Successful & failures

[navigator9]

Most of my molds I've bought from amazon, I did buy 1 from wholesale supplies, I am making a batch tonight and will definitely use your method for sure. Out of curiosity, since 2 of my mold are silicone with the wooden box, can the box itself be used as a mold itself as long as I line it with freezer paper? Just wondering since it would allow more batter for my batch. My mold is made to fit 42 oz and when I make my batter I always always have extra left over to put in another mold that I have that will hold up to 16oz as there individual pockets, I'd like to try and make all the batter fit one 1 mold so I only have 1 mold to clean rather then 2

I only got a couple of hours sleep last night, so I'm a bit fuzzy today, but if what you are asking is if you can use the wooden box from your silicone mold, without the silicone, but instead lined with freezer paper...I don't see why not. And just a thought, the silicone liners from Nurture Soaps are great quality and a great price, especially if you build your own box for them. I have no woodworking training whatsoever, and I managed to make boxes for my silicone liners. It makes them much more affordable if you build your own box. Back when I started soaping silicone molds were crazy expensive, it's really nice to see them become more affordable.Keeping my fingers crossed for you! :-D

 

[Desirae]

I only got a couple of hours sleep last night, so I'm a bit fuzzy today, but if what you are asking is if you can use the wooden box from your silicone mold, without the silicone, but instead lined with freezer paper...I don't see why not. And just a thought, the silicone liners from Nurture Soaps are great quality and a great price, especially if you build your own box for them. I have no woodworking training whatsoever, and I managed to make boxes for my silicone liners. It makes them much more affordable if you build your own box. Back when I started soaping silicone molds were crazy expensive, it's really nice to see them become more affordable.Keeping my fingers crossed for you! :-D

Thank you for letting me, I wasn't sure if I could considering its a much thinner wood compared to the wood boxes I've seen on brambleberry which are ridiculous expensive, I wish I knew why there so high priced, and they don't even come with the silicone liner, which bring my next question, is there something different about how soap molds using those wood boxes as apposed to using the silicone mold that has the wood boxes like mine? This is the type I have, and I love them, butb1 thing I really absolutely hate about them is that when I unfold them the corners always get rubbed off even after sitting in the mold for 2 days.is it better to use wood molds with freezer paper or silicone? And how would I go about making my own wood mold?

 

[navigator9]

Thank you for letting me, I wasn't sure if I could considering its a much thinner wood compared to the wood boxes I've seen on brambleberry which are ridiculous expensive, I wish I knew why there so high priced, and they don't even come with the silicone liner, which bring my next question, is there something different about how soap molds using those wood boxes as apposed to using the silicone mold that has the wood boxes like mine? This is the type I have, and I love them, butb1 thing I really absolutely hate about them is that when I unfold them the corners always get rubbed off even after sitting in the mold for 2 days.is it better to use wood molds with freezer paper or silicone? And how would I go about making my own wood mold?

When you ask about the difference between a thicker and a thinner wooden box, the only purpose of the wooden box is to stop the silicone mold from bowing out when the soap is poured into it. Most silicone molds are very flexible, and if you fill them, they bend out at the sides. The wooden box keeps them square. As to whether it's better to use the wooden box with freezer paper or silicone, it doesn't make a difference to the soap, it's just that folding freezer paper can be tedious if you make a lot of soap, and silicone eliminates that job, and also gives you nice, smooth sides. One thing I might be concerned about with your wooden molds and putting them in the oven is, that being that thin, are they even thick enough to be nailed or screwed together, or are they maybe just glued. If they are held together with glue, repeated heating and cooling may loosen them. As far as making your own mold, there are many different designs if you Google "diy wooden soap mold". Some are easier than others. Here is just one of them. You would have to measure your silicone liners and make the box the appropriate size to fit them. [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN-_Ktoi-j4[/ame]

 

[IrishLass]

IAs for the oven, I read a few didn't places and it was mixed,

It will be mixed no matter where you read, even here.

