# Easy to make wood mold.



## JustBeachy (Nov 8, 2014)

This is a mold I made based upon some wood molds I found on the internet for sale. As usual my first thought is, I could build that.  Doesn't always work out for me, be it cost or the occasional "ok, maybe I can't build that", but this one turned out really well.   It's a great design, and as it turns out, is quite versatile.  This size will make a approximate 3lb mold.  WARNING.  Do not try to sell these. I'm sure someone has them copyrighted. 

The mold is made out of 1x4. I use Red Oak, as opposed to plywood. It tends to hold it's shape longer, without warping and isn't affected by the wet wipe down after use. Plus a 1x4 turns out to be the perfect size, so there is less cutting that needs to be precise. Plywood could be used, but I don't like the idea of plywood and any type of water. That's just me.

Your finished inside dimensions at full size will be 10" long, 3.5" wide and about 2.65 high.

Ok supplies.

1x4 by 4 ft or 6 ft. which ever you can buy at your local hardware. Lowe's has 4 footers.
2 @ 1/4 inch x 6 inch carriage bolts.
2 @  1/4 inch flat washers
2 @ 1/4 inch wing nuts.

Tools needed.

Tape measure
Power saw, or hand saw 
Drill 
1/4 inch wood drill bit. 

Ok, for the cuts. Cut the smaller end pieces first, so if you bought a 4 ft section you're not trying to hold a 7inch board and cut it at the same time.

Cut 2 pieces 2 and 5/8" long.
Cut 3 pieces 13 and 1/4" long.

This is what you should have . I'm using the pieces from one of my molds, because I didn't feel like building another. Already have 3. ;-) Next is the drilling and assembly.


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 8, 2014)

Now, for the drilling. Mark the drill holes at  1 and 3/4" across the width and 3/4 " from the end. Place two of the long boards exactly on top of one another. , or if you have clamps, you can clamp two of them together.  Honestly, I just held mine together while I drilled through both boards. The idea is to get the holes drilled though both boards in the same place.

Using the 1/4" drill bit, drill a hole in both locations, through both boards. Once this is done, you're finished. Now to the assembly and uses.


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 8, 2014)

Place the carriage bolts through the holes in one side. Then align the other side and slide the bolts through the holes. Install the flat washers and the wing nuts. Don't tighten them down yet.  Do this on a flat surface.  Place the third long piece, the one without the holes in between the two pieces. It slides in between.  (This comes in real handy when it's time to unmold.) Take the short pieces, and put them inside, short side up. The long side is the exact size as the bottom of the mold, so it all fits together nicely.

Simply tighten down the wing nuts and you have a mold.


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 8, 2014)

You simply line this mold, like you would any other mold. When it's time to unmold your soap, simply loosen the wingnuts enough to allow the sides to pull away and/or the bottom to slide out. 

Now, for the cool versatility. Loosen the wingnuts and move the end pieces in and you can reduce this to a 1 lb mold.




If you cut an extra end piece, you can make a double test in the same mold. 




Or if you want a shallow test, for doing swirls or just because. Raise the bottom up till it hits the bolts.


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 8, 2014)

I like this mold for multiple reasons. It beats having to have multiple molds for tests. It's untreated and unglued, so I can CPOP in it. And it makes unmolding easy. Cleans up easily.  Only caveat, is a warning on the  bottom. I've never had the bottom fall out during use, I tighten it down pretty tight. But even so, I always carry this mold, when full, with one hand on the bottom. I would highly recommend you do the same, just to be on the safe side.  No soap looks good, splattered all over your kitchen floor.


----------



## Susie (Nov 8, 2014)

Excellent tutorial!


----------



## IrishLass (Nov 8, 2014)

Ditto what Susie said! Thanks for sharing!

 IrishLass


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 8, 2014)

Thanks to you both and you're more than welcome. I was killing some time while a soap was in the oven and the subject of "test molds" came up, sooo.... :smile:


----------



## newbie (Nov 8, 2014)

Superb! I love the flexibility (but hate the idea of lining).


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 8, 2014)

newbie said:


> Superb! I love the flexibility (but hate the idea of lining).



Yeah I did too at first, till i saw a different way to line molds. No trying to pleat the ends. Once you get the dimensions down for the first time, you can make a template. I can cut and line the mold in 5 minutes or less. 

I hate pleating the ends. I put all my Christmas gifts in bags or baskets, so I don't have to wrap anything.


----------



## goji_fries (Nov 8, 2014)

I made my own 3lb molds also. Good stuff. Great for 46-52 oz loaves.


----------



## Jstar (Nov 8, 2014)

That is awesome!..ok, now I gotta go back to Lowes


----------



## navigator9 (Nov 9, 2014)

Nice work! I bought one wooden mold when I first started soaping, and that was the last. I've made all the rest. It just doesn't make sense to buy them when they're so easy to make. It also makes silicone liners much more economical to use if you only buy the liner and make the mold yourself. Enjoy your mold!


----------



## KatieShephard (Nov 9, 2014)

Thanks for the tutorial!  

How does this mold do when banging out air bubbles?  Does it loosen up that bottom board?


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 9, 2014)

KatieShephard said:


> Thanks for the tutorial!
> 
> How does this mold do when banging out air bubbles?  Does it loosen up that bottom board?



You have to be careful if you use the modified, shallow option. 

Other than that, no problems.  The bottom piece is flush with the sides, so dropping it on the floor hasn't caused any problems. Like I said in the tutorial, I've never had a problem with the bottom coming out. I just always play it safe and keep a hand under it when moving. And figured, I better put a disclaimer on it.  

Thanks.


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Nov 9, 2014)

Looks very good.

To be safer with the bottom, you could add two more bolts through the sides and the bottom to keep it really sturdily in there.


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 9, 2014)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> Looks very good.
> 
> To be safer with the bottom, you could add two more bolts through the sides and the bottom to keep it really sturdily in there.



That would certainly fool proof it. Probably would need a drill press to do it with though. There would be no room for error. haha. 

Another option would be to use a wider board, cut down to size for the bottom piece. Then router out insets into the sides at the bottom. Then the bottom would slide into the channels and with the bolts in place, would be completely secure. I keep meaning to try one, but my weekends have been pretty full lately and I certainly don't want it cutting into my soaping time.


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Nov 9, 2014)

Amen to that!


----------



## Seawolfe (Nov 9, 2014)

If you were worried about the bottom falling out, couldn't you just put in two pairs of "L" brackets at each end supporting the bottom? Attach em to the outside of the side pieces and the bottom would just rest on them, and wouldn't prevent you raising it either.


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 9, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> If you were worried about the bottom falling out, couldn't you just put in two pairs of "L" brackets at each end supporting the bottom? Attach em to the outside of the side pieces and the bottom would just rest on them, and wouldn't prevent you raising it either.



Oh hell ya. Great idea, and solves the entire problem. I'll grab some tomorrow on one of my many trips to Lowes and slap them on a mold. 

