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Agreed, I've gotten good lye at Wally World and at Lowe's. The key is that 100% lye statement, because if it's called 'Drain Cleaner' it likely will have lye but also various metals and other activators that would not play well with your fats.

Okay, well...first batch on the new bench is in the history books. This is officially my 59th batch (I've made several other batches for myself that didn't get into the numbering system).

I am now eagerly awaiting the results of this accidental experiment! :-)

Unsurprisingly, AliOop has the excellent advice!

My instinct* is that it may be an oily mess. Try running the real numbers through the lye calculator and see what it tells you. -=- Fair warning, I've only got a few dozen batches under my belt... If someone else counters my opinion, I won't be surprised!

Popping in to share that I'm finally done with my new workbench, almost exactly a month after starting. Here are a couple of snapshots. I'm about to make a small batch of peach-scented soap to inaugurate the new bench. This first shot is 'face on' as seen from about 5 feet away, standing at my...

I have been working on finishing and outfitting my new soap workstation, so I forgot to post about this at the time (about a week and a half ago); I made a batch of hide glue! "What on EARTH does that have to do with soapmaking?" you may very well be asking! But it's my year of soapmaking that...

I loved my Shadow 1300. I was not pleased when the final drive gears stripped...

Umm. I get along okay on my Yamaha V-Star 1300!

I love the 'peek-a-boo' effect with the salt crystals. Reminds me of those geodes you see at gem shows!

I hope you feel better soon!

So glossy!!

I did a series of honey batches last summer, finally getting to 12% honey to weight of oils (if I recall correctly), meaning to do a series of tests to see if that much honey affected bubbles, etc. but I'm not cut out to be a scientist. I never did the tests and lost interest in the series! It...

I say... make a small batch and see what you think of it! I'll be following along on the experiment with interest! :-) Perhaps make a batch using 250 grams of oils to try it out? Welcome to the forum, @Soapmakerbeginner2343!

Welcome to the forum, Bill. You're right, this place is a wealth of information (and much kindness, too).

No soap stuff today (but I'm keeping my hopes up for Sunday), but it's mostly because I've taken a break from making soap to build myself a dedicated soap station. Yep, I know how lucky I am to have the skills/tools/cash/room* to do this (thank you, former self, for learning basic carpentry!)...

I'm hoping to participate in the forums again, too. I miss it! My wife worked as a typesetter for over a decade, and it shows! Thanks for the kind words.

I finally did it. 13 months after making my first bar, after hiding out from all social media for the last 7 or 8 months, which is why I haven't been on here at all, we finally did it. We went to our first show. I'm there now and I've sold to three different people. I told myself if I sold even...

Yup, I have a bunch of honey bars I have been curing for 6+ months now; time to see how they lather. I'll try to do some tests this weekend; maybe that will break me out of my soap anhedonia mood.

Yes, please!