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Yes, I thought about that after the fact. I cut my slab into 10 bars, each 1 1/16" thick and weighing 3.2-3.5 oz. I really can't see going large enough for 4oz bars - this seems (to me) to be pretty close to the ideal size for a 'regular use' bar. I can't see making them 15-25% larger to hit the...

Yep, I should have waited longer perhaps. It was at the 12 hour mark, but I had left the mold wrapped in blankets, so it still felt fairly warm. Next time, perhaps I will remove the blankets after the gel stage ends for a quicker cool and set. I personally like to keep them covered for as...

Is there a way to calculate a bar's weight by volume at cutting time? I have loafs that are 3 5/8" by 2 1/16". Cutting at 1 1/16" would allow me to get an even 10 bars per loaf, but I want to make sure the final bars are approximately 4oz. Is there a typical formula for calculating weight...

Unwrapped this morning after sitting in my slab mold overnight. Seemed to be fine. However, when I split the slab into individual loafs, the center of the mold was still gelled. Note to future self - make sure the center of the slab is cool as well, perhaps use a probe thermometer.

Thanks for clarifying! In other news, I just made a 4lb batch of the recipe from above: 50% Lard 20% Coconut oil 15% Pomace Oil 4.5% Olive Oil 10.5% Canola Oil 5% SF Again, the Pomace Oil, Olive and Canola are contributed by the Saporito Oil above. Let's see how it turns out!

I picked up a few lbs of lard yesterday at $2/lb from a Metro, and got some cheap ($3/lb) Coconut oil. Between that and my existing stock of OO and some Canola, I have everything I need for my second batch. Plus, I built a proper mold that measures 7.375"X10.625"x3.25" deep with a false bottom I...

Just to confirm - are you sure you meant that a higher content would speed up trace? I would have assumed the opposite, but also in this case assume I would probably be wrong ;)

Thanks. I've read several variations of that formula. However, it's never 100% clear if that's the weight of the oils in the recipe (assuming full water) or whether that's the weight of the oils + water (ie, the weight you actually pour in the mode. If the former, you would have to adjust based...

My first attempt at a recipe, using 30% of this oil: 50% Lard 20% Coconut oil 15% Pomace Oil 4.5% Olive Oil 10.5% Canola Oil The last three ingredients are the components of the oil from this thread. SoapCalc seems to suggest this should be a well-balanced bar. Perhaps I'll try it tonight! I'd...

That's roughly what I had in mind. Option 'B' would be to come up with a SAP number for this blend, and treat it like it's own product keeping in mind what the individual products add to the final soap. All three oils have very similar NaOH SAPs: Pomace oil: 0.134 Olive Oil: 0.135 Canola Oil...

Thanks. I looked at their prices, and I can get Coconut oil for $5/ lb, shipped (if I buy 10lbs at a time...). Their OO and Pomace oil prices seem high - the pomace oil they sell is more expensive than the top brand OO in my local grocer. However, I just found that Walmart has a refined...

Well, this is good to know in the future. I completely neglected to do this, but so far, the soap seems 'OK'. Hopefully I don't have any rancidity problems because of the 'extras'. Thanks for the link!

I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place, but I wanted to post this for anyone else that is looking for info on this product. moved In Canada, at least, Saporito Foods sells a product in the local grocery stores called 'Olive Pomace Oil with Extra Virgin Olive Oil' for ~$12.50 for a 3L jug...

Eastern Ontario, Canada. I have most of the local Canadian retailers local, but no real speciality shops like you would have in a larger city like Ottawa or Toronto. That may not be a bad idea. For a Canadian, the exchange rate stinks right now, but I'm close enough to the border to order...

Thanks for the recipe pointers. Our youngest is 3 months old now, so in six months, he'll certainly need some soap from time to time ;) Unfortunately, that would be the most expensive soap I could find. CO isn't cheap in these parts. I can't find it in any bulk, lower grade form. Just little...

Thanks all for the kind words and advice! I don't know about about that. I'm not really interested in the decorative / aesthetic side of soap making. My interest lies more towards the functional side - coming up with a recipe that gives me the best soap I can make in the following categories...

I just chopped the soap into bars. So far, looks like success! I *did* have some trouble releasing it from the mold and waxed paper. I used a 6"x7" cardboard box as my mold, lined with waxed paper. The waxed paper was saturated with oils and stuck fairly well to both the box and the soap. Once...

Thanks. I haven't seen palm oil in stores here, but I'm sure I can find lard... or render some myself!

Hah, I actually had a bunch of questions / thoughts along those lines before forging ahead like a bull in a china shop. I always let the bacon grease 'settle' in a measuring cup while warm before pouring it into a container and putting into the fridge. This allows most of the solids to settle...

Thanks, 12 hours is doable. However, I teach tomorrow afternoon so after the 12-hour mark, my next opportunity to check is more like 18 hours. What are the chances 18 hours will be too late? I have a set of very thin vintage butter knives that I think should work well for cutting soap. I've...