Chibichibi Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I started making soaps not too long ago, and accidentally ordered fractionated coconut oil instead of the regular coconut oil. After I realized my mistake I still decided to use it and use This calculator, and I've done everything right for a hot process recipe, I have a book in front of me at all times.It still comes to trace and is the nice consistency that I got when I used palm kernel oil as half of my base oil.However, 5 minutes after my soap has come to trace the surface is still trace, but the underneath has liquefied. I stir it back up using my immersion blender, and it starts to rise, I take a spoon to it, and then all of a sudden it's nearly solid on me and impossible to mix my color into. I used about a tablespoon of Apricot Kernel oil as a superfatting agent but the problem still happened even before I started using the apricot.Can anyone tell me why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Are you using the SAP for FCO? It is different than for coconut 76. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chibichibi Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 SAP?I'm using the calculator that I provided the link for, and I am using the right section. When I have regular coconut oil on it with my other oils it tells me to use about 4.6 ounces of lye, but with the fractionated it tells me to use 5.6ish. I am using the right amount of lye, I'm following this thing directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 You didn't want that soap anyway.Of all the fatty acids contained in coconut oil, the ones they remove to create FCO make the most drying and skin-irritating soap possible, not to mention kind of acrid-smelling. It's perfectly fine as an oil, but you should never use it for soaping.I don't do HP, but FCO will accelerate cold process so I assume it's simply making your batch seize up and separate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chibichibi Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Bless you. Finally an answer to my problem.I guess i wasted the money on it then, but I'm sure i can find someone that can use it.Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darbla Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I don't know how long you have to be here before you can sell in the classifieds, but that's an option for finding a home for your leftover FCO. Better yet, look around for ideas to use it so you can develop another addiction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Top why would it accelerate trace? Typically I see that with oils high in stearic, but clearly (pun) FCO doesn't have that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topofmurrayhill Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Top why would it accelerate trace? Typically I see that with oils high in stearic, but clearly (pun) FCO doesn't have that...It's just something I noticed empirically, but I assume it's because FCO is almost 100% saturated fatty acids, which always saponify pretty quickly. Since these are the shorter-chain fatty acids, they are liquid at room temperature but nevertheless have a very long shelf life.Everything I know about soaping FCO, I learned the hard way, lol. Later I found some industry literature that described everything I observed.We all know that coconut oil has a bad side if you don't use it well. If you were to take the worst of that bad side and distill it out, what you'd have is FCO.Interestingly, what remained would be a better soaping product than coconut oil, albeit an expensive one. Such a thing actually exists and has a trade name that I've forgotten, but it's not easily obtainable. If anyone happens to know a supplier that sells it, I'd love to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SixThreeFive Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 How do I know what coconut oil I'm using?The stuff I buy is rather cheap, 100% fat, smell and tasteless. It's solid at room temperature, but melts around 30-40'C. A lot of people use it in cooking, I know that, especially LCHF-ers have it as a standard frying oil. I use it as shortening when baking, because it's the only 100% fat that's solid that I know of being sold over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 If it's solid at room temp it's most likely the 76. Fractionated doesn't solidify at all, and the 92 solidifies at... 92!What are "LCHF-ers"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SixThreeFive Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 LCHF is a diet. It's Low Carb, High Fat. Basically, they eat no or next to no carbs, and the main part of their diet is fat (and proteine). Butter, cheese, coconut fat, dairy cream, etc. It's sort of the oposite of mainstream "healthy" diets.It's very popular here right now, for weightloss, and seems to be working for a lot of people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Course they'll all drop dead of heart attacks, but I guess you have to die of something!(if it sounds too good to be true...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 If it's solid at room temp it's most likely the 76. Fractionated doesn't solidify at all, and the 92 solidifies at... 92!What are "LCHF-ers"?Well if you refrigerate it, FCO can start to turn into a solid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CareBear Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 seriously? that makes no sense to me but I believe you. well kinda - now I have to go home and put my FCO in the fridge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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