Great thinking.


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Nov 9, 2014)

That is a great solution!


----------



## KatieShephard (Nov 9, 2014)

JustBeachy said:


> Oh hell ya. Great idea, and solves the entire problem. I'll grab some tomorrow on one of my many trips to Lowes and slap them on a mold.
> 
> Great thinking.



Please take pics and post them...I'm a visual person.  I think if I can see it then it would be easier for me to make...or direct my husband to make


----------



## Dahila (Nov 9, 2014)

I would put another set of screws under the bottom, otherwise thanks for the idea


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 9, 2014)

Dahila said:


> I would put another set of screws under the bottom, otherwise thanks for the idea



I'm not sure I follow. It's flush on the bottom, so I'm not sure how to get screws under the bottom?  The other thing is, the idea is to keep the mold collapsible. Therefore it's a breeze to unmold your soap.   I'm about to post some pics on the Soda Ash Test, where you can see this. One of the tests is still soft, yet I can pull it out of the mold without damaging it. Then my mold is freed up to go on to new soaps faster. 

Thanks for the idea's .


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 9, 2014)

KatieShephard said:


> Please take pics and post them...I'm a visual person.  I think if I can see it then it would be easier for me to make...or direct my husband to make



I will. I was actually thinking of something else, along the lines of Seawolfes great idea. Which ever one works out like I like it, I'll post some pics. Might just do both routes. :grin:


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 10, 2014)

Ok, utilizing Seawolfe's great idea :clap: on the L-Brackets, with a slight twist. I wanted something that wouldn't protrude from the sides and found these. Here's the parts and procedure. And for Katie, here's the pics. 

Found these at Lowe's. 





To assemble. Put your mold together and tighten it down like your going to make soap. Turn it upside down and layout your brackets. I put mine 2 inches in from each end. I would recommend you pre drill holes, makes the installation of the screws easier and keeps the drill from chewing up the heads of the screws. 





Then just screw down the brackets and the concerns on the bottom falling out are solved. I tested it with the side bolts loosened and you can see it still holds the bottom in place. Also, loosening the wing nuts still allows the bottom to slide out. 




I won't be able to drop the soap out of the bottom anymore when it comes time to unmold. Still just as easy to undo the tape and lift the liner out the top, and no more worries about the bottom falling out. Wish it was that easy to keep the bottom from falling out of my stock portfolio. :think:


----------



## Dahila (Nov 27, 2014)

Justbeachy you are a genius, this is why I asked about another set of screws, worrying about the bottom falling out)


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 27, 2014)

I credit Seawolfes idea on L brackets. It's what led to the braces. 

I'm working on a design along these lines to produce a 12 and 24 lb mold.  I'll post it if I build one or the need for one pops up on the forum.  I doubt I'll be needing to do more than 3 lb pours in the next 6 months or so.


----------



## DWinMadison (Nov 27, 2014)

Love this. Nice improvements too. Could you apply hinges to the bottom and sides?


----------



## Dahila (Nov 27, 2014)

I will show it to my hubby, he will have no excuse anymore))


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 27, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> Love this. Nice improvements too. Could you apply hinges to the bottom and sides?



Thanks. 

I've seen some with hinges and honestly, can't really see the point. Just there so you can fold the side down, as opposed to just unscrewing and allowing it to open to release the soap?  Seems like just one more moving part to break, clean etc. I'm a believer in keeping it as simple as possible without losing function.


----------



## DWinMadison (Nov 27, 2014)

JustBeachy said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I've seen some with hinges and honestly, can't really see the point. Just there so you can fold the side down, as opposed to just unscrewing and allowing it to open to release the soap?  Seems like just one more moving part to break, clean etc. I'm a believer in keeping it as simple as possible without losing function.



I was just thinking of it as a way to hold the bottom on


----------



## navigator9 (Nov 28, 2014)

Nice tute, Beachy! It makes buying silicone liners so much more economical if you make your own mold to put them in. Or if you choose to use freezer paper, you can make the mold to the dimensions of your choice. It really is something that anyone can do, and you've just showed us how.


----------



## El_Granado_Loco (Nov 28, 2014)

What a great idea! I 've made my own molds but they are so simple compared to that.. Nice work! I really love its flexibility!


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 28, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> I was just thinking of it as a way to hold the bottom on



That could be the reason for the ones I've seen with hinges. My idea though, was to be able to remove the bottom from the sides. Or just slide it out a bit to test the bottom of the pour for readiness to unmold. Without dropping the sides.


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 28, 2014)

navigator9 said:


> Nice tute, Beachy! It makes buying silicone liners so much more economical if you make your own mold to put them in. Or if you choose to use freezer paper, you can make the mold to the dimensions of your choice. It really is something that anyone can do, and you've just showed us how.



Yeah, that was my thinking. It's really an easy thing to make and very cost effective. Not to mention, you can build it to whatever dimensions you need. The idea should work great on a larger block mold too. I'll get around to that one in the next couple of months. 



El_Granado_Loco said:


> What a great idea! I 've made my own molds but they are so simple compared to that.. Nice work! I really love its flexibility!



Thanks, I liked the idea of getting rid of the one lb test molds, and just using the main mold.


----------



## DWinMadison (Nov 28, 2014)

Oh, let me throw one other little cost-saving idea on the heap. At home stores like Lowe's, they sell sheets of white corrugated plastic over with the mail boxes. (Most often it's used for making yard signs).  They make great, reusable mold liners.  You cut half way through the corrugated side with an Exacto or box cutter, being careful not to cut all the way through.  Then you fold the smooth sides up to form the insides of the liner and use "Duck" tape to close the corners.  I have several, and they work great for wooden molds.


----------



## alongsoak (Nov 28, 2014)

This is awesome! Now I just need a saw


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 28, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> Oh, let me throw one other little cost-saving idea on the heap. At home stores like Lowe's, they sell sheets of white corrugated plastic over with the mail boxes. (Most often it's used for making yard signs).  They make great, reusable mold liners.  You cut half way through the corrugated side with an Exacto or box cutter, being careful not to cut all the way through.  Then you fold the smooth sides up to form the insides of the liner and use "Duck" tape to close the corners.  I have several, and they work great for wooden molds.



That sounds like a great idea!


----------



## JustBeachy (Nov 28, 2014)

alongsoak said:


> This is awesome! Now I just need a saw



I'm not sure if you're near a Lowe's or Home Depot, but they will usually do some cuts for you. Only 4 cuts so it shouldn't be that bad. Lots of times they say they charge for it, but I've never been charged to rip plywood and such. Of course I'm in there a lot, most of them know me by name. :razz:


----------



## DWinMadison (Nov 28, 2014)

JustBeachy said:


> That sounds like a great idea!



I have some at home. When we get back from Orange Beach I'll post pics. If you are planning to use them and building your own molds, I'd plan on adding 1/3" a 1/2" in width to all dimensions to accommodate for their thickness.  These would work fantastically with your mold design.

