Trying to check a recipe thru our calculator

[Iluminameluna]

This recipe:
https://search.app?link=https://www.voyageursoapandcandle.com/blogs/recipes/camellia-green-tea-soap-recipe?srsltid=AfmBOopzpPJTWt3SoxGkwMvZGhdVpg6JgdA0sxV_4FcpIIoJNKkyfFEr&utm_campaign=aga&utm_source=agsadl1,sh/x/gs/m2/4

I know that the camellia oil isn't an oil really meant for soap, but I just want to try it in a small batch, maybe 3 single molds?
Anyway, my question is, why can't I get the calculator to give me the water/liquid amount?
Also, I can't seem to find the way to give it the weight of the batch to create (500g total oil weight, maybe, total) so that when I tap on the Results tab I get a total liquid required instead of zeroes?
I've posted both my attempts at running the recipe in "our" C4lc & the results I get.
Any help wld be awesome!
P. S.: The reason I want to use this oil is that it'll expire this month, & though I don't usually strictly follow these dates, it hasn't been used since my son bought it almost 2 yrs ago. It's been just sitting, unopened since that 1st use. So why not see if it's any good, right?

Please ignore the file posted below ... Updated screenshots have been posted in follow-up replies. Thx!

 

[DeeAnna]

Looks like you have the lye concentration set to zero

 

[Iluminameluna]

Looks like you have the lye concentration set to zero

Argh! I managed to post Results twice! Thanks, @DeeAnna ... Let me go recheck the Settings tab.

 

[Iluminameluna]

@DeeAnna Thx SO much for your help!
I've gone back and taken an extended screenshot of the C4lc'S Settings & Results pages in as much of their entirety as it would allow. Plus the Saved recipe as it was Saved in the C4lc.

Recipe created by Iluminameluna https://www.soapmakingfriend.com/re...-green-tea-from-voyageursoapandcandle-dot-com

 

[Ekuzo]

Have you changed anything now? When I open the recipe, it shows 1380g of oils and that's it - no water, no NaOH, same as the screenshots. Lye concentration is still set to 0%, am I missing something?



'Also, I can't seem to find the way to give it the weight of the batch to create (500g total oil weight, maybe, total) so that when I tap on the Results tab I get a total liquid required instead of zeroes?'

Are you using the app or the web version? I just tried the desktop one, and changing the total oil weight works well and results in a total batch weight change, as it should. Yes, currently the calculator has other bugs, but the basic stuff works well atm. Maybe once the lye concentration is set it will show the results properly? (while typing this, I decided to set the lye concentration to 0 and it doesn't let me, it automatically sets it to 10% as a bare minimum, I guess. I played with the other options as well, managed to get concentrations from 0 to 100% but none of those gave me exactly the same result as you are showing).


As for whether or not to use the camellia oil after it sat for a while - I say, check it for any visual signs and foul smell, and if there's nothing wrong with it, it should be fine

 

[DeeAnna]

@Iluminameluna -- I am not sure what you mean by "C4lc". Did you mean to write "c@lc" with the "@" sign in place of the letter "a"?

I set up your blend of fats using Soapmaking Friend and tried to view the calculated recipe for that blend. I was informed that I need an account and will need to "Log in to view results and print recipe". I refuse to play that game.

That makes me wonder if the SMF calc is now intentionally hiding the water and alkali weights and all related settings from the public view to force people to create accounts and hopefully sign up for paid services. That would explain why you're getting zeros for that information (and why I'm seeing zeros for that same info).

That's just my guess, however -- you'll need to ask the developers about whether this is a policy change or possibly a software glitch. I personally would use another calc.

edit: I'm not sure why you're using fractionated coconut oil for soap making. My perception is this is a trend of late -- it seems to be popping up a fair bit in recipes by other soap makers.

I'm not sure people realize that FCO is mostly capric and caprylic fatty acids (if my memory is accurate, these FAs are about 80% of FCO). While FCO is fine for use on skin and hair and as a food supplement, these FAs aren't ideal for soap making.

These shorter fatty acids will make a harsh, drying soap -- even harsher than regular coconut oil, which may contain only 15% of these 2 fatty acids with about 50% lauric acid and the remainder being mostly myristic acid.

 

[Iluminameluna]

@DeeAnna wrote: "edit: I'm not sure why you're using fractionated coconut oil for soap making. My perception is this is a trend of late -- it seems to be popping up a fair bit in recipes by other soap makers."

The only reason I choose that oil, though I didn't know anything about it, is bc the recipe creator didn't specify what kind of CO she wanted used.
I myself will be using an organic virgin CO that my son bought for me @ Costco for under $10 (3 lbs!). It's for my Mom & she's worth it! So as soon as I can figure out the issues w/ the C@lc (sorry abt complicating that!), I'll chg the CO type.
And to address the total amount of fats that show up, I got that weird # too @Ekuzo , until I left the field & returned to it. WEIRDNESS. Then I got 1050. Which is the correct amount. And even though I'm a paid member of the c@lc as well, I still don't get what my liquid amount should be. Or the lye amount.
I'll be in touch w/the developer tomorrow. This is frustrating.

ETA: I don't have a laptop or desktop anymore that I can use consistently, only my phone, so there's no way for me to see the forum or the calc in any other format but mobile. Also frustrating, but there it is.
Maybe that's where my glitches are coming from? And they're carrying onto the posts?

 

[Ekuzo]

ETA: I don't have a laptop or desktop anymore that I can use consistently, only my phone, so there's no way for me to see the forum or the calc in any other format but mobile. Also frustrating, but there it is.
Maybe that's where my glitches are coming from? And they're carrying onto the posts?

Hmmm, I stopped using the mobile app for the calc, but I sometimes use it through the browser on my phone. And it works well even now, have you tried that?

Currently the only bug that I notice with it is the custom liquids are not present in the total batch weight, and the devs are notified about that. Waiting for a resolution

 

[DeeAnna]

The only reason I choose that oil [FCO] ... is bc the recipe creator didn't specify what kind of CO she wanted used....

When in doubt, people almost always mean regular everyday coconut oil -- the 76 degree type -- when they just say coconut oil. You'll get a more accurate fatty acid profile if you use that in your recipe rather than FCO.

I was using the desktop version of the SMF c@lc to recreate your recipe, in case that makes a difference to your discussions with the developer. Best of luck with that.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Eta: Oops, just noticed that this was already mentioned above… @Iluminameluna Check that the lye purity is set to something like 99% or whatever you normally use. It’s set to 0 on the copy of the recipe I get when I use the copy feature.

 

[Iluminameluna]

Thanks everyone for replying!
In order:
@Ekuzo I DO use the SMF app on my Google Pixel 6 Pro, which I'll assume means it's running on Android. Shouldn't be bugs unless they're affecting everyone. Hmm.
@DeeAnna I'll be doing that from here on out. This recipe just bamboozled me a bit, I guess. I have been working w/ONLY CO76 since the beginnings of my soaping days so can only fathom it's my delirious brain. Why I love the denizens of this forum. They set you back in the sane soapy trails!!
@Mobjack Bay The one thing I NEVER intentionally mess w/ is that lye purity. I know it's like that NY snow Blondie sings about.
N. B.: My soaping will have to wait another week. But these posts are being copied & pasted for, hopefully, next weekend (17Nov2024). Sigh.

 

[Ekuzo]

Thanks everyone for replying!
In order:
@Ekuzo I DO use the SMF app on my Google Pixel 6 Pro, which I'll assume means it's running on Android. Shouldn't be bugs unless they're affecting everyone. Hmm.

I'm using Android as well - tbh, when I first started using the calc I downloaded their app from the store. Noticed some game breaking bugs, plus I don't like not being able to change its theme to dark/black. But the web version works well most of the time, even on my phone - I guess it receives higher priority support.

Try the recipe in any updated browser for Android (Chrome, Opera, Firefox) and you'll be surprised

P.S.: The problem should be resolved now.

I used the Copy feature to open your recipe as mentioned above. Changed the Purity to 99% and the Lye Concentration to 40% and SF to 5%, for the test. The recipe results showed properly, see the photo in the middle (the one with 1380g of total fats).

The only issue was that the calc didn't allow me to change the batch size that way, as you mentioned - no way to change the total oil weight. Then I just went to Select recipe units of measure and changed it from Grams to Percentages - and voila - I was again able to tweak the size properly. See the photo on the right (or the bottom, if you're using a phone in portrait mode). Which resulted to the changed recipe showing properly with the new total oil weight - see photo on the left (or the top, if on phone in portrait mode), the one with 500g of oils.

All while on the phone, using the latest update of Mozilla Firefox browser for Android mobile phones. HTH and the issue gets resolved on your end as well

 

[Iluminameluna]

I'm using Android as well - tbh, when I first started using the calc I downloaded their app from the store. Noticed some game breaking bugs, plus I don't like not being able to change its theme to dark/black. But the web version works well most of the time, even on my phone - I guess it receives higher priority support.

Try the recipe in any updated browser for Android (Chrome, Opera, Firefox) and you'll be surprised

P.S.: The problem should be resolved now.

I used the Copy feature to open your recipe as mentioned above. Changed the Purity to 99% and the Lye Concentration to 40% and SF to 5%, for the test. The recipe results showed properly, see the photo in the middle (the one with 1380g of total fats).

The only issue was that the calc didn't allow me to change the batch size that way, as you mentioned - no way to change the total oil weight. Then I just went to Select recipe units of measure and changed it from Grams to Percentages - and voila - I was again able to tweak the size properly. See the photo on the right (or the bottom, if you're using a phone in portrait mode). Which resulted to the changed recipe showing properly with the new total oil weight - see photo on the left (or the top, if on phone in portrait mode), the one with 500g of oils.

All while on the phone, using the latest update of Mozilla Firefox browser for Android mobile phones. HTH and the issue gets resolved on your end as well

That was s lot of work! Thank you, @Ekuzo ‍
I don't usually use the app, I only d/l it in frustration. I'm an OLD Linux user/operator from the "olden" days of yore, so I usually use Chrome as my phone's browser for much of my web surfing. I was using it to try to get the recipe to work out, & getting those zeros every time, & why I finally tried the app.
Which truthfully, its outlay doesn't impress me much. What you're seeing in your desktop is a much better format, imho, bc "Settings" for a recipe doesn't make much sense to me, & "Actions"? Took me a hot minute to understand were the options given to choose w/ what to do w/ your recipe, like Share, Copy, etc.
Maybe I just need to accept I AM getting old ...
Sorry if I sound defeated today. I'm having to prep for a procedure that's supposed to be simple, but it's complicated by a health issue. Not feeling well.
I'll continue @ the end of the week when, hopefully, I'll be better recovered.
May the soap gremlins go right past your door!

 

[Ekuzo]

That was s lot of work! Thank you, @Ekuzo ‍
I don't usually use the app, I only d/l it in frustration. I'm an OLD Linux user/operator from the "olden" days of yore, so I usually use Chrome as my phone's browser for much of my web surfing. I was using it to try to get the recipe to work out, & getting those zeros every time, & why I finally tried the app.
Which truthfully, its outlay doesn't impress me much. What you're seeing in your desktop is a much better format, imho, bc "Settings" for a recipe doesn't make much sense to me, & "Actions"? Took me a hot minute to understand were the options given to choose w/ what to do w/ your recipe, like Share, Copy, etc.
Maybe I just need to accept I AM getting old ...
Sorry if I sound defeated today. I'm having to prep for a procedure that's supposed to be simple, but it's complicated by a health issue. Not feeling well.
I'll continue @ the end of the week when, hopefully, I'll be better recovered.
May the soap gremlins go right past your door!

Hey, no worries! I hope whatever's messing with your calc gets sorted out, and what's more important - you get better very soon!