Teach Soap

Earlier this year, I purchased two of the soap/candle melting pots from Southern Cross Candles. After a slow period, business picked up and I recently began using it daily again. I noticed that my colors weren't as clear, and in fact my "crystal clear" base wasn't as "crystal clear" anymore. I decided to empty and clean it, discovering that the black teflon coating was peeling off in sheets, exposing whatever metal was below. When you wipe the metal, and endless grey granulated dust came off. I've only melted approximately 100 pounds in this melter. No compensation was possible from the seller.

Has anyone else had this experience with these pots? Any ideas of why this happened, or any kind of coating that can be put on these pots so they can continue to be used? They are Presto pots that have had a spout added to it. Right now they are useless. Wish I'd spent the $500+ for the real thing with the stainless steel lining!

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Barbara at Oasis Soap Co.
http://www.oasissoap.com

I have 3 unmodified Presto Pots, and I've just noticed that the newest one I have (that I bought about a year ago) is giving off the black flecks, too (not in huge chunks, though). I only use it for CP oils, though, not MP base. My other two that I've had for 5+ years that I use for wax are fine.

So while I don't know what's causing it - maybe they changed something?? - you're not the only person it's happening to.

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Namaste,
Heather
Martinsville Emporium - ~

Thank you for letting me you that you too had trouble. Apparently mine started out with flecks, that eventually evolved into full sheets. About 2/3 of my pot is down to the metal. You can wipe the inside but grey residue from the metal never stops coming off.

I make a lot of soap, so don't always empty or clean the pot every day. In fact, I usually leave what's left until the next day or batch. After all, it's not a product one would consider caustic, although the people I bought the pot from said I must have put something caustic in it. Nothing has touched the pots except my MP base, with nothing added. I'm really frustrated over this, as business has picked up again and I NEED it!

BTW, when doing a search for "melting pot", I found step by step instructions for modifying these Presto pots. That spicket is worth the trouble unless you are only dipping.

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Barbara at Oasis Soap Co.
http://www.oasissoap.com

May I ask where these pots were made? I don't cook in teflon for this very reason.

I had a Revel crock pot, nice one that I had to discard. It gave a undertone odor to everything I made in that pot. Used it three times and that was it. Somehow the supposedly ceramic insert was leaking off an odor that was offensive. Why I don't know I thought the pot needed seasoning, perhaps it was the metal burning off something, but it was glazed and the glaze was tainting the food. Just FYI.

Hope you find a solution to this set back.

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~bytheSEAsoap~ Mella bythesea, bythesea, bythebeautiful sea

海の皂

I bought it from Southern Cross Candles on-line. It is a pot made for cooking that SC has modified by adding a spicket. There are several sources selling these. From my experience, I sure cannot recommend them for soap. Don't know if this problem occurs with wax, but apparently the Teflon isn't very well adhered. Even the pot (I bought 2) I have only used briefly a couple of times, also has a spot in the bottom where it is coming off. Darn!

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Barbara at Oasis Soap Co.
http://www.oasissoap.com

My Presto pot is at least 5 years old. I bought mine from Sears. It doesn't have the spigot. I bet the manufacturing process has changed and the teflon coating is thinner or something.

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

Irena, do you empty and clean your pot after each use? Not doing it is the only thing I can figure that might have caused the problem. Never figured it would, but both pots are affected.

_________________
Barbara at Oasis Soap Co.
http://www.oasissoap.com

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

In January, I took a nitch off my kitchen and made it into a soap room. It has a large table, and a whole wall of those nice chrome shelving units. The end of the kitchen counter ends where this area begins, so I kept my pots sitting there. No need to empty them.... I thought. The work goes so much quicker when everything is at your finger tips. The kitchen TV even swivels so I can watch it while I work, and the kitchen sink is just a few steps away. Perfect.

BTW, has anyone used one of those commercial coffee pots as a melter?

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Barbara at Oasis Soap Co.
http://www.oasissoap.com

_________________
Namaste,
Heather
Martinsville Emporium - ~

Mine have never been above 200, and that just for the initial melting procedure of a large quantity, then reduced to about 180.

The spigots are really handy, just turn on the "faucet" and out it comes..... well, out it comes once you have stuck a chop stick in to break the cooler plug that might have formed there. IMO, it's worth having, but then I've never made candles, so maybe that is different.

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Barbara at Oasis Soap Co.
http://www.oasissoap.com