I have a question. I made my base soap and it is CPOPing right now. When I get ready to do the blowing should I unmold it and use the smooth bottom?
My thinking is I would be able to work more easily if it is unmolded and you have the smooth surface.
I have used the bottom surface for the top in multiple soaps, primarily because the bottom so often looks muddy, and by turning the bottom upward, then the bottom becomes the center-ish when additional layers are added.
So, I say, absolutely if you want to do so. Of course, if the top doesn't have a rough surface, which not all top surfaces do, it really doesn't make much difference.
I've been thinking the same thing. Using an unmolded soap slab will have a few benefits: unobstructed access to the entire soap top (no mold edges to impede in the flow of the moving soap) and any blowing upon freshly poured soap batter won't disrupt the solid soap base.
I'm going to practice today to get a feel for how the soap moves...or doesn't move.
It really depends on how thick the soap for top design is when you pour it. With thicker batter, it would work, but not so much with a very liquid batter.
I prefer to have the mold edges as a wall to catch any accidental blowing of soap beyond the edge. And of course with very thin soap batter containing the soap in the mold is pretty important, especially when it comes to cleaning up the workspace.
@ Tara_H, Love the look of your first attempt! And thanks for sharing your 'kill room' set up. Kudos on your PPE set up. So did you decide not to use the air compressor? I wasn't sure from your narrative. Or was it because of the cold speeding up your batter that you chose the hair dryer.
Also, I'm curious if you tested out the air compressor for how powerfully it would blow a liquid? I still think using anything other than a mini (handheld size) air compressor would be too powerful, but I guess it depends on how powerful yours is as my only reference is the one my husband uses for power-washing & garage stuff.