Cheap beginner molds-what are yours?

[Tara_H]

I have never in my life been able to separate things out like that or visualize well. Never did break the board in karate...

We'll we how this knife and miter combo goes.

As long as your knife reaches to the other end of the mitre block you'll probably be fine.

 

[KimW]

I have never in my life been able to separate things out like that or visualize well. Never did break the board in karate...

We'll we how this knife and miter combo goes.

I'm with ya. I admire folks who can do this, but it just doesn't work for me. Hubs and I were getting to where we were tach-ing pretty good on our bike rides and I'd always have some sort of fiasco around sharp turns. Never wiped out, but I know I looked like some sort of mad biker. So, he reminds me once before a sharp curve, "Remember to look beyond and don't think about the curve!". You can guess, right?

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I have never in my life been able to separate things out like that or visualize well. Never did break the board in karate...

It is a "learned skill". Trust me. Cutting soap is a piece of cake compared to breaking the board in karate.

So, he reminds me once before a sharp curve, "Remember to look beyond and don't think about the curve!".

Good advice. But it would have been better said, "Remember to look beyond" and stopped there. If I had thought "Don't think about the lake" that's exactly what I would do and that's exactly where the ball would go! Gotta keep that negative part out of it!

 

[earlene]

I have never in my life been able to separate things out like that or visualize well. Never did break the board in karate...

We'll we how this knife and miter combo goes.

As long as your sharp knife does not have the traditional thicker wedge shape of a meat-cutting knife, rather flat or equal thickness all along the blade, AND it can fit in the slots of the mitre box, you should be fine. I also used a cut-to-width plastic mat to sit the soap on as I moved it forward for each cut.

Perfection is another story. Perfectionism can be a curse, so be kind to yourself.

 

[user 49910]

TANSTAAFL:
There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

Heinlein fan?

Yupper!

 

[PKappy]

As I work in IT, we get a lot of cardboard boxes. As it turns out, the top cover box of the Apple MacBook Pros is very sturdy. Lined with freezer paper works nicely. The capacity is 38.4 x 27 x 2.3 centimeters. This yields 18 bars with some residual remaining unless I add a wedge. I'll add a picture to show sometime tomorrow.

 

[Arimara]

As long as your sharp knife does not have the traditional thicker wedge shape of a meat-cutting knife, rather flat or equal thickness all along the blade, AND it can fit in the slots of the mitre box, you should be fine. I also used a cut-to-width plastic mat to sit the soap on as I moved it forward for each cut.

Perfection is another story. Perfectionism can be a curse, so be kind to yourself.

A good chef's knife with a straight edge should be (is for me) good enough if it fits the mitre box. The downside is keeping the blade sharp.

Also, thank you and @Quilter99755 for the quilting machine answer. the only store I know that would have them is fairly out by the border my borough. I won't go there except for yarn and a trip to the mall across the street.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I got so sentimental after posting my Trivial Pursuit card box mold that I decided to I’m going to use it to make my grocery store challenge soap

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

I've used the Pringles Chip Can's As Of Late... They work Great.

 

[earlene]

I got so sentimental after posting my Trivial Pursuit card box mold that I decided to I’m going to use it to make my grocery store challenge soap

Long ago I tossed out Trivial Pursuit boxes, several in fact. They are always turning up in second hand stores, though. Second hand stores has long been one of my favorite places to look for items that can be adapted for soap molds.

I still use a wooden box intended for index cards or recipes, that I bought at the Goodwill for under $2 or $3 I think (it has been awhile, so I don't really recall what I paid for it.) It is sturdy, never leaks, has a hinged lid and insulates fabulously with the lid closed. I line it with freezer paper. It holds a pound of soap, so 4 bars, a perfect test batch size.

Ah, I just realized I have a pic of it here:

 

[Zany_in_CO]

Second hand stores has long been one of my favorite places to look for items that can be adapted for soap molds.

...And thus our wild imaginations compel us to Thrift Shop scavenging!
Bargain Hunters Anonymous anyone?

 

[Quilter99755]

I still use a wooden box intended for index cards or recipes, that I bought at the Goodwill for under $2 or $3 I think (it has been awhile, so I don't really recall what I paid for it.) It is sturdy, never leaks, has a hinged lid and insulates fabulously with the lid closed. I line it with freezer paper. It holds a pound of soap, so 4 bars, a perfect test batch size.

OMG Seeing your recipe box reminds me that I have one from years ago that has an inset in the top for some kind of hand work. I have been so close to tossing it, but for some reason kept it. Now I'll have a great mold for small batches instead of popping for a silicone one. I'll have to brush up on my lining skills as it has been years since I had to line anything. I love this thread. It has had quite a few "aha" moments for me.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I'll have to brush up on my lining skills as it has been years since I had to line anything.

Same here! I found a good tutorial on YouTube. I practiced a few times first and then found it to be a quick and easy way to do it!

HOW TO LINE A SOAP MOLD

 

[Susie]

Yupper!

I just finished re-reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress for about the 40th time. So, when I saw the name, I automatically filled in de la Paz at the end of it.

 

[user 49910]

I just finished re-reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress for about the 40th time. So, when I saw the name, I automatically filled in de la Paz at the end of it.

I would like to see them make a movie out of it! Charlize Theron would make a great Wyoming Knott!
Al Pacino as Prof. Bernardo, Mark Wahlberg as Manny and John DeLancey as the voice of Mike the Computer.

Did you know that the inspiration for the HAL9000 computer in 2001 A Space Odyssey was from Mike the computer? A little known factoid.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I had a crush on HAL9000 for the longest time after I saw that movie.

 

[user 49910]

I had a crush on HAL9000 for the longest time after I saw that movie.

There is something very deep in your psyche and inner-being which might be just a little frightening... mostly to men I'll bet!

 

[AAShillito]

I just wanted to throw in that these are really decent for the price on amazon and so far they've held up for a month of heavy use

 

[debbism]

For larger capacity slab molds you can always find a good wooden wine box at Total Wine & More for 5 bucks! Port & magnum champagne boxes are quite thick & insulate well.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

wooden wine box

Wood wine boxes with a lid for mailing, 1 single and 1 double. were some of the early "finds" in my soaping journey. Very nice. Easy to line.