Be sure to use a straight-edge like a ruler and be slow and patient in making your cuts.


----------



## alongsoak (Nov 28, 2014)

Great idea! I've been thinking about doing this for a while. I might get going on this during Christmas break as a holiday gift to myself. 

Thanks!


----------



## dwolanin (Dec 2, 2014)

Hey guys, I made one of Beachy's molds tonight! Here is a picture of and I will be making another for the silicone mold underneath it LOL. Thank you so much for putting this tutorial up! It was simple and clear. Thank you Thank you~


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 2, 2014)

dwolanin said:


> Hey guys, I made one of Beachy's molds tonight! Here is a picture of and I will be making another for the silicone mold underneath it LOL. Thank you so much for putting this tutorial up! It was simple and clear. Thank you Thank you~



Nice job. I agree, it's a really easy mold to make and it's great when it comes time to unmold. Glad to be able to help out.


----------



## welsh black (Dec 2, 2014)

That's fantastic. I'm going to get my son to make one for me, !!


----------



## ngian (Dec 12, 2014)

Very nice idea *JustBeachy *with the way that this mold was assembled.

I did mine the other day and overall I'm pleased apart from the fact that I need a screw driver to umold: http://frames.imagedit.net/index.php?fID=156 

I might alter mine to be like yours...

Nikos


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 12, 2014)

good looking mold. I looked at something like that before I built mine. 

I've been getting some PM's about increasing the size of the mold. While it could easily go up to a five pound mold, I've thought up a different design to make a "multi-loaf" mold that would still fit in a standard oven. Thinking of one that would work as either a 6 lb or 12lb mold. I'm hoping to slow down on life stuff a little this weekend and may put one together. If so I'll post some more pics/instructions.


----------



## Dahila (Dec 12, 2014)

I have a question (my hubby is going to make one for me)  3 pounds of soap or 3 pounds of base oil.  With water and lye 3 pounds become more.  Is your measurement including water or it is for 3 pound of complete soap?  I hope you do understand what I am asking )


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 12, 2014)

Dahila said:


> I have a question (my hubby is going to make one for me)  3 pounds of soap or 3 pounds of base oil.  With water and lye 3 pounds become more.  Is your measurement including water or it is for 3 pound of complete soap?  I hope you do understand what I am asking )



Perfectly. Just had this discussion in a couple of PM.

 The mold in this thread is designed to make a 3lb loaf of soap. The base recipes I use in this mold,  have a little over 33 oz of oils. I measure in grams so it's 956.75 to be exact.  Estimated finished volume is 48 oz, or 3lbs.


----------



## Luckyone80 (Dec 12, 2014)

How did I miss this thread?!? I bought one of these exact type of molds off of E-Bay back in October and I love it! I do need to make the modification though and add the brackets to the bottom b/c I have had my bottom come loose during banging out airbubbles so that is a fantastic fix!


----------



## abc (Dec 12, 2014)

This is a great thread! I think it should be a sticky... :clap: JustBeachy!!

I'm going to run to Lowe's to get a 1x4, 1x3 and 1x5 at some point. Hopefully I can get one standard mold and one tall and skinny mold out of the three pieces of wood.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 12, 2014)

abc said:


> This is a great thread! I think it should be a sticky... :clap: JustBeachy!!
> 
> I'm going to run to Lowe's to get a 1x4, 1x3 and 1x5 at some point. Hopefully I can get one standard mold and one tall and skinny mold out of the three pieces of wood.



Cool, I was going to make a tall and skinny next, but a couple of people have asked about a bigger loaf mold. I just got back home from grocery shopping, and stopping by lowes. Grabbed some stuff to make a 6 to 12 lb mold. If it works out I'll post the instructions and materials.


----------



## Dahila (Dec 12, 2014)

So I need to change the measurement , and thank you so much JustBeachy u are a peach.


----------



## ngian (Dec 12, 2014)

So there is an update on how the wooden mold fastens based on JustBeachy's mold.
















The only problem now is that if the mold is full of soap [35cm(L) x 9cm(W) x 8cm(H)], the soap must be damaged around 1cm inside at the Height of 7,5cm so as for the stud to let the L bracket free to open the side part of the mold and furthermore the whole mold.

I might go to a smithery with these brackets and ask if they can be cut in a "U" shape (have the last hole opened till the end of the bracket), so as for the stud to always stay inside.

Nikos


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 12, 2014)

No need to cut the bracket. Counter sink the bolt head into the mold so it's flush. Then set the bolt into the side of the mold with contact cement.  The bolt would then become a mounted stud and can stay inside the wood at all times. Just release the wing nut and let the side fall.

Never mind. I just looked at your original mold pics and that wouldn't work with this design. That's one of the reasons I stayed away from using hinges. I find the simplest solutions/plans usually work out the best. Yours is still a good design though  and cutting the L bracket to allow it to slip should work.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 12, 2014)

Dahila said:


> So I need to change the measurement , and thank you so much JustBeachy u are a peach.



You are more than welcome. Here's the dimensions for a 4lb and 5lb mold, using this design. 

The end pieces remain the same size. You would need to cut three pieces for the sides and bottom.

For a 4 lb mold , make these 16 1/4 inch. 

For a 5lb mold make these 19 1/4 inch. 

Screw placement remains the same.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 13, 2014)

So I made the block mold today. I'll post dimensions and instructions later tonight when I slow down. I'll have to take it apart and measure it all. I tend to just build these in my head. It's crazy around the house today. 

But here's a pic of the mold assembled. It's designed to be a block mold for making 2 to 4 three pound loafs. So either a 6 lb or a 12lb mold. I wanted something that would still fit in my oven so I can CPOP.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 14, 2014)

So yesterday was just a bear of a day, so I never got around to posting directions for this mold. My apology's.  It's very similar to the other mold, with just a couple of changes. I used something Dahila mentioned as an idea for the single loaf mold. While it wouldn't work on the single, it worked great on the multi-loaf block mold. I was a little worried about just screwing braces in for bottom support, seeing how the mold could get up to 12 lbs of batter in it. 
So thanks Dahila. 

Ok, supplies needed. 

[email protected]  1x8x 4ft, 
[email protected]  1x6x 4ft

[email protected] 5/16 x 10 inch bolts.
[email protected] 5/16 nuts
[email protected] 5/16 flat washers. 

The Lowes I went to was out of these 5/16 bolts, so I bought all thread, acorn nuts and just made my own. If you go this route, you will need a hacksaw. Cut the all thread to a length of 9.5 inches long. Put the threadlocker ( good up to 300F) and screw on one of the Acorn nuts and put a flat washer on it. It will set up pretty quick. This just keeps the Acorn nut from coming off when you're taking the mold apart. Set these aside once you're done. 





Ok, now that you have made the bolts, or if your Lowes has a better ordering manager than mine, and you have the 10 inch bolts, lets cut some wood. 

