kkentert

I just used ECOs for the first time, but I was using them with Golden Brands 464. I LOVE them. I think they're the nicest wicks I've used, but again, you're talking about a different wax than what I've been testing. I think I was using CSNs with my EcoSoya 135.

Beautiful! I want to eat them though...

Great site had lots of helpful info...

Kay

Thanks Kay-

It's a work in progress. Doesn't get the attention it deserves, but I hope to put a lot of work into it soon.

Kevin

I use a superfat of 7%

Barb

Thanks! I'll give your recipe a try instead of rolling over and accepting defeat.

Have you tried any other milks? I've read good things about heavy cream, buttermilk and coconut milk.

I've only used goat milk. It's SOOOOO amazing, I figure why bother with anything else. Plus, I feel it has a nicer "ring" to it to say goat milk & honey, rather than "heavy whipping cream & Honey" Though I can see the whipping cream making a nice soap - I'd be nervous of the cream tracing before it ever even got to the oils....

Cindylou,

What type of mold do you use? Why do you say they look unfinished?

I've found a couple of things-

1- People like a hand made look when they buy natural, vegan/veggie soaps.

2- If you use a "loaf" mold, instead of a sheet mold, and you cut them with a home-made "soap miter box" they look great. Every bar is almost identical, except for the tops.

Hello everyone!

Not to advertise or anything but I just received Milk soapmaking by Ann L Watson. I love it so far. New info for me! But seriously so far i like the book.

Dan

It's a great book, With Susan Miller Cavitch's two books, they are the 3 references I use.

Here is one I just made

42% palm

20% CO

12% Castor

8% Canola

5% Cocoa Butter

13% Olive Oil

Hardness 43

Cleansing 14

Conditioning 54

Bubbly 25

Creamy 40

Iodine 56

Palmitic 24

Ricinoleic 11

Oleic 34

1 Tablespoon Bentonite Clay per pound of oils I use Distilled Water or Aloe Vera Juice and hold out 2 ounces of Heavy Whipping Cream to add at Trace.

Barbara AL

Barbara AL, What % superfat did you use?

I tried my first shave soap about a year ago, and was soooo disappointed at the results I haven't made another since. I should have tried someone elses recipe first instead of making one up!

In my bright and infinite wisdom, I grabbed the WRONG freakin' buckets. I grabbed the ones for the

ACTUAL soap and not the EMBEDS!

So least to say the 2 PVC pipes are 45% superfatted with a 59% water discount!

I'm gonna attempt to rebatch them and add the additional water and lye to see if it will work.

Most that happens is that it won't and get pitched...

but hey... with that superfat, I still would've pitched it...

They do have some creamy a$$ bubbles though!:rolleyes2

SO to all the newbies, even after 8 years, I still make mistakes. That's just part of the learning process.

I HAVE LEARNED!!!!

p.s. the Oats Goats and Bees is a nice creamy color now. 24 hours later.

Oh No! That stinks. What size batches were they?

I'm also new to soap making and took the plunge about a month ago or so. I have about 8 batches under my belt now. I started by reading, reading, reading... There are tons of threads on this forum for beginners, as well as some good tutorials in the tutorial section. I am having so much fun, and I have more soap than I know what to do with! Good luck.

Be very careful if you start making goat's milk soaps.....they're more work, but you'll be soooo addicted to them you'll find yourself making them non-stop. you'll become a slave to the milksoaps!

Hi I am wanting to start making soap but I am not sure where to even start. And anyone suggest what would be best for a beginner.

You can check out my website - http://www.colormekevin.com/soap

I don't sell anything there, and I haven't redone the site in YEARS (I'm going to put up a new, more updated how to guide soon, as well as some videos - the site was made when I was a bit more of a newbie without the experience I now have) but if you click soapmaking 101, there is a step by step with pictures.

I'll put up some recipes within the next couple weeks to.

Also, get Susan Miller Cavitch's 2 books on soap making - you can get them at any bookstore, or on amazon. They're AMAZING for a first time soaper, or someone who's advanced.

Hope that helps.

Not sure about Soy, but with Feather I find that some FO's require a different wick to others at the same loading.

My point being that even when you find which one is 'right' after you change your FO loading, you may still find that different FO's may work better with a different wick.

Bart70

Gotcha. With that said, I think I'm going to pick out 5 or 6 scents and stick with JUST those from now on.

I'm sure there's another thread that already has this-so I will look, but what are everyone's best sellers?

Thanks again everyone.

Thanks! I guess that makes sense, and was kind of the answer I was expecting, but I thought maybe I'd get a general statement, like "usually, if you add more fragrance, you need a bigger wick." But I should probably not try and shortcut tests...just make a new candle with the increased scent, and test it the same wa as the one with less scent...go up in size if it looks like I need to.

The FO needs a bigger size wick than you use most of the time. Like how Eve mentioned she starts at Eco 6, then Eco 8 is one size up for her, and then Eco 10 is two up.

Thanks Darba!

I should have been able to put that together...

What's Wicking Up mean?

I apologize for my ignorance.

25 views and no thoughts? :-P

Hey guys- so this is probably the most BASIC question about wicking, but I'm more of a soap maker, not a candle maker, and I'm just starting to do burn tests (in the past, I just made candles and let them burn as they did)

So here is my question.

If you find a certain wick does well in a certain soy wax with 1oz FO, and you decide to go to 1.5 or 2oz FO, Do you almost ALWAYS increase the wicksize, or would you sometimes decrease it?

I'm guessing it will always stay the same size or get larger. Input?

Thanks!

PS- I've been lurking here for a few days. Lots of great info. Thanks for having such a great forum!