Rebatch photos

[TeresaT]

These are some photos of my first correction rebatch from last week's math mistake. I honestly did not think I could unmold the log. I was going to put it in a cardboard box on the front porch to help dry a bit quicker. It gets hot here. But since it had set up, I decided to give it a go. The individual bars are still far too wet to do anything with.



I'll tackle my next rebatch tomorrow or Weds after work. This time, I will not use so much water! Lesson learned: 1 gm is insignificant; however, 800 gm is about 30 oz. Uh, that's almost 2# water. WHY did America not switch to metrics like the rest of the world? I think the animal kingdom uses metrics, too. (Wildebeest to another wildebeest, "you think there's a croc in that river?" "No way you can get a 400 kilo croc in 22 cm.." "I thought I saw air bubbles. Nice knowing ya!")

 

[tbeck3579]

Thanks for sharing this. I know I will need to know how to correct a mistake. Stuff happens... This is great info Teresa!

 

[nogud247]

I like the way the loaf looks. It could turn out pretty awesome.

 

[TeresaT]

I just cut the water-heavy loaf. It was like a hot knife going through butter. You can see the striations from the cutter. I should have wiped the blade after each cut. I didn't think of that until I took the photo. I took two bars out of the 12-bar mold, but they're a bit deformed, so I'll leave those alone for awhile longer. Getting ready to smash up my second rebatch and cook it. I've got my 4# double loaf wooden mold ready to be filled.

 

[nogud247]

I need a bakers rack like that. I like.

 

[TeresaT]

I have two. Excellent investment. Although, I've seen (and am totally coveting) stackable racks. They're about the same surface area, but they've got locking legs. My shelves are 18" apart. So much wasted space...

 

[TeresaT]

Is this enough water?

OK, second rebatch is in the crockpot. I didn't want to overdo the water again, so I only added 8 oz to it (plus the 50% solution). The weight of the solution was 4.21 oz So, my NaOH is 2.105 and the total water weight is 10.105. Here's the recipe. Do you think that's enough water?

 

[Obsidian]

I would have only added the 50% solution at first, see if that was enough liquid before adding any extra.

 

[TeresaT]

There's not going to be anything remotely pretty about these bars. I have chunks in there. It's a good thing I like the "rustic" look. On the positive side, I only used one side of the mold.

 

[Obsidian]

Looks good. I rarely have a rebatch turn out very pretty but at least I get usable soap and nothing goes to waste. Mine generally have lumps too, I'm too impatient to wait for all the chunk to melt.

 

[commoncenz]

I need a bakers rack like that. I like.

I just picked this up at Lowes last weekend for $19.98. Although it's stainless steel, I covered each shelf with shelf liner from the Dollar Store. I just put a batch of 14 bars on a shelf and they didn't even take up 1/3 of the shelf space. So, I'm figuring each shelf to hold somewhere between 42 and 50 one inch bars.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_328961-80752-142430C-DS_2z8vl__?productId=3472601&pl=1&Ntt=storage+racks

 

[nogud247]

I just picked this up at Lowes last weekend for $19.98. Although it's stainless steel, I covered each shelf with shelf liner from the Dollar Store. I just put a batch of 14 bars on a shelf and they didn't even take up 1/3 of the shelf space. So, I'm figuring each shelf to hold somewhere between 42 and 50 one inch bars.



http://www.lowes.com/pd_328961-80752-142430C-DS_2z8vl__?productId=3472601&pl=1&Ntt=storage+racks

Great share! Thank you so much.

 

[kchaystack]

I just cut the water-heavy loaf. It was like a hot knife going through butter. You can see the striations from the cutter. I should have wiped the blade after each cut. I didn't think of that until I took the photo. I took two bars out of the 12-bar mold, but they're a bit deformed, so I'll leave those alone for awhile longer. Getting ready to smash up my second rebatch and cook it. I've got my 4# double loaf wooden mold ready to be filled.

