Teach Soap

I am new to this and I am having a problem. The first time I made soap, everything went well. Since then, however, I am unable to avoid flaws due to bits that don't seem to melt, and in a recipe that calls for a 125 pour temp (the other one said 130), by the time it gets down to the right temp, about 1/5 of it has solidified. And again those splinter-shaped flaws. I tried stirring and I tried not stirring. I tried microwave and I tried double boiler. I am following the directions exactly. What should I do?

Where is your glycerin soap base from?

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

Everything I am using is from Brambleberry.

How are you melting it? I cut my base into small chunks and microwave them in short bursts til almost all has melted. Then I stir the rest of the way til it all melts. I don't take temps.

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

I do cut it up and nuke in bursts. I also tried a double boiler. It melts (although sometimes there is a splinter of it that doesn't melt and shows up in the finished product), but when I cool it to the recommended temperature (that is when I measure the temp), much of it has solidified. I have tried with stirring and without.

Maybe this is not the right thing to do, but I don't take temps. I just melt the base til it's almost melted, then stir the rest of the way til it's all melted. If all of it doesn't melt, I put it back in the microwave for a very short time til all of it melts.

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

But what about the problem of it solidifying before it is cool enough to pour?

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

So is mine. But before it gets cool enough to pour onto another layer, a lot of it has solidified. It will be over 130 in the center and globbed up on the sides. I have tried stirring it without the globs. I have tried stirring in the globs hoping they would melt, and it is just a mess.

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

I am using glass bowls and measuring cups. I am dealing with 10 oz batches.
I have been following the directions exactly other than using a different fragrance oil in one.

Once the base is melted, are you waiting til the MP base cools off? I don't.

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

I am letting it cool as per the instructions. The gardener's soap to 130 was not a problem, other than a couple of splinters that didn't melt and left slight flaws). The other soap, the plumeria one for beginners, red, orange, and white stripes, the instructions said to cool to 125, and that is where I had the real problems. I didn't want to go against the recipe, pour too hot, and risk melting the layers together.
Now that I think of it, it seems that if it is not hot enough to melt the portion of itself that has solidified, then it shouldn't be hot enough to melt the previous layer. So, how do I know when it is safe to pour?

I have had the exact same problem after several years of soaping with MP. I figured out the only think that was different was the I was in a very cold room. I think the cold made the MP solidify much too soon and it was very frustrating. Once the spring came this particular room warmed up and I had no problems. What is the temperature in the room you are soaping in? Maybe this is the problem.

If I'm making layers, I wait til the lower layer gets a skin. Spritz with alcohol, then pour the next layer over a spoon.

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