Measuring Ingredients- Scale

[Nat_Lia]

Hello everyone I'm new to soap making and to the forum. I have failed my 1st-3rd batches of soap already , my soaps came out hard-brittle-crumble as I cut it. I always run the recipes through SoapCalc. I did zap test to each batch and they taste like soap (not lye heavy). I decided to rebatch the soaps by using the crockpot method and they came out fine. The problems with my failed soaps could be: using hand mixer instead of stick blender (I bought a stick blender already), early expired EVOO, temperature too low when I added lye+water to the oil (hard oil not fully melted) or maybe WeighMax postal scale that I use to make small batch (1lb to 1.5lb) is not accurate enough. I bought a digital kitchen scale (Mainstays) and going to make an easy-cheap 1 lb batch of lard soap. But I'm so afraid to try again

This is the recipe that I'm going to try (SoapCalc):
Lard: 16 oz
Water: 6.08 oz (round to 6.10oz)
Lye: 2.14 oz (round to 2.15)
SF: 5%

If I make 2lb batch of the same recipe above (SoapCalc):
Lard 32oz
Water: 12.16oz (round to: 12.15oz)
Lye: 4.29 (round to 4.0oz)
SF:5%

My question is; stupid question probably but I don't want to fail again. My digital kitchen scale
can only read/ weigh (in ounces), for ex: Lye 2.15 or 2.10oz, Water 6.10oz. Can I round those numbers as I did above?
Can I mix the lye+water to the melted oil at between 100-115F for this recipe?
Thank you so much.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I personally round my lye down and everything else up - because I am super cautious!

Those recipes look fine, though. Temps should also be okay.

As for the crumbles, with out knowing what they were it's hard to say. It might be that you waited too long to cut maybe?

 

[Obsidian]

Not sure if thats a typo but I wouldn't round the lye from 4.29 to 4.0, thats quite a change. I'd round down to 4.25 at most.

Your lard recipe looks fine, be aware though that lard can take a bit longer to trace so you might want to mix your oils/lye a bit warmer, say around 120*

I agree that you may have waited too long to cut. The age of the oils and the temps mixed at shouldn't make the soap brittle. Thats usually from drying too much or using a really hard recipe.

Don't get discouraged and keep trying. If you have usable soap, then its not a failure

 

[new12soap]

Check your scale, are you sure it won't measure in grams? Almost every new digital scale I have seen has an option for either ounces or grams. If yours does not weigh in grams I would say take it back and get another one that does.

One of the things I like best about soapcalc is that you can put your recipe in in ounces and it will print out ounces and grams. When possible always use grams!

Make a 2 lb batch. I always recommend that beginners make at least a 1.5 - 2 lb batch.

Get a stickblender. You can often pick one up at a thrift store for $5. A hand mixer will work but it can take MUCH longer, and lard is very slow to trace. You can make soap with a mixer, but you will have to be very very patient and make sure your soap is really truly at trace before you pour into the mold.

Keep reading, ask questions, and document everything you do. Take pics if you can. You can always come ask for guidance, and the more info you can give about your recipe, process, and results, the more everyone can help. Good luck!

 

[Nat_Lia]

@ The Efficacious Gentleman's: I waited for 24 hrs before cutting my soap.
@ Obsidian: Yes, you are right, the lye should be 4.25 for 2 lb batch.
@ new12soap: I love and switch to gram instead using oz for better accuracy.

I apologize for taking too long to get back to this post. We are in the process of moving in couple of months
to out of country but.... I finally manage to make my lard soap and it was a success.
I made also my 1st beer soap and solid lotion bars. The best natural lotion ever, better than the store bought lotion
and they are chemical free. The problem I had with my previous soaps before was the post office scale. I'm now happy-
confident and eager to learn more. While getting ready to sell everything before our moving, I stop making soaps for now
(don't want to fill our checked baggage with soaps). Instead, I document, write as many as soap recipes I can on my
Google document, watch videos about CP soap. I'm taking my stick blender, Infrared IR Digital Thermometer, scale, molds
and even plastic measuring cups with me. Not sure if I'm allowed to bring just 1lb bottle of lye......but better not I guess.
I took pictures of soap-lotion I made, will try to post them here. Hope it works. Let me know what you think. Thanks for helping.

Natalia

 

[Belinda02]

I agree about the lotion bars. Better than any lotion ever used.

 

[dixiedragon]

I bet you were right about the postal scale. I learned that postal scales are generally designed to weigh something placed on them, not to weigh something being poured or added.

You said the EVOO was expired - did it smell bad?

 

[Nat_Lia]

I agree about the lotion bars. Better than any lotion ever used.

Absolutely right my children have dry skin and lips, they have been using the lotion bars for about 5 days now.
Their skin-lips got much better. I tried- bought so many different kind of lotions before but none of them work.

 

[Nat_Lia]

I bet you were right about the postal scale. I learned that postal scales are generally designed to weigh something placed on them, not to weigh something being poured or added.

You said the EVOO was expired - did it smell bad?

I agree about the postal scale
Correction on my writing: I wrote early expired EVOO, it should be nearly expired EVOO. The expiration date will be at the end of this month, no bad smell.

 

[EvilTOJ]

A word about expiration dates; http://today.law.harvard.edu/feature/thought-for-food/