CPOP exists for one purpose- to ensure full gel. The temp required to bring a soap to full gel can vary, though, depending on several factors- your water amount/lye concentration, the type of soap mold, your fragrance oil, your soaping temp, etc., That's why CPOP advice can be so mixed.

The best advice I can give anyone regarding CPOP is what I wrote to another forum member yesterday: attaining full gel via CPOP is best accomplished by using the least amount of heat from the oven that will get the job done..... the amount of which will vary from person to person based on the above-mentioned factors^^^).

I regard CPOP as a method of encouraging/coaxing full gel, as opposed to forcing full gel. Usually when one tries to force it, they set the oven too high and something usually ends up going wrong with the soap. You may have to experiment with each of your formulas to find that 'sweet-spot' oven temp for CPOP, but always start on the low side of the thermostat, somewhere between 100F - 110F or so.

Most ovens only go as low as 170F, but keep in mind that as an oven is heating up, there's a point in time where it will reach 110F (or whatever other low temp) on its upward climb to 170F. For my own oven, the point in time that it reaches 110F is 3 minutes from the moment I turn the oven on. After those 3 minutes are up, I pop my soap in the oven and immediately turn it off (and leave it off) and then let it sit there for 18 to 24 hours before unmolding and cutting. I get full gel 99% of the time (there's always that occasional misbehaving batch out of the bunch, of course).

Anyway- for my own batches, 170F is exorbitantly high. I don't want to cook the soap- I only want to give it a enough of a nudge so it can merrily go on to do what it likes to do naturally. I only heat my oven to 170F when I'm HPing.


IrishLass

 

[penelopejane]

Desiree
If the corners of your soap are crumbling you have a problem which can be fixed. It could be that you haven't left them in the mold long enough. Following Irish Lass's instructions for CPOP which encourages gel will also speed the initial cure so the soap will be harder a little quicker and the soap will be able to be taken out of the mold sooner and in one piece.

 

[Desirae]

It will be mixed no matter where you read, even here.

CPOP exists for one purpose- to ensure full gel. The temp required to bring a soap to full gel can vary, though, depending on several factors- your water amount/lye concentration, the type of soap mold, your fragrance oil, your soaping temp, etc., That's why CPOP advice can be so mixed.

The best advice I can give anyone regarding CPOP is what I wrote to another forum member yesterday: attaining full gel via CPOP is best accomplished by using the least amount of heat from the oven that will get the job done..... the amount of which will vary from person to person based on the above-mentioned factors^^^).

I regard CPOP as a method of encouraging/coaxing full gel, as opposed to forcing full gel. Usually when one tries to force it, they set the oven too high and something usually ends up going wrong with the soap. You may have to experiment with each of your formulas to find that 'sweet-spot' oven temp for CPOP, but always start on the low side of the thermostat, somewhere between 100F - 110F or so.

Most ovens only go as low as 170F, but keep in mind that as an oven is heating up, there's a point in time where it will reach 110F (or whatever other low temp) on its upward climb to 170F. For my own oven, the point in time that it reaches 110F is 3 minutes from the moment I turn the oven on. After those 3 minutes are up, I pop my soap in the oven and immediately turn it off (and leave it off) and then let it sit there for 18 to 24 hours before unmolding and cutting. I get full gel 99% of the time (there's always that occasional misbehaving batch out of the bunch, of course).

Anyway- for my own batches, 170F is exorbitantly high. I don't want to cook the soap- I only want to give it a enough of a nudge so it can merrily go on to do what it likes to do naturally. I only heat my oven to 170F when I'm HPing.


