What size are your soap bars?

[Becky]

I've been looking for divider molds, but I can't find one that gives a soap bar big enough or the right shape. I was wondering what kind of measurements you guys use.

Ideally, I like the look of something about 3.75" long x 2.5" wide x 1" deep.

 

[Guest]

You know I have never used divider molds.

Try these...

http://www.brambleberry.com/premium.html

 

[Lucy]

I own the Brambleberry divider mold and the bars are very small. I am thinking of replacing it with the mold from Kelsies Creations.

 

[paupau]

wow, this is a great question. I was wondering the same thing. I see most bars are 4 - 5 ozs, but I wonder what the actuall dimension are. I know it's going to be personal preference, but which do you prefer log style or thinner block.

 

[Becky]

I have seen the Brambleberry molds, but the currency conversion, then the shipping to Australia make them closer to $130 AU. I'm really trying to find something from Oz first.

I have contacted a couple of companies that sell divider molds here, and asked if they will do a custom size and am waiting on responses. If they turn out to be wildly expensive or won't do it, then I may have to just suck it up and pay the extra to order from the US.

 

[CPSoaper]

I own the Brambleberry divider mold and the bars are very small. I am thinking of replacing it with the mold from Kelsies Creations.

I have an uplands, a few log molds, some round ones and a couple Kelsies. I absolutely love my Kelsei molds and they are my favorites by far. I have a friend that has the mold from BB and my bars are bigger than hers. In my 9 bar mold, I can soap up to about 4lbs of oils which gives you a huge bar that i usuall cut in half getting 2 3 oz bars. Or I soap with 3lbs of oils and get a bar that is 2w x 3l x 1 1/2 thick. My 18 bar kelsie holds about 5lbs of oils. My soaps come out of the mold so easily too. Your first few batches may not but once my mold was seasoned, I had no problems. I do put a piece of saran wrap on the bottom.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

I know where you can get one built to your specs!

My bars are 2-1/3 " in height, by 3-1/3" in length, by 1-1/8" thick. My bars weigh at least 4.5 ounces after a good 6 week cure. They weigh just over 5 ounces when I cut them. With my new Log Wire Slicer, cutting the bars is easy, fast, perfectly sized bars every time, and the faces of the bars are as smooth as glass! Love my new 6 Wire Log Cutter! 8)


Paul.... :wink:

 

[CPSoaper]

I can get bars that big if I use 4lbs of oil in my kelsie but would still love to someday try one of your molds. I hear that they are wonderful. I like to cut my big bars in half and get the 2 3oz bars for those that like the smaller bar. Me, I love the bigger bars.

 

[Becky]

I've solved my mold & sizing issue!

This has been bugging me, as I had come to the sudden and quite unpleasant realisation that using the log mold that DH had made for me wasn't going to give me the right size bars to sell at a reasonable price at the local markets.

When sliced into 1" bars, they weighed approx 200 grams - this meant that they are costing me $2 to $3 a bar to make. No way can I mark that up to any more than about $4 a bar, so BIG problem. Sliced any thinner, they just look terrible.

While in the shower the next morning, I was using a bar from the log mold, & realised that I actually preferred the round bars made with 90mm PVC pipe. :idea:

I went to the local hardware shop & bought 2 x 1 metre lengths of 90mm PVC downpipe and 6 endcaps (& was extremely happy to find them - I had been using packing tape, and lots of it, to seal the bottom). DH cut each one into 3 lengths, so now I have 6 new molds at a cost of about $5 each, instead of one mold at a cost of up to $130.

Sliced into 1" bars, these are only about 120 grams per bar, which makes them between $1 and $1.50 a bar to make - a much better price.

 

[reallyrita]

Becky! Hello out there in the land of OZ! I am a brand new soaper and I have just read your post with great interest. So has my husband....He would like to set me up with some of those PVC piping molds. We have 2 questions. How do you keep them held upright while you pour? and....this is a big one...how do you get the soap out of the PVC mold? We are anxiously awaiting your reply to this. Isn't the internet amazing? I live in New Mexico, you live inQueensland and we are connected by this wonderful forum.

 

[paupau]

I just purchased my PVC and I haven't tried it yet. I am hoping that oiling the tubes with mineral oil or petroleum oil will do the trick. I may also try to line the tube with freezer paper. I have read that freezing the soap also makes it easier to remove from the mold. Also I planned to use a smaller piece of pvc as a "pusher".

As for keeping it upright during pouring, I'm not there yet. I plan to keep my molds at 18-24 so hopefully they will be easier to control.

Hello New Mexico, from a Newbie in Florida

 

[Becky]

Hello & Welcome!!

To get the soap out of the pipe, I use laminating plastic, you know like they do posters in. I get the trimmings from the office that I work in, but if you go to any shop that laminates things and ask them if they would give or sell you some offcuts.

I've tried baking paper, and while it releases from the soap really well, the oils from the soap batter will soak thru it and stick to the PVC, making it really hard to get out, even if you put it in the freezer. I'm actually going to try both with my next batch - baking paper inside the laminating plastic, inside the PVC, just to see if it makes any difference. Just waiting for oils to turn up, why does the mail have to take so long... :cry:

As for keeping the PVC upright, if you cut the base straight across and use a pipe that is not too tall for it's width, they stand up by themselves no worries, as long as you are a little careful when pouring. The ones I've just gotten are about 33cm tall (roughly 1 foot) by 9cm wide (not quite 4 inches). Tho, I have found that 9cm is maybe too wide, I prefer the bar to be a little smaller. If I can get some pipe that is 7.5 cm (3 inches) it would be better.

I find that the beauty of the PVC pipe is that it can be as big or small a mold as you like. If you want a small 'test batch' sized mold, just cut it shorter. It is also cheap, which means that I have much more $$ to spend on fun stuff, like colours & fragrances and additives, and the list goes on, and on.....

 

[reallyrita]

Thanks Becky and Paupau....I think I visualize it all now. Can't wait to try...just have to get up my courage plus assemble all the bits and bobs!

 

[CPSoaper]

If you are looking for a cheap round mold to use until you can get a pvc one, pringles can work well. I also will use the cans from beef sticks. These make a much larger round soap that is great for men and big hands.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Have you thought of heating up your PVC tube in the oven, then making it kinda oval shaped, then let it cool like this? I've seen oval bars made like this, and they are cool looking. I've seen a tutorial somewhere in the past year explaining how to make the oval PVC tube. :? I think it was Terry Nesbit, from Australia that had it. It's not that hard to make. 8)

Paul.... :wink:

 

[soapbuddy]

Have you thought of heating up your PVC tube in the oven, then making it kinda oval shaped, then let it cool like this? I've seen oval bars made like this, and they are cool looking. I've seen a tutorial somewhere in the past year explaining how to make the oval PVC tube. :? I think it was Terry Nesbit, from Australia that had it. It's not that hard to make. 8)

Paul.... :wink:

If you do this, please make sure you have plenty of circulating air. Those PVC pipes release some kind of a gas when heated.

Irena

 

[Becky]

My DH tried doing it the way Terry does here with the heat gun.

http://nizzymoulds.com/Ovall%20PVC.htm

Dismal, dismal failure!!

I think he rushed it too much & tried use clamps to squash it instead of using a piece of wood. I'm going to have to 'borrow' his heat gun & try it myself, because Terry's efforts look great!