Any soapmakers here?

I have done the Melt n -pour and it is too easy.

I have buttloads of books on how to make milk-based soap, liquid soap,gyclern soap, natural soap…all from the library.

I need some opinions and suggestions. It seems my start up costs for supplies would be rather high. I could just buy soap on Ebay or something. ( I’m such a hoser, I know.)

but, if Bodypoet or anyone else would care to chime in their two bits, I would appreciate it.

Just go on and email her. The address ought to be in her profile, and she’s always happy to give advice about soapmaking. It may take her a day or so to get back to you, but that way she’s sure to see it.

I think my friend Tyler is still making soap. Lemme see if I can find his email address…
:wink:

I have NOT done brass tacks, completely-from-scratch soapmaking (I’m scared of the lye) but I’ve done the melt & pour and the hand-milled kind. I don’t know if I’d be a good source of advice or info, but if bodypoet or someone else really good at this responds, I’d be interested in learning more about using lye.

Heh - you got me all excited… I work as in engineer in the factory where we make Dove, Lever 2000, Caress, and Suave bar soaps.

Not exactly what you were looking at, is it? Unless of course you want to do it like we do, but I think it might be a bit more of a capital investment than you were looking for.

Hi Shirley! I’ve not made soap before, but I have a friend in the SCA who does so. Our Herbal guild (SCA stuff, again) is also planning on making some homemade soap, and this is the recipe we were given since we are “soap virgins”.

It looks pretty simple, and I’d be interested to know what any experienced soap makers thought of the recipe.

FaerieBeth

Since you brought it up, tell me all the sordid details of the industry…or at least make it up to satisfy our lusty dreams. :slight_smile:
I was at the store today right after I posted this, getting a bunch of items together to make soap. the only thing I could not find was lye. Not in the house cleaner section or the More Industrial cleaner/car/departments. The stocker said it is getting harder to find because not many people use it any more and the brand that I think I want (Red Devil, the only kind I know) probably has what I don’t want in it that I can’t remember right now and my books are in the kitchen and I’m 14 steps away …far far away.)
So, i put it all back until later. I want to read the books a little more thoroughly before I commit myself to an undertaking such as this. Lye bothers the bejeebus out of me too, but since I don’t have any interesting scars I thought I would give it a go. :smiley:
Fairie thanks for the links.

Yes’m, you want Red Devil lye. That’s the pure stuff, with no additives.

Shirley, do you have a book by Susan Miller Cavitch? Either of her books on cp soapmaking will do, although The Soapmaker’s Companion has smaller recipes.

Here’s the recipe I would recommend for newbies:

(Soapnuts.com is a great site, and deserves some browsing, btw.)

Try that recipe, OR one from The Soapmaker’s Companion. Sandy Maine also has some simple recipes in her first book, the name of which escapes me now.

The only problem with the one FaerieBeth posted is I’d steer clear of any recipe that doesn’t specify lye amounts by weight. Lye amounts have to be pretty darned exact–more so than any other ingredient.

At any rate, I’d be glad to help in any way I can. Whatcha need? :slight_smile:
(Of course, you are welcome to drop me an email, too.)

At one time, I wanted to hold a soapmaking day on the SD, posting a recipe, getting everyone started at once, and answering questions as we go along, etc. We could still do that, if anyone is so inclined. I also have a friend or two who would be glad to help, and there are a couple of soapers here the on the board somewhere as well.

A soapmaking day on the board sounds great! Like Shirley, I’ve only made the melt and pour, but I admit to being curious about the other processes.

That’s the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title, Gabe! YOu made me laugh!! :stuck_out_tongue:

What is “hand milled” soap? Are you turning it on a lather or semething?

No, actually you’re just grating or grinding up “already made” soap, combining it with other ingredients and re-molding it to make “new” soap. Hand-milled soaps have an advantage over melt-and-pour soaps because they are less soft and last longer.

Here’s what I use for my recipes: http://www.thesage.com/calcs/lyecalc2.php

You plug in the amounts of oils you have and it tells you the exact amount of lye needed based on the properties of the oils/fats entered. Couldn’t be simpler!

For your first batch I suggest you go super cheap. Just the lye and some vegetable shortning. This will let you get used to the process of mixing the lye, melting the oils, getting the temps right, mixing to trace and pouring, unmolding, cutting and curing the soaps. Consider this a “practice batch” before you start delving into assorted fats and oils and sinking a bunch of money into it. You will end up with a fairly basic, uninteresting soap, but you will have the hardest part finished - the first batch!

Also spend some time learning about what properties which oils provide to a soap: for example coconut oil creats large bubbles/lather, but too much is drying, so only a small amount should be used per batch. Some soapmakers add a bit of beeswax for a harder bar, etc.

Red devil lye is usually found with the drain openers, but only a handful of stores carry it. In our area Safeway and Smart & Final both carry it, but it’s expensive if you’re planning to make a lot of soap. If you come across multiple soapmakers in your area, you might want to purchase bulk lye from a chemical supplier and split it up. I did this with someone here in California and saved a mess of money. You have to have the room to store a large amount of lye safely, of course. I also buy lard/olive oil/coconut oil, etc in large amounts from a restaurant supply store. A good place to buy fancier fats/oils online is http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/ . Good for large amounts of castor oil, cocoa butter, and grapeseed oil, as well as essential oils. (I think they also carry fragrance oils, but if you’re putting that much work into making natural soap, why muck it up with perfumey stink?)

Good luck!