# First Batch Done!!!



## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

Well...I did it :biggrin.

Soap (I hope) is in its lovely makeshift molds (cardboard boxes). I did get impatient and went ahead without the stick blender....and yes it took over an hour to get to trace :crazy. Don't think I'm going to do that again. The whole apartment smells like Ocean Breeze.....fine with me, not so fine with dh :rofl. It's such a pretty white, I expected tan for some reason even though I used all water. It made a lot more than I was thinking it would. 

Couple questions......

1) Is it normal for the "mold" to feel warm 8 hours later?

2) It still feels greasy on top, there is no oil or anything but when I touch it my fingertip is greasy?

3) It never really got clear (like it said it should during emulsion)? Just went from lumpy oils/lard to smooth white. It also never got really thick, just barely had the trails after stirring. Now that I think back, maybe I should have waited longer before putting the FO in?

4) Just how hard should it be before I cut? Right now firm pressure with my fingertips will leave a very slight dent....but I'm definately waiting at least until morning.


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

wait until morning to cut it. and the heat is usually jell. It will be okay....have a little patience. :biggrin dance:

Sheryl


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## Guest (Jun 20, 2009)

Hi Beth
Yes, it is usually still warm after 8 hrs, normal... it probably gelled
yes it will feel slightly greasy yet.. it is still hardening
Soap is funny, some batches will do exactly as the books or instructions say, some never do.. it is not an exact science and you can make it time and time again and still get something different.. so many factors come into play, temp of oils, temp of water, temp of the room, Fo you are using etc..
I cut most of my soap 24 hrs later, I do have a couple of recipes that I have to cut much sooner or they just get too hard..
Congrads on your first batch, you will love it now use some of that goat milk.. and make some
Barb


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Congrats on your first batch! Agreeing with the other ladies, sounds like all is well.


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

Well, I must have done something right .

It looks, smells, and feels.....like soap :O :jawdrop. Actually, I cut it and used some of the little extra pieces to wash my hands. Very different than what I have bought from forum members (assuming because it has lard in it?) and from the store, but it is definately soap and very nice feeling, smells wonderful! (Should it be a little strong at this point?)

I can see when I do it again....I need something different for a mold and a different way to cut it. It's not pretty, kind of a hack job. One of the molds popped right out (the lined one) and the other stuck a bit (greased plastic one). I just used a kitchen knife to cut it but it seemed to catch the edges and kind of made a mess of a "square" bar.

But...it was fun, it was easy, and as usually I way over-complicated it in my head. Next time will be a breeze! :biggrin


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## Guest (Jun 20, 2009)

Beth, 
don't use a knife to cut your soap, its sharp edges will break your soap, use something like a putty knife, pastry cutter... you will like the results better.. Miter boxes work great for cutting after you cut strips to fit the miter box
Barb


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

I've been reading about using a miter box...I just can't picture quite what that is :blush. Can someone post a picture or link to one? I'm sure I've seen one before....but am drawing a blank.

This kind of thing? http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=215248-930-324PMB12&lpage=none

And what are the strips for?


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## Guest (Jun 20, 2009)

Yes, that is a miter box, you place your log of soap in it.. and use the knife in the slots or strips, slide the soap, cut, slide the soap, cut... 
I have used one for years now.. works great.. i cut with a pastry cutter.. 
Barb


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## Madfarmer (Nov 18, 2008)

If DH or you are fairly good w/simple tools, building a wooden mold, either log or slab, isn't all that hard. And for a single log mold, you can use that very same plastic mitre box to make precise cuts in the boards! You'll have to buy the saw that goes with it. And some hanger bolts. There's a U-Tube vid of a guy building one. On the Soap Makers Forum, there's a thread with a post on how to calculate the amount of soap your mold will hold, so you can build the mold for the size batch you want to make.

Tom


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

Hey Tom,.....give us links. I wanna look.....please :yeahthat

Sheryl


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Also Beth they carry several sizes of those miter boxes, make sure you get the size that your logs will fit through! Then ask them where to you carry the sheet mud knives, they look like pastry cutters...get one that fits into the slots in the miter box. In real life a miter box is for putting a piece of lumber into it and then you can cut it any length you want straight, or on degrees of angles. Make sure your mud knife is rigid and not flexible, and not plastic. Vicki


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## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

Sounds like I really should have a mold before I get the miter box. Shoot, dh probably already has one (carpenter) but getting my hands on it might be