IrishLass

Thank you for that info, I'll definitely have to do a timer on mine and see how long it takes to get to that temperature

 

[Desirae]

When you ask about the difference between a thicker and a thinner wooden box, the only purpose of the wooden box is to stop the silicone mold from bowing out when the soap is poured into it. Most silicone molds are very flexible, and if you fill them, they bend out at the sides. The wooden box keeps them square. As to whether it's better to use the wooden box with freezer paper or silicone, it doesn't make a difference to the soap, it's just that folding freezer paper can be tedious if you make a lot of soap, and silicone eliminates that job, and also gives you nice, smooth sides. One thing I might be concerned about with your wooden molds and putting them in the oven is, that being that thin, are they even thick enough to be nailed or screwed together, or are they maybe just glued. If they are held together with glue, repeated heating and cooling may loosen them. As far as making your own mold, there are many different designs if you Google "diy wooden soap mold". Some are easier than others. Here is just one of them. You would have to measure your silicone liners and make the box the appropriate size to fit them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN-_Ktoi-j4

I would be interested in trying to line my wooden box and use that as my mold just to try it once just so I can see how it differs from the silicone and if easier to unmolding as apposed to the silicone unmolding. I would imagine it's easier unmolding wood boxes since all you have to do is lift the paper up and out and viola where with my molds when I unmolding I have to release the air pockets and sometimes spend 20 min getting it out of the mold bc it doesn't want to release from the very bottom edge corners. I've looked online and all the videos I've watch on how to line they make it look SO SO complicated to do, do you have a good way to explain how to do it or a video that's better at showing it step by step, alot of the videos I've seen are missing alot of important stuff like how to determine how wide my liner needs to be etc. I'd appreciate it, and also my wooden boxes are held by glue

 

[penelopejane]

Thank you for that info, I'll definitely have to do a timer on mine and see how long it takes to get to that temperature

100*F is the temp of a very hot day. You can use your hand to test the temp but it would be better to use a cooking thermometer.

People pay a fortune for silicon molds because they are so much easier than lining molds with paper which creases and leaves marks on the soap and allows soap batter to leak etc.

IMO you would be better off either being patient and leaving your soap in the silicone mold for 3 + days or however long it takes for your soap to pop out in 30 seconds or working out where your receipe or process is going wrong as this should not happen.
But if you want to struggle on, only to find the same thing happens with your wooden mold this is also a sticky:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=30362

But don't CPOP your mix, use your lined wooden mold and then say silicone does not work because CPOPing following Irish Lass's instructions might fix your problem with soft corners and if it doesn't you have a problem with your recipe.

If your 42oz mix is too big for your mold look at the sticky about mold size and work out how much batter you need for your mold then go to soap calc and adjust your mix accordingly:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=2909

 

[kchaystack]

I would be interested in trying to line my wooden box and use that as my mold just to try it once just so I can see how it differs from the silicone and if easier to unmolding as apposed to the silicone unmolding. I would imagine it's easier unmolding wood boxes since all you have to do is lift the paper up and out and viola where with my molds when I unmolding I have to release the air pockets and sometimes spend 20 min getting it out of the mold bc it doesn't want to release from the very bottom edge corners. I've looked online and all the videos I've watch on how to line they make it look SO SO complicated to do, do you have a good way to explain how to do it or a video that's better at showing it step by step, alot of the videos I've seen are missing alot of important stuff like how to determine how wide my liner needs to be etc. I'd appreciate it, and also my wooden boxes are held by glue

Here are the ones I used to learn how to do line the few wooden molds I have.

https://youtu.be/Z6k0Hyu_FYw
https://youtu.be/3mSg-OQ51hM
https://youtu.be/8AHajJtHj4g

 

[Desirae]

100*F is the temp of a very hot day. You can use your hand to test the temp but it would be better to use a cooking thermometer.

People pay a fortune for silicon molds because they are so much easier than lining molds with paper which creases and leaves marks on the soap and allows soap batter to leak etc.

IMO you would be better off either being patient and leaving your soap in the silicone mold for 3 + days or working out where your receipe or process is going wrong as this should not happen.
But if you want to struggle on, only to find the same thing happens with your wooden mold this is also a sticky:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=30362

But don't CPOP your mix, use your lined wooden mold and then say silicone does not work because CPOPing following Irish Lass's instructions might fix your problem with soft corners and if it doesn't you have a problem with your recipe.

