What soapy thing have you done today?

[ResolvableOwl]

save my A__. lol
I'm Asking for help' What do Ya'll use to cut your soap?. the guitar string I use in my soap cutter is a size D.

Yes, better save all the A's and D's (and G's) for proper instruments!
Just checked the tuning of my brand new second-hand cheese cutter, it's a C2 with a tone colour reminiscent of koto or banjo. Anyone know how to tune it? (just in case cheese cutter ensembles will be a thing again, after the pandemic )

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

It’s a metal guitar string. G I think.

Ok Thank you. I just replaced it w/ another string .4 mm i think' i need go look. fingers crossed it behaves well if not i'll try the G string.

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

We also have the 'other' G-string in the US, but to a Guitarist, the G-String is the 3rd string and is notorious for going out of tune. It can be a wound string or a plain steel string. I would guess that the plain steel would be better for cutting soap than the wound string, but I don't know as I have never really looked into using one or the other.

https://stringjoy.com/wound-g-string-string-electric-guitar/

Thank you Dear

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Yes, better save all the A's and D's (and G's) for proper instruments!
Just checked the tuning of my brand new second-hand cheese cutter, it's a C2 with a tone colour reminiscent of koto or banjo. Anyone know how to tune it? (just in case cheese cutter ensembles will be a thing again, after the pandemic )

'

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

A G string is something else entirely in NZ!

Makes me think of a song' its all about the " Base"

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

I made rose geranium confetti soap today. Man - that stuff is STRONG! The whole house smells like rose geranium when you walk in the door. It's a 'cosmetic grade' EO ( so just smell and no therapeutic value) and it soaps sooooo well, very slow moving. I'm gonna order me some more!
View attachment 60742

Beautiful . I made some geranium soap back in 11-20-20 its wrapped & It still smells wonderful.

 

[AliOop]

@Peachy Clean Soap Yes, your 022 steel guitar string is another name for the "G" string on a steel-string guitar. You definitely want the non-wound type. Here is a great US source for ordering them online; fast delivery and cheap shipping.

@KiwiMoose and @Babyshoes what naughty girls you are!

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

@Peachy Clean Soap Yes, your 022 steel guitar string is another name for the "G" string on a steel-string guitar. You definitely want the non-wound type. Here is a great US source for ordering them online; fast delivery and cheap shipping.

@KiwiMoose and @Babyshoes what naughty girls you are!

Thank you Dear' appreciate it. Update: wow thats a great price'

 

[TashaBird]

Really hoping it goes together smooth. Going to try to take my time as much as I can. Had a dream about how to fill the gaps under his legs. (Problem solving dreams=tired) Going to patch the ends of the embeds w soap dough, then use a squeeze bottle to fill the crotch. Last try I forgot half of my FO because I was so caught up in construction. Hope hope hoping my little hats stay put and look like some version of this. Hat should look a wee bit bigger.

 

[TashaBird]

Melted and divided oils, mixed and divided lye, mixed 3 colors for each of the 3 layers I have planned. Bottom two will be ITPS, which I love! And which is easy-ish, needed for placing the embeds. Hoping to shape or scrape a mountainous back ground. May try a snow cap, haven’t decided yet. Weighed FO and had to add a little Comfort & Joy to mostly Autumn Equinox (from NS). I think they’re close enough they’ll go together ok. Hopefully!!!
Maybe going to wait until I’m fresh in the morning to make.
Mind blowing life changing revelation of the day! I only today learned the oz on FO are by weight!!! This has been a point of frustration for me since I started using FO!!! Stupid American measurements. My life just got easier!

 

[Orebma]

I made my first Coffee Soap - well Coffee and Cream actually because I'm trying to learn different colouring techniques along the way - so happy! I used Elly's Everyday's recipe

 

[LynetteO]

I found a recipe online for solid sugar scrub cubes calling for hand made soap, glycerin, olive oil, & sugar. So fun so easy.

