Batch sizes, just oil or everything?

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oil or complete


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Just curious what others mean when they give a batch weight. Are you only giving oil weight or the complete batch weight.
If I say I made a 27 oz batch, it means 27 oz of oil, nothing else. Likewise, if I was to buy a 2 lb mold, I would expect it to hold a batch made with 2 lbs of oil, not the finished weight of the loaf.
 
Still feel kinda new here at this soap making hobby... but I’ve always assumed a recipe for “2 pounds” of soap was the finished product. 🤓🤨
 
I'm glad you brought this up. I am also pretty new so this always throws me. I have come to learn that most mean total oils, not total batch. However when looking at descriptions of loaf molds, say on a supplier website, I get confused. Are they talking the total size loaf or oils only 🤔 So if i buy a 2lb mold and make a recipe with 2lb of oils, I will have excess batter, correct?
 
I'm glad you brought this up. I am also pretty new so this always throws me. I have come to learn that most mean total oils, not total batch. However when looking at descriptions of loaf molds, say on a supplier website, I get confused. Are they talking the total size loaf or oils only 🤔 So if i buy a 2lb mold and make a recipe with 2lb of oils, I will have excess batter, correct?

Depends on the seller. I've got them both ways. Now I always calculate the oil required before I buy any mold.
 
I say oil weight if I mean just the oils, and batch weight when referring to the weight of all the batter after everything has been added.

I believe that's how the term is used in Soapmakingfriend.com calculator, since the "total batch weight" line includes oils, lye solution, and additives.

But I can see where saying "27 oz batch" is slightly different than what I'm saying, and why you might want to use the term that way.
 
Total Batch size includes everything in the batch.

Look at your lye calculators. Total Batch size changes when you add or subtract even a single additive.

Of course, I tend to use the entire phrase, 'Total Batch Weight' so there is no confusion.
 
I realize total batch size means everything, but I rarely see anyone specify total batch.

For example, a new user is recommended to make 1 lb or 500 grams, are you recommending 1 lb of oils or total batch?

What about when buying a mold? If its a 2lb mold, what do you expect to get? a mold that holds 2 lbs oil or total size?

If you use total batch size, doesn't that get confusing? It could differ with each batch depending on water/additives used.

I've never once weighed my finished soap or even looked at total batch weight on a lye calc.
 
I usually go with oil, since the rest of the batch will evaporate out over time.
Also, additive preferences, superfat preferences, and liquid amount preferences would all vary from person to person, and all my additives are dependent on the oil weight.
 
I was always confused on that as well buying molds. I recently bought a new one that was advertised as 3 lbs. So I filled it with water and got 48oz so...3 lb batch.
 
When I use a one-pound mold, and I want the total batch size to fit into that mold, I design a formula that ends up with a total batch size of 16 ounces (or 450 grams), which ends up being a formula that uses 11 ounces (or 300 grams) of oil (depending on the specific oils). This is with no additives other than silk in my masterbatch lye solution. An no fancy tops (I don't like them.)

But if I were to want to start with 450 grams of oil, which I sometimes do, then my total batch size of about 650 grams will fill not only the one-pound mold, but at least 2 or 3 individual molds. That's good if I want a little something extra with a fancy look to it for the grand kids or whatever. Or I could add a fancy top, if I were so inclined.
 
Just curious what others mean when they give a batch weight. Are you only giving oil weight or the complete batch weight.

If I say I made a 27 oz batch, it means 27 oz of oil, nothing else. Likewise, if I was to buy a 2 lb mold, I would expect it to hold a batch made with 2 lbs of oil, not the finished weight of the loaf.

To be honest, it kind of depends on the conversation. Even when I knew nothing about soap making, I knew that a 2 lb mold would hold 2 lbs of whatever soap is made of. And once you do know what soap is made of, you know that it isn’t going to take 32 oz of oils because you also have your lye solution and any additives (which can vary).
 
I answered complete because that's how I understood it.

It's easier to speak about as well, since oil amounts will vary, no matter the size of the mold.
 

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