So here's a weird thing....

[LJA]

.....my soap's been in the mold over 4 hours and it never gelled. It's got a lid on (wood mold and lid) and two towels. What gives?

Since it's not gelling anyway, I snapped a pic. Have you guys gotten the no gel thing before? It's lemon & eucalyptus EOs...

 

[AshleyR]

What temp did you make it at?

I tried room temp a few times and I got a few partial gels. I make all my soap at around 110 degrees now and they gel in a wooden mold in about 3 hours.

 

[LJA]

What temp did you make it at?

I tried room temp a few times and I got a few partial gels. I make all my soap at around 110 degrees now and they gel in a wooden mold in about 3 hours.

I soaped at around 115. I only know this because I actually used a thermometer for once. It was new EOs and if it was gonna flake on me, I didnt want to risk this big batch....

 

[rubyslippers]

Never had any soap that didn't gel (except for the batches I intentionally placed in the fridge) so can't comment on your situation but that is some seriously beautiful soap! Hope it turns out ok.

 

[Rosey]

I had one not gel yesterday. I did RTCP and it got warmer and warmer but never actually gelled. That's the first time I never got gel without putting it in the freezer/fridge.

What I did notice though is that if you soap cooler, sometimes gel takes longer to get there.

 

[LJA]

I had one not gel yesterday. I did RTCP and it got warmer and warmer but never actually gelled. That's the first time I never got gel without putting it in the freezer/fridge.

What I did notice though is that if you soap cooler, sometimes gel takes longer to get there.

Did it turn out ok, Rosey?

 

[MsBien]

Whatever the case I'd love to see this when you cut it. I love the colors!

Stacie

 

[Rosey]

I had one not gel yesterday. I did RTCP and it got warmer and warmer but never actually gelled. That's the first time I never got gel without putting it in the freezer/fridge.

What I did notice though is that if you soap cooler, sometimes gel takes longer to get there.

Did it turn out ok, Rosey?

It looks fine, it's solid and everything. I'm going to unmold it tomorrow.

Strange happenings in the soap world this week!

 

[LJA]

Whatever the case I'd love to see this when you cut it. I love the colors!

Stacie

Thanks....I'll post some tomorrow (if it lives...lol)

 

[Guest]

This is so pretty, I hope that it turns out for you. I am a newbie to cp, so I cant help you, but you have skills

 

[gekko62]

It's very very pretty tho LJA! Spose we have to just accept what the great soap goddess spins our way huh? lol :wink:

 

[Guest]

That's a beautiful, weird thing.

Can you tell me about the swirling?
Is that the spatula -- one way -- then opposite way, diagonally?
I've been reading all day how to get swirls and NO ONE shows an
actual swirling pattern in black and white (I'm simple -- need simple directions) LOL

 

[Rosey]

Can you tell if it's getting harder?

 

[LJA]

That's a beautiful, weird thing.

Can you tell me about the swirling?
Is that the spatula -- one way -- then opposite way, diagonally?
I've been reading all day how to get swirls and NO ONE shows an
actual swirling pattern in black and white (I'm simple -- need simple directions) LOL

Thanks guys. Castorfan - I do THIS basically...
Separate out your colors ( I had three in my case) and with spout bowls, I pour thin strips of soap with the first color, longways. Then I grab the next color and pour thin strips the opposite way. Repeat until all of your soap is gone. Then run a chopstick through it (touch it all the way to the bottom) from corner to corner, back and forth through the whole thing, then long ways back and forth through the whole thing. Repeat til ya like it.

Sorry...its hard to explain in words. Maybe someone has a tutorial? Here's a video doing a swirl (a little different than what I did). Maybe this will help. Sorry mods if posting it is a no-no. Just let me know if it is...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vBH_DyH6u8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vBH_DyH6u8[/ame]

 

[LJA]

Can you tell if it's getting harder?

Yeah, it seems to be...

 

[heyjude]

Looking back over my soaping notes, I wrote in the one and only castile batch I've made, "did not warm up, wrappped in towel after I noticed it wasn't getting warm, but..."

This was a one pound batch poured into a wooden mold, no color, a honeysuckle fo.

No problem achieving trace, but stayed soft for a long time. This is the only time I've noticed that my mold did not warm up.

BTW - beautiful swirl!

Jude

 

[Guest]

That is one gorgeous batch of soap . I like the look the way it is , soft and creamy .

I had this happen once to a bastile batch , I will never know why it didn't , I did the same thing I always do .

 

[topcat]

LJA - did you use TD in this batch? I have noticed with soaps that I use TD in that I don't usually see gel - I can tell it is heating up to gel by the temperature it generates, but the TD seems to mask the distinctive colour change/darkening. Beautiful colour and swirls btw!

Tanya

 

[LJA]

LJA - did you use TD in this batch? I have noticed with soaps that I use TD in that I don't usually see gel - I can tell it is heating up to gel by the temperature it generates, but the TD seems to mask the distinctive colour change/darkening. Beautiful colour and swirls btw!

Tanya

I did, Tanya - yes.

 

[zeoplum]

I love what IrishLass calls this..... "stealth gel".

zeo