 

[LynetteO]

I made my first Coffee Soap - well Coffee and Cream actually because I'm trying to learn different colouring techniques along the way - so happy! I used Elly's Everyday's recipe

Let me know how you like it? I saved the recipe but a tad scared to use 30% CO if I’m not mistaken. I’m ITCHING to make a coffee BAD!

 

[John Harris]

Well, I finally made my Sandalwood ITP swirl this evening. First time using the FO so I had no idea what to expect. It started off well, and I thought, "Oh great! This one's is going to be easy!" But it got nasty in the end. Trace was holding off well, but then after a while it came on with a vengeance. Went to thick trace before I had time to pour.

I used a brown mica for the pot color - again first time using it. I thought I would just put in a little to start. That "little" colored the whole 12 pound batch a very dark brown! NOT what I was looking for. I then used paprika and turmeric for the accent colors. They were very nice!

I can see it takes experience to know how to deal with this stuff. You all must have made tons of mistakes before you got to be the masters that you are?

Below are some pics I took in the course of the evening.

1. The hungry mouth waiting to be filled.
2. My Secret Ingredient. ( Saint Joseph Oil - Saint Joseph's Oratory of MountRoyal )
3. The colorants.
4. The Sandalwood FO.
5. Heaven knows what this will finally be.
6. In the Heat Sarcophagus .

 

[MellonFriend]

I'm just curious, @John Harris why you make such large batches when you are still testing technique? I hope I don't come across as offensive, I'm truly just curious.

I can't wait to see the bars cut. They might turn out better than you think!

 

[John Harris]

I'm just curious, @John Harris why you make such large batches when you are still testing technique? I hope I don't come across as offensive, I'm truly just curious.

I can't wait to see the bars cut. They might turn out better than you think!

I guess I am ever the optimist? My mold is easily adaptible to smaller batches so it is just plain dumb to do what I did. Part of the learning process, I guess. I'll do better next time! (Maybe)

I'm used to making huge uncolored batches. I have two wooden slab molds that make 120 bars each. The only variation was the scent. This coloring stuff is totally new to me. I have to force myself to cut way back. How many bars would you call an experimental batch?

BTW... Thanks for taking the time to comment!

 

[lenarenee]

I used a brown mica for the pot color - again first time using it. I thought I would just put in a little to start. That "little" colored the whole 12 pound batch a very dark brown! NOT what I was looking for. I then used paprika and turmeric for the accent colors. They were very nice!

I can see it takes experience to know how to deal with this stuff. You all must have made tons of mistakes before you got to be the masters that you are?

I can't wait to see the cut pictures!

As for an experimental batch; will you be using color and fragrance? If the fragrance is in small 1 or 2 ounce bottles (or metric equivalent) , then I'd think about matching the fo percentage to the amount of oils. Generally speaking (check the IFRA usage rate) 1 ounce per lb of oils. However, that being said, I find 1 lb batches to be awkward in the mold as it's just too constrictive; the batter/swirl really can't flow.

Now that you've had your first color experience using mica mixed in oil, you may understand why so many of us like to just throw dry mica into the batter, stir and add more it needed! I do always blast for a second or two with a sb because it makes a difference in the color dispersal. Keep in mind my biggest batch is 10 lbs, so when you make 120 bars - you'll need a few more seconds.

 

[Tara_H]

How many bars would you call an experimental batch?

The mould I started with gives me 12-16 depending on how I cut it, and I find that far too many for experimenting! I scaled back to a mould which holds about 550g batter (not oils weight) but that was a square mould which I find awkward to cut into nice sized bars. My last two batches were in a T&S mould I made myself which gives 4 good sized bars, and I'm very happy with that size for playing around/testing. Of course as @lenarenee says, not all designs will work well in a mould that small...

 

[Babyshoes]

My smallest mould gives me 5 bars, and is about the right size to test a sample size bottle of fragrance/essential oil.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I routinely make 4-9 bars per batch. In addition to the challenges of creating designs with the confines of a small mold, splits of colors get very small and the molds lose heat fast, especially if the recipe is low on CO or doesn’t include FOs or sugars that will accelerate/heat.