Saturday Soap Day became Sunday became...(RANT)(UPDATE-PICS)

[newbie]

Hey Dennis,

Can very much relate to the lining issue. I don't do the christmas present or hospital corners. I do a dirtier method of Amy W's. I rip off a piece of freezer paper and fold it down it's length so that it's wide enough to fit inside the mold. I don't measure- I fold one side and then eyeball it, hold it above the mold so I have a feel for where to fold. I fold the other side and crease it firmly. Then I take scissors and cut down the seam so it will make a high enough end, fold the flaps behind it. Do it to the other side, measuring how far to cut by comparing to your mold, and fold it up. THere of course can be a little leakage at the corners, but I just put a piece of plastic wrap in the mold first, running it up the sides a bit and that will catch any leaks and protect your mold. Works well. I don't worry if the corners and ends aren't perfect because I usually cut a bit off the ends anyhow. It's sloppier than Amy's but what can I say, I just want the blasted liner in the mold as quickly as possible.

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If you have ends that are too long, you just whack it straight across and fold in. This liner was a bit short for the mold, but I made the liner without looking at the mold at all and just pulled the mold out to show it inside. Apparently, I've made too many liners, because the width was just right and the length was just a bit off. I hate making liners. Silicone forever!

 

[Lynnz]

My Advice...............Buy Silicone LOVE LOVE LOVE it :0)..........and if not hope you get it sorted soon My hubby wont let me wrap the chrissie presents because I am so untidy with the wrap so imagine the state of my poor soaps if I had to line the molds.
Another thought here is when I first started and had no idea silicone molds existed was I got the clear acetate they use to laminate with and cut one piece length ways and one width ways..which covered bottom and sides. I had it run through the heat machine so it wasnt flimsy and creased it to fit the mold that way I could take it off the soap and use it again and again...............pretty much used it till the cows came home :0).............well until I discovered Silicone anyway :0)

 

[Dennis]

Gosh, y'all are nice. Thanks so much for the pics and all. I can do the cut and fold. From now on I AM LINER MAAAAAAN! At least until the cows come home. Hey, if I keep this soap thing going there will be silicone in my future. Molds, I'm talkin' about molds here!

Amy,
Nothing wrong with that grout. You should see ours. When we had new floors installed in another house we gave the tile what we called the dog test. We would get one square and put it on the floor close to where our dogs' bowls were. Some were tossed the first day, others after a couple. The idea was to get a color that the hair didn't show up on so easily. Now with two dogs and three cats I don't think it matters. We go by depth instead of sight.

 

[danny p]

So what happened to that soap you had in the oven.

 

[AmyW]

I've found that I need to line the silicone if I am not gelling if I want to take them out of the molds before 2 or 3 days. The bottoms of non-gelled batches rip off horribly and I am NOT patient enough to wait days. If I gel or HP, I can unmold in a few hours. Some day I'll grow up and learn patience.... nah, probably not.

 

[paillo]

i am sooo math challenged, here's the geometry quiz i passed: 'what did the little acorn say to the big acorn when he grew up?' 'gee i'm a tree' -- get it, GEOMETRY! hee hee, sorry, couldn't help it.

i can't even understand most of the answers here, even with pictures (yeah dennis, i'm another leftie who seems to have to do things inside out, backwards, upside-down and other completely illogical ways) to understand something.

so, here's what i do. methodical. boring. if i deviate it will be a disaster.

my favorite mold is 10" by 3.5". thanks to steve!

1. rip off enough freeezer paper to make an oblong about 18" or so long.
2. with large t-square, make L-shape in middle of freezer paper, sorta centered and at least most of the length.
3. with t-square or ruler, measure off 10" and 3.5" respectively. with pencil, create a rectangle with these measurements.
4. fold along all rectangle lines.
5. cut to folds ONLY along long lines.
6. fold into approximation of mold size.
7. force into mold, tucking in odd lengths.
8. cut vertically along corners so that you can fold down and secure with rubber bands.
9. proceed with soap.

if i can figure out how to shortcut these with others' wondrous suggestions, thanks!!!!!

