Calling all M & P experts

[katshe]

Please share your method of melting your soap base that works best for you.

I am heating mine in the microwave in a large glass bowl chunked up first of course..and have a time getting it to totally melt and stay melted...i am heating about 35 ounces at a time and it always seems to have lumps in it and gets gooey and hardens up in the middle ugh!

[scrochet]

I'm not an expert but here goes. I melt mine in 30 second bursts and after each time i take the soap out and stir the soap. When the soap is almost done.....only a few lumps left, I take the soap out and stir til the lumps are all gone. I usually have time to work with it before it starts to set up. Maybe if you are just heating without stirring it might be getting to hot.....just a thought. Hope this helps.

Sheli

[rebeccajo99]

I use a presto to heat my m&p. I used to use a microwave until I got the presto. Heat for a little longer, (try 10 to 15 second bursts) until it stays liquid for you. Sounds like it is cooling before your ready to pour it in the mold.

Do you have a thermometer? Check with the manufacture of you m&p on the highest temp. you can get your m&p before its too hot. THat way you can take a reading to see if it can go a little hotter to keep it liquid for you too.

Edited September 8, 2010 by rebeccajo99

[Candybee]

It just means you need to keep heating your base when you still have chunks.

All microwaves are different so heating is going to vary. For me, I have a small micro and put my soap chunks in a large glass pyrex measuring bowl/cup and heat in bursts of 50 seconds. Take out, stir, and repeat. For 2 lbs (32 oz) or more it takes a couple minutes or so of heat bursts. Plus, stirring in between bursts will tell you if you have any chunks left. Keep heating until there are no more lumps. Be sure you always cover your melting bowl with saran wrap when melting in the microwave to keep it from drying out.

I suggest you get yourself a soap melter or presto pot to melt your base in. If you are doing 2 lbs or more it gets tiresome to heat in the mircro and chunks become problematic. I use a soap melter I bought from Michaels. I makes melting so much easier.

[katshe]

i will be going to michaels then to check out this presto melter...can u tell me how long it takes to melt 2 lbs of soap candybee?

I have a super small micro so maybe thats the prob...the soap base seems to start to melt very well around the edge but the middle seems to chunk together , so I try to break it up and stir best I can but it is such a pain and i am worried that the part that is liquid is going to get too hot in the process of getting the rest to melt.

I have been doing between 30 and 40 seconds at a time...seems to take a lot of time ...hmmm

Edited September 8, 2010 by katshe

[Noodle]

I have a large melter that is great. Before I had the melter, I used the microwave with great results. Do not let the soap boil and mix frequently.

[TheWickedWick]

I use the double-boiler method.

[katshe]

Ok I'm not mixing it when I do the first three rounds at 30 sec ...i will give the stirring a try first ...

the wicked wick ...can you elaborate on the double boiler method please.

I do my wax in a pouring pop that I set in a pot of boiling water with a large mason ring at the bottom to keep it off the bottom of the pot...is it similar to that ...i dont know how much soap will fit in that 4 lb melting pot but it seems when soap is cut into small pieces it grows lol.

[TheWickedWick]

The way you do your wax is pretty much the same thing except I don't put a mason ring in the bottom..never thought about doing it. I use my 4 lb pour pot also. With some of my designs I'll melt about 40 oz. in one...as the little chuncks melt down you'll have plenty of room for stirring, adding fo, etc. The reason I like the dbl boiler method is I can keep my thermometer in it to keep track of my temps. It's just the way I started doing it and it works for me.

[katshe]

Thanks TheWickedWick...I am going to give that a go...it would be much easier to pour it from the melting pot than the large bowl I have been using...

Can u give me an idea how log it takes to totally melt ...say, 35-40 ozs in the melting pot?

My only concern is getting every last drop of soap out of it...I'm such a freak that way! :rolleyes

Edited September 8, 2010 by katshe

[TheWickedWick]

Gee..I don't really know how long it takes..I never really timed it. Maybe 5-10 minutes. I do it over simmering not boiling water. I remove it from the water bath when there is a few chuncks unmelted and keep stirring. The heat will melt the remainding soap bits.

Good luck...it is much easier pouring with a spout rather than from a bowl.

[katshe]

thanks to all...I'll be soaping first thing in the am

[TheWickedWick]

Have fun and let us know how it went.

Karen

[katshe]

I ,ll be back later to let you know how it went with my pouring pot.

