Best type of soap mold?

[mparadise]

I am sure this is probably a loaded question (right up there with which wax is "best") but which type of soap mold is best - especially for a newbie? I have been surfing the net and found wood, wood with the silicone liners, and the white "plastic" ones that are made out of cutting board material. Is any one easeir to use? I am leaning toward either silicone or the palstic only to avoid having to line them.I just want to get opinions because I think I am going to ask DH for a mold for Christmas.

Also, I have a few of Milky Way tray molds that I use for M&P soaps. Will these safely hold up to the heat of CP?

Thanks in advance!!

[Barbara AL]

I love my Silvermoon Soap mold they are silicone lined.

Silvermoon was out of business for a while but they are back up running again. I believe the website is Silvermoon soap molds.

Here is the website. I have the 7 1/2 X 10 1/2 X 2 inches deep it is a slab mold and holds 38 ounces of oils makes 9 bars of soap 3 1/2 X 2 1/2

http://silvermoonsoapmolds.com/oscommerce/catalog/index.php?cPath=23&osCsid=cd8bb111aa9e36695d68dbe8558f3d9b

Barbara AL

Edited December 7, 2009 by Barbara AL

[Carriegsxr6]

I think the log molds are the best.

[Kitn]

If you are just starting out i think wooden log molds would be great . If you or someone you know is handy , you can make them for a couple of dollars . Line them with freezer paper and start making soap .

[JimJuris]

I think that the answer depends on how much you want to spend and how big of a soap mold you are looking for.

I started out using a quart milk carton, when I took a class on making soap. No lining the soap mold. The disadvantage is that it is only a one time use mold.

Another disadvantage of using a quart milk container is that you do have to like milk or have family members or friends that purchase quart containers of milk. I am talking about the cardboard type of milk containers.

I have also used wooden containers and cardboard boxes that I line with freezer paper.

I own a wooden soap mold which I use now. I still have to line it with freezer paper, but to me that is no big deal.

[mparadise]

I was hoping to spend no more than $50-60 for a good quality soap mold (and maybe a cutter set depending on what I spend on the mold) that would last and produce a consistant sized bar that I can also use with my M&P soap loaves to keep everything an even size. Am I being realistic? I have seen some molds that were over $100 each - yes, most of those were multi-log molds that I don't need YET but some singles were $75 each but I have also seen wooden molds for $18 each. Should I just start with one of the less expensive ones to play with in the beginning and save the big investment until I need/want the multi-loaf molds? I just am not sure where to start.

[Kitn]

Bed Bath and Beyond has sock organizers in the shape of a log mold , they work very well for $8.00 . That and a mitre box would get you started . Lot os people start with a silicone loaf pan or cardboard box .

[mparadise]

Are those like the plastic drawer organizers alot of people use in their kitchen drawers to organize serving utensils, etc? If so I already have 8-10 of those that I use for 4 lb MP soap logs that I got at the $ store. I didn't think I could use those for CP because they aren't thick/insulated like the wood would be. If I can use those is there anything special I would need to do? Woudl I need to find something to use as a cover or could I leave them uncovered like I do for my MP chunk soaps.

[topofmurrayhill]

The ideas people are throwing out are all good. Every approach has its advantages and disadvantages that you might have to adapt to. Sometimes it's hard to know what you really prefer until you get started.

I do have a thought for you since you are concerned about lining the mold. An HDPE mold that can be disassembled theoretically might not need a liner, but depending on your recipe and technique it doesn't always work out well. I think this approach may be a little overrated. It's generally better for the mold to be lined regardless of the type.

What I would focus on if I were you is re-usable lining. Some types of molds are sold with it. You can also get high-heat acetate from an art or craft supplier and cut pieces to fit your mold. They are easy to put in place and last for many batches.

[Kitn]

Are those like the plastic drawer organizers alot of people use in their kitchen drawers to organize serving utensils, etc? If so I already have 8-10 of those that I use for 4 lb MP soap logs that I got at the $ store. I didn't think I could use those for CP because they aren't thick/insulated like the wood would be. If I can use those is there anything special I would need to do? Woudl I need to find something to use as a cover or could I leave them uncovered like I do for my MP chunk soaps.

They are a clear material . I have made soap in kitchen organizers , you just need to put the fresh soap on a towel and insulate it / cover it up with a towel , if you want it to gel. As a rule I insulate my wood molds too .

Edited December 9, 2009 by Kitn
typo

[tootie04]

I guess I am old fashioned....I LOVE my misty creek mold and my wood log molds...I wouldnt trade them for anything. I line my molds the old fashioned way too...freezer paper.

[mamazele]

I like log wood molds, they last forever and are easy to use and you can even get cutters that fit the size of the mold exactly.

