Santa Will Bring Me Some Molds: Which Ones Are Worth?

[snappyllama]

I get to sit on Santa's lap and direct the jolly dude on a few molds to bring me for Christmas. Requirements: no lining & accessory availability.

Right now, I've got the 2lb Brambleberry wooden mold with silicon liner. I do not love that I cannot CPOP with it. The liner doesn't reach the top of the mold. The liner fit is also off a bit - making my bars bow out. It is a little skinnier than I'd like at 2.5in.

I want to get:

1. 2 to 2 1/2 lb loaf mold that can have removable divider/multi-pour sectioning inserts and hopefully a hanger swirl tool sized for it.

2. 2 to 3lb Tall and Skinny Mold with hanger swirl tool that can be used for it and regular height mold (1) so something the same length as #1

3. Slab/Tray Mold with bar dividers that can be added after batter is poured

I've been eyeing the Acrylic ones from Soap Making Resource since being able to see inside my soap is appealing, but I don't think sectioning dividers are available...

The loaf molds at Nurture Soap have all the gizmos available, but their liners also don't extend to the top and being a wooden mold - I'm not sure if I could CPOP with it...

Any suggestions on your perfect molds? I'm so torn.

 

[JustBeachy]

I get to sit on Santa's lap and direct the jolly dude on a few molds to bring me for Christmas. Requirements: no lining & accessory availability.

Right now, I've got the 2lb Brambleberry wooden mold with silicon liner. I do not love that I cannot CPOP with it. The liner doesn't reach the top of the mold. The liner fit is also off a bit - making my bars bow out. It is a little skinnier than I'd like at 2.5in.

I want to get:

1. 2 to 2 1/2 lb loaf mold that can have removable divider/multi-pour sectioning inserts and hopefully a hanger swirl tool sized for it.

2. 2 to 3lb Tall and Skinny Mold with hanger swirl tool that can be used for it and regular height mold (1) so something the same length as #1

3. Slab/Tray Mold with bar dividers that can be added after batter is poured

I've been eyeing the Acrylic ones from Soap Making Resource since being able to see inside my soap is appealing, but I don't think sectioning dividers are available...

The loaf molds at Nurture Soap have all the gizmos available, but their liners also don't extend to the top and being a wooden mold - I'm not sure if I could CPOP with it...

Any suggestions on your perfect molds? I'm so torn.

The wooden ones at Nurture are rated as CPOP, but I'd worry about the silicone liners. I've heard of problems with the silicone and CPOP. No real help though, if the liners are tall enough for you.

I never could find a mold that I liked, which is why I just build my own. Of course, I really don't mind lining them and have gotten to the point of it taking just a couple of minutes.

Anyways, looks like if you can find them, you're gonna have a sweet Christmas haul. :smile:

 

[Ann Marie]

I also don't like the silicon liners since they can rip the sides of your soap apart, etc. I just cut a bunch of freezer paper ahead of time and it takes less than a minute to line the mold. I personally feel like freezer paper works best with CP as far as liners are concerned. If you havent tried etsy you should, there are quite a few sellers there and you could even ask them to put something together in the dimensions you are looking for, that's what I did and loved it.

Good luck!

 

[IrishLass]

Although they are not totally awesome for CPOP (unless you don't mind planing a thin layer of bubbles off the finished soap's surface), the Essential Depot silicone log molds might be an option for you. I myself have 2 or them. And the Great Soap Shop on ETSY makes and sells different kinds of dividers for them (wavy or straight), as well as a hanger tool. I have their straight dividers and they are awesome., and I now have my eye on their wavy dividers: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GreatSoapShop

IrishLass

 

[Meganmischke]

Also with the ed silicone mold the original ts mold is close enough to the same size where i can use the hanger sold in etsy for both molds. I personally don't often cpop and when i do it isn't in silicone for the reason listed above.

 

[new12soap]

If Santa was bringing them and cost was no object, hands down I would ask for woodfields. All of them. Please.

http://shop.woodfieldswood.com/

Sigh. I am never that good.

 

[IrishLass]

If Santa was bringing them and cost was no object, hands down I would ask for woodfields. All of them. Please.

http://shop.woodfieldswood.com/

Sigh. I am never that good.

I consider myself very blessed to have one of their molds (their tall & skinny silicone log mold): http://shop.woodfieldswood.com/12Lx...5x952cm-Log-Silicone-Soap-Mold-12212334LM.htm

It was on my wish-list for a year or so before I saved up enough to buy it. It was not cheap, but it was/is worth every penny. The expert craftsmanship of that mold astounds me. And the silicone liner is very different than the Essential Depot's silicone. Woodfield's CPOP's for me just fine without the bubbling-issue. Unfortunately, Woodfield's in in the process of moving right now and is not accepting any orders until further notice (or so it says on their home page).


IrishLass

 

[snappyllama]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

Those Wood Fields ones look amazing. Unfortunately, I don't think I've been quite that good this year. Maybe next year I'll be better; I've got incentive now!

I had completely forgotten about Essential Depot. I think my brain nixed them from memory due to that youtuber (you know the one). Now I'm worried about bubbles though if I CPOP. I guess I will have to woman-up and line for that...

