Teach Soap

Hi guys....I have read that if doing a small batch of soap, it is best to convert your measurements to grams. A couple questions regarding that:

1. what is considered a "small" batch? Anything less than 4 lbs? 2lbs.?

2. do you convert everything: oils, lye, water, etc? Using the the conversion of 1 ounce = 28.3495 grams?

I'm assuming this is b/c with grams your scale can measure to more decimal points (and therefore is more accurate), and the concern is that with small batches, a small inaccuracy in measurement is actually a big deal vs. the same small inaccuracy in measurement in a large batch...is this right?

Any and all feedback is GREATLY appreciated!

I do 1 lb test batches using ounces. I've never converted to grams. Your mileage may vary.

To me, a small batch is 1 lb. When you convert a small recipe into grams, you round down your lye and round up your oils.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I use grams for all of my recipes, grams are much more accurate! I'm a scientist though, so accuracy is natural (gets kind of pounded into your head in University!).

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I consider my batches to be small, and they usually have 32 ounces of oils. If I were testing a recipe, I'd do 16 ounces of oils.

As far as measuring goes, I weigh everything in grams, too, for greater accuracy. I do what Irena suggests and round my oils up to the nearest gram and round my lye down to the nearest gram. I usually do a 7% superfat.

SoapCalc will give you your measurements in ounces and grams, side-by-side. Other lye calculators probably do the same or give you the option to use either ounces or grams - SoapCalc is what I usually use, though. If I find a recipe I want to try but I want to convert it to a different size, I let the lye calculator do the work for me. Say I find a 5-lb. recipe that I want to convert to a 3-lb. recipe. I'll plug the 5-lb. recipe into SoapCalc, figure out the percentages of the oils used, and then plug those percentages back into SoapCalc to create a 3-lb. recipe.

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- Jenny -
My soapy blog:
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Most of my batches are around 120 oz oil weight so I weigh the oils and water in ounces. I still like to use grams for my lye though!

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

Please forgive me, I am new to soaping.....when you are referring to sizing up a batch in soapcalc.net from a 5# batch to a 2# batch where does that number go? Are you placing that number in where it asks for your "oil weight?

I only want to batch in 2# batches ..... As its for home use and im not selling my creations right now, or probably ever ( HAHAHAHAHAHAH I say that now)


Thanks a bunch

That's correct, Natalie.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Thank you