moon01945 Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Hi! I made some batches over the weekend and I did some swirling. Finally I have a recipe that is letting me swirl with out clumping up to fast! But now it seems like it is taking forever to set up. i could totally be just impatient and used to batches hardening right up on me too fast. I did a batch with Australian Bamboo I took it to a light trace and it has been setting up for about a day and half and it is semi hard to the touch but not enough to cut. My recipe:20% Almond35 % olive30 % coconut oil5 % castor 10 % sfflower - High olicwater 30.4lye - 11.412 all run through soap calc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moon01945 Posted July 19, 2011 Author Share Posted July 19, 2011 I ended up throwning the whole thing in the oven at 200 for a few hours. it appeared to gel. I left it out over night and it seems harder today. just really strange. Anyone have this happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moon01945 Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella1952 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Yes. What percentage water did you use? I am new to soapmaking, but I am noticing that my summer batches, with the high temps and high humidity, are taking a lot longer to harden, even with a fan on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moon01945 Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi! i did 38 % because that is what Soap Calc called for. I was thinking of making it less. it is really humid here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moon01945 Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Well I think all my oils are just too soft. I re-did soap calc and hardness is really low. Back to the drawing board... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMori Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Yes, this has happened to me. I have a base recipe that I use again and again. It behaves differently depending on the temperature at which I soap, weather, additives (especially fo's,) and even whether I hand stirred or used a stick blender. Soap making is a new adventure every day. I like to gel my soaps to make them get harder faster. If you used the same formula that you used on a previous occasion with satisfactory results, but it didn't turn out the same this time, do not throw it away. Let it cure, take notes and see what happens. If possible, review what you did to make sure you weighed everything accurately.You could try adding a bit of cocoa butter or shea butter, that will help harden up your soap. Or even 2% to 5% beeswax. Other than that, reduce the amount of water. Be aware that reducing the water too much can cause other problems. Just an FYI, the 38% water ratio is in relation to the amount of oils (weight) that you are using. As you progress in soap making, it may be beneficial to start calculating the amount of water in relation to the amount of NaOH and NOT base water on oil weight. Take notes on your experiments, recording every detail and allow the soap to cure for a good long time. The qualities of the soap will change over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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