Jcandleattic

I love it!!

Okay M&P peeps, I typically only make embeds out of M&P and usually only 1 colored chunks. What I am wanting to do is make some of the embeds a little more fancy. Like little butterflies, however, I don't really want an only 1 colored butterfly. When I try to pipe some soap down into the grooves of the mold with my dropper (like a black outline for the body and outside wings) so that I can then cover with a pretty yellow or whatever, the soap gets too thick/hard too quick and ends up clogging the dropper. Any suggestions on how to keep it liquid longer so I don't have to keep melting/remelting and unclogging my dropper? TIA

When I make it I will. Not sure when I'll get around to it.

LOL I looked at this site - https://americansoapsupplies.com/molds-soap-making-cake-making/tall-skinny-mold-TS-mold-silicone-vertical-soap And their description is 2.25" x 3.75" x 12 which is right about what I want, but I think I'll make the height 4". It says it can hold 60oz of liquid, which will be just about right for my 2lb oil batch. (that way I can make a fancy top too.

Does anyone know the typical dimensions of a TSM? I came across some (FREE) coroplastm from a friend who no longer needed it, so I have enough to probably make about 15 molds all different shapes and sizes, but am most interested in making a TSM. However, I don't have any idea of dimensions. I'm thinking maybe 2.25" wide, 3.25" tall? Is that typical? Or am I completely off base? TIA

SoapCalc is one of the better online, free options. If you are just starting out, I would say that yes, that is probably the best one to experiment with. I use Soapmaker3 (a paid for software system that is more than just a lye calculator) but when I first got it, I made sure that it was comparable to SoapCalc. After a few adjustments, it was, and after a few weeks I was comfortable enough with it that I didn't' need to compare every change and nuance with each other.

IDK - it's almost impossible to narrow it down to just 3! (That's why we all have SO MANY fo's) Hmm, maybe I'll try narrowing it down to my top one in each category. Snow Witch - Mad Oils (winter/holiday) Fruit Slices - Peak (Summer/Fruit) Ocean/Moonlight Path (Spring/Spa - custom blend using Peaks oils) Okay, this list took me over 30 minutes to try and think long and hard about which ones I loved enough to call my "favorite" and of course, it's subject to change daily based on mood and other factors, but those 3 seem to be ones I always like no matter what.

What size diameter are your pillars? I love my flat braids for my paraffin pillars. Sometimes they do seem to curl to one side, so when prepping my mold, I twist them. That way they twist when burning, and I get a better, more even burn that way.

I've never used the starburst palm that Top is talking about, so I can't speak to that, but all the other types of pillar palm wax I've used (Quartz, Tortoise shell, feather, etc.,) I've never had a problem with them coming out of the molds. They always just slide right out. You can do as Top suggested and try adding 2% stearic to help with release. Also, how do you prep your molds? Maybe a little spray with silicone or mold release will help and you won't need the added stearic. Personally, I would skip the vybar altogether. I really don't think it will give you any added benefit, and would just be an unnecessary step and product you don't need.

I always soap at 33%, and do the same for my beer, milk and any alternate type of liquid. It WILL move fast, so be aware of that, but as long as you are prepared for a fast moving soap, you should be fine. Also, like GM soaps, it does get hot. (Probably hotter than gm, not really sure) so i don't force gel or cover. I let sit on my counter uncovered.

First couple of questions - why would you want to use either in Palm wax? What is it you are trying to achieve by using these additives to your Palm? Palm is so high in stearic already it hardly seems necessary to use it in Palm wax, and I honestly would have no idea what vybar would bring to the table. Vybar is usually a binding agent to help bind FO to the wax, but I've never felt it necessary to bind my fo to palm wax because it takes the FO so well and throws both hot and cold without any additions, I've never even considered using vybar. Probably the differences in the stearic is one would be vegetable derived, and the other tallow derived. Those are the only 2 instances of stearic I've ever seen.

Ahh, that's sweet. I try to help when I can.

Yes, yes, and yes. Much more bubblier and creamier. Not sure about gentle, that would depend on your oils, I guess, but definitely bubblier but with the feel of lotion almost. IDK, it's just so nice! I love it.

I think joy is right, you might be poking too soon. I wait until there is a pretty thick skin before poking the relief holes, and then do my repour. I've never had a problem with them not filling. I've been working with this wax since I started making pillars almost 17 years ago. I don't have transparency issues with 4625 but do with 1343. I pour the 4625 initial pour between 190-195 and the repour around 200 - no problems. You could try adding some strearic to the wax to help with the opacity, that usually works for me with the 1343.

I have never cooked or heated my beer. I weigh it out, let it set out for a day or 2, add a touch of salt (helps flatten it quicker) and then freeze it. I use it as 100% of my liquid for my lye solution, and it does speed things up a touch for me, but that's fine with me, I've never had a problem with it accelerating too badly due to the alcohol content. You should be fine adding it to trace. It will heat things up though, so I never cover mine, and typically I always make it in a slab mold. Good luck when you make it, and of course, I want pics!!

2281 is a blended paraffin - straight paraffin as in no other WAX is added (such as soy or palm, or even another paraffin), but that additives have been blended in. 1343A is a straight paraffin - no additives - very versatile and a nice wax to work with.

Oh, Candy you HAVE to make a beer soap!! It is so nice! I love my stout and my BLL beer soaps. I use Murphy's Irish stout for my stout beer soaps and Bud Light Lime - scented lime of course - for my regular beer soaps. Man o man are they nice. I love them. Which reminds me, I need to make more. (I'll put it on the ever growing list! LOL)

For me it's the same as it has been for the last several weeks. Getting some masterbatch oils made up and organizing my basement (still). We are getting closer to getting the shelving, so that's a plus. Not much else. I've also decided that since my hairdresser rarely cares what scent her candles are, and she always gets 2, that I am just going to make up a bunch of them with the sample scents I've gotten and have never done anything with other than buy larger bottles. I just have to get them done. LOL

I honestly think your main problem may be too much FO. Just because a wax can hold 10% doesn't mean it should. I know plenty of people that get a great scent throw with that wax with 6% or less FO and don't have the problems you are having using any of the wicks mentioned. Maybe cut back on the FO and try again with either a 44z or a CD8 and see how that goes. That will probably help/cure a lot of your problems with the wicking issue.

As the others have said, Wellington is an established company, but I've not used them, and have never heard of Piping Rock.

Yes, my hub ended up going to Wal-Mart to get it for me. He got the Olivari brand, but I still ended up not doing anything. I just cleaned and did laundry all weekend.

How badly is it flickering? Is it just flickering a tiny bit or is it really dancing around? If there is no AC or ceiling fan on and it's just flickering a bit here and there, then that's normal, but if it's really dancing around, then IDK. With that wax, in that jar, a 44z or a CD 8 should work.

Honestly don't know but in my best guess I would think it would be like lard and not really go bad. If there is no rancid smell, I would think it would be okay for soaping.

How much scent did you add? It's really hard to "burn off scent" unless you have your wax at high temps for a very long time. Have you been exposed to your scents for a long time? Maybe you can't smell them because you have what we chandlers refer to as "candle nose" which basically means if you are over exposed to a scent you can lose the capacity to smell it. Are these container candles? Just curious as you have a pillar wax in your blend. It would be helpful to know the percentages of your blend also, to help hone the answer.

If I can't get a hold of my sister, I will go to Walmart, but I like getting it at Sam's because she is some sort of district manager, and she gives me her discount.