Chefmom

I'm not sure if a fragrance would come through or not. When I first started researching making pine tar soap I found that many people added tea tree to it, which is a strong scent on its own. Your best bet is to make a small batch first and then smell the soap after a couple of weeks with your fragrance to make sure they are compatible. The scent is very strong for a short while, but tames with cure time. A dirt fragrance would most likely go with it tho, pine tar soap is a fresh and earthy scent. You either love it or you hate it. I live in the woods, so I love the fresh turned earth and fresh air type scents, with a whisp of pine needles. The activated charcoal would be a good addition as well.

The specific gravity of wax and water are very different. The only liquids which are equal in fluid and weight ounces are water, milk and eggs. Maybe someday America will catch up and use milliliters and grams universally instead of the confusing fluid ounce and weight ounce, but if you tare your scale with your measure cup and fill 16 fluid ounces of hot wax and then weigh that...you will see there is a big difference between the two. If you want to make a consistent product that is repeatable, you will need to be exact in your measurements.

I think he is pouring a 3 ounce votive glass like a container candle. It sounds about right, except I would not use a glass pouring container. If you have to do that to many little candles then you will see wrist and elbow/shoulder fatigue quickly from the weight of the glass. I would use an aluminum or stainless pouring pot. Are you weighing your 16 ounces of wax? Or just filling it to the 16 volume ounces on the glass measure cup. 16 fluid ounces and 16 weight ounces are very different, especially with hot wax. Wax expands in volume when it is heated, so weights are usually the norm for mixing color and fragrance. When you say that the wax is sticking to the sides...are you wanting the wax to stay in the glass like a container candle or are you wanting to use the glass like a mold and pop the candle out of it? Votives are usually poured into a mold and popped out and sold outside of the glass. Then the customer puts them into a small tight fitting votive glass to burn them. They look like a little pillar but are softer wax and when burned are more like a container candle.

I buy mine at my local Tractor Supply, in the horse section. You just have to be sure that it says pine tar and not linament. The cans look alike.

Thanks Vicky, I'm slowly learning my way around the blog as well as facebook and stuff. It's one thing to actually learn the various crafts, but its a whole 'nother world to learn how to get it ""out there""

TT, my latest blog entry is a "walk through my gallery" with photos of some latest things, and a few older ones as well. The link is in my signature bar.

Mine is done and submitted, I'm sharing a family favorite recipe...

WOW!! Congrats on the kiln! I just looked at one a couple of weeks ago. The owner of the studio I work out of has used one to sell and I might make the plunge...finally. Great pieces!! Can't wait to see them glazed.

I've dabbled with melts...but the waste still gets to me, but I'm pretty sure for melts you want a solid when cold wax, but with a lower melt point so that it melts in the warmers easily. Maybe test the wax first by chipping off a chunk and seeing how it melts in your warmers compared to the melts you already make. That way you know if it is too hard or not before pouring it with fragrance. If it works, then vybar should help boost the fragrance hold capacity because without looking it up I'm pretty sure 1343 is only a basic 3% fragrance wax. I've used it for a pillar blend, but I still like 4625 better, so I stuck with it.

Since you use a creamy container wax and a votive wax, maybe instead of trying to make your higher basic melt point wax you can use it for a different purpose. Add some basic stearic for a more solid pillar candle that will take color very well. Or add a small amount of oil or fragrance and you can have a lightly scented mottled pillar. No, it isn't what you already use, but something different, but it would take less testing to just make that wax do something closer to what it is designed for.

I began making candles because I was buying a lot, and burning a lot. I bought different kinds from different places and my curious and observant nature noticed that not all candles burned the same. Some burned nicely, some didn't, and others looked like flame throwers and poured black soot up my wall. My tenacious nature told me...I can do better. I had meant to dabble with candles, I actually bought a slab of paraffin, molds and a few sizes of wicks. I had a few books on the shelf from the used book sales so I started studying up...went online...and lost myself in learning about wax, wicks and candles. From the beginning I never considered 100% soy...the flame thrower, that covered my wall in soot...that candle was a pure soy candle. I read about all kinds of wax, pros and cons...got myself good and confused...but I settled to test parasoy for containers and paraffin for pillars. The very first wax I bought was the Joy wax from Natures Garden. While it was an easy wax to use...it was the smell of the actual wax that turned me off. It smelled EXACTLY like the fat that I used to fill the doughnut fryer at work. If you used a cookie scent it blended okay...but you could still smell the wax through the fragrance. Plus...I was paranoid about falling in love with a wax that was available from one and ONLY one supplier...and I changed my mind about supplier only wax blends and went with waxes that are available from multiple places. So...I trialed 6006 next and never looked back. It was easy to find from multiple suppliers, it was easy to portion out with just a knife, it was almost always a one pour wax...with a hiccup here and there, but for the most part it takes color nicely, it works with several different wicks, its a beautiful white wax and I've had good luck with scents overall. I've tried the 100% soy off and on, my own blends...but I still come back to 6006, and I also use it in blends for other uses too. At the end of the day...you want a wax that produces a candle that you want. How you vision it to look, to burn, to scent and find a wax that fits that vision and works in the system you use. There are so many out there, Peaks' supplier sells 2 pound samples which is perfect to see the wax for yourself and get an idea about it before buying large quantities.

Cold Processed Pine Tar Soap Pine tar soap is a humble addition to a soap makers line. An old fashioned soap that is loved by people with sensitive skin, lovers of earthy fresh scents and even by hunters who wish to not carry human scent into the woods. I personally like to cure my soaps for 8 weeks or longer regardless of cold or hot process, so I do not bother with making pine tar soap by the hot process method. Early Spring to the start of Summer is the perfect time of year to make pine tar to tuck away and have the soap cured in time for fall hunting season as well as the dry months of Winter. Even though it sounds simple, the addition of pine tar accelerates the soap batter and without careful planning it can easily get away from you, turning from fluid to thick spackle within minutes. Careful planning and attention to detail with a distraction free window of time can see you through the process smoothly. My recipe is my own formulation, a family favorite with readily available grocery store oils in a common 32 ounce(900g) of oil formula. With the addition of pine tar outside of the oil weight it will overflow a usual 32 ounce mold, so have an individual bar mold on stand by for any left over batter. I have the recipe in grams, but refer to the soapcalc photo provided for the translation to ounces. I do not add any fragrance, for the pine tar has its own scent and many essential oils would just be lost. Ingredients: 363 grams distilled water divided into 100g and 263g 124 grams sodium hydroxide (formulated for 5% superfat) 318 grams Wal Mart GV brand Tallow based shortening with palm 136 grams coconut oil 318 grams olive oil 91 grams avocado oil 45 grams castor oil 25 grams sodium lactate 182 grams pine tar (formulated to 20% of oil weight) Equipment needed: Vessel large enough to hold a 32 ounce oil batch of soap Silicone spatula Three plastic containers for lye, water and pine tar mixture Accurate working digital scale Soap molds. I prefer the HDPE molds that come apart with individual silicone molds for back up Freezer paper if needed to line your mold, I line for the insurance aspect of it Thermometer Stick blender Chop sticks for stirring lye water Distilled water, lye and recipe oils 100% pine tar, usually found at farm and feed stores. It is used on horses hooves and in liniment formulations Saucepan to melt hard oils on the stove I start with mixing the pine tar with the 100grams of distilled water. The can is like a paint can and needs pried off with a flat screwdriver, and like paint it makes a mess of the rim. In very cold weather it will be thicker in consistency. Next, weigh your distilled water and lye, ALWAYS combine the lye into the water and stir with your chop stick until the mixture is clear. Set aside to cool. With a small spatula I stir until the pine tar and water are combined. It will look separated, but a good stir will bring it together. Set aside until needed. Keep the rim tidy by wiping it inside the groove with a paper towel or wet wipe and your screwdriver. Weigh the liquid oils into your soap bowl and set aside, then weigh the hard oils into your saucepan, break up any chunks with a heavy spatula and melt on low heat until completely melted. Allow to cool. I documented the cooling time to be between 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes in my 68F(20C) kitchen the day I made this batch. You can easily prep your ingredients, keep the lye water in a safe place and walk away until everything is cool enough to proceed. When the lye water was 90F (32C), my hard fats were hovering about 98F (36C), once I combined them with the liquid oils, the whole temperature fell to 78F (25C), which was perfect to proceed. Be sure to prep your molds if needed before you start or at this time when you are waiting for the fats and lye to cool. You need everything ready because the actual process goes very quickly. Slowly pour the lye into the oil mixture, stick blend ONLY until you see a light trace. As long as the mixture is fully emulsified and it reaches a light trace, you can proceed. Do not use the stick blender again, you will finish with only the spatula to mix the pine tar into the batter. Scrape it into the soap batter and then stir until the color is even. Once the color is even its time to pour, work steady because as you pour into the mold, you can see by the photos that the mixture will thicken in front of your eyes. In the four photos the time that went by was a mere 2 minutes between the first and fourth photo. While the beginning of the pour is quite liquid, the end of the pour is more thick, like cooked and chilled pudding. Take your spatula and help the batter into the corners of the mold. I trim the top of my loaf mold, so I overfill just a little to have a smooth cut top in the end. The thick scrapings of the bowl are pressed into the individual mold and smoothed as much as I can. I do not insulate my soap, I just allow it to set on the counter. The individuals were warm, but the loaf mold was obviously gelling, though not to the edge and the feel of the mold was also warm, but no cracking or movement at all. I made this soap in the evening, and the next morning, about 14-15 hours after it was made it was perfect to remove from the molds and to cut. I start by slicing the top level before taking the mold off the soap. I pull off the sides of the mold and then peel the liner off. The individuals pop right out with a gentle hand I just turn the mold upsidedown and gently press on the back. The one on the right was made with the very first pour of the batter, before the loaf mold. And the one on the left was the thick left over batter scrapped out of the bowl. I usually use my wire soap cutter, but this batch is for my husband, who travels for work. I cut these bars to last a little longer at 1 1/4-inch thick (3.5cm). For basic cuts I prefer using a quilters grid ruler, it comes in handy for many uses around the house and craft areas. It is easy to lay on top of the loaf, line up with the grid marks and make tic marks with the knife where I want to cut. I sliced off a thin slice as the first end cut, and cut those in half for hand washing or sample sizes. The rest were cut according to the tic marks. This photo is of a freshly made bar of pine tar and one that is 6 months old. There is very little difference between the two bars, the older one is just a touch smaller, and just a touch darker in color…but not by much. The finished bars are set on a cardboard pad and will cure open air for one week, then get packed away in their cardboard box. I prefer to cure in boxes on a shelf in my basement. While 8 weeks is my standard cure time, I really love this bar after a solid 6 months cure. The trimmed bits of soap are chopped up and then mixed into another batch of soap to make Hodgepodge or Confetti soaps. Nothing goes to waste! While pine tar can be added to any working soap recipe as an addition in any amount up to 20% of the oil weight, I have personally only made pine tar soap with this recipe. I can not say with any experience if the process is changed with a different base formulation. I think the key to success though is cool working temperatures and working quickly as soon as the pine tar is added. I hope this tutorial helps those that have not tried pine tar soap or those who have tried and run into snags along the way. It’s a classic soap for a reason and worth making for yourself. Good Luck and Get Soaping!!

