Melting Bulk Oils

[lpstephy85]

I do all of my soaping in our basement so it is fairly cool down there in the winter time. My palm and coconut are from Crafter's Choice in the 7 and 8 pound pails. Before I can scoop the oils out my scale has shut off, soooo does anyone have any good ideas on how to quickly melt the oils in the pails or at least soften them up to be able to scoop out? I have thought about throwing them in the oven but I am afraid to melt the pail. Possibly wrap a heating pad around them? I know there is a red bucket warmer out there but that thing is expensive! Thanks :wave:

 

[savonierre]

I have the same problem, I use a heating pad and weigh out enough for 10 batches or so, I out those in smaller buckets and melt them in the microwave.

 

[seven]

For this exact reason, i am so glad i live in the tropics. I cant imagine my lazy *** doing all the scooping and the melting and so on. Sometimes i even changed my mind from using butters coz i'm too lazy to heat them up, lol. Sorry, i'm no help.

 

[Hermanam]

So glad to hear I am in good company! I, too, soap in a chilly basement and the scale has been known to shut off on me many times before I have managed to scoop out my CO. For the CO, my solution is just to break up the CO in the bucket a bit with my spoon before I measure, so I can then scoop it quickly into my measuring cup on the scale. Since the palm oil should me melted and mixed first, I usually melt down my entire bucket and pour it into smaller plastic containers. Then I just pop those in the microwave as needed. However, just last week I ordered palm shortening, which does not need to be melted and mixed first before weighing out. I am hoping this proves to be a bit easier. I hate all the scooping and melting.

 

[cmzaha]

I use an ice cream spades for scooping out hard oils. A good ice cream spade will have nice edge on it to help cut. Careful what you wish for, I wish my coconut oil would stay hard in the summer. I buy 5 gallon buckets of oils and just try to get liquid coconut out. My hardest is my pko during the winter, wll not this winter, and I can get it out with a spade. If they are in 1 gallon buckets you may be able to get them in your micro. I soap in 1 and 2 gallon buckets and melt all my oils in the micro

 

[new12soap]

some scales have a switch on the bottom to turn off the "auto-off", you may want to try that.

if it were me I would melt my palm once and then divide it up into smaller containers, even freezer zip bags, in the amount I normally use. that way it is only a pain in the rear end once, not every time I want to make soap!

I don't melt coconut oil or stir it first.

 

[lpstephy85]

Thanks y'all! When you melt do you just put the pail in the oven?

 

[new12soap]

Thanks y'all! When you melt do you just put the pail in the oven?

No, I would be afraid of melting the plastic. My first choice would be to put it in a locked car in the sun, that usually does it, but that probably wouldn't work in winter. Second choice would be a sink (or tub) of hot water.

 

[shunt2011]

I buy 50 lbs buckets of coconut and 50 lb cubes of PO and keep them in an unheated enclosed carport. When ready to use them I just scoop out a small bucket full and then soap as usual. I take if from the small bucket into my soap pot (bucket) and then melt all the oils in my microwave. I've never had a problem with my scale shutting off this way.

 

[coffeetime]

I pre-melt my palm oil. I buy in 40lb pails so I scoop it out in a vertical column so that I get proper proportions of all the layers, put that into a smaller bucket then put the small bucket into a bowl full of hot water until it melts. Stir well and allow to re-solidify.

Maybe with the coconut oil, you could warm your spoon in a toaster oven before scooping? Then it would slip through really easy.

 

[lpstephy85]

I have the same problem, I use a heating pad and weigh out enough for 10 batches or so, I out those in smaller buckets and melt them in the microwave.

Good idea to weigh them out for a few batches ahead of time. Will have to start doing that now.

For this exact reason, i am so glad i live in the tropics. I cant imagine my lazy *** doing all the scooping and the melting and so on. Sometimes i even changed my mind from using butters coz i'm too lazy to heat them up, lol. Sorry, i'm no help.

LOL, stop rubbing in your tropical weather

I use an ice cream spades for scooping out hard oils. A good ice cream spade will have nice edge on it to help cut. Careful what you wish for, I wish my coconut oil would stay hard in the summer. I buy 5 gallon buckets of oils and just try to get liquid coconut out. My hardest is my pko during the winter, wll not this winter, and I can get it out with a spade. If they are in 1 gallon buckets you may be able to get them in your micro. I soap in 1 and 2 gallon buckets and melt all my oils in the micro

Summer time is so easy for my oils because I can just pour and go. Is it summer yet :???:

some scales have a switch on the bottom to turn off the "auto-off", you may want to try that.

if it were me I would melt my palm once and then divide it up into smaller containers, even freezer zip bags, in the amount I normally use. that way it is only a pain in the rear end once, not every time I want to make soap!

I don't melt coconut oil or stir it first.

I will have to check and see if mine does have that auto-off. And yes, good idea on melting it as soon as I get it and then dividing them. Work smarter, not harder!!

No, I would be afraid of melting the plastic. My first choice would be to put it in a locked car in the sun, that usually does it, but that probably wouldn't work in winter. Second choice would be a sink (or tub) of hot water.

Yep, my thoughts exactly on fearing the pail would melt. The in the car in the sun thing does work perfectly in the summer as I have already learned!

I buy 50 lbs buckets of coconut and 50 lb cubes of PO and keep them in an unheated enclosed carport. When ready to use them I just scoop out a small bucket full and then soap as usual. I take if from the small bucket into my soap pot (bucket) and then melt all the oils in my microwave. I've never had a problem with my scale shutting off this way.

This breaking them down in to smaller amounts is for sure the way to go.

I pre-melt my palm oil. I buy in 40lb pails so I scoop it out in a vertical column so that I get proper proportions of all the layers, put that into a smaller bucket then put the small bucket into a bowl full of hot water until it melts. Stir well and allow to re-solidify.

Maybe with the coconut oil, you could warm your spoon in a toaster oven before scooping? Then it would slip through really easy.

That is a good idea with the spoon! Thanks!

Thanks everyone, looks like I need to just separate into smaller amounts when I get my supplies so it is easier come soaping time. :smile::smile:

 

[cmzaha]

I never melt down my palm oil that I buy in 35lb buckets. If it starts to reharden I just stir it periodically to keep it mixed as it re-solidifys. I have never had a problem when it stays hard. I simply do not have the time or packaging to repackage 35-70 lbs of palm oil. All my oils melt in the summer and reharden in the winter. Even my 92 degree coconut will melt in summer

 

[Lin]

I like using an ice cream scoop, which can also be heated to help glide through coconut oil.

 

[savonierre]

A sharp knife will help get big chunks out .