If I wanted tiny bubbles, I would have cracked open a bottle of champagne!

[IrishLass]

No cooking, people!

I'm glad you put the comma is in there! :razz:

There is a lot of confusing/contradictory info about CPOP out there. When I first started about 10 years ago, there was lots of talk about it over on the Dish. If you search for CPOP over there, you'll see certain factions of people who view CPOP as turning the oven on to 170 for an hour and then turning it off, and others who view it as how you and Kchaystack and I view it.

I don't know if a 'correct' definition was ever nailed down, but it's very true that unless you are HPing- don't cook the soap! And don't cook people, either. :razz:


IrishLass

 

[navigator9]

I'm glad you put the comma is in there! :razz:

There is a lot of confusing/contradictory info about CPOP out there. When I first started about 10 years ago, there was lots of talk about it over on the Dish. If you search for CPOP over there, you'll see certain factions of people who view CPOP as turning the oven on to 170 for an hour and then turning it off, and others who view it as how you and Kchaystack and I view it.

I don't know if a 'correct' definition was ever nailed down, but it's very true that unless you are HPing- don't cook the soap! And don't cook people, either. :razz:


IrishLass

There are a few people I'd like to cook! :grin: But seriously, all of the problems that I hear people talking about related to CPOP, come from those that leave the oven on for hours. I don't have those problems, do you? They all seem to be related to overheating. If you're just trying to gel the soap all the way, there's no need to cook it to death. Gelling is good, cooking your soap til it cracks, volcanoes or turns into alien brains, is not so good. Gentle heat is all it needs. A little coaxing, not a shove.

 

[rparrny]

There are a few people I'd like to cook! :grin: But seriously, all of the problems that I hear people talking about related to CPOP, come from those that leave the oven on for hours. I don't have those problems, do you? They all seem to be related to overheating. If you're just trying to gel the soap all the way, there's no need to cook it to death. Gelling is good, cooking your soap til it cracks, volcanoes or turns into alien brains, is not so good. Gentle heat is all it needs. A little coaxing, not a shove.

The first time I made a salt bar in August, I was running into problems so I had heard about CPOP but no specifics...so I preheated the oven to 350 and put the soap in there and turned off the heat...lol. It actually didn't destroy the soap and that was when everyone told me about the temps...I've only recently tried it to get rid of the ash on all my soaps. I love the way the colors pop and it comes out of the mold so much nicer the next day. I think my proofing drawer will do a much better job...it's been lonely cause I haven't made any bread lately..
I cut the loaf with my new cheese slicer. The bubbles are still there but I will deal with it. Is it me or does anyone else see owls?

 

[traderbren]

Owls or blue cats glaring at me. It's very pretty soap, by the way.

Hubs is the one who started soap making first. He read about CPOP and did the 170 for an hour. Many bars in his silicone bar mold had bubbles. When I started soapmaking, I read a bit more and tried a different technique. I preheat my oven to 170, put the mold in there while I make my soap, pour my soap, and then put my soap in and turn it off. I'll check a little bit later to make sure it's gelling, and if it's not I warm the oven up to temp and turn it off. Most times I make soap in the evening so I just leave it in the oven until morning.

I think your proofing drawer sounds like a great plan.

 

[navigator9]

Owls or blue cats glaring at me. It's very pretty soap, by the way.

Hubs is the one who started soap making first. He read about CPOP and did the 170 for an hour. Many bars in his silicone bar mold had bubbles. When I started soapmaking, I read a bit more and tried a different technique. I preheat my oven to 170, put the mold in there while I make my soap, pour my soap, and then put my soap in and turn it off. I'll check a little bit later to make sure it's gelling, and if it's not I warm the oven up to temp and turn it off. Most times I make soap in the evening so I just leave it in the oven until morning.

I think your proofing drawer sounds like a great plan.

This is exactly what I do. Nice gentle heat results in full gel, and you can cut the following morning! You can't beat that. :grin:

 

[shunt2011]

I never had much luck with CPOP either, always got little bubbles. I generally soap at RT and put the soap in the molds (wooden, silicone lined) and then put the lids on and a couple blankets. It can take it a couple hours sometimes to go through gel but I always get gel. During the winter months, I'll put my wooden mold in the oven at 170 until I'm ready to pour and then put my liner in and pour my soap and then cover and insulate and it works perfect as well.

 

[rparrny]

Well I do like the results I get with CPOP enough to play around with times and temps until I get it right. The ease of unmolding and cutting alone are worth it...the colors are just a plus!

 

[Wildcraft_Garden]

Yep- looks to me that your CPOP temp was probably too hot and for too long. I no longer do CPOP for that very reason. Nowadays, I only preheat my oven to 105-110 (takes all of 3 minutes), and then I immediately turn it off (and keep it off) before I stick my soap inside for the night. I've found that to actually be plenty enough heat to get a full-gel in my soaps. Oh, I should probably mention (because it matters) that I mostly soap with a 33% lye concentration, and my soaping temps range between 110F -120F.


IrishLass

Agreed, I tried once at higher and I got bubbles too!

 

[ngian]

Well my ever first batch of soap was done on CPOP as I had my first knowledge from a blog, that it is ok to cook it in the oven for hours. It was advised the 2-3 hours soap cooking in the oven so as for the soap to evaporate more water and thus it would cure in less time (as the well known metaphor been said here "get rich quick").

I have also faced overheating problems with this technique so now I only CPOP all my normal recipe soaps for ~10min at 150F and then leaving it inside overnight. Thanks to this forum here where many (mainly old) members teaches the soapmaking procedure the logical and "right way" with scientific explanations to newbies like me.

 

[hopalongkat]

Was it sticky on top? I just did my first CPOP the other day, but I think mine overheated a little too cause of the bubbles on top. But I also noticed the top feels "sticky". Like it's softer than the rest.

 

[Spice]

Plane means to use a soap planer (shaver) to "beautify" your soap by making it more square, removing imperfections, beveling the edges, etc.

Here's a picture of a planer:

how cool. thanks.