April SMF Soap Challenge, Hanger Swirl Petra Style

[LisaAnne]

I don't think I'd trust it in a low water batch either, but generally very nice to work with.[/QUOTE]

What water amount did you use? That is what I'm trying to figure out right now. Have everything ready to go, except water percentage. My last attempt was such a failure I'm trying to micro manage every single step.

 

[dibbles]

I don't think I'd trust it in a low water batch either, but generally very nice to work with.

What water amount did you use? That is what I'm trying to figure out right now. Have everything ready to go, except water percentage. My last attempt was such a failure I'm trying to micro manage every single step.[/QUOTE]

I used a 33% lye concentration.

 

[LisaAnne]

Thanks, that's what I've been using for normal recipes. I appreciate it.

 

[kchaystack]

So attempt 2 is cut.

This time I used an actual hanger, and I think it was too thin. You can see where it hit the color bands, and passed back thru them, but it just didn't move them enough.

The batter was not thick at all, so I think I'll try again this weekend and go back to my gear tie.

 

[dibbles]

Good to know kchaystack. Thanks for sharing.

 

[dibbles]

OK, so try #2 is disappointing. Again, not enough batter in the bottom, and my colors didn't reach the other side. Won't be able to try again until at least Sunday, but try again I will. I so want to get this right. And I love the look of hanger swirls, so I don't even care if the soap starts to pile up.

 

[Navaria]

Can someone trouble shoot this one for me please? I think I had my batter too thin. I KNOW I didn't leave enough base for the top. Is it a batter issue or a hanger issue?

 

[Navaria]

So attempt 2 is cut.

This time I used an actual hanger, and I think it was too thin. You can see where it hit the color bands, and passed back thru them, but it just didn't move them enough.

The batter was not thick at all, so I think I'll try again this weekend and go back to my gear tie.

May I ask what a gear tie is? I've never heard of that before.

 

[dibbles]

I don't know that your batter was too thin. It looks like your colors stayed separated and the white pour over them didn't break through. What were you using as a hanger?

 

[newbie]

Without being able to see your technique on a video, to me it looks like the batter was too thick. It should be thin enough to flow over the top of the soap and easily get stretched out, so to speak, by the soap you pour as the next layer. I see the colors but they are bundled up in blocks versus stretched out in layers. Does that make sense? If the batter was a bit thick, a wire hanger will do just what you see, cut through the colors without carrying them along.

Can you describe the trace of the batter when you poured? THin like water, like heavy cream, like thin pudding etc.. or could it hold it's shape at all? For this technique, if you were to pour a little in the bottom of the mold, it should spread out in a thin sheet. If it would mound up a little and not spread, that's too thick.

THese are gear ties. They are rubber coated wires that people use to bundle heavy things together. YOu can buy them at hardware stores and on Amazon and other places that carry that type of equipment.

 

[dibbles]

May I ask what a gear tie is? I've never heard of that before.

These thingies http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EYC1VA8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

You can get them places like Home Depot or Lowe's. I was having trouble finding a thin one, but I'm now not so sure thin is the answer.

 

[kchaystack]

May I ask what a gear tie is? I've never heard of that before.

It is a plastic covered piece of bendable metal. They are pretty cheap, you can find them in hardware stores or auto sections of big box stores.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MMEHRO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[newbie]

Here is one that I botched the technique on. I did a two horizontal pulls because my first one was too high. The batter has to be thin enough to flow across and it should be thin enough that you can get skinny lines. This batter was not quite at trace and was thinner than castor oil, it was maybe like whole milk to start. It had a little body to it and wasn't like water or oil. By the the time I was done pouring, it was at light trace. I used a regular wire hanger, so it can move the soap if the soap is thin enough.

 

[Navaria]

These thingies http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EYC1VA8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

You can get them places like Home Depot or Lowe's. I was having trouble finding a thin one, but I'm now not so sure thin is the answer.

Oh!! Those look like the answer to a prayer!!

 

[Navaria]

Here is one that I botched the technique on.

That's botched?? Honey, that's beautiful! Have you seen my attempts? Please! Yours is Miss America next to my frumpy nerd in the back of the class hiding behind her books lmao

 

[kchaystack]

That does not look like a fail to me.

 

[newbie]

I like the soap, don't get me wrong! It's botched because it doesn't follow the rules. You can't do two horizontal pulls, only one. This soap would be disqualified because the swirl is very specific.

 

[dibbles]

I like the soap, don't get me wrong! It's botched because it doesn't follow the rules. You can't do two horizontal pulls, only one. This soap would be disqualified because the swirl is very specific.

First, that soap is just plain gorgeous! But I get what you mean by botched. Too bad you had to do a second pull.

 

[Navaria]

Still too thick? Oh my! It was thinner than the first attempt lol. It did thicken up as I went. Maybe thin pudding by the time I got done with the stripes. I used an actual plastic coated hanger for the swirl. Guess I have a 3rd try in my future lol. Thinner batter and I have bf looking for gear ties at the store. Hopefully our wally world carries them or I'll have to order some and play the waiting game. Thank you so much for your help with this!

 

[Navaria]

I was so floored by looking at your soap that it didn't even register that it wasn't at trace at all when you started pouring until I read it a second time. Mine was definitely thicker than that. I've never worked with batter that thin before. I may be in over my head here. Oy. Oh well, it's just soap. There's always rebatching if I screw it up too much lol