Stuck in pipe, Lamaze method for soap

Shop deals on ebay
Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Derpina Bubbles

Derpina Bubbles

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2013
Messages
543
Reaction score
719
Right, so tried to use a pipe mould for the 1st time. Thought I lined it well enough. Noooo. Not even close. I had baking paper right round the inside with double sided tape for good measure to keep it in place. Sealed up the internal join. Soap still leaked past the lining and stuck to the pipe. Thus the need for the Lamaze. The labour lasted about 40 mins. The soap is lumpy on one side just like I used forceps. I trimmed the lumps but you can still see them. I'm happy with the look and would like to do more soaps but so don't want to go through the unmoulding experience again.

So any tips on how to line a pipe?

tube swirls.jpg


pipe.jpg
 
Love the swirls. Did you try putting the mold in the freezer for a couple of hours? Sometimes that helps with the release.
 
Isg - I popped it in the freezer but for only about 1/2 hour. My impatience got the better of me. The soap had leaked onto the cap part so I had to cut around it to release it plus the baking paper seemed to almost meld to the soap. It doesn't do this in my log moulds. I didn't oil the mould because then the tapes I used wouldn't have stuck. Maybe toss the tapes and use oil. The pipe became very hot so wondering if something funky happened in there that I don't understand.
 
I have pretty good luck with parchment paper.

May I ask how you get that kind of swirl in a pipe mold?
 
Obsidian - Thanks, I'll try that.

Moonbath - To get the swirls I put 2 smaller tubes (cardboard in this instance) inside of the pipe. I filled the smaller tubes slightly higher then the base mix in the rest of the pipe. Then gently pulled the tubes out and swirled with doubled up chopsticks. Hope that makes sense.
 
I just love how you complain about imagined perfections in your absolutely gorgeous soap. Just sayin!

To answer your question, I would smear the interior with mineral oil and then freeze it before unmolding.
 
Hey Derpina,
My first two batches using a 3" PVC pipe mold fought back, and both ended up badly damaged during removal.

Maybe I over-reacted, but here's what I did to fix it.
First I ran the PVC over my table saw and cut a slice out of it, longways.
pvc-mold1.jpg
Even after I split it, it wanted to spring back closed, but I put hose clamps on it to be sure.
Then, I lined it with freezer paper (shiny side in) like Obsidian says, and I sprayed that with an aerosol mold-release I found in an art-supply store.
I find even if the paper isn't tight against the inside of the PVC, when I pour the soap in it pushes the paper out to where it should be.

Now when it's time to un-mold, I can take off the hose clamps, stick a screwdriver into the slot, and rotate it 90 degrees to open it up.
pvc-mold2.jpg
The cylinder of soap tends to come out pretty cleanly now, and I can slice it as it appears.
Probably over-engineering, but it works for me!
(BTW - i love your swirls! I'm going to try your technique for my next round batch.).
Cheers.
Todd
 
Todd I wished I had thought of something like your perfect solution before I used my pvc pipe for the first time last weekend. It's still in the mold because I'm not ready to do battle yet.
 
Gorgeous soap! :clap: Worth all the effort! I love Todd's idea. I'm still using Pringle cans myself!
 
My partner managed to get some stainless steel pipe. Freeze it put it under a bit of hot water and out it slides. I don't worry with PVC anymore. I tape plastic to the ends and that works. We are lucky to live in a farming area and pipe was off cuts from a dairy milk line.
I love the swirls in the pipe mold - what a great idea.
 
Lin said:
I just saw an awesome pipe mold. You use a bike air pump to get it out! They do recommend using oil on the insides, which I found odd since the oil would be absorbed into the soap. http://www.cumberlandacoustic.com/id9.html
Click to expand...

That is so ingenious! I love it ! But it cracks me up that it's made by people who make acoustical instruments .:clap:
 
Ok so freezer paper with mineral oil is a go, then popping it in the freezer for a patient persons length of time before unmoulding. Thanks for the compliments on the swirls by the way. I liked how they worked out which is why I really want to suss the pipe unmoulding situation out.

*Lin - Love that bike air pump pipe mould. I'd be unable to sleep waiting to try that next day. Want! Wonder how well it really works?

*judymoody - LOL! Yes I pick on my own soaps. I wouldn't want to be one of them. I guess it's because I know what I meant to do then never seem to quite get it that way. I love trying though!

*Todd - That looks all kinds of clever. I'd have to get someone to rig it up for me or I'm sure I'd lose a finger. If the oil, freezer paper and freezer time don't work I'm throwing my pipe at the nearest handy bloke for sure.

*karenbeth - I googled stainless steel pipe. Might be hard to get a hold of for me in small amounts but does sound good. The PVC pipe is a pain. Do you still have to line it?
 
I don't have to line the stainless. It slides out quite easily as the heat transfers from the water and expands the steel. I love making the yin yang soap from soaping 101 and it's great for that.
 
Could be a market for stainless steel soap pipes from the sounds of that. I hate lining moulds.
 
Heat always works!

I exclusively use 3" PVC piping for my molds; each mold is approx. 12" in length. To remove the finished soap, I've tried freezing - doesn't work. I've tried greasing - doesn't work. I've tried rubber mallets - doesn't work. I've tried lining - doesn't work.

My tried and true method for removing the soap is to re-heat the molds in the oven on the lowest setting for 5-10min. Then take them out of the oven and slide the soap out. But be careful, the molds are quite warm. Works every time and the soap come out with glassy smooth edges. :p Hope this helps!

@ Lin - I've seen other posts re: the air pump method, however, this seems to break rather quickly.

Cheers!
 
Last edited:
goteeguy said:
I exclusively use 3" PVC piping for my molds; each mold is approx. 12" in length. To remove the finished soap, I've tried freezing - doesn't work. I've tried greasing - doesn't work. I've tried rubber mallets - doesn't work. I've tried lining - doesn't work.

My tried and true method for removing the soap is to re-heat the molds in the oven on the lowest setting for 5-10min. Then take them out of the oven and slide the soap out. But be careful, the molds are quite warm. Works every time and the soap come out with glassy smooth edges. :p Hope this helps!

@ Lin - I've seen other posts re: the air pump method, however, this seems to break rather quickly.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

I also use 3'' pvc piping , 12'' lengths -- my trick is to use parchment, not freezer or wax paper -- not cheap thin dollar store stuff, but the thick reynolds brand extra-wide baking parchment. It is long enough to go all the way thru the pipe, and i tear off enough that it has a good size overlap, or is even doubled up, when rolled up in the tube. Nothing sticks to this parchment, not even tape. I slit a few spots on the bottom edge so that it can fold up on the outside when i put the end-cap on, and i put some plastic-wrap inside the end-cap -- and i let the top end just stick up. To unmold, i just take the end cap off the bottom and the whole thing slides out, and i unroll it from the parchment. I can usually get 2 or 3 batches from the same piece of parchment if i don't rip it. Maybe i've been lucky with it not sticking, but it's been working good so far *fingers crossed*
 

Similar threads

Mobjack Bay
October 2022 SMF Soap Challenge – Laminar Flow Swirl
3 4 5
Replies
96
Views
9K
Marsi
Marsi
R
Making Custom soap moulds - individual cavity, oval, loaf & other shapes
Replies
0
Views
854
RogueRose
R
earlene
SMF May 2022 Challenge - Infinity Swirl
2 3 4
Replies
73
Views
8K
klaw2
klaw2
F
Oily soap
Replies
5
Views
556
Fendigirl
F
Jess_
Soda ash through soap
Replies
9
Views
3K
Jess_
Jess_

Latest posts

Back
Top