Having the hardest time with MP

[Kat]

I made MP a few days ago, and I'm having the darndest time with the soap drying on the sides of the 4 cup pyrex. I do not have a double boiler. I used (as above) a 4 cup glass pyrex measuring pour spout container, and that is in a 5 inch wide pot with simmering water. It takes forever to melt (about 1 hr), and when it does melt, I stir lightly, there is always a slight film on top, that is re-distributed when I stir, I add whatever i'm adding (fo, coconut, etc). The drying bits on the side of the glass is sooooo annoying. I know this is an easy hobby, but not for ME! would love to get your opinion on this!!!! Kat

 

[sarahjane]

I seemed to get that a lot when I used a pyrex seeing as I don't have a double boiler either. Then one day it dawned on me that I could make my own! Just take a pot and add water, then put a larger pot or bowl on top and add your soap! I still do get some soap that dries on the side but if you mix very gently you can avoid most of it!
I am by no means a pro though and I am sure that Dragonfly Princess will come along soon and help out!! She may have the perfect solution!

ETA - Oh and I only heat my base until most of the pieces are melted then I remove it and stir until the rest melts. But if it is taking a whole hour for you to melt yours I am thinking that you aren't overheating it.. which has caused that film for me in the past! An hour seems like a VERY long time to melt. What base are you using may I ask?

 

[Bret]

I bought a pour pot from Michaels. $14.99. I use it in a pot of boiling water on the stove to melt mine. Never had any issue with soap drying on the sides.

 

[sarahjane]

I guess that would work too Bret! I guess I have a little bit of hillbilly in me!

 

[Kat]

Well, I'm wondering if the difference from a glass container and a metal container is the trick. I place my pyrex in a big pot of simmering water. I also thought the humidity of the water might be causing the drying on the sides. I also thought that maybe the glass container needs to be emersed MORE in the water, meaning more water up the sides of the glass, so the melting soap get all emersed? make sense? hard to explain. Also, I thought about putting a glass bowl on top of a pot of boiling water, but the bowl gets really hot, and its harder to pour into molds. Hillbilly,,,,too funny!

 

[Tabitha]

It sounds like you are not getting it hot enough. There should not be a skin on top, if there is, it's not hot enough.

The cooler the soap is, the more will be left inside your container, ant container.

Have you though about using the microwave?

 

[Kat]

I never took the temp, so you could be right. I AM getting a skin on top, then I stir it right back in, then small crusty parts from the sides fall into melt pool. I think I'm going to try the bowl over the boiling water in the pot method, since I do not have a double boiler. Gonna "hillbilly" it Thanks all for your input! KAt

 

[leansoapqueen]

I would microwave it- I even use a pyrex and it mostly melts down in less than a minute or so.. That's the easiest I think and don't stir more than you have to.

 

[dragonfly princess]

I use a large pot of boiling water with a ceramic bowl as a double boiler. It should't take an hour for you to melt the soap. Do you have your flame too low? It only takes me about 10 minutes to melt about 3 lbs of base.

 

[Kat]

Thank you Dragonfly for showing up and helping me. I cut 8 oz & melt in a 4 cup pyrex, submerged in simmering water. The pyrex is about 1/3 in the simmering water. I put my stove element on 4, just under medium (duh :shock: ) and it takes a looong time to "melt. Then, when it has melted.... I add my fo, but lately I'm adding shea & castor, and the soap is turning out very dryng on the skin....but thats another subject I'm definietly going to post about.. Back to the problem with the soap crust on the side of the pyrex and the skin on top!!!!! dang> When I stir, I do this ever so lightly, with a long wooden paint stick from the hardware store, even stirred with a regular large kitchen soup spoon. AND...AND...when I pour into a mold, I gotta go marathon, because the "clumps" of dried soap are also being poured into mold too :x . But its the dried parts from the side of the pyrex, not "non" melted clumps. Whatever is leftover in the pyrex, I can pull off like skin (a sunburned skin! - a HUGE piece of sunburned skin) Obviously, from the previous posts, I'm not melting it at the proper temp (need higher temp). So, maybe I'll try. I most likely will NOT use the microwave....I have issues.
Also.....while I gotcha...I have ordered some "shaving soap" that "Bret" had so kindly considered to help me with the lather issue (I'm sure I have more than 2 issues), and that arrives Monday. So, that is when I will re-pour my shea MP (from Bitter Creek north). I giving hugs to you! Look my arms are outstretched!

 

[dragonfly princess]

If you have the time, go to the dollar store and pick up a hand held strainer, you could pour your base thru that and it would remove the clumps.

 

[Tabitha]

If there are clumps it is not ready to pour. I needs to be hotter. Trust me on this folks :wink: .

 

[Kat]

Thanks gals for your input, appreciate it a whole bunch, really. The lumps are from the sides of the pyrex (dried soap) getting back in the melt pool, so I will melt at a higher temp, plus the strainer idea is great!, won't stir too much because thats what is drying on the sides. Will work with it. Thought my shave soap would be here today, but misread, will be here tomorrow. Thats probably when I'll re-melt, and try...try...Not sure how much shaving soap to add, but will use just a little for an 8oz shea soap melt, maybe 1 oz.. i'm thinkin'....Also, maybe the MP I'm getting from BCN is not a good quality. Everything else from there is awesome, so I just assumed....Hugs all!

 

[freshwater pearl]

I microwave mine too- I just check it frequently, and it works great.

 

[pink-north]

Just a note for all of you. Pyrex (which is really glass) conducts heat differently than say a stainless steel pot. So keep that in mind when working out your calculations.