Teach Soap

Hi! I'm Redwood Gate and I'm a new soaper, sorta.
I've spent the last month and a half or so studying books (Soapmaker's Companion and Everything Soapmaking Book), various websites and Anne-Marie's CP videos. I've also started to acquire the hard goods needed to soap, no oils or lye yet, hubby says to wait until we've located and have in hand everything else first. Yes, a good scale -grams and ounces- is the next purchase. I have questions about molds and soap pots though.

1. I did find the formula to determine how much a mold would hold, but, I don't recall seeing the units on that. Say for instance, I purchase, make, or found object a mold with interior dimensions (throwing out random numbers at the moment, I'm aware it may not be practical, or right for a first, or first 100, batches) 3.5" x 2.5" x 7" and I multiply those together and again by .4, would that give me the total batch size (including water/lye/additives) in fluid ounces or some other measure? If I needed to change the units, would I change the measurement units, or simply apply a conversion?
2. I know the soap pot needs to be narrow enough that at least the bell on the immersion blender is fully covered, but wide enough that the batter doesn't come above the stainless steel shank, but how much additional head room do I need in the pot? Does this change if I'm hand stirring exclusively versus using an immersion blender (no more than 30 seconds at a time, right?)?

I only ask because I want to be sure I have the right things before I start, would hate to loose my first batch because my soap pot and/or mold was the wrong size. And, yes, 1 to 2 pounds of oils batches, converted to grams for the first several batches I make, left to cure 4 to 6 weeks (longer if I choose to try a castille).

1. Yes, that would give you the total including both oils and lye water. To change, apply any new width x height x length and multiply it again by 0.4. Be aware that if you discount your water the total bar size will be slightly different. Ditto for any additives ie: herbs, exfoliants or clay.

2. Having at least a couple of inches at the top of the pot will give you a better measure of safety in case the raw soap splashes. I would not hand stir but use a stainless steel whisk. Stick blender is your best bet, unless you know for sure that your formula or any fragrance accelerates trace. Depending on your recipe, you can stick blend for a minute or two, then stir with the stick blender off, then turn it back on and stick blend more til you reach trace. Repeat as needed. Some formulas take a VERY long time to trace so a stainless steel whisk (or stirring) would not work as well.

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

You're welcome. You will need to play around with the lye calculator to give you the total amount.

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

That equation will give you ounces, not fluid ounces. Mostly our measurements are in weight ounces and not fluid ounces, even the distilled water portion!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I've made up to a 4lb batch in a "chip" bowl that I got from the $1 section at Target. You can always pick up different sized plastic buckets at Lowes in the paint department too, they seem to be really reasonable prices! They have up to 10 gallon size I think. A nice 2.5 gallon would probably do you for most batches... unless you get to be like Irena and need a bathtub per batch! hehe

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

That is my standard sized batch. The $1 plastic chip bowl works perfectly!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I have a half gallon size container that some coconut oil was in and it's the perfect size for 2# batches. The base is about 6 inces across and it's tall so it works really well. I use a gallon size container for my 4# batches.

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

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

It's great that he's so supportive, but I think he needs a reality check!
I started putting my soap business together a year ago and only recently started selling on a regular basis at our local Farmer's Market. My first 2 weeks I sold $40 worth of soap. My 3rd week was better, but it's going to be a while before I come anywhere near to covering my startup costs (insurance, supplies, marketing, etc.)

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

One final question before I make my first batch. I decided, for multiple reasons to go with a suggestion from another thread, of CO, OO pomace, and Castor Oil and plugged everything into soapcalc. My question is, being that this is a bastille soap, and that the closely related castille soap is known to have an extended trace, should I lower the water percent from 38 to 35, or should I just leave it since this is my first batch? (well, sorta. I had a hand in making either a lard or tallow soap way back in elementary school, I don't remember a whole lot of that, and I'm pretty sure everything was pre-measured by the teacher, engineered so that all 35 of us had to spend a portion of the day stirring it).
I may make this batch tonight, or I may wait until tomorrow, as the kitchen is currently in use for a pot of beans, and it is going to take a while.