# Melt and Pour Help Hotline



## Incrtalent (Nov 6, 2007)

Hey, ya'll.  Just thought I'd start this hotline, seeing as how I need to be ON IT!!!  Sorry I haven't been around much of late, but I've been really rather up to my eyeballs trying to get this biz off the ground--you know, the part when I actually stop SPENDING all my money and start making some?  Righto.  I have a few good things to report, (arguably).  A) I got a fundraiser with a local school system.  If I get a bazillion orders, it should be interesting, because I will have to order all my supplies from SCRATCH when they place their order with me, and then will have about 2 1/2 weeks or so to get the product out.  I also have a couple of stores and a salon interested.  All good stuff--potentially.  But then there's a coupla little snafus.  For instance...I'm making these things six or so bars at a time, (really need to get bigger/more molds, etc., etc.), and I'm wondering...what happens if I get into MAJOR production...i.e., I want to actually make money?  I know, I know.  Shooting for the moon here, but as long as I got into the rocket...  Can one actually get this stuff manufactured, OR is there manufacturing equipment that would aid in large scale production?  'Cause what I'm really hoping is that, before long, my little microwave/pyrex cups/freezer thing isn't going to cut it any more.

Tips, comments, suggestions?  And be gentle.     I have a dream!!!!


----------



## dragonfly princess (Nov 6, 2007)

Well dang, when you find out...let me know!!!


----------



## soapbuddy (Nov 6, 2007)

When you say big, how big? 50 bars? 500 bars?

Irena


----------



## Incrtalent (Nov 6, 2007)

*BIG.*

Shooting for the moon here.  I'm going to try to get my soaps into a major hotel, a few satellites here in Florida to start with.  If I can sell it, (and I think I can), then I would actually have to be able to produce it.  Before I spout off, I want to know there is an escape hatch; i.e., that I can actualy put my soap where my mouth is!


----------



## Tabitha (Nov 6, 2007)

There are labs you can send your recipes to & they will produce for you to your specs. Is that what you mean?

There are also massive pices of equipement you can buy to make huge batches, IE) mixers that are 4 feet tall.

I have seen both options more than once on the internet, I have no idea where...


----------



## Becky (Nov 7, 2007)

http://www.soapequipment.com/

I am lusting after so much of the stuff on this website. I've asked for the bath bomb press for xmas, but I think I'm going to be disappointed.


----------



## soapbuddy (Nov 7, 2007)

I like their big molds when I make large batches:







Irena


----------



## Incrtalent (Nov 7, 2007)

*Hey!*

I was looking at this stuff last night!  In fact, I got computer neck and my equilibrium is all askew this a.m. from it.  And here I am, with my little PVC molds thinking...only cold process people can use this, right?  How on EARTH would I even BEGIN to melt that much soap in a microwave?  Now, everybody take a deep breath and pat me on the head, please.  Remember, I am SUCH a newbie, (a newbie with BIG AMBITIONS and a lot of...let's just say "verve."    Until August, the biggest thing I had ever created was some soaps with a kit I bought at Michael's and a few gift baskets at Christmas.  Now, here I sit.  I've REALLY gone and done it.  I have a biz, and with any luck, soon I'll have  a website, and I'm aspiring to getting this stuff out commercially.  Somebody stop me.  (Or tell me I ROCK.)  In any case, I'm a whole lot more educated than I was, but STILL.  I think I need a WHOLE lot more education, but I'm not going to let a little thing like ignorance stand in my way.    If I do get the hotel, (and it's a stretch), they may very well want a novelty mold which is designed specially for them.  But meanwhile, I have to figure out how to beef up production for salons, and I'm thinking bar molds.  I'm looking at myself as your personal pet project, so keep those cards and letters coming!  It seems as if all of you have reasonably long-time successful businesses, but I know that most of you do cold-process, and I'm not there yet.  I don't know if I even want to BE there, 'cause that's a whole different ball of wax!  BUT...if anyone is doing M & P on a large scale basis or knows of anyone who is, that would be a great place to start!

Oh, and  thanks for putting up with me!


----------



## Becky (Nov 7, 2007)

hey Irena, how do you cut those suckers? I'm having trouble just getting my head around the batch of soap you would have to make to fill it  :shock:


----------



## Tabitha (Nov 7, 2007)

How many bars are you thinking about pouring at 1 time/ M&P is easy to do many at once, even hundreds.

Hotel soap is going to be 1 once. You can get 4cup pyrex cups which would hold 64oz, that is 64 bars, it would take 3-4 minuts to melt in a microwave & 2-3 minutes to pour, that means you could do 5-6 64 bar pours in an hour, that is 300-400 bars in 1 hour. No magic there unless you are taling about getting the Holiday in account than you are probably talking about factory production.

