funnygirl

LOL! Im no where near starting and Im getting soooo excited. I just read a whole bunch on soap making through history. Very interesting info. I wonder what it would be like to make soap the old way. Listen to me, I havent even made it the modern way and I am already talking about doing things the harder way, hehehe! Anyway, I spent a great deal of time on the Miller site as well, just reading and trying to absorb as much info as I can before I actually try this out. I also read that terrible incident about the little baby and the Lye water, so I am more than a little freaked about that! I might just make my soap outside, LOL! But seriously, that is just the scariest thing ever! Anyway, thank you all for helping, and for posting all your know how here on the board. Ive been reading now for the last 8 hours and intend on doing much more.

Thank you both! CP seems to be what is calling to me at the moment. I do have access to Lowes so thats a great thing to know. I currently buy CCO for some of my candle making, and I buy it from Wal-Mart. It is LouAnn's, is this acceptable for soap making? OO I know I can get everywhere. I have a ton of oils that are body safe, so Im gonna read about what ones are winners in CP. Does anyone have a CP soap making book they recommend? Im one of those people that likes to study/read everything I can get my hands on before I actually try it out. Im thinking Im a little nervouse about Lye, so I want a good feel for what I am going to be doing before I jump into doing it, hehehe!

Okay, you've all heard the story before about the candle maker that wants to learn to make soap, so I wont bore you, LOL! Im looking at all this stuff and my head is spinning! I dont even know what I want to make. I dont want to do M&P, I actually want to "create' the soap. But I am seeing CP, HP, some other 4 letter CPHP or something, LOL! :DI also read about the whipped soap. I just am not sure what would be beginner friendly. Im also not sure on the best places to buy supplies. I know location is really importiant as far as shipping is concerned, but quality is obviously importiant as well. I have been browsing around at the Brambleberry website, as I already order a couple of their oils for candles. Everything looks great, but what do you soapers think about their products? I guess I am just a little overwelmed. Is a kit the way to go starting out? Or is it more economical to order supplies individually? Also, I live in Oklahoma. Is there a local store where I can buy lye? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I too cant judge based on the first burn. I use GB 415 soy, and mine seem to burn faster/devolop a complete melt pool quicker on the first burn or two, then slow down as I get further down the jar. I tested a double wicked 16 oz. apoth the other day. On the first burn it only took 1 hour to get a full melt pool (double wicked of course)! I thought whoa, I seriousely over wicked. But I went ahead and did a couple more burns to see what would happen. On the 3rd burn it took 3 hrs, to get a full meltpool, and that remained steady throughout the rest of the jar. I wouldnt pull out the wicks just yet if it were me. I would do at least 3 burns to see if the lack of oxygen as you move further down the jar will affect the burn first. JMHO. HTH!

I never weigh it either, I just fill that sucker up. I use the same method as above. Place the pour pot on your scale, tare out the weight of the pot, then start putting wax in the pour pot and weigh out what you need for that scent. After the wax is weighed out I put my oil directly into the pour pot too while its on the scale so I can weigh it out. Add dye, stir & pour. So much faster that waiting for wax to melt each time in the presto. HTH!

Well, to me alot of suppliers are hit & miss. But some that stand out to me as far as more hits (meaning STRONG oils) would be candle cocoon and millcreek. HTH!

I 2nd Monkey Farts. It's a HUGE seller for me.

This is a request from one of my PL customers. Before I go blending my own, thought I would ask. Top note cedar - bottom notes cinnamon vanilla. TIA!

I dont use the container wax, but I do use the pillar blend. I wont use anything else! It's a terrific soy wax, and the only one I have tried that I dont have frosting/cracking problems with. Great cold and hot throw, easy to use, etc... I definatly think you will be pleased with it, and I am sure if you start testing other waxes against it your probably gonna go for the PB, as far as soy is concerned anyway. HTH!

