Question about using my crockpot

[NotTaken]

I am currently in the process of getting all my supplies together so that I can make my first batch. (which is proving quite difficult with the winter weather we keep getting ) I was wondering if it would be possible to do RT CP in my crockpot. I have stainless steel cookwear but I want to keep them for food not soap. I didnt know if the crock pot would cool down enough or quickly enough, or if it was best used for CPHP.

As I am writing this it seems like a dumb question but from what I have learned soaping isnt simple!!

Oh and Merry Christmas!!!

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Are you saying that you want to use your crock pot as a mould?

 

[NotTaken]

Maybe I wasnt as clear as I should have been I was wondering if I could use the crock pot and then transfer it from there to the mold.

I didnt know how it would work for soaping at lower temps due to the fact that it is insulated to retain heat, and I didnt want to have to wait very long for it to cool down.

 

[honor435]

i use a crock for cp and hp, thats all i ever use, i put my lye water in a plastic measuring cup in a pan of ice, while im warming oils, once oils are to correct temps, i take crock out of heating part, then add water/lye, mix pour into mold, it works nice, i never use the stove or oven.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Maybe I wasnt as clear as I should have been I was wondering if I could use the crock pot and then transfer it from there to the mold.

I didnt know how it would work for soaping at lower temps due to the fact that it is insulated to retain heat, and I didnt want to have to wait very long for it to cool down.

Sorry "NotTaken", I had Christmas on the brain and then I had to rush off. Hope it went well for you. :wink:

 

[NotTaken]

Thank you for the responses! BUT I dont think that I will be able to put anything in the crockpot for a few days cuz its still snowing :cry: and cant get to the store! Ill let you all know how it turns out if I get there.

 

[Stinkydancer]

You can room temp your lye water- you don't have to use it as a certain temp for HP, you probably don't want it to be too hot, just in case to prevent a volcano. If your lye container is lukewarm, you can use it or wait until it cools to room temp. Some people I know don't even wait for the lye to cool and through it in their oils, SB and cook.

I use my oven to cook because I find the soap is smoother when cooked at 180 in the oven. My soaps always had white chunks when I used the crockpot. But the crockpot on low will work. Just don't try to rush the cook with hp. Slow and low seems to make better soap, at least in my experience.

Good luck!
If you already made your batch let us know how it went.

 

[spotts71]

You can room temp your lye water- you don't have to use it as a certain temp for HP, you probably don't want it to be too hot, just in case to prevent a volcano. If your lye container is lukewarm, you can use it or wait until it cools to room temp. Some people I know don't even wait for the lye to cool and through it in their oils, SB and cook.

I use my oven to cook because I find the soap is smoother when cooked at 180 in the oven. My soaps always had white chunks when I used the crockpot. But the crockpot on low will work. Just don't try to rush the cook with hp. Slow and low seems to make better soap, at least in my experience.

Good luck!
If you already made your batch let us know how it went.

What do you mean oven to cook? I'm not understanding that. What do you put that in to cook it? Do you keep stirring?

 

[Stinkydancer]

You can room temp your lye water- you don't have to use it as a certain temp for HP, you probably don't want it to be too hot, just in case to prevent a volcano. If your lye container is lukewarm, you can use it or wait until it cools to room temp. Some people I know don't even wait for the lye to cool and through it in their oils, SB and cook.

I use my oven to cook because I find the soap is smoother when cooked at 180 in the oven. My soaps always had white chunks when I used the crockpot. But the crockpot on low will work. Just don't try to rush the cook with hp. Slow and low seems to make better soap, at least in my experience.

Good luck!
If you already made your batch let us know how it went.

What do you mean oven to cook? I'm not understanding that. What do you put that in to cook it? Do you keep stirring?

I take the soap to thick trace first, usually cooks faster that way.
I use stainless steel or vintage enamel pots (which I like better) they are both fine and I cook it in the oven. I don't keep stirring either. I stir the first time after about a half hour and the second time- 25 minutes after that. I use a spatula to stir the second time around so I can get the soap away from the sides. It's usually done at that point when I use the enamel pans- stainless it takes a little longer and I may have to stir more.

It seems like when I stir more, I get more air bubbles in the soap, even if I bang it hard in the mold, so I try to avoid stirring too much.
Sometimes I use the double boiler method but not often. Anything other than the crockpot.

 

[Stinkydancer]

I should mention to use the oven you should know if your recipe volcanoes or not. Just in case, put a cookie sheet on the rack under the covered soap pot in the oven.

 

[spotts71]

I should mention to use the oven you should know if your recipe volcanoes or not. Just in case, put a cookie sheet on the rack under the covered soap pot in the oven.

Do different recipes volcano? I guess I'm not sure I understand that part. I have done the same recipe 2x this week and 1 went fine and the other did volcano. I racked it up as I got the oils and lye too hot the 2nd time and the mix just got too hot too quick. First time that has happened with this recipe. (I have only done about 1/2 a dozen-- so not that I'm experienced) Also the last few times, it doesnt seem to be the same quanity I get when I CP this recipe. Is that normal?

 

[Stinkydancer]

I should mention to use the oven you should know if your recipe volcanoes or not. Just in case, put a cookie sheet on the rack under the covered soap pot in the oven.

Do different recipes volcano? I guess I'm not sure I understand that part. I have done the same recipe 2x this week and 1 went fine and the other did volcano. I racked it up as I got the oils and lye too hot the 2nd time and the mix just got too hot too quick. First time that has happened with this recipe. (I have only done about 1/2 a dozen-- so not that I'm experienced) Also the last few times, it doesnt seem to be the same quanity I get when I CP this recipe. Is that normal?

If you use really hot lye you have a better chance at a volcano. Also, I have heard that recipes with beeswax, milk (as water) and honey (add at trace) will volcano. It just gets too hot. I use 2 recipes sometimes 3 and I have never had it happen. I always cool my lye down to room temp though just in case. I also cook at 180 and never go higher than that.

What do you mean by different quantity?
I think I know what you mean. Let me see if I can explain this right.
Cp is thinner so you'll fill a mold to the whatever your regular cp recipe fits in it.
HP is thicker, so in theory, I guess it would seem as if your getting more soap because it will fill a mold differently (more) even if you bang it really hard and a whole lot.
If this is what you mean, I would say it's normal at least for me.

 

[Stinkydancer]

Oops- I also cool the hot oils down as well.