I would suggest getting something to line those cooling racks with. Either something like this:
http://www.joann.com/darice-stiff-plastic-canvas-7-count-12inx18in-clear/1971233.html

or some of that no slip shelf liner. I remember Dee saying that contact with metal can speed DOS. I am not too worried about my metal shower rack because I use the soap on that pretty fast. But for weeks curing, I would want to minimize contact.


But, those are all great looking soaps. Looks like you are getting the hang of it pretty fast.

 

[Dorymae]

WHY did America not switch to metrics like the rest of the world? I think the animal kingdom uses metrics, too. (Wildebeest to another wildebeest, "you think there's a croc in that river?" "No way you can get a 400 kilo croc in 22 cm.." "I thought I saw air bubbles. Nice knowing ya!")

They tried to get us to switch to metric back when I was young (70's), but people refused to use it. I remember them trying to teach us in school, I'd bring home homework and ask my parents for help - they told me to "never mind that" and wrote the teacher a note at the bottom. (I don't remember what they wrote, but I do know I didn't get anymore metric homework. )

Americans are stubborn and they dropped the metric program after a year or so because the majority refused to even try to use it.

 

[DeeAnna]

"...My shelves are 18" apart. So much wasted space..."

Sometimes you can find extra shelves for those metal shelving units -- the ones that Commoncenz showed. Or you could buy a second complete shelving unit and add the shelves from the second unit to your first so you'd have double the shelves. You'd be left with four unused legs from the second unit, but there might be an alternate purpose for them somewhere.

 

[TeresaT]

Great idea, DeeAnna. But silly me went with plastic shelving units. I hate them, by the way. I saw shelves like commoncenz showed, but I didn't got them. I thought they were too expensive. However, in hindsight, it would have been cheaper in the long run because I wouldn't have to replace them! Grrrr!

 

[TeresaT]

I would suggest getting something to line those cooling racks with. Either something like this:
http://www.joann.com/darice-stiff-plastic-canvas-7-count-12inx18in-clear/1971233.html

or some of that no slip shelf liner. I remember Dee saying that contact with metal can speed DOS. I am not too worried about my metal shower rack because I use the soap on that pretty fast. But for weeks curing, I would want to minimize contact.


But, those are all great looking soaps. Looks like you are getting the hang of it pretty fast.

I have some of the liner you're talking about for my plastic shelves, but it isn't really helping. That plastic canvas is a great idea. I used to do some needle craft with it years ago. I never thought about using it to stabilize the gaping holes in my shelves!

Thanks for the complement.

 

[shunt2011]

I have 7 sets of those shelving units except I have the 5 shelf one. I took the shelves from two of them and added it to two of the others. I now have them spaced enough for curing soaps and for storing them once wrapped. My husband made thin wood shelves that fit on them and then I line them with needle work plastic sheeting. I think I can fit 6 or more batches on each shelf. The rest of them I use for storing all my stuff.

 

[TeresaT]

I have 7 sets of those shelving units except I have the 5 shelf one. I took the shelves from two of them and added it to two of the others. I now have them spaced enough for curing soaps and for storing them once wrapped. My husband made thin wood shelves that fit on them and then I line them with needle work plastic sheeting. I think I can fit 6 or more batches on each shelf. The rest of them I use for storing all my stuff.

Photos, please. I really need some good ideas for a long-term solution. The shelves I have are really more suited for storing supplies rather than drying and storing soap. I bought them because they were inexpensive, not metal, and ventilated shelves. I'll go online and look for the needlework plastic. That may be a great temporary fix for now. I'm tired of the soaps falling through the vents.

 

[shunt2011]

Photos, please. I really need some good ideas for a long-term solution. The shelves I have are really more suited for storing supplies rather than drying and storing soap. I bought them because they were inexpensive, not metal, and ventilated shelves. I'll go online and look for the needlework plastic. That may be a great temporary fix for now. I'm tired of the soaps falling through the vents.

I'll try to get some photos soon. Right now all my soaps are boxed from my show this past weekend. As soon as I get them all back in place I'll take a photo. They really do make everything easy and convenient. When I have too much I store them in the baseball card boxes which stack well too. I just label what scent in in the box.