PVC Un-Molding Question

[Kim1234]

Firstly, new soaper here.

I made a couple of batches of Soap, using Soapcalc as my guide. Weighed meticulously, and molding in a 3" PVC tube. I watch a couple of videos on you tube and they indicated that I would wait for 48 hours to UN-mold. I couldn't, , so I UN-molded one tube at 24 hours. When I cut the soap, using a fluted cutter, like in the video, the soap cut fine except the last 1/4 to 3/8" which broke leaving a broken edge.

Should I remove from mold sooner so that the soap will be a tad softer?

My recipe was a straight lard make, no oils. Will the addition of oils help?

Thanks for the responses.

 

[desarae19]

i remove from pvc pipe after 24 hours, then cut it the next day.

 

[IrishLass]

It depends on your formula and whether or not you gel. I'm able to unmold mine in about 12- 18 hours, but I use a hard formula with a water discount and I make sure it gels.

IrishLass

 

[Kim1234]

My recipe was.

5 lbs lard
10.729 Oz Lye
30.5 oz water.

Can you explain what "gel" means and what to look for. Is this something that you want to happen in CP soap?

What causes it.

 

[adonudo]

Not sure this directly answers your initial question, but a tip I have is to take a small spray bottle of isopropyl rubbing alcohol, and spray a fine mist into your tube, then run a feather duster over it to remove beading. This causes the soap the slide out much easier, reducing pressure cracks. In my experience though, no matter what the top 1/2" and bottom 1/4" are waste, and good for samples. When I push out the soap cylinder, I have a metal frame with fishing line at 1" spacing that cuts right through without smashing the cylinder.

 

[IrishLass]

My recipe was.

5 lbs lard
10.729 Oz Lye
30.5 oz water.

Your recipe looks good.

Can you explain what "gel" means and what to look for.
What causes it.

'Gel' is a natural stage in the saponification process that your raw soap goes through while it's in the mold. Basically, it's saponification happening in fast motion. What happens during gel is that the chemical reaction between the lye and oils intensifies, causing the raw soap batter to heat up. If you were to look at your soap during gel, you will notice your soap getting darker in the middle and turning transluscent and gel-like. This darkened, gel-like phenomena then spreads outward from the center until all your soap is transluscent and gel-like. It's at this point that the intensified heat reaches a peak and starts to cool back down. As it does so, your quivering mass of jellied soap gradually solidifies and gets hard enough to unmold.

Is this something that you want to happen in CP soap?

If you're asking me personally, then yes. I make sure all my soaps gel. The reason why is because I like to unmold and cut sooner, and also because it cuts about 2 weeks off of my cure time (i.e., intead of taking 6 weeks to reach its earliest best, my soap reaches its earliest best at 4 weeks).

Some soapers like to prevent gel, though, much of which is for aesthetic reasons, among others. And so they will stick their soap in the fridge after pouring in order to prevent gel. Whether you choose to gel or not is all a matter of personal preference based on what you are trying to achieve or avoid in your soap. In the end, though, after weeks of cure, it's still all soap no matter which method you choose, but gelled soap will get there quicker.


IrishLass

 

[Kim1234]

Wow, thank you so much for such an in-depth reply. I really appreciate it. I think I want my soaps to get too.

Should I wrap them in a towel after molding? Will this help hasten the gel?

 

[LuvOurNewf]

You could always line the mold like you would do a slab or loaf mold. The inside diameter of 3" PVC is 9.639".

Cut your liner and measure it to 9 5/8". Form a tube, tape it and drop it in. Make sure the shiny side is toward the soap.

This works for me and I gel. Haven't had a problem yet. (knocking on wood)