For hotel soaps I would suggest looking at candy molds, business card chocolate molds w/o a mesage do well.


----------



## dragonfly princess (Nov 7, 2007)

I do strickly M&P and don't want to do CP, I use a double boiler with a very large glass bowl.  I can do up to 4lbs at a time.  My poor microwave would fall over dead if I tried to use that for all the soap I make.  I make soap almost every night, so I have quite a bit.  I do them in molds with pretty things on them, but I am looking into a wood mold from Paul cuz you can do way more bars with those.  Granted, they don't have pretty stuff on them, but you could do a rockin embed down the middle of your soap.  

I wish you much success and luck.  We are all here to help so don't worry about the newb questions.  Technically you aren't a newb anymore so CHILL OUT OR I WILL SMACK YA!!!!!!   :twisted:


----------



## Bret (Nov 7, 2007)

I tried asking in another post, but I know some people use a Presto Pot for melting M&P.


----------



## Tabitha (Nov 7, 2007)

Wow Incrtalent, only 45 posts & Dragon has already threatened you with violence, gusess you are family now       !


----------



## Incrtalent (Nov 7, 2007)

I love it!  You guys are SOOOOO sweet!  I've been completely out of the equation all day today...had some neck troubles and my equilibrium has literally been shot.  Feeling better, now, though, so I'm sure I'll be back at it soon, and I can't wait to post back to some of you.

Thanks in advance for all the tips and tricks o' the trade.  I know there is a wealth of information to pursue!  Hugs to all--

Lisa


----------



## sunflwrgrl7 (Nov 7, 2007)

"...my little microwave/pyrex cups/freezer thing..."  I had to chuckle when I read this, I so have a little microwave/pyrex cups/freezer thing going on too. My pyrex cups are too busy with soap to do anything else, these days. 

Wow, much luck to you!  I hope you get the hotel account and wishing much success on the fund raiser too!!

I sure need a M&P Hotline - and if anyone's seen my sanity around anywhere, please let me know, I need it back!! - cuz I'm about to rip my hair out in frustration!  :x  I have a craft fair in less than two weeks, and now matter how much tinkering I'm doing with my soaps, they are still turning out like crap - they smell nice, but they don't look professional at all.  Part of my problem is I have these ideas about embedding, swirling, adding stuff, etc, and they are not turning out right, no matter who's advice I follow.  Right now I am having major envy of all you CPer's.  Your stuff looks so good all the time.

But this isn't about me, sorry to hijack a bit! Sounds like you got some good tips from others - plus it sounds like it's soon time for you to invest in a double boiler! Woo hoo!


----------



## Incrtalent (Nov 7, 2007)

Ha!  Sounds like you're a woman after my own heart.  I have had a devil of a time trying to swirl soaps.  About the only one I got to come out looking even remotely decent was a mulberry - a white soap with purple in it - and it wasn't exactly "swirled," but it looked decent.  I haven't even attempted embeds yet, and I'm stocking up on Advil for when I do!

Thanks so much for the encouragement.  But question: if you go to a double boiler, or any other method, HOW do you pour your soaps into your molds without making a GIANT mess?  Do you pour them into cups?  That's adding a step which means MORE time.

Isn't this just a party?


----------



## Soapmaker Man (Nov 7, 2007)

I use a Presto Pot I made for melting my candle wax in years ago.  I use it to melt all my hard oils, butters and fats.  I also use it to melt my lotions & creams oils in.  I have a spigot on it, but rarely use it any more, mainly ladle or pick it up and pour into my soap pot or my mixer when doing lotions.  Love that Presto Pot!  Welcome! I don't make M&P, but those 2 gals can sure fix you up when it comes to MN&P advice!

Paul....


----------



## Tabitha (Nov 7, 2007)

I feel ya sunflower. I have been making & selling M&P for 6 years & I do not like my soap. It NEVER turns out like I plan. I decided I would do all layered  loaves for a few months, hated them, I did not think my stripes were of the correct thickness, then I did all swirl loaves, hated them, I did not think my swirls were defined enough, then I did only molded bars that were layered, then molded bars that were transparent w/ glitter, then chunked molded bars, then i desided shaped bars were cheesy & switched back to loaves, chunked loaves, then embedded loaves & I have to this day not settled in on a M&P look that I am happy with. Right now I am just doing M&P soap in dixie cups with netted shower pouffs stuffed down in them. That way there is no design involved, just basic soap.. no shapes, no stripes, no chunks, no frills.... is that boring :roll: ? I do a handful of seasonal shapes but don't really get into it.

With that being said, we are our own worst critic, when we look at a loaf & we know we wanted the embed on the right hand side but it settled in the middle we are disappointed, but our customers have NO idea we wanted it on the side, somehow we think they will know we wanted the stripe wider or the color softer, but they don't. We just knit-pick ourselves to death :roll: .


