Who has the best price for molds? Or should I build my own?

[DeeAnna]

"...a greater sense of satisfaction using the wood mold.... I hope I've explained that adequately ... for some reason, I feel that I haven't. ..."

Oh, Patrick -- trust me -- I really do get what you mean!!!!

 

[Lynusann]

We had a long thread about building our own, I can not find it. My husband build one for me it opens on every side so is very easy to use it. It was not cheap but it is oak and it will last forever)

Agree. My molds aren't perfect and definitely not cheap but I love them and they will last forever. Plus, they were built exactly as I wanted them instead of having to go with something that was pre-fab by someone else.

 

[Dahila]

Agree. My molds aren't perfect and definitely not cheap but I love them and they will last forever. Plus, they were built exactly as I wanted them instead of having to go with something that was pre-fab by someone else.

I have two loaf silicone molds, each for over 1.5 pounds of soap butter. I like them so we just took the dimension times 2 and I have a perfect 16 bars mould, right now it seats in the freezer, )

 

[Seawolfe]

I think this is the thread everyone is talking about that was about making your own wooden mold: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=49992
That was the one that insipred me to make my tall and skinny mold. I just love it, it is made to make soap exactly 2 inches wide and 4 inches tall, or 2 inches tall should the mood take me. At full capacity its a 5 lb mold and makes 18 2x4x1 inch bars, but I can block it off to 2.5 lbs and 9 bars easy peasy.

 

[aprice522]

The one thing I don't like about my silicone is I often forget to set them on a cookie sheet before I fill them and then they are next to impossible to move since they are flexible.
If you ever plan to make salt bars, its worth it to invest in some kind of individual mold.

I am new and have little to offer here yet, but I don't use a cookie sheet. I use an amazon box. We are prime members and get ALOT of amazon stuff. Actually the only two sillicon molds I use are from there...and I use a box from amazon cut down that is just a little bigger then the mold and my molds are never really away from those boxes! I have a small loaf that holds 600-700g filled and got a muffin sillicon for my salt bars that holds about the same!

 

[kchaystack]

I am really considering switching to wooden molds.

All of my soaps from the winter were ready to unmold in 18 - 24 hours from my crafters choice 1lb loaf, or my BB 6x6 slab. But in the last couple of months, it is now taking a couple of days to be ready to remove - and I still sometimes lose corners. It is driving me crazy.

At least with wood, I can pull the soap in the freezer paper, and let it harden some more if it needs it before I cut and use the mold for another batch.

 

[amd]

I've been faking it for molds - I got a few cheap MW molds - they hold up to CP for a few uses at least, although I did lose one to a volcano incident. I've been a bit of a recycler - Ritz boxes are current 2lb tray mold - and my bf finally got tired of me digging through his garbage for empty milk cartons. Last weekend we bought a $6 board, 50cent pack of screws, and used his power tools to make a 2lb loaf mold and a loaf cutting guide. I used the cutting guide right away and I'm in love! I haven't used my loaf mold yet... I'm banned from soaping until I finish my summer college class... so next week I'll be searching the forum looking for wood loaf mold help, lol.

 

[gigisiguenza]

Lots to think about now. I don't know yet if I want gelled or not, so not sure what style molds I want. Thanks heaps for all the info!