mold liners

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Hi Soapmaker- here is link to a post that shows pics of the mold you are asking about (including a pic of it when collapsed/apart): http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=514940&postcount=13


The inside dimensions of the pouring area when in slab mode are as follows: 7.75" wide x 10" long x 2.5" deep; and when the center divider is in place to separate it into 2 log molds, the dimensions of each log are: 10" long x 2.5" high x 3.5" wide.

The mold was made by a fellow soaper who used to be a regular here on the forum several years ago, and was gifted to me by my sis in 2006. Of all the molds I own, it's my absolute favorite and the one I use the most. In spite of the fairly constant use it's had for the past 11 years, there's absolutely no warping at all. I attribute that to the craftmanship and also to never having washed it with water. The only tool I use to clean it (when needed) is a plastic food scraper. That's it- nothing else.


IrishLass :)
 
Thank you Irish Lass for the complete explanation! I can see the reason mine warped and yours didn't. Yours is so short! Mine is a single 28 bar log mold lined with arborite (formica) that DH made for me. It works great without lining except since being that long it did tend to bow in the middle and I had to use a clamp to bring in the sides. Even so there was a small amount of leakage. I used them for years until he made my HDPE molds. They also work very well with no leakage.
I'm hearing that most people on the forum have to line their HDPE molds. I'd like to hear a discussion on that. I don't understand why. Mine release perfectly.
 
The other question I have is why do people use such small molds?

I use small molds because I don't need production molds. I tend to make a lot of soap in a lot molds because I make a lot of different soaps, not the same scent/color/etc., of 1 soap. Hope that makes sense...
 
I use small molds because I don't need production molds. I tend to make a lot of soap in a lot molds because I make a lot of different soaps, not the same scent/color/etc., of 1 soap. Hope that makes sense...

Whatever works is the habit we get into. I have some scents that my repeat customers always want so I can't be out of them. Other scents come and go. I found that for me it saves a lot of time if I don't have to clean up too often between scents, so when I make soap I will do do 2 or 3 (5 lb.) batches of the same scent, not cleaning up between batches. Some kinds may last a year, others I wouldn't want to last that long. That way I'm not always setting up, cleaning up.
 
Whatever works is the habit we get into. I have some scents that my repeat customers always want so I can't be out of them. Other scents come and go. I found that for me it saves a lot of time if I don't have to clean up too often between scents, so when I make soap I will do do 2 or 3 (5 lb.) batches of the same scent, not cleaning up between batches. Some kinds may last a year, others I wouldn't want to last that long. That way I'm not always setting up, cleaning up.

Yes, exactly. If I made soap for production, I would totally make my own bigger molds, or get bigger molds to make bigger batches.
As it is my average soap batch size is 3-5lbs. I do crank out about 5-10 batches a month (not much compared to some), however, they are very rarely the same scent/color/design.

I have a website, but rarely sell from there, and only do 4 shows a year. However, I make soap all year long, and by the time the 4 shows are done for the year, I'm basically sold out.
 
Yes, exactly. If I made soap for production, I would totally make my own bigger molds, or get bigger molds to make bigger batches.
As it is my average soap batch size is 3-5lbs. I do crank out about 5-10 batches a month (not much compared to some), however, they are very rarely the same scent/color/design.

I have a website, but rarely sell from there, and only do 4 shows a year. However, I make soap all year long, and by the time the 4 shows are done for the year, I'm basically sold out.

That's still a lot of soap! It's nice to hear how other people do...maybe yours is a better way to do. I guess the reason I got started the way I do is because I'm not fortunate enough to have a soap room. We have no basement either so I have to prep the kitchen before I make soap and then have it cleaned up and out of the way for cooking. I don't do shows, I don't have a website. Mine is a hobby business sold from the home by word of mouth and a little wholesale to local health food stores. The stores always want the same kind because of the programming and price stickers they use. I would be interested in your website if you care to give it.
 
That's still a lot of soap! It's nice to hear how other people do...maybe yours is a better way to do. I guess the reason I got started the way I do is because I'm not fortunate enough to have a soap room. We have no basement either so I have to prep the kitchen before I make soap and then have it cleaned up and out of the way for cooking. I don't do shows, I don't have a website. Mine is a hobby business sold from the home by word of mouth and a little wholesale to local health food stores. The stores always want the same kind because of the programming and price stickers they use. I would be interested in your website if you care to give it.

That does make a difference. I started in my kitchen, but we finished our basement and now it's all mine! (well, mine and the laundry machines! LOL)

My website is SORELY out of date - I haven't had the time or ambition to update any of it, but you can take a look if you'd like.
Not sure what the rules are on sharing in posts, so I will message it to you.
 
The other question I have is why do people use such small molds?

I'm not in business- I only make soap for my family, friends and myself. The usual size batches I make run anywhere between 1lb to 3lbs at any given soaping session (most are 2.8lbs), although for Christmas gifts I go bigger with a few 4lb batches of certain scents that a lot of my peeps really like. I'm like you- I'm short on space- my kitchen doubles as my soaping room as well as my cooking nook.


IrishLass :)
 
Here is the link. When I bought it, it had free shipping! Maybe you can look further on the site and find it cheaper. They also have the bigger one for like 5 more dollars.

Mine came in 2 weeks with the wood box.

I personally find it the perfect size. If you cut your bars approximately 1 inch thick you get 9 to 10 bars weighting 4 oz each. The mold hold exactly 38 oz batches. If you are making cp that has a long top, then maybe 40 to 41 oz.

The bigger one would get you bars that are 4.5 to 5 oz each. I have one of those too, but I never use it.

I too have a small kitchen and only one cabinet dedicated to soaping. But I have molds hidden everywhere .... in the coat closet, in my closet ..... :oops:
 
Here is the link. When I bought it, it had free shipping! Maybe you can look further on the site and find it cheaper. They also have the bigger one for like 5 more dollars.

Mine came in 2 weeks with the wood box.

I personally find it the perfect size. If you cut your bars approximately 1 inch thick you get 9 to 10 bars weighting 4 oz each. The mold hold exactly 38 oz batches. If you are making cp that has a long top, then maybe 40 to 41 oz.

The bigger one would get you bars that are 4.5 to 5 oz each. I have one of those too, but I never use it.

I too have a small kitchen and only one cabinet dedicated to soaping. But I have molds hidden everywhere .... in the coat closet, in my closet ..... :oops:

Where is the link? At least I can't see it.

My kitchen is small but with loads of cupboards so I have great storage, but not for molds. It's soap that I have stored all over the house. And as far as e.o.s and f.o.s, they're all stored in the coat closet, that way it smells really nice.

One of the things I like about my HDPE molds is that in a 14 inch log mold, I get exactly 14 one inch bars with shiny surfaces and square corners
 

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