Thermometre Question

[angel2211]

I know this a dumb question before i even ask it but i'm still gonna ask... I got my new scales today, and i have all my oils and lye ready to go.. Just got home and realised that I don't have a thermometre.. Only a digital one that I use for the kids when they are sick... I intend to get one tomorrow when the shops are open again BUT...hehe here it comes Can i make soap tonight without a thermometre or are you gonna tell me i have to wait one more night..... :cry2:

I'm desperate to make it and i think one more night is gonna kill me...literally...lol

[eugenia]

The way I soap, you don't need a thermometor.

Mix your lye water.

Melt your hard oils. Mix with your soft. Walk away.

Make soap when all are room temp. (Next day for me).

[angel2211]

The way I soap, you don't need a thermometor.

Mix your lye water.

Melt your hard oils. Mix with your soft. Walk away.

Make soap when all are room temp. (Next day for me).

Thanks eugenia, I'm going to attempt AJ's simple beginners soap but forgot the rotten thermometer... When you say make soap when all are room temp. Does that mean that the lard and coconut oil doesn't go hard after it's been melted???? I'm assuming it would but I have no idea...

Just wondering if i pinched the thermometer that i bought for my fish tank would that work. I also have a thermometer I bought for a salt water tank that i didn't use. Wondering if either of those would be ok....

I'd prefer not to leave my lye till tomorrow if i could help it as i have 4 children and even though i could put it up high and i know they wouldn't touch it if i told them not to, i 'd still rather be safe then sorry...

[CareBear]

You want your stuff to be warm at most - about 37-42C I think - the cooler they are the easier it is to control the trace anyway (hot=FAST). You can tell if it's just warm on the outside of the container against your hand. The hard oils will stay liquid at room temp if they are all mixed up with the soft oils. The temperature is not an exact thing.

One piece of advice I saw was to not melt the butters but to pour the hot lye over them and use it's heat to melt them thus warming the oils and cooling the lye at the same time.

The lye sol'n will be hotter than blazes and takes a long time to cool down! some stick it in the fridge but that's dangerous with kids around. I put it on the counter out of reach and keep a close eye on it till it's cool.

As foor the salt tank thermometer, be careful. If you put it into something too hot you can blow it. I wouldn't.

[angel2211]

You want your stuff to be warm at most - about 37-42C I think - the cooler they are the easier it is to control the trace anyway (hot=FAST). You can tell if it's just warm on the outside of the container against your hand. The hard oils will stay liquid at room temp if they are all mixed up with the soft oils. The temperature is not an exact thing.

One piece of advice I saw was to not melt the butters but to pour the hot lye over them and use it's heat to melt them thus warming the oils and cooling the lye at the same time.

The lye sol'n will be hotter than blazes and takes a long time to cool down! some stick it in the fridge but that's dangerous with kids around. I put it on the counter out of reach and keep a close eye on it till it's cool.

As foor the salt tank thermometer, be careful. If you put it into something too hot you can blow it. I wouldn't.

Thanks carolgrant, I'll give the fishies thermometre alone, and might wait till the kids go to bed, my computer is in the kitchen near the fridge so when they go to bed i'll put the lye into the fridge, and if i sit here I can then keep an eye on the fridge to make sure they don't go wandering in their sleep...

So that way i can wait till it's all warm and pour into something ... drats i'd better go find something i can use for a mould...lol

I'll let you know how i go

[eugenia]

If you melt the hard oils and mix with the soft, they will stay melted.

Surprising, but true.

[angel2211]

If you melt the hard oils and mix with the soft, they will stay melted.

Surprising, but true.

WOW that is very suprising.. Pulling the cupboards apart now for something i can melt it all in... I tell ya if ever there was a half a$$ attempt at soap making this is it....lmao

Why oh why did my scales have to turn up the day before i get paid :undecided

[angel2211]

I've mixed my lye and melted my hard oils. I don't think my pot is going to be big enough to chuck the sb in aswell. Just this once till i get a proper pot tomorrow. Could I mix it in a large plastic bowl????

[eugenia]

I've mixed my lye and melted my hard oils. I don't think my pot is going to be big enough to chuck the sb in aswell. Just this once till i get a proper pot tomorrow. Could I mix it in a large plastic bowl????

Yes.

[Carrie]

I mix in plastic all the time. No problem there.

I don't soap with a thermometer at all. When the lye cools I soap and if it's a well behaved FO I don't even wait for the lye to cool all the way.

[jwahlton]

If you melt the hard oils and mix with the soft, they will stay melted.

Surprising, but true.

Yup! That's how I do my master batches. And I don't use a thermometer either

[angel2211]

Thank you all so much for your replies. She's all done now i have to try to be patient which is one thing i'm not too good at. I've posted pics but not sure if it should be wrapped in towels and blankets or not, ooohhh another 24 hours at least... drats

Luckily i did put it in a plastic bowl i didn't realise it foaps up a bit, it never would of fit in my pot.