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BDF

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Hi I am a mother of 7 beautiful kids my screen name is BDF. I have been looking into soap making for years I am so nervous over the whole lye thing but im not a big fan of melt and pour. I bought a farm about a year ago and I have goats so I want to work towards making goats milk soap.I have looked into classes but havent located anything around here. I really would appreciate any advice as money is very tight and rookie mistakes are costly. lol starting a farm lets say I have made a few mistakes.
 
Welcome BDF from o-HI-o! Mosey on over to the Beginner's Forum and find the Sticky "Beginner's Learn to Soap Online". Lots of good info there to get you started. Take a cuppa along and scroll down to Lovin' Soap Studio to get a handle on most of the stuff we talk about here. Most of the equipment you need you probably already have in your kitchen, with the exception of a stick blender which you might find at a thrift store or Walmart, Target, etc. You can use a whisk to bring soap to trace, but a stick blender is faster.

Look for "100% sodium hydroxide" (lye) locally at the hardware store or big box stores (drain cleaner). For very little expense, you can buy lard at the grocery store which makes a fine bar of soap all by itself. I wouldn't recommend 100% olive oil (Castile) soap to start with... it takes a long time to trace and requires a long cure. Of course, as a mother of 7, you're probably one of the few who has enough patience to handle the "wait time".

Make a few 1 lb batches to get the hang of it before tackling a goat's milk soap -- goat's milk contains sugar which causes the soap to heat up so it requires special handling.

HTH (Hope That Helps!) :bunny:
 
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Hi from PA! Soap making doesn't have to be expensive. My favorite recipe is 55% lard, 15% coconut, 15% olive, 10% avocado and 5% castor. The olive and/or avocado can be replaced with rice bran if you can find that cheaper.

Lard is by far the cheapest oil for me. You may be able to find a farmer local to you in the spring that slaughters pigs and trade some milk for fat.

My suggestions: Don't go buying a bunch of stuff until you decide for sure if it's for you. Pringles cans, milk cartons, yogurt cups and cereal boxes make good molds. Buying smaller amounts of oils locally is better than ordering and paying shipping until you decide on a recipe that you like. Don't worry about the pretty colors right away. If you insist on scents right away, Nature's Garden is a popular supplier. They are reasonably priced and they are in Ohio, so if not close enough for a quick visit, shipping isn't bad. The only things you really must have are #2 or 5 recycling code containers, silicone spatula and stick blender, all dedicated specifically to soap and oils and lye. Take meticulous notes, they come in handy later. Lastly, have fun!!
 
talk to me about scales. I did get a stick blender from the thrift store 3$ thats a steal. I found a scale with bells and whistles for 25 at walmart but didnt buy it because i didnt know if there is a good one out there? I dont mind spending money on quality.Any suggestions?

I did check them out i didnt order because the site went on and on about they are not responsible for this and that. But the fragrances descriptions sound amazing(and they are only a 2 hr drive). My Mr. wants patchouli soap or a patchouli sandalwood. I have pallets I broke down and planed to make a mold with im trying to decide what the best design. there is one that screws together and one that slides into place.and the dimensions i should use whats your favorite style molds.

do you have a brand name i see one that say 100% lye this is my biggest road block
 
Oops, I forgot the scale in the must haves. The my weigh kd5000 is very popular. If you decide on that one, do spend the little bit extra and get the ac adapter. You can find it on Amazon.

I am partial to my tall and skinny bars. They fit my small hands better than other bars. They are 2" wide x 3.25" tall. Not sure about the way you make the molds since I've never used one that comes apart. I always lined the lifted out. I now use silicone just cuz its easier to not line them.

Those disclaimers are nothing to worry about. It's just a matter of CYA. NG is a reputable supplier. Just make sure you check usage rates and skin safe because they do sell for candles too.

do you have a brand name i see one that say 100% lye this is my biggest road block
I buy lye at the hardware store. Its cheaper for me than shipping costs. Ace hardware, you may have to ask since most places no longer leave it out on the shelf. Any that says 100% lye/NaOH/sodium hydroxide is what you need.

pACE3-4030127dt.jpg
 
Ace sells 100% lye for like 3 dollars, and it looks like this one.

And I highly recommend watching the soap queen cold process play list. I know she makes videos to sell her products, but her instructions are perfect, just make sure you pay good attention, and take notes if necessary. That is how I learned.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAADF6209996265D2

lol mx6inpenn beat me to it :)

Also good luck! Let us know how it all works out.
 
talk to me about scales.

I love my KD7000. Got mine from Old Will Knott (on sale right now for $31.80 with power adapter for additional $6.90). This is my second scale and it's never failed me the past 14 years.

I keep it in a 2 gallon zipper bag while in use. This prevents any oils, lye, et al from getting on the scale.

I have pallets I broke down and planed to make a mold with im trying to decide what the best design. there is one that screws together and one that slides into place.

My first soap mold was one I made using instructions from Chestnut Farms http://chestnutfarms.com/Soap_and_supplies/info/index.htm A few hinges and finishing nails and TaDa!
 
I have looked into classes but havent located anything around here. I really would appreciate any advice as money is very tight and rookie mistakes are costly. lol starting a farm lets say I have made a few mistakes.

Here's a link to a HSCG certified soap making teacher who offers reasonably prices classes in Ohio: https://www.facebook.com/naturestouchsoaps/
She has a basic class on Saturday, Jan 13, but I don't know if it's full up or not. She usually limits class size to a about a dozen students.

With 7 kids, making soap can be a bit chaotic if they are very young, so keep that in mind. You need to be able to give the soap your full attention for a dedicated period of time and distractions of small children could be problematic. Of course I don't know the ages of your kids, so that might be moot.

Welcome to the forum.
 
Hey and welcome!

Get a good scale. It is the one "splurge" item you really need. Keep shopping thrift stores for stickblenders and old crockpots. Both are invaluable, and you always need a back up.
 
Ace sells 100% lye for like 3 dollars, and it looks like this one.

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Maybe where you live. It is $5.00 a lb where I live I also agree with the KD7000 or KD8000 scale. I have had mine for 6+ years and it is going strong, even with lye spots all over it. I have to patience to cover my scale then try to use the buttons. Mine is even cracked from dropping it, but still calibrates just fine.
 
Wow, what a bargain, SunRiseArts! Even for California, Carolyn, $10 for 2 pounds is a bargain compared to where I find it locally and in several states as I travel. A bottle of lye everywhere when I can find it, is about $15 per 32 ounce bottle. I buy it at Tractor Supply when I run out of my usual online source and need some fast. Next time I'm traveling and need some, I'll have to look for an Ace Hardware store and see if they really do sell it cheaper.
 
Welcome! I’m very new to it all to. I just jumped right in and my first batch has finally finished curing. I’ve so enjoyed using it!
 
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