Finally finished my DIY HDPE soap mold and a 20+ bar wire cutter!

[hungryhawaiian]

My goal was to complete both of these as well as a batch or two of soap this weekend but due to numerous setbacks I was only able to complete the HDPE mold and mostly finish the cutter (still needs a raised soap platform with cuts for the wires). All said and done, I’m pleased with the outcome.

The cutter took me from Friday evening to Sunday evening to finish and was a pain in the rear every step of the way. I learned a lot and will most likely modify it later to be more sturdy, but for now it’ll do. Should be able to cut about 22 bars at 1”.

The HDPE mold took me no more than an hour to prep, cut and assemble. I still have enough leftover pieces to make a couple more of various sizes or one more the same size. Dimension of the mold should give me about 23 x 1” x 2” x 3” bars.

 

[Dawni]

Wow looks like you're all set to make a lot of soap!

They both look great

I wish I was great with using my hands.. With wood.. The type you get from trees.

OK I'm gonna shut up now LOL

 

[hungryhawaiian]

Wow looks like you're all set to make a lot of soap!

They both look great

I wish I was great with using my hands.. With wood.. The type you get from trees.

OK I'm gonna shut up now LOL

Hey now! [emoji28]

 

[shunt2011]

They turned out great! Good Job.

 

[lsg]

Great Work!

 

[Deadgroovy]

Looks very professional, well done!
I've just made myself a soap log splitter, copied one from etsy. Made it to cut a 280cm x 160cm log int two 280cm x 80cm loaves. Haven't tried it yet. I'm an electrician and me and wood aren't a good partnership, but it looks ok.

 

[dibbles]

They look great - nice job!

 

[soapmaker]

Your mold looks exactly like my wooden molds with formica (arborite) on the inside. Mine hold 28 x 1" bars. Just as a matter of interest the link below is my hdpe molds. I have two and only need one. They work great.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/new-hdpe-divider-mold.72516/

 

[HowieRoll]

Your craftsmanship is fantastic - nicely done!

A couple questions for you: 1) were you able to find HDPE locally (like at a hardware store?), and did it come in one big sheet that you cut down to size?, and 2) do you have to line the HDPE mold?

Ok, that was 3 questions!

 

[soapmaker]

Not sure if this is directed to me or @hungry hawaiian. I do not line my divider mold. It releases easy. Not sure how his log mold would work.
I am in Canada and yes we found HDPE locally in a 4 x 8 sheet.

 

[HowieRoll]

Hi soapmaker, sorry for the confusion! I was actually asking hungryhawaiian, but appreciate your input, as well. I have also admired your slab mold! So intricate with functionality and you really left no detail out.

 

[soapmaker]

I really like it, but remember if you are making, HDPE is heavy.

 

[SYT]

You mold looks professional and your cutter is sweet! Ditto what Dawni said.

 

[Clarice]

@hungryhawaiian - you are putting us (me) to shame!

@soapmaker - did you find HDPE sheets at a hardware store, or a specialty store

Thanks to both!

 

[hungryhawaiian]

Your craftsmanship is fantastic - nicely done!

A couple questions for you: 1) were you able to find HDPE locally (like at a hardware store?), and did it come in one big sheet that you cut down to size?, and 2) do you have to line the HDPE mold?

Ok, that was 3 questions!

There is a local supplier but I’m never able to catch them when they’re open, so I purchased mine on amazon. I purchased two sheets, one at 1/2” and one at 1/4”, and both at 12” x 24”. All cuts, grooves included, I did with a table saw.

As for lining HDPE, no. HDPE is a super non stick surface in itself so there’s no need.



Both of you, so naughty! [emoji28][emoji28]

@hungryhawaiian - you are putting us (me) to shame!

@soapmaker - did you find HDPE sheets at a hardware store, or a specialty store

Thanks to both!

I’m sorry! If it’s any consolation, that soap cutter was the bane of my existence for the past few days! Heck, it still is! [emoji23][emoji23]

Your mold looks exactly like my wooden molds with formica (arborite) on the inside. Mine hold 28 x 1" bars. Just as a matter of interest the link below is my hdpe molds. I have two and only need one. They work great.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/new-hdpe-divider-mold.72516/

Those look great! I was debating on making one similar but I went with the loaf shape partly because of my OCD and I wanted to do designs in the top of the soap bar as well as the inside.

Next build will probably be that style.

 

[shunt2011]

@hungryhawaiian Don't be so sure soap won't stick. I had a mold like that and couldn't get the soap out without a fight. I sold it after about 1 month. The only soap that came out without an issue was salt soap. I still have a slab mold but line it before using it. I've tried cooking spray, mineral oil and even silicone spray. Hope you have better luck than I had. Some people love them, not me. You did a great job though.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

you did an amazing job!!! your cutter puts my to shame how did you string it? what does the back side look like?

 

[Deadgroovy]

@hungryhawaiian
What wire did you use? Was it cheese wire?

 

[hungryhawaiian]

you did an amazing job!!! your cutter puts my to shame how did you string it? what does the back side look like?

I just used the guitar string stopper as it’s own stopper. I’m going to redo it with stronger wood, at that time I’ll also add washers. Some guitar stoppers broke and I used a washer as a stopper too. Next build will be better! lol

@hungryhawaiian
What wire did you use? Was it cheese wire?

I used guitar strings, first E String. Made the mistake of using lightweight. When I redo this, I’ll switch to medium or hard.

 

[hungryhawaiian]

@hungryhawaiian Don't be so sure soap won't stick. I had a mold like that and couldn't get the soap out without a fight. I sold it after about 1 month. The only soap that came out without an issue was salt soap. I still have a slab mold but line it before using it. I've tried cooking spray, mineral oil and even silicone spray. Hope you have better luck than I had. Some people love them, not me. You did a great job though.

Yeah I’ve heard different outcomes with HDPE. It almost sounds like in your case, if salt soap had no issues, it just needed to sit longer before unmolding?

I work with HDPE on other things than soap as well and have never had issues that weren’t user error. This will be my first for soap and I hope to make a batch in it tonight. Wish me luck! lol