# Building a soaping station.



## timbudtwo (Oct 19, 2010)

So with all the soap you make you need to store it. I have a lot on hand and a lot curing as well. I normally just use some shelves in the garage but that is starting to be inadequate as I only have two shelves available (the rest are tools and things.) As well, I didn't have a dedicated place to make, cut, stamp, etc, my soap. So I drew something up that looked good, and was extremely convenient. I hate knocking over soap just to get to soap in the back. Drives me crazy. Here is what I have so far:







I will have 7 removable shelves on each side. 14 in all. 2 feet by 2 feet. Mesh base to the shelves to allow for air movement. The top is going to be our soaping table.


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## krissy (Oct 19, 2010)

now can you put that in a flat rate box and send it to me?!! 
i love it!!


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## Hazel (Oct 19, 2010)

Very nice! You'll have to post a pic of it when you have it filled.


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## Deda (Oct 19, 2010)

Very cool.


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## timbudtwo (Oct 19, 2010)

Hazel said:
			
		

> Very nice! You'll have to post a pic of it when you have it filled.



It will be getting a batch of cinnamon clove soap I finally got working right very soon


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## NancyRogers (Oct 21, 2010)

I love it.  Wonder if I can talk Hubby into building one?


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## MrsFusion (Oct 21, 2010)

Awesome!  Yes, please post another pic when it's done and full of soap


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## agriffin (Oct 21, 2010)

Very nice!  Great job!  I can't wait to see it loaded with soap!


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## BakingNana (Oct 21, 2010)

OOOOBoy....another project for my woodworking father-in-law!!  Thanks for posting.


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## nattynoo (Oct 21, 2010)

I soooooo want one of those....I've got soap everywhere!!


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## albo (Oct 21, 2010)

put me on the list too!  (and a new room to put it in?  lol)


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## timbudtwo (Oct 21, 2010)

So I went down to the depot today to get some more wood. I was able to build all but one shelf (I messed up measurements on one of them. Doh!) so I have to get one more piece of wood. Oh well. It started raining so I wasn't able to get the mesh stapled onto all of the shelves but I did get it on three of them so I was able to cut my new batch of Cinnamon Clove soap. I wish it were hanging around longer but someone has already claimed half the batch! Oh well.
Here is a poor quality photo:





So I want to lacquer or poly the top of the table so I can clean it up. As well, I would like to put something over the front.
The sides need a few vent holes, but that's not a big deal.

I ended up using plastic garden mesh which was suggested elsewhere on this forum. I liked the idea of using it, however it is so springy. If I can find a decent supplier of a metal wire mesh I would much more happily go with that as it wont flex under the weight of wet soap.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/Hardware-Cloth-1GBC1
That stuff would work great. But I would love it for 10 dollars less!


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## lulubelle (Oct 21, 2010)

wow...I am so jealous!  :shock:


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## cwarren (Oct 21, 2010)

lulubelle said:
			
		

> wow...I am so jealous!  :shock:


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## BakingNana (Oct 22, 2010)

I didn't like wire mesh (or any mesh for that matter) because it sort of beat up the soap, especially if it was a little soft at the beginning of cure.  I'd rather have a solid surface and turn the bars.  But I was wondering...what about screening?  Maybe that would be easier on the bars?


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## donniej (Oct 22, 2010)

Very nice work indeed!  

To treat the wood on all my equipment I use good old fashioned turpentine (the natural stuff) and beeswax.  Heat the turpentine and dissolve the beeswax in it.  Apply with a brush or rag, 2 heavy coats, dry and buff.  The turpentine evaporates off and the wood will be "filled" with the beeswax.  It's a good natural surface that's easy to clean up.


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## timbudtwo (Oct 22, 2010)

BakingNana said:
			
		

> I didn't like wire mesh (or any mesh for that matter) because it sort of beat up the soap, especially if it was a little soft at the beginning of cure.  I'd rather have a solid surface and turn the bars.  But I was wondering...what about screening?  Maybe that would be easier on the bars?



Well, my bars are pretty firm once I cut them. I haven't noticed anything from the mesh so far. The wire mesh would give more surface area for the soap to sit on as well, so It would be less likely to mar the soap with smaller holes.


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## dcornett (Oct 22, 2010)

INGENIOUS!! (pretty much says it all LOL)


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## timbudtwo (Oct 23, 2010)

donniej said:
			
		

> Very nice work indeed!
> 
> To treat the wood on all my equipment I use good old fashioned turpentine (the natural stuff) and beeswax.  Heat the turpentine and dissolve the beeswax in it.  Apply with a brush or rag, 2 heavy coats, dry and buff.  The turpentine evaporates off and the wood will be "filled" with the beeswax.  It's a good natural surface that's easy to clean up.



I do like beeswax, but I decided to go with the lacquer because I am partial to it (it must be the fumes that draw me back.)


