How to figure how much oil for mold.

[Dennis]

I would pull my hair out (what's left of it) if I tried to be as accurate as so many of you. :crazy: As a notorious rule of thumber, I use the L x W x D x 0.4 for capacity of oil and then weigh everything in grams that is so thoughtfully presented along with ounces by SoapCalc even if I've requested only ounces. My penchant for the rule of thumb observance makes grams much closer than ounces. When over by a gram or two I'll subtract a gram or two with the next ingredient - maybe. After all, what's a silly little gram? Now, if I tried that with ounces I would probably be in trouble. It has always turned out ok but it is Reason #42 that I make soap for fun and don't sell it.

 

[jude20]

This forum is really helping me. Thank you guys for sharing some knowledge...

 

[scottief]

how much oils

I understand how to get the amount of oils to use. How do I determine how much of each oil to use once I know the loaf oil size? Or can I just add a certain amount of each oil until I hit the loaf amour size. thanks for any help

 

[Saponista]

Just make up the total oils you have to the volume you have calculated for your mold. You can add whatever ratio of oils your recipe states. I would run it through soap calc to double check you still have the right amount of lye etc. if you are upscaling your recipe.

 

[Dennis]

I understand how to get the amount of oils to use. How do I determine how much of each oil to use once I know the loaf oil size? Or can I just add a certain amount of each oil until I hit the loaf amour size. thanks for any help

I use soapcalc and play with different percentages of oils to balance out the characteristics I'm looking for. Play around with it for a while and it will become a buddy. If you've not looked at it yet, go to http://soapcalc.net/, click on soapcalc lye calculator, look around and start having fun.
There are others, but I'm comfy with soapcalc.

 

[Sprag]

Thanks !

 

[Bubli]

Do a google search for"How do I Calculate How Much Soap to Make to Fit My New Mold?"A really good article tutorial by David Fisher on About.com comes up.He shows you how to do ALL these calculations then how to determine the amount of each individual oil in your recipe to fit any mold.Its waaaay easier than it seems.Trust me,I'm no genius and I GOT it.Hope this helps you guys if I'm not too late.

 

[phena86]

Wow!! So helpful!

So is that 42 ounces of each oil that you use or split them up?

 

[kmarvel]

The more I read these threads on calcs the more confused I get. Can someone just give me the correct oils for the use of a Pringle Can, Please?? I know that the volume of water it holds is 32 oz.
Superfatted to 8%.

I would be so grateful.

Kathie

 

[Bubli]

The more I read these threads on calcs the more confused I get. Can someone just give me the correct oils for the use of a Pringle Can, Please?? I know that the volume of water it holds is 32 oz.
Superfatted to 8%.

I would be so grateful.

Kathie

You may want a second opinion, I have never used a Pringles can, but I just looked at that site and from what math I did, I came up with 24.04 oz of oils which is just shy of 1.5 ponds of oils. IF WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS THAT YOU CAN HOLDS 32 oz. of liquid.

32x1.8=57.6x.40=23.04

Further as an example take your total. Your case is let's round to 23, below is what I coppied from the site , his example is 38, just swap your 23 out with his 38 and do the math.See if that helps. I may be wrong, but I'm good at math and that's what it looked like to me.

35% olive oil
30% coconut oil
30% beef tallow
5% castor oil
Your recipe would be:
13.3 ounces of olive oil (38 X .35)
11.4 ounces of coconut oil (38 X .30)
11.4 ounces of beef tallow (38 X .30)
1.9 ounces of castor oil (38 X .05)

This would give you how much of each of your oils then run that recipe through a calculator.

Also sorry, replace your oil percentages for the ones in example. This calculation would also include your water. AND IF I AM INCORRECT, SOMEONE PLEASE FELL FREE TO JUMP IN. I DON'T WANT TO MIS INFORM ANYONE.

