How much soap will my wooden soap mold hold?

[orangeblossom]

I got a 17 1/2 x 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 rectangular mold. I have no idea what size batch of soap I should use for it. I have larger molds, and usually make larger batches, but I'd like to make smaller batches now. Any ideas?

 

[Guest]

How I would find out is.. I would put a trash bag in it.. and fill it with water.. and then weigh the water.. kinda like an estimate. and go from there..

hope that helps you.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I make wood molds and have the answer for you! Length X's Width X's Height of soap = Then take that number X's .40 then =. So, my TOG 10" Mold is 3.3" wide X 2.5" high, X's 10" long is 82.5. Then 82.5 X's .40 is 33. So you need 33 ounces of oils/fats to fill a TOG 10" Mold. Hope this equasion helps you!

Paul.... :wink:

ETA: The answer to your question is 85 to 86 ounces. I take this is filled to the top. If you only filled it to say 2.5" the amount needed would be

61 Ounces of oils/fats!

 

[orangeblossom]

Thanks for the formula for figuring that out! And even better, for figuring it out for me! I have other random wood boxes I can measure now with this formula to see what size batch to make in them. Thanks!

(And I never thought of filling it and weighing it.............duh! Thanks for the low-tech idea!)

 

[soapbuddy]

I'm math challenged as well, so I did the water thing a long time ago.

Irena

 

[Guest]

LOL me too Irena!

So math challenged lol.. thank goodness for Soap Calculators or I would be doomed!

 

[Divinity Gardens]

Does that calculation you gave Soapmaker Man include the liquids as well as the oils/fats?

<--------- VERY Math challenged

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Does that calculation you gave Soapmaker Man include the liquids as well as the oils/fats?

<--------- VERY Math challenged

Nope, that is for oils/fats only. Plug that number into a soap calculator like this one http://www.soapcalc.com/calc/soapcalcWP.asp where it says
"Total Oil Weight" and click either ounces or pounds and the calc figures the rest. That calculation takes into account all liquids, lye, EO's or FO's needed to fill that size of mold. Hope this info helps!

Paul.... :wink:

 

[Guest]

you know there is even a soapmaking/bath & body product making software that will let you input the amount you paid for your raw materials and tells you how much each bar cost to make and you can figure out your retail price etc?

I like it ... I been using it for a few years now.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Smellit, is it this one http://www.soapmaker.ca/ ? Diane, a Canadian soapmaker and her husband created this software. I have the light version, and want to update to the full version since it tracks costs, stock, everything. It is great software for the lotion or soapmaker! She is a member here, as I invited her. She goes by Woodi on the forums.

Paul.... :wink:

 

[Guest]

Yes Paul, I have the lite one just like you do.. I am going to upgrade soon so it can keep track of my inventory.. yes "Woodi" she goes by at the Whisk..

 

[dantango]

I'm new here so forgive me if I'm a little dense, but density is the subject of my query. :?

The simplest way to ask it is, 'What is the density of soap?' Or, 'What is the volume of one ounce (weight) of soap?

I just finished making a loaf mold out of HDPE (it slides together without fasteners). It's total volume is about 115 cubic inches, or about 64 fluid ounces. I plan to make a bit more soap than necessary so I can scrape the excess off for a smooth finish on all sides. I can pour any additional into a smaller mold.

BUT, I'd like to get it fairly close and an ounce of soap must be a bit heavier than an ounce of water, so to fill the mold, the total ingredients I weigh out must weigh more than 64 ounces, right?

BTW, here's the URL for a cubic inch to fluid ounce converter:
http://www.metric-conversions.org/volum ... ounces.htm

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Guest]

yelling "PAUL! DAN NEEDS YOU!"

Dan, Paul makes wonderful molds, he can defintely help you on this question..

but as far as I know.. 64 ozs = 4lbs of soap.

how you cut them is how much each bar will weigh..

my 1inch bars can weigh between 4.5-5ozs give or take because of shrinkage of the soap curing...

But more technical than that.. you have to ask Paul lol..

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Welcome Dan! Glad you found us! Another male in the house! Cool! 8) Dan, just take your length of the mold, times the width, times the depth you are going to pour to. Take this number times .40 and that is the needed oils/fats/butters in ounces you will calculate for your recipe using Soap Calc. online.

