Weighing oils.......

[Mindyw86]

Ok, so I just checked my scale....I've had it since I started making candles...it has oz and grams, the oz can go to .1 but with grams there is no decimal....so would it be better to use oz or grams?

Also with the recipe, I calculated with 5 or 7 % on the 5% for lye it says either 2.235 oz or 63.369

With 7% it says either 2.188oz or 62.035

My question is with either one how do I round out the lye to either grams or oz on my scale? On the 5% would I put either 2.2 oz or 63 grams??
Or 7% do 2.1oz or 62 grams? Do u always round down?? Thanks for any help with this!

 

[AlchemyandAshes]

Grams are more accurate...but either way: Round UP with oil - Round DOWN with lye
So for your example, use 62 grams for 7% superfat.

 

[melstan775]

I was given a piece of advice a few weeks ago that seemed great and has proven golden. So I will pass it on to you:When in doubt, round down on lye and round up on oils.

Makes sense to me because this method will automatically increase superfat just a tiny bit so you don't have to worry about it. So if your recipe calls for 12.743 oil, then 12.8 is fine, the rest is too small to worry about anyway.

 

[Lindy]

I prefer to measure in grams as there is less room for error. A mistake of 1 gram is not nearly as bad as 1 ounce....

 

[Badger]

I measure in grams for for more accuracy and I have been thinking of making a sig that says "Up with Oils! Down with Lye!!"

 

[Shannon_m]

Funny... when pouring out my oils on the scale and I go a bit over I always think "better more than less" and if I over pour in lye, I always put some back and if I'm just a tiny bit under, I leave it like that lol.

 

[DeeAnna]

About 28 grams (28.375 g to be exact) is the same amount as 1 ounce. To put it another way, one gram is tiny compared with an ounce -- 1 gram is the same as 0.002 ounces. Pretty small, huh? The reason why your scale has 1 digit to the right of the decimal point for ounce measurements but only shows whole grams is because an ounce is so much bigger a gram.

 

[Lindy]

You can get scales that will give you decimals of grams.....

 

[Mindyw86]

Lindy, I am ordering an extra scale is it better to try get one with the decimal, or is one like I have really just as good?

 

[Lindy]

If it were me, and I had the funds, I would be buying one with the decimal for grams but that is because I make lipsticks and I use powdered Germall Plus in order to avoid the DPG in liquid....

If you're not doing either then without the decimal is fine and get it so it can weigh 10 lbs in product for when you get into larger batches....

 

[Dorado]

Your scale without decimals are just fine for soap.
We don't use oz in Europe, we use grams. Very difficult, to find a kitchenscale with decimals.
We say round up if more than 0,5 gr, and round down if less than 0,5 gr.

(But I also go up with oils, down with lye)

I have a mini scale though- I call it my pusher-scale that can weigh 1/10th of a gram. Very handy and very exact for colors and FO.

 

[Lindy]

LOVE that - pusher scale..... ROFL

I actually have a mini scale as well for my items that have to be more accurate than 1 gram....

 

[Cherry Bomb]

Grams are more accurate...but either way: Round UP with oil - Round DOWN with lye
So for your example, use 62 grams for 7% superfat.

Thank you! I have often wondered this simple concept myself!!! Up with oils and down with lye!