My daughter makes lipsticks and getting lipstick off any surface is a royal PIA. She discovered that using a dry Mr. Clean "magic eraser" cleaning sponge seems to get if off any surface she has tried, including the porcelain stove top.

I'll be bold and sign up for April and July

oh!! DUH......the original question..... I have liquid dyes from Peaks, Candlescience and Lone Star. I don't notice any difference between any of them. Honestly I would guess that there aren't too many different manufacturers of the liquid dyes and the suppliers buy in bulk to sell to us in one ounce bottles. I can't say for sure...it's just a guess.

I use both liquid dyes and the premade chips. Yes, the liquid in the bottle smells foul, but in wax I have never picked up any scent at all. Yes, I think the liquid dyes are deeper colors than the chips. The chips are easy, but if you want to make your own colors they are harder to mix together unless it's one whole chip or just a half chip.

Those look great TAH!! I love the color. Maybe I'll get adventurous with my next one and try a swirl....

Be prepared to move quickly once the salt hits the soap, both hot and cold process move fast. So being organized is key. I personally have not found a need to use more than 50% salt to my oils per pound (16 ounces of oil would use 8 ounces of salt). I use only fine grained salt as large grains can cut you, and that isn't fun with salt right there. As for the mold size...I can take a guess...but not give a definite answer. I would think that you might cut your recipe down by 25% to compensate for the salt. OR you could make the recipe that you are comfortable with, and have some individual molds or another mold ready to go for overflow. ...oh....and be ready to cut a hot process salt bar in about 35-ish minutes and a cold process bar in just a few hours. Many people use individual molds so the bars can set up without having to cut them from a loaf. If you wait too long they crumble all over the place. The loaf will still be warm when it's cut, so don't be surprised.

