Teach Soap

Well I am going to bite the bullet and try CP over winter break from school. I am thinking of getting the basic CP kit off Bramble Berry and a wooden loaf mold off Art fire. It comes with a pdf book, so I am hoping i can do it and keep my kitties out of the kitchen while i am mixing.

I have a few questions.. I read Soapbuddy's thing. So do you mix it all together first and then cook it in a crock pot or stainless steel pot? I would have to get a metal stock pot as there is no way mom would lend my the crock pot.

I get the materials needed so would the basic kit be enough for a first start?

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

How big is the wooden mold from ArtFire? If you multiply length X width X height X 0.4 that should give approximate amount of how much that mold will hold. That total amount includes water.
You mix all your oils/butters and lye water first. Mix til trace. Then you can put it into a stainless steel pot and put it in the oven to cook. Or just pour into your mold and let it gel in there with insulation. Make sure that your pot is a true stainless steel. Some of the cheap ones from China are not true stainless steel. They have aluminum content which reacts with lye.
Be aware that some fragrances make the soap batch hot, can heat up (or overheat) or accelerate trace.
The basic kit is for a CP soap has a lot of oils, which should be enough for more then one batch.

One more thing. ALWAYS run any recipe through a lye calculator. Mistakes, even in books do happen.

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

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

You don't need to cook it at all if you do CP (Cold Process). You just need to warm your oils to about 105-110 degrees and you can do that in a microwave on low power if you wanted. The BB kit is a great way to try cold process. You can use a shoebox lined with a trash bag or a milk/juice carton if you didn't want to spend money on a mold.

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

Ok in Soapbuddy's thing the stainless still pot was mentioned for cooking, so i guess i am confused. the loaf molds my friend found are for 2 lbs and 3 to 4 lbs. the 2 lbs is 10.95 and 3 to 4 is 12.95. home made wood loaf for CP. I am not sure if i can get a true stainless steel from walmart..i will hunt on their website.

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

Start with the smaller size (2lb) so you don't waste ingredients while you learn.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Yeah i am going to start with the 2 pounder. I'm not entirely sure I have not lost my mind with trying CP.

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

I don't use a pot at all for my CP. I have a couple of heavy plastic batter bowls that I use to mix my soap batter and a plastic pitcher for my lye water. Most of my utensils are silicone. I used a couple of milk cartons for my first batch. The quart size are perfect for a 1# batch. There's no point in spending money on a loaf mold if you're not sure you're going to like making CP.

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

Oh I am sure it will be fun. I just have a trashed upper rep system and i am a klutz. I'm just nervous about my first batch. I am really interested in CP. Have been for a few years, I just never too the initiative to learn how to do it till now.

I am just trying to figure out the basics and find an idiot free basic recipe.

_________________
"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

ok how much would i want the superfat to be?

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"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

Between 5% to 7%.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Use this calculator and use the lye amount in the green area: http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

Also how would i measure out the percentages. I am a complete moron in math.

_________________
"suffering in any form can make you stronger or weaker. I chose stronger"

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