Question for soapers

[Guest guest]

I have a question that’s really bugging me, and I hope some of the

soapmakers here will have some thought on this. I asked this question on

another list, and basically got no answers at all. So here goes:

 

For three years, I’ve made soap using an electric drill with a paint stirrer

because I didn’t have a stick blender. This works just fine, although trace

times can be pretty long. Just lately, I finally got a stick blender, and I

am very disconcerted by the fact that the last three batches of soap I’ve

made have traced in under a minute. These have all been very small batches.

The soap has seized up so fast that I haven’t been able to pour it into my

column molds. I’ve had to glop it in and shove it down with the spat, and

the end product has been full of air pockets that disfigured the bars. The

soap itself is just fine of course, but it’s useless for selling for the

most part.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on why this would be happening? All three of

my latest batches contained nothing but my usual ingredients. Could it be

that the fact that the stick blender rotates so much faster than the drill

is causing this? How could this be? After all, most soapers use stick

blenders. The temperatures have been perhaps a little higher than usual.

I’ve been mixing at about 100° to 110°, whereas I usually mix at between

90°-100°. I’ve made batches in the past though from 80° to 120° without

problems.

 

I’m making a batch of my shampoo bars today with the stick blender. If the

soap seizes up again, I will save the blender for smoothies, and go back to

my drill. But it just bugs me no end to not know what’s going on in my soap

pot, and why!

 

TIA, Dave

 

 

 

Check out a soaper's blog at HYPERLINK

" http://www.myspace.com/rsbsoaps " http://www.myspace.com/rsbsoaps

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

can't tell ya anything without seeing the recipe and fragrance you used.

Paula .......... in Michigan

I used to have super powers but my therapist took them away

 

 

I have a question that's really bugging me, and I hope some of the

soapmakers here will have some thought on this...........................

 

 

[Guest guest]

can't tell ya anything without seeing the recipe and fragrance you used.

Paula .......... in Michigan

 

[Dave:] Paula, I didn’t include the formulas because there is absolutely

nothing unusual about them. Here are the last two that seized on me:

 

#1 50% olive, 20% palm, 15% each coconut and castor oils, total 40 oz.

Liquid used was 13 oz of coconut juice. Superfatted with an ounce of shea

oil and half an ounce of cocoa butter. Lye discount 3%. This traced in 15

seconds and was like thick pudding by the time I could pour it.

 

#2 50% olive, 15% each coconut and palm, 10% castor, and 5% each flaxseed

and hempseed oils, total 24 oz. Liquid was 7 oz filtered water with ¼ tsp

madder root. Superfatted with an ounce of shea oil and 5ml of attar of

rose.

 

Both of these were small batches because I was experimenting with scents and

botanicals. The soap traced up before I added my superfat. The mix of base

oils was simply what I usually use. My usual trace time is between 20 and

40 minutes. I’m mystified.

 

_____

 

 

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Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.1/292 - Release 3/24/2006

 

 

 

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Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.1/292 - Release 3/24/2006

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I have a question that’s really bugging me, and I hope some of the<BR>

soapmakers here will have some thought on this. 

 

Dave,

Do you have a high percentages of hard oils or butters. Also, are you fragrance

oressential oils? Try adding your scent at a very light trace, then just stir

without the blender on. Pour at medium trace. Your temps may be a little high

as well. I mix at 80-100.

HTH

Anita

[Guest guest]

Dave,

Do you have a high percentages of hard oils or butters. Also, are you

fragrance or essential oils...Your temps may be a little high as well. I mix at

80-100.

HTH

Anita

 

 

 

[Dave:] Thanks, Anita. I never use FOs. My percentage of hard oils is

usually 30%-40%. I agree that the temps on these last batches were a little

high, although it hasn’t been a problem in the past.

[Guest guest]

Using a stick blender's a bit different than using the drill. When

you use a stick blender, you use it in short bursts, a few seconds at

a time, moving quickly around the pot. Using it continuously like you

would the drill stirrer will get you trace too quickly.

Try using a little lower temp and shorter bursts of stirring and see

if that reduces the troubles.