You need to cut 3 pieces of the 1x8 for the sides and bottom. Then you'll need 2 pieces of the 1x6 for the ends.

3 @ 1x8x 13 1/4"
2 @ 1x6x  7 1/8"

Once they are cut, lay out one of the side pieces,  1x8 ,and measure for the holes you need to drill. Here's a pic of the measurements, which I thought would be easier than trying to type it out.Now we're ready to drill. Put the side piece you marked on top of the  other side piece. I highly recommend you clamp these together, because  you want the holes pretty exact. Using a 5/16 drill bit. Drill four  holes in the side pieces.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 14, 2014)

Now once the drilling is over, it will assemble like the single loaf mold. I've found though, it goes a little easier if you put the bottom bolts in , lay in the bottom board, then put the sides bolts in, followed by the side pieces.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 14, 2014)

Now you can use it like the other mold. You don't have to completely disassemble it, the bottom slides out. The bottom is also able to take a lot of weight and banging the mold for air bubbles won't cause a problem, due to the bottom bolts







So for anyone who wants to make 2 to 4 loafs at a time or up to 12 lb finished capacity, this should work really well. Total cost was around 20 bucks. This could easily be lengthened to either 16 1/4 or 19 1/4, which would take it up to a 16 or 20 lb mold. 

For anyone who needs it, the inside dimensions are

L 10" x W 7 1/8 x D 5 3/8


----------



## ngian (Dec 16, 2014)

JustBeachy said:


> No need to cut the bracket. Counter sink the bolt head into the mold so it's flush. Then set the bolt into the side of the mold with contact cement.  The bolt would then become a mounted stud and can stay inside the wood at all times. Just release the wing nut and let the side fall.
> 
> Never mind. I just looked at your original mold pics and that wouldn't work with this design. That's one of the reasons I stayed away from using hinges. I find the simplest solutions/plans usually work out the best. Yours is still a good design though  and *cutting the L bracket to allow it to slip should work*.



I just did my second and final update on my wooden mold and although it had many things to solve / be done, I'm very satisfied with the final product.


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Dec 16, 2014)

Glad it works, but I still prefer the original idea - where it all comes apart with holes/screws on the part that is outside of where the soap itself will go.  

I am working on a mould on a similar principle to Beachy's one, but vertical.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 16, 2014)

ngian said:


> I just did my second and final update on my wooden mold and although it had many things to solve / be done, I'm very satisfied with the final product.



That looks like it will work. Nice job.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 16, 2014)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> Glad it works, but I still prefer the original idea - where it all comes apart with holes/screws on the part that is outside of where the soap itself will go.
> 
> I am working on a mould on a similar principle to Beachy's one, but vertical.



Post some pics when you build it Craig. Someone else was talking about a vertical mold. Maybe it would help them out. 

 Someone else posted a mold with hinges that was pretty cool, but the rubber band would keep me from CPOP. 

Love the ingenuity.


----------



## Cindy2428 (Dec 16, 2014)

Fantastic! I love how these ideas keep building on each other. My basement workshop is getting there and I can't wait to try this. Thanks Beachy, Daryl and the other contributors for this awesome mold.


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 16, 2014)

I want to make a 5 lb mold that makes tall bars rather than wide bars!! I have access to the woodshop at work, and I might even have enough wood hidden there as well.

But could someone please help me with my measurements?

"For a 5lb mold make these 19 1/4 inch"  - so 2 sides and bottom need to be 19.25 inches long

So say I want my inside measurements to be about 2.5 wide and 4 high (not really fussed, I just want nice tall bars) - what sizes do I need to cut? 
Edit to add: no wait - I want the inside measurement to be 2 inches, so then I can make 2.5 lbs of bars 2 high by 2 side OR 5 lbs of bars 2 wide by 4 high!!

I think I need more coffee....


----------



## abc (Dec 16, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> I want to make a 5 lb mold that makes tall bars rather than wide bars!! I have access to the woodshop at work, and I might even have enough wood hidden there as well.
> 
> But could someone please help me with my measurements?
> 
> ...



I am going to Lowes today. I plan on making a tall and skinny mold. I will use a 1x3 for the bottom (actual measurements of the wood is .75"x2.5") and a 1x5 for the sides (wood is 4.5" wide then less the .75" thickness of the bottom should make the inside height 3.75")

ETA: if you want the inside to measure 4", a 1x6 would give you about 4.75" inside depth, unless you rip it down


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 16, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> I want to make a 5 lb mold that makes tall bars rather than wide bars!! I have access to the woodshop at work, and I might even have enough wood hidden there as well.
> 
> But could someone please help me with my measurements?
> 
> ...



Ok, one of us needs more coffee, but it might be me. I'm a little confused as to what you're saying. 

The 5lb mold at 19.25 inches long, is assuming a 3.5 inch width. If you're trying for a 4 inch high bar on the "tall bar", you either rip the boards to the right size, or use a 1x6 for the sides. This would give you a interior height of 4.75 inches total. So you'd have some room to play with textured tops. 

The bottom board would have to be ripped down to 2 inches. Preferably on a table saw if there's one in the shop. You want the edges to fit flush against the sides. Or like ABC pointed out, you could just use a 1x3 if you're not dead set on the width being 2". 

I would also recommend using two bolts on   each end, since the height of the mold is going to be increased. If you go with the 1x6 sides, just drill two holes on each end instead of one. 

Unless someone gets to it before I do, I'll build one this weekend to see how it works.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 16, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> I have some at home. When we get back from Orange Beach I'll post pics. If you are planning to use them and building your own molds, I'd plan on adding 1/3" a 1/2" in width to all dimensions to accommodate for their thickness.  These would work fantastically with your mold design.
> 
> Be sure to use a straight-edge like a ruler and be slow and patient in making your cuts.



I tried this this weekend, and it works pretty good. Adding the extra dimensions to the top would be fairly easy, but adding it to the bottom board might pose some problems for people without a table saw. That's the main reason I tried to keep the dimensions tied into what you could buy and not have to rip. 

Still the soap release well, but I've gotten so fast at lining molds with freezer paper, it's really not a big deal for me. Plus, I did see some air hole speckling like you get when you try to CPOP with silicone inserts. Have you tried CPOP with these?  Mine might have just been a fluke.


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 16, 2014)

So if I wanted a mold to make a 5 lb loaf of soap, and I wanted the loaf dimensions to be 2 inches wide by 4 inches high (which means 4.75 or 5 inches on the sides is fine), how long should it be?

Edit to add: good point about doubling on the end bolts, that's easy enough. And yes I have access to table saw and drill presses and lotsa stuff.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 16, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> So if I wanted a mold to make a 5 lb loaf of soap, and I wanted the loaf dimensions to be 2 inches wide by 4 inches high (which means 4.75 or 5 inches on the sides is fine), how long should it be?
> 
> Edit to add: good point about doubling on the end bolts, that's easy enough. And yes I have access to table saw and drill presses and lotsa stuff.



Cut the sides at 19.25 long. Then drill your holes the same distance from the ends as the original mold. This will put you inside length, after putting in the end pieces at 16 inches. 

Then you should be at 2x4x16x .40 = 51.20 oz of oil. That is just a hair under 5lbs of soap, before cure. 78.57 ounces to be exact.


----------



## abc (Dec 16, 2014)

I was unable to get to Lowe's. An unplanned detour to the tire store robbed me of my play money for now. :-|


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 16, 2014)

abc said:


> I was unable to get to Lowe's. An unplanned detour to the tire store robbed me of my play money for now. :-|



Bummer!  I have a work truck that likes to do that to me. But I've had it since it had 12 miles on it, bought in 1999.  It's become a love/hate relationship. haha


----------



## DWinMadison (Dec 16, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> So if I wanted a mold to make a 5 lb loaf of soap, and I wanted the loaf dimensions to be 2 inches wide by 4 inches high (which means 4.75 or 5 inches on the sides is fine), how long should it be?
> 
> Edit to add: good point about doubling on the end bolts, that's easy enough. And yes I have access to table saw and drill presses and lotsa stuff.



I'd add 1/8" to each end...1/4" total.


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 16, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> I'd add 1/8" to each end...1/4" total.



For the length, right?


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 16, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> I'd add 1/8" to each end...1/4" total.



Well, that would take you up over 5lbs by .25 ounce  Up by a total of almost one ounce, divided by 16 bars, is...well very little 

 It dawns on me that I've never taken an average of what my soaps cure out to. In other words, what the average weight loss is per bar. You'd have to keep your liquid % constant. But it would come in handy to have an actual percentage. Then you could just add your percentage into your recipe and adjust the mold size for how much pre-cure batter you would need to actually hit, say a 5lb cured batch. 

Soapmaker3 allows you to enter a percentage for water loss during hot process, but not for cure time for cp.  

For all you sellers, does anyone track their average weight loss during say a 2 month cure?  Also, if you have tracked it, what's your normal water percentage. 

I'm going to start some tracking on this, but obviously, earliest results will be two months from now. haha


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 16, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> For the length, right?



Yeah, just make the sides and bottom 19.5 and then drill the same distance as normal from the ends.


----------



## DWinMadison (Dec 17, 2014)

JustBeachy said:


> Well, that would take you up over 5lbs by .25 ounce  Up by a total of almost one ounce, divided by 16 bars, is...well very little
> 
> It dawns on me that I've never taken an average of what my soaps cure out to. In other words, what the average weight loss is per bar. You'd have to keep your liquid % constant. But it would come in handy to have an actual percentage. Then you could just add your percentage into your recipe and adjust the mold size for how much pre-cure batter you would need to actually hit, say a 5lb cured batch.
> 
> ...



Hey Beachy, I'm sorry. I thought the writer was asking for purposes of calculating the size of the wooden mold.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 17, 2014)

DWinMadison said:


> Hey Beachy, I'm sorry. I thought the writer was asking for purposes of calculating the size of the wooden mold.



Absolutely no reason to apologize. I thought it raised a great point. Basically, could we design a mold that would have the size based on a finished product size instead of "before cure".  I'm always open to input on my idea's.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 18, 2014)

I'm goofing off today. Sometimes it's nice to be the boss.   Threw together a Tall and Skinny Mold out of some wood I had in the garage. Maybe it will help with the visual aspect of building one of these.


----------



## MarisaJensen (Dec 18, 2014)

JustBeachy said:


> I credit Seawolfes idea on L brackets. It's what led to the braces.
> 
> I'm working on a design along these lines to produce a 12 and 24 lb mold.  I'll post it if I build one or the need for one pops up on the forum.  I doubt I'll be needing to do more than 3 lb pours in the next 6 months or so.



one vote for the 24lb mold. :wave:


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 18, 2014)

MarisaJensen said:


> one vote for the 24lb mold. :wave:



Go to page 6. I built one last weekend.   Pics and directions are posted.

If you make the lengths and bottom at 22.25 inches, it will produce up to the 24lb at a time and should still fit in a regular oven.


----------



## MarisaJensen (Dec 18, 2014)

JustBeachy said:


> Go to page 6. I built one last weekend.   Pics and directions are posted.



I finally read the entire thread. I'm just drooling over your awesomeness... you even made a tall and skinny mold. Heck yeah! You rock.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 18, 2014)

MarisaJensen said:


> I finally read the entire thread. I'm just drooling over your awesomeness... you even made a tall and skinny mold. Heck yeah! You rock.



Haha, glad I could help.


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 18, 2014)

_/me screams and waves grabby paws_


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 18, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> _/me screams and waves grabby paws_



Haha, decided I couldn't wait, well and I wanted to try an experiment with tops and CPOP.  yeah, that's it. all scientific, no lack of discipline on my part.   Making my oatmeal soap in it right now, waiting for the oils to cool.


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 18, 2014)

Oh you are CRUEL!!

In penance you must post pics of the soap in the mold, unmolded AND cut pics.

And whats holding the bottom up? Metal tab? Show me da bottom pics!!


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 18, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> Oh you are CRUEL!!
> 
> In penance you must post pics of the soap in the mold, unmolded AND cut pics.
> 
> And whats holding the bottom up? Metal tab? Show me da bottom pics!!



Hmmm, well it's full of soap and in the oven right now, so I think it'd make a mess if I turned it over.   Yes, metal tabs on the bottom, like the original mold. I'll take some pics as soon as I pull it out of the oven...Still has 30 to 45 mins to go.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 18, 2014)

Just out of the oven.


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 19, 2014)

Loaf pic and cut bars, as requested.  






I made this batch with no colorants, since I was noticing lately that the "out of the mold" colors seemed a lot different since I switched oil suppliers. The base has more of a green tint at unmolding, yet fades out to a nuetral beige after a few days.  You can see this around the edges already.

Also, Seawolfe, this was a 3 lb batch, 956.75 gr of oil. The tops didn't hold up in my CPOP experiement, but it wasn't because they hit the saran wrap.  The finished bar is still at 4 inches tall and I had at least another inch before it would have hit the saran wrap.

I made my sides using a 1x6.  

Hope that helps with your construction.


----------



## Dahila (Dec 19, 2014)

I asked for Xmas for a mold, and my hubby obeyed ) 
it is for 1400 g of oils plus water and lye.  I am pretty sure I am not going to lose my bottom 
the middle piece can be removed, it just wanted to pose :-D


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 20, 2014)

These are perfect!! And you could also easily make little 2 x 2 X 1 bars or 2 x 2 x 2 chubby cubes!!
I must have this mold!


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 20, 2014)

That looks great Dahila. He did a great job.


----------



## Dahila (Dec 20, 2014)

Yes indeed he did a great job.  He have the planer to make wood smooth too.  It helps.  my inside is 21 cm (I am metric one) long , 8 high and 7.8 wide.  16.5" long\31/4"Wide/3.8"H
With full water in SCalc it is usually 76.54 oz so should be 16 bars 
Seawolfe and Justbeachy thank you for inspiration , you are the best !!!!


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 23, 2014)

Ok I have decided on the final size for my new wood mold: 2 x 6 x 18  to make a loaf 2 x 4 x 18 and a little over 5 lbs - but more importantly 18 bars!! or 9 cubes if I only fill to 2"! Or I can put a divider in the middle and do both!!

I have my all-thread cut. I have decided to do my ends with bolts like SMR's - because I love my mold from them, and it will be easier to line the mold to my tiny mind. 





I think the easy way is to use 1 x 4 x 18 for the bottom and 1 x 6 x 18 for the sides. The sides will sit on top of the bottom piece to make the ID 2" wide. Use L brackets to permanently attach the sides to the bottom, and embed the all thread bolts sticking out of the ends of the side pieces, to go through the end pieces so that the end pieces attach with wingnuts in the picture above. I know this way won't let me easily make slots to cut bars with like the SMR one above, but I can use my other mold for that.

And I personally blame this thread on the fact that hubby and I are going to home depot after work to pick up this after work:




I expressed an interest in one, and hubby pointed out that he could use one for the wooden skiff he is rebuilding....
(I dont want to talk about the 20V Dewalt drill I have my eye one, nor the random orbital sander hubby is making puppy dog eyes at).
Enablers! All of you!!


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 23, 2014)

I can hear it now....

Well we bought some framing guns as well, so we could build an addition to the house to store all the new molds I built.  Then we decided, might as well build a soaping room while we're at it.  (enable, enable, enable)


----------



## Jstar (Dec 24, 2014)

Dang, you all just don't quit do you? 

Now I want a tall skinny mold :crazy:


----------



## Dahila (Dec 24, 2014)

Seawolfe it is the best machine, we got one.   He would not touch the wood without something precise)


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 24, 2014)

Dahila said:


> Seawolfe it is the best machine, we got one.   He would not touch the wood without something precise)



Well the funny part is, we were in Home Depot, and I was adamant that my mold HAD to be truly and exactly 2 inches wide. Hubby was blathering about the difficulty of doing that with just a skill saw, (work and the table saw are closed this week), and I put my foot down and said we weren't getting the compound saw if he couldn't figure it out! He figured it out, I'll post the pics later :smile:


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 25, 2014)

Ok! Heres the pics of the new baby being built, and as she is now. She still needs a little sanding, and a 1 inch cutting slot made, but we WILL be making soap tomorrow. Its a true 2" wide and 18" long. If I fill to 4" high the loaf should be 5 lbs. I've made helper blocks that fit on the inside to help with lining - I am SO excited! Thanks everyone for all your help and inspiration  Merry Christmas to me!!


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 25, 2014)

Fantastic!!!  That came out looking great. Nice job to you and your husband.  Enjoy the soap making today.

And.......Merry Christmas to you both.


----------



## Dahila (Dec 25, 2014)

Fantastic.  Dewalt is also good name, my guy  spend thousand on table saw, circular sow, and hundreds of others.  He told me that he loves his tool as much as I love my soaping and lotion making )) Maybe i should have one with the slot for cutting too??


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 25, 2014)

Dahila said:


> Fantastic.  Dewalt is also good name, my guy  spend thousand on table saw, circular sow, and hundreds of others.  He told me that he loves his tool as much as I love my soaping and lotion making )) Maybe i should have one with the slot for cutting too??



I adore DeWalt - and my other xmas pressie was a 20V DeWalt drill!!

I really like having a cutting slot, and if I want to make cuts less than or greater than 1 inch I just use a ruler and a block. I almost never use that flat scraper that came with it - but a very thin sharp knife.


----------



## Dahila (Dec 25, 2014)

what about them making professional multiply soap cutter, I heard that guitar strings are very good for it


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 25, 2014)

Dahila said:


> what about them making professional multiply soap cutter, I heard that guitar strings are very good for it



Thats my next project.


----------



## Dahila (Dec 25, 2014)

I told my hubby that I want it for my birthday)))))) He is not too happy now


----------



## JustBeachy (Dec 26, 2014)

Jstar said:


> Dang, you all just don't quit do you?
> 
> Now I want a tall skinny mold :crazy:



3 4 or 5lb?


----------



## Seawolfe (Dec 26, 2014)

5 lb! You can always partition it off if you want a smaller loaf :twisted:


----------



## Jstar (Dec 28, 2014)

JustBeachy said:


> 3 4 or 5lb?



I think I better do a 3 lb for starters..never used a tall skinny one before, and I got some soaps I'm still curing so anything larger will have me in overflow status me thinks  

If this shoulder would just lighten up a bit more {it 'does' feel a bit better} then I'll be hopping right back off into my soapy adventures and I need to control space lol


----------



## Jstar (Dec 28, 2014)

Seawolfe said:


> 5 lb! You can always partition it off if you want a smaller loaf :twisted:



LOL..Enabler


----------



## jnl (Feb 4, 2015)

ive been thinking of ways to create a mold
was thinking of hinges so all 4 sides could fold down
or a design like in this thread
or one of those "puzzle" kinds that needs no hardware, just holds itself together

i think this design is the best for me because i can resize it
and you can make different end pieces with a notch to hold a divider to make fancy split color designs.  or cut a 3rd end piece and make 2 separate loaves at once.

my biggest thing is I HATE lining the mold
folding freezer paper is such a pain, and i dont like the indentations it leaves in the ends of the soap
and i dont want to buy an overpriced silicon liner
BB's are too floppy
some of the other sites like ED's are too stiff
and i dont want one with the ribbing that you cant use in a wood mold
so i want to take some thin silicone baking sheets i have and GLUE them to the sides of my mold
the long screws that clamp the wood together would make a seal everywhere except the bottom of the two end pieces, but i think that would probably be ok.
if not, i could notch out the bottom piece of wood so the 2 end pieces rest inside which would stop any leaks


has anyone ever tried gluing silicone to a mold before?  good idea?  bad?


----------



## jnl (Feb 8, 2015)

i made a soap mold today, similar to the original one posted in this thread.  i put a ledge on the long side pieces to hold up the bottom piece.  and i put a ledge on the bottom piece to help hold the small end pieces up, and to help prevent any leaks.  i cut a third end piece so i could do 2 small loaves at once if i wanted.  its designed to make 12 one inch bars with an extra quarter inch on each end of the mold for trimming.  designed for 3.25" x 2" (up to 2.5" if you fill to the top) x 1" (or wider, but you get 12 soaps at 1" cuts).  single direction slice for bars.  bars will be in "landscape" mode, so pretty top patterns will be on the long side of the bar.

i will line it with either mylar or super thin plastic cutting sheets or very thin silicone. the liner will fit on the long sides going down below the base and past the short edges, so it will help seal and be held in place. the bottom liner will be held down by the two short end pieces, and i will just glue the liner to the short end pieces. tightening the butterfly bolts should make it water tight. no need to tape anything, no annoying freezer paper, no wrinkles, no "vaseline as glue", no leaking (hopefully).


