Question on master batching lye

[Dorymae]

I've master batched my oils for a while, but never my lye. I want to try master batching lye to save some time in waiting for cool down, ( it will be stored in a soap fridge)

I understand to make a 50% solution and I think I understand how to translate that to my recipes, but I would like someone to tell me if my thinking is correct.

If my normal recipe calls for 7.9oz of lye and 21 ounces of water, would I use 15.8 ounces of lye solution and an additional 5.2 ounces of water?

Thank you in advance, I don't want to try it out until I'm sure of what I'm doing.

 

[IrishLass]

Hi Dory-

The 15.8 part is correct, but the 5.2 part is not correct.

I work from a 50% lye solution all the time. Here is what I do:

First, I enter in my recipe on SoapCalc as I would do normally. Once I have the dry lye amount and the water amount, I follow this simple 2-part calculation:


-For how much 50% LYE SOLUTION to weigh out: Total recipe amount of dry lye X 2 = how much of the 50% lye solution to weigh out for my batch.

-For the EXTRA WATER: Total recipe amount of liquid minus total recipe amount of dry lye = how much extra liquid to add to my batch.

So, if the calc says that you need 7.9 oz. lye, just multiply that by 2, which equals 15.8 oz. of dry lye to weigh out.

And if the calc says you need a total 21 oz. water, take that 21 oz. and subtract 7.9 oz., which equals 13.1 oz. of extra water to weigh out.

Hope that helps!

IrishLass

 

[Dorymae]

Thank you so much. Yes that makes sense, I was taking into account the water but not with the lye mixed in. So glad I asked or I would have been wondering why my soap was tracing so fast!

Thanks again.

 

[cmzaha]

I do it exactly like Irish Lass does.

 

[RhondaJ]

I use soapmaker 3 - it does the calculations for me

BUT if I were doing it by hand, I'd do it the same way IrishLass does

 

[boyago]

I do it exactly like Irish Lass does.

My dyslexia kicked in there and I read that as Irish Lash. I thought you were giving her a new Nickname, which would be a pretty good one.

 

[pamielynn]

Here's a question: I tried MB my lye, but could never figure out how to add sugar to the solution. Do you just add it when you're making the MB? If any of you add it at all?

 

[Dorymae]

I would dissolve it in the additional water, then add it to the batter, then add the lye solution.

Understand I have not done it, but if I were to try it, that is what I'd do.

 

[IrishLass]

I do exactly what Dory said she would do (add it to my extra water).


IrishLass

or

IrishLash

;-)

 

[pamielynn]

Ok thanks! I tried doing this one time and the sugar just would not dissolve. I never took the time to experiment or try to figure it out - just did that one batch. Put the extra water in my bowl, added sugar and mixed it around - thought it was all dissolved. Added the lye solution and bam! got a big glop of sugar.

But, if IrishLasH says it works, I'll give it another go. Could have been one of those evil fairies messing with me that day.

 

[RhondaJ]

Here's a question: I tried MB my lye, but could never figure out how to add sugar to the solution. Do you just add it when you're making the MB? If any of you add it at all?

I make a simple syrup for my sugar, 1 cup sugar to 1 cup water, boil it till it's a thick syrup and store it in a jar after it cools some. I just add 1 TBSP PPO of my sugar syrup to my oils and bypass fiddling around with adding it to the lye completely.

 

[cmzaha]

Sugar will not dissolve in the lye. It has to be added and dissolved in the water before the lye, so yep do what Lass mentioned and mix it into the extra liquid. I also master batch my citric acid 50/50, that I use for cheleating, since I hate the way it acts with lye.

 

[pamielynn]

Sugar will not dissolve in the lye. It has to be added and dissolved in the water before the lye, so yep do what Lass mentioned and mix it into the extra liquid. I also master batch my citric acid 50/50, that I use for cheleating, since I hate the way it acts with lye.

I didn't add it to my lye water - just to my extra water, but it it didn't work for me that day and I never tried again. Was probably a bad soaping day.