blazerina Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 Since im still learning and experimenting I've been doing just a few bars/shapes at a time. I'm guessing this is probably why my base cools so fast. But I tried to test this theory and use twice as much as usual for some really beefy massage bars (with lavender buds and Oatmeal), and had plenty left over from which I wanted to make the little icky critter soaps out of... I used metal bows and thick walled glass bowls thinking it would hold the heat inand it all cooled TWICE AS FAST it seems! Since this is my very very very first 2lb block, I grabbed one from the craft store. Is THIS why? Is it a quality thing? Maybe I am afraid to overheat it and it's not getting hot enough? As per instructions i go 40 secs ( i do it on med power in micro) then at 20 sec interals after that. It almost never needs to go longer than the first set of 20 after the initial 40. Maybe my batches are just plain and simple too small. It is a clear base with aloe and e added at the manufacturing level. ( it also doesn't suds up much.. is this normal?) Any ideas about excessive cooling? Or is that also totally normal?The great thing is, with all this cooling, then reheating and or heating more to finish filling up a mold adding to- ect... i guess that's a form of a 'layer' lol.....and so far so good. I got something right if even by accident. Nothing has fallen apart. :tiptoe: Oh by the way... my first bar was a round massage bar for hubby... sorry was too excited to get pics before putting it in the shower. Peppermint FO with Poppy seed (I call it my PP soap, lmaoo) in the massage ball part. Can I just pass on that these lil guys are rather like using an SOS pad for crying out loud!? Oh well.. ya live and ya learn and you make MORE SOAP right??!!! -Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovelyLathers Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 From what I have figured from you is that you are not melting enough the the first time to fill the mold? If you bought the 2 lb brick then it probably has been scored in little squares? If so each square is an oz. I think those massage molds hold 4 oz. then I would melt 5 squares for one of the cavities. You lose some in the heating process and the amount that sticks to the bowl. you need to heat it to a liquid form. Then pour at the same time. The skin that you are getting is the soap setting up. you will not get this if you pour at one time. Keep in mind when you pour in layers it may fall apart and you need to spray each layer with alcohol to help it hold together. The more you reheat m&p the more suds you will lose and the more brittle and drying your soap will be, It will become rubbery. You do not want this to happen. I add a teas. or sugar and castor oil to 1 lb of m&p when I melt it to help wuith suds and to add a bit of moisture. Maybe this will link will help you. Have fun with it and don't be afraid to experiment with it. It is so much fun once you get the hang of it. Hope this helps. Suehttp://www.candletech.com/basicmeltpour/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam W Posted September 2, 2006 Share Posted September 2, 2006 It is normal for small batches to cool quickly. I use the double broiler method..kinda...a pan of water on the stove and hang my pour pot by the handle on the edge of the pan. I have 3 small 1 lb pouring pots that fit nicely in the pan at the same time -- makes life easier when working with more than one color. When making 1 or 2 bars at a time, those little stainless steel creamer pitchers come in real handy...just set them in the pan of hot water and your soap will not go cold on you.BTW: I use 2 TBS of castor oil pp along with the pinch of sugar to help with lather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerina Posted September 2, 2006 Author Share Posted September 2, 2006 Looks like everyone is on the same page here... you both use sugar (and castor oil) to help with suds. That's interesting. What does the sugar do? I've read about the castor oil but never the sugar. I like putting sugar in things, lol. And yes, I think i've just been trying to experiment with too many things at once... I try to pour some kiddie shapes, pour whats left into another little pan to make a dif color.. etc...and then I try to pour a bar and I run out and you are so right, so much of it sticks to the bowl!! I hadn't thought about that. But I try to do little bits of different things because I just don't have homes for too many experiments of the same kind!And then there is the whole thing with the numbers. I HATE numbers. Surely when I bought the molds they said 4oz....surely when I bought the soap base-- any other person would have noticed 32 squares... 2lbs=32 oz... 1square=1oz, lol.. duhh. But nooo not me. I'm oblivious! Yeah I know... possibly the wrong hobby for me? Lol, which is why I went with M&P not CP!!! Thanks for the encouragement and helpful tips! -Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skg Posted September 3, 2006 Share Posted September 3, 2006 I just started making M&P, but did alot of research before I tried it and read to only pour when the temp is 130 -140 degrees... are you pouring it when its too cool perhaps? Are you using a thermometer? SandyEDT: Pouring at these temps is for layers, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublon Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 Ok.. I just poured my first batch of M&P..1 lb. I had the same problem of it cooling wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to fast. Just how liquid is this supposed to get??Or should I rephrase this.... How hot can it get before it gets ruined?????I had to rush it out