Teach Soap

Hey, newbie here! I just found a wonderful world with cold process soaping! I have been reading up on a lot of things here and appreciate all the tid bits of information that have been invaluable! Makes me want to never stop making soap! (If only my wallet would allow it :[ ) So.. without further adieu, I have a question. My dad purchased some counter top thinking he would be able to make some molds for me and I would not have to line them. Was wondering if anyone had any idea of what lye would do to it if I were to not line it? I love him to death and he means well...but I have a feeling I may have to line them. :] Any information would be greatly welcomed!

Welcome!
Depends on what the material is. I would line it just to be on the safe side.

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

Random ideas.....
--could he/you make a small mold and do a few tests? You'd be potentially wasting ingredients, but if you went into the experiment knowing that, then it might not be so bad.
--could you contact the manufacturer and ask? Do you know if it is Formica or a specific company who makes it?

_________________
Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

I have no idea, he bought it from my uncle who had installed it into my grandparents house and this was the leftover piece I'm guessing. I actually have no idea how much he has, and I haven't been to my grandparents for a month or so, so I can't remember what it's like. I will have to try at least one small batch. He will be making me a 2 lb mold. Molds are expensive!

_________________
Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

You can build wooden molds really cheap, if your dad is that handy. My honey built me two two-pound ones for about $10. And there is a great tutorial on Soap Queen blog on "how to line any mold." Shoeboxes and drawer organizers work well too. I've even seen a soaper use a drawer pulled out of a dresser before as a slab mold hehe.

_________________
Laura<3

Haha yeah.. My dad is a carpenter by profession, so it's not too hard for him to whip up something like that, it's just getting him to do it. My molds that I'm using are United States Post Office flat rate boxes... (long story behind that!) and I have been able to make do with those. I do wonder how much damage lye can make to a counter top. I will have to find out. When I make my next batch. When I have money haha.

lye can probably do a LOT of damage to a countertop unless its made of stainless steel. I wouldnt even want to mess with something like that because who knows whats the counter is made of, and who knows what kinds of other fumes the lye may give off while reacting to that mysterious material? You should try to be as safe as possible in all things, and use the items that come recommended by years and years worth of experience of the other soapers on this forum and in your community.

_________________
Kristen D. Vineyard
visit my blog http://washwithvegetables.blogspot.com

Thank you for the information :] I have decided that if I do have it, I'll just freezer paper it. Now, onto getting him to make me one!

I am wondering if it would not be better to have him use that to make you a work table or maybe a cutting board. Then you could look for some scrap lumber and have him make you a mold in your choice of size. About the only thing I am thinking that may work as a mold is granite, but then there will be the issue on how to get it out of the mold... you may want to line it anyways. Why not go visit grandma and grandpa (and take them a bar of your soap!)

_________________
Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Hehe, I do like the flat rate boxes, I modified one so while I rebatched 19 lbs of soap (took 3 days) I had my large box in 3 sections. I have at least 20 boxes of the large flat rate boxes left...and multiple others. Each box has 25 boxes in it. You can order them free online, just...read it all the way through. One box contains 25 boxes, and if you order 25 boxes like I did (I didn't read it fully..thought I was just getting 25 boxes period.... ) you will have boxes forever. I had ordered not just the large flat rates.....I still have about 50 boxes of boxes. Oh my.

Wow, Natasha, that is... a LOT of boxes. I don't think I even have a room in my apartment that would hold that many boxes. On the plus side, you may not need to source boxes for gift giving, or moving house, for the rest of your life.

Haha yeah......my dad wasn't pleased. So. Much. Cardboard. I've tried giving them away, we use them for storage....I gave up lol. But, they are perfect for creating my molds for the time being while I wait for my real molds to be done.

It's so nice to know somebody else who does these things! LOL!

If you need the room in your house so you don't have So. Much. Cardboard. just know you CAN drop them off at any Post Office. They will love you for it!