Questions about master batch and room temp CP

[mommyray]

Thank you for any help you can provide.
P
I want to make a master batch of lye. I have searched past posts and get the concepts, but I am not certain about which containers I should use. Is any Plastic container ok or does it have to have certain properties? I am thinking of buying Rubbermaid water bottles to make premeasured batches. Does that make sense?

Another question: I make soap at room temp and it gels no matter what. In fact, it gets so hot after pour the top cracks. This is happening with different blends of oils but the process is the same. I use 76 degree coconut, OO, grapeseed, soy, sometimes crisco. My favorite is an all coconut at 20% superfat. I let the lye mix cool to room temp. I melt the oils in a crock but they cool to room temp by the time the lye is done. then I stick blend and pour at thin pudding trace. I don't use FO or EO anymore, but I use green clay and botanicals for colorant. Once it's in the mold it heats up quickly and gels. It gets extremely hit and stays that way for about 12 hours. Makes for nice cutting, but I'm confused about how to avoid gelling and cracking on top.

 

[Sue Bear]

You can use almost anything that can withstand high head for your lye water. Rubbermaid bottles with work fine for masterbatching.

I also do RTCP soaping also. I do not think that the RTCP is the reason for your heating/gel problems but rather your soaping recipe. I have experienced this same heating issue in the past. If you want to avoid this in the future, I recommend that you put your soap mold in the freezer as soon as you pour. Leave it there for several hours. When you can place your hand on the bottom of the mold and it is no longer warm to the touch, remove the mold from the freezer. No more overheating. HTH

 

[IrishLass]

To find out which plastics are compatable with lye (quite a few are not, like PETE #1, for example), here are a couple of chemical/plastic compatability sites to look at:

http://www.coleparmer.com/Chemical-Resistance

http://www.spectrumlabs.com/dialysis/Compatibility.html

Generally, most soapers that mix their lye in plastic containers use PP #5 because it is both lye resistant and can withstand boiling water. I myself use PP #5 in which to mix my masterbatch 50% lye solution, and then I store it (when cool) in HDPE #2, which is also lye resistant but not as heat resistant as PP #5. My HDPE #2 container is a reclaimed laundry detergent bottle with a dripless pouring spout and tight-fitting lid.

To find out what kind of plastic your container is made of, just look on the bottom at the recycle code in the triangle.

Edited to add- coconut oil is a huge heat generator. Whenever I make 100% CO batches they always get real hot. Put it in a cool place while gelling to prevent overheating.

IrishLass

 

[mommyray]

Thank you for the tips! Very helpful!

 

[Aquarius]

I have a question about putting the molds in the freezer...on what temperature? U surely meant fridge not freezer?

 

[Genny]

If it's a batch that overheats, the freezer is better than the fridge.

 

[Aquarius]

If it's a batch that overheats, the freezer is better than the fridge.

You mean below 0 degrees celsius... But how is that better, doesn't the soap need the heat to finish saponifiing for all the lye to use up and find bonds?? How can that happen if you freeze it to ice?

If it's possible can you explain that cause it just doesn't make any sense regarding to the 2 books I read so far they are both stating that a batch needs heat for the first 12 hours.

Tnx for your help, hope I am not too demanding

 

[judymoody]

Cooling down your soap batter will slow the saponification process but won't stop it. If you were to put your soap in the freezer to bring down the heat, you'd then bring it back to room temperature (say after 12 hours). The chemical reaction will continue, it will just take longer.

If the soap doesn't gel it will take longer to firm up and longer for saponification to be complete. So you might want to add a week to your cure time. Gelled soap can be cut once it's thoroughly cool, generally within 24 hours. Ungelled soap should probably stay in the mold for a few days - depending on the recipe, maybe even a week.

I prefer to gel but there are good reasons not to - for example, if you're working with a finicky fragrance and need to soap very cool. Or if you're working with milks and want a lighter color.

Sometimes a soap will gel no matter what. I've had soap gel in the refrigerator. I've also heard tales of people taking the soap out of the freezer and then having the soap gel in the mold on the counter as it warmed up. That's not the norm but with soaping, anything is possible.

 

[mommyray]

All very interesting information!

For one thing, I am completely impressed with the information I received about plastics and how to check the recycle code. That saved me hours of scratching my head. I also saved money because I did not buy the rubbermaid bottles like I was going to -- I just went to my recycle bin! So, THANK YOU!!

The information about cooling soap in the mold is fascinating. Like another poster, this goes against my research to date. Having this new information has opened my mind to understanding the soaping process more, and how much flexibility/creativity there can be. Thanks to all for sharing this knowledge. After 6 months of soaping, soaping, soaping, I am finally starting to feel a bit comfortable with it!

On a final note, the master lye batch went very well! I can't believe I hadn't jumped into this sooner.

 

[judymoody]

All very interesting information!

For one thing, I am completely impressed with the information I received about plastics and how to check the recycle code. That saved me hours of scratching my head. I also saved money because I did not buy the rubbermaid bottles like I was going to -- I just went to my recycle bin! So, THANK YOU!!

The information about cooling soap in the mold is fascinating. Like another poster, this goes against my research to date. Having this new information has opened my mind to understanding the soaping process more, and how much flexibility/creativity there can be. Thanks to all for sharing this knowledge. After 6 months of soaping, soaping, soaping, I am finally starting to feel a bit comfortable with it!

On a final note, the master lye batch went very well! I can't believe I hadn't jumped into this sooner.

That's why I like making soap. There is always more to learn, you can always be surprised, and the end product is never exactly the same. I'm not likely to get bored any time soon.