SMF February Challenge - Spin Swirl

[Serene]

1. traderbren - (am I really first? Can I plant an earworm? Cuz this challenge will spin me right round baby, right round)
2. MySoapyHeart (Never done this, I don`thave the right mold. Sure, sign me up!)
3. Misschief (wasn't going to...nope, nope... oh, what the heck!)
4. McGraysoldtowngifts (Insert witty comment here)
5. KCHaystack (Time to take my new mold out for another spin)
6. dibbles (I'll give it a whirl. Yes, I said that.)
7. doriettefarm (here's hoping I don't end up with soap all over the walls & ceiling, wheee!)
8. Judiraz ( I can use color, right? Thank Goodness!)
9. BlackDog (yay! no more black soap!)
10. Steve85569 ( not going to put myself through that this month! On my way back from the shop with fresh built mold - may as well....)
11. Snappyllama (sweet, I love spin swirls!)
12. AMD - what could possibly go wrong?
13. Crispysoap (first challenge and first slab mold......what was I thinking!)
14. TheDragonGirl (Good excuse to build that slab mold I really want)
15. Mrs Spaceship (This should be easy enough...right...right??)
16.JuneP (hope I can get one of those molds/dividers so I can do this!)
17. mintle (will definitely wear two sets of protective glasses for this crazy spinning one)
18. navigator9 (Finally getting off my lazy, retired butt.....I'm in!)
19. Saponista (Better go and dust off the lazy Susan from the loft - I can see this getting messy!)
20. Dillsandwitch ( Its been a while since I have made any soap. No better excuse to get back on the wagon)
21. songwind (Life keeps ambushing me before I can finish my entry, but I'm trying again.)
22. SweetBubbleTreat
23. QueenBeeSoap (What am I getting myself into?! Better sign up before I talk myself out of it.)
24. GalaxyMLP (I'm a fan of loaf molds and will try mine in a loaf!)
25. Serene (Ok ok Newbie I am in !!! On third attempt but who cares? I am just here for second breakfast anyway!)


Also for those of you who are not entering because you need a mold, here is what I have been using.

JuneP, would you like one of these? (Free) I can get it to you in two days. The Cigar box holds 2lbs of soap. (This offer is for anyone entering the challenge that does not think their mold can get there on time.)

Sere

PS- while supplies last, although I have about 20+ of these in different styles and dimensions, but just in case.

 

[LittleCrazyWolf]

1. traderbren - (am I really first? Can I plant an earworm? Cuz this challenge will spin me right round baby, right round)
2. MySoapyHeart (Never done this, I don`thave the right mold. Sure, sign me up!)
3. Misschief (wasn't going to...nope, nope... oh, what the heck!)
4. McGraysoldtowngifts (Insert witty comment here)
5. KCHaystack (Time to take my new mold out for another spin)
6. dibbles (I'll give it a whirl. Yes, I said that.)
7. doriettefarm (here's hoping I don't end up with soap all over the walls & ceiling, wheee!)
8. Judiraz ( I can use color, right? Thank Goodness!)
9. BlackDog (yay! no more black soap!)
10. Steve85569 ( not going to put myself through that this month! On my way back from the shop with fresh built mold - may as well....)
11. Snappyllama (sweet, I love spin swirls!)
12. AMD - what could possibly go wrong?
13. Crispysoap (first challenge and first slab mold......what was I thinking!)
14. TheDragonGirl (Good excuse to build that slab mold I really want)
15. Mrs Spaceship (This should be easy enough...right...right??)
16.JuneP (hope I can get one of those molds/dividers so I can do this!)
17. mintle (will definitely wear two sets of protective glasses for this crazy spinning one)
18. navigator9 (Finally getting off my lazy, retired butt.....I'm in!)
19. Saponista (Better go and dust off the lazy Susan from the loft - I can see this getting messy!)
20. Dillsandwitch ( Its been a while since I have made any soap. No better excuse to get back on the wagon)
21. songwind (Life keeps ambushing me before I can finish my entry, but I'm trying again.)
22. SweetBubbleTreat
23. QueenBeeSoap (What am I getting myself into?! Better sign up before I talk myself out of it.)
24. GalaxyMLP (I'm a fan of loaf molds and will try mine in a loaf!)
25. Serene (Ok ok Newbie I am in !!! On third attempt but who cares? I am just here for second breakfast anyway!)
26. LittleCrazyWolf (fashionably late)

 

[penelopejane]

No, that's unlikely. It happened because I got a very slow cool down of my soap mixture and it was at a very thin trace. I'm pretty sure I actually did use my SB the mix the FO really well into the oils before adding the lye.

.

Galaxy
Thank you for that clear explanation.
I am very grateful for it.

PJ

 

[newbie]

Finally, Serene! In truth, I was wondering just yesterday why you hadn't entered.

How many cigars do you smoke in a day???

