My first two batches!!!

[welder]

Hi everyone.

Well, I've lost my soapmaking virginity today.

It actually happened last night when I cooked a very small batch of HP soap that I made at 1 AM. I'm not really counting that one though because I think I killed it by boiling the hell out of it.

First, I was so antsy to actually brew something that I told myself that I could get by without using the stick blender at all. Wrong! After about 15 minutes of frantically whipping the soap batter like it owed me money, I finally broke down and grabbed the $8 WalMart stick blender.

Things seemed to go a lot more smoothly after I used the stick, but nevertheless I still was fanatically bent on forcing this mix to become soap right before my very eyes. Unfortunately, I had only a very weak grasp of the process and what phases to expect to see. As you likely guessed, I had no way to be sure when I had finished, so I just kept cooking the stuff until heat didn't seem to do anything more to it.
At that point I had the sanity to stop (I didn't want the fire department stopping by).

I'm really not totally sure if I killed that first batch or not. I think I saw trace, but it was well after I started cooking, so I'm not sure if it counts. I know I saw the gel stage and the rolling stage, but I'm not sure that they count either because I pretty much kept stirring through most of the ordeal.

I think that because I overheated the mix and abused it with maniacal stirring, I may have interfered with the completion of each stage and I also think that the excess heat drove the water out too fast. No water, no saponification, I think.

I tasted the stuff after I packed it into the silicone muffin pan. I noticed no 9 volt lye zing, but it did burn a little.

Can it be saved, or should I huck it out?



Anyway, tonight at about 10 PM, I mixed up another small batch.

I was more careful & sane this time.

It traced easy enough and poured nicely into the muffin pan.

Based on established christmas gift tradition, I went ahead and peeked at the second batch as it sat in a styrofoam cooler. It appears quite smooth and looks like a creamy transluscent greyish gel.

Hopefully it will turn out okay.

 

[digit]

Congrats!!! I hope it will always be as exciting to you. I have never done HP, so I can not answer your question. Keep us posted, though.

Digit

 

[welder]

Congrats!!! I hope it will always be as exciting to you. I have never done HP, so I can not answer your question. Keep us posted, though.

Digit

Thanx Digit!

I know that when we make CP soap, we're not supposed to peek & poke at our soap, but I just can't help myself.

Last night when I looked at the little muffin shaped discs of soap, they had a pale greyish gelly like appearance. Sorta like paraffin wax.

When I peeked at them again this morning, they had lightened up some and were nearly white & were mostly opaqe.

I remember reading that the saponification process is expedited by heat, so like a meddling fool, I slid the silicone muffin pan of fresh soap into the microwave and zapped it a couple of times, but only for short 10 second bursts to let the heat spread out evenly.

When I took the soap out from the microwave again, it had turned back to the grey transluscent waxy look that it had last night.

I remember reading in the HP recipes of a few different websites that when the soap turns into a gel, that is a sign of saponification nearing completion. I guess that even in the slower cold process palm kernel saponifies easilly because my CP batch looked like a grey waxy gel only about 6 hours after being poured into the mold.

I'm so embarrased to be like a kid at Christmas peeking into the seams of his/her Christmas gifts, but I just can't help it.

When I first joined this forum I thought you guys were a bunch of nutbars getting all exited about soaping, but now that I've actually tried it, I can say that this is actually a lot of fun!

I can see how people get hooked on soaping!

 

[Lindy]

Welder, this is a wonderful addiction adn fortunately no-one has come up with a 7 step program to cure us.... :roll: In fact I hope that no-one ever does, cause I like being addicted.

Now............pictures?????????????????

Cheers
Lindy

 

[abigtroutt]

Now............pictures?????????????????


Lindy

I agree we need to see pictures!

 

[welder]

I still haven't bought a digital camera yet.

You guys wouldn't really want to see the pasty bland looking soap I made anyway. It's pretty sad looking.

It looks like something the warden would give to inmates in a 3rd world prison.

As I get more experience, I'll try something colorful and add a splash of patchouli & a couple drops of tea tree oil.

Maybe I'll buy my wife a digital camera for Christmas...

 

[Lindy]

Maybe I'll buy my wife a digital camera for Christmas...

Funny Guy!!!!

 

[topcat]

Hey welder - congratulations on making a start.....having only soaped CP I too am no help to you here :wink: I am sure you have learned something from each batch already though.

Yes, soapmaking is addictive - and I agree with Lindy that I never want to be cured of this addiction.....at least soaping is a healthy one!!!

