penelopejane
Well-Known Member
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Is Pyrex all right for one use?
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penelopejane
Well-Known Member
Any plastic container that has a 2 or a 5 in the little triangle on the bottom is suitable.
BrewerGeorge
Well-Known Member
If that's red pyrex, that's really quite dangerous. I'm not one to tell people what they should and shouldn't do, but that is legitimately risky. No joke.
If you insist on clear, your best bet is to go to a laboratory web site and buy real borosilliate PYREX beakersm like this. They're pretty spendy, though.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Lotion Crafter has a nice selection of borosillicate beakers as well. Unfortunately, because of the shape, the large ones are better suited to lotion making than soapmaking. I use the smaller sizes fairly often. Here's a link:
http://www.lotioncrafter.com/equipment-mixing-measuring/
alchemy_cake
Active Member
Looking at my plastic Tupperware tonight, I saw that most of it is marked 5. So, I guess if one were in a pinch...
Still feeling under the weather, but I assembled everything I'll be using. This is my first time trying to attach a picture, so I hope it works...
Yep, that's Pyrex - for mixing batter at cool temps only, unless I can find another plastic bucket in the meantime. The plastic bucket I do have (with the lye bottle in it) is marked 2, and the spoon is silicone.
Still feeling under the weather, but I assembled everything I'll be using. This is my first time trying to attach a picture, so I hope it works...
Yep, that's Pyrex - for mixing batter at cool temps only, unless I can find another plastic bucket in the meantime. The plastic bucket I do have (with the lye bottle in it) is marked 2, and the spoon is silicone.
That's the old Pyrex. It should be fine.
I've been soaping with mine for 5+ years.
I melt oils in it (microwave) and add lye water, mix into batter and then separate. I even gelled CP liquid soap in it.
As long as it's not exposed to sudden temperature changes, it should be fine.
I'm mixing water and NaOH in cheap plastic jug (heat and chemical resistant).
I've been soaping with mine for 5+ years.
I melt oils in it (microwave) and add lye water, mix into batter and then separate. I even gelled CP liquid soap in it.
As long as it's not exposed to sudden temperature changes, it should be fine.
I'm mixing water and NaOH in cheap plastic jug (heat and chemical resistant).
BrewerGeorge
Well-Known Member
That is NOT the old Pyrex.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
What are you doing responding while you are on holiday?
Can't keep that addiction at bay can you? :mrgreen::mrgreen:
To me it was. Mine is almost 20 years old.
Most troubles with them come due to improper use.
I thought they changed when shape changed.
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1998 is when the formula was changed from borosilicate to soda lime glass, so it is very possible that yours could be made with the newer soda lime formula.
From what I've been able to find online so far, it is as BrewerGeorge said- the lettering is a clue-, i.e., Pyrex measuring cups that spell the name in all lowercase lettering (i.e., pyrex) is the kind that's made with soda lime glass. The Pyrex measuring cup in the pic above has all lowercase lettering. The kind made from borosilicate should have all uppercase lettering (i.e., PYREX).
fuzz-juzz said:
Although I don't dispute the above statement in the least, the troubles that arise when using them for making lye solutions or lye-based soap are due to the combination of high pH and heat. According to this tech data sheet on Pyrex borosilicate glass the only things that can cause appreciable corrosion of Pyrex borosilicate glass are these: hydrofluoric acid, hot concentrated phosphoric acid and strong alkaline solutions (emphasis mine). According to the tech sheet Pyrex borosilica glass is only moderately alkali-resistant.
Corrosion to glass comes in the form of chemical etching, which gradually weakens the glass more and more over time as it is continually used to mix such substances. I liken soaping in Pyrex to playing the game of Russian Roulette, where each batch of soap or lye solution represents a single pull of the gun's trigger- you just never know if your current batch is going to be the pull of the trigger that causes things to go kaboom. If you ask me, it's not worth the risk when certain plastics that are more highly alkali-resistant than Pyrex are in abundance.
IrishLass
dbloomingdale
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I use a plastic pitcher for my lye and a stainless steel pot to blend in everything. Am I doing it wrong?