 

[doriettefarm]

Just finished cleaning up after attempt #1 . . . no soap batter on the walls or ceiling yay! Used my 1lb silicone mold so not sure how much movement I'll get. I had to stop spinning when the colors around the top edge were starting to look muddy. I'm excited to cut this puppy and since I used Mardi Gras colors I hope it will be like finding the baby in a king cake!

But there were several things about this batch I've never tried before so not holding my breath. This was my first spin swirl attempt as well as my first low water batch. I used a slow tracing recipe but the low water really allowed more time to pour and play. Big shout out to newbie for sharing some very well behaved BB Blackberry Sage FO . . . hopefully I'll do ya proud!

 

[newbie]

Oh yeah! I'm sure you will do the Blackberry Sage justice, no doubt about it. Another convert to low water perhaps? It's amazing, isn't it?

PS. Don't forget to check for your cutting time. If you wait too long, it's like cutting a rock.

 

[mintle]

My third attempt is in the oven, I really splashed the soap while spinning!
The second one failed because I didnt handle pastel colours properly - I suppose at least one colour should be more dramatic or maybe the pattern/lines thicker. We will see how does the third batch come out. I use larg slab mold for this challenge and for the first time in two years I have run out of lard supply! Hehe, I usually constantly have at least 0,6kg reservoir but not today!

 

[doriettefarm]

What would be your guesstimate on unmolding and cutting with the recipe below?

40% lard
35% OO
20% CO
5% castor
also added 1tsp of sodium lactate and used a 40% lye concentration

 

[mintle]

What would be your guesstimate on unmolding and cutting with the recipe below?
....

This is the exact recipe I use!! with 2% sodium lactate per oils weight, so I am not sure about the spoon measurements. I force gel in the oven and unmold 24h after pouring, cut 24h after that or sooner.

 

[Serene]

Finally, Serene! In truth, I was wondering just yesterday why you hadn't entered.

How many cigars do you smoke in a day???

None. I have them because I paint them and give them away as gifts. They make great bead boxes and storage for my Polymer.

 

[BlackDog]

What would be your guesstimate on unmolding and cutting with the recipe below?

40% lard
35% OO
20% CO
5% castor
also added 1tsp of sodium lactate and used a 40% lye concentration

This is close to the recipe I used for the LW part in the December challenge. I CPOPed to force gel. On my first attempt I waited about 18-20 hours (I don't have my notebook in front of me) and it was way too long. Lots of bars shattered when cutting.

Attempt #2, I waited closer to 10 hours and it was perfect.

ETA: I did not used Sodium Lactate

 

[newbie]

With low water, though, it will set much much sooner. If you are gelling, you should cut it while it is still slightly warm. The gel is different- it doesn't get super translucent and vaseline-like. It will be soft and hot but not look like....gel. Keep checking it and as soon as it's not soft any longer (will probably feel pretty hard) but still slightly warm, unmold and cut. If it's hot, don't cut yet. If you don't gel, check it at about 4 hours and push it with your finger to see how hard it is. You can usually unmold and cut in the 4-8 hour range with no gel. I wouldn't wait for tomorrow morning.

Okay Serene. I thought if you were a connoisseur, I might be able to wing an intro to Arnold Schwartzenegger. Dang.

 

[doriettefarm]

Whew, thanks for the feedback BlackDog & newbie! I was stressing that the sweet spot for unmolding and cutting would be sometime tomorrow while I'm stuck at the office. I didn't force gel so hopefully will be able to slice it tonight before bed. I am a little curious about how the sodium lactate addition will change things . . . probably didn't need it but it's just habit to include it.

 

[Steve85569]

One of my attempts I cut "early" and it was getting brittle on the edges. The last one (so far) I cut while it was still warm from the oven and it was perfect cutting. I was at 39% lye (1.6:1) and CPOP at 150.

Steve

 

[doriettefarm]

I'm so paranoid about missing the perfect window for unmolding that I can't stop checking on it. Sure hope it's a keeper because it smells SO good (thanks again newbie)! At the moment it's just barely warm and still feels soft on the bottom. Definitely setting up but also soft around the top edges. Should I expect the sides of my silicone mold to release as cleanly as usual? I really don't want to enter the brittle zone if I can avoid it but don't want to mangle it unmolding either.

 

[newbie]

They should release pretty cleanly. You mention it's warm, so you gelled, yes? If it's soft on the bottom, don't do it yet. The whole thing should feel firm. I suppose it's possible that it didn't gel all the way to the edges but then you will have to find that happy medium- if the very edges are slightly softer but the rest of it gelled, are you okay with beveling or trimming a touch if the edges get dinged? I like being able to unmold early but the price is if the gel didn't get to the edges and you can't wait for eight hours because the rest is all done.

 

[JuneP]

I think I should be able to get mine. I ordered and paid for it Friday, and I imagine she will send it out on Monday. I'm in Oregon and she's in Washington, so it should get here about the same time yours would.

That is so generous of you to offer those for us who don't have a slab mold on hand. If I hear back from the gal that there will be a delay, I'll get back to you.

