I want to get some interesting shaped columns. I've never done a column pour before and i want to use a star shaped item rather than just a round item. What can I use? Any ideas?
TIA
TIA
Where can I get interesting columns for a column pour?
- Thread starter KiwiMoose
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I am not sure about where to get those - but for your consideration, I think you can get more interesting effects by using just a circular column, or square column, or a soda bottle, than with a star shaped column by using a chopstick or stir stick after the pour to move batter around. The more complicated columns seem to get sort of muddied edges, and you’re limited by the shape of the column. My experience is limited (three tries for the recent Amy Warden soap club challenge) but you have more artistic freedom with more simple shapes. I watched some videos with stars etc and wasn’t that impressed. Of course you could also make columns out of soap which I also tried, with some success. Need to refine that method.
Maybe a lemon juicer/reamer of this kind would give an interesting result? 
Juicer Plastic Hand Manual Orange Lemon Juice Press Squeezer Fruits Squeezer Citrus Juicer Fruit Reamers|fruit squeezer|citrus juicerjuice press - AliExpress
Juicer Plastic Hand Manual Orange Lemon Juice Press Squeezer Fruits Squeezer Citrus Juicer Fruit Reamers|fruit squeezer|citrus juicerjuice press - AliExpress
Ooh ooh - answered my own question. Look what I found!
Went straight into our recycle bin at home and found a wee plastic bottle with the same shaped bottom! Woot! It's all cut and ready to go.
Went straight into our recycle bin at home and found a wee plastic bottle with the same shaped bottom! Woot! It's all cut and ready to go.
violets2217
Well-Known Member
Funny you should ask...Was just checking my AliExpress app for order tracking and Soap making kit popped up in my feed. Not sure if the link will work...I want to get some interesting shaped columns. I've never done a column pour before and i want to use a star shaped item rather than just a round item. What can I use? Any ideas?
TIA
ResolvableOwl
Notorious Lyear
Amazing to watch – but: Oooof! STOP THAT SWIRLING!
IMHO she terribly overdid these swirls (even carried on while talking that she should stop earlier!). And I find it disappointing how the initial fivefold flower design just wasn't visible/didn't play a role at all in the final look.I like @Vicki C 's twist on this technique more:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/column-pour.84156/Scraping five notches into the top with a knife or so, controls the flow directions, gives the same “soda bottle” effect. And you don't have to pull anything out afterwards.
I'm pretty sure she does the voiceover afterwards rather than while she does the pour
Thankyou! The link didn't work but i found it by searching aliexpress with the title of the photo you inserted : ) Not cheap though are they?
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violets2217
Well-Known Member
Lol... I refused to look at the price...I don’t actually need more stuff! I am waiting to see if all the other items I ordered is worth it! Lol! Plus it takes a bit to get to me... a month! But it was weird, I read your post and that popped up.
I love the soda bottle effect with the column pour! I’ve watched the video you linked about 3 times a few nights ago! I love her videos!
I watched that video yesterday and bought a bottle of water so I had the column! It's a gorgeous design! I admit (and she did too) that sometimes she doesn't know when to stop! I too suffer from that affliction.
I'm hearin' ya!
I did that too. Watch out though you have to have the bottle really well secured to the bottom of the mold, or cut slits in it as Teri did in that video, or they start skidding away, which is not desirable.
violets2217
Well-Known Member
She weighed it down with washers didn’t she?
Oh maybe, I’m probably thinking of someone else.
Yes - she did both - weighed it down and cut it.
I did that too. Watch out though you have to have the bottle really well secured to the bottom of the mold, or cut slits in it as Teri did in that video, or they start skidding away, which is not desirable.
Thanks for the tips... I saw the slits but didn't know what their purpose was so good to know. I think I'd dip the bottle into a bit of beeswax - that might work. I wonder if that would eliminate the need for weights?
I made soap dough columns for mine, but it wasn’t true to the spirit of the challenge, but rather the fun of making the Birbs for me.
I really liked Teri’s entry, the color combo was very striking and earned her 2nd place, and it’s made me want to try it again the ‘right’ way
Me and my silly Birbs earned 4th, and I was honestly lucky to place that high considering the level of talent in the group!
I really liked Teri’s entry, the color combo was very striking and earned her 2nd place, and it’s made me want to try it again the ‘right’ way
Me and my silly Birbs earned 4th, and I was honestly lucky to place that high considering the level of talent in the group!
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I made soap dough columns for mine, but it wasn’t true to the spirit of the challenge, but rather the fun of making the Birbs for me.
I really liked Teri’s entry, the color combo was very striking and earned her 2nd place, and it’s made me want to try it again the ‘right’ way
Me and my silly Birbs earned 4th, and I was honestly lucky to place that high considering the level of talent in the group!
Congratulations! Fabulous soap! Love your “birbs”.
Your Birbs are wonderful, and 4th place in that group is quite an accomplishment!I made soap dough columns for mine, but it wasn’t true to the spirit of the challenge, but rather the fun of making the Birbs for me.
I really liked Teri’s entry, the color combo was very striking and earned her 2nd place, and it’s made me want to try it again the ‘right’ way
Me and my silly Birbs earned 4th, and I was honestly lucky to place that high considering the level of talent in the group!
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She did. I've actually stuffed some old, fugly soap in the bottle to weigh it down. It works well, but you want to be sure that the soap is wedged in tightly enough that it can't slide out
I have tried dipping a bottle in melted cocoa butter and found that the edge of the bottle was really too thin to effectively hold it in place. Pouring a bit of cocoa butter or beeswax into the bottom of the mold and then setting the bottle in that might work, but I haven't tried it.