Tanya

 

[ChrissyB]

Okay Hi!!
Now you did really well on the second batch. The greyish transluscent that you described when you peaked, that's the gel stage. The soap will do this after it has been poured, it's an exothermic reaction, the jury is still out on weather or not this is necessary, some I have found on this forum even put their poured soap in the fridge to avoid the gel stage. The theory used to be that if the soaped gelled it would make for a harder bar of soap in the long run. The only thing that you have done wrong is putting it in the microwave *shaking you by the shoulders* :x
Next time you do it all again, do everything the same but no microwave. The whitish creamy soap after the gel stage is right on track, don't mess with it, once it gets to that, unmould it and let it cure. It will be fine. DON"T MICROWAVE THE SOAP!!!!

 

[welder]

The only thing that you have done wrong is putting it in the microwave *shaking you by the shoulders* :x

Next time you do it all again, do everything the same but no microwave.

DON"T MICROWAVE THE SOAP!!!!

OKAY, OKAY, DON'T SHOOT!!!
(me waving white flag for mercy)

I promise I'll never do it again. (I say a lot of stuff that I don't really mean though...I'll try to avoid it again anyway...)

I just wanted to put a teensy weensy little bit of heat into the soap to help encourage full saponification.

 

[ChrissyB]

The soap will heat up by itself and give itself enough heat, all we can do is help it to hold onto that heat by insulation (hence all the blanket, eskies, whatever people use)
When it is cold here, I turn my oven onto low while I am preparing my oils and stuff, one I pour my lye into the oils, I turn the oven off, but leave the door shut, so that the heat can stay in. By the time the soap reaches trace, I put the mould in the box in the oven and just leave it. The retained heat is just enough to give the soap a little more gentle heat to encourage a full gel, I have never had soap that didn't gel.
Although I am intrigued by the post last week about putting the batter in the fridge, I am going to try that one soon!!!
I think that your wife would be thrilled with a new digital camera, maybe she could buy you a new handbag to keep it in?

 

[digit]

You guys wouldn't really want to see the pasty bland looking soap I made anyway. It's pretty sad looking.

I have 1 or 6 funky looking batches. I call them "don't do that again" batches. One day I'll shave them up and make laundry soap.

Digit

PS Your wife would love the camera.

 

[welder]

I went back and checked out the soap.

It went from the waxy greyish gel look to a whitish creamy color again.

I popped one of the discs out of the muffin pan and tasted it.

There wasn't any 9 volt battery lye zap, but it sure was greasy. I don't think it would actually be able to clean anything, maybe only move the dirt & grease around a bit.

I superfatted it to 8% and if this greasy film doesn't go away after a week or so, I think I'll rebatch it.

Since I've never rebatched anything before, that would be another learning experience for me.

I think I should try another small batch and superfat it at about 4%.

Has anyone here ever tried using a food dehydrator to speed up the curing/dewatering phase before?

 

[kellistarr]

Welder, I'm sorry but your post just cracked me up! I am also one of those anxious soapers, so I know exactly what you're feeling. I've done Hp and the more I do it the more I love it. I, too, have been guilty of cooking my soap too long. I cooked my really bright gold soaps (that I've posted) for 2 1/2 hrs and it was only a 1lb batch! As I figured, that was wayyyy too long and I have since learned, that you don't need to cook your soap that long. It depends on the recipe, and the amount of the batch. Once you've tested it and the zap is gone and it's gelled, it's pretty much ready for the mold. This has allowed for a creamier Hp as well. OK, you've already apologized for the microwave zap, but that part cracked me up as well. Keep experimenting. You will soon enough master this technique because you really want to.

I love the CP method, too. But, I'm with you, the curing process takes so freakin" long! Now, there is something to be said for the curing process. My very first batch (the batch that claimed my soap-ginity), had it's 4 week birthday, today, and the soap was spectacular! The suds, the mildness, the moisture! These are all traits that weren't there when I cheated and tried the soap 3 days after it was born. So, yes, I understand and appreciate the cure and wouldn't offer my soap to anyone without it. But is there a way to expedite this process? I even think HP needs about 2 weeks worth of cure, depending on the recipe. I tried to figure in my mind how soap would work in a dehydrator and my mind can't wrap around such a process. I don't know, Welder, but something tells me that you're determined to find an answer.

People, what do you all do while all of this soap is taking its sweet time curing? Other crafts, hobbies, etc.......

 

[kellistarr]

The soap will heat up by itself and give itself enough heat, all we can do is help it to hold onto that heat by insulation (hence all the blanket, eskies, whatever people use)
When it is cold here, I turn my oven onto low while I am preparing my oils and stuff, one I pour my lye into the oils, I turn the oven off, but leave the door shut, so that the heat can stay in. By the time the soap reaches trace, I put the mould in the box in the oven and just leave it. The retained heat is just enough to give the soap a little more gentle heat to encourage a full gel, I have never had soap that didn't gel.
Although I am intrigued by the post last week about putting the batter in the fridge, I am going to try that one soon!!!
I think that your wife would be thrilled with a new digital camera, maybe she could buy you a new handbag to keep it in?

