chemistry problem

[azceltia]

Hi All .
I am new to the forum but have been making soap for 12+ years.I played with many recipes until I found one that I really liked. I had 10 years of great soapmaking at times it made me some money and other times it has been a self-supporting hobby.
About 2 years ago I started having chemistry problems and I have lost many batches-I threw out my pale of Coconut oil bought new scales , new thermometers.I make my soap with Crisco [38 ozCrisco,24 oz olive oil,24 oz coconut oil, 32 oz distilled water, 12 0z lye]
I plucked up the courage to make a batch this weekend and it looked good but it is just a crumbly spongy mess-I am so depressed as I love making soap but this is so costly. I use the Red Devil 100% lye. My Partner makes Bio Diesel and read somewhere that something has changed in the Red Devil Lye and then I saw a posting here that Crisco has changed and Bingo I had a good batch of soap out of my last can [old formula] and a bad batch this weekend using the newer formula.I guess I should just go to a different recipe and eliminate using Crisco and order my lye online-Any comments? I have been a successful lone soapmaker all these years but it is soooo great that these forums exsist. I am baffled

 

[Chay]

Welcome to forum, we're glad to have you.
Things have indeed changed in the past few years. I would recommend updating your ingredients. There is a lot of great info on this site and the folks here are friendly and always ready to answer questions and make suggestions.
Best of Luck!

 

[digit]

I am certainly no expert, but I would try fresh lye. If you have a Lowes Center near you, they sell Roebic 100% lye crystals. (Yes, I checked the MSDS) It's around $7.50 for a 2# container.

I have also heard that Crisco changed it's formulation in the last few years. SoapCalc lists the SAP for NaOH to be 0.137. Maybe different from what you have been using?

Hope this may have helped.

Digit

 

[Barb]

crisco ( use a store brand, a little cheaper but soybean and cottonseed)

crisco if you are using the regular ( blue with a green flag) label :The new formula of Crisco uses less partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils and more fully hydrogenated cottonseed oil — which contains no trans fat.

my other question is where are you finding red devil lye, it was my understanding that they no longer sold it stores due to the meth makers having access to it. you can get lye on online and some soaper use a brand that they have found at lowe's. and if it is red devil it might be really old and that might be your problem. we haven't seen it on shelves here for over 2 years now, if not longer.



edited because i really need a coffee before the thought process kicks in.

 

[happyday]

I can still get lye off the shelf at Ace Hardware. It's not Red Devil, but it's a 1-lb jar and says 100% lye on the front. Tucked away in the bathroom fixture and drain cleaner aisle.

 

[dragonfly princess]

Hey Barb, I get my lye at Ace or Aco here in MI. If you are near a Menards, they have it too

 

[chlobue]

Soap gods & godess' don't be mad at me. I live in rural virginia and I get 1# lye for $3.49 plus tax. I know it sounds like I'm full of myself but I love living in the "boondocks". You can take your fancy smancy restaurants, I'll just make soap.

 

[IanT]

hey az- how is your friend making the biodiesal??

with methane?? you know you can use the glycerin bi-product in stuff after you puirify it?!?!

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I'm lucky and buy 100 pounds of sodium hydroxide at a time from a chemical supplier here in Springfield. I give them a few bars of soap and I pay a whole lot less than 7 to 8 dollars for 2 pounds. :shock: I'm thinking about selling it at my Etsy site in 2 pound containers so as to avoid Hazmat fees.
May take some to TN Soap Gathering too.

Paul

 

[Barb]

man i must really live in the pickers. can't find much of anything here. i have to travel at least 50 + miles in all three directions to find a sam's club, target, joann's, hobby lobby or even a menards.

so i order mine in 50 lb bags from darlene the "lye lady", she delivers to my door. so for that i am grateful. my last bag was 45.00 delivered. :wink:

 

[Soapmaker Man]

man i must really live in the pickers. can't find much of anything here. i have to travel at least 50 + miles in all three directions to find a sam's club, target, joann's, hobby lobby or even a menards.

so i order mine in 50 lb bags from darlene the "lye lady", she delivers to my door. so for that i am grateful. my last bag was 45.00 delivered. :wink:

That is about what I pay for lye too, Barb. I buy it in 50 pound plastic bags, usually 2 to 3 at a time.

Paul

 

[Missjulesdid]

I gladly pay more to have the convenience of two pound containers. It just seems a little safer and easier than dealing with a huge bucket o' lye. for me it's not even about the hasmat fees, it's just that I like having the smaller handy containers. I ordered 32 two pound containers of sodium and potassium hydroxide online.

 

[azceltia]

Thanks everyone for your replies.I guess I really do need to go back to the drawing board.I feel better that I now Know that my problems are probably due to the ingredient changes-I thought I was going crazy!
I now HAVE to make soap again as I have replaced so much of my equipment.
To answer the guy asking about the biodiesel- it is made with methenol,lye and veggie oil and from what I have read it is impossible to get rid of the bad smell in the glycerin to make it usable for anything. The smell is way sweeter than gasoline or diesel from the cars exhaust but I don't think that smell would catch on as a soap fragrance!
Thanks again everyone I look forward to making a good batch again once I figure out a new recipe
Blessings
azcelt

 

[IanT]

aha! that is something I didnt think of!-- the smell!

:shock: