Containers for Master Batching

[ScentimentallyYours]

What containers do you recommend for master batching oils and lye solution? I was so impressed to read @Vicki C’s work master batching production level quantities. (Wow!) I’m only looking at small scale avocational artisan quantities.

I have been using one a gallon polypropylene jug for MB 50:50 lye. The advantage of the sturdy PP jug is that I can put it in a hot water bath to re-dissolve NaOH crystals that precipitate from solution when basement temps go below 70° F. These are what I use.
https://www.amazon.com/WUWEOT-Resis...B08KZRTV93&psc=1&ref_=pd_basp_m_rpt_ba_s_3_sc

Now I’d like to find containers for MB all hard & soft oils for a recipe in individual batches. The purpose of individual batches is so that if the oils separate, they will still be in the correct proportions when I go to use them. (In a large container they could separate with harder oils at the top and liquid oils below, which would mess up the recipe, unless I melted the entire container and stirred it.)

For a single recipe I need to store about 1250g of oils in each batch, so I’m looking at 1/2 gallon polypropylene containers. I could also look into 1 gallon containers of the same type for double batches. I have ruled out bottles because I cannot scrape them with a spatula to make sure I get all of the oil, even if I warm the bottles first, so I would end up with inaccurate measurements. I found these and think they may work well.
https://www.amazon.com/AKOLAFE-Buck...ucket+lid+polypropylene&qid=1740596260&sr=8-4

Do folks have other recommendations for small scale MB containers? I’m up for repurposing containers if they are something I would use anyway, or ordering them from Amazon or the Webstaurant store. Help, please!

 

[justsomeguy]

What containers do you recommend for master batching oils and lye solution? I was so impressed to read @Vicki C’s work master batching production level quantities. (Wow!) I’m only looking at small scale avocational artisan quantities.

For soap oils, I use round Cambro containers with lids. Quart, half gallon, gallon, 1.5 gallons, 2 gallons, 3 gallons. Bought them from restaurant Depot. They're here at webstaurant

For bath and body stuff I use the square Cambro containers same sizes as soap ones but no quart and an added 5+ gallons.

This was the two don't mix.

They're all dishwasher safe and mostly microwaveable. The 5 gallon ones don't fit. The handles are convenient and they are sturdy.

I use quart and pint deli bowls for the lye waters and oils sometimes for small batches. I use the 3.5oz ketchup things for fragrance oils for small batches.

All with lids.

For the masterbatched lye I'm using a carboy and a bucket. As well as the essential depot lye containers.

For the lye beads I'm using two 5 gallon dry buckets to store the sixteen 2 pound essential lye Depot bottles. With gamma airtight lids.

I though I was a small soaper but now I'm thinking maybe I'm not so small...

 

[dmcgee5034]

For my lye, I only MB a pound at a time, so I use 2 old containers on rotation that held 2 pounds of lye from BB that I saved. I don’t purchase my lye from them anymore, but these containers are thick and sturdy for this and hold just the right amount for ~3 of my ~1000g oils batches.

For my butters/oils/fats MB, I do exactly what you are talking about. I usually make 4 batches worth, so 4050g to account for some loss in process, and then portion it out to batch size. I make my ~4000g MB fats in this container. I use Ziplock containers with a screw top lid for a tight seal. These are great, because they handle the microwave really well for heating the oils over 165 degrees, they stack and store easily, and I can scrape them out well. I hand wash them, but I know they are dishwasher safe. I do 705g in the larger container and 305g in the smaller one. I label them with a MB batch number for tracking and to use my recipe in the c@lculator. For your batch size, @ScentimentallyYours, you could probably fit the difference in the small and large containers because I do have a bit of room left on them, or use 2 large containers.