Gah, it's killing me!

[melstan775]

I ran out of lye some time ago. At least almost two weeks. I am getting a small order from BB tomorrow containing just one scent, lye, and some colorants. In my excitement of knowing it's going to be here I thought, "Oh I will go measure my oils and mix the lyewater that way when I get home from work tomorrow I can get right to the fun part!" Two seconds later - "Oh wait, the lye is in the order." Poor Melissa.

 

[misskat22]

Gah, that would suck! I'm lucky that I can get lye at the local hardware store and the only jug I could get was 3kg so I should be good for a while! Have fun soaping tomorrow when your box comes!

 

[AngelMomma]

Make some ICE quick!!! Then you can mix and chill your lye solution right down. I do that when I get impatient.......often

 

[RocknRoll]

I ran out of lye some time ago. At least almost two weeks. I am getting a small order from BB tomorrow containing just one scent, lye, and some colorants. In my excitement of knowing it's going to be here I thought, "Oh I will go measure my oils and mix the lyewater that way when I get home from work tomorrow I can get right to the fun part!" Two seconds later - "Oh wait, the lye is in the order." Poor Melissa.

poor you!! Im getting lye tomorrow too. There is a place called Zenith supplies in Seattle and they sell 50# bags of lye for $75.oo shipping kills the good price though so Im gonna kill two birds with one stone, after my mri, im gonna head down there and pick up a pail. That should last me FOREVER lol! Cant wait to see your latest creation! If its any consolation, i have 4 logs of soap just waiting to be cut for over a week now. Ordered a 1" wire soap log cutter from SMR 4 days ago and it hasnt even shipped yet. Talk about testing my patience!!!!

 

[RocknRoll]

so while on the subject of lye.... im getting "food grade" lye, does anyone use the other kind and is there a difference?

 

[ruby61]

That stinks! Yeas i have put lye solution in the freezer, try using some ice in leau of water. It might cut down onyour wait time.

 

[Shannon_m]

Ace hardware in Sparks carries lye... for future reference if you're in town and in need of lye.

 

[melstan775]

Thanks everyone for your amazing support! Ice bath it will probably be, lol. Tonight I am just going to measure the oils and line my mold. That's still some work toward the product.

RR - The other kind of lye I know of is tech grade. That means the machine that runs the lye might also be used to process other chemicals, so it's purity is slightly less. I don't think it matters much in soapmaking, but I have seen a lot of comments that people prefer the food grade just because it's cleaner - you don't know what other chemicals might have been run on the machine. PS - you'll have enough lye to make pretzels and face cream if you want. Yes, face cream. I bought a moisturize from Wal-Greens today and it had sodium hydroxide way donw on the list!

Shannon, do you know how much the lye is and how much it weighs? I looked online and it said $50.00 for two pounds! The Lowe's in Fernley has a two pounder for $15.00

 

[Shannon_m]

I want to say it was $4 or $5 for 1 lb but my husband gets these coupons all the time from Ace (we frequent there a lot!) and so I ended up getting 2 lbs for $5 and change. I just needed something to tide me over until I got my order in from Essential Depot via Amazon.

 

[SoapPapaw]

ED has 32 lbs of lye for $33.

 

[AngelMomma]

so while on the subject of lye.... im getting "food grade" lye, does anyone use the other kind and is there a difference?

I used to get Lye at Lowe's here. But we found a chemical supplier that has 50lb bags for.....I think my hubby paid almost $50.00 and it is the food grade kind. We have not noticed any difference between the two.

BUT we probably wouldn't notice it unless we did a side/side experiment to compare.

 

[melstan775]

ED has amazing deals on lye, but then the shipping is more then the product because it's coming cross country. I don't know why my soapmaking friends who live in Washoe county get shipping so much cheaper. Anything coming from the south or east - whether it comes from Florida, Utah, Southern California, anywhere has to come though here first. Someone ( I think it was Genny or Hazel) suggested I call to double check shipping rates, so I think I will do that. It's ridculous I have to pay so much more for shipping living in a rural area when I live right off the 3 major highways that serve this area. I only live half an hour from sparks, jeez.

 

[melstan775]

I used to get Lye at Lowe's here. But we found a chemical supplier that has 50lb bags for.....I think my hubby paid almost $50.00 and it is the food grade kind. We have not noticed any difference between the two.

BUT we probably wouldn't notice it unless we did a side/side experiment to compare.

Who is the chemical supplier?

Also I heard Boyer Corperation, I will try them, but I really have no want or need to keep 50 pounds of lye at a time.

 

[marghewitt]

I buy 32 pounds of food grade from ED whenever I get down to about 6 to 8 pounds. They have good sales and shipping sales so I wait for them.

 

[AngelMomma]

Its a local place called American Chemical. They supply local companies with bulk cleaning supplies etc. I don't think its like a chain place or anything like that. But I am sure there are similar types of suppliers out there. I mean people have to get their large quantities of supplies from SOMEWHERE. And I doubt most of them are paying large shipping bills. We did a lot of 'chasing down' of leads to figure this out. Once we did the guy says that he supplies plenty of soapers around here. "They come in and get their once a year bag of lye"

 

[2lilboots]

I buy 32 pounds of food grade from ED whenever I get down to about 6 to 8 pounds. They have good sales and shipping sales so I wait for them.

That is what I do. At least I always know I have lye for making soap.

 

[AngelMomma]

That is what I do. At least I always know I have lye for making soap.

Thats why I would rather purchase the large amount, so I dont' run out, and have to run around town trying to find some. Even if I still bought small amounts I think I would keep enough for that last batch around. Because after all, what if there was a soap making emergency??!! Like an idea that needed to be put into existence immediately?!

 

[Marilyna]

so while on the subject of lye.... im getting "food grade" lye, does anyone use the other kind and is there a difference?

I've bought the 50# bags of technical grade lye. It is different. It was rather large flakes, so it had to be stirred a bit longer than the food grade. Occasionally, I would find a "floater" of something small. I would just take it out with a spoon. Soaps just great, though. No difference in the soap.

One advantage of it was that the flakes were much heavier, so you didn't have that static electricity thing where the little beads stick to the container.

 

[jcandleattic]

ED has amazing deals on lye, but then the shipping is more then the product because it's coming cross country.

I usually can get free shipping on the 32# deal at ED.
of course I haven't had to order from them in the last 4-5 months, so maybe the don't offer that deal anymore? IDK
Of course I usually always call and talk to the owner about ordering too, and that may be why. I love his accent.

 

[jcandleattic]

so while on the subject of lye.... im getting "food grade" lye, does anyone use the other kind and is there a difference?

I've gotten both and used both and to me besides that look of it, they perform in soap exactly the same. That was my experience anyway...