Candlemaking is fun, the basic process is pretty easy to master. However...getting the wicking right. lololol that might put you in a nut house!! Your best bet is to gather up the test pack sample size of various wicks and try a few different kinds at a time. It is easier to do in mass when they are unscented...just mark the jars (and the wicks) well. Your size jar sounds like it's just a touch bigger than a votive jar, so smaller wicks are going to be the ones to test first. Also, be sure you are testing in areas without drafts. I have tested two jars with the SAME LX wick in them and have one mushroom and one burn fine. I discovered that I had my jars too close together and the draft caused by the flame burning actually messed up the other candle. It was a mistake that I had two of the same wick, but fortunately I caught that because I mark all of my wicks individually. But I noted it because I thought it was weird. You noted that the purchased tealight wick worked well. It's possible that it was a TL wick, they work very well in tea lights and votives. Finding them in sizes larger than tea light size is tough....without buying masses of custom wicks anyway... Don't forget about the old school wicks!! Flat braid and square braid can usually be bought plain untabbed and unprimed in small amounts, and that makes small testing easy and affordable. Flat braid 15 and square braid 3/0 and 2/0 burn well in small jars. I don't think I've ever had a flat braid mushroom, I usually use them for pillar candles, but have tried them in votives off and on.

I love clean, straight sided jars. Small tumblers, large straight sided ones with the glass lids, they often are double wicked. I also love the square Libby cubes and the little libbey star shaped bowls with 5 wicks. Oh...and the faceted votive one too. I buy those at Michaels. I love them with a votive or tealight because they throw such beautiful shadows.

For my pouring pots (i use them with a simple pot with water) I just wipe them clean with a paper towel as soon as I pour them empty. If a minute goes by, and the wax has set up, then I just hold it over the burner on my stove to heat the metal just enough to be able to wipe it clean. That's all I've ever done, no matter the color or fragrance and then I just rotate to the next pot. I have 5 that I rotate when I am pouring a lot. Paper towels are my best friend!

Clear Black, obviously lids are optimal, but you can even fashion a simple cover with a gum band and a piece of wax paper. I would be afraid that cling film or something would suck out the scent (not all plastics are good for scented items), but wax paper should be fine. Just something to close the top.

I'm not to the point in my bath supplies and soap making to branch out into using preservatives. I stick to things that can be safely made without them, infused oil balms and soap mainly. I do not care for most store bought lotions so I bought an unscented base from Elements Bath and Body called "triple thick nourishing lotion" and I truly love it. It is thick, but yet absorbs very quickly and never leaves me greasy and I can add my own essential oils and fragrances. It's a win win, I don't have to mess with homemade lotion and I have a product that I can personalize to boot. My picky skin loves it as well. If you ever want to know what the ingredients on the lotions are, just google them. The names may sound like official chemical things, but everything is a chemical, natural or synthetic and when making lotion there are rules to be followed for a very good reason. The things that can grow in lotion, not seen by your eye can lead to illnesses and skin infections, all natural and not much fun. The most natural way to get the oils onto your skin is to do just that, schmear oils on your skin, or a basic balm. Lotion just makes the process absorb more quickly because of its make up.

No, it's not ash. I've never seen any ash on my hot process soaps, but I've had it here and there on my cold processed ones. I first noticed it on a nettle soap that I formulated for a girl with whole body eczema who liked my nettle infused balm and asked for a soap. I made this soap, same recipe with no bloom, then she tried another of my soaps with cocoa butter and asked if cocoa butter could be added to this recipe. Well..bam...these crystal looking things (reminds me of a cross between crystals in pottery glaze and the chocolate bloom when I look at it real close) appeared while it was curing. I have always used the cocoa butter soaps in no color soaps, so I never noticed them. They don't really come off, but I do know the very first use of the soap the lather is a little weak, it seems to need a "warm up" round and after the lather is its usual.

Over the years I've played with many superfat percentages. It seems like the family prefers the 5% and I'm in the 10-20% depending on summer or winter. When I did my superfat oils/fats added after the cook I did the recipe at 3% superfat in soapcalc and then added 5% in the oil I was testing, for a total of 8%. My favorite superfat addition is cocoa butter. To me it is the most noticeably different and makes a very simple soap seem luxurious and my skin LOVES cocoa butter. However I am seeing the soaps develop what I think is bloom in storage. It's not soda ash, because its hot process soap. But every time I add cocoa butter after the cook I am seeing the crystals just like when chocolate loses its temper in storage or when it's been handled poorly. I've worked with chocolate for many years and it looks just the same to me. It's just an aesthetic thing, there is no change in the performance of the soap.