Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Just do it!
Stick blender
- Thread starter AliOop
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Don’t keep us in suspense, @Jersey Girl! Did you buy it??
Lol...my finger is still hovering...I just dropped a wee bit (cough couch) on FOs so the guilt keeps pulling my darn finger back. Lol. I’ve been wanting one for a while. I bought a beautiful NS slab mold with liner a couple months ago that I have big plans for...but I need that darn log splitter!
Soon...
I also have a Nurture slab mold (the small one) but have only made two batches in it bc I CAN’T CUT THEM RIGHT. My husband kept promising to make me one, as he is an accomplished woodworker, and this would be so easy and inexpensive to make. And I’m nothing if not cheap, errrr, ahem, frugal.Lol...my finger is still hovering...I just dropped a wee bit (cough couch) on FOs so the guilt keeps pulling my darn finger back. Lol. I’ve been wanting one for a while. I bought a beautiful NS slab mold with liner a couple months ago that I have big plans for...but I need that darn log splitter!
Soon...
But he has so much on his plate right now, and I didn’t want to make him feel guilty by asking again. It took a lot for me to pull the trigger, but I’m glad I did. Can’t wait to use that slab mold again!
Yup...that’s the one I got. I think it holds 4 lbs. it a beautiful mold but like you, I know I wouldn’t be able to cut it properly w/o the splitter. My husband is NOT handy. Lol. My first husband was and and I’m realizing how nice that is to have someone like that!
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Well done! Good for you!
I hope you gave him the bill.. or at the very least, handed him the receipt. Hopefully, he'll be grateful that you took him off the hook OR maybe upset that you spent the $$$. In either case, nice way to lay the groundwork for the next go around.
@Jersey Girl Think of it this way. At this time next month you can be happily slicing away as opposed to forever holding that finger back. (I'm nothing if not an enabler.
)
violets2217
Well-Known Member
Just for future reference... I splurged and got the kitchen aide cordless stick blender, I was tired of getting tangled up in my cord or finding the cord in my soap!
I tried it today with my top layer of my challenge soap. I prefer the flat bells on my blenders so that is a bonus, but it’s a very powerful blender. It’s has variable speeds but no dial to choose speed. You have to press the button at varying pressures to determine speed. My batter had what seemed like a lot of bubbles! I stirred a lot, so hopefully it won’t be to unsightly! Lol! It’s a good blender, but maybe too powerful for soap making!?!? Just in case someone searches later...
I tried it today with my top layer of my challenge soap. I prefer the flat bells on my blenders so that is a bonus, but it’s a very powerful blender. It’s has variable speeds but no dial to choose speed. You have to press the button at varying pressures to determine speed. My batter had what seemed like a lot of bubbles! I stirred a lot, so hopefully it won’t be to unsightly! Lol! It’s a good blender, but maybe too powerful for soap making!?!? Just in case someone searches later...
Thanks for that report, @violets2217. I had looked at that one as well, and was so tempted. But the variable speed option was what caused me not to buy it. I'm not good at things that require fine motor control like that, and knew that I'd never be able to hold it steady at a speed.
As noted earlier, I got the Austria Mueller one because I wanted to leave enough room in the budget (was using up a gift card) for the Bud log splitter. I am VERY happy with that decision on both ends.
First, the Austria Mueller SB is so much quieter than my previous ones! It does a nice smooth job of blending with no bubbles. For the price point, I'm very happy with it.
Second, the log splitter is awesome, too. After making a batch of my lard-GM soap in the small Nurture slab mold, I was able to slice with the log splitter into two perfect loaves, that were then sliced into bars with my Nurture multi-bar cutter. My husband's exact quote: "Those are the best-looking bars you've ever made."
Now in reality, the design wasn't that hot. But I knew that what he meant was, "Those are the straightest, most even bars you have ever cut." And I had to agree. This has really increased my enjoyment of soap making! Although I never plan to be a big-time soap seller, I still like symmetrical bars.
As noted earlier, I got the Austria Mueller one because I wanted to leave enough room in the budget (was using up a gift card) for the Bud log splitter. I am VERY happy with that decision on both ends.
First, the Austria Mueller SB is so much quieter than my previous ones! It does a nice smooth job of blending with no bubbles. For the price point, I'm very happy with it.
Second, the log splitter is awesome, too. After making a batch of my lard-GM soap in the small Nurture slab mold, I was able to slice with the log splitter into two perfect loaves, that were then sliced into bars with my Nurture multi-bar cutter. My husband's exact quote: "Those are the best-looking bars you've ever made."
