Proper Insulation

[shugohmk]

I'm new to soap making. As I haven't made any soap yet (still waiting for the ingredients to arrive in the mail) I'm looking around for more things to learn. I've watched a lot of soap making videos and read stuff here too.

I know you can have a partial gel in soaps and you can prevent gelling if you put them in the fridge/freezer. I think I'm right on that?

Anyway, I want to have gel on my soaps, so I was just wondering. Is there a proper way on insulating soaps after pouring them into your mold? Does it matter on the type of mold you use? I plan on making one out of wood, but right now, I'm using a plastic storage box that I got from the dollar store that's perfect. it's a 12x4 and I just need to line it and I'm good to go.

I have a silicone mold on the way also. Is using a silicone mold better than using wooden molds?

Thanks in advance for the help.

Also, if possible if you can give me tips on preventing partial gel, it would be wonderful. Thanks. Not doing hot process as I'm still a newbie at this.

Update:
I read somewhere that they pour their batch when it has a heavy trace because they believe it gelled during that time. But I'm not sure if they put it in the fridge or not.

I'm trying to get tips for making a gelled soap without having to put it in the fridge. We don't have room in the fridge. If we did, I would put my back there. xD

Thanks again!

 

[LanaBanana]

I like to use a heating pad under my mold and then I cover the whole thing with a towel or another box to retain the heat from the heating pad. I like to peek at it, so I wrap it in a way that I can peek at it without much hassle. Once it fully gels, I turn the heating pad off and wait for it to come to room temperature naturally. I live in a warm climate, so I never have to work too hard to achieve a gelled soap.

You mentioned using the fridge. The fridge would be for preventing gel. It would cool the soap down. Whereas the heat would encourage gel.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Dennis]

No fridge = gel.

Mine receive a caring beach blanket wrap followed up by a security check after a few hours and then again in a couple more hours and maybe once more. Just because I care. Some call my security checks a lack of patience. Hmpf! :roll:
Haven't lost a batch yet.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

A lot of people heat the oven to just a warm temp, then turn it off and pop the soap in. If you're using a recipe that is likely to get very hot on it's own, then something like wrapping will likely be fine.

The trouble (and the joy!) of soaping is that it's not always the same for each person - so what one person does may not work 100% the same for you. You have to try and fail and try again and again until you find what works best for you and your recipes/equipment.

 

[shunt2011]

I use a silicone liner inside a wood mold. I find that just covering the top with my lid or with a piece of cardboard and laying a towel doubled over is plenty enough to get full gel. Like Dennis, I do give it some TLC and checkon it periodically to make sure all is well. If I have an FO that is a heater I will leave the lid cracked don't cover it and watch it carefully. I have never had partial gel using this method. I have tried putting it in a warm oven but had issues with overheating every time so it just doesn't work for me.