Jcandleattic

That's a good question that I don't know the answer too. Sorry. I never really paid attention, but only use the bubble wrap rarely, so... Maybe Steve will pipe in again to help!

Okay, first yes, you can use those little pails, that's what I use. Anything that is HDPE 5 can be used. (and I think 2 - you know the number in the little triangle? use that number) Once it's cooled off, I pour it into a VERY WELL cleaned out liquid laundry jug. (which is why I only do 4lbs at a time) I wear my respirator when mixing, but I mix 4lbs of water and 4lbs of lye together. (if I'm going to add silk to my masterbatch I usually do it here as well so that it will dissolve because I soap RT - lye too) If your recipe calls for 8oz lye you would use 8oz lye solution - (you will have 8oz lye plus 8oz water - the lye is just already dissolved in the solution) Say your recipe calls for 8oz lye and 16oz water - you would use 8oz lye solution with an additional 8oz water. There is a simple equation you can use but it eludes me now. but if you typically discount and only use a 50/50 solution already, then you would only use the 8oz solution. I may not be explaining it right, but this is how I do it and I have NEVER had a problem. I have set my SM3 to know I use a 50/50 solution though, so it does all the math for me and tells me how much additional water to use as well as how much lye solution. Masterbatching has been one of the best things I have ever done!

Yes, I would. Just in case of leaks...

Ahh, Thank you. I appreciate that. I think we all make gorgeous products that fit our niche!

If you can figure it out, I would bet it would be worth it. I love it from a production aspect. The more masterbatch I have, the quicker I can go. I make small batches of soap 2-3 lbs usually is all, so I can make about 10-15 batches a day if I have enough masterbatch made up.

I just got finished masterbatching 75lbs of oils. I am pooped. It takes soo long, but so worth it (to me) not to have to weigh out each oil every time I want to soap, and just weigh a batch of masterbatch each time. (for instance - tomorrow I will only have to weigh out 32 oz of slush from my MB bucket instead of 7 individual oils) I always wait til the last minute to masterbatch too. LOL I only had 8oz left from my last big MB and with my friend coming tomorrow I needed to make some up... I also mb my lye solution as well, at a 50/50 ratio, but only do that in 4lb increments, and didn't have to do it this time. how many other Masterbatchers do we have here?

My kids used to raise goats and sheep for 4-H, and my aunt and cousin have always had a goat/sheep farm, so we can get it whenever they will give it to us. Here lately they are only raising meat goats (Boer's specifically) and not dairy goats (Love me an Alpine goat!) so they get stingy with the milk. (Meat goats don't tend to produce as much milk - basically only what they need to feed the kids - where as dairy goats usually produce in abundance)

Sometimes they deflate, but yeah, you can pour your soap right on them. When I do it though it's a one time use. I am never able to use the same bubble wrap again.

Salt bars are some of my favorite soaps!! The other oils I use could contribute to me not getting the stripping feeling too, and I would say 90% of my soaps are superfatted at 6% (8% for my skin - which is a touch oily is almost too much and I can break out - because I don't differenciate soaps as being a facial soap and a body soap. If I use it on my body - well, my face is part of my body - I use it there too! HA)

Candybee, I think you are right, but I don't add it to my milk because when I make a milk soap I use 100% freshly frozen straight from the goat milk, so if I try to add the honey to it (have tried before) it immediately re-solidifies and that's when I get the brown specks and oozies from the honey. So now when I use it I just put it in with my oils, stick-blend well before adding my lye and have never had a problem.

My main recipe has a high % of both CO & PKO but completely different than the ones posted here. My cleansing number is WAY above what most people would consider the "norm" however, my soaps are not stripping at all, with only a 6-8% SF.

When I add honey I slightly warm it and add it to my oils before the lye. Works perfectly.

I think the one I tried isn't on here anymore either, but I can't remember the name of it. Was there someone named "Grumpy Girl" on here? (Not Quiet Girl - someone different) she did an "Acid Trip" soap that used like 16 colors or something crazy like that? I think I tried one of her recipe's. but I may be thinking of a different board entirely... LOL

I know I've used one before but now can't remember which one and it's been many many years. I'll have to look at each one to try and figure out which ones I've used....

I have a dSLR, and have no clue how to use it. LOL I have tried fiddling around with it, tried reading dSLR's for dummies, tried just about everything - still just cannot grasp how to get it to work. So irritating. There is a local camera shop that offers classes that I am seriously thinking about taking just to understand how to use the dang thing. They are expensive though and the soonest I'd be able to get into one is January. I can basically turn it on and off and take crappy pictures with it. That's about it. LOL

This is a great article. Thanks for finding/sharing.

I LOVE the feel of the cured bar with clay and oatmeal, I just hate making the soap with it. LOL With my recipe it tends to get so thick so quick on me that I always think I'm doing something wrong, but it always makes great soap. I use about 3/4 a tablespoon ppo each, if that helps at all.

The presentation of how you set up for your photo shoots are absolutely stunning. I wish I was half as talented with a camera... Beautiful work - even without the presentation. That just make them POP more.

It's possible the warmer is too strong for your wax/scent combo. Or you could just be experiencing "candle nose" and the smell is actually there, but you have gotten so used to it you can't smell it (or practically anything) anymore at that point. Get some fresh air for an hour or so and see if when you come back you still can't smell it.

I've never done it or seen it done, but it sounds like a fun experiment. I've seen glitter but not epsom... Post pics if you do it!

LOL It does sound like a lot, but I masterbatch everything, so it will go by quickly. We usually start at about 8-8:30 in the morning. Break for lunch and then end the day around 5ish, so if we stay focused we can usually get everything done that we plan on doing, and have fun at the same time.

The largest part of the jar, however all dimensions will affect the way a candle burns. When I make my tea-cup candles, I wick for the middle dimension of the jar. At the beginning of the burn it will seem too small, but if you wick for that part of the candle, by the time it reaches the end it will be way too big. If you wick for the middle dimension, by the time it gets to the end, it will catch up to itself and be the perfect burn. I hope this makes sense.

I'm posting this in the Crafty section so it encompasses all crafts that we as a group may be doing this weekend. I have a good friend I met through another forum that doesn't live that terribly far from me and since March of this year, every couple of weeks/months we get together on a Saturday and just craft up a storm. (usually both candles and soaps) and on Saturday she will be coming to my house so we can get some stuff done together. Here is a list of what we have planned. (what we get accomplished may be a different story!) 1) whipped soap 2) more tuxedo soap 3) bottle up some masterbatch lotion I have 4) a batch of my "fresh fallen snow" soap with snowflake embeds 5) making up some M&P embeds for future batches 6) make some 16oz candles in container palm to test 7) I have 4 gift baskets to make up - 3 of which will be gifts requested by my aunt to give out to my mom and my mom's best friend (these 3 ladies are like the 3 amigos and are always off doing something fun together - so she will give them each a basket but didnt' want to be left out so ordered a basket for herself as well) and the 4th I am actually donating to a function for the industry I work at at my day job that will be raffled at their holiday luncheon. And after all of that IF we have time, we may end up making some lotion. It just depends on if we get done and can clean up and sanitize well enough. We may end up being too pooped to do anything else. What about everyone else? What all are you doing the rest of the week into the weekend?

I like it. Let's hear what others say!

Oh my goodness they grow up fast!! I remember going into your shop (back when it was in Arvada off of 64th!) and he was only knee-high! Welcome Justin!