Making lots of small (2-6oz) batches to test & compare recipes

[RogueRose]

Making 20-40 batches of soap all at once with very little differences to the recipe. Fr example I would have 20-40 mixing containers (each small batch would create a 3-6oz bar of soap, each with different recipes ranging for different oil mixes/ percentages.

The main differences between the small batches would be the uses of NaOH and KOH (or a mixture) - all with different ratio's between the known KOH & NaOH in addition to the different amounts of water used and the types of oil used in each batch as well as EO's & fragrance oils being added.

So what i'm trying to do is find some containers (20-40) where I can add the ingredients and mix them using a customized stirring shaft that was made for mixing small amounts. It's basically very similar to a stick blender (immersion blender) but this attaches to a Dremel and can run up to 35,000 RPM - the diameter of the blade (4 blades in a circle). It's great for mixing small amounts of liquid or even whipping up to a froth (like making whipped cream VERY quickly). It also works well for mixing in the EO's or synthetic oils/scents into the soap..


I'm trying to find some commonly available containers to make molds for 2-4oz, maybe up to 6oz. If anyone knows of some commonly available items which would be used for molds of 2-4oz (and Maybe up to 6oz). I was thinking of using either disposable plastic drinking cups - Solo brand or similar - or possibly those wax-coated drinking cups (like those mini cups for rinsing mouth after brushing teeth

I have about 5-6 different products I need to run some tests on and determine what ingredients and process gives the best end result (requested characteristics of product).

Anyone have any tips when doing a large production such as this, where each 2-6oz needs to be weighed individually as well as every other aspect handled individually.

Any suggestions would be greatly helpful. I appreciate any comments or suggestions anyone may make. Thanks again!

RR

 

[zanzalawi]

that stirring shaft sounds really sweet!

for my small test batches i use (reuse) the big yogurt containers. i would imagine if you liked eating yougurt and bought the individual serving containers you'd be able to accumulate a bunch fairly quickly. certainly not as quick and easy as solo cups or the like. maybe the deli reditainers

you might be able to organize your tests in a way that you could masterbatch your oils, or lye solutions, something to make the individual measuring process faster. maybe something like this so you could measure, cover and label, and then it would be ready to go when you were ready to add in lye solution? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009VSFZBG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

big undertaking, good luck! i look forward to seeing what you come up with!

 

[Clarice]

It's basically very similar to a stick blender (immersion blender) but this attaches to a Dremel and can run up to 35,000 RPM - the diameter of the blade (4 blades in a circle).

that sounds amazing - would it be possible for you to post a picture of this tool? Your idea sounds great - and man - the discipline! Good luck!

One option might be to order small plastic containers from Amazon like this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075CSH8Q7/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


i use them for my raw cat food - one issue for you MIGHT be that there is an indentation on the bottom that the tool might hit unless it has some sort of guard or you are really good about depth?

 

[bahbah1182]

I do lots of small batches with little differences to test all sorts of things. I set up the percentages of oils in soap calc, and make batches with 114 grams of oils. That makes about I think 3 little 2 oz bars of soaps. I use individual cavity silicone molds that i got pretty cheap on amazon. I usually do between 4 and 9 variations on one type of batch at a time and do 4 or so types at a time. I also master batch the oils for each type of batch in one container and just pour off into a smaller spouted container and wipe out with a towel between each variation. I’ve found that a small plastic whisk works perfect. For a batch that small you don’t need much power for mixing.

Btw, i love doing tedious stuff like this, so planning and making these is super fun to me. Total nerd, I know. But I use oil infusions as my main way of coloring my soaps, so it’s a great way to test percentages for the colors I want.

 

[HowieRoll]

I've never used them, but maybe silicone cupcake/muffin liners would work as individual molds? They could also be put into the oven if you were experimenting with CPOP and I think they are fairly inexpensive and reusable.

 

[zanzalawi]

@bahbah1182 how do you mix such small batches?

 

[Clarice]

I've never used them, but maybe silicone cupcake/muffin liners would work as individual molds?

IKEA has cute little ones that have fluted edges - i have used them to pour the last bits of a batch - they are pretty strong, and I THINK are like $4.99 for 10? Something like that.

 

[earlene]

Making 20-40 batches of soap all at once with very little differences to the recipe. Fr example I would have 20-40 mixing containers (each small batch would create a 3-6oz bar of soap, each with different recipes ranging for different oil mixes/ percentages.

The main differences between the small batches would be the uses of NaOH and KOH (or a mixture) - all with different ratio's between the known KOH & NaOH in addition to the different amounts of water used and the types of oil used in each batch as well as EO's & fragrance oils being added.

So what i'm trying to do is find some containers (20-40) where I can add the ingredients and mix them using a customized stirring shaft that was made for mixing small amounts. It's basically very similar to a stick blender (immersion blender) but this attaches to a Dremel and can run up to 35,000 RPM - the diameter of the blade (4 blades in a circle). It's great for mixing small amounts of liquid or even whipping up to a froth (like making whipped cream VERY quickly). It also works well for mixing in the EO's or synthetic oils/scents into the soap..


I'm trying to find some commonly available containers to make molds for 2-4oz, maybe up to 6oz. If anyone knows of some commonly available items which would be used for molds of 2-4oz (and Maybe up to 6oz). I was thinking of using either disposable plastic drinking cups - Solo brand or similar - or possibly those wax-coated drinking cups (like those mini cups for rinsing mouth after brushing teeth

I have about 5-6 different products I need to run some tests on and determine what ingredients and process gives the best end result (requested characteristics of product).

