Time Saving Techniques Requested

[Karens62]

Is there a reason masterbatching has to be 50/50? If you always soap at 33% ,why couldn’t you just masterbatch at that percentage? Might mean a little extra math to begin with but might be worth it to save time.

 

[BrewerGeorge]

Is there a reason masterbatching has to be 50/50? If you always soap at 33% ,why couldn’t you just masterbatch at that percentage? Might mean a little extra math to begin with but might be worth it to save time.

The math is a lot easier when it's 50%. All you have to do is switch the calculated amounts so calculated "water" is your masterbatch amount and calculated "lye" is your additional water.

It's also 50% smaller to store.

 

[zanzalawi]

My oldest is starting kinder too, @Cellador , I feel you!

 

[BattleGnome]

Is there a reason masterbatching has to be 50/50? If you always soap at 33% ,why couldn’t you just masterbatch at that percentage? Might mean a little extra math to begin with but might be worth it to save time.

Some people don’t always soap with the same liquids. If someone sells they might have a line that uses milk or aloe but doesn’t have the space to masterbatch more than one container

 

[earlene]

Yes, of course you can Master Batch at 33% if that is all you ever use; the same concentration and the same liquid every time.

 

[DeeAnna]

Is there a reason masterbatching has to be 50/50? If you always soap at 33% ,why couldn’t you just masterbatch at that percentage?...

We were discussing more reasons why in this thread -- https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/master-batching-lye-water-cool-down.71145/

 

[Karens62]

We were discussing more reasons why in this thread -- https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/master-batching-lye-water-cool-down.71145/

I understand the math, adding fluids, storage but since OP was looking for time saving measures, this would be a potential way for her to accomplish what she is trying to do without worrying about the additional cool down time after adding fluids. It might mean changing the way she soaps but would make everything ready to go when she found that short window of time.

 

[cmzaha]

I understand the math, adding fluids, storage but since OP was looking for time saving measures, this would be a potential way for her to accomplish what she is trying to do without worrying about the additional cool down time after adding fluids. It might mean changing the way she soaps but would make everything ready to go when she found that short window of time.

It takes less than a minute to add the additional liquid to your oil bucket. On my recipe printout I already have written down the amount of extra liquid I need whether it be milks, water, puree etc. So when I masterbatch my oils in their own buckets, I add all the additives into the buckets, including the extra water so they are ready to go. If using milks or purees I wait until the day I am going to soap to add in the extra liquid. I also mark the bucket as to whether it contains all additives. I do not add any of the additives to my lye. Sugars and EDTA are dissolved in my milks then added to the oil bucket.

Using a 33% lye solution leaves little or no room for purees, milks etc. The other reason I like using individual buckets with lids for batching oils is I can put the 1 gallon bucket in the microwave to heat the oils if necessary. If I batch in larger buckets I cannot do that and I could be dealing with semi to solid oils in a large bucket that I cannot properly mix before pouring.

 

[cjisler]

Is there a reason masterbatching has to be 50/50? If you always soap at 33% ,why couldn’t you just masterbatch at that percentage? Might mean a little extra math to begin with but might be worth it to save time.

Thats what I do. 2:1 lye water. The only extra make is to multiply lye by 3 to get weigh of your solution.

 

[DeeAnna]

...without worrying about the additional cool down time after adding fluids....

We covered that point earlier in this thread -- see posts 13-15. When you add water to a 50% lye solution, the temp rise is not large enough to require waiting for it to cool. So the temp rise issue isn't really an issue, to be honest. I make enough milk or beer soap with the "split" method that I prefer the 50% concentration, so if I were in the OP's situation, I'd be making 50% lye solution. We don't know what the OP prefers, however -- it's good she can do either and still make great soap.

 

[jcandleattic]

It takes less than a minute to add the additional liquid to your oil bucket.

I am sooo SLOW ON THE UPTAKE. All this time I've been MB'ing lye solution, I always add the water/extra liquid into the 50/50 solution and wait for it to become clear. Not even thinking I could add to the oils. The only time I ever have added water to the oils is when I want to dissolve something in the liquid to add to the lye solution and forget. Then I will just dissolve in a little extra water and add that to the oils.
DER... haha I will add to the oils next time. Geeze all this time I could have been doing this.

This is my AHA moment for the day.

 

[DeeAnna]

I use 5% KOH in a lot of my batches. I measure the 50% masterbatch NaOH in one container and the extra water or other liquid in a second container. The KOH goes into the 2nd container and dissolves fast 'n easy. The smidge of KOH barely warms up the water. I would also add sugar, honey, or similar additives to the 2nd container to get them dissolved and ready for use, if I was using them. Both containers get poured into the fats without any waiting, and I'm on my way.

 

[cmzaha]

oopsie, I forgot that, I also use 5% KOH and do the same as DeeAnna