Need to make many moulded soaps with only 1 specialty mould - best process?

[RogueRose]

So I have one mould that make one bar and it is a difficult mould to make and they don't sell them. What is the best way to make a number (say 20) of them without having to make 20 individual recipes?

I don't see a problem with pre-mixing all the oils and either keep them in one large batch/container or measure out 19 containers to keep until the mould is available.

The lye solution is the biggest issue. Can I do the same with the lye mix? mix a large batch then divide into 20 containers or even 1 large containter and then portion out when mould is available.

If one large container holds the oils and one for the lye, the only issue I see is it may not be totally mixed/homogenous when I pour each additional recipe.

If the lye is kept until needed, does storage temp matter and should it be heated before adding to the oil?

IDK about anyone else but small batches like 4-8oz are a real PITA IMO. I use a dremel with a little bladed stir rod I made from a coin, cut into 4 quarters (not to the center, just about 75% from the edge) and then soldered onto a steel rod shaft. balancing it is the toughest. Any tips on small batches?

 

[Seawolfe]

It seems to me it would be easier to make more of the mold. There are plenty of tutorials on how to make silicone molds using shapes, so just make a positive shape in the mold (perhaps you can even use your soap?) and then make new negatives from that.

Otherwise I dont have any useful ideas that don't take 15+ hour for each bar, except using melt and pour.

 

[galaxyMLP]

I agree, you can even use silicone caulking. I've done it before for an MP soap and its not bad at all. I would not attempt to do multiple CP (Or even HP) soaps in a single mold.

Even if you just make 5 of them, its better than just one. Just the time in the mold itself means it will take at the least, 20 days for 20 soaps. Thats a long time and your first soap will almost be finished curing by the time youre pulling your last one out of the mold!

 

[not_ally]

Well, you can certainly master batch both oils and lye, there are tons of threads about doing that. But I def. agree w/Sea and Galaxy, making 20 bar soaps, one day at at time, would make me crazy. I would probably make a bit extra with each regular batch I made and use that one for the leftovers from whatever loaf/slab mold I was using.

Re the dremel, are you using it as a mixer? My favorite mini-mixer is the Badger paint mixer, it has a v. strong motor for such a small one, and is really durable unlike a lot of others.

 

[RogueRose]

Thanks for the suggestions. The problem is that it is a very odd mould and so far I have at least 15 different unique variations so that was part of the problem as well. On top of that one order may be for 10 different colors so that compounds things. I'll just have to do some brainstorming and see what I can come up with.

As for the silicon molds, I'm really interested in them but when I saw that it was like $120-$200/gallon that kind of made me do a double take. If it can be done with caulking silicone then that would make a big difference.

galaxyMLP do you have any good suggestions on the caulking or did you just hear about it.

I'm thinking that melt and pour might be the way to go with these difficult molds. I've never done it before so I'm not sure what benefits there are.

 

[galaxyMLP]

I did it myself! It does STINK like vinegar and I suggest using gloves for the process but, this is what I did:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Worlds-easiest-silicone-mold/

I followed this pretty much to the T. Just make sure you cover your mold positive in a thick enough layer and that you have one flat part of the mold so it lays flat when you pour for soap.

Let it cure outside (thats the drying part). And dont get impatient! Let the silicone sit for a few days before using it. Otherwise the vinegar scent will transfer and the interior of the mold may still be soft. You can remove your mold positive after about 2-3 hours but dont use it for a few days after that. I tried to use mine too early. Soap + acid (the vinegar produced during the silicone cure) is a mess!

Also, I know there are much less expensive options for making silicone molds that arent $200 per gallon. Ill go look to see what I find. The silicone caulk method really is only cost effective for 1-2 molds.

 

[dillsandwitch]

I have also used silicone to make a duplicate of a cow mould I had. i used plaster of paris to make a bunch of casts and then secured them inside a lego bax and used silicone mixed with a bit of white spirit to thin it and a tiny bit of corn flour. One tip though if you do add corn flour dont add too much. it can cause the silicone to shrink and then your mould will be warped. also its a good idea to paint the plaster with acrylic paint (makes it easier to unmould) and also use a paintbrush to paint the silicone onto the casts so you dont get air bubbles. And yeah it stinks for a while. leave it outside for a week or so and its good to go