of the microwave.... pour in my scent, added 2 drops of colour and barely had enough time to pour it!! I only had time to spritz one of my molds with alcohol!!I used a 32 oz Pyrex measuring cup.. the same one I used for pouring my candles!!Help please!!TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarieJeanette Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 It could be an MP quality issue, I don't know for sure. The only sure thing I do know and can offer is my own experiences with doing MP for the past 4 weeks or so. I bought all my bases from WSP and SFIC and do the double boiler method, and so far, I've never had an issue with the soap getting too cool to pour. My bottom pot with the water in it is a heavy Le Creuset pot and my top pot is a Pampered Chef, stainless steel, chocolate melting, double boiler pot, complete with handle and pouring spout. It was made to fit inside many sizes of pots and all I can say is I love that thing. I put my cut-up MP in it and put it over the Le Creuset pot full of water and turn the heat up high. Once the water's boiling, I just turn the heat to medium until the soap starts to melt, and once it's melting at good rate, I turn the heat off and take the double boiler out of the pot of water and finish melting. The Pampered Chef pot retains enough residual heat to finish melting completely. When it's as smooth as silk, I then add whatever goodies I want to add to it and stir and pour. I also use a rubber spatula to get all the soap out out of the pot and into my mold. Works great. So far, my bases have never seized up or gotten too cool to pour, and they've never become sudsy in their melted state at all either. I figure if they ever did get too cool for whatever reason, I can just put my pot back over the hot water to keep the soap melty. Re: the non-sudsyness in the pot- At first, I was bothered by the fact that my base didn't suds up upon stirring in the pot and it made me wonder if my finished soap would have any lather at all, but no worries there, as it turns out. My finished soaps lather wonderfully. I usually do only one soap at a time, too, sometimes only as little as 2 oz. It probably only takes me about 10 minutes at the very most to do a soap from start to finish (I wish I could say that about CP!) . Maybe you should try to experiment with a different base and see what happens, or try the double boiler method and see what happens with that. On my next soap, I'm going to try the sugar thing to see what happens. I just love MP! It's very forgiving and versatile, and lets me go to the boundaries in experimentation. MarieJeanette Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michi Posted September 11, 2006 Share Posted September 11, 2006 Ok.. I just poured my first batch of M&P..1 lb. I had the same problem of it cooling wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy to fast. Just how liquid is this supposed to get??Or should I rephrase this.... How hot can it get before it gets ruined?????I had to rush it out of the microwave.... pour in my scent, added 2 drops of colour and barely had enough time to pour it!! I only had time to spritz one of my molds with alcohol!!I used a 32 oz Pyrex measuring cup.. the same one I used for pouring my candles!!Help please!!TIA!Geesh, this is weird to me. ?? How much soap did you melt? I always try and use glass b/c it holds the heat longer than the plastic measuring cups, but at times wish I'd used plastic when I want it to cool faster. I've never ever had a problem with mine cooling too fast, unless I'm only melting a teeny tiny bit (like a couple of ounces for "painting"/filling in details on soaps).I use SFIC bases, just the basic white and clear, nothing fancy. I may have to buy some from Michaels just to "see" how it acts, cuz I'm really wondering why you're all having such a hard time with it setting up too quickly. :undecided I only use sugar and/or castor oil when I add butters to my base, otherwise my lather is good without those ingredients. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublon Posted September 22, 2006 Share Posted September 22, 2006 3rd time lucky!!!! Yippppeeeeeeeeeee.. I got it!!!! :whoohoo: I made my second batch with the double broiler.. with a thermometer..just to check the temp that it melted at!Then I retried in the microwave... just a half a pound though!! But it went super smoothly!! I had plenty of time to add my colour and FO!!The only thing I messed up on this time, was the alcohol!! So I guess I'll have to learn to pour with one hand and spray the alcohol with the other..I've just bought 8 pounds of goats milk M&P.. so guess what I'm doing this weekend!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawaiiansun Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 Weird, I've been making M&P for over a year and have never had it harden fast. I use a pyrex measuring glass cup, nuke it and I have enough time to stir in my added oils, fo, eo whatever I'm adding, before I pour. If you're doing layers, of course what's in the glass will harden after you pour your 1st layer, so you need to reheat it, spritz your 1st layer with alcohol then pour. Be sure your 1st layer is set before you pour over it or it'll seep right in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dublon Posted September 23, 2006 Share Posted September 23, 2006 I think my problem, was that I simply was not letting it get hot enough in the mircrowave!! I was sooooooooo afraid it would boil in there!!Once I did it in the double boiler and saw just hot it could get, I was fine after that!! I too use a pyrex measuring cup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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