----------



## navigator9 (Feb 8, 2015)

Making your own wooden mold makes buying a silicone liner much more affordable. When Nurture Soaps comes back on line, they have some very affordable liners. I used to fold freezer paper when I first started soaping, but always hated doing it. Soon after, I bought my first silicone liner, and I've never looked back. Now, I make all of the wooden boxes, and buy the liners when they're on sale. Try one, and you'll be hooked!


----------



## jnl (Feb 8, 2015)

i would love to buy a silicone one piece liner, but no one makes them in the sizes i want. 
and some of them are way too thin (and become baggy), and some are way too thick and make it more difficult than it should be to get the soap out.  i think i have only ever seen one that looked like the right balance between thick and thin.

i figured out what size bar of soap i want to make, and made the mold to fit my bar.  a lot of those silicone liners either make really wide bars, or its 2 bars per slice, and i dont like the look of that extra cut on the bar.  

if i was ever going to do a large volume i would make a big cube block and discard the exterior sides so all bars are a uniform.  or use lots of single bar width molds if i wanted pretty designs or fancy tops.

if anyone buys a one piece liner, they can just make a super simple box that is all screwed together - no need to make the sides removable because the silicone mold will just slip out.

i like the look of those big log slices, but even with my really big hands they are not comfortable to hold.  my hands are as long as a mans.  i dont know how girls with smaller hands hold those big pieces.


----------



## Dorymae (Feb 8, 2015)

I think you have a very innovative idea. I hope it works out for you!  Once you have it lined, try filling it with water to see if it will leak. Soap is a little thicker but it will give you a good idea what to expect without having to worry about caustic batter leaks.


----------



## jnl (Feb 8, 2015)

i just put water in it and it slowly leaked out
a liner will help
i might get a couple different things for liners and try them out and compare (with water) to see what works best

and i might even buy some silicone and paint it on all the insides
the only reason i dont just do that is because im not sure i can paint it on as smoothly as i would like.  silicone is really thick and i tend to "play" with it too much and make it messy.

even if i use another type of liner, painting the edges that compressed with silicone should be enough to seal it for soap.
but i will test the other things first to see how well they work


----------



## McSpin (Feb 8, 2015)

The original design is a good one.  An improvement can be made to secure the bottom by simply cutting a dado in the side pieces for the bottom to set in, or you could cut a half dovetail in the bottom and the sides, that would mesh to together to secure the piece.  These can be cut by hand if you are good with a handsaw, but a table saw or router would make it quick and easy.  Neither would require any additional hardware or screws.


----------



## jnl (Feb 9, 2015)

i found some thin silicone baking sheets.  yay!  and they were on a killer sale (like $2.30 for a 23" x 19" sheet).
i stuck it with tape to the mold just to test it
this silicone is so thin it could not hold itself up so i would have to glue it to the mold
so i tested it and its ALMOST water tight with water
i think if i paint the raw wood edges that compress against another part with a thin layer of silicone as well then it will be pretty much water tight
and even light trace CP soap is quite a bit thicker than water


----------



## ngian (Feb 16, 2015)

ngian said:


> I just did my second and final update on my wooden mold and although it had many things to solve / be done, I'm very satisfied with the final product.



Well a third update came over my wooden mold, as after my first CPOP method the little metal plates were a bit out of place and also the wood somehow had a tiny curve and the mold didn't close very well for next batches.

So I did update it to the assembly method that is very easy and good working/managing its size as others here in this forum have used too.


----------



## JustBeachy (Feb 22, 2015)

Good to see people are still getting some mileage out of this thread.  I've been too busy with work and life to breathe so I haven't been around in a while. Liking some of these new ideas. 

Carry on.


----------



## Dahila (Mar 17, 2015)

Yeah what about the soap cutter? )


----------



## jnl (Mar 17, 2015)

i made a soap cutter but its not great
i dont have any power saws, so my cuts arent great so when its screwed together the sides are at a bit of a slant
and the cut slit is not 100% vertical...
it works, but i would recommend using a power saw to get better cuts
and dont use 1/2" plywood - its so thin its hard to screw the edges together

the wire cutter was harder to use than expected
for it to really work you would have to make a slit into the base at least 1/4 to 1/2 inch because the wire does not cut totally flat, it rounds a bit in the center because its not held as tight as it would be locked into a frame.
and you would want to raise it up higher so the counter is not in the way so your hands can go below the cut line
so i just use a plaster trowel to cut the soap

it looks ghetto, but it works good enough for now


----------



## Seawolfe (Mar 17, 2015)

I put that slit into my soap mold, but Im too lazy to put my long soap loaf back in the tall skinny mold without dinging it! But that's ok  - I still use it as a guide for my knife, with the loaf NEXT to it


----------



## jnl (Mar 17, 2015)

i can not cut straight to save my life
so this crappy cutter is working pretty well for me
its actually not that bad, im just a perfectionist
the only thing that doesnt work well is if i try to skim off a little off the end....it just pushes the loaf back....would have to cut off at least 1/4 inch for it to stay in place properly.


----------



## not_ally (Mar 17, 2015)

Jnl, good luck with making liners for the wood molds, if you can figure out a good way to do it and can mass produce you could probably have a good business, I will be your first customer.  I keep trying to make them (have a bunch of no melt mylar, silicone baking sheets, various other things that I see and think (yes! liner material) on my to-do projects shelf.   It is so fidgety and awful, and I am so bad at that kind of stuff,  that I give up and use paper until the next time I have a hating paper liner fit.

Also, I have design notes/pics on an adjustable wire cutter made by a woman named Delsie (now deceased) that she was nice enough to post and that I think people really liked.  It looks fairly easy to make if you are at all knacky, if you want me to send them to you in a pm or post let me know, they are longish so don't want to take up the space here.  

I came across them when I was trying to find a used "Delsie" to buy, and still think I will probably pay a friend of mine to make one for me, it is just kind of cool/interesting and unlike other wire cutters I have seen because it allows you to cut the log at different heights (ie; long ways so that, eg, you can plane the whole thing, don't have to try to bisect a Taiwan swirled log evenly with a knife, which I suck at) as well as cut bars in different sizes, if that makes sense.  But still easy to make, I would take a stab at it if I had a good saw.


----------



## jnl (Mar 17, 2015)

ohhh yes
the plans for the wire cutter would be great!  thanks!

i have guitar pegs on the way from china that i ordered months ago that still have not arrived.
when they come, i am going to figure out and make a fancy cutter!


if you go to aliexpress.com there are chinese manufacturers that will make custom silicon molds for pretty cheap and low minimum order quantities....
if i ever get into selling and need to make a bunch of soap then i will look into that
for now i am just using a tiny 1lb mold


----------



## not_ally (Mar 17, 2015)

jnl, hope this works.  Got most of the text into a pm but it was hard to read, plus I couldn't figure out how to do attachments.  The pics are hard to see, but you really need them to make sense of the notes.  I am going to send the pm anyway just in case this doesn't download, plus I included my email so you can email me there, I know I can send all of this from there easily.