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
1998 is when the formula was changed from borosilicate to soda lime glass, so it is very possible that yours could be made with the newer soda lime formula.
From what I've been able to find online so far, it is as BrewerGeorge said- the lettering is a clue-, i.e., Pyrex measuring cups that spell the name in all lowercase lettering (i.e., pyrex) is the kind that's made with soda lime glass. The Pyrex measuring cup in the pic above has all lowercase lettering. The kind made from borosilicate should have all uppercase lettering (i.e., PYREX).
IrishLass
Just to complicate things we have lots of Pyrex in the kitchen as DH loves glass. It is all relatively new and has red uppercase lettering (PYREX). I am guessing it is the new formula. I don't use it for soaping. I use plastic with a 2 or 5 in the triangle on the bottom.
I am in Australia so it might be different for you.
Spelling on my pyrex is lower case. So I guess it is newer glass then. It was purchased in early 2000s, can't remember the year, maybe 2001-2002.
I understand everything and that there is a certain risk but, there's risk with everything unfortunately.
But now you scared me enough and I think I'll invest into something else. I literally make maybe 2 batches a month but I don't think it's worth the risk. I'm clumsy enough anyway...
I have quite a few of pyrex bowls in the kitchen which I use for everything. They are all around 5-10 years old and they go through so much abuse. None of them ever caused any issues.
I still don't think all of the pyrex is bad. There's millions of their products all around the world. Whatever we hear about explosions etc are isolated cases, there's internet, word goes around and there you go, people get scared.
But better be safe than sorry...
I understand everything and that there is a certain risk but, there's risk with everything unfortunately.
But now you scared me enough and I think I'll invest into something else. I literally make maybe 2 batches a month but I don't think it's worth the risk. I'm clumsy enough anyway...
I have quite a few of pyrex bowls in the kitchen which I use for everything. They are all around 5-10 years old and they go through so much abuse. None of them ever caused any issues.
I still don't think all of the pyrex is bad. There's millions of their products all around the world. Whatever we hear about explosions etc are isolated cases, there's internet, word goes around and there you go, people get scared.
But better be safe than sorry...
artemis
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When there are soap safe mixing bowls available at the dollar store, there is no reason to risk it.
And, this isn't random internet hysteria. The lye will, in fact, etch the glass.
^^^^ this is where I sit.
If the question is "will I certainly have an issue using glass?" The answer is no. It might well happen that you get lucky or replace the glass before anything happens.
If the question is "am I far more likely to have an issue with glass rather than appropriate plastic or good stainless steel?" The answer is most certainly "YES!"
As appropriate plastic is not very expensive and good stainless is good value for money, there really is no reason to use glass unless a few dollars/pounds/euros is a deal breaker. And in the grand scheme of soaping costs, it isn't!
If the question is "will I certainly have an issue using glass?" The answer is no. It might well happen that you get lucky or replace the glass before anything happens.
If the question is "am I far more likely to have an issue with glass rather than appropriate plastic or good stainless steel?" The answer is most certainly "YES!"
As appropriate plastic is not very expensive and good stainless is good value for money, there really is no reason to use glass unless a few dollars/pounds/euros is a deal breaker. And in the grand scheme of soaping costs, it isn't!
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
Fuzz-juzz
I use similar to this for 1kg oils. (1.2kg at a push) I like the handle! Woolies has the best everyday prices but they are often on special. Just make sure it has a 2 or 5 in the triangle on the base.
http://www.decor.com.au/product/tellfresh-jug-2-0-l/
Ive been using my two pyrex jugs for the last 2-3yrs without any problems. Admittedly the soaping process is faster now that I know what Im doing and I make sure I clean up well. The jugs dont show any deterioration so far. cheers Helenz
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Yeah, me too, Helenz, and for much longer than that. I can't help but wonder if all this hype about glass being dangerous vs plastic being safe is "speaking from personal experience" or based on some urban legend from long ago that's just been passed down from generation to generation.
PS: My apologies to all who are offended by this difference of opinion. No worries. I'm sure this post will be deleted tout suite.
PS: My apologies to all who are offended by this difference of opinion. No worries. I'm sure this post will be deleted tout suite.
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