Smallest batch of CP you've made?

[Galaxy]

All my batches so far ( a couple years ) have been at least 20oz weight of oils.

Theoretically, you should be able to get pretty small with a batch of soap if you have an accurate scale and a precise recipe, right?

I'd like to make some test batches that would produce a single 3.5oz bar of soap. I have the molds, I'm just wondering if there are any issues with making a batch this small.

Obviously you couldn't stick blend it, I would use my little milk frother that I use for mixing colorants, but other than that....?

 

[dibbles]

Are you testing fragrances or recipes? If you are testing fragrances, I'd still make a 1 lb batch of soap, split it, add the individual fragrance to each portion. If recipes, I'd make sure I had an accurate gram scale. A small mis-measure in a tiny batch like that can end up being a big problem.

I once made a soap with 14 thin layers, and weighed the oils and lye solution from the batch for each layer individually. The soap was fine, so it can be done.

 

[IrishLass]

The smallest batch size I dare to make is 8 oz. I use my lotion-making scale for it, which can weigh accurately as low as .01 grams.


IrishLass

 

[navigator9]

I'm not sure about using a milk frother. I think that would end up whipping a lot of air into your soap.

 

[SudsanSoaps]

Smallest batch of soap I've made was 51 grams. Hand calculated. It was a shave soap with high stearic so there was no need to stick blend. I have a small scale that weighs to .01 gram.

 

[bathgeek]

I’ve used a milk frother in a 50g batch (trying things out). Trace took FOREVER to achieve, and I think in the end it false traced. The soap surface was all crackly and shrunken because of course I did a high water batch. >_<.

 

[Galaxy]

Are you testing fragrances or recipes? If you are testing fragrances, I'd still make a 1 lb batch of soap, split it, add the individual fragrance to each portion. If recipes, I'd make sure I had an accurate gram scale. A small mis-measure in a tiny batch like that can end up being a big problem.

I once made a soap with 14 thin layers, and weighed the oils and lye solution from the batch for each layer individually. The soap was fine, so it can be done.

I would be testing both. I definitely have a precise scale (0.01g) and would use it for this.

 

[MorpheusPA]

12 ounces (340 grams) in my case, a test of 90% tallow.

I could go smaller, but my scale is only accurate to the gram. Even assuming perfect accuracy, it'd be easy to make an almost 3% error using 3 oils at that batch size.

 

[SaltedFig]

I'd like to make some test batches that would produce a single 3.5oz bar of soap. I have the molds, I'm just wondering if there are any issues with making a batch this small.

Other than everything everyone has already said, do you really want to be counting grains of sodium hydroxide, and shuffling drops of water?

Because that's what you will be doing ... before you realize that there some oil stuck to your measuring cup ... and a grain left on that spoon ... and some water ... and you breathed!

In theory, it's possible. In practice, it's ridiculously fussy and even with sensitive scales, windguard and almost perfect technique ... you will still get variations in the soap between two made with what you think is exactly the same ingredients and technique.

Just too small, really.

But try to make two bars the same, one after the other, just for the experience.

You don't have that much to lose for this experiment :mrgreen:

 

[Galaxy]

Other than everything everyone has already said, do you really want to be counting grains of sodium hydroxide, and shuffling drops of water?

Because that's what you will be doing ... before you realize that there some oil stuck to your measuring cup ... and a grain left on that spoon ... and some water ... and you breathed!

In theory, it's possible. In practice, it's ridiculously fussy and even with sensitive scales, windguard and almost perfect technique ... you will still get variations in the soap between two made with what you think is exactly the same ingredients and technique.

Just too small, really.

But try to make two bars the same, one after the other, just for the experience.

You don't have that much to lose for this experiment :mrgreen:

Good point. My scale has a resolution of 0.01g, and I figure if I'm within a couple percent of target, I should be good.

An example recipe for one bar would be (The margin of error would be well under a gram, leading to the difficulties you mentioned):

Olive oil 42.50g
Coconut oil 17.00g
Palm oil 19.55g
Castor oil 4.25g
Shea butter 1.70g

Lye 11.79g
Water 32.30g


I would almost certainly be better off testing my recipes in slightly larger batches for consistency's sake.