Column Pour Swirl - Margarita Soap

[debbism]

Did this earlier this evening - or shall i say yesterday evening since it is now morning?

uncolored, orange (annatto infused) and green (thool powder)

The green thool powder looks like a drab flesh color in the raw soap - it will morph back to green by morning

Part 1 - Mixing
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOg2nPgfaYc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOg2nPgfaYc[/ame]

Part 2 - Column Pour
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnTkIg47VAA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnTkIg47VAA[/ame]

I'll post the video for Part 3, the tops, tomorrow as well as a snap shot of the soap if it has morphed.

 

[kharmon320]

Can't wait to see the results in the cut bars. Nice save on the column!

 

[Dennis]

Thanks for the vids. My heart stopped for a second when the column fell. Nice recovery. When is the cutting?

 

[green soap]

This is beautiful! Thanks for sharing the video. I am a swirl virgin and I was wondering how it could be done using botanical colors.

How do you fasten the column in the middle? do you use double sticky tape?

Can you tell us more about thool powder? Since my chlorophyl fiasco I would like to find other ways to do green without using indigo. Indigo gets added to the lye water, so it limits the swirling possibilites a little.

 

[Dennis]

Is the column foam? I want to pick one up and give it a try. Maybe Michael's or Hobby Lobby?

 

[debbism]

Thanks!!!

The column is an embed mold and we glued a piece of flexible cutting board to the top and trimmed it to fit. Usually it stays put, but this time, for whatever reason, it did not.

We have two of these and from what I can gather, this one was sealed pretty well at the top, therefore trapping the air and making it buoyant. The other one must have a gap in the glue allowing air to escape and helping it to stay put.

Either way, I think filling it with resin to give it weight would be helpful.

We are also going to try a wooden dowel and coating it with food grade silicone.

I tried editing the second video to show the tops, but it seems to be corrupted and wont play past a certain point much less load up to you tube.

We are supposed to do a simple 2 color pour today, peach (paprika) and green (nettles)....will try the video footage again.

Can you tell us more about thool powder? Since my chlorophyl fiasco I would like to find other ways to do green without using indigo. Indigo gets added to the lye water, so it limits the swirling possibilites a little.

I mentioned the thool in here a while ago. It is a botanical extract (neem, ivy gourde, tumeric, henna, eggplant leaf, basil etc....) concentrated in powder form. You need about 0.1 - 0.3 grams to color 12 lbs of soap. costing about 1-4 cents per bar. But here is the kicker....it is only sold in kilograms so at 3-4K per kilo, it is a steep investment in a product that would last many hobbyist soapers a lifetime. It beaks down to $130 +/- per ounce which is two hundred uses or so if i recall my math from last time.

I don't think enough people were interested in a coop buy but once things settle down a tad, I will put out the feelers.

I just have to make video footage of using the stuff so people can actually see how it works. You basically dissolve the powder it a tiny bit of oil then you can either stick blend it into your oils if you are coloring the whole batch OR you can blend it into the batter which is helpful if you are coloring one batch several colors. Blending it into oils gives you a more even color while adding it to batter risks more specks and mottled coloring which in my opinion, is more of a plus.

 

[ToniD]

Cool pour. I like the way you used the stick wide side and then narrow side to give the lines two different looks.

 

[green soap]

Wow, thool is too expensive for me! Do you know if it has chlorophyll? have you had any of the soap that were colored with it for a while? I lost so much soap to chlorophyll I am terrified of it.

I have a lifetime supply of indigo..... unless i start selling A LOT of soap.

 

[debbism]

Wow, thool is too expensive for me! Do you know if it has chlorophyll? have you had any of the soap that were colored with it for a while? I lost so much soap to chlorophyll I am terrified of it.

I have a lifetime supply of indigo..... unless i start selling A LOT of soap.

Nope...no chlorophyll in the thool. From what I understand, chlorophyll goes brown. For a pretty green, try infusing parsley, nettles or comfrey powder. They look great and don't brown.

With the indigo....are you using the plant matter or the crystals?

 

[dieSpinne]

Wow, thool is too expensive for me! Do you know if it has chlorophyll? have you had any of the soap that were colored with it for a while? I lost so much soap to chlorophyll I am terrified of it.

I have a lifetime supply of indigo..... unless i start selling A LOT of soap.

Have you considered setting up an indigo vat to dye fabric?
You already have the lye, I assume... now you just need the Hydros or some other form of deoxidizing agent.

 

[Soapy Gurl]

That looks awesome! So much patience to pour, maybe that is my problem.

 

[TuxedoKat]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing those videos. I tried a swirl the other day that i thought was going to be "magnificent" and turned out to be "absolutely nothing". Lol. I'm inspired now!

Can't wait to see what the finished product looks like!

 

[BakingNana]

It looks so gorgeous in the mold it's almost a shame to cut it, but I sure want to see it when you do. I'm especially green-eyed that there are 2 of you. Wish I had help that really was help and not just in my way. (Yes, family, you know who you are!)

 

[debbism]

It looks so gorgeous in the mold it's almost a shame to cut it, but I sure want to see it when you do. I'm especially green-eyed that there are 2 of you. Wish I had help that really was help and not just in my way. (Yes, family, you know who you are!)

I can't imagine do this solo. We make such a great soaping team. She is the brains behind the scent and color blends, I like to formulate. I also get very frazzled and she is the zen one. And my hubby is taking the video footage - we are about to pour another swirlie so I will have another video soon

 

[Dragonkaz]

Looks fantastic! Will be great to see the cut bars!

 

[debbism]

Today we unmold and cut. As I am waiting for my other soapy half to arrive to split this slab, I thought I'd post a quick snapshot.

After the column pour, we topped the soap with thickened spoonfuls then drizzled the colors in layers until we got the tops to look mountainous.

More pics to follow as we cut and slice!

 

[debbism]

OK....we have finished cutting. Here we go

 

[Dennis]

Beautiful! All I can think of is candy corn. Gotta go get some now.

 

[saltydog]

Beautiful soaps, love the shape and the tops came out perfect!
Thanks so much for the vid, I really enjoyed it. Next best thing to making soap is watching someone else make soap

 

[BakingNana]

Rainbow sherbet!! And ditto on the thanks for the vids. Love 'em. You are so lucky to have a good partner.