I have a very thin silicone square baking pan that I got at a charity shop a while back; but the silicone is very flimsy (very thin and very floppy!), so I've been afraid to use it for soap, particularly a swirl. It has a metal holder but if I use the holder, it looks like the soap bottom won't be flat. So, I'm holding out for the mold I ordered which also has a lid and the separators. It's going to be a close call on the timing, but I should know tomorrow if she's shipped it out. Thanks again for your most generous offer!

1. traderbren - (am I really first? Can I plant an earworm? Cuz this challenge will spin me right round baby, right round)
2. MySoapyHeart (Never done this, I don`thave the right mold. Sure, sign me up!)
3. Misschief (wasn't going to...nope, nope... oh, what the heck!)
4. McGraysoldtowngifts (Insert witty comment here)
5. KCHaystack (Time to take my new mold out for another spin)
6. dibbles (I'll give it a whirl. Yes, I said that.)
7. doriettefarm (here's hoping I don't end up with soap all over the walls & ceiling, wheee!)
8. Judiraz ( I can use color, right? Thank Goodness!)
9. BlackDog (yay! no more black soap!)
10. Steve85569 ( not going to put myself through that this month! On my way back from the shop with fresh built mold - may as well....)
11. Snappyllama (sweet, I love spin swirls!)
12. AMD - what could possibly go wrong?
13. Crispysoap (first challenge and first slab mold......what was I thinking!)
14. TheDragonGirl (Good excuse to build that slab mold I really want)
15. Mrs Spaceship (This should be easy enough...right...right??)
16.JuneP (hope I can get one of those molds/dividers so I can do this!)
17. mintle (will definitely wear two sets of protective glasses for this crazy spinning one)
18. navigator9 (Finally getting off my lazy, retired butt.....I'm in!)
19. Saponista (Better go and dust off the lazy Susan from the loft - I can see this getting messy!)
20. Dillsandwitch ( Its been a while since I have made any soap. No better excuse to get back on the wagon)
21. songwind (Life keeps ambushing me before I can finish my entry, but I'm trying again.)
22. SweetBubbleTreat
23. QueenBeeSoap (What am I getting myself into?! Better sign up before I talk myself out of it.)
24. GalaxyMLP (I'm a fan of loaf molds and will try mine in a loaf!)
25. Serene (Ok ok Newbie I am in !!! On third attempt but who cares? I am just here for second breakfast anyway!)


Also for those of you who are not entering because you need a mold, here is what I have been using.

JuneP, would you like one of these? (Free) I can get it to you in two days. The Cigar box holds 2lbs of soap. (This offer is for anyone entering the challenge that does not think their mold can get there on time.)

Sere

PS- while supplies last, although I have about 20+ of these in different styles and dimensions, but just in case.

 

[BusyHands]

My failed attempt scented with Green Irish Tweed. Was going to name it"Irish Greens" but have decided to go with "Blarney Stone" instead. Now it sounds like it was intentional. This was done in a loaf mold and I cut it horizontally. Trace was wayyyy too thin. It actually ended up taking 2 hours after I poured it to even be able to put it in the oven to CPOP it. It also leaked a little.

View attachment 19397View attachment 19399

I love the way it though!!! Looks rustic & perfect colors/ pattern for a masculine Patchouli/ blend!

 

[JuneP]

Could you tell me the inside measurement of that mold? I wrote the gal and she only referred me to the listing which only gives the outside measurements. i want to find out how many oz of oils I need so I can figure the recipe and have it ready.

It looks like I won't get the mold in time for the challenge. I ordered it Friday and now she says she's out of town and won't be shipping till later this week. If I knew that ahead of time I would have ordered the Bramble Berry one. Oh well it is what it is. At least if I can get the inside measurement I can prep some liner paper and have my recipe figured out and my oils weighed and ready to go.

Thanks for any help!

June

My 9 bar came from Heritage Workshop on etsy - but they do not have one listed at the moment. Maybe you can contact them and see if they have one.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/WorkshopHeritage

Brambleberry has a similar one. I thought Heritage was the supplier for BB but this one looks different.

https://www.brambleberry.com/9-Bar-Unfinished-Birchwood-Mold-P5169.aspx

The price is similar, but mine included the silicone liner you have to by the other one seperately.

https://www.brambleberry.com/Silicone-Liner-for-9-Bar-Mold-P5812.aspx

 

[kchaystack]

Could you tell me the inside measurement of that mold? I wrote the gal and she only referred me to the listing which only gives the outside measurements. i want to find out how many oz of oils I need so I can figure the recipe and have it ready.

It looks like I won't get the mold in time for the challenge. I ordered it Friday and now she says she's out of town and won't be shipping till later this week. If I knew that ahead of time I would have ordered the Bramble Berry one. Oh well it is what it is. At least if I can get the inside measurement I can prep some liner paper and have my recipe figured out and my oils weighed and ready to go.

Thanks for any help!

June

My mold used 1330g of oils - so about 47 oz That gives you 2 inch bars that you can cut in half. if you go half you can get 1in bars that when cut in half will give you guest sized bar.