GreatSoapShop has a ton of goodies. Thanks for the suggestion on them!

 

[navigator9]

I love my original Uplands, but you can't get those any more. I got one from Nurture Soaps, it's not as tall as I'd like, but I can't seem to find taller anywhere. I CPOP mine from Nurture Soaps with no problems. I've read in this forum about people having problems with CPOP in silicone leaving bubbles on the surface where the soap touches the silicone, I've never once encountered that problem, and I use silicone all the time, and CPOP all the time. Go figure. I've seen some of thin, flimsy silicone liners from BB and personally, even though they're inexpensive, I wouldn't spend the money on them. I'd go with the ones from NS and build my own mold. JMHO, for what its worth. Rats, I just went back and read your post, and I don't know about accessories with the NS liners. Just ignore this, I'm tired and should be asleep, but I do like my NS liner!

 

[snappyllama]

I think I'll go ahead with the NutureSoap ones. You've convinced me to a least try out CPOP with their liners. If nothing else, I can always line them if I get into bubble-trouble. I've got my eye on a few micas too so a single order would be nice.

I'll be saving up for the super fancy ones from Woodsfield for some time in the future.

Ho Ho Ho

 

[Cindy2428]

If you haven't completely filled out your wish list, I met Brandy from soapequipment.com on my trip to Fl They have some beautiful acrylic molds; (have not tried them), and she stated that almost 70% of their products are custom made. So if you want that "perfect" size, they may be an option.

 

[shunt2011]

I have a couple of the Nurture Soap ones and they are quite nice. I also have quite a few of the silicone liners from BB that my husband made molds for and they too are nice. They are more flimsy but have held up well for me.

 

[navigator9]

I have a couple of the Nurture Soap ones and they are quite nice. I also have quite a few of the silicone liners from BB that my husband made molds for and they too are nice. They are more flimsy but have held up well for me.

The problem I've heard about with the BB ones, if we're talking about the same ones, the really thin, floppy ones, is that people say they have to use clips or something to hold the liners to the mold so that they can pour, because the liners "flop" and don't stay up.

The NS liners are almost as thick as my originals from Upland that I bought when I started soaping.I pour to the very top of them, I do wish they were about 1/2 an inch taller, so I didn't have to worry about overpouring, but since I pour thin, and almost never do fancy tops, it's not really a problem. And like I said, never any bubbles for me. The next day that's more conducive to picture taking, I'll try to remember to take a pic of the side of a log so that you can see how it's smooth as glass. I really wish we could pin down why some folks are getting bubbles, because I never do, ever. If you've never used silicone liners before, I think you will looooove them. Folding freezer paper was always the only part of soaping I hated. I invested in silicone early on, and have never regretted a penny that I paid for those liners. You'll be doing a happy dance!

 

[shunt2011]

The problem I've heard about with the BB ones, if we're talking about the same ones, the really thin, floppy ones, is that people say they have to use clips or something to hold the liners to the mold so that they can pour, because the liners "flop" and don't stay up.

The NS liners are almost as thick as my originals from Upland that I bought when I started soaping.I pour to the very top of them, I do wish they were about 1/2 an inch taller, so I didn't have to worry about overpouring, but since I pour thin, and almost never do fancy tops, it's not really a problem. And like I said, never any bubbles for me. The next day that's more conducive to picture taking, I'll try to remember to take a pic of the side of a log so that you can see how it's smooth as glass. I really wish we could pin down why some folks are getting bubbles, because I never do, ever. If you've never used silicone liners before, I think you will looooove them. Folding freezer paper was always the only part of soaping I hated. I invested in silicone early on, and have never regretted a penny that I paid for those liners. You'll be doing a happy dance!

Yes they are thin. I use binder clips to hold them up otherwise they work awesome. They unmold really well. However, I have the Nurture ones and I do like them better as they are heavier. I don't cpop so can't speak to that.

 

[smeetree]

I was going to make a new thread about molds, but maybe I can just ask here. What is the best mold for Aleppo soap? Is there a small mold to make the cubes, or do you use a large mold and cut them down to size? I'm looking to make traditional Aleppo, which seems to be small squares from what I have seen.

 

[snappyllama]

Thanks again everyone for the replies. I think I'm going with Nuture for the loaf ones - they look like really nice molds!

I am going to grab the 9bar BB tray mold. Those dividers look awesome, and the price is right. I think I'll still have enough time to receive it before Christmas if I order it this week from them (joking).

I agree on the silicon flopiness of the BB loaf ones. My tiny 2lb mold is fine, but I imagine a larger mold would need binder clips to steady it.

Sorry Smeetree, I have no idea about the size of aleppo soap. I thought of those brownie bite silicon molds, but they might be too small for your needs. Good luck!

 

[new12soap]

smeetree, is this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00395FHRO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 what you're looking for?

 

[xraygrl]

I got these ones from WSP:

http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/products/regular-loaf-silicone-mold.aspx


And this person on Etsy sells these dividers that fit the molds from WSP and ED to do mantra swirl etc:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/GreatSoapShop?ref=l2-shopheader-name

Here's a video using them:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsKX1oU5DyY[/ame]