Superfat Entry on the Calculators

[Fabius]

Hello All,

I've been experimenting with a couple of the soap calculators. The calculator has an entry for which superfat is being used and at what %. I understand what superfat is but I'm not sure why it is on the calculator. How do you use this entry? Do you use this if you are adding oil before pouring into a mold? If you are not do you leave it at 0%. Thanks.

Tom

 

[OliveOil2]

You are using this to measure the amount of oil needed prior to making the soap, this will give you the amounts of oil, lye and liquid required. I would set the super fat at 5 or 6. But everyone has their own preference. Leaving it at 0 isn't what you want to do. The super fat is your margin of extra fat in the soap, and makes the soap more gentle on the skin. I am sure others will have suggestions. What calculator are you using?

 

[Fabius]

I am using this one:

http://tinyurl.com/mj8zeuy

 

[Candybee]

If you use soapcalc.net the superfat setting is set to default on 5%. Thats a good starting point for a beginner. The amount of lye will change depending on the % of the superfat so its important to determine what % you want.

 

[misskat22]

I don't mean to sound rude, but based on your question, are you sure you understand superfat? All oils need to be added to the soap before you pour it in the mold. Also, when doing Cold Process soap it doesn't matter when you add your superfatting oils. The lye will take the oils it wants. If you're Hot Processing your soap, and add your superfat oil after the cook (before the mold) then you have a bit more control over which oil you're using to superfat, because saponification is basically finished.

Now, as for your actual question, you need to superfat (unless making laundry soap) in order to help prevent a lye heavy bar. If you don't superfat and don't measure your lye correctly then you have no margin for error. Lye heavy soap is dangerous, why wouldn't you give yourself that margin?

 

[dagmar88]

What is often referred to as superfat, is actually a lye discount.

 

[Fabius]

Thanks for all the help. So if I tell the calculator that I want 5% superfat it will adjusted the receipt accordingly?

 

[dagmar88]

Yup

 

[OliveOil2]

after looking at your calculator I can see why you weren't sure about the amount of superfat or the superfat oil, as said above just include everything that you plan to put in your soap, and the calculator will give you the results. Check out a couple of other calculators. Soapcalc seems to be the most popular, and has already set default modes for the superfat and water majestic mountain, and summer bee meadow both easy to use. It seems that years ago people did refer to the oil that would be their superfat, but as said above they all get used in the chemical process of making soap, so this is another one of those things that will mislead a newer soap maker.

 

[dagmar88]

When I started soaping there seemed to be a lot of people who kept one or more oils aside to add after trace.

I guess the term just stuck...

 

[Fabius]

When I put my entry into the calculator here are the results. I set superfat to 5% and it asked me what oil and I picked olive oil. Why is it listing 3.2 oz of olive oil as an ADDITIVE?

Calculator is at http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/resources/creator.asp


Oils:
Coconut Oil (76 degree):19.2 ouncesOlive Oil:29.4 ouncesPalm Oil:14.1 ouncesShea Butter:1.3 ouncesLye/Water:Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH/Lye):9.5 ouncesWater:23.0 ouncesAdditives:Olive Oil (5%):3.2 ouncesTotal of Essential/Fragrance Oils:2.8 ouncesFragrance Oil:Fragrance Oil: Sandalwood

 

[dagmar88]

With HP, some people add one or more oils after the cook.
For CP it has no use at all.

I'd go for a different lye calculator, like soapcalc.

 

[Fabius]

Thank you all for your input. I have bookmarked 2 of the calculators and think I understand them. Tom