 

[Dennis]

Wabeeman,

Formica? Hmm, there's a thought. Lowes sells hdpe sheets but haven't gotten there to check it out yet. Smooth formica might do the trick and may be cheaper. Perhaps a light spray of pam?

paillo,

Back when geometry had just been discovered my teacher had pity on me and awarded me a D-- as my final grade. Naturally, after a few years my understanding of the dreaded subject was much better. 30 years later I even managed an A in college algebra. Math and I do not get along but it is necessary, dang it.
Your method of making liners is pretty much what I've done. Step 7 has been mastered. Cutting was the secret I was missing. Now I'll cut all the way to the bottom piece and fold back. So much easier than the hospital corner, christmas wrapping thing for the geometrically challenged. Cutting is a refined slash and burn technique from my Germanic heritage perhaps? :shock:

Moving right along and I must hurry as the clock goes off in 15 minutes and I have to get up (yawn) and go to work.

The soap turned out ok. I'm sure the snit I worked myself into had everything to do with it. :roll: I still have a lot to figure out. There is still ashy looking stuff on the top that ruins the look but its not as bad as before. It sunk in the middle.
Lovely mysterious far eastern assistant, sometime soap photographer, mother of my children and pet saviour extraordinaire suggested I mix in two separate bowls and then pour simulaneously into the mold.

Yes, she has been rehired, even though I am a fair cook.

Being the true soap professional that I am, I looked at her and said, "Uhh, ok." Well, trying to mix two bowls at the same time is not unlike rubbing your tummy and head at the same time. I think she was in the other room laughing.
Trace. Oh, yeah. The white was ready, the blue was thin as water.

Surely that's not her I heard chuckling?

Poured up anyway.

What we have is a a somewhat unplanned plan that will probably work out and here are the pics.

And someone said, "only two colors? C'mon, go for it!" Or something to that effect. Well, that's next.

Here we go.

Side one. After 18 hours in the mold, it's ok, but a bit soft.

Side two. Not just soft but slick. Smells ok, but won't decide until it calms down a bit in a week or two.

A wire cutter is now on the project list. My special tool (imported, of course) is ok but I want neater more consistent cuts. (Yeah, Dennis, maybe you should make something that deserves a nice consistent cut first!) Shut up. Mind your own business.

Uhoh, they're back!

Sliced, slick, and ready for the shelf.

From the other side.

This is becoming quite the adventure. FOs are interesting. So far my absolute fav is a free sample from BB that is in my favorite batch so far. It's honeysuckle and is wonderful. Almost matches in scent what grows on our fence in the summer. It is difficult to walk past without looking and picking up and smelling this soap.

Although simple, it is my favorite. What awaits?

 

[Bubbles Galore]

They're lovely soaps Dennis. :wink:

 

[danny p]

They look good sunken tops nd all.

 

[radar-78]

Love that blue soap Dennis. What did you use to colour? Is the white just uncolored soap batter or did you add any TD? And what did you scent it? Sorry for all the Q's but I am intrigued. I started soaping not long after you and enjoyed every one of your hilarious posts. Glad to hear you're starting a blog-you're a natural, i'm in stitches every time I read one of your posts! I've only colored 2 batches so far with natural colorants so i feel the need to branch out and maybe attempt some swirls etc. If they turn out anything like yours I'll be extremely pleased.

 

[Dennis]

Love that blue soap Dennis. What did you use to colour? Is the white just uncolored soap batter or did you add any TD? And what did you scent it? Sorry for all the Q's but I am intrigued. I started soaping not long after you and enjoyed every one of your hilarious posts. Glad to hear you're starting a blog-you're a natural, i'm in stitches every time I read one of your posts! I've only colored 2 batches so far with natural colorants so i feel the need to branch out and maybe attempt some swirls etc. If they turn out anything like yours I'll be extremely pleased.