If your 42oz mix is too big for your mold look at the sticky about mold size and work out how much batter you need for your mold then go to soap calc and adjust your mix accordingly:
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=2909

I really just was trying to find out the difference btwn the silicone and wood, the reasoning behind all this is bc it seems to be alot cheaper to pay $18 for the mold I have which is silicone inside the wooden box, as apposed to say brambleberry $80 wood mold for the same size as my $18 mold, so I just wanted to know why ppl buy those rather then the silicone I thought maybe there was something special about having to line the wood boxes, I just think it's insane to spend $80 for a wood box to have to line it and end up with creases leakage etc when you can pay 1/4 of the cost for a mold that has a silicone mold inside the wooden box and get perfect sides. That's all I was really wanting to know about the wood.

As for the CPOP I've read different sites about it so I wanted your alls opinion on how to so I don't screw it up a 2nd time. I wasn't arguing about how to do it that's why I asked how to correctly do it, I wasn't saying silicone was messing up CPOP, you did not read my originally posted correct, I just couldn't figure out why my edges were rubbing off and when that was happening had nothing to do with cpop'ing. my CPOP problem was that the top of my soap was bubbling and looked rubber like not bc my edges were rubbed off. I wasn't looking to get chewed out which is how you came across to me

 

[penelopejane]

I really just was trying to find out the difference btwn the silicone and wood, the reasoning behind all this is bc it seems to be alot cheaper to pay $18 for the mold I have which is silicone inside the wooden box, as apposed to say brambleberry $80 wood mold for the same size as my $18 mold, so I just wanted to know why ppl buy those rather then the silicone.

As for the CPOP I've read different sites about it so I wanted your alls opinion on how to so I don't screw it up a 2nd time. I wasn't arguing about how to do it that's why I asked how to correctly do it, I wasn't saying silicone was messing up CPOP, you did not read my originally posted correct, I just couldn't figure out why my edges were rubbing off and when that was happening had nothing to do with cpop'ing. my CPOP problem was that the top of my soap was bubbling and looked rubber like not bc my edges were rubbed off. I wasn't looking to get chewed out which is how you came across to me

Sorry I sound crabby. I am crabby because I haven't made soap in over a week!!

I think people wait for sales to buy silicone molds or buy them from nurture (best molds) on sale and make their own wooden boxes or if they can't do woodwork they just pay up!

You will get the weirdest information on the net!
You will still get conflicting info on this forum because soap is so incredibly variable. A recipe might work perfectly in Florida in someone's silicon mold bought from Italy and be a complete failure in Death Valley.

You really have to work out what works for you, your oven, your recipe, your mold and your climate! It is pretty difficult.

Then this also applies to your recipe!

The thing is the CPOP will speed up the process a bit and might solve the problem you have with crumbly corners and getting the soap out of the mold. If not come back because that problem can be solved with a recipe fix.

 

[Desirae]

Here are the ones I used to learn how to do line the few wooden molds I have.

https://youtu.be/Z6k0Hyu_FYw
https://youtu.be/3mSg-OQ51hM
https://youtu.be/8AHajJtHj4g

Thank you for those, looks like I'll stick with my silicone, looks like no matter what it's a total pain in the butt, there are pros and cons of both, silicone you have to wash, with wood lining you can toss and go. I'll have to give it a try to see if I can do it right. I'm always up for a challenge lol

 

[Desirae]

Sorry I sound crabby. I am crabby because I haven't made soap in over a week!!

I think people wait for sales to buy silicone molds or buy them from nurture (best molds) on sale and make their own wooden boxes or if they can't do woodwork they just pay up!

You will get the weirdest information on the net!
You will still get conflicting info on this forum because soap is so incredibly variable. A recipe might work perfectly in Florida in someone's silicon mold bought from Italy and be a complete failure in Death Valley.

You really have to work out what works for you, your oven, your recipe, your mold and your climate! It is pretty difficult.

Then this also applies to your recipe!

The thing is the CPOP will speed up the process a bit and might solve the problem you have with crumbly corners and getting the soap out of the mold. If not come back because that problem can be solved with a recipe fix.