Paul.... :wink:

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Got it covered there, S! That was funny, we were typing at the same time! Great minds think alike! LOL

Paul.... :wink:

 

[Guest]

LOL! I knew you could help him.. thats why i was hollering for you..
Glad you heard me! lol

 

[Divinity Gardens]

http://www.soapcalc.com/calc/soapcalcWP.asp[/url] where it says
"Total Oil Weight" and click either ounces or pounds and the calc figures the rest. That calculation takes into account all liquids, lye, EO's or FO's needed to fill that size of mold. Hope this info helps!

Paul.... :wink:[/quote:3lsx4f2g]

OK...I'm gonna risk sounding like a total idiot here but just have to make sure I understand...lol. I'm familiar with the Soap Calc...use it all the time. Now...if you're telling someone how to figure how much oil/fat a mold will hold...does this include the liquids too? For instance...if my recipe says it will have 64 oz of oils...doesn't one add the weight of the liquids to this to determine the total weight and how much space it will take up in a mold??? :?

I have a mold I made out of a box that some of my jam jars came in and I know that I can put a 4 lb/64 oz batch of oils in it. But that includes water/liquids as well. So it actually holds more than 4 lbs right? :? So if I want to change to another mold...say a bigger one...now I have to figure out how much bigger my recipe needs to be. (I figured out how much to put in this one pretty much by accident...just in case you're wondering...lolol).

Ultimately I want to know how much oils/fats and liquids to add to my current recipe base in order to fit in a larger mold so that I can make larger batches. If I weren't so math challenged I guess I could figure this out myself :roll: ...lol.

Thanks for your help Soapmaker Man!!

Divinity Gardens

 

[dantango]

That was quick, thanks Paul.

Your .40 is based on inches and takes the density issue into consideration, I take it?

Anyway, now that I've got your attention... ... I want to give my soap making history and ask some more questions.

My first attempt was 100% olive oil I had on hand; tried to make it in my Kitchen Aid mixer (heck! it worked for bread). Took forever to trace (24 hours +); finally added a little coconut oil and put a heating pad around the bowl. Soap turned out fine.

Bought a stick blender and make it on the stove now.

Mostly I've made goat milk recipes, some shampoo bars, and olive oil and some palm oil. Almost no fragrance. used.It's all turned out good. Just got back from 2 months sailing in BC. Shampooed my hair only with my shampoo bars and I did not go bald.

So, I want to make some today. I've got some citronella EO and want to use about 80- 90% olive oil. (or maybe 100% olive oil (now that I have a stick blender). I was thinking my usual, adding coconut oil for the balance, for lather, or some palm for hardness.

But I heard of using 90% OO with 10% castor oil, like I use in the shampoo bars. Will this make a bar sufficiently hard?

I also want to try swirling, but don't want to add coloring that will much effect the soap's properies. Ideas?

BTW, what do you I do with all this soap? I've been giving it away, but I'm starting to spend real money, now that I've ordered some EO's for fragrance. I don't really like the idea of selling it since I'm guessing I'll make about 1/10th or what I make on my day job

My favorite response to my soap gifts, was from a wiseacre friend. After trying the goat milk bar I gave him, he said:

"That's the worst tasting fudge I've ever had."

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Divinity Gardens, when you go to soapcalc.com, and look at the page, it asks "Total Oil Weight" That is the number you have arrived at from my calculations; length X width X height X .40 =. Enter that number there in OUNCES, since you can do it in pounds, ounces or grams at soapcalc. It will figure based on the oils you select and what percentage of each oil for the total 100% batch weight. It will tell you how much lye and water needed based on the default calculation they use which is about a 28 to 29% lye solution, good to get used to until you know your recipe and FO's! After you have came up with all your oils, hit "compute recipe" and it will figure all needed lye and water This will be the finished weight of your soap plus any FO's or EO's you add.

I hope this is understandable to you, as I love soapcalc for a free web soap calculator. I have soapmaker Lite too, but you pay for it! It's a great program, too!

Paul.... :wink:

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Dan, that calculation has been used for a while now to figure how much oils/fats/butters are needed for your size mold to fill up exactly! Length X's width X's depth X's .40 will give you the amount of those oils needed in ounces to put in soapcalc.com.

Olive Oil takes sweet time to trace, but 24 hours?????? I'm a little suspicious there. Olive oil alone is considered a "hard" oil but takes a longer time to harden up verses other oils like coconut, palm kernel oil, palm oil, canola, on and on. The "synergy" of total oils used is what makes a great bar of soap! It has taken me 2 years of testing over 30 recipes to get the one I love now, no sacrifice of testing will make you a finer soapier. 8)

I use mica's, marines, FD&C colourants, and others in my soaps. All are skin safe and do not compromise the greatness of your soap.

Just a few ideas!

Paul.... :wink: