What molds are you using?

[Hausfrau007]

Hello, everyone! My first post in the CP forum.

I've been making soap sporadically for the past two years; I've probably made 10 batches in total, so I'm still very new at this. Today, I've made my first small batch -- just under 2 lbs -- that's my very own recipe.

My Mister is handy, and he'll build me some wooden molds (eventually), but UNTIL then, I'm using one-litre milk cartons. They work well and are cheap (I raid the office fridges), but the resulting soap bars are a little too large for my taste... so I'm awaiting my Mister-made molds with baited breath.

What kinds of molds are you using/have you used in the past? What worked well, what didn't and why?

Oh and: what do you line them with? Why does it say everywhere to use freezer paper? Can't I use Saran-wrap-type stuff?

 

[dirrdee]

I started off using milk cartons and progressed to making my own wooden molds. Wooden molds work the best and I have found through much experimentation that a 2.5 X 3.5 bar (or around that ) is the best size for holding, I also like round soaps which you can put to use some pvc leftovers if you have some. They usually take a couple days to cure before you can get them out of the mold (pipe). I currently use silicone loaf molds (purchased from WSP, crafters choice brand), because I despise lining.

When I lined I used both parchment and freezer paper, freezer paper being better. Some used heavy garbage bags, but I think that would just wrinkle up? I would think that plastic wrap would melt, but Im not sure about that since Ive never tried it.

You can do some searches on this forum, there is much info available here on preferences...HTH!!

 

[brandnew]

I was dying for a proper wooden mold (not in my budget at all!!!)when I went to a craft store that sells all sorts of wooden boxes and I found for 4.99 euros a long rectangular wooden box with several removable dividers!! If I leave the center divider in , each side of the mold makes ten regular sized soap bars!! Do you have the mini toblerone chocolate candy? It will make great triangular embeds...just pour the soap in and peel the cardboard off a couple of days later. If you like small square bars use a retangular kleenex box and cut the soap length wise then across into the size square you desire. We have a mini ritz cracker box that makes a lovely rectangular soap bar. Look at different ways to cut the cardboard box like the side where the products name is instead of pouring soap in at the top of the box where you open it. A cereal box taped shut and re-cut leaves you the freedom to decorate the top of your soap with a multi coloured pattern. Just an idea....

I've used toothpaste cartons and toilet rolls for embeds also. I just roll up the cooking paper that comes with ready made pastry....saves buying it... (we don't have freezer paper here)and slip it into the toilet roll. I cut a bit of cardboard off another roll to tape on the bottom. (cut a larger circle then cut all around the edges towards the center, so you can fold the edges up to tape to your 'mold'. Which you can then cut the soap in half and use like a half moon embed. Don't bother lining fiddlely things like the toothpaste box.

The interesting shaped inserts in boxes of candy can make some cute guests soaps and you can use two different colours if the chocolates had two different 'levels' to it. i.e. a bump in the insert for a nut on the top of the candy....The good ol Pringles carton will give you a one off round soap mold!! I just tear it off the soap or you can use a can opener on the bottom to get it started....the list goes on forever. Soon you'll be looking at everything as a potential one off mold! good luck!

 

[ClaraSuds]

I'm using the 1ltr milk carton. It's perfect for me, it gives me 7 bars per batch. I only make for myself so having a big mould wouldn't be optimal as it would reduce the variety of soap I could reasonably make and use. I only use 1 bar a week. I was using a tupperware container but I didn't like having to line it. Pain in the butt. And I also didn't like having to cut the bar up into these odd shaped pieces, because I'm not very good at eyeballing that kind of thing and using a ruler seems too organised for me... I love the milk carton, just slice it. I'm sure one day I'll get picky and insist on a mould that's just right but for now, it's good enough for me.

 

[danahuff]

I have two types of molds. For my birthday, I splurged and bought Bramble Berry's 9-bar birch mold. It's a nice mold. I also have this set I bought off eBay: http://makesoapez.com/3--4-lb-soap-mold-slicer-s34.html. It's a great mold. Very easy to clean, and theoretically can be used without lining it, but every time I've tried, it's been bad, so I just line it.

I think the idea behind using freezer paper is that it has a very smooth shiny side that doesn't make lines one your soap. I haven't tried Saran Wrap as a liner, but I have used it to cover my soaps, and sometimes, it has left marks and lines in the soap. It's so clingy that's hard for me to straighten out completely.

 

[Hausfrau007]

Oh my gosh. Pringles tins! Cereal boxes! Why didn't I think of that? I'm so inspired now, and you're right: I'm now looking at every piece of junk container as my new soap mold, lol.

This forum rocks! Thanks so much everyone.

 

[Lindy]

I love my wooden log moulds.... I do have a large collection of fancy individual moulds as well, but I really don't use them very often.... :?

 

[booboo]

The interesting shaped inserts in boxes of candy can make some cute guests soaps and you can use two different colours if the chocolates had two different 'levels' to it. i.e. a bump in the insert for a nut on the top of the candy....

Ohh nooooo..... Now I have to go out and buy myself a box of chocolates
Great tip BTW!!!!

 

[Lindy]

...SPLIT

The interesting shaped inserts in boxes of candy can make some cute guests soaps and you can use two different colours if the chocolates had two different 'levels' to it. i.e. a bump in the insert for a nut on the top of the candy....The good ol Pringles carton will give you a one off round soap mold!! I just tear it off the soap or you can use a can opener on the bottom to get it started....the list goes on forever. Soon you'll be looking at everything as a potential one off mold! good luck!

Wouldn't those inserts melt? You can find chocolate moulds though at craft stores and on E-Bay.... way fun

 

[brandnew]

about the chocolate box inserts...there are some awfully flimsy ones that probably wouldn't hold up but the nicer ones do have sturdierer inserts.... they fall into the one off category though....you can always just use one part of the insert as an experiment and make sure you have it on a tray just in case. the one I was referring to was the Lindt Connaiseurs. It's a small six-sided box of chocolates. Good luck and Happy searching...yummmmm :wink:

 

[Hausfrau007]

Hey, could you lacquer the inside of wooden soap molds, thereby avoiding having to line them?

 

[Seifenblasen]

Not sure what kind of lacquer. It may or may not react with the lye in raw soap.

I like my unfinished wooden molds and don't mind lining them with freezer paper. While it takes a minute or two to line them, it saves cleanup time. Also, if the lacquer is the kind that gives off volatile compounds when heated, it may not be good if the soap gets hot, and certainly limits your option of doing CPOP.

Now I wonder if there is something like a high-temperature silicone coating that you could spray on? Another option is getting silicone liners that you could re-use, kind of like these:

http://www.brambleberry.com/Vertical-Wo ... P4927.aspx

 

[SilverMaple]

I have a bunch of molds.... wood in numerous sizes (that I can take apart for cleaning or if some soap oozed between the mold and liner), silicone (the green ones from WSP although it took a long time for them to 'season' to the point where soap released easily-- they aren't very big, either, so you may need multiples or use them for only small batches, wood slab molds, round silicone, pvc pipe, and various and sundry other found items that work for me

Wooden 'bee boxes' from honey bee suppliers and wooden wine boxes also make nice molds if you don't mind lining them.

 

[FOhoarder]

I use wood molds that my hubby made for me. I'm still just soaping for myself so I make all small batches. I always soap HP and use a small waste paper basket size garbage bag to line my molds. It's super quick and I got a big box of them at Costco. Because I HP I go for the rustic look so the lines I get from the garbage bags just add to the charm of my soap.

If you're looking for a cheap (free!) slab mold, you can use a priority box from the post office. They are really sturdy. They also can be used to store your soap when curing. Easy to tote around and stack.

 

[chicklet]

The toilet paper roll for imbeds - genius! Can't wait to try that. I've not been soaping long and will probably get around to proper molds soon but am having lots of fun with 'found' objects. So far I've used the box my iPad came in, Pringles can, saltine cracker box, an empty palm oil bottle (had to cut the top off to get the oil out, storing it in another container) but my favorite so far is a small drawer out of the cabinet my TV sets on! It makes 8 bars about 2.5 x 4" big.

 

[CaliChan]

when i made my first batch I went to the dollar store and picked out some cute mini circle and rectangular storage tubs that worked great (they were about an inch in diameter most likely intended for beads)And a small square tub that was perfect for 6 decent shaped bars. Either of these needed liners because they had a decent amount of give to them. I later bought some silicone molds at walmart that were in fun shapes because i know that you dont need to line them with anything, they had halloween molds that were shaped like leaves and pumpkins so theyre good for all of fall ($3.50) and they had a more heavy duty silicone mold for flour shapes for 8. Im going to go to the craft store to see if they have some different shapes

 

[Dennis]

I like my unfinished wooden molds and don't mind lining them with freezer paper. While it takes a minute or two to line them, it saves cleanup time.

A minute or two? Hrrmph! :evil:

I'm lining my small, homemade, unfinished, wooden mold for #4 pine tar batch (finally) this morning. With luck I'll be ready to start making the batch around noon or 1:00.
Not my favorite task. When it comes to lining molds I seem to have ten large thumbs. But I love the wooden log molds.

 

[Seifenblasen]

Hmm ... I am away from home but perhaps next week I will post some photos and share how I do it. It really should not take that long.

 

[Dennis]

Hmm ... I am away from home but perhaps next week I will post some photos and share how I do it. It really should not take that long.

Ohhhhh, believe me, I've seen them all. Even Hazel the Wonder Mod has directed me to her easy instructions. YouTube is tired of me searching and viewing soap mold lining videos. But post away, who knows, yours could be the magic I need.

 

[green soap]

I use some single soap silicone molds for salt soaps, and for other soaps I use log molds.

I got a few free standing silicone molds from BB, I don't like them as much as the ones we made ourselves, with silicone liners and wood. I have pictures on my facebook site (click on the signature link) in the album called 'making soap'. It is not easy, but I am considering doing it again, as they are so much easier to unmold.