Need advice on soap mold purchase please

[Lanie]

Hello and thanks for being there for questions like this! I have two small, thick-walled silicone soap molds that I have been learning with. I’m ready to move up to a 2-pound or maybe 5-pound loaf mold.

I see that some silicone molds are thinner and come with a wooden box for support. Others are thicker silicone with no wooden box for support.

I’d like to make milk and honey soap without forced gel if possible. My question is if the wood frame provides more insulation that could contribute to partial gel rings forming in my soap. Am I better off with a thicker silicone mold with no box — or does it matter?

I also am interested in buying a wooden frame with slots for cutting 1” bars (these tend to be sold with thin loaf molds and wooden boxes for support — which is how I got to this dilemma (which is probably something that only soapers can understand )! Thank you!

 

[jcandleattic]

I use a 3lb soap loaf mold like this. The silicone is thin, but so is the wooden box it comes in. Yes, it will insulate it a bit more, but with it being thin, it doesn't contribute to that much of insulation to overheat the soap.
To avoid partial gel, soap cool and put it in the freezer/refridgerator as soon as it's molded.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I use the above mold the same as @jcandleattic. It's a 1kg mold (approx) which I always thought was only 2 pounds? When I wanted to make bigger batches, I bought an extra one, so now I have two.
For honey soap, the larger the mold (or mass of soap within it) the more likely it will heat up. Along with many other factors of course. SO I would tend towards small molds rather than larger. I'm thinking the above size would be fine.

 

[jcandleattic]

I use the above mold the same as @jcandleattic. It's a 1kg mold (approx) which I always thought was only 2 pounds? When I wanted to make bigger batches, I bought an extra one, so now I have two.
For honey soap, the larger the mold (or mass of soap within it) the more likely it will heat up. Along with many other factors of course. SO I would tend towards small molds rather than larger. I'm thinking the above size would be fine.

Yes you are right, I forgot it is a bit smaller. It's a 42oz total mold so will actually only make a 2.5 lb soap loaf.

 

[Lanie]

Thank you both for the good info. I bought two.