OMG I had some issues with the stupid LYE!!

[rupertspal42]

Ok so last night was almost a bust.. but I think I saved the soap mix... I hope atleast... i'm not for sure what I was doing wrong so i'm going to explain the previous night and last night and can someone please help me figure this out?

Thursday Night: I mixed the lye and water together, it was a small amount for the size I was making not a lot of commotion with the reaction but it did get hot so I kept it on the stove so it didn't burn the counter or anything.


Friday night: Total disaster - three times in a row - I was making a 5 pounder batch, and I followed the amount of lye and water I recieved from the SoapCalc website. The reaction was horrible, we had to open all the doors (windows in the kitchen were already open) and then we had to evacuate the building while I ran more water on the chemical reaction gone horribly wrong so it would stop trying to burn everything in site. This happened three times and the third time I even watched a few videos to make sure that I WAS doing it right.. I still can't figure out what the heck was going on... was it because it was a bigger amount of lye and water? but there was still more lye then water- so i'm still a bit puzzled..

please help me figure this out because i'm losing my mind over this!! :cry: :cry:

 

[Guest]

Wow how scary is that ? Are you adding the lye to the water , not the water to the lye .What kind of lye did you use ? Maybe it is the lye itself or to much lye for the amount of water.Can you give your lye and water amounts ? There shouldn't be more lye than water.

Kitn

 

[rupertspal42]

well the first two times I added the water to the lye then when I watched the video it said the other way around so I tried that.. it worked at first then exploded.. thank god for safety gear!! here's what it told me to do..

Water - 31.5 Ounces or 893 Grams
Lye - 11.6 Ounces or 329.2 grams

The lye I bought was from Starrville in Tyler, Texas it's a flake instead of small crystals, i'm not sure of the name brand but it does say sodium hydroxide on the container

 

[redfishingirl]

What temp is your water before you are adding the lye? I like to have mine chilled or with a few ice cubes so it doesn't overheat, and make sure you are adding small amounts at a time instead of just dumping it all in.

 

[Guest]

How many pounds of soap are you making with that lye and water measurement ? Or would you mind posting the recipe ?

Kitn

 

[dagmar88]

Oh, and Victoria, for safety, I always put my lye container in the sink :wink:
Glad you're still trying to CP after this

 

[rupertspal42]

it was about 5 pounds o' soap for my new log mold me n my dad made the other day.. well I use room temperature like the lye instruction thingy said.. I had a silicone pot holder underneather the bowl so if it did get to hot the silicone would counter act it melting me table cloth in such lol
here's the recipe I was using

coconut oil 22.3%
olive oil 21.2%
palm oil 32.9 %
sweet almond 8.5%
caster oil 14/8%

water 31.5 ounces or 893 grams
lye 11.6 ounces or 329.2 grams

with some goats milk, yogurt and a lil bit of red hemp powder for coloring and some chopped rose buds

something I just thought of... I measured the water in weight instead of volume.. could that be a factor??

oh and dag - I think this is just a lil hiccup I wouldn't EVER think of giving up yet!! I'm just gettin STARTED!! WOOOO hahaha 8)

 

[dagmar88]

Did you measure both your lye & water in weight?

 

[rupertspal42]

yes ma'am I did :?

 

[Guest]

That is good Victoria , we always measure in weight , so that isn't it .

Kitn

 

[Guest]

it was about 5 pounds o' soap for my new log mold me n my dad made the other day.. well I use room temperature like the lye instruction thingy said.. I had a silicone pot holder underneather the bowl so if it did get to hot the silicone would counter act it melting me table cloth in such lol
here's the recipe I was using

coconut oil 22.3%
olive oil 21.2%
palm oil 32.9 %
sweet almond 8.5%
caster oil 14/8%

water 31.5 ounces or 893 grams
lye 11.6 ounces or 329.2 grams

with some goats milk, yogurt and a lil bit of red hemp powder for coloring and some chopped rose buds

something I just thought of... I measured the water in weight instead of volume.. could that be a factor??

oh and dag - I think this is just a lil hiccup I wouldn't EVER think of giving up yet!! I'm just gettin STARTED!! WOOOO hahaha 8)

I am not getting 100% with your numbers ? It might be me , but I get 92.9%.

 

[IrishLass]

Yikes!!! :shock:

What kind of container did you mix in? There are certain containers one should never mix lye in or with, like aliuminum and tin for example. Was your mixing container made from one of those?

IrishLass

Edited to add that certain types of plastic can cause trouble, too.

 

[rupertspal42]

it looked like steel but now i'm really starting to wonder... :cry:

 

[ChrissyB]

I'd say it's one of three things, 1. your sodium hydroxide isn't 100% pure, there is something else in there, possibly aluminium
2. Your mixing container has aluminium in it.
3. Your water was too warm, I work with refrigerated icy water.

Also, I know you said your dad made you a new mould and you are wanting to try it out, but 5 pounds is a lot of soap for a first batch. Could you maybe find something smaller, say 1 pound, and make a smaller batch for that first time? Then if something goes wrong, less wasted materials. And it's a lot easier to handle one pound of soap than five pounds.

 

[gekko62]

Hi Victoria.

Lye & aluminium makes a horrible mess! The water fizzes & bubbles & smokes(well,thats the dissolving aluminium!)I mixed some that way once for paint stripping,didn't know any better.But its real fumey & scary!
Try a plastic or glass jug next time,see if that makes a difference.
ALSO make sure you select NAOH in the lye calc, KOH is often a higher proportion(lye/water)...If you get these mixed up you have a VERY concentrated,highly dangerous solution
Hang in there..stuff-ups are half the fun!

 

[Guest]

To check to see if your pot is stainless , try sticking a magnet to it .If the magnet does not stick it is not stainless steel .

HTH

Kitn

 

[LJA]

I smell an aluminum pot, Ru..... :wink:

 

[rupertspal42]

this is embarassing.. lmao it was aluminum!! AHHHHHHH I can't believe i messed that up!! Thanks guys for helping me get to the bottom of this.. i'll try a smaller batch next time as well.. I have to go back down to Ft. Hood tonight and don't know when i'll be back up to my parents house to play some more though.. gotta look for some houses and stuff down there... but i'm glad I know what I did wrong so I can avoid that stuff later!!!! THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!

 

[dagmar88]

Could happen to anyone when just starting Now at least you know what was going on...

 

[rupertspal42]

Thanks guys.. you guys are so awesome! 8)