how do you heat your oils?

[Guest]

I normally use the stove. I'm not comfortable enough with how quickly the microwave will heat the oils. Actually, I did use the MW in my Beer soap video to warm the oils (a couple of times I think- LOL!) but I haven't been doing that since.
I think in the video I also measured all of the oils separately in another container and added them to the main pot. I don't do that anymore-- now I just zero the scale and add the next one. I was nervous to do this at first in case I accidentally dumped in too much.

Can someone tell me what RTCP stands for?

 

[southernvtsoap]

I normally use the stove. I'm not comfortable enough with how quickly the microwave will heat the oils. Actually, I did use the MW in my Beer soap video to warm the oils (a couple of times I think- LOL!) but I haven't been doing that since.
I think in the video I also measured all of the oils separately in another container and added them to the main pot. I don't do that anymore-- now I just zero the scale and add the next one. I was nervous to do this at first in case I accidentally dumped in too much.

Can someone tell me what RTCP stands for?

RTCP = room temperature cold process

 

[Guest]

Stove in a big pot and that is what I make the soap in .I don't trust the microwave/me not to overheat the oils .


Kitn

 

[Saltysteele]

LJA, Kitn,

I can understand that. You do get pretty uneven heating.

I'm a self-proclaimed microwaving professional (not really, just sounds goofy). At 1-1/2 minutes, my CO is totally melted, and my lard is still opaque and in the shape I put it into the microwave. It's kinda like chocolate, though, in that it is holding it's shape, but is still melty. A little stir with the a whisk, and it melts right down and turns clear.

Not trying to convert ya, just trying to keep myself from looking the fool i do that enough, as is.

 

[Ishbel]

Wow southernvsoap, you learn something every day, Im going to try that out tomorrow!!

 

[heyjude]

I use both.Small batches in the zapper,larger ones on the stove.I use a couple of old mixmaster bowls that fit 500g & 1000g batches perfectly,but any bigger gets wacked in a SS pot,so onto the stove she goes.

Ditto what Lisa does.

Jude

 

[dandelion]

crock pot for both hp and cp

 

[Deb]

Stove, though i don't seem to be able to get teh button to work for me...

why? well, metal pots dont' go in microwaves, and the size of my batch also precludes microwave. I can have three or four things going on the stove happily.

 

[Guest]

I voted microwave. I do cphp and melt the solid oils in micro, the whole process goes quicker because my oils are hot when I add them to my hot crockpot.

 

[Cortney]

I microwave mine when I'm doing CP.

 

[LJA]

LJA, Kitn,

I can understand that. You do get pretty uneven heating.

I'm a self-proclaimed microwaving professional (not really, just sounds goofy). At 1-1/2 minutes, my CO is totally melted, and my lard is still opaque and in the shape I put it into the microwave. It's kinda like chocolate, though, in that it is holding it's shape, but is still melty. A little stir with the a whisk, and it melts right down and turns clear.

Not trying to convert ya, just trying to keep myself from looking the fool i do that enough, as is.

I guess I do it on the stovetop (hard soap oils) because usually I have 46 ounces of them going at once and that's a bigass pot for a microwave at face level, excuse my french. (Ugh...I'm so gonna get yelled at again... ) It's above my stove. For lotions and other B&B stuff, I'll nuke oil all day long with shorts bursts and smaller batches I wont drop all over me...lol.

 

[Saltysteele]

but it makes it thrilling and exciting!

48 oz of hot oil sloshing around, just waiting for that cat or dog to come rocketing through your feet.......

that just reminded me of the neighbors dog when i was little. they had great danes, and the kid was making bacon. somehow spilled the bacon grease all over the dog's face! ouch! the dog was a puppy at the time, so we had to look at that ugly (to begin with), grease scarred face for like 10 years!! (dog was always over at our house)

 

[LJA]

but it makes it thrilling and exciting!

48 oz of hot oil sloshing around, just waiting for that cat or dog to come rocketing through your feet.......

that just reminded me of the neighbors dog when i was little. they had great danes, and the kid was making bacon. somehow spilled the bacon grease all over the dog's face! ouch! the dog was a puppy at the time, so we had to look at that ugly (to begin with), grease scarred face for like 10 years!! (dog was always over at our house)

:::CRINGE::: OUCH.

 

[Sibi]

Don't use either. I let the heat of the lye solution melt the hard oils. If I use cocoa butter in my soap I grate it so that it's in little bits and will melt faster. This works amazingly well and I am happy with the results I've gotten so far (knock on wood). Of course I stick blend and whisk until I trace.

 

[LJA]

Don't use either. I let the heat of the lye solution melt the hard oils. If I use cocoa butter in my soap I grate it so that it's in little bits and will melt faster. This works amazingly well and I am happy with the results I've gotten so far (knock on wood). Of course I stick blend and whisk until I trace.

Innnnnterestiinnnnggg. ::scratching chin::
See? I learn something new all the time. Cool idea, Sibi!

 

[Guest]

I was having such a hard time with hacking away at 10lbs of cocoa butter ,hubby and I grated the whole shwack . It takes awhile but your hands are sure soft after :wink:


Kitn

 

[JenniferSews]

Don't use either. I let the heat of the lye solution melt the hard oils. If I use cocoa butter in my soap I grate it so that it's in little bits and will melt faster. This works amazingly well and I am happy with the results I've gotten so far (knock on wood). Of course I stick blend and whisk until I trace.

I did this last week on a small test batch of something and it worked great. I think I'm going to try it a few more times, it was nice and easy.

But usually I melt the coconut oil in the microwave a bit so I can get it out of the bottle. Then I heat on the stove. The reason is only because I use a deep pot so there's no splatter when I SB it all. I used a shallower pan at first and got bits of fresh soap all over myself and the kitchen when I got a little crazy with the SB.

 

[cwayneu]

Don't use either. I let the heat of the lye solution melt the hard oils. If I use cocoa butter in my soap I grate it so that it's in little bits and will melt faster. This works amazingly well and I am happy with the results I've gotten so far (knock on wood). Of course I stick blend and whisk until I trace.

Innnnnterestiinnnnggg. ::scratching chin::
See? I learn something new all the time. Cool idea, Sibi!

This method (using the hot lye solution) is what Artisan Soaps called Type I RTCP. We are Type II RTCP like her (everything at room temp), and use the microwave to melt the hard oils. Not sure which is better, but we prebatch several lots of oils and lye so Type II works for us.

 

[rubyslippers]

I do mine in microwave. I add the hardest oil first, tare scale, add next, tare, add next, tare. Microwave on low setting just until melted. Then I add my soft oils the same way. Add and tare. I do always write down #'s after I tare. Just in case the scale shuts off. Like if the phone rings and I have to leave the pot for a few minutes. Learned this the hard way. I do not see the purpose of adding in separate containers. For accuracy gram wise if you melt in a separate container, some will still be left behind in the container that it was originally melted in. Hope this makes sense.

Are you kidding me???? This is a real mind blower for me because you make it seem soooooo simple. (Knocking my head against the wall). I had no idea it could be this easy. I cannot tell you the time I have spent trying to measure ingredients to the 100th in separate containers and pouring oil back into the bottle because it was .04 off! :shock: I need to lighten up! :wink: