Gelling in the oven?

[MrsFusion]

So today, I am trying to get my soaps to gel in the oven. I have one in a wooden mold and one in the WSP green mold. I have the oven on 170..how long does it usually take to gel?

Another question...it your soap rices when you add the FO, is it still okay to use? (it was Absinthe).

 

[judymoody]

Keep an eye on it - check every 15 minutes or a half an hour, once it starts to gel, turn the oven off.

 

[foresthome]

first time using the oven

I have had 2 batches of partial gel soap, and one with major soap dust. I am cutting them into small bars to give out to freinds and coworkers. I am on a campaign against partial gel and dust. So I wanted to make my first almost castile soap today. I turned my oven to 170 and put my lined molds into it to warm, along with my EO and my additives. I soaped at 120, and added my secent and extras at light trace, no seizing or other problems. I then little spritzed the soap with alcohol, and covered the top with saran wrap and it went back into the oven for 1 hour at 170, I turned the oven off at that point and it is still resting in the oven, for another hour. i will let you know how it turns out.

 

[carebear]

the secret, for ME, is to warm the molds. preheat your oven first - then stick your molds before you being to soap (I like to give my molds half an hour to warm up, wood holds heat well but it takes time for the heat to penetrate). the heat of the reaction goes from center outward, and the warm mold helps it go from outside in, as well.

 

[foresthome]

your slogan

I love the "You can't cure stupid" saying.
It has a different meaning when you think of it with your soaps.
I am going to say that to myself when ever a batch doesn't turn out as I had in mind.

 

[AmyW]

I love carebear's sig, even more when someone gets uptight about it!

Anyway, I have an old gas stove, the lowest I can go is 250F. So I use an oven thermometer and preheat the oven to about 200 while I'm making the soap, then turn it off when I put the soap in. Opening the door and poor insulation cools it off to about 150 and it seems to stay warm enough to force a complete gel.

 

[carebear]

Re: your slogan

It has a different meaning when you think of it with your soaps.

LOL

 

[krissy]

i always heat my oven to 170 then put my soap in and leave it on until it gels completely, then i open the oven for a minute to let some heat out, then close it and leave it alone until it's cool.

 

[SudsyKat]

I recently did my first couple of batches using the forced oven gel method. I was really pleased. No ash and no problems whatsoever. It's definitely a good method, as far as I can tell from so little experience with it. I had both a green WSP silicone mold and a large HDPE mold from SoapHutch. I put them (not at the same time) in a warm (170) oven for less than an hour, then took them out and insulated them overnight.

 

[MrsFusion]

Thanks for all the replies! I tried it and I got complete gel. I'm going to try again tomorrow

 

[c.a.p.]

Ricing: I don't think it is harmful to use it.

 

[photoshadows]

On the ricing, did you manage to stick blend it back together fairly well or was it still blobby when you poured it? I'm not sure it makes a difference in terms of zapping, but if you were able to "tame" it some it should be fine. If you used NG's Absinthe, I have the same problem. It rices a little bit, but if you keep blending a little bit it seems to be fine and it smells awesome! And no lye-heavy issues. Sounds like you should be fine.

 

[foresthome]

Cut my soap today

Complete gel, looks and smells great. I only made a small batch so I am going to try again today.

 

[foresthome]

stupid curing accidents

So my first oven gel turned out to be my favorite soap yet, my second looks good. My third is a story. Apparently, I neglected to screw my mold together tight enough and when I went to check on my soap, half of it had melted out the bottom of the mold and into the oven. I quickly turned the oven off and put the bottom of my broiler pan under the soap to catch the leakage. I managed to get the mold out to the oven and get it onto another metal sheet to catch the dripping. I went back to the oven and the lye in the soap had reacted to the aluminum pan and there was a large bubbling mass I can only call the lye monster. I disgarded this down the kitchen sink and noticed the entire pan had been turned a black that would not come off. Went back to the soap poured the whole thing into the crock pot, and did a HP on it. The pan I had resting under it was also ruined. So poured the soap out let it harden and will have to rebatch it. I hate to waste it as it has a lot of cocoa butter in it. I threw the pans away.
Still cleaning the oven 2 days later. What an educational experience. You are right Carebear, You can't cure......Stupid.

 

[JackiK]

Re: stupid curing accidents

So my first oven gel turned out to be my favorite soap yet, my second looks good. My third is a story. Apparently, I neglected to screw my mold together tight enough and when I went to check on my soap, half of it had melted out the bottom of the mold and into the oven. I quickly turned the oven off and put the bottom of my broiler pan under the soap to catch the leakage. I managed to get the mold out to the oven and get it onto another metal sheet to catch the dripping. I went back to the oven and the lye in the soap had reacted to the aluminum pan and there was a large bubbling mass I can only call the lye monster. I disgarded this down the kitchen sink and noticed the entire pan had been turned a black that would not come off. Went back to the soap poured the whole thing into the crock pot, and did a HP on it. The pan I had resting under it was also ruined. So poured the soap out let it harden and will have to rebatch it. I hate to waste it as it has a lot of cocoa butter in it. I threw the pans away.
Still cleaning the oven 2 days later. What an educational experience. You are right Carebear, You can't cure......Stupid.

Oh, my! I'm so sorry you ended up having such a hard time.

Now, here's an "oven laugh" for you: I always wanted a self-cleaning oven and I only buy gas. A couple of weeks ago we were in the middle of what I knew was going to be our last cool spell. Came home, turned on the self-clean (oven heats to 500 degrees for about 3.5 hours).

Sat back in the recliner to relax. Soon, my little Yorkie was on my shoulders shaking. I looked up and there was a fire in my oven. I had left a cast iron skillet (with oil, no less) in the oven. Gawd, I'm getting old and forgetful.

I immediately dialed 911 and went to push the cancel button. Flames were out by the time the fire department arrived. They were all suited up with the masks, etc., looking like aliens. All the neighbos were out wondering what was going on. I was so embarassed.

I was shaking and feeling so stupid. Then, this six-foot-something firefighter takes off his mask and standing in my kitchen was the most handsome young man I've ever laid eyes on. I tell ya, if I were 30 years younger, he'd have gotten a run for his money Gotta sign him up for the next calendar!