zeoplum
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2009
- Messages
- 351
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If you're in the market for a soap mold, I high recommend Woodfield's!
As some of you know, I started out with the TOG molds that came with something called "silicone-like liners". I won't rehash the details here but in summary, I would be remiss in not saying the product and customer service were substantially below par.
Once I decreased my water content (i.e. stronger lye solution), I actually didn't have any trouble getting my soap out of the TOG liners. But since he doesn't warn his customers that the liners won't hold up to weak lye solutions, then I cracked the seams and nothing I tried made them better. And since they don't wipe clean as advertised, I usually had to clean them under running water and scrub with a brush. And since the seams were cracked, it was a mess.
But the final straw that made me switch to Woodfield's (and real silicone) is because of the cooked texture I would get on my soap when I used the TOG mold and liners during the CPOP method. I like to gel but for whatever reason, it either doesn't happen very easily or....at best....it happens 12-14 hours after I pour. So I started using the CPOP method to kick-start the gel process. TOG liners held up ok at 170 degrees for 45 minutes but I noticed some warping and shrinkage so if you're a TOG user, keep that in mind. And the cooked texture I'm talking about was only on the sides and bottom...where it was touching the foam (which is what the TOG liners are made of). But it was very unsightly, to say the least.
Having learned my lesson by ordering a double log mold from TOG, I decided to take it slow and just order a single log mold from Woodfield's to see if it was really what I wanted. Larry at Woodfield's was super easy to work with. I originally asked for quotes on custom sizes and he was always very quick and attentive with his responses. In the end, I decided to just go with one of his existing sizes (the 15"x3.25"x2.75"). It came rather quickly and was packed VERY carefully. This guy really goes the extra mile with his attention to detail. When I first got it and looked it over, I could tell his craftsmanship is superior to TOG's which is saying a lot since that's the one thing TOG is usually always complimented on.
I made a couple of batches of soap but didn't do CPOP just to see what happened. But, unfortunately, I got the same results (which tells me I'm REALLY gel challenged!) so I switched to CPOP with the Woodfield's molds and the batches came out PERFECTLY! They gelled just fine, and there was no weird texture on the sides and bottom. In fact, they come out perfectly smooth! And cleanup is so easy. I just run a little water and rinse the tiny little bit of soap that gets left behind (sometimes there's barely any at all). And since silicone liners are seamless, I don't have to worry about soap oozing down into the cracks.
Oh how I love my new Woodfield's molds!!! In fact, I love them so much I bought a second log mold and I got the double test batch mold.
I know some of you are thinking the price is kinda high. But I'm a firm believer in that motto you get what you pay for. Besides, if you try a different product first (like I did), and it doesn't work out, then you really didn't save money. So, save yourself the time, money and heartache up front and just get the good stuff the first time around! You are worth it.
zeo
As some of you know, I started out with the TOG molds that came with something called "silicone-like liners". I won't rehash the details here but in summary, I would be remiss in not saying the product and customer service were substantially below par.
Once I decreased my water content (i.e. stronger lye solution), I actually didn't have any trouble getting my soap out of the TOG liners. But since he doesn't warn his customers that the liners won't hold up to weak lye solutions, then I cracked the seams and nothing I tried made them better. And since they don't wipe clean as advertised, I usually had to clean them under running water and scrub with a brush. And since the seams were cracked, it was a mess.
But the final straw that made me switch to Woodfield's (and real silicone) is because of the cooked texture I would get on my soap when I used the TOG mold and liners during the CPOP method. I like to gel but for whatever reason, it either doesn't happen very easily or....at best....it happens 12-14 hours after I pour. So I started using the CPOP method to kick-start the gel process. TOG liners held up ok at 170 degrees for 45 minutes but I noticed some warping and shrinkage so if you're a TOG user, keep that in mind. And the cooked texture I'm talking about was only on the sides and bottom...where it was touching the foam (which is what the TOG liners are made of). But it was very unsightly, to say the least.
Having learned my lesson by ordering a double log mold from TOG, I decided to take it slow and just order a single log mold from Woodfield's to see if it was really what I wanted. Larry at Woodfield's was super easy to work with. I originally asked for quotes on custom sizes and he was always very quick and attentive with his responses. In the end, I decided to just go with one of his existing sizes (the 15"x3.25"x2.75"). It came rather quickly and was packed VERY carefully. This guy really goes the extra mile with his attention to detail. When I first got it and looked it over, I could tell his craftsmanship is superior to TOG's which is saying a lot since that's the one thing TOG is usually always complimented on.
I made a couple of batches of soap but didn't do CPOP just to see what happened. But, unfortunately, I got the same results (which tells me I'm REALLY gel challenged!) so I switched to CPOP with the Woodfield's molds and the batches came out PERFECTLY! They gelled just fine, and there was no weird texture on the sides and bottom. In fact, they come out perfectly smooth! And cleanup is so easy. I just run a little water and rinse the tiny little bit of soap that gets left behind (sometimes there's barely any at all). And since silicone liners are seamless, I don't have to worry about soap oozing down into the cracks.
Oh how I love my new Woodfield's molds!!! In fact, I love them so much I bought a second log mold and I got the double test batch mold.
I know some of you are thinking the price is kinda high. But I'm a firm believer in that motto you get what you pay for. Besides, if you try a different product first (like I did), and it doesn't work out, then you really didn't save money. So, save yourself the time, money and heartache up front and just get the good stuff the first time around! You are worth it.
zeo