[mamazele]

also I also line them with wax paper, maybe its old fashioned but I think its the best

[chuck_35550]

I love my Kelsei.

[LuminousBoutique]

I love my wood log molds lined with freezer paper.. my husband made them custom for me (we used solid wood trim that was already precut, sanded, and the right widths.) They are the perfect size and I dont mind lining my molds every time, it ensures I never have a problem getting it out of the mold! We even made lids for them using the same wood trim and a drawer pull! All in all the project only took 30-40 minutes and it cost us the price of one store bought wood mold to make 5 of our own.

I've tried using PVC pipes before and I loved the results but had problems with unmolding it, what a pain! Sticking it in the freezer helped but it was still more trouble than I would have liked to go to through.. although I made the mistake of leaving them 2' lengths and I think if I sawed them in half and just poured into two 1' lengths it would be really practical and something worth trying again. One really nice thing about PVC soap is the rounds are the perfect size to use coffee filters to wrap. You just place a coffee filter on top of a roll of duct tape, place the soap in the center, and press down! It wraps around and stick on a round label-done!

I dont think there is a perfect mold for all applications but my wood molds are pretty reliable!

[Starr]

I've been using PVC as I already had it on hand but am looking at getting a wooden log mold. I agree that it really depends on what you want and what you're comfortable with.

[8-GRAN-ONES]

i have several types...

upland log...which is the easiest to use...because of the silicone liner

upland slab...

tog mold with dividers..

ikea log molds...

you can't beat the price...if you live close to an IKEA store, you can get 9 log molds..3.75" wide.. 2"deep... 9" long..for $15.00

i started out lining with funky foam..that worked fine until i started gelling all my soaps...then it started warping the foam..so now i line with freezer paper...

i like them all...but i use the ikea log molds the most, because they are more the size i like my bars to be...

have fun...it never stops...and you always want to try something new..

[mparadise]

IKEA!!!!! I love that store and have one about an hour from me. What would I look for there as molds?

I had thought about the round PVC molds but wasn't too sure how miserable it would be to get out. I had also looked at the plastic downspout "pipe" because I like the shape but wasn't too sure on that either. I may just pick up some paper and start with the plastic drawer organizers I use for M&P soap for now since I have a TON of older towels that we use in our camper but are now in the house for winter storage. I can always go from there and get a better mold once I get hooked and have time to decide what look I want while I play with recipes/ingredients to decide which will work best for me. I was just waiting to get molds to start playing since I have everything else I need. Now I just have to see if DH has a pair of safety glasses on his tool shelf that I can steal - if not I can run to home depot for that easily enough.

Thank you for all the recommendations! You have given me a lot to think about.

[8-GRAN-ONES]

it will look like a small organizer box...and all 9 drawers fit into it..

it is only about 12 x 12 overall..

if i can find a picture i will post..

[8-GRAN-ONES]

here is a link with a picture..

http://www.craftserver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71193&highlight=ikea

[mparadise]

OH!!! I know exactly where those are in our local store! I had looked at them to organize my workshop supplies (wick holder clips, extra wick tabs, etc). I may need to take a ride out there this weekend and see what I can come up with. Plus I need to get some more of the little wooden soap dishes from there that I use for my soap gift sets anyway.

[inherowndominion]

If your just starting off, don't go buying expensive soap molds because likely hood is, you'll have to perfect your recipe and you'll have a preference for one bar shape over another, whether it's beveled and so on.

Honestly, go to a warehouse club or Aldi or some other such place and grab some cardboard boxes and line those puppies, that's what I did before I went and bought linerless molds, then eventually went back to the old school wooden ones. Cardboard boxes come in all shapes, sizes and depths...so you'll have a good selection.

Keep in mind, IMO, if you are going to swirl CP soap, the more shallow the mold the easier it is. Trying to swirl a soap that sets up quickly is hard enough, but swirling it when your mold is 4" deep is even harder. But shallow molds are generally harder to cut the soaps evenly, there's always a trade off!

I know there's a place that sells milkway type molds that are shallow and makes 4oz bars, but again, it's an expense, and then what if you hate it?

As far as M&P molds, I have used them for CP before, but they ALWAYS end up warping over time. They are good for awhile, depending on what kind of CP you are doing. If you insulate, then it's going to get hotter and warp faster. I know some CP makers don't insulate at all, I do, so mine warped pretty quickly.

For a newbie, I still think cardboard boxes are the way to go!

HTH

[mparadise]

Well, all my stressing about which mold was best got taken care of. Santa left 2 wooden log molds under the tree this morning!! Now to learn how to line these bad boys so I can start to play. VERY excited!!!

[BestBee]

I'm using a cardboard box for now, and I don't mind lining it with freezer paper because it's easy clean up for me.

I want to try PVC and make my own wooden log mold soon.