Thank you and it's ok, we all have our bad days trust me. As for the one u mentioned nature? Is that the site? I'm so stuck on buying molds from amazon bc they seem to be the cheapest however there don't carry slab molds or vertical molds which I would like to try but also if it doesn't work with the vertical mold then I wasted money and they get expensive eek. But the ones I do have I have these ones that are individual bars and holds 6 but they keep bowing out, oddly even when I use mp so they might be going into the trash.

I thought using the sodium lactate would help with my edges, and it's not the whole edge just the corners of the edges, maybe I'm pushing on it to hard? And I live in VA where it's constantly humid, needless to say I stick can't get bath bombs to stay round they activate still, it's 70 degrees right now and humidity is still at like 45%, my house I have 3 coral reef tanks so inside humidity is always at least 65% so I have a bad feeling I'm going to have issues.

But I'm really hating myself right now bc that batch I made, pictured on the 1st page came out picture perfect and I can't find my recipe

 

[shunt2011]

Nurture Soap Supplies. I have 6 of her silicone molds. 3 I purchased the liners only and my husband made the wood molds for them to fit in. They are excellent.

 

[penelopejane]

As for the one u mentioned nature?

I'm so stuck on buying molds from amazon bc they seem to be the cheapest however there don't carry slab molds or vertical molds which I would like to try but also if it doesn't work with the vertical mold then I wasted money and they get expensive eek. But the ones I do have I have these ones that are individual bars and holds 6 but they keep bowing out, oddly even when I use mp so they might be going into the trash.

But I'm really hating myself right now bc that batch I made, pictured on the 1st page came out picture perfect and I can't find my recipe

I think it is pretty much universally accepted that these are the best silicone molds (yes, not all silicone - as you have found - is the same).

https://nurturesoap.com/collections/soap-molds

I don't have nurture ones and I am very happy with mine. They unmold perfectly every time but I have never cooked them so have not had blisters on them. Your internet ones sound fine. Just be careful to CPOP at the temps suggested by Irish Lass and no more.

I don't think it is the molds that are causing the corners to break. It could be:
* not waiting long enough
* waiting too long if it is a salt bar recipe
* something wrong with your recipe
* not CPOPing
* using a lye concentration % that is too low

 

[navigator9]

I would be interested in trying to line my wooden box and use that as my mold just to try it once just so I can see how it differs from the silicone and if easier to unmolding as apposed to the silicone unmolding. I would imagine it's easier unmolding wood boxes since all you have to do is lift the paper up and out and viola where with my molds when I unmolding I have to release the air pockets and sometimes spend 20 min getting it out of the mold bc it doesn't want to release from the very bottom edge corners. I've looked online and all the videos I've watch on how to line they make it look SO SO complicated to do, do you have a good way to explain how to do it or a video that's better at showing it step by step, alot of the videos I've seen are missing alot of important stuff like how to determine how wide my liner needs to be etc. I'd appreciate it, and also my wooden boxes are held by glue

I think I must be missing something in your explanation of how you get your soap out of the silicone molds. It should not be difficult, actually just the opposite. If you're having trouble, it may be because the soap just isn't ready yet. If you make soap in a silicone mold, and it doesn't gel, it can take several days before it's ready to unmold. If it gels, it can be removed the day after you make it. I just gently pull the sides away from the soap, and the ends, turn it upside down, and push with my thumbs, and it comes right out. Your mention of the problem with the corners makes me think that you're trying to get it out too soon. When you pull the sides away from the soap, if it sticks at all, it's not ready. And as for the tutorials on lining molds with freezer paper being complicated...well, that's why many of us use silicone!

 

[shunt2011]

I agree with navigator. I'm able to remove my soap easily from my silicone molds.

I made soap yesterday morning and let it gel. I was unable to take them out last night.

As stated, it will also depend on your recipe, water/liquid amount etc. I do use Sodium Lactate at 2% which does help too. I have also used salt which makes it hard to make getting it out easier.

Soap should release easy when it's ready

 

[earlene]

The first few times I used my silicone loaf mold, I also had difficulty getting the soap out.