Serra

 

 

On 3/26/06, David Lambert <dlmbrt wrote:

>

> can't tell ya anything without seeing the recipe and fragrance you used.

> Paula .......... in Michigan

>

> [Dave:] Paula, I didn't include the formulas because there is absolutely

> nothing unusual about them. Here are the last two that seized on me:

>

> #1 50% olive, 20% palm, 15% each coconut and castor oils, total 40 oz.

> Liquid used was 13 oz of coconut juice. Superfatted with an ounce of shea

> oil and half an ounce of cocoa butter. Lye discount 3%. This traced in 15

> seconds and was like thick pudding by the time I could pour it.

>

> #2 50% olive, 15% each coconut and palm, 10% castor, and 5% each flaxseed

> and hempseed oils, total 24 oz. Liquid was 7 oz filtered water with ¼ tsp

> madder root. Superfatted with an ounce of shea oil and 5ml of attar of

> rose.

>

> Both of these were small batches because I was experimenting with scents

> and

> botanicals. The soap traced up before I added my superfat. The mix of

> base

> oils was simply what I usually use. My usual trace time is between 20 and

> 40 minutes. I'm mystified.

>

 

 

 

--

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[Guest guest]

Hi Dave. I also pour my lye in when my oils are about 105. I stir first with a

wooden spoon and then use short bursts with the stick blender. Then stir again

with the spooon....alternating. Some recipies can handle longer stick blender

stirring, but for small batches very short bursts would be best with mostly

spoon stirring. It does combine the lye with the oil very quickly....especially

if it is a good stick blender.I would not use only a spoon though because I

don't want to go back to separated batches that I used to get before the stick

blender.

Peggy

 

 

 

 

I have a question that's really bugging me, and I hope some of the

soapmakers here will have some thought on this. I asked this question on

another list, and basically got no answers at all. So here goes:

 

For three years, I've made soap using an electric drill with a paint stirrer

because I didn't have a stick blender. This works just fine, although trace

times can be pretty long. Just lately, I finally got a stick blender, and I

am very disconcerted by the fact that the last three batches of soap I've

made have traced in under a minute. These have all been very small batches.

The soap has seized up so fast that I haven't been able to pour it into my

column molds. I've had to glop it in and shove it down with the spat, and

the end product has been full of air pockets that disfigured the bars. The

soap itself is just fine of course, but it's useless for selling for the

most part.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on why this would be happening? All three of

my latest batches contained nothing but my usual ingredients. Could it be

that the fact that the stick blender rotates so much faster than the drill

is causing this? How could this be? After all, most soapers use stick

blenders. The temperatures have been perhaps a little higher than usual.

I've been mixing at about 100° to 110°, whereas I usually mix at between

90°-100°. I've made batches in the past though from 80° to 120° without

problems.

 

I'm making a batch of my shampoo bars today with the stick blender. If the

soap seizes up again, I will save the blender for smoothies, and go back to

my drill. But it just bugs me no end to not know what's going on in my soap

pot, and why!

 

TIA, Dave

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dave, I have to agree with Serra. Can't be said any better or clearer than

that. Given that you haven't changed your recipe, I don't see that is the

culprit.

: )

 

Cindy

 

-

 

 

Using a stick blender's a bit different than using the drill. When

you use a stick blender, you use it in short bursts, a few seconds at

a time, moving quickly around the pot. Using it continuously like you

would the drill stirrer will get you trace too quickly.

Try using a little lower temp and shorter bursts of stirring and see

if that reduces the troubles.

Serra

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dave, I have to agree with Serra. Can't be said any better or clearer than

that. Given that you haven't changed your recipe, I don't see that is the

culprit.

 

[Dave:] Many thanks to the both of you! I’m making another batch today with

the stick blender. It sure handles different, but I’m getting the hang of

it.

[Guest guest]

Good! Don't give up on the stick blender........

: )

 

Cindy

 

-

 

 

[Dave:] Many thanks to the both of you! I'm making another batch today with

the stick blender. It sure handles different, but I'm getting the hang of

it.