gelling an entire batch

[christellita]

I make 4 pound batches and use a plastic mold that makes 18 bars. The middle of my batch will gel, but it never reaches to the outside. I have been keeping the soap insulated in a warm room and wrapped in a towel. Any thoughts? Even if the outside hasn't gelled, those bars would be ok as well, right? They just look weird with half the bar being gelled and the other half not!

 

[kwahlne]

Have you tried putting the mold in a cooler? I have 4 lb wooden molds and I have wrapped them in towels and placed it in a cooler that you would take to the beach.

 

[cynsofdm]

I've heard of folks putting their wrapped molds in a warm oven that has been preheated to like 200 and then shut off. Maybe a heating pad? Oh another creative one I've heard of is to put them in the back window of a car, but it may still be a bit to cold for that to work.

And yes non gelled bars are fine, I've known people who intentionally keep thier bars from gelling by placing them in a freezer.

 

[christellita]

i'll try that cooler idea-thanks.
I was told that if a soap cools too quickly, it could lead to separation. Wouldn't putting it in the freezer lead to a rapid temperature change?

 

[topcat]

None of my soaps that I have put in the fridge/freezer have separated, so IMHO separation won't happen because of that. Perhaps separation was caused by another factor and the author of the comment decided that the cold was the issue?

Tanya

 

[honor435]

I make 4 pound batches and use a plastic mold that makes 18 bars. The middle of my batch will gel, but it never reaches to the outside. I have been keeping the soap insulated in a warm room and wrapped in a towel. Any thoughts? Even if the outside hasn't gelled, those bars would be ok as well, right? They just look weird with half the bar being gelled and the other half not!

I just did soap in a plastic mold, i wrapped it in towels and put in warm oven(off), we'll see if its gels! I also have put soap in fridge right away, they dont look as pretty, and take longer to cure, but are fine, i just prefer the gel look.

 

[carebear]

I've never hear of rapid cooling of a traced soap causing separation. I've had that problem when using cold lye water and warmer oils (in which case it's actually false trace that's the issue, not the cold causing separation).

If your gel isn't reaching the edges, try insulating better round the sides and under your mold. If that doesn't work then try preheating your mold itself in a preheated 170 oven while you are making the soap - then pour directly into the warm mold.

It's pretty much a trial and error thing.

If worse comes to worse (assuming your mold is oven-ok) you can stick it in a preheated oven AFTER it's all done and cool to try to get the gel to spread farther. it's worked inconsistently.

 

[Etelka]

I put all my soaps in the oven at 60C (140F) for one hour and since doing this I don't have a problem with partial gels or ash. Do you know what kind of plastic it is, reason for asking is my DH is in the plastic industry and I can ask him what temps it can tolerate.
I have never heard of the cold/freezer causing seperation, I've done it with milk soaps and they were just fine
Etelka


**my batches are 7kg (15 pounds) of oils so the length of time may vary according to batch size

 

[christellita]

Etelka,
Unfortunately, I don't know what kind of plastic it is. Here's the link to its description:
http://www.glorybeefoods.com/gbf/Shop_P ... 71.158.241:{ts_2009-03-01_21:28:28}-676600
Thanks for offering to find out for me, though!

 

[Etelka]

Etelka,
Unfortunately, I don't know what kind of plastic it is. Here's the link to its description:
http://www.glorybeefoods.com/gbf/Shop_P ... 71.158.241:{ts_2009-03-01_21:28:28}-676600
Thanks for offering to find out for me, though!

I asked DH and he said it will be ok at 60C(140F), all plastic would be ok at such low temperature, except polyethalane thetrite(sp?) which is like the fruit juice bottles, they are just borderline on around 60+ a few degrees. That mold looks like it holds about 18 bars so maybe 1/2 hour is enough in the oven, and you'll be able to tell that its gelled all the way.
HIH
Etelka

 

[christellita]

great! I'm going to try that tomorrow- Thanks Etelka!

 

[beachgurl]

I just put a heating pad underneath my mold and that pushes gel.