Comparisons

[Laelu]

Hi Guys *wave*

I am totally new to this & have been spending my weekend searching all the soapmaking websites I can find

I think I am ready to start making a batch!! But I have been looking up recipies with a list of the local (well it is an hour away ) raw products shop & it doesn't appear that they carry all oils etc. My question was... Is there a list anywhere that anyone knows of that shows a comparision of all the oils & their properties along with the list of similar oils?? eg, I wanted to use a recipie that required Soybean oil but I couldn't purchase what would be similar and give the same result.

Thank you so much as I am sure this is the first question of many!!

 

[Martin]

Hi,
I am new too. I found this. I hope this helps.
www.soapnuts.com/indexoils.html

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Yup, I second what Martin suggested, Soapnuts.
When I was learning, I printed it off and between it and soapcalc.com excellent charts, learned oils synergy.

Paul

 

[IanT]

yes i second that....great link!

thanks again for that! I lost it and couldnt find it !!

 

[alliani]

As a fellow newbie I love playing with this soap calculator:

http://www.soapcalc.com/calc/soapcalc.asp

And the chart about half-way down on this page:

http://www.soapcalc.com/soapqualities.asp

I'll fiddle with oils (starting with the SoapNuts link provided earlier) and compare the numbers at the left of the calculator with the suggested range on the little chart and bump them this way and that until it looks good.

~Lori

 

[Laelu]

Thank you guys! will defiately look into fiddling with them when I get home from work

So looking forward to trying my first batch.. just have to decide what!

Any suggestions for something easy to get me started would be so much appreciated!

Thank you!

 

[IanT]

I did a bastille, 75% coconut, 25% olive oil...Id say for the first one keep it to a minimal amount of oils just so you can concentrate on observing the process of soaping and recognizing trace, gel, etc (that is if your going to make cold process)

if your going to make melt and pour, I wouldnt be the best source of advice!

 

[Laelu]

Sorry... me again....

I am totally confused :?

I have decided what I am going to make a Castile with Calendula Flowers.

So the rate I was going for was:-
* 80% Olive Oil (800gm)
* 10% Palm Oil (100gm)
* 10% Coconut Oil (100gm)

I ran it through 2 Lyc Calcs (Soapcalc 9WP & MMS) and got 2 totally different answers :cry: So I tried it twice just incase, and well third time wasn't lucky

Soapcalc 9WP said for water 380gms & Lye 187.72gms BUT MMS said for water 250-375gms and Lye 133.9-129.67gms.

What did I do wrong??

Could someone please be so kind to run it through again and let me know what the correct values are I will love you forever!

Thankyou!!!

 

[7053joanne]

It is not uncommon to get different answers from different calculators. I generally use soapcalc9 but you can try both recipes and see which works better for you. The differences generally arise from the percentages of water used and if you are superfatting the soap (using more fats than the lye can react with...so you have unreacted oils in the final soap). Soapcalc9 uses water at 38% of oils and 5% superfat as a default.

That being said I ran it through soapcalc9 and came up with 380grams water and 133.8 grams lye using water as 38% of the oils and a 5% superfat. Hope this helps!

Good luck!
Joanne

 

[Laelu]

Thank you Joanne

I am going to give it a go on the weekend!! (if I can find out where to purchase the lye!)

I will let you know... there will either be cheers or tears

 

[WilsonFamilyPicnic]

ace hardware has small containers of 100% lye. Great if you are just getting started. when you start making more soap there are some places to order from and get it cheaper in quantity.

 

[7053joanne]

You'll do great. Let us know how you make out!

Joanne