Anyone have any tips when doing a large production such as this, where each 2-6oz needs to be weighed individually as well as every other aspect handled individually.

Any suggestions would be greatly helpful. I appreciate any comments or suggestions anyone may make. Thanks again!

RR

If you have a dollar store or similar type store near you, there are plenty of small plastic food containers that work just fine as soap molds and they are pretty cheap. I have used them a few times. In fact, I have also used plastic containers meant for sorting stuff inside drawers; the kind that link together when placed side-by-side. I have also used empty tea boxes, lined with freezer paper. A small tea box (that holds 20 bags of tea) will make a fairly large-ish bar of soap such as the approx. 6 ounce size you mentioned. And the tea boxes are pretty much 'free' for me since I drink so much tea.

You can raid your recycling bin for use-able containers. I have used yogurt containers for small round individual molds and the soap generally comes out quite easily. I have also used disposable plastic drinking cups and they work, too, but don't tend to be re-usable.

If you want them to be rather uniform in size, then I would suggest purchasing the small snack - sized plastic containers at a Dollar-type Store. They're cheap, the work and they usually have lids (to help prevent ash) and are often stackable, as well as the soap usually comes out very easily.

 

[Pat McGlothlin]

I bought "Freshware 12-Cavity Petite Silicone Mold CB-105RD" on Amazon. My goatsmilk bars are right around 2 oz and perfect size for your hand. No spraying, easy release and cleanup. I wish I'd had these when I started this mad journey 25 years ago. I have a ton of molds that I need to find a home for.

 

[reeeen4]

I have been doing small batches of 120g using one of these containers https://www.decor.com.au/product/food-fresh-screw-top-storer-500-ml/ then I scrape the mixutre into a silicone mold that makes small cubes https://mydreamcake.com.au/Fat-Dadd...ression-flexible-baking-mould-6-cavities.html this way I minimise my waste, no throwing away plastic containers and the moulds are reusable also. I do this for my test batches when I'm testing formulas, the mix makes 4 cubes which I can then give out to friends and family for them to test and get feedback from them on. The only thing I'm missing is a mixer that fits, sounds like what you have would be perfect for my purposes. Would love to see it if you could put up pics!

 

[RogueRose]

that sounds amazing - would it be possible for you to post a picture of this tool? Your idea sounds great - and man - the discipline! Good luck!

One option might be to order small plastic containers from Amazon like this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075CSH8Q7/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


i use them for my raw cat food - one issue for you MIGHT be that there is an indentation on the bottom that the tool might hit unless it has some sort of guard or you are really good about depth?

Thanks for the suggestion! I did finally find something, they are large plastic cups that restaurants use for taking sauces/dips/etc. There are lots of sizes and I found one that is 3.5 if filled to the top, so it will work well.

Here's that blender stick I made. It's actually really well balanced and hardly vibrates but will in some liquids. The problem with making it much longer would be the vibrations are amplified MUCH more every centimeter or so. I'm going to make a new one that has less mass on the end so it can be longer and have less vibration. If you are interested in one, let me know, it shouldn't be tough to make another if I'm doing one. LMK.

 

[RogueRose]

@bahbah1182 how do you mix such small batches?

With VERY small helpers. J/K

I use small stainless containers, and I use a dremel that has a mixing blade I made that stirs everything up. There really is no reason you can't make 1oz or even 1/2oz batches if you had small enough container. A micro chemistry glassware would work with magnetic stirring so no blades necessary - then just remove the stir bar when you pour the soap.

The dremel mixer (there's other tools that use the same size shaft, some real cheap ones at harbor freight and such) is shown in the post above.

 

[Clarice]

Wait. You MADE that blender?

I just fell off the couch.

May I buy some from you?

Please Tell me the type of dremmel to purchase!

Cats looking at me Strangely because now I am all happy about being on the floor. Lol!

 

[RogueRose]

Wait. You MADE that blender?

I just fell off the couch.

May I buy some from you?

Please Tell me the type of dremmel to purchase!

Cats looking at me Strangely because now I am all happy about being on the floor. Lol!

Like i said, I think the next version will be a little different, I'll probably use blades on 2 sides like a normal stick blender, this will make running it at high speed much easier, less vibrations I think. I don't know when I'm going to make some, maybe later this month or beginning of next, so I can message you then.

As for the Dremel, any of them will work fine -so will any device that will accept a 1/8" shaft/shank. You could even use it in a normal power drill but it won't be anywhere near as fast (those are about 1400-1600 rpm vs 15,000-35,000rpm for Dremels). I know black & decker makes something similar, Milwakee, Dewalt. It looks like they are just called "rotary tools". Mine is similar to the Dremel 3000

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-3000-...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8FRAHJY05JKTZ149EA81

https://www.thearchitectsguide.com/articles/best-rotary-tool

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Home-Improvement-Power-Rotary-Tools/zgbs/hi/552862

 

[DeeAnna]

Small batches can be mixed by shaking in a closed jar. No special mixer is required unless you want to.

The bigger issue is a person needs a more accurate scale to make micro batches without a large measuring error ... ideally one that measures to 0.01 grams or better.

Many people only have scales that weigh to whole grams and that's not accurate enough when making tiny batches.