Ok, for some reason the text file will not load (it is rtf, not sure why that is a problem.)  The pics are pretty rough looking, but the way it works is that you turn the log long ways if you want to plane/cut horizontally) or hold it vertically if you want to do bars.  And the wires are easily adjustible so that you can change the height either way.  Does that make sense?  

Not a good cutter for someone who is mass producing but really good for someone like me, who wants adjustability but doesn't are about cutting tons of bars an hour.


----------



## jnl (Mar 17, 2015)

so this one you stand the log up and run it across the bottom to slice a bar off?

got the instructions, i will read through them!  thanks!


----------



## not_ally (Mar 17, 2015)

Yes, exactly.  Apologies in advance if the pm is hard to read.


----------



## jnl (Mar 17, 2015)

i get it
it seems like it would work best for slab molds to split into logs and trim
right now i just use a small loaf that needs a single cut for bars (edges not trimmed)
tho i do want to make a slab mold so i can do pretty designs on the face of the bar, not an edge!
from your description it sounds like you use a modified slab mold where your bars stand on there long ends - like a few log molds all stuck together.
if i ever needed to do larger quantities that would work better than pouring multiple individual logs if i want to trim the edges (less trimming waste).


----------



## not_ally (Mar 17, 2015)

I don't really want a cutter for planing, I don't make enough soap to have to worry about that (also love my planer/beveler, the Couer D'Alene one) if any one needs a recc'd.  Although if anyone has one of the old Lotion Crafter bevelers that they want to sell - LC doesn't make them anymore - please let me know.  

I really just want a truly adjustable mold.  It seems like even the really good/expensive ones don't are not that flexible w/r/t cuts.  Also one that would do a horizontal cut, which I haven't seen out there.  I hope this makes sense, it is hard to describe visuals in words.

Also, jnl, I am so bad about trimming waste, I don't pay too much attention to off-cuts, I just use them as testers, give them away or throw them away.  Since I don't sell it is easier to take the time to neaten things up, plus I like the way the bars feel in my hand.  I know I should be less wasteful, though, I hate how many paper towels I use (which in my pre-soaping life I was super careful about wasting/using, and which people in my eco conscious family think are the work of the devil) since I started making soap.  Topic for another day.


----------



## jnl (Mar 17, 2015)

it makes sense.  this is what you are doing: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




it seems that there are log cutters and there are bar cutters....this could do log, trim, and bar, tho standing up a log on its end to cut the bars would be a bit harder because you have to make sure the log is not tilted (and im a clutz).

i would probably make 2 - one for trimming and one for log splitting because i am too lazy to move the wire each time.  LOL
and i am going to make a multi-bar cutter like this:  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




i think the only cuts your cutter cant do is a cube mega loaf.  this is what cuts multi-dimensional log arrays:  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



i doubt i would ever need anything like that.  even if i was selling lots of soap i dont think i would make THAT much soap at once....too heavy


----------



## not_ally (Mar 17, 2015)

Jnl, please make them all.  And then sell them to me


----------



## jnl (Mar 17, 2015)

lol


get me a table saw and i will!


----------



## not_ally (Mar 18, 2015)

I am dying to get a good table saw myself, will do so one of these days.  Although I am such a klutz that it may result, if in not in death, potentially some missing digits  

But about making good liner/cutters, I am serious.  I think there is a gap in the market here, and you are clearly curious, thoughtful and inventive.  Might be a good break from the day job, and then it could *become* your day job.  I would love to have a soapy day job, though, maybe I am projecting.


----------



## jnl (Mar 18, 2015)

i would much rather make soap or other hobbies than do my day job.  but my day job pays pretty high, and i have total freedom to work whenever i want, and however much i feel like working (which is always much less than i SHOULD work).  but i hate my day job. 


there are plenty of people making custom wood molds/cutters
tho they are still more than i would ever pay
not as bad as from the soap suppliers tho

if you need a specific cutter/mold my friend has all the tools and is good with wood
hes now become obsessed with making soap too
lol


----------



## shunt2011 (Mar 18, 2015)

I feel so fortunate.  My husband has made all my wooden molds (loaf and slab) as well as my log splitter and my wire multi bar cutters.  I actually love my BB silicone liners, yes they are thin but they are so very easy to unmold my soap.  My husband made my molds to house the liners and I have no rippling of the liners.  As long as you take care of them they are fantastic.  I've been using the same 12 liners for almost 2 years with no problems.   I also have two of Nurture Soap supplies 7.5 lb liners and they are nice but almost too thick and a bit more difficulty to get the soaps out.


----------



## Luv2Soap (Mar 18, 2015)

AWESOME MOLD! I love this mold because you have made it so versatile - Thank you!


----------



## Dahila (Nov 29, 2015)

How could I forget this thread 
Hubby put the hardwood floors and he had left with a bit of maple long planks so he made for me similar (the same size) additional 5 molds.  It is a relieve to sit down and line them all at once then have them ready ) I got a single soap cutter from someone in Canada and I am pretty happy with it,  I do not make that much soap so I am ok with one wire)


----------



## DWinMadison (Feb 11, 2019)

jnl said:


> it makes sense.  this is what you are doing:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Brilliant!!!!!  I love making slabs but have never thought of a way to cut them evenly.  Does this cut well in the middle of the slab?

BTW, i line my slabs using plastic Coro-plast sheets from Lowes in the yard sign area.  You just cut half way through it with an exact to fold up the edges.  Soap comes out clean as a whistle.  If anyone’s interested I can post a pic.


----------



## SYT (Feb 11, 2019)

JustBeachy said:


> I like this mold for multiple reasons. It beats having to have multiple molds for tests. It's untreated and unglued, so I can CPOP in it. And it makes unmolding easy. Cleans up easily.  Only caveat, is a warning on the  bottom. I've never had the bottom fall out during use, I tighten it down pretty tight. But even so, I always carry this mold, when full, with one hand on the bottom. I would highly recommend you do the same, just to be on the safe side.  No soap looks good, splattered all over your kitchen floor.


      Thank you, I 've been wanting another size mold and more versatility.   Excellent directions for us dyi people.

I'm looking for directions on how to make a soap cutter also.  Have you seen any?


----------



## Relle (Feb 11, 2019)

SYT said:


> Thank you, I 've been wanting another size mold and more versatility.   Excellent directions for us dyi people.
> 
> I'm looking for directions on how to make a soap cutter also.  Have you seen any?



The person you are referring to hasn't been on smf for over 2yrs. Please don't post on old threads, start a new one.


----------

