Something besides the SoapCalc??

[amanda131]

Hey, Is there anything besides the soap calc to help you with recipes? I just don't understand it. I just want to be able to put in the size of the batch I want to make and the oils I have and it tell me how much of each to use and how much lye and water. Am I dreaming?

Basically I have Crisco, Palm Kernal Flakes, Olive and Castor Oil. I would like to make a one pound batch but don't have a recipe for the amounts to use. Anyone???

 

[lovetosoap]

http://www.colebrothers.com/articles/soaprecipes1.html

Here are a bunch of one pound recipes that you can copy. I have used a few and so far they have worked out just fine.
Are you interested in learning how to make your own recipes? I can suggest a good book if so.

 

[amanda131]

Thanks! I hate how so many recipes need Coconut oil. I don't have any and I want to make soap!!!! Can't you just sub the coconut oil with the Palm Kernal flakes?? I just want to soap!!!

I would love to know what book you're talking about!

 

[LJA]

MMS's lye calc was much easier for me when I first got started.

http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php

I'm just now starting to grasp soapcalc.

 

[JenniferSews]

MMS's lye calc was much easier for me when I first got started.

http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php

I'm just now starting to grasp soapcalc.

I've used this as well to increase the size of batches. Then I use Soapcalc to predict my results a bit.

Someone else will have to answer your coconut question, I use it in moderation for most recipes because I like the bubbles.

 

[kittywings]

That's how soapcalc works... you just have to know to press the "view/print" button.

 

[carebear]

Hey, Is there anything besides the soap calc to help you with recipes? I just don't understand it. I just want to be able to put in the size of the batch I want to make and the oils I have and it tell me how much of each to use and how much lye and water. Am I dreaming?

But that's what soapcalc does exactly.

it's been modified a bit, so you have to click view/print to see the final result - but it's all laid out right there.

and using soapcalc you can probably come up with a reasonable formula with those oils. palm kernel and coconut are fairly similar.

 

[Guest]

I use the soapmaker3 program .It is very user friendly and does just about everything but make and wrap the soap .I love it .

kitn

 

[lovetosoap]

Amanda,
The book is called Essentially Soap and was written by Dr. Robert McDaniel. He has a PhD in organic Chemistry and has worked in the surfactant industry. The book was published in 2000.

I do not know if it is still in print. My husband ordered a used copy for me on line.

On page 111, he gives very easy to follow instructions on how to create your own recipes and a SAP chart for both NaOH and KOH is included.
I own a few soap making books and this is my favorite. I have never used a soap Cal. I either invent my own or use the ones listed on the web site I have previously posted. I make about a one pound batch every week. I like making small batches since only my family uses the soap and I get a chance to experiment with more recipes.

Good luck.

 

[LJA]

I use the soapmaker3 program .It is very user friendly and does just about everything but make and wrap the soap .I love it .

kitn

I wish they had a "try it out" option. $90 is steep.

 

[honor435]

palm kernal is a great sub for coc oil, i didnt like the soap calc at first either, but it is really nice , you can make up your own recipe and it will tell you how much water and lye to use. i have a tone of recipes if you want to pm me.

 

[Guest]

Pressing the view/print button is so important. When I started cp soapmaking, I did not know that I had to push that button. Good luck!

 

[wookie130]

I agree with LJA that the Majestic Mountain Sage (MMS) lye calculator is a wonderful starting point for beginners, as it calculates the amount of lye and water needed for you, at whatever amount of superfat you want to use. That's totally what I started off using, and found it to be the easiest.

 

[amanda131]

I looked at the MMS one but it doesn't use shortening, and I wanted to use Crisco =(
So my annoying husband just sat down and asked me what the problem was and looked at the soap calc and figured it out in about two minutes! I'm ready to kill him and kiss him! I was trying to put the amounts in instead of the precents. He just went and put in percents untill we reached 100%. I hate when he's smart! So I might have this figured out! My grandpa made me a mold that I"m going to pick up today so I"m totally soaping tonight! HAHAHA, My husband just told me "We're making soap tonight!" Now he's interested! We just have to wait for the little one to go to bed, it never fails when it's time to mix the oil and lye he needs attention!
Thanks so much for all the help! You guys are GREAT!!!!!

 

[LJA]

I looked at the MMS one but it doesn't use shortening, and I wanted to use Crisco =(
So my annoying husband just sat down and asked me what the problem was and looked at the soap calc and figured it out in about two minutes! I'm ready to kill him and kiss him! I was trying to put the amounts in instead of the precents. He just went and put in percents untill we reached 100%. I hate when he's smart! So I might have this figured out! My grandpa made me a mold that I"m going to pick up today so I"m totally soaping tonight! HAHAHA, My husband just told me "We're making soap tonight!" Now he's interested! We just have to wait for the little one to go to bed, it never fails when it's time to mix the oil and lye he needs attention!
Thanks so much for all the help! You guys are GREAT!!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!! We wanna see pix!! I wish my hubby was interested. He doesn't get it. lol. And every scent I wave in front of his nose, he either scrunches up his face or he says "smells fruity". He thinks EVERYTHING smells fruity. For an intelligent man, his descriptive adjectives are woefully inadequate. Plus his sniffer seems to be on the fritz. :wink: Then when he actually tests out a soap, usually coaxed with food and bribery (Yeah, you heard me...he wont use my soap), he's like "ewww, it makes you all soft and smooth & sh*t". "Yeah - that's the general idea, Bonehead". :roll: I promised him that I'm pretty sure it wont turn him gay. lol. Ugh. Guys.

 

[Egzandra]

Have you tried Rainbow Meadow? I've used them with success, plus when you print out the recipe page for your folder it looks pretty.

I usually use a combination of sap chart, pen and paper plus rainbow meadow and/or soapcalc, just to be sure of the amounts.

http://www.rainbowmeadow.com/infocenter ... apcalc.php

 

[amanda131]

LJA---That's so funny! Sounds like you've got yourself a man's man! I do too, Mine's only showing intrest because I"m having trouble and he has to figure it out to show me it's not as hard as I'm making it. He likes to make things look easy so I feel dumber! Whatever, as long as it gets done! He informed me this morning that he should "teach a class" on the soap clac, yeah he's a smart ass like that! Whatever! Like I said, it got done!

 

[LJA]

LOL, Amanda. I feel your pain. :wink:

 

[misty]

soapcalc was also confusing at first to me. I thought wow, just enter your oils & it will tell me how much of each to use,(I thought instant recipe) but not so. You must still tell it your own amts. of each oil you are trying for your recipe. That is why it is so helpful to know the benefits of your oils used so you know which ones you want more or less of.....does that make sense?

 

[kittywings]

I wish my hubby was interested. He doesn't get it. lol. And every scent I wave in front of his nose, he either scrunches up his face or he says "smells fruity". He thinks EVERYTHING smells fruity. For an intelligent man, his descriptive adjectives are woefully inadequate. Plus his sniffer seems to be on the fritz. :wink:

My husband, I recently discovered, judges my soaps SOLELY by smell. He started talking about how my soaps have just been getting better and better ("wow, how nice of him to notice the little tweaks here and there," I thought.")
Him:
"Yeah, the first ones didn't have much scent, but the latest ones are good!"
Me: "I didn't scent them at first."
LOL, what a tool. I DID however, overhear him telling one of his friends about how good my soaps are and how his skin isn't itchy after showers anymore.