Hi

[Livestomakesoap]

Good evening!

Making soap again for the first time in years and have learned a lot from my previous mistakes. I love this forum for all the experience and good advise.

My question is…I’d like to jump back into making soap but, instead of being all over the place I’d like to make test batches. I have far more patience than I did before. Is 8 ounces (I have a good scale) large enough to give me an accurate batch of soap? I’d even go 4 if that’s feasible.
I hope my question makes sense.
Thank you in advance for any input.
Lisa

 

[Johnez]

Good evening!

Making soap again for the first time in years and have learned a lot from my previous mistakes. I love this forum for all the experience and good advise.

My question is…I’d like to jump back into making soap but, instead of being all over the place I’d like to make test batches. I have far more patience than I did before. Is 8 ounces (I have a good scale) large enough to give me an accurate batch of soap? I’d even go 4 if that’s feasible.
I hope my question makes sense.
Thank you in advance for any input.
Lisa

I make 4 oz at a time for shave soap. Once you get past accuracy, I think the next major hurdle is mixing. I use a tiny stick blender and deli style PP (poly propylene) containers to mix my stuff. It's nice because they are light weight and won't tax your scale. The more accurate scales have lower max weights, I think mine is 500 grams. I think larger batches are more forgiving and less prone to random problems, but smaller definitely can be done.

 

[Livestomakesoap]

Thank you. I agree my stick blender is too big and I think I will have to get a more accurate scale than I have. That was my worry… accuracy. I appreciate the information!

 

[lsg]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Accurate measurements are also linked to the amounts you are using. For example measuring 1kg of something on a 1g scale will get you within a pretty decent margin of error. Using the same scale for 2.5g won't!

I have a 0.1g 8kg scale which was not crazily expensive and allows me to make test batches of shaving soap at 100g very comfortably but 50g batches are still a struggle

 

[Livestomakesoap]

Thank you so much for the information. I’ve been comparing my scales to make sure they are still accurate and they are. I was still wondering how they’d do with tiny amounts and I think I will invest in the scale you mentioned so that I can be sure.
Being newly retired I’m turning my kitchen into a lab, it was always the chemistry that attracted me to soaping.
I always appreciated the wealth of knowledge and the generosity of sharing information on this site.
Thanks again so much.

 

[Boxergirl1]

I make 4 oz at a time for shave soap. Once you get past accuracy, I think the next major hurdle is mixing. I use a tiny stick blender and deli style PP (poly propylene) containers to mix my stuff. It's nice because they are light weight and won't tax your scale. The more accurate scales have lower max weights, I think mine is 500 grams. I think larger batches are more forgiving and less prone to random problems, but smaller definitely can be done.

Hi I have just started experimenting with making soap and looking for help. Your information is great

Hi there, what do you think happened here? I followed the instructions from the batch I bought of Amazon for massage bar and this happened

This bar was one I just fluked, I did the melt and pour with cutting up soap, coconut oil, Chang may, lavender essential oils and jojoba oil in never measured as a beginner just to experiment. I used it in the shower and it felt amazing and smelt amazing. and my skin felt so soft. Do you ever do this? This pic with the candle next to it is before and the first pic is afterwards. It's still intact and smells so good.

Here is another soap but I followed the instructions and the rabbit and eggs turned out great too. If I am using these soaps and they are working with melt and pour with mixing after heating up the ingredients and adding the essential oils and mixing with a wooden stick that came with the pack and then once melted I pored into the heat resistant tray and put straight into fridge and they are ready within about an hour. But remember I am a beginner just experimenting.

 

[AliOop]

Here is another soap but I followed the instructions and the rabbit and eggs turned out great too. If I am using these soaps and they are working with melt and pour with mixing after heating up the ingredients and adding the essential oils and mixing with a wooden stick that came with the pack and then once melted I pored into the heat resistant tray and put straight into fridge and they are ready within about an hour. But remember I am a beginner just experimenting.

Hey there @Boxergirl1 you are very welcome to post questions, and we sure love seeing your pictures, but it is best to do that on a new thread. This particular thread is by a new member in the introduction forum; posting about different things on her thread is called "hijacking." Since it looks like your soaps are melt and pour, you can find the Melt & pour subforum here, and start a new thread.

 

[Boxergirl1]

Welcome to the forum.

Hi there, this forum is just what I needed. It is amazing looking at everyone's amazing soaps that I could only dream of being able to do. But with all this help I hope I get there. What is the best soap to start with for melt and pour. Who has the best that I can buy?
Also can I use these? Vanilla extract, Lemon extract also yellow "Gel" yellow aand blue food colour? Many thanks for everyone's amazing help. This sight is so helpful and thank you for everyone's input so far.

Hey there @Boxergirl1 you are very welcome to post questions, and we sure love seeing your pictures, but it is best to do that on a new thread. This particular thread is by a new member in the introduction forum; posting about different things on her thread is called "hijacking." Since it looks like your soaps are melt and pour, you can find the Melt & pour subforum here, and start a new thread.

Oh dear I didn't know anything about hijacking, I am a little lost as I am a beginner thanks for the advice

Oh dear I didn't know anything about hijacking, I am a little lost as I am a beginner thanks for the advice

Could you show me how do do that and please apologize to the person it looks like I am hijacking, that the last thing I wanted to do.i was posting for a little help sorry

 

[Johnez]

Could you show me how do do that and please apologize to the person it looks like I am hijacking, that the last thing I wanted to do.i was posting for a little help sorry

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/forums/new-member-introductions.16/
^^^ Here's the forum to post introductions. There's also a Beginner's section that is a nice place to get answers to more basic questions.

Anyways, welcome here. We all feel a bit lost at first so no worries. I've hijacked my share....in fact recently have done the same by accident.

 

[AliOop]

Could you show me how do do that and please apologize to the person it looks like I am hijacking, that the last thing I wanted to do.i was posting for a little help sorry

No worries, we've all been there as @Johnez said! If you are on a computer, there should be a menu at the top of the screen. Click on Forums, then scroll down just a little bit to find the Melt & Pour forum. Click on that, and there should be a spot at the top of the page with a blank box where you can start a new thread. It says "Thread title" and looks like this:

 

[Livestomakesoap]

Could you show me how do do that and please apologize to the person it looks like I am hijacking, that the last thing I wanted to do.i was posting for a little help sorry

Lol, no need to apologize to me! This site was a little confusing to me when I first joined. There’s so much information here and with a little practice it makes sense. I’m laughing with you and not at you .

 

[Boxergirl1]

No worries, we've all been there as @Johnez said! If you are on a computer, there should be a menu at the top of the screen. Click on Forums, then scroll down just a little bit to find the Melt & Pour forum. Click on that, and there should be a spot at the top of the page with a blank box where you can start a new thread. It says "Thread title" and looks like this:

View attachment 71087

Thank you