LOL! All the ones I have smelled were like stinky feet! But I have finally found my warm baked bread, from MillCreek! It is soooooo yummy!

When I read this I wasnt thinking of frosting, I was thinking about how when I heat gun, the wax my wicks are primed with melts and gives me white swirling on top. It also happens when I pour too hot.

Awesome! Where can I get a good Pink Sugar FO?

I use the 24 oz. apothecary jars that lonestar sells. You do have to double wick, and you have to test all the way down to the bottom of jar to make sure you have the right wick. Once you get down past the halfway point, the amount of oxygen available to the wick changes and can affect how the wicks burn at that point. I havent had any trouble with them. You can also check out the tureen jars. They are very shallow and extra wide, but you could double or triple wick those. HTH! :smiley2:

Ok, Im sorry if I am stupid, LOL! But what is "ADM" wax? Also, what additive are you useing? USA?

I use it and like it. I am having to get it from Millcreek now cause my local supplier stopped carrying it. So, I dont think I will be useing it for much longer as I have to start testing some local soys. The cold and hot throw is awesome. It frosts like crazy if you use no additives, but I dont mind as I dont color my soy. It has to be poured cool & slushy, and as long as you pour it at the right temp, it sets up nice and smooth. I havent had any problems with wetspots, except in JJ's and only a couple of scents did it to me. I read lots of info here on the board about 415, and continue to do so. EZ Soy is 415, MC Soy is 415 also, so you can search those too. HTH!

That is a great tip. I always hate trying to get the label back off. Thanks!

Hmmm, I havent had the LX series curl on me. I tried the low smoke zinc from WSP also, and I had mushrooms the size quarters, and the smoke when I blew out the wick, wowsers! I have also heard great things about the hemp wicks, but havent tried them. Let us know how testing goes.

VOLTIVES??? Sounds like a candle you could buy in Diagon Alley from the Harry Potter books/movies, LOL!

Hmmm, I would definatly concider the quality of the wicks. I use the EcoSoya PB as well, and tried wicking with an ECO 10 and got a blowout in about 1 1/2 hrs. An ECO 6 sounds promising. Might have to make another one and try it.

It's been awhile since I used these. I do recall that I had to double wick, and I ended up not going with them cause I was worried about them getting too hot. Now that was with my soy blend. I am tempted to give them another shot w/my 415 though, and am also interested in what others have to say about this guy. Sorry I cant be more help. :undecided

Well, I dont dye my soy, but I use the 415 which is the same as the EZSoy I have been told. I have been useing the CD 14's and 16's in the jelly jars. I have tested the strawberry cheesecake (which I love but I call it strawberry shortcake cause I dont smell cheesecake in it) and it was a wicker upper in my other wax. I havent made it in my soy yet though, but based on my results with my other wax and this FO, I would probably try a CD 16. But, it doesnt look like from the pic that it has a lot of hangup on it. I think I would burn it in 3-4 hr. increments, and see if it doesnt play catch up once you hit that narrower (sp?) part of the jar. I typically wick my JJ to get a FMP in around 3 hrs. Maybe someone else will chime in with experiance w/this wax/FO combination. :smiley2:

I use the ECO's for single wicking, and the LX series for double wicking. HTH!

I have used her before. My first order went great, besides the fact that she forgot half of it! She did however resend the rest of it out, so I thought it was just a one time mistake, no big deal. My next order never came. I called and called, and emailed and emailed. No responce. I was fixing to get pretty upset and try a charge back and then all the sudden my labels showed up. I was glad to get them, but decided not to use their services anymore. I dont like slamming people, but there is definatly some problems here. :undecided If you do a search on Perky Designs here, you can read what others have experianced with this company. HTH!

Totally OT here, but TDTD, does you avatar say Santa Clause on the tombstone? If so that is so sad and sooooo funny at the same time, LOL!

WooHoo! Cant wait to whip some of this up and try it out! Maybe a new Christmas present lurking here, LOL! Thank You! :highfive: