Soap Maker vs. SoapCalc

[garland68]

Hello, I have a newbie question. I bought the Soap Maker program when I first started out on my soap quest. I made my first batch of soap and it seemed to have worked out and I did it using Soap Maker. On my second batch, that is gelling as I type, I also used Soap Maker.

I went ahead and ran my recipe through the Soap Calc and the lye and water are some what different. Here is my recipe...

40% Olive
20% Coconut
20% Castor
10% Safflower
10% Shea Butter

Lye: 7.16onces
Water: 17.75 onces
Super Fatting 5%

When I ran it through Soap Calc it said the it should be:
Lye: 7.25 onces
Water: 20.16 onces

Which is correct?????

 

[Guest]

Hi!

I use the soapmaker program too but prefer soapcalc for creating recipes as it provides much more info. Don't get me wrong - I love soapmaker as I can store my recipes and track my costs and inventory. And ALSO because I can adjust and store the SAP value of the oils that I use.

Each calc you use can have different SAP values for the oils which will give you a different lye amount. Many of the large suppliers list the exact sap value of the oils and butters that they sell but if you're coconut oil bought at Walmart for example - you won't have the exact sap value for it. Soapmaker and Soapcalc both use SAP ranges for the oils in general unless you plug in the exact SAP. Soapcals range just differs slightly than soapmakers is all.

You're looking at a .09 difference in the lye amount which will not be noticeable in the soap. This however is one of the reasons soapers set a minimum of 5% SF to accommodate for error.

 

[garland68]

Thank you! I can now stop biting my nails!!!