PVC plastic sleeve tubing for round soap

[TWF Mystic]

Hello,

I've seen where clear plastic tubing has been used to line 3-inch PVC pipe with good results. Can anyone point me to a source of these sleeves, and would you use a 4 " sleeve for a 3 " pipe? Thanks.

 

[DeeAnna]

You can buy polyethylene tubing at places like PaperMart.

Do the math to know -- Circumference = 3.14 X Diameter.

A pipe that has an inner diameter of 3 inches has an inner circumference of 3.14 X 3 = 9.42 inches

A plastic tube that's 4 inches across when flattened has an opened circumference of twice its flattened measurement. So 2 X 4 = 8 inches circumference.

There used to be (maybe still is) a soap maker who cuts polyethylene tubing to length and pours soap batter directly into the plastic tube. No pipe used. You'd have to securely seal the bottom of the tubing and fasten the top to some kind of support.

 

[TWF Mystic]

Thank you. And thanks for the geometry primer.

 

[Ford]

Hi, I started with freezer paper. Like many others. Found these at $tore. Ones I tried previously were to thick. These are thin enough to work. Trimmed to about 1 inch overlap. I use a flat ^test cap^. With a piece of freezer paper to seal bottom. The pvc is 12 inches long.

 

[Maple_Street_Bath]

I no longer line my PVC pipes. I had more issues with misshapen loafs due to the freezer paper crinkling than it was worth. Soapmaking has taught me a lot of patience, so now I pour my soaps in the PVC mold, let it do its thing for 24 hours, put it in the freezer for 24 hours, and let it come to room temp for an hour or so. I pop the end cap off and the soap slides right out. Let thaw completely before cutting. The first batch did not go this smoothly, the first one took a week before it would slide out of the PVC, but the batches after the first or second worked fine with this method.

 

[phstandard]

I no longer line my PVC pipes. I had more issues with misshapen loafs due to the freezer paper crinkling than it was worth. Soapmaking has taught me a lot of patience, so now I pour my soaps in the PVC mold, let it do its thing for 24 hours, put it in the freezer for 24 hours, and let it come to room temp for an hour or so. I pop the end cap off and the soap slides right out. Let thaw completely before cutting. The first batch did not go this smoothly, the first one took a week before it would slide out of the PVC, but the batches after the first or second worked fine with this method.

Hi! How is the cleaning after you demold? Is it clean as a whistle, or is it lots of soap residue to get out? Im looking into using a longer tube of 1 meter to put in my large freezer.

 

[AliOop]

I no longer line my PVC pipes. I had more issues with misshapen loafs due to the freezer paper crinkling than it was worth. Soapmaking has taught me a lot of patience, so now I pour my soaps in the PVC mold, let it do its thing for 24 hours, put it in the freezer for 24 hours, and let it come to room temp for an hour or so. I pop the end cap off and the soap slides right out. Let thaw completely before cutting. The first batch did not go this smoothly, the first one took a week before it would slide out of the PVC, but the batches after the first or second worked fine with this method.

I do the same, except that I only freeze mine for a couple of hours, and I only let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes to form condensation inside.

I will say that this works perfectly with my usual high-lard recipe. Recipes high in OO don’t unmold as easily - it takes banging the end on a hard surface to get the loaf to release. But it does work.

 

[phstandard]

I do the same, except that I only freeze mine for a couple of hours, and I only let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes to form condensation inside.

I will say that this works perfectly with my usual high-lard recipe. Recipes high in OO don’t unmold as easily - it takes banging the end on a hard surface to get the loaf to release. But it does work.

Thank you. I see.

Ill do this with your 45 % OO, 20 % CO, 30 % SHEA and 5 % CASTOR recipe. Some salt should make it easier.

 

[2lilboots]

Years ago I vaguely remember @Hausfrau (sp) stating she used a soup can to push the soap out of the PVC tubes.

 

[phstandard]

Years ago I vaguely remember @Hausfrau (sp) stating she used a soup can to push the soap out of the PVC tubes.

Yes, this should be possible. But with a 1 meter tube I would think the friction is too much. But with for example a wooden bottom and a baseball bat, it might be possible.

 

[Relle]

Make it easy for yourself and use the freezer paper, my first one and only I made a couple of months ago, came out no crinkles, I turned it upside down and it just slide out all on it's own. Cut the paper the length of the tube with a small overlap and then a circle for the base, just slide it all in.