----------



## soapbuddy (Nov 8, 2007)

Becky said:
			
		

> hey Irena, how do you cut those suckers? I'm having trouble just getting my head around the batch of soap you would have to make to fill it  :shock:



I use a log cutter:






Irena


----------



## Incrtalent (Nov 8, 2007)

Okay, this is for Irena and Tabitha!   Got my mind around the mold and the cutter.  The question is, how do you melt all that soap?  How much do you do at one time?  25 lbs?  50 lbs?  That's a heck of a lot of soap!

I also love Tab's idea about being able to do 300 soaps in an hour.  The problem is, I can't even seem to manage getting 8 BARS out of a two-pound batch of soap.  I almost always wind up with 7 or 7 and a short-pour, (probably because either a) my molds are not exactly 4 oz molds, or b) I pour those suckers right to the top, or c) a combination of both!  And then there's the setting issue.  I know if I had a gagillion molds, I could probably pour a heck of a lot of soap a heck of alot faster.  Right now, I rotate my molds and pop them in the freezer for a few minutes to set up.  Of course freezer space is at a premium, (as are my molds), so this holds me back time-wise.  Do you set these up in the freezer or allow them to air dry, and if the latter, do you have special racks that you put them on?  I can just imagine my kithcen countertop swimming with soap molds and the party my children and cats would have with them.  If you use racks, where on earth could I find them?

Now.  For my next trick:

While we're on the subject of things that make me go..."Hmmm,"  here's another trick question for you.  My partner is starting to work on a website.  Aside from my general bewilderment, which I will spare you all, I suppose my biggest fear/concern is shipping.  When I order something online, typically the shipping charges pop right up, pre-calculated.  But what happens on our end?  Do we need a scale, or does the post office/UPS or whoever we use give us flat rates for shipping to different zip codes?  It's a mystery.  For me, aside from the other myriad of little challenges, a website is like...the final frontier.  How often do you check this site for orders?  

AND, last but certainly not least...has anyone had any of their older customers complain about sharp edges on their soap?  All of the molds I use have flat backs and so do not have the nice contoured edges of, say, store-bought soap.  Most people don't seem to mind, but some do.  How does one get around this without going to a 3-D mold?

Okay, okay.  I'll settle down.  Just suffice it to say that I have more questions than I have answers!  Those are my brain-teasers of the day!


----------



## dragonfly princess (Nov 8, 2007)

*SMACK!!!!!!

*WOW you need to slow down a little!!!!!  PM me!

Kiss kiss


----------



## sunflwrgrl7 (Nov 8, 2007)

Thanks Tabitha, that was quite comforting to know I am not the only one who has M&P frustrations like that.  I will have to learn to chill a little!


----------



## sunflwrgrl7 (Nov 8, 2007)

Incrtalent, your mold question about sharp edges - I've seen some silicone and urethane molds with a lip on the edge over the pour space that softens up sharp edges on the flat side.  But to get something you want, the way you want it, you sometimes have to either make your own silicone mold or have someone custom make one for you.


----------



## Tabitha (Nov 8, 2007)

If you are useing a microwave I believe the most you will b able to melt at 1 time is 4#, but you could juggle (,5,6,4) 4 pound cups all at the same time. You can melt much more at once if you use a double boiler but your melt time would be slower.

This is like anything else, the more you do it, the more efficient you will become at it.

As for shipping, USPS charges by the pound. You can go to usps.com and enter random numbers, zips & pounds & get a feel for things. 1# priority mail is $4.60 (I think) right now. Additional pounds are determined by distance, if they are nearby extra pounds might be $1.00ea, if it's the opposite coastline it may be $2.00 per extra pound. There are 2 different flat rate boxes available that ship for about $9.00 no matter how much you stuff in them. I can stuff 24, 4oz jars in a flat rate box whilch is a real money saver.

On the USPS website you can also order free priority boxes to be delivered in bulk to your home. You may ONLY use the boxes for priority packages, if you ship parcel you must provide your own boxes.

You will need to buy a postal scale so you can quote your customers a shipping price unless you want to box it, go to the PO, come home, tell you customer how much shipping is & go from there which is a lot of extra work.


----------



## Lucy (Nov 8, 2007)

Why are you putting your soap in the freezer. are you in that much of a hurry?  A 4 cup measuring cup is plenty for pouring alot of MP soap.  As far as using a presto pot with a spigot yes the spigot wil clog up. and I would not use the same presto that I used for candlewax for lotion ingredients. that is qute unsanitary no matter how you thinkyou cleaned it.


