Add a layer after a day?

[Christa10]

Sigh. I bought the BB 18 bar soap mold liner, which said it held 96 ounces of soap. So, dummy me, I didn't question that. I made my batch recipe that totaled just under 96 ounces, and - guess what - it only filled the mold about 2/3 full! I thought I did something wrong, but then finally did the math and it turns out it will hold about 117 ounces, so now I know where I went wrong. However, I did this yesterday afternoon (Saturday). So - ignorance question - can I add a layer of about 20 more ounces of soap today or will it just break if I do that and separate into two bars where they join?

 

[Marsi]

It should be fresh enough to stick, especially if the top layer of soap gels.

Wiping down the lower layer with a little distilled water, and letting it soften for a few minutes before the second pour, can help meld the layers together.

If you are worried, gently oven heat the soap after your second pour to "weld" the two layers ("welding" soap is used to join two fully saponified soaps together, so for your batch it is more about forcing gel on the upper layer and softening the lower layer to assist the join).
(Don't let the soap overheat. The join nearly alway gets a "river" line for me doing this, but I like the look. Cool it quickly if you want to reduce "glycerin rivers".)

 

[TheGecko]

Sigh. I bought the BB 18 bar soap mold liner, which said it held 96 ounces of soap. So, dummy me, I didn't question that. I made my batch recipe that totaled just under 96 ounces, and - guess what - it only filled the mold about 2/3 full! I thought I did something wrong, but then finally did the math and it turns out it will hold about 117 ounces, so now I know where I went wrong. However, I did this yesterday afternoon (Saturday). So - ignorance question - can I add a layer of about 20 more ounces of soap today or will it just break if I do that and separate into two bars where they join?

When working with a new mold, I tare the mold and then fill it with water to the desired depth and then multiply by 0.92 which is about the average weight of oils/butters in comparison to water. I then make the soap and then look at how much I am over/short and make the soap again and they write it on the mold in a Sharpie.

In addition to what @Marsi said, you can also score the top layer of soap.

 

[AliOop]

Sigh. I bought the BB 18 bar soap mold liner, which said it held 96 ounces of soap. So, dummy me, I didn't question that. I made my batch recipe that totaled just under 96 ounces, and - guess what - it only filled the mold about 2/3 full! I thought I did something wrong, but then finally did the math and it turns out it will hold about 117 ounces, so now I know where I went wrong. However, I did this yesterday afternoon (Saturday). So - ignorance question - can I add a layer of about 20 more ounces of soap today or will it just break if I do that and separate into two bars where they join?

Often the capacity listed for molds is the estimated oils weight, not total batch weight.

 

[Christa10]

Often the capacity listed for molds is the estimated oils weight, not total batch weight.

Thanks. Now I know and will calculate myself from now on!

 

[Christa10]

It should be fresh enough to stick, especially if the top layer of soap gels.

Wiping down the lower layer with a little distilled water, and letting it soften for a few minutes before the second pour, can help meld the layers together.

If you are worried, gently oven heat the soap after your second pour to "weld" the two layers ("welding" soap is used to join two fully saponified soaps together, so for your batch it is more about forcing gel on the upper layer and softening the lower layer to assist the join).
(Don't let the soap overheat. The join nearly alway gets a "river" line for me doing this, but I like the look. Cool it quickly if you want to reduce "glycerin rivers".)

Thanks. I feel more like it is a possibility now! I'll do it today.

 

[Christa10]

When working with a new mold, I tare the mold and then fill it with water to the desired depth and then multiply by 0.92 which is about the average weight of oils/butters in comparison to water. I then make the soap and then look at how much I am over/short and make the soap again and they write it on the mold in a Sharpie.

In addition to what @Marsi said, you can also score the top layer of soap.

Thanks so much. I'm going to do all of the above and hope for the best.

 

[user 56151]

To work out the volume of your mould using millimetres multiply the length x width x depth. This will give you the total volume in grams. To work out the weight of oils required divide the total volume by .7

 

[Christa10]

To work out the volume of your mould using millimetres multiply the length x width x depth. This will give you the total volume in grams. To work out the weight of oils required divide the total volume by .7

Thanks. I didn't double check the math when the description read "Capacity: up to 6 lbs." I didn't question it, and should have done the math myself to double check, so now I know!

 

[Sandiebrown65]

To work out the volume of your mould using millimetres multiply the length x width x depth. This will give you the total volume in grams. To work out the weight of oils required divide the total volume by .7

I am thinking you should be using centimetres not millimetres.
1g of water = 1cm3 which is 1ml of water. You should then multiply that by around 0.95 to get 95% which is around the difference between the weight of water to the weight of the soap batch (Oil and additives make the soap slightly heavier than just plain water so you need less weight to equal the same volume).

For example, I have a mould that is 30cm x 7cm x 10cm. This holds around 2kg of soap in total. This works when I multiply using centimetres - 30 x 7 x 10 = 2100g or 2.1kg. I then multiply that by 0.92 (92%) for my soap which gives me 1.93kg or 1932g of soap batch total. The percentage you use is dependent on the amount of water used in your recipe. For my recipe using 92% works pretty well.

If I multiplied it by millimetres and divide by 0.7 I get the following - 300mm x 70mm x 100mm = 2,100,000g of soap. And to divide by less than 1 will increase the volume. So if I divide by 0.7 I get 3,000,000g of soap.

Please anyone jump in here if I am wrong here? Math is not one of my strengths!

 

[user 56151]

I am thinking you should be using centimetres not millimetres.
1g of water = 1cm3 which is 1ml of water. You should then multiply that by around 0.95 to get 95% which is around the difference between the weight of water to the weight of the soap batch (Oil and additives make the soap slightly heavier than just plain water so you need less weight to equal the same volume).

For example, I have a mould that is 30cm x 7cm x 10cm. This holds around 2kg of soap in total. This works when I multiply using centimetres - 30 x 7 x 10 = 2100g or 2.1kg. I then multiply that by 0.92 (92%) for my soap which gives me 1.93kg or 1932g of soap batch total. The percentage you use is dependent on the amount of water used in your recipe. For my recipe using 92% works pretty well.

If I multiplied it by millimetres and divide by 0.7 I get the following - 300mm x 70mm x 100mm = 2,100,000g of soap. And to divide by less than 1 will increase the volume. So if I divide by 0.7 I get 3,000,000g of soap.

Please anyone jump in here if I am wrong here? Math is not one of my strengths!

I should have said multiply by .7 sorry. As far as using millimeters instead of centimetres there’s no difference you just have to move the decimal point to get centimetres. I measure in millimeters because it’s more accurate. As far as the .7 goes this is just an estimation of the percentage of Oils, it’s just an average figure, easily adjusted if you use less or more oils. Sorry I really have no idea why I said divide, my head was somewhere else.

 

[Sandiebrown65]

As far as using millimeters instead of centimetres there’s no difference you just have to move the decimal point to get centimetres

There is a very big difference between using millimetres vs centimetres when you start multiplying for volume. If you use millimetres then you will end up with an answer in milligrams and would need to add an extra step in there to get the final answer down to grams (or cc's) - you would need to divide by 1000 to get grams (or 1,000,000 if you want kilos).
I am just pointing this out because there are many users here who aren't experienced with the metric system and it would be very confusing for them to get an answer in milligrams rather than grams.

 

[user 56151]

There is a very big difference between using millimetres vs centimetres when you start multiplying for volume. If you use millimetres then you will end up with an answer in milligrams and would need to add an extra step in there to get the final answer down to grams (or cc's) - you would need to divide by 1000 to get grams (or 1,000,000 if you want kilos).
I am just pointing this out because there are many users here who aren't experienced with the metric system and it would be very confusing for them to get an answer in milligrams rather than grams.

That’s what I said, you just need to move the decimal point. I measure everything in milligrams. OK then measure in centimetres you still end up with the same number. I’m sure everyone is capable of moving the decimal point. I’m not arguing with you, I don’t care how you measure yours that’s how I measure mine.

 

[Sandiebrown65]

I don’t care how you measure yours that’s how I measure mine.

Wow, I am really sorry if I came across as argumentative. I was totally not trying to be. I was just trying to clarify measurement units with those unfamiliar with the metric system.
I spent my life working in science and it is 40 years of measurement protocol and nomenclature hammered into me that I felt it was important to point out.
Again, I am really sorry if I have offended you.

 

[user 56151]

Wow, I am really sorry if I came across as argumentative. I was totally not trying to be. I was just trying to clarify measurement units with those unfamiliar with the metric system.
I spent my life working in science and it is 40 years of measurement protocol and nomenclature hammered into me that I felt it was important to point out.
Again, I am really sorry if I have offended you.

I’m sorry too I shouldn’t have got so offended. I think we should shake hands and just agree to disagree xx

 

[Marsi]

using millimetres multiply the length x width x depth. This will give you the total volume in grams.

*milligrams

I also measure in millimetres
My favourite mould pours at 100ml per mm (1cm to the litre )

 

[Christa10]

I am thinking you should be using centimetres not millimetres.
1g of water = 1cm3 which is 1ml of water. You should then multiply that by around 0.95 to get 95% which is around the difference between the weight of water to the weight of the soap batch (Oil and additives make the soap slightly heavier than just plain water so you need less weight to equal the same volume).

For example, I have a mould that is 30cm x 7cm x 10cm. This holds around 2kg of soap in total. This works when I multiply using centimetres - 30 x 7 x 10 = 2100g or 2.1kg. I then multiply that by 0.92 (92%) for my soap which gives me 1.93kg or 1932g of soap batch total. The percentage you use is dependent on the amount of water used in your recipe. For my recipe using 92% works pretty well.

If I multiplied it by millimetres and divide by 0.7 I get the following - 300mm x 70mm x 100mm = 2,100,000g of soap. And to divide by less than 1 will increase the volume. So if I divide by 0.7 I get 3,000,000g of soap.

Please anyone jump in here if I am wrong here? Math is not one of my strengths!

I actually know how to find the volume of a vessel, but that wasn't the problem. The problem was that I saw the stated capacity, which was incorrect. From now on I'm not going to multiply by anything. I'll find the volume and then if there's extra batter, I'll simply put that in some smaller molds and have guest soaps! But thanks for trying to help.

 

[Christa10]

*milligrams

I also measure in millimetres
My favourite mould pours at 100ml per mm (1cm to the litre )

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[Christa10]

I added a layer and it still needed something so I made the top layer kind of a confetti layer. The bottom was an attempt at a drop swirl, but I think I dropped it too much. Next time I'll do better. It's ok, but not what I envisioned.

 

[Catscankim]

I work in layers all the time. I cpop the first layer then come back the next day (or more) to do the next layer, especially if I am going for REALLY straight layers. It will be fine. Hope you get your volume figured out for the future.