Wood vs silicone molds

[Meowmeow2d]

I'm not sure if this question belongs in this forum or not.

Why have a wooden mold and go through the trouble lining it when you can get silicone loaf molds? Is it cost? I've also seen silicone within wooden molds. Can someone explain why?

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Some people have trouble with soap sweating in silicone, or not wanting to release. Also, many silicone molds bow out of shape from the pressure of the soap.

 

[Lin]

With a silicone mold it can need more for insulation to achieve full gel than using a wood mold. A silicone mold may not hold its shape so need to be in a wood or other mold to hold shape. When doing cpop in a silicone mold it can "boil" the soap causing air bubbles on all of the sides in contact with the silicone, so a lined wood mold is a better choice.

Its all personal preference for what you're doing. If you have a wood mold with a silicone liner though that gives you a lot of flexibility to use the mold with a freezer/parchment paper liner for things like CPOP, or use the silicone liner and also have the wood for both insulation and support. Thats why a lot of people go with that option of both. And some people prefer to stick with regular wood molds without the silicone and line with freezer paper, or use other types of reusable liners. Some people prefer these types of liners so they can use a wood mold with hinges that the sides come down on.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I use a wooden mould with baking paper liner (non US baking paper!) and then when I cut the soap, I put the paper in the curing box and the soap sits on that - it stays on that until all bars are gone, so I get a lot of use from it.

I find that I can gel or not using it, and it then removes issues like bubbling around the edges that some people have with silicone. Folding the paper is something some people don't enjoy, but I can do it just watching stuff on you tube.....................

 

[Happysoap]

I use silicone molds and I am happy with them. I think you just have to understand how to deal with either one. Soap behaves differently in wood and silicone molds. I hate lining the wooden molds. My silicone mold goes into a wood frame which holds the sides of the mold straight so they don't bubble out. I pour the traced soap in and leave it uncovered. I do not insist on or force gel. If it happens, it happens. If not, oh well. The soap comes out very nice but I think it takes a little while longer for the soap to set up properly than it does with wood mold.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

..............wood frame which holds the sides of the mold straight so they don't bubble out............

When I said about bubbling around the edges, I meant that when they heat the soap up to force a full gel, some people find a lot of little air-type bubbles where the soap was touching the silicone, rather than the bowing out that some people get from less rigid moulds.

 

[Happysoap]

Oh! I have not had that experience so I did not pick up your comment correctly.

 

[Dennis]

I use wood molds for a couple of reasons.

1. Looked like fun. Yes, I kinda like playing with wood and tools. No, I'm not real good.
2. I had some wood laying around doing nothing.
3. When I looked at the cost of wood molds my Scotch/Irish thrift kicked in.
4. I didn't think about my lack of skill in Origami. The Soapmaking Forum Institute of Mold Lining Skills barely made a dent. http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=30362
4. I made them and that means more to me than buying them. Even if they are ugly. It's a mold, certainly not a decorative item.
5. I'm cheap. Oh, guess I already mentioned that. Thrifty in one area allows me to be extravagant in another.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

That is a very good point - I made mine, too! The size that I wanted for my bars, from a piece of wood that I couldn't use for anything else. Free is good, plus it was fun to make them.

 

[Pepsi Girl]

I love mine, my wonderful son in law made them for me! I don't care for origami either so I made liners out of Mylar and use them over and over. I have some silicone molds but I prefer my wooden log molds!