For me, part of the problem was that this was something new I had never done before. It was an unlearned skill. I really did not know how to judge when the soap was ready to come out of the mold AND I was new to using silicone molds for anything other than cake(and then only with limited experience removing cake from silicone molds.) Soap is nothing like cake, btw. lol

Part of it was probably my recipe, too. But now I believe that is less important than recognizing when the soap is ready to come out. That comes with experience.

But there are a couple of things you can do to facilitate smoother removal until you have the experience under your belt.

1. Add sodium lactate per recommended usage
2. CPOP
3. Use a release agent (I used lanolin successfully)
4. Put the mold in the freezer for a few minutes prior to release, then turn it upside down on top of your cutting surface, let sit a couple of minutes and unmold
(There are probably others I am not remembering atm)

You can try any one of the above or more than one.

Eventually I learned to recognize when the soap was ready. I kept notes on each batch, including the recipe, which molds I used, method and how long before ready to unmold, any issues with cutting, etc. But even with all those notes I now can see when my soap is ready or not ready to come out of the mold. It just took time and practice.

 

[Desirae]

I think I must be missing something in your explanation of how you get your soap out of the silicone molds. It should not be difficult, actually just the opposite. If you're having trouble, it may be because the soap just isn't ready yet. If you make soap in a silicone mold, and it doesn't gel, it can take several days before it's ready to unmold. If it gels, it can be removed the day after you make it. I just gently pull the sides away from the soap, and the ends, turn it upside down, and push with my thumbs, and it comes right out. Your mention of the problem with the corners makes me think that you're trying to get it out too soon. When you pull the sides away from the soap, if it sticks at all, it's not ready. And as for the tutorials on lining molds with freezer paper being complicated...well, that's why many of us use silicone!

Maybe I should wait a few additional hours before unmolding, what happens is, it feels nice and hard but when I pull the silicone away it sometimes seems to take longer to let go of it, then when I turn it upside down and push on the bottom, it's as if all the sides had vacuums sealed itself back to the soap so I have to go back and pull the silicone away from the soap again which feels like it wasn't done the 1st time, I hope this makes sense bc it does in my brain but not on the screen, lol. Good thing is I only have this problem when attempt to gel but not using the oven method, I primarily put most of my molds in the freezer or fridge bc they u old faster. I've noticed when I try to do the gel but not using the CPOP but hoping to gel that's when my edges rub off. I do use the sodium lactate when I remember to eek, but I need to try the salt and hope that works.

 

[cmzaha]

I really just was trying to find out the difference btwn the silicone and wood, the reasoning behind all this is bc it seems to be alot cheaper to pay $18 for the mold I have which is silicone inside the wooden box, as apposed to say brambleberry $80 wood mold for the same size as my $18 mold, so I just wanted to know why ppl buy those rather then the silicone I thought maybe there was something special about having to line the wood boxes, I just think it's insane to spend $80 for a wood box to have to line it and end up with creases leakage etc when you can pay 1/4 of the cost for a mold that has a silicone mold inside the wooden box and get perfect sides. That's all I was really wanting to know about the wood.

As for the CPOP I've read different sites about it so I wanted your alls opinion on how to so I don't screw it up a 2nd time. I wasn't arguing about how to do it that's why I asked how to correctly do it, I wasn't saying silicone was messing up CPOP, you did not read my originally posted correct, I just couldn't figure out why my edges were rubbing off and when that was happening had nothing to do with cpop'ing. my CPOP problem was that the top of my soap was bubbling and looked rubber like not bc my edges were rubbed off. I wasn't looking to get chewed out which is how you came across to me

A lot of it is preference on which type of mold to use and whether to line or not. I use hdpe molds that have to be line and do not mind. Making as much soap as I do I many times I do not have the luxury of my soap sitting in a mold for a few days, if my soap is still a little soft the next morning I can take it out of the mold and let it sit on a cutting board to continue letting it set up enough to cut. Bottom line is, you have to find what works for you