MasterBatch Lye - 1st time - Pls check my math

[dndlyon]

I'm getting to the point where master batching my lye would save a ton of time. However, I'm second guessing my math skills.

Let's say I master batch 50% Lye + 50% water (by weight in grams).

My recipe calls for 427.2 g of water and 267.0 g of lye.

I would use 534 g of the master batched lye water (recipe lye * 2 because master batch is 50%). Then I would add an additional 160.2 g of water (the 534 g of master batched water is 267 g lye and 267 g water - so 427.2-267 = 160.2 g).

Thank you in advance for double checking this for me - a silly question, I know - but no one currently home understands either soap math or chemistry math and I over analyze everything

 

[DeeAnna]

Yep, you got it 100% kerrect. Well done!

 

[dndlyon]

@DeeAnna - thank you so much for taking the time to answer! I felt silly asking such a simple question, but wanted to be sure I had it right.

 

[Carly B]

I masterbatch my lye at 2:1, so I just total up the lye and water and add that much of my masterbatch. It's a little less math, or so it seems to me.

 

[DeeAnna]

It is less math, that's true, but it also limits the option to use other water-based liquids if you have an interest in doing that. Otherwise there's absolutely nothing wrong with making a 2:1 masterbatch (33.3% NaOH solution) rather than a 1:1 masterbatch (50% NaOH solution), if that works the best for the way you make soap.

Many people make milk soap using a "split method" where they use a 50% NaOH + water solution plus enough milk to make up the additional "water" needed. Others, like me, use the same method except with beer.

Of course a person can just prepare lye solution fresh when doing a batch that uses other liquids, but that is cumbersome for me since I often use other liquids besides water. A masterbatch at 50% NaOH makes the most sense for me.

A tip for those thinking about masterbatching their NaOH -- I believe SMF's soap recipe calc will do the math for you.

 

[TheGecko]

It is less math, that's true, but it also limits the option to use other water-based liquids if you have an interest in doing that.

I was thinking of just mater batching at the amount of Lye Concentration I generally use since I only use Distilled Water or full goat milk. But I simply don't have the space to safely store a liquid lye solution of any size.

 

[Nona'sFarm]

A tip for those thinking about masterbatching their NaOH -- I believe SMF's soap recipe calc will do the math for you.

Yes, it does. So wonderful! Just recently learned of masterbatching, from this forum, no less.
For the last 2 batches of soap I used the SMF soap calc with the masterbatch option turned on. One was a brine soap and the other was a beer soap. For the beer soap i figured the amount of liquid needed as if not masterbatching and boiled that down to amount of liquid needed to work with masterbatching. For the brine soap, used distilled water and enough salt needed for the complete liquid amount. The soap calc made it so easy as I could run it with the masterbatching option "on," then run it with it "off " to see what the total liquid amount would be.
From what I can tell so far, the soaps came out beautifully!
Only problem I had was with the brine soap. I strained the lye solution as I was pouring it into the oils and there were some undissolved salt crystals-at least a teaspoon. So I am going to try it again and make sure all my salt is dissolved in the water before adding the masterbatch.

 

[dndlyon]

It is less math, that's true, but it also limits the option to use other water-based liquids if you have an interest in doing that. Otherwise there's absolutely nothing wrong with making a 2:1 masterbatch (33.3% NaOH solution) rather than a 1:1 masterbatch (50% NaOH solution), if that works the best for the way you make soap.

This is exactly why I wanted to start masterbatching the lye. I'm starting to add a coffee soap and some milk soaps to my line up and thought it might save a bit of time. I've been masterbatching what I'll need for the day's production so I don't have to worry about storing the mix for too long - maybe overnight at most if I run out of steam.

I have noticed some differences in my mica colored products when I masterbatch - a few have morphed, and I'm waiting to see if they settle back after a bit of cure to the color I get when I don't masterbatch. I think the only thing I changed was masterbatching, but of course that also changed the temp of the soap batter, so it may not be directly related. Going to play a bit more to see what really happened.

 

[Lin19687]

You could do what I do. I usually mix my Lye for each batch I am going to do the next day.
This way it is not stored long, fresh (for me that is better IMO ), is cooled down and already made exactly the way I need it for each batch.
I normally do 8 batches in a whack, so 8 containers of Lye for each batch. I also get all the oils measured out into 8 buckets.