The fo is lavender 40/42 from BB and it seems a bit strong for my delicate senses. Maybe it will tone down with age. I used 1oz, SoapCalc called for 1.7oz. I tend to go with less than what SoapCalc recommends concerning fo.

This was 40oz batch and I added about 1tsp of TD and 1tsp of Ultramarine blue, also from BB. Not sure of the correct procedure but I added the TD to my lye water before adding the lye and continually stirred as usual while adding the lye. Worked quite well. Is that what you experienced folks do?
For the Ultramarine blue I added a small amount of OO to a stainless bowl (maybe 2-3 tablespoons? 4?) and mixed and mixed and mixed and mixed with a specially designed extruded tool found in a styrofoam to go food container. The technical name is plastic spoon.
Once my white batch showed light trace I dumped about half into the stainless bowl and proceeded to exhibit my lack of coordination to my teenagers. Naturally they were horrified and begged me not to do that in front of their friends.
I haven't been doing this long but have found that nothing I plan turns out exactly the way I think it should. Still, the results are mostly satisfying and motivate one to extend their efforts. Go for it.
PS - My best batches have been made while wearing moose jammies and hawaiian shirt. Ugly, but apparantly effective.

I don't mind questions. I only mind not being able to answer. At some point it is necessary to give back in return for all the help given. This is a great forum populated with wonderful people.

 

[AmyW]

I so look forward to your posts Dennis. Totally awesome. As is your soap! The swirls are perfect!

 

[carebear]

First let me say I like lining molds. Truly. It's somehow satisfying.
Second, I've thoroughly enjoyed this thread.
Third, lots of GREAT info on lining molds shared here. What a group we are!
Fourth, I don't like the potato peeler thing - too hard to get consistent beveled edges for me and I end up wittling away my soap which, while fun in its own way, is wasteful. I just wait till the bar is pretty hard and then run the BACK of my thumbnail down the edge to blunt the sharp corners. Then carefully, again with my thumb nail, scrape off any "burr" that's formed. doesn't work that well on soft soap, but once it's harder it's great. (I also have a kangaroo blue beveler, but they seem to be out of business).

 

[carebear]

PS - My best batches have been made while wearing moose jammies and hawaiian shirt. Ugly, but apparantly effective.

my best batches are made very late at night and only in very comfy clothes. and shoes - please wear shoes LOL. But NOT in fleecy bathrobe or fleecy pjs - lye leaps up the sleeves and stings you. Ask me how I know LOL.

(and we'll need pics of the moose jammies/hawaiian shirt look.)

 

[Dennis]

PS - My best batches have been made while wearing moose jammies and hawaiian shirt. Ugly, but apparantly effective.

my best batches are made very late at night and only in very comfy clothes. and shoes - please wear shoes LOL. But NOT in fleecy bathrobe or fleecy pjs - lye leaps up the sleeves and stings you. Ask me how I know LOL.

(and we'll need pics of the moose jammies/hawaiian shirt look.)

Some things you just do not want to see!

Well, ok. A self portrait.

 

[photoshadows]

You've done it again Dennis. A funny thread and more beautiful soap! Looks great! Congrats and keep up the good work. You're an inspiration to us all!

 

[radar-78]

Nice combo Dennis you must come up with a jammies/shirt inspired soap.Tropical scent and clashing color/10 color swirl/moose embeds combo -with leaves

 

[AmyW]

Nice combo Dennis you must come up with a jammies/shirt inspired soap.Tropical scent and clashing color/10 color swirl/moose embeds combo -with leaves

Ohhhh, yes. Bottom layer of red with moose embeds, top layer with green/pink/purple/blue/white swirls.

 

[carebear]

OMG. Nuff said.

 

[radar-78]

And why ever not?????????