I've had soap that didn't gel and I have to say, I loved the look. Creamy, smooth, one color (no half gel, half ungelled) and turned out just fine. I'm not too keen on putting my mould in the oven, too scary, it's a wooden mould, but I like the idea of heating up the area a bit, to provide additional heat. I've got to read that post about putting batter in fridge. I need to find out why someone would deem this necessary.

 

[topcat]

I've had soap that didn't gel and I have to say, I loved the look. Creamy, smooth, one color (no half gel, half ungelled) and turned out just fine. I'm not too keen on putting my mould in the oven, too scary, it's a wooden mould, but I like the idea of heating up the area a bit, to provide additional heat. I've got to read that post about putting batter in fridge. I need to find out why someone would deem this necessary.

I think this is the one you are after kellistarr -

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/vi ... php?t=6924

You have already hit on why some people prefer it - creamy, very opaque, softer colour, no partial gel. I have also heard that EOs stay stronger in the finished soap. Otherwise, from what I have read, no real difference in the end product. I will be trying this out for my next batch. Perhaps we can compare results

Tanya

 

[ChrissyB]

I think it was Deda that put her soap in the fridge, she did it with a sweet orange one I believe and it came out so creamy looking, whenever I do anything orange it comes out looking like marmalade because of the gel stage. I will be putting my next batch in the fridge, and topcat is right, it's because of the creaminess that people do it. Interestingly enough, soap doesn't need heat to saponify. I made a whipped soap, cold solid oils, cold liquid oils, cold lye water solution, whipped it all together, put it in the moulds....voila whipped soap!! And the colours are like nothing I have ever been ableto get with CP, creamy creamy pastels!!!

 

[cynsofdm]

well I almost exclusively HP because I can never seem to do CP right. HP is really easy and hard to mess um. My guess is with the first batch you probably got HP soap. Does it bubble when you put some under water? HP is soap right away I've even taken some right out of the pot and into the shower with me.

The second batch that got oily I think you pulled it out to quick. sometimes you get something called false trace, or you may just not have ever gotten to trace yet. I hate that. I had a few batches do that to me and it is really frustrating. symptoms tend to be puddles of oily stuff on your soaps.

Sometimes soap traces quick and other times it takes ages. one thing I like about HP is that even if the batch skips stages or goes really quick you don't have to rush it into a mold or worry about pulling it out to quick.

My descriptions of the stages might help or you may have heard them all before. first you have the oil and add the ly and it should turn creamy in color. then it will start to thicken a little and eventually end up sorta like soft pudding or thin cake batter.. that's usually what I consider trace. then it gets more custard like and heads into applesauce stage. I swear it looks just like applesauce. next is lumpy mashed potatoes. Comes the Vaseline look. It's probably the hardest to imagine if you've not seen it before but maybe that's because I had a bunch of people telling me it would look translucent and I was expecting like clear... but it's much more a Vaseline color. I hope that's some help. and hopefully you didn't botch the first batch.

If it's any consolation though my first batch which I was trying to do as CP got to applesauce before I poured it and that was no good at all. I wished I had known I could have just kept going and it would have turned out.

 

[welder]

My guess is with the first batch you probably got HP soap.

Does it bubble when you put some under water?

HP is soap right away I've even taken some right out of the pot and into the shower with me.

The second batch that got oily I think you pulled it out to quick. sometimes you get something called false trace, or you may just not have ever gotten to trace yet. I hate that. I had a few batches do that to me and it is really frustrating. symptoms tend to be puddles of oily stuff on your soaps.

1. The first batch WAS HP soap. Like a bonehead, I rushed it with blowtorch intensity.

2. I don't know I've never tried that. Maybe I will, If I remember.

3. You are brave.

4. The second batch was CP. I whipped it very well and it was getting pretty thick, so I think it traced okay.

I superfatted it at 8% and the calculator at www.lyedepot.com defaulted to a "water discount" of 40%, so I went with the water amount the calc gave me. Perhaps the fact that it was heavy on the superfat, cold process and heavy on the water all went together to slow reaction just enough to leave little puddles of grease on the bars.

I'll just patiently wait a couple weeks for this stuff to become more like proper soap. If it smartens up, I'll send some to Ghana as a sample of 100% palm kernel soap. If it continues to defy me, I'll rebatch it into submission!!!