Thanks everyone for the insights and info....off to make soap.
Bigger masterbatch idea..will it fly?
- Thread starter Rick Jarvis
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@Rick Jarvis You probably don’t need any more information now that so many have replied but this is where I got my master batch information from. Gr8 video!
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You could try it and then make up some test batches and see if there is an issue.
Of course, masterbatching will fly, especially if you use only one recipe. I could not really masterbatch my oils other than in individual buckets for batches because I had 2 main recipes, a vegan and non-vegan that I used. Also, I would tweak my main recipe soft oils depending on what I purchased in bulk when I did my oil runs. My trick was my stock was kept up to date so I would only have to make 4-5 batches a week to restock even when I was doing 4-5 markets per week, but I also carried a min of 40 different scents so I always had a wide choice of soaps to sell, so I did not have to crash and burn making soap. I just liked to pick up a bucket that was ready to go just having to add in my lye, liquid, and any additives I wanted to add to the particular batch. I just never found it any easier to measure out oils in one 5 gallon pail as in individual 1-2 gallon pails, but that is me. Plus I do not have to worry about my bucket of oils solidifying, but if they do my pails fit in the micro.
As for adding SL to your masterbatched lye I do not think I would, but I really do not know. I soap with vinegar and I will mention you cannot masterbatch lye with vinegar.
I am a little late to the party with this post but I started it a few days ago but had a Gecko emergency.
As for adding SL to your masterbatched lye I do not think I would, but I really do not know. I soap with vinegar and I will mention you cannot masterbatch lye with vinegar.
I am a little late to the party with this post but I started it a few days ago but had a Gecko emergency.
I have two recipes, one for Regular Soap and one for Goat Milk Soap and I MB both in 5-gallon buckets.
I don't know about 'easier' since when I make up my 40lbs I do it 10lbs at a time. If I had more space, I could use smaller buckets.
So I know this isn't my post, but I have a related question. When you masterbatch oils do they separate when left in the container? If so, do you just melt the whole batch and then weigh out the amount you need?
No, they don’t separate or solidify. I keep my 5-gallon bucket in the kitchen. When it’s warn, it’s the consistency of pancake batter, cooler it’s more like waffle batter and when it gets cold, more like cornbread batter. I use a commercial paint stirrer attached to a cordless drill when I get ready to soap and give it a good stir making sure I go up and down, all around the bottom and edges. You want to me sure to mix, not blend as you don’t want a lot of air as it can throw your weights off.
After I weigh out what I need, I just pop it into the microwave for about 20 - 20 seconds per pound.
jcandleattic
Well-Known Member
It's going to depend on your recipe, but if your recipe is solid at room temp, or slushy, when making the MB just stir every 10-15 minutes until you can't anymore, and that will alleviate that.
That will depend on the recipe. In the winter my oils are just past the slushy stage and the stearic from the oils I use is suspended and not a problem because I keep stirring to that stage, however in the summer when my recipe is completely liquid I can see that the stearic has sank to the bottom so before weighing out, I just give it a good stir and have never had a problem.
??? How would this throw the weights off? How much does air weigh? Wouldn't it just throw the volume off and not the weight. I've never heard of such a thing, and I've never had a problem with my weights if I get a little stir crazy and incorporate air....
The issue with stearic sinking is not the same as having your oils separate into different layers like oil and water...which is what I presumed the OP was talking about. I admit that my experience, living in the Pacific Northwest in the central Willamette Valley, may not be the same as someone whose batter could be exposed to much colder temps and has a higher amount of Hard Oils than I do (60%), but I haven't had my batter either separate when it's 90F (when the A/C went out) or completely solidify when it dropped down to the 40sF (hubby turns off the heat at night).
In my defense, I was pretty tired last night. I was going to erase it because the small part of my brain that was still awake was telling me that it was stupid and it wouldn't matter how much air you incorporate because you're going to be tossing it in the microwave and melting it, but the rest of said brain was already thinking about how soft my pillow was. LOL Thanks for correcting me.
