Teach Soap

Hello everyone.

With a great recipe and CP soap making down pact with the basics, I've successfully made four 2lb batches of soap today. However, there is an issue I've come across with my stick blender.

At first, I noticed it would get hot after awhile, but nothing to be concerned about. On my third batch, the blender began to produce smoke like it was an incense cone as I was mixing the recipe together. I was slightly alarmed, but I attributed it to the blender only be used a few times before today (i.e. I thought it was that "fresh appliance" smoke when something is first used).

But when I grabbed the middle of the blender, it was hot enough to almost burn my hand! I didn't want to chance anything, so I waited a couple of hours for the blender to cool down before I made another batch.

As I made my last batch later on, the stick blender was just as hot afterwards and had smoke coming from it. To make things more interesting, the attachment part for the blender is now very loose and doesn't stay on that well.

I'm the type of person that says, "If it's not broken, don't replace it", but I'm wondering if this is common with stick blenders and CP soap making when several batches are made at once.

Note: My trace forms at 15 minutes of blending. I have a Hamilton stick blender from Walmart for about $22.

Is this from having a low quality blender, or did I overwork it today?

That's not common. I would replace it. The smoke coming out of it means that the motor is seriously overheating. It could catch on fire.
Please get rid of it and get another one. Sometimes you can find them in a thrift store or a resale shop.
I would not use it again.

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

I'm getting that feeling as well. I'll search for one in thrift stores, but if that doesn't yield anything, I'll purchase another one outside of Walmart.

It was good while it lasted!

When you are blending, are you using the blender for short bursts or letting it run?

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

I blend in short bursts; it takes about 15 minutes to reach a light trace.