# Soap Molds



## CritterPoor (Mar 28, 2015)

Hi Everyone, I have a question for you all on molds.  I'm slowly gathering gear to start making my own soap.  For my birthday, my MIL gave me a silicone loaf mold and one like this - http://www.amazon.com/Freshware-CB-105RD-12-Cavity-Cornbread-Cheesecake/dp/B003VFWWWU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427592439&sr=8-1&keywords=soap+mold


Now I'm eyeing all of these cute bee molds on Brambleberry, but I just don't think they'd be practical.   What sorts of molds does everyone like and use?


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## JBot (Mar 28, 2015)

I started with freezer-paper lined wooden log molds.  Then wooden log molds with silicone liners.  Then silicone loaf molds.  All of these from Bramble Berry, and they're all fine.

And then. . .my SoapHutch mold!  I love it like I love breathing air.  But those molds are bit of an investment, so I can't say I'd recommend getting one until you're sure that you like soaping and you want to keep doing it.


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## Seawolfe (Mar 28, 2015)

I have that very mold and I really like it and use it a lot. I use it for experiments, salt bars, and as spare molds when I have too much batter. But my first love is my wooden loaf mold: I like lining, I like how it breathes, I like how it insulates and facilitates gel, and I like the pretty patterns you can make.


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## houseofwool (Mar 29, 2015)

Which SoapHutch mold do you have?


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## not_ally (Mar 29, 2015)

If you are just starting out w/CP, I would get a good wooden mold and a good inexpensive silicone mold, I like the WSP ones as basics.  Am time pressed now, but if you want a wooden mold reccd, post again and I or someone else will give you one.  Poor you, that is just beginning, the mold thing can be addictive..


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## JBot (Mar 29, 2015)

houseofwool said:


> Which SoapHutch mold do you have?



I think he calls it the "Jane Uber Mold."  It's a work of art.  It can be a slab, a half-slab, up to three log molds of adjustable length, a 20-bar divider mold, or two 10-bar divider molds.  The dual 10-bar divider thing is cool, because I can pour two different soaps at once (one on each side), or just a smaller batch (using only one side).

I can make anywhere from one bar to sixty bars at a time.  And although it wasn't specifically designed to do this, just looking at the different configurations makes me think it could also be used to pour a quarter-slab, or even 4- or 6-bar blocks.  I have yet to think of a scenario that it CAN'T do.

And Rich is an absolute dream to work with!  He's been really busy, so I had to wait for my turn, but it was totally worth it.  I could go on and on.


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## CritterPoor (Mar 29, 2015)

not_ally said:


> If you are just starting out w/CP, I would get a good wooden mold and a good inexpensive silicone mold, I like the WSP ones as basics.  Am time pressed now, but if you want a wooden mold reccd, post again and I or someone else will give you one.  Poor you, that is just beginning, the mold thing can be addictive..


 
I would definitely love recommendations on a wooden mold.


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## navigator9 (Mar 29, 2015)

Soapers use everything from milk cartons, PVC pipe, shoe boxes, log molds, slab molds, lined with freezer paper or with silicone liners, fancy individual molds.....just about anything you can think of. I started with a milk carton, then made my own wooden mold and lined it with freezer paper, then moved on to a wooden mold with a silicone liner. I absolutely love silicone for the time it saves not having to fold freezer paper, the ease of removing the soap, and the smooth surfaces it produces. I have several in various sizes and I also have a collection of decorative, individual silicone molds. 

I think it's wise not to spend too much money on a mold when you are starting out. It takes a while to find your niche when you are beginning to soap. You may find that you're one of those people who like to make soap cupcakes, in which case you'd need those cup cakey things, or maybe you'll develop a liking for round soaps, and you'll want to buy some PVC pipe, or maybe peacock swirls will be your thing, and you'll need a slab mold. My go to molds are logs that I cut into individual bars, but everyone's different. That's why there are so many molds out there!


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## mx5inpenn (Mar 29, 2015)

I'm still new to this and didn't want to spend a bunch of money on molds to start with. I've used Pringles cans for most of my soaps so far. Easy to use,  easy to unmold. All they cost was $1 and seeing my kids excitement at being allowed to have chips  

For rectangular molds I've done a few in empty boxes from cereal or whatever else I've had handy.  Leftover batter has gone into empty butter tubs.

My husband will be building me some wooden molds in the near future since we have both decided I will not stop making soap.


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## Chefmom (Mar 29, 2015)

I've used lots of molds over the years, my very very first ones were lined cardboard boxes.  Once I had an idea of what size I wanted to work with and what size soap bar I wanted to end up with my husband put together my first wooden molds for me. 

Now I use HDPE molds, silicone, wooden molds and I love Pringles cans for a nice round soap.  You can go simple or crazy with molds...there are just so many out there now.

As a first timer I would use a simple silicone or a box for my first time.  Don't spend big bucks until you know this is something you are going to want to continue with.


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## shunt2011 (Mar 29, 2015)

_I too started with pringle cans and a box.  I then purchased the 10" mold from WSP.  Now_ I use wood logs with silicone liners (BB 5 lb).  I'm fortunate that my husband has made most all of my soaping things. (log molds, slab molds, multi bar wire cutter, wood mitre box, show displays).  I would highly recommend starting out without a large investment to be sure you like its.  Then it's game on in my book.


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## not_ally (Mar 29, 2015)

Man, you are lucky, Shunt.  I always envy those of you who are handy or have handy partners.  I agree w/everyone that says to start small, once you get bitten by the bug it can get pretty expensive.  I (sort of) justify it by saying, heck, some people collect antique cars for a hobby 

I really like these guys for wooden molds, I have a couple of them.  They make molds for Brambleberry, but it is much cheaper to buy direct.  Well made, and all the accessories (dividers, swirling tools) are good and inexpensive - or at least less expensive than anywhere else - too.  I am not connected with the company, just a fan of their stuff:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/WorkshopHeritage?ref=l2-shopheader-name


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## CritterPoor (Mar 29, 2015)

not_ally said:


> Man, you are lucky, Shunt.  I always envy those of you who are handy or have handy partners.  *I agree w/everyone that says to start small, once you get bitten by the bug it can get pretty expensive.*  I (sort of) justify it by saying, heck, some people collect antique cars for a hobby



One of my other hobbies is photography so, I understand expensive hobbies, lol.  My FIL once asked when I was going to start making money on taking pictures.  I was _this_ close to telling him that it would be able the same time he started making money golfing.  So....there's that.


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## reinbeau (Mar 29, 2015)

*Digression, sorry!*



JBot said:


> I think he calls it the "Jane Uber Mold."  It's a work of art.  It can be a slab, a half-slab, up to three log molds of adjustable length, a 20-bar divider mold, or two 10-bar divider molds.  The dual 10-bar divider thing is cool, because I can pour two different soaps at once (one on each side), or just a smaller batch (using only one side).
> 
> I can make anywhere from one bar to sixty bars at a time.  And although it wasn't specifically designed to do this, just looking at the different configurations makes me think it could also be used to pour a quarter-slab, or even 4- or 6-bar blocks.  I have yet to think of a scenario that it CAN'T do.
> 
> And Rich is an absolute dream to work with!  He's been really busy, so I had to wait for my turn, but it was totally worth it.  I could go on and on.


I so want to see one of these molds in action before buying, but his website is a nightmare, I can't find a thing on it.  Could you possibly take some pictures and post them, in a new thread, perhaps, so I could see this mold?  Kenna of Modern Soapmaking also highly recommends it, but even she recognizes how bad that site is.....


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## houseofwool (Mar 29, 2015)

JBot said:


> I think he calls it the "Jane Uber Mold."  It's a work of art.  It can be a slab, a half-slab, up to three log molds of adjustable length, a 20-bar divider mold, or two 10-bar divider molds.  The dual 10-bar divider thing is cool, because I can pour two different soaps at once (one on each side), or just a smaller batch (using only one side).
> 
> 
> 
> ...




This is HDPE?  Does it require lining?


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## JBot (Mar 29, 2015)

Yes, it's HDPE, and no, it doesn't require lining.  It comes with a silicone mat that fits perfectly in the bottom, which is all it needs.

I'll definitely post pictures later this evening.  I know the website is pretty rough; I don't think it's been updated in quite a while.  Frankly I think he has so many orders in spite of the website that he doesn't have the time to revise or update it.  His skills are probably better spent on the molds anyway.  If I had the technical ability I'd volunteer for the job so he'd have something that does his molds justice, but alas, I do not.  Search "soaphutch" on YouTube; he doesn't have tons of videos, but I know some of them are more current than the website.

Pictures, etc. to follow in a new thread when The Offspring is in bed!


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## not_ally (Mar 29, 2015)

I thought the no-lining thing was kind of an urban legend with CP.   Thanks, you guys, now I have another expensive soaping tool to pine over.  I did go to the website and it was not easy to get a sense of how good things were.  Although I would rather a good craftsman spent time on his/her craft than a website, as long as there was a way to get the word out.


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## Cactuslily (Mar 29, 2015)

I'm so glad to hear that soaphutch molds don't need lining! I'm awaiting my Kate mold. Can't wait to get my hands on it!


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## houseofwool (Mar 29, 2015)

I emailed him about a mold because I have got to figure out a way to save time. And lining is so fiddly.


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## Cactuslily (Mar 30, 2015)

People that use his molds don't line. The only person who has to line bottom, needs to because she damaged her liner. I would call him. It's easier to reach him that way I have found. He will customize anything you want. He will ask what size bars you want, etc...I really can't line a mold, so silicone is my main option as of now, with the exception of acrylic.his website is a bit confusing, but he said he gets more than enough orders as is. He's a one man operation.


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## JBot (Mar 30, 2015)

There are several factors that can affect the results you get using an unlined HDPE mold for CP (unlined except for the silicone mat in the bottom, of course, which is about as much trouble as blinking your eyes).  How hard or soft your recipe is; how long you leave it in the mold; whether or not you gel; and, perhaps most importantly, whether you use sodium lactate.

I've heard you can also make unmolding easier and smoother if you pop the whole thing into a warm oven for a few minutes before you start unmolding.  Your mechanical approach matters, too.  You'll get better results if you gently twist the sides off, and push your soap out from the bottom or the top.  It might not go as well if you just drag the walls sideways away from the soap.

My understanding is that over time, as your mold becomes more "seasoned," it will try to stick to the sides of the soap less and less.  Maybe the HDPE absorbs a little bit of the oil from the batter as you use it repeatedly?

It IS somewhat more involved than peeling off your freezer paper or popping soap out of a silicone cavity mold.  But in my opinion, totally worth it.

It handles my HP beautifully.  Unmolds quickly, smoothly, and easily.  Perfect sides, edges, and corners.  (You'd think I sell these things or something!  I don't.)


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## reinbeau (Mar 30, 2015)

Well, it's good that so many of you are getting that mold - I can't figure out how the heck to order it or what it costs!!  Maybe the confusion is intentional to keep his workload manageable - I dunno :???:


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