Marilyn Norgart
Well-Known Member
I ordered 2 liners from Nurture and a friend is going to make the molds for them. how thick should the wood be?
thickness of wood
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My wooden mould is 1/2 ", but I don't use silicon as a liner, I use freezer paper.
Obsidian
Well-Known Member
1/2" is what I use too.
Mine is made from about 2cm thick ply.
SweetHoneyHandmade
Well-Known Member
“Thick enough to be good and stiff”
Sorry, mind’s in the gutter
Sorry, mind’s in the gutter
Marilyn Norgart
Well-Known Member
well its gonna go where its gonna go
Mine are 3/4". Made with 1x4 boards and screws.
Marilyn Norgart
Well-Known Member
I am assuming the thicker the boards the more it will hold the heat? I have only used pvc pipe, plastic mold and milk cartons so far
Yes.
But I consider "full water" to be 2 parts water to 1 part alkali (33%) so gel temperature would be higher than is usual in most all my recipes.
Less water means that the gel phase is only available to the soap at higher temperatures. If I want to gel I will cover the mold with a 1x6 and place it in the oven.
But I consider "full water" to be 2 parts water to 1 part alkali (33%) so gel temperature would be higher than is usual in most all my recipes.
Less water means that the gel phase is only available to the soap at higher temperatures. If I want to gel I will cover the mold with a 1x6 and place it in the oven.
Thicker will also mean heavier. I made a massive mould and used wood which is far too thick. The weight of the mould itself is unwieldy, before the 10+kg batter goes in, too.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
Your boards are 3/4 inch thick but you used 1 inch thick x 4 inches wide boards did you use a thicknesser to cut them down to 3/4 inch thick?
Marilyn Norgart
Well-Known Member
definitely something to keep in mind--at this point I do 2-3# molds. but then again the higher weight might cause more pressure on the sides causing bowing?
That is the key - finding a design and a thickness (even the type of wood used!) That is as light as possible, but string enough
@penelopejane -- The end user doesn't do this -- the lumber company does. The 1" thickness is the measurement of the board (timber) when it's rough sawn. After the factory planes the boards to make them smooth, the finished thickness is actually 3/4".
Marilyn Norgart
Well-Known Member
I wonder if cedar would be good--I think it is a fairly lighter wood and seems to be strong
Western cedar would be fine - that's the cedar that's often sold for making decks and suchlike. Pine, fir, or spruce wood is about as light, usually easier to find, and often less expensive. It's more important that the wood be straight and smooth with few knots.
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