My "all-in-one" mold

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

You mean parchment paper? Go with freezer paper. With parchment and wax paper you will be peeling strips and bits off and cursing the whole time. Ask many on here how they know this. ........

I don't know if I mean freezer paper - but the baking paper here is pretty awesome at being non-stick. I've not seen freezer paper in the shops here in Austria (or when I was living in England, either) so I'm not sure about the differences.

 

[CaraCara]

Freezer paper is plasticized on one side, like butcher's paper. Some baking paper is coated with silicone, hence the awesomeness. Maybe that's what you've got. The parchment paper I have works better than wax but still tears and frustrates.

 

[jayhkr]

Going to check out the dollar store for that cutting board then head to hobby lobby for the mylar paper. Try them both out. Instead of the 4-in-one, might have to be a 3-in-one!

 

[robnbill]

Love what you did with the mold. I made my wooden molds so three of the sides fold down and use a liner. Normally, I can lift the loaf directly out of the mold without lowering the sides.

I have used parchment paper as well as butcher/freezer paper and made my wooden molds to exactly be the width of a standard roll of parchment paper. I love it. It is very easy to line and have used them for 21 loaves without any issues. The one thing that I do not care for, but is true for either parchment or freezer paper is they tend to wrinkle slightly during the cure process. Nothing too unsightly but not a smooth finish. I can understand wax paper issues since the coating would be absorbed in the saponification process. The only issue I have with the parchment paper is tape does not stick to it well. So taping it to the mold can be challenging. Luckily with the exact it does not require much tape.

Here in Northern Virginia I get Reynolds brand, "Genuine Parchment Paper", Non-stick. 15 in width and 45 foot roll.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lin]

I use parchment paper and freezer paper, haven't had to pick off any shreds yet. I did hear about wax paper shredding, my bf had picked up wax paper and said whats the difference. I didn't know so I googled something like "making soap wax paper" and then told him wax paper shreds, you need freezer paper so he ran back out.

What about getting some silicone baking sheets? You could cut them to size and attach permanently for a non stick.

 

[jayhkr]

I use parchment paper and freezer paper, haven't had to pick off any shreds yet. I did hear about wax paper shredding, my bf had picked up wax paper and said whats the difference. I didn't know so I googled something like "making soap wax paper" and then told him wax paper shreds, you need freezer paper so he ran back out.

What about getting some silicone baking sheets? You could cut them to size and attach permanently for a non stick.

I've read about the issues of finding an aheisive that would bond to the silicone. It's definitely an option but they are so expensive for the large mold I have I might wait on them for now.

 

[robnbill]

I thought about the silicon baking sheets. What has held me off is the concern the silicon might absorb colors/scents from the soap. When I first started making soap I used a silicon spatula for stirring the soap. I found it retained the scents from the FO and EO. I only use it when making soaps so that is not a problem, but I would think the silicon mats might also absorb the scents and cross contaminate different scents in new soaps. That combined with how easy it is to line the molds and generally just lift the loaves out when done, I never pursued it.

It would be interesting if anyone has tried this approach.

 

[dixiedragon]

That mold looks great! Something I have never figured out with hinged molds - when you lower the side, doesn't the lower edge of the hinged side gouge the soap?

 

[jayhkr]

That mold looks great! Something I have never figured out with hinged molds - when you lower the side, doesn't the lower edge of the hinged side gouge the soap?

Hey dixie, the sides do not put any type of mark that I could see, of course the soap stuck so badly that I really didn't pay huge attention to it. Heading to the Joann store after work to find this heat resistant mylar dtuff I've read great reviews about. Supposed to be a cut once to the size of the mold and reusable. Only down fall I can't attach it to the mold itself. Not sure what scent I want to try tonight is the big question. Just making small batches at firstvtillmi get all the "wrinkles" out of this design!

I really appreciate everyone's kind words and thoughts on this mold. It was fun to make!

 

[yadonm]

I use inexpensive placemats I bought at Walmart for .97cents cut sides ends and bottoms and they work great!

 

[jayhkr]

I use inexpensive placemats I bought at Walmart for .97cents cut sides ends and bottoms and they work great!

Awesome idea, wish I had seen this before I just drove all over trying to find this heat resistant mylar sheets.

 

[grayceworks]

I meant to put this reply in this thread and it somehow ended up in the thread on how to fold paper liners lol. Dunno if it was me being spacey or what, but here goes.

I make reusable, cut-to-fit mold liners with the semi-translucent plastic shelf liner at home depot meant for lining wire shelving. I get the 18'' x 8' rolls for $7 and there's a smoother side to it which is the side that goes against the soap. It's in the wire shelving section.

Once the soap is properly hardened, there is no sticking, and it withstands gelling, cpop, and overheating just fine. Soap pops right out. If you try to take it out before all the way hard or have a soap that's just naturally sticky on bottom, just peel carefully and there's barely any, if at all,of sticking.

I make folded mold liners similar to how you would with paper, and use clear packing tape to secure the tops of the cut flaps at either end. Lift the liner out of the mold, undo the tape at the two edges, let the sides fall open and dump the soap right out!

Now the other side of this stuff has a slight texture to it, which might be enough for an adhesive to grab on to, to glue it into your mold. Silicone adhesive seems like it would work the best.

Why don't you just 'paint' the inside of your mold with silicone?

 

[Dennis]

Great ideas, love the mold.

 

[jayhkr]

Great idea with the shelf liner stuff! I just poured a batch of cocoa mango using the mylar sheets. Depending on how they work out I'll either stay with them or try that painting silicone idea. I appreciate all the kind words! So fun to work with the adjustable part of it. In the pictures I posted I poured a 1 pound test batch. The batch I just poured is a 2 pound batch. I marked on the mylar a linec2.5" up then on the top of my mold I made 1" marks so I know about where to put my adjuster at! So addictive! Tonight was my first colored batch. I originally was thinking of a light brown color, but when it poured it looked more of a light peach color. We'll see tomorrow. Going to pour strawberry tomorrow I think!