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## Woodi (Oct 23, 2010)

Great-looking shelf, what a handyman you are! nice!

one question: do you really need to store all that soap? If I get over 200 bars in stock, I try to move them out. Dust on soap is not pretty.... :roll:


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## timbudtwo (Oct 23, 2010)

Woodi said:
			
		

> Great-looking shelf, what a handyman you are! nice!
> 
> one question: do you really need to store all that soap? If I get over 200 bars in stock, I try to move them out. Dust on soap is not pretty.... :roll:



Heck no do I need that much space! But having the space is what is more important, am I right? This is a lot of storage in a very small area, that also doubles as a place to make and cut soap. Previous to this I would make the soap on the side of the house, allow it to set inside the house, cut it in front of the house with my cutter, and then move it to some shelves that I had prepared in the garage. Now everything (except the melting of oils) is done in one spot 

Plus having space for christmas / holiday orders does come in handy. specially when you have 3 or 4 10 lb logs that need to be cut up.


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## Jezzy (Oct 25, 2010)

Great idea!


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## pixybratt (Oct 28, 2010)

I love this and my son has agreed to make one for me for a small price of course lol, but i'm wondering would plywood sliding shelves work  or would i need to cover the edges to make sure it didn't make dust from sliding in and out of the slots?


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## timbudtwo (Nov 2, 2010)

pixybratt said:
			
		

> I love this and my son has agreed to make one for me for a small price of course lol, but i'm wondering would plywood sliding shelves work  or would i need to cover the edges to make sure it didn't make dust from sliding in and out of the slots?



Wood on wood rubbing will not make dust unless you do it quite vigorously. For the first couple months you may get some flakes, but after a while it gets smooth. There is a technique to give hardwoods a sheen without a finish and it takes rubbing two pieces of the hardwood together. Its called brandishing.

Just be sure you are able to hold a piece of plywood that is stacked with wet soap. When gripping certain ways they can get heavy and unwieldy (think of a turkey in a pan.)

Let me know what you get built for you, I am excited someone liked something I made to want one too!


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## photoshadows (Nov 2, 2010)

That is so amazing and such a brilliant idea! You've got so much storage, a work space AND it's all in a compact little piece. It looks like it's not too difficult to put together either...assuming you have some wood working skills, which I don't and may be evident by that comment   I'm sure it was a lot of work, but could be done with fairly basic tools. Is it fairly heavy? It looks like a lot of wood even with all the room for screens. That wouldn't diminish from it at all, just curious. 

If only we could all find someone who could build that and some space for such a brilliant contraption!


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## pixybratt (Nov 2, 2010)

timbudtwo said:
			
		

> pixybratt said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you I have heard of brandishing and I think i can do that.

Good point with the weight of each shelf, I am going to have to think about smaller shelves the kids will get tired of moving the shelves for me.


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## maya (Nov 2, 2010)

that is loverly.


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## timbudtwo (Nov 2, 2010)

photoshadows said:
			
		

> That is so amazing and such a brilliant idea! You've got so much storage, a work space AND it's all in a compact little piece. It looks like it's not too difficult to put together either...assuming you have some wood working skills, which I don't and may be evident by that comment   I'm sure it was a lot of work, but could be done with fairly basic tools. Is it fairly heavy? It looks like a lot of wood even with all the room for screens. That wouldn't diminish from it at all, just curious.
> 
> If only we could all find someone who could build that and some space for such a brilliant contraption!



This is all nailed together with a nail gun. Not a single screw.
Materials wise this was 1 4x8 sheet of plywood, and about 24 8 foot pine 1x2s. I could have bought 2x4's and ripped those up but it would have added a lot more time to the build. This guy went together in about 3 hours by myself. The shelves took about 45 minutes with help.


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## steffm (Nov 2, 2010)

Very cool!  I use wire mesh on my racks and so far, so good!  I bought it in the garden section of Lowe's fairly cheap.


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## BakingNana (Nov 3, 2010)

donniej said:
			
		

> Very nice work indeed!
> 
> To treat the wood on all my equipment I use good old fashioned turpentine (the natural stuff) and beeswax.  Heat the turpentine and dissolve the beeswax in it.  Apply with a brush or rag, 2 heavy coats, dry and buff.  The turpentine evaporates off and the wood will be "filled" with the beeswax.  It's a good natural surface that's easy to clean up.



Cool, Donniej.  Isn't that essentially colonial furniture polish?  I think antique experts still recommend that.  Sometimes simple is THE best, isn't it?!  

@timbudtwo...you should draw up plans and sell 'em.  I think you already have a waiting list of customers!!  Count me in!


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## MrsFusion (Nov 3, 2010)

I showed this to my hubby this morning 

It's now on my honey do list!!!

Thanks so much for sharing!


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## timbudtwo (Nov 11, 2010)

BakingNana said:
			
		

> @timbudtwo...you should draw up plans and sell 'em.  I think you already have a waiting list of customers!!  Count me in!



If enough people are interested, I will write up some plans for free.


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## loveit_latherit (Nov 11, 2010)

Really Brilliant! Like a mini bakers rack! I would love plans to build one if you make them!

Really supurb job!

I would add kraft paper/brown paper to the shelves for mine


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## Bean13 (Nov 11, 2010)

Is it totally finished now?  Do yo have another pic?
Would love to see the end results.


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