[soapmom25]

I used heavy/thick pyrex and melt in the m/w. For a full pyrex (melts down to about 24 oz) I will put it in for 3-4 minutes. I do not have the patience to go in 30 sec. bursts and stir each time. I also use smaller pyrex (16 oz when totally full/melted) and those can zap for 1.5 - 2 min. I never have a problem. The soap doesn't boil, scorch, etc. I also do not add dye or scent until it's liquid though. I've been doing this method for nearly 10 years now. I tried the presto and it was just too messy and awkward for me. I know it works great for others, so you should definitely try it and find what works best for you

I use the "double boiler" method when I'm doing a large batch of all one color/scent. I bought nesting stock pots and put water in the bigger one and put the soap chunks in the med. sized one. I can melt down 20 lb. using that method and it's wonderful because I end up with perfectly matched color batches! When that's melted and colored (I add dye right in the pot) I pour that into a large plastic tub. I let that cool and then chunk it up to remelt in the pyrex (m/w) to pour into the molds. Again, I don't have problems with sweating or anything. The soap is never "over heated"

[elfcat]

For small batches, I use the glass pyrex and microwave to melt. For larger batches over a pound I have a soap kettle from Life of the Party. Works really well and melts the soap fast.

[katshe]

Ok ...Success...I used my melting pot in a pan of water with a large mason jar ring to sit on... simmering on lowish, I melted 35 ounces of M&P soap in about 8-10 minutes , stirring it while it melted, The soap melted wonderfully like milk consistancy!

Whohoo...Now that is what I was after...finally I can make soap easier.

It poured like a dream into the mold...

thanks to all again for all your help...Now my next adventure is to make little samples poured into those little take out salad dressing type containers.

[TheWickedWick]

Way to go Katshe!! It's my favorite melting method and works like a dream for me too!! Congrats.

Karen

[Candybee]

I used heavy/thick pyrex and melt in the m/w. For a full pyrex (melts down to about 24 oz) I will put it in for 3-4 minutes. I do not have the patience to go in 30 sec. bursts and stir each time. I also use smaller pyrex (16 oz when totally full/melted) and those can zap for 1.5 - 2 min. I never have a problem. The soap doesn't boil, scorch, etc. I also do not add dye or scent until it's liquid though. I've been doing this method for nearly 10 years now. I tried the presto and it was just too messy and awkward for me.

Thanks for posting this. I tried it out today and put 30 oz in my large pyrex cup and zapped it for 2 minutes. I had to heat another 2-3 minutes but didn't mind cause it was so much quicker doing it this way. I checked the base temp and it was cooler than my melter would have been. So now I know I can melt my base much quicker in the micro and don't have to do the 30, 40, 50 second blasts, etc.

[COJECO]

I use a cheap rice cooker from Walgreens : ) It's the exact same thing as the soap melter they sell at Michaels for a quarter of the price. If you wait until they go on sale you can get one for right around $10 or so. I holds a little over six pounds.

[mparadise]

Anyone have a good way to melt the 24 lb bulk blocks of M&P easily? I had to cut up 2 boxes of this (48lb) into chunks last night to make soap. My hand is NOT happy today. I usually make about 20lbs of each at a time so it would make my life significantly easier.

[katshe]

Anyone have a good way to melt the 24 lb bulk blocks of M&P easily? I had to cut up 2 boxes of this (48lb) into chunks last night to make soap. My hand is NOT happy today. I usually make about 20lbs of each at a time so it would make my life significantly easier.

I am not the expert... but how much are you wanting to MELT? 24 pounds at a time?

I don't understand your coment....I usually make 20lbs of each...of each what? at a time.

Sorry no t understanding the question ...having a slow day ,.forgive me.

Edited September 14, 2010 by katshe

[mparadise]

Sorry! Yes I am hoping to melt 20-25 lbs of base at a time without having to cut the big block of base into small cubes/chunks to help it melt easier. I would love to be able to just plop the big block into something and let it melt. I make loaves of soap that are 4 lbs each, 2lbs of colored/scented chunks made using clear base and 2 lbs of "overpour" using my white base. When I do it I usually make 20+ lbs of chunks at a time using the bulk clear base, let it set up & cut the chunks then go back and do all the over pours using the white. It would be WAY easier/faster if I had all the base melted and could just take the 2 lb increments for each scent mix, pour into my mold and move on to the next scent without having to wait for another batch to melt in the microwave. Sorry, my brain was running faster than my fingers were typing.

I get the WSP pro base which comes as a 24 lb block and turn it into these:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/32255249/chunky-gylcerin-bar-soap

Edited September 14, 2010 by mparadise

[katshe]

that seems like alot to melt at once...maybe a big melter like these??

http://www.soapmelters.com/

Edited September 14, 2010 by katshe

[Candybee]

That's what I was thinking. You'll need a large melter for that much base at a time. A 50 lb or 100 lb melter you can just chuck a block or two or three in and let it melt.

Most bases I buy in 10 lb blocks but I've bought in 20 lb blocks before and just cut off what I need. Doesn't bother me at all. Would rather buy in blocks cause its cheaper.