Ya know too, I was just thinking....if you try that calculation, a way to check accuracy first is fill a container with ALL WATER IN PLACE OF ALL INGREDIENTS according to the final calculation and what a soap calc says for lye water amounts. take your 23 oz oils, plus the water, amount of lye ( but use water not lye), EO's, milk, whatever. Use only water in place of each ingredient and measure by weight, grams is more accurate but you probable know that. And see if it fits. That's actually what I used to do before I came across that math trick. Just a thought. . Good luck!

 

[CraftyRedhead]

The more I read these threads on calcs the more confused I get. Can someone just give me the correct oils for the use of a Pringle Can, Please?? I know that the volume of water it holds is 32 oz.
Superfatted to 8%.

I would be so grateful.

Kathie

I also don't have any Pringles cans, but if you can get the dimensions I can plug them in and help.

 

[DeeAnna]

Bubli -- Your approach appears logical, but I want to offer some cautions. First, you cannot substitute water weight directly for oil weight, since oil is less dense than water.

And be careful of confusing ounces VOLUME vs. ounces weight. Kmarvel said a pringles can contains 32 oz by VOLUME. Kmarvel will need 32 oz of soap batter by VOLUME to fill the can -- there's no arguing that -- but 32 oz vol of soap batter will weigh less than 32 oz wt.

For water, 32 ounces volume happens to weigh approximately 32 oz weight (and 32 mL of water is approx 32 grams), but once you change the liquid to fats, that one-to-one relationship between weight and volume is no longer valid.

 

[Bubli]

Thanks DeeAnna. Good to know. that first part of my suggestion was actually from David fisher site and that calculation is pretty spot on. The second suggestion was what I learned myself before I figured out how to do it more accurately with math. My way was always shy a pinch but to me that was better than being over and wasting. Both ways work for me, but now that I learned the mathematical way, that's what I use. The other you can just check with to be sure before making the batch, it will be a pinch short, but it gives you a rough idea. Always worked for me. Thanks for the numbers,DeeAnna, I'll add those to my notes. So much of what I learn is from people like to you guys here. All these book I paid so much for seem nearly useless at times.

 

[kmarvel]

DeeAnna, you are so right!! I made a second batch of Pringles soap and ran it thru the soapcalc just by experimenting with oil weights. I used 37.5 oz of soap weight before CP cure. It was perfect.
I am sorry if I confused anyone here. It is a learning curve for me and I am learning so much from everyone.
Kathie

 

[kmarvel]

I made a 12 x 12 2 1/2" wooden mold. I come up with 144 oz of oil for this 5 lb mold. Does this sound even close???

 

[Hazel]

I came up with the same total of 144 oz. But that sure does sound like a lot. That's 9 lbs of oil and you say it's a 5 lb mold. I have a 5 lb mold (according to the manufacturer) which is approx. 3.5 x 2.5 x 18 and I had calculated 63 oz of oil for it. Of course, I always use more because I like to have extra for some individual cavity molds. Hopefully, someone who is better at figuring out how much oil per mold will be able to give a definite answer.

 

[kmarvel]

Hazel, I had another 5 lb recipe that used about 68 oz. That sounds like more in the ballpark to me.
But that formula 12 x 12 x 2.5 x .4 didn't work for me.

And I am like you, I will use 70 oz of oil and any left over go into yogurt cups for sample soaps or guest soap.
We think alike. haha

Kathie

 

[wetshavingproducts]

I made a 12 x 12 2 1/2" wooden mold. I come up with 144 oz of oil for this 5 lb mold. Does this sound even close???

That cannot possibly be a 5lb mold. You have 1 entire square foot of area and then 2.5" of depth.

That's a volume of 360 cubic inches.

Compare to Hazel's volume of: 157.5 cubic inches.

 

[kmarvel]

Yup, and the 111.3 oz of soap barely fit in the bottom of the mold. oops.
I told you I was challenged in math. hahaha If anyone could give me the total oz this mold holds, I would be obliged.

PS, I got these mold dimensions off of a youtube "how to make a soap mold" video.

 

[Sprag]

I came up with 144 oz according to your measurements. You have a 9 lb mold.