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  1. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Advice on pouring overlapping inclines?

    I'm hoping I can collect some wisdom and experience from this group... after my first trial went goofy. I had an idea for Christmas soap this year to pour red and green overlapping inclines (like the pencil drawing), but it didn't work out at all the way I hoped (picture). My struggle was with...
  2. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Insty-Trace fiasco...

    A sad tale, and a question for the Forum. In a fit of creativity last night I decided to make one more batch for Christmas gifts... nothing complicated. Just some pretty colors, some nice scent, and some easy swirls. Little did I know. I mixed up a well-known recipe (lard based!) that...
  3. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Stones for Christmas

    So this year I'm working on a stone theme. Here are the four I've got so far: Lapis Lazuli - Frankincense/Orange Limestone - Bergamot/Frankincense/Basil Marble - Limon/Peony (this scent combo is a keeper!) Sandstone - Rosemary/Lily of the Valley I'm still tinkering the best process for even...
  4. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Very simple - will it work?

    Hi All, I've finally started to look at the fatty acids in each vegetable oil, and try to devise new recipes. But I suspect there's a great deal more to it than the numbers. I did some analysis, and came up with a very simple 1st try: 40% Palm Kernel oil 60% Olive oil I'm interested in your...
  5. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Insty-Trace Bastile...

    Well. THAT was a surprise. I just made a bastile batch, and it traced in seconds... liquid to frozen-ice-cream in under a minute. Here's what I made - maybe y'all can explain what happened? as per SoapCalc: 10% castor oil (3 oz) 90% olive oil pomace (27 oz) 45% lye concentration (4.6 oz water...
  6. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Finally getting a handle on swirling 3" PVC molds

    Hey All, The January black/white challenge got me focused on swirling a 3" PVC cylinder mold. I've never had any luck in the past, and the black/white contrast made a nice opportunity. As you can see below: Top Left: Trial1. Good colors, good consistency, good scent (2 parts grapefruit, 2...
  7. Todd_in_Minnesota

    First lard batch

    I'm shifting my go-to recipe away from hard oils and adding in lard instead. Here's my first lard batch, @5% superfat, done with Palmarosa and Grapefruit (and the obligatory drop of Vetiver). I cut and trimmed it after 24 hours. It's a bit crumbly, but I suspect that's more a process problem...
  8. Todd_in_Minnesota

    About commercial lard additives

    OK - so last weekend I decided to try lard (Thanks again everybody for the pointers!) in place of a harder oil. I bought some Armour-brand lard in 1 lb boxes, and discover they include: - BHA - Propyl Gallate - Citric Acid Can anybody speak to the effects of these additional chemicals on...
  9. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Recipe advice please?

    Hi All, I've been using pretty much a single recipe for all my soaping over the last couple years, and it's been generally well received. But - last week I heard somebody recommend to his girlfriend (about my soap), "Don't use it on your face. It's incredibly drying." So now I'm questioning my...
  10. Todd_in_Minnesota

    How (not) to make Christmas Tree soap!

    Being the too-long accounts and discoveries of an intrepid saponificer. The idea seemed so simple; "Why not make a Christmas Tree soap bar?" After all, how hard can it be? I've seen a similar idea on the Interwebs...
  11. Todd_in_Minnesota

    This year's Christmas presents

    Here are some of this season's work (only the ones that turned out). 1. White/pink is rose scented 2. Yellow round is Rosemary/Lemon 3. Red/Green flames are Balsam/Orange (with some glitter added in for fun) 4. Green swirl and YinYang are a mystery. I poured them with some leftover slurry from...
  12. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Mixing mica colorants: what's your secret?

    So I've been using mica colorants for a while now, which I like a lot because they can produce really vibrant colors, or really mild ones. The problem I haven't solved is blending them, as they don't dissolve, and I can't seem to get them evenly mixed into the swill unless I stick-blend them...
  13. Todd_in_Minnesota

    What does new soap NOT stick to?

    So, after pouring new soap into a mold, sometimes I like to be able to make the top of the loaf perfectly smooth. What do you use to 'slick down' the top of new soap, that doesn't leave working marks? I've had no luck so far. Thanks all! Todd
  14. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Avoiding Seize-ure: Process and/or Temperature?

    Sorry for the long, technical post, but I'm struggling with understanding what causes seize; hoping to benefit from the accumulated wisdom of this forum. (My most recent batch went to immediate applesauce before I'd even dipped a stirring spoon in.) And... I ran out of lye, so I have to stop...
  15. Todd_in_Minnesota

    instant applesauce

    Once more, unto the Seize! I was mixing up another batch of my tried-n-true recipe, and varied only the essential oils - sure that I'd have a wonderful swirl test.... and.... instant applesauce when I mixed in the EOs. Which of the below is the most likely culprit? - 1 oz. Orange - .3 oz. Bay...
  16. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Different swirl technique?

    Hi All! I never had any luck with the swirl techniques I've seen posted in videos (I always produced muddy clumps of mush) so I've been fooling around with a different technique - and I think it's finally working! Thought I'd share. What I did was put 'swirlers' at the bottom of my mold before...
  17. Todd_in_Minnesota

    I am not a bold soaper -

    He says... sadly. I make one recipe, the same each time, with (seemingly) minor variations of color and scent, and maybe mixing temperature, and yet.... while several earlier batches worked just fine, my last two batches have insty-traced to like cold oatmeal... with indistinct colors, and...
  18. Todd_in_Minnesota

    Lye behaving badly

    Hi All, I'm really hoping somebody can help me out here... my Lye is out of control. I bought Lye packaged in white plastic bottles, in pellet form. The pellets are very tiny... like clumps-of-mascara-size. The problem is, when I open the bottle and tip it up to pour, the pellets fling...
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