by a container. That's kind of cool, though!

Happy soaping! I'd love to see how your bases turn out, if you post pics in the pic forum ^_^


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## lsg (Jan 9, 2013)

My scale just shows lb, oz and gram options.


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## squigglz (Jan 11, 2013)

lsg said:


> My scale just shows lb, oz and gram options.



I was actually really curious about this, so I asked my fiance about it (I'm really good with chemistry, not so good with math and conversions).

He said it's possible to have a fluid ounce scale, because x volume of water weighs x measure of mass, x volume of milk weighs x measure of mass, etc etc. As long as you can calibrate it to whatever liquid you're measuring, you could figure out fluid ounces with a mass scale. He followed that up by saying it's sort of useless because we do have containers, which is easier and faster, but there's probably an application where it's needed that I'm just unaware of :razz:

*the more you know star*


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## Aspiringdakini (Jan 12, 2013)

squigglz said:


> I was actually really curious about this, so I asked my fiance about it (I'm really good with chemistry, not so good with math and conversions).
> 
> He said it's possible to have a fluid ounce scale, because x volume of water weighs x measure of mass, x volume of milk weighs x measure of mass, etc etc. As long as you can calibrate it to whatever liquid you're measuring, you could figure out fluid ounces with a mass scale. He followed that up by saying it's sort of useless because we do have containers, which is easier and faster, but there's probably an application where it's needed that I'm just unaware of :razz:
> 
> *the more you know star*



I think I will just stick with oz lol. :crazy: I am so happy to know now. I think I ruined a few batches of soap that I am going to have to throw out because of the fl oz/oz issue. ugh. Thanks for the info!!!!


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