SMF March 2022 Challenge - Column Pour Technique

[AliOop]

@AliOop I have their white slab mold, and it has been tricky to figure that out. I have put already made bars in it to calculate; and also done a sketch in graph paper. I always end up with 2-3 smaller, odd sized bars

Thank you so much for helping me feel better about this, Glenda. I also end up with a couple odd bars, too, but I assumed it was my poor visualization or applied math skills.

I’m very sorry to hear about your doggie. Hope she is better soon!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I don’t know if anyone is in the market for a slab mold, but I am happy with this one I found recently. It makes twelve bars that are very close to 2.5” x 3.5” in a single layer configuration. It worked really well for the first soap I made for this challenge and the price is reasonable.

 

[dibbles]

@glendam I hope your dog is feeling better soon.

 

[glendam]

Thank you @dibbles and @AliOop, I hope so too.

 

[peachymoon]

To sign up for the challenge, please copy and paste this list into the next post, adding your name with the next number.

Sign up list:

1. Jersey Girl- Coming out of my cave to try this one. ♥Haven’t used my slab mold yet!
2. AliOop - How can I resist when Jersey Girl is back???
3. Vicki C, oh YAY I want to improve my techniques for this
4. Mobjack - will be a first for me!
5. Mx6inpenn - something new!
6. Kathy_VaO - First time with this technique. Can I use rectangle slab mold?
7. Gecko - I am making soap this weekend and have a 6" Slab Mold that I haven't tried yet.
8. PepperJack - haven’t much experience with slab molds
9. KiwiMoose okey dokey I’m gonna do this one.
10. Leanne.reynolds922
11. ~Dragonfly~ - first challenge for me. I'm so nervous haha
12. Microchick - lots of firsts for me...first challenge, first column pour, first time using a slab, first batch since June.
13. Heather McClain- oh so many ideas already!! Can’t wait!! I have never attempted a column pour
14. Kaymay - this is a new technique for me, looking forward to it
15. ResolvableOwl - Who else will try hard to leave half of the pour unswirled? (tip 7)
16. Jenny Sparks- I’ll give it a go! I’ve been meaning to try out this technique
17. peachymoon - I’ve sat on this for a while, but I wanna give it a try!

 

[WhittanyWho]

To sign up for the challenge, please copy and paste this list into the next post, adding your name with the next number.

Sign up list:

1. Jersey Girl- Coming out of my cave to try this one. ♥Haven’t used my slab mold yet!
2. AliOop - How can I resist when Jersey Girl is back???
3. Vicki C, oh YAY I want to improve my techniques for this
4. Mobjack - will be a first for me!
5. Mx6inpenn - something new!
6. Kathy_VaO - First time with this technique. Can I use rectangle slab mold?
7. Gecko - I am making soap this weekend and have a 6" Slab Mold that I haven't tried yet.
8. PepperJack - haven’t much experience with slab molds
9. KiwiMoose okey dokey I’m gonna do this one.
10. Leanne.reynolds922
11. ~Dragonfly~ - first challenge for me. I'm so nervous haha
12. Microchick - lots of firsts for me...first challenge, first column pour, first time using a slab, first batch since June.
13. Heather McClain- oh so many ideas already!! Can’t wait!! I have never attempted a column pour
14. Kaymay - this is a new technique for me, looking forward to it
15. ResolvableOwl - Who else will try hard to leave half of the pour unswirled? (tip 7)
16. Jenny Sparks- I’ll give it a go! I’ve been meaning to try out this technique
17. peachymoon - I’ve sat on this for a while, but I wanna give it a try!
18. Whittany Nicholas - Allons-y!

 

[~Dragonfly~]

Oh boy, talk about adventures in soap making. I was really clumsy this morning. Dropped my jar of infused oil and it went EVERYWHERE! Some splashed into one of the other colors. Most of it went on the floor and fridge. I also managed to drop and destroy my temp reader, and will have to replace that. I dropped my phone when I grabbed it to take a picture. I was almost afraid to try to move the mold to the oven haha. After I got the soap poured, and managed to not step in too much oil, I had to mop the floor, wipe the cabinets and fridge, and start new oil infusions. And my soap didn't turn out how I planned. We're going out of town and I hope to do another batch for submission before we go. If I don't, I'll submit what I have anyway. Hopefully this one won't look too bad haha

 

[Heather McClain]

My soap is made….it was my very first time trying a column pour. While it looks decent, it could look a lot better. I learned a LOT from this batch. It was only the second time using animal fats in soap. I chose them because they give lots of working time. The only thing I could find around here to use as a column was a flower vase Won’t do that again… I have so many ideas now for new column pour soaps!! I have to order the dividers for my workshop heritage all in one mold. I just eyeballed it for the cut.

 

[mx5inpenn]

I made what I planned to enter. The colors are much duller than anticipated, so if I have time I'll make another batch.

 

[AliOop]

I'm deciding whether to make another batch on Monday or Tuesday. The first one is nice but doesn't wow me. Thanks to a nice bonus from work, the Hercules Cutting Station is due to arrive Wednesday. But I might need to leave on another work trip so there is a possibility I could make soap and not be home to cut it. Decisions, decisions.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I'm deciding whether to make another batch on Monday or Tuesday. The first one is nice but doesn't wow me. Thanks to a nice bonus from work, the Hercules Cutting Station is due to arrive Wednesday. But I might need to leave on another work trip so there is a possibility I could make soap and not be home to cut it. Decisions, decisions.

Yes, mine doesn't wow me either, but I've been down this road before with challenges, so now I make sure I use a regular fragrance that I will hold in stock anyways, so if it doesn't make the cut for the challenge it's still saleable.

 

[Kathy_VaO]

I have tried this pour three times. The third will just have to do. It's kind of blah.....oh well.

 

[dibbles]

The entry thread is open - good luck everyone!

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...e-march-2022-smf-challenge-column-pour.87405/

 

[PepperJack]

Is there a chat thread about the mishaps etc for the entries? Or does that go here?

 

[dibbles]

Is there a chat thread about the mishaps etc for the entries? Or does that go here?

You can post about mishaps here!

 

[AliOop]

Not seeing anything close a mishap in the entry thread. We sure have some amazing soap makers here on SMF!

 

[PepperJack]

I made two batches at once, tried different recipes and different pour over objects. I chose the one in the entry as it was more consistent and a really lovely texture.
The other one:

I tried pouring it over a piece of soap dough I shaped into an umbrella.

As you can tell, batter thickened up on me and I should have used less for this mold.

 

[dibbles]

I tried pouring it over a piece of soap dough I shaped into an umbrella.

What a good idea!!

 

[PepperJack]

What a good idea!!

Thanks!
It was better in theory than execution. It did work well to remove without messing up the center, but the batter set up too fast.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I like that the technique can produce a range of effects. My first attempt was a pour over the bottom of a water bottle. I didn’t glue the bottle down because I wanted to rotate it about halfway through pour. It worked reasonably well, but the middle was a seriously muddled mess.