Now in reality, the design wasn't that hot. But I knew that what he meant was, "Those are the straightest, most even bars you have ever cut." And I had to agree. This has really increased my enjoyment of soap making! Although I never plan to be a big-time soap seller, I still like symmetrical bars.
violets2217
Well-Known Member
It’s obviously not a skill I have either! My corded SB has a dial on the top & I keep it on low. I like them both though because the both have a long base with a a flat bell, so I don’t drowned the blender when I make a large batch! I may just switch and keep the kitchen aid in the kitchen and stick with my corded one for my soaps!
Did you link the log splitter? I have to scroll through again to see... I’m kinda obsessed with building my own wire cutters and such ... cheaply and simple, so I’ve not splurged on a wire cutter or log splitter yet... but I have looked and drooled over them!
I love the log splitter!! If you have a slab mold, this is a must in my book.
But if you were able to build your own wire cutter, you can most certainly build your own log splitter - it's way less complicated. You can find plans online; our own @glendam even has a YT video showing how she made hers.
But if you were able to build your own wire cutter, you can most certainly build your own log splitter - it's way less complicated. You can find plans online; our own @glendam even has a YT video showing how she made hers.
Ok, I've gotta go do some more research! Every time you guys are talking about log splitters this is what comes to mind: SIP 01978 7 Ton Vertical Log Splitter
I feel like 7 tons may be a little more power than is needed for even the most recalcitrant soap!
I feel like 7 tons may be a little more power than is needed for even the most recalcitrant soap!
Haha YES, that is exactly what my husband thinks of, as well! This is what I got though - powered only by human muscle.
Haha, thanks, that makes a lot more sense 
My husband's already trying to convince me to get a hydraulic press for bath bombs so at this rate nothing would surprise me, lol!
That does look like a handy gadget alright, I'm still using my cake splitter for horizontal cuts, but the application is limited.
P.S. @violets2217, what kind of wire do you use to make cutters with? I'm very tempted to branch out in that direction myself...
My husband's already trying to convince me to get a hydraulic press for bath bombs so at this rate nothing would surprise me, lol!
That does look like a handy gadget alright, I'm still using my cake splitter for horizontal cuts, but the application is limited.
P.S. @violets2217, what kind of wire do you use to make cutters with? I'm very tempted to branch out in that direction myself...
violets2217
Well-Known Member
Honestly I don’t really know. It’s a thin wire I found in my garage... so it’s probably a common item found at Home Depot. It’s just a rectangle made with 2x2’s with the wire stretched across twisted around eye hooks.. which helped to tighten the wire each time. I have a few made... at .75” 1” 1.25” & 3” (this one I use to cut my slabs into logs) thickness. They work for me and they are cheap to make!
I’m gonna be looking at making the log splitter next! Lol!
The usual recommendation for cutter strings is an unwrapped stainless steel G-string for a guitar. Here's a great inexpensive source in the US. The advantage of buying these from a music store is that each wire comes with the little o-nut on the end that makes installation on a cutter or log splitter so simple. The disadvantage is the precut lengths, which results in some waste. But the wires are more than long enough to work in any cutter that I've used.
If you are buying it from somewhere other than a music store, it would be 22 gauge (022) unwrapped stainless wire. It will be less expensive than a music-store purchase, and will come in a single roll that can be cut to whatever size you need.
If you are buying it from somewhere other than a music store, it would be 22 gauge (022) unwrapped stainless wire. It will be less expensive than a music-store purchase, and will come in a single roll that can be cut to whatever size you need.
thank you for the mention @AliOop
@violets2217 making the log splitter should definitely be easy for you, since you have already made soap cutters. In this blog post I included an update of things I would do different next time (I want a wider one now), there is a link to the video in there as wel:
https://soapsbyglenda.wordpress.com/2020/10/01/making-a-slab-soap-cutter/
@violets2217 making the log splitter should definitely be easy for you, since you have already made soap cutters. In this blog post I included an update of things I would do different next time (I want a wider one now), there is a link to the video in there as wel:
https://soapsbyglenda.wordpress.com/2020/10/01/making-a-slab-soap-cutter/
This is surprisingly hard to find! All the hardware stores seem to sell copper or aluminium wire, the few stainless steel ones I found were braided... However! I've ordered some orthodontic wire from Wish which looks to be just the thing! Hopefully it will turn up sooner or later and I can try making cutters to my own specs.
T
The stainless is to prevent DOS, correct? I'm new and don't wanna assume.
Sodium hydroxide eats aluminum and copper, and creates toxic fumes while it eats aluminum. Most metals near soap can result in DOS, but the fact that in this use the metals would be getting dissolved into the soap would be problematic on a number of levels. Also, almost certainly cause DOS.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Actually the reason I bought an SB with stainless steel shaft is because of the high heat when using glycerin in place of water to make the lye solution. It is literally hot enough to melt plastic. Don't ask me how I know.
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