Fun with Pringle cans, coloring soap

[MsBrenda]

Sorry for the cross post. I had posted this info on another forum.
Here is an idea I had to color HP soap. I think this method would work for CP as well.
I took an empty can from Pringles Potato chips and cut a circle out of the lid. I use a tube from an empty roll of paper towel as my guide. Now the tube will fit inside the hole I cut in the lid. With the disk I cut out, I had to trim the very edge off so it would fit inside the tube. I attached the disk to the end of a wood dowel with a screw and metal washer. The dowel had to be cut longer than the paper tube so I had room for my hand to hold it firmly. I put the paper tube inside the pringle can and filled the space between the can and tube with yellow soap. I used turmeric for the yellow colorant. Next I put the lid on with the paper tube sticking out through the hole. I mixed tomato paste to make a pinkish red color and filled the tube inside. I used the dowel with the disk attached inside the tube to hold the soap in place and I pulled the paper tube out of the can. Here is my results. Now I wonder what the soap would look like if I twist the tube or push it up and down while pulling it out. This was really easy to do by myself but hubby was standing nearby just in case I needed 4 hands! If I would have used white and yellow, I'd have eggs!

 

[Tabitha]

Clever!

 

[opalgirl]

Too cool! I love it!
Opalgirl

 

[Lathergirl]

Awsome! Soapers think of the most amazing things!!

 

[cassy]

Wow great idea. I am a little confussed with the pulling out of the paper towel tube? (imagine that? LOL) Is the dowel in the paper tube? Sorry. I want to try but not sure how to get it done with out a mess.. LOL

 

[bassgirl]

I was also wondering how thick the soap was when you did it.

 

[MsBrenda]

Wow great idea. I am a little confussed with the pulling out of the paper towel tube? (imagine that? LOL) Is the dowel in the paper tube? Sorry. I want to try but not sure how to get it done with out a mess.. LOL

Yes, the dowel is in the paper towel tube. It's held so the disk is right at the top of the soap. You have to pull that tube up all the way out of the can so the dowel should be longer than the tube.

 

[MsBrenda]

I was also wondering how thick the soap was when you did it.

The recipe I used is listed on my web site with a tutorial. I used this same recipe but added natural colorants mixed with avocado oil instead of cream for super fatting. You'll notice in this recipe the water amount is 16 oz water to 4.10 oz lye and 30 oz oils. That is no typo. If you read all the directions I explain how I figure my water amount for HP soap. Here is the url
This is a very basic recipe for the beginner for an easy intro to soap making and can purchase everything from a grocery store except the lye.
http://www.msbrenda.com/hpsoap1.html

 

[carebear]

so you filled the outer portion and the inner portion separately and used the dowel as a plunger to leave the inner portion in place as you pulled out the paper towel roll???

If they were HP the outside one at least must be pretty liquidy, right? To get the two portions to come together like that. DO you get much shrinkage during the cure?

 

[soapdope]

freakin awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MsBrenda]

so you filled the outer portion and the inner portion separately and used the dowel as a plunger to leave the inner portion in place as you pulled out the paper towel roll???

If they were HP the outside one at least must be pretty liquidy, right? To get the two portions to come together like that. DO you get much shrinkage during the cure?

Carebear, thats it! You said it real simple. I add a lot of water with HP. The soap takes a couple weeks to firm up. I'm not sure yet how much shrinkage I'm going to have with these round bars. I made them Tuesday, the 30th. They weighed 3.80 after cutting. Just weighed one right now and it's 3.75. I suspect they will weigh about 3 to 3.25 when they fully dry.

I forget to mention, I used duct tape to hold the cap on because that tube was tight. I taped the can down to the counter top as well. Just to see if I could do it with out help.

I had to tilt the inside tube slightly and I used a spoon to fill the outside but I was able to carefully pour the inside.

The soap was liquid enough I didn't have to slam it on the the counter top to get the air bubbles out. But I did remove the tape a gave it a couple taps anyway. Force of habit with HP!

If you look at my lye/water ratios I use a lot of water because it evaporates. But at least the soap is workable compared to not having enough water and limitations with the HP soap. I made gingerbread men last week and they turned out perfect.

I'm working on swirling and mixing colors with HP.
Heres a pic of the swirls I got and how I did it in my crock pot. I made the colors for the round soap this way too. I put a cardboard divider right in my crock and mixed the colors.

The scent is Green Tea Bamboo. I added finely ground green tea herb. That's the specks you see.

This is my Orange Carrot Cream Soap. Used fresh carrots from my garden and a little titanium dioxide for the lighter swirl. Sweet Orange EO for fragrance.

 

[cassy]

Beautiful. Wow!

 

[mandolyn]

Excellent!! The swirls look great!! Bravo for your engineering marvels!!!!

 

[cdwinsby]

Those are beautiful soaps msbrenda!! Awesome ideas too!

 

[MsBrenda]

Coming from all you experienced and professional soap makers, I am soaking up all the compliments! Just don't give me a big head!

Thanks everybody!

 

[Guest]

Both ideas are so cool! just one question, Did you have to line the cardboard divider with anything? wrap anything around it I mean?

 

[LJA]

Awesome. Love the soaps, and love the ingenuity even more.

 

[honor435]

so cute. love it!

 

[MsBrenda]

Both ideas are so cool! just one question, Did you have to line the cardboard divider with anything? wrap anything around it I mean?

No, nothing at all with HPCP soap. Just scrape it off.

 

[Guest]

Wow, COOL. I thought the cardboard would have collapsed, burnt or just plain died. I'm going to try your second idea HP stylee.