----------



## Incrtalent (Nov 8, 2007)

Well...um.  Yes.  I am in quite a hurry, actually!  The freezer helps the soaps set up in about 10 minutes, whereas leaving them out would take all day.  Since I have an extremely limited number of molds and need to make a heck of a lot of soap, seems to work for me!  Of course, when I start making MORE soap and get MORE molds, I think I'm probably going to have to pop the molds into a drying rack or some such.  Just don't know where to turn one up; or perhaps I'll have to make something.  We'll see!


----------



## Tabitha (Nov 8, 2007)

I pop mine in the freezer, it is efficient, timely & a gentler release for intricate soap designs.  Room temp M&P soaps are difficult to get out of the mold . When you freeze the soap it shrinks, when you bring the mold out of the freezer the plastic expands  allowing for  a gentler release. You will be less likely to *dinged* mold details when the soap is firmer & the release is gentler.


----------



## Soapmaker Man (Nov 8, 2007)

Lucy said:
			
		

> Why are you putting your soap in the freezer. are you in that much of a hurry?  A 4 cup measuring cup is plenty for pouring alot of MP soap.  As far as using a presto pot with a spigot yes the spigot wil clog up. and I would not use the same presto that I used for candlewax for lotion ingredients. that is qute unsanitary no matter how you thinkyou cleaned it.



Lucy, why do you think it is "unsanitary" to use a presto pot to melt hard oils, butters and fats in for making CP soap, or even lotions and creams that are Oil In Water, or Water In Oil emulsification's?  Is not even soy wax used to make soap?  I have used 100% soy candle wax in soap when I first started.  I still would if I did not have other better recipes.  I use the same Presto pot to melt my oils in as I did my candle soy wax.  I bet I've melted many tens of gallons of hard oils, butters, and fats it it for both CP and lotions, using better cleaning for lotions and creams. I wipe it out every time with a paper towel, and since it is Teflon coated inside, it wipes clean easily.  Every time I use it to melt CP soap oils, I spray the inside with 92% alcohol and wipe out again, very well.  When I melt oils for lotions and creams. I take it to the kitchen and wash it with soap and hot water scrubbing very well, then give it a bleach rinse, and alcohol spritz again before using. I don't understand your reasoning about this method being that unclean, and stating; _"that is quite unsanitary no matter how you think you cleaned it._"  Why Lucy? :?:  *Please explain why this is unsanitary for me to do it as I just explained*. :? :?: 

Paul....


----------



## Tabitha (Nov 8, 2007)

> and I would not use the same presto that I used for candlewax for lotion ingredients. that is qute unsanitary no matter how you thinkyou cleaned it.


Where did this come from? 

While you have a right to express your opinion Lucy, screaming fire in a crowded theater is still a crime & insulting or defaming anyone on this board is still against policy.


----------



## dragonfly princess (Nov 9, 2007)

I believe I PM'd you about this Lucy.  Please take your comments elsewhere!


----------



## Incrtalent (Nov 9, 2007)

Wow!  This is kind of like having a bunch of big sisters and brothers!  Ha!  You guys are a riot.  I feel thoroughly safe in this neighborhood!


----------



## Soapmaker Man (Nov 9, 2007)

Incrtalent said:
			
		

> Wow!  This is kind of like having a bunch of big sisters and brothers!  Ha!  You guys are a riot.  I feel thoroughly safe in this neighborhood!



We want everyone to learn in a friendly, safe environment!  We want everyone to feel free to express ideas, question what they are learning and let us rectify any problems our members are having, all while feeling they won't be humiliated.  We are all newbies at once and I know there can be some wrong info out there.  That is why we moderators have a lot of experience in both CP and M&P.  We watch all posts closely and monitor regularly.  If someone steps out of line, they are first gently told what they need to do to rectify the situation.  If a person continues to disregard the warnings, more serious consequences may occur.  We want everyone here to feel a part of the community, even have different opinions, but respectful of others rights and ideals!  That is why we love it here!  It's safe.

Paul....
Mod Team Member


----------



## Lucy (Nov 19, 2007)

Tabitha said:
			
		

> > and I would not use the same presto that I used for candlewax for lotion ingredients. that is qute unsanitary no matter how you thinkyou cleaned it.
> 
> 
> Where did this come from?
> ...



I am sorry it was not meant to defame. I just know that makeing lotion calls for very high sanitation. I said no thing about soap or cream just lotion

I do not come here too much but I too have been sent threats in PM because I dont agree with some things.


----------



## Tabitha (Nov 19, 2007)

Getting PMed by a mod(s) is not a threat it is a warning regarding appropriate forum etiquette . It/they were not sent because you disagree but because you attempt  to belittle other people and their choices. 

If you have received a threatening pm from a member please PM a mod and we will handle it for you.

There was no need to bring this dead thread back up. It has been 10 days since anyone has posted to it.


----------

