ENORMOUS mold

[kumudini]

:grin::grin::grin:.

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Ariane also mentions in one of her videos that she has a back problem, and her dr would be horrified if he saw the size of the batches she makes!

 

[kchaystack]

Ariane is also pregnant right now, expecting in a month or 2. So I really hope she had a helper to do all that lifting. I remember working with women who were expecting and they always had to have me come help them lift things heavier than 15 lbs.

 

[cmzaha]

That's crazy! I can't believe they made that successfully. It seems like unmolding that is going to be difficult since that silicone is so thick. There's a local soaper here who uses those huge sized molds. It's an amazing sight to watch the process. I'll try to find her links.[/QUOTE
Our former business was making anywhere from 4-8' x 10-20' molds out of urethane for pouring concrete walls. It took more than one employee to unmold those babies.
I figured of whom you were speaking. In recent months I have acquired a lot of their customers.
I would also think it would not be easy to unmold in such a large deep silicone mold.

 

[not_ally]

Viv, holy cow, that was a LOT of soap. It was really fascinating to see this little woman use those huge containers to make them. Initially I couldn't get the sound to work, I thought that first batch of liquid was oil, so when I heard it was e.o. I thought, "jesus, how much soap is she making?" But I guess you need a lot of eo for 100 lbs of soap ...

It kind of cracked me up that she got on top of the cutter with her knees/used her body weight to drive it through the soap. They are about 10 ms from me, I might go visit just to check out her shop. I was interested to see that they only cure it for a month though. I might buy a bar or two for comparison purposes w/mine and soap from some of my friends from here.

 

[fuzz-juzz]

Now, that's a soap ****
Thanks for sharing, it's truly fascinating, the amount she makes and also the equipment.

 

[Stacyspy]

I wonder what she's using to mix the soap batter up? It doesn't look like a regular SB

It looks like a paint stirring attachment that goes on a drill... I use one in my 5 gal paint buckets

 

[dillsandwitch]

Here's a better video of her making soap! It's truly fascinating.

http://youtu.be/tX1fpjNV26I

Wow she only cures for 3 weeks before selling and doesn't cut into bars until after that 3 weeks. That just makes me cringe. those logs wouldn't be properly cured. Its a wonder she has customers that actually like her soap...

 

[houseofwool]

We just recently picked up a customer who wants whole loaves. We normally cure bars 6 weeks. We told this new customer that the loaves need at least 8 weeks.

I just checked on them last night and 8 might be too little. They are not as hard as the bars that I cut from the same batch.

 

[ourwolfden]

Viv, holy cow, that was a LOT of soap. It was really fascinating to see this little woman use those huge containers to make them. Initially I couldn't get the sound to work, I thought that first batch of liquid was oil, so when I heard it was e.o. I thought, "jesus, how much soap is she making?" But I guess you need a lot of eo for 100 lbs of soap ...

It kind of cracked me up that she got on top of the cutter with her knees/used her body weight to drive it through the soap. They are about 10 ms from me, I might go visit just to check out her shop. I was interested to see that they only cure it for a month though. I might buy a bar or two for comparison purposes w/mine and soap from some of my friends from here.

Let us know if you go and visit her shop. I really like watching her youtube videos so it would be cool to hear how her shop looks and how the soap feels (if you bought any).

 

[not_ally]

Will do, Manda! If I buy any I will take pics, I prob won't in the shop b/c that kind of thing makes people uncomfortable.

ETA: now that I make soap, it is really interesting to read labels on other people's. Oddly, especially for me w/pretty big/commercial mftrs.

Eg, last time I was in the $ store, I bought some Yardley's Aloe and Avocado Bars. Ingreds: lard, water, CO, glycerin, FO, salt, avocado oil, olive oil, micas, petrolatum - the only suspect ingredient - shea butter, edta) . Yesterday, at Trader Joe's, I bought a couple of their Oatmeal and Honey veggie bars, they come in a 2 pack for $1.69. Ingredients: Palm, PKO, glycerin, oatmeal, honey, salt, Pentasodium Pentetate (apparently a chelator, like EDTA.)

They are both hard as rocks and feel OK in use, although not as mild/creamy as the well-cured handmade soaps I have tried, including my own. But they are pretty good for the price, and are out there for people who don't want/can't afford to pay more. Which I like.

 

[ourwolfden]

Awesome. You could ask if you could take pictures of the store for the forum let her know there were a lot of her fans talking about her, lol. I talk big but I wouldn’t do that either. I love watching soaping youtube videos but I am always curious about how the finished product turns out.

 

[TVivian]

Let us know if you go and visit her shop. I really like watching her youtube videos so it would be cool to hear how her shop looks and how the soap feels (if you bought any).

I can tell you her shop is beautiful! She and her mom are usually there cutting and wrapping soaps along with their dog who hangs out in the shop. Everything has a natural/ rustic feel. I've used her soaps and they are nice. They usually have a bowl of packaged samples out so anyone can try before they buy. Also, they've been very kind to my kids who are loud and very touchy!

As far as curing full loaves for 3, weeks. I can imagine those huge blocks covered in blankets get very, very hot and I would guess she uses a steep water discount as well. All of that, plus the time it takes to cut, wrap, ship, or let the soap sit on the store shelves.. They'd have adequate curing/drying (especially here in Cali where it's extremely dry). I also think leaving the blocks whole is a smart move in preserving the scents of the essential oils, as she uses no FO's whatsoever.

 

[Spice]

http://instagram.com/p/q5r-d5nkQC/

I dont have the muscles it take to pour the pot! I wonder how someone holds it? Wow, I am impressed.:clap:

 

[not_ally]

Spice, she has a giant pot/vat w/a tap on the bottom, so that part is not bad. The cutting, on the other hand ...

 

[Spice]

Here's a better video of her making soap! It's truly fascinating.

http://youtu.be/tX1fpjNV26I

AMAZING! She cures them for 3 weeks?

 

[Spice]

Spice, she has a giant pot/vat w/a tap on the bottom, so that part is not bad. The cutting, on the other hand ...

She kneeled on the cutter. She must be very successful, that's a lot of money. Good for her. I hope one day I can do that.:clap:

 

[gigisiguenza]

Ariane Arsenault( hope I spelled it right), is a soap maker based in Canada, she has a you tube channel and has the coolest soap making videos. I will google log splitters for you and hopefully provide a link here.

ETA: http://forcraftssake.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_11&products_id=28
This is a single wire splitter, soap equipment has the monster ones that you can have custom made.

I love Adrianne's videos. I am brand new to soap making, and in my research stage, her videos were instrumental in showing process. She is so very honest, even about the failures lol.

 

[Jstar]

I love her vids..I now remember she is the one who rinses her loafs before unmolding to remove the ash

 

[gigisiguenza]

I love her vids..I now remember she is the one who rinses her loafs before unmolding to remove the ash

Rinses her loaf? Huh? I'm all confused now lol