Not quite gelling completely woes

[Gkwallace]

I might be asking for too much, but I can't get full gel or I'm misidentifying the problem.
Edges are not opaque white, more translucent.
I soap around 120 degrees and wrap with 2 moving blankets.
My molds are 5lbs wood with silicone liner.

Recipe

Ingredients	Ounces	Pounds	Grams	Kilograms
Water	4.74 oz	0.3 lb	134.37 g	0.13 kg
Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)	2.16 oz	0.13 lb	61.15 g	0.06 kg
Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)	0.18 oz	0.01 lb	5.04 g	0.01 kg
Tallow, Beef	16 oz	1 lb	453.59 g	0.45 kg
Total Weight	23.07 oz

 

[lsg]

Some people use an old heating pad to force gel. I have done CP/OP soap to force gel.

 

[AliOop]

Based the recipe provided and method/process described, it's hard to believe the soap isn't fully gelled.

With your low lye concentration (high water), I'm wondering if those may actually be so-called glycerin rivers around your edges. Try changing your lye concentration to 33%, and if that doesn't work, go up to 35% or even 40%.

ETA: sometimes those translucent lines will appear, although more often between layers poured at different times, when there is a difference in temperature between the areas of soap. It's possible your soap gets really hot in the middle, while the edges stay cooler. If that is the case, I wouldn't say that the edges aren't gelled, but that the translucent line effect (for lack of better term) is occurring due to those temp differences. Regardless, it is a cosmetic issue only. @dibbles has some pretty examples of soaps with this effect and perhaps could share those here for you if she believes it might be relevant.

 

[dibbles]

This thread has some examples of the 'halo effect'.

 

[Gkwallace]

Problem Solved (fingers crossed for a while)
The only thing that made real sense to me was a temperature difference. When the soap hits the mold it is instantly cooled in the corners and when the sap process starts the corners never get as hot as the bulk of the center.
Unfortunately I'm not sure exactly what fixed it. I have a bad habit of changing several variables at a time instead of one at a time.
What I did:
Used a heating pad the size of my 3 molds, 14x20", set on top of a moving blanket.
I preheated the mold to about 95 degrees inside the cavity. The blanket was set on medium which is supposed to be 126 degrees.
I reduced my water by 10% which theoretically would make gel phase more difficult, but it was taking forever to bring to trace no matter how much stick blending I did.
I dropped my mixing temp to an exact 120 degrees from around 124-135 for both lye and oil.
I usually mix to light trace. This time it got to light trace reasonably well, but continued on to medium trace, like thin pudding, still easy to pour. It took a surprisingly long time to get from light trace to medium trace.
I covered all three molds with 1/4" particle board cut the size of the 3 molds and taped it up. My mold is made to use sliding plastic lids and they kinda suck as I fill to the top and tend to get the lids stuck when the soap expands. If I don't tape it up heat will escape through the holes that would normally be covered by the plastic.
I put the heating blanket to 136 degrees, set time to 1 hour and covered the entire contraption with another moving blanket.
Interestingly, after 1 hour I checked it and it looked to be gelled completely, at least on top.

I was almost ready to settle for the imperfection and was extremely frustrated. All things considered, about 15 hours and 140 lbs of tallow is not bad for perfection.

 

[dibbles]

I’m glad you found a solution. The soap is beautiful

 

[AliOop]

Glad you got it sorted! That is some beautiful soap.

 

[Zuleika]

I preheated the mold to about 95 degrees inside the cavity.

Interesting concept. I shall have to try this as I do get ungelled corners too. How do you preheat the mould?

Like put it on the heating pad?

 

[Gkwallace]

Interesting concept. I shall have to try this as I do get ungelled corners too. How do you preheat the mould?

Like put it on the heating pad?

When I start mixing the lye I put the heating pad underneath. Even though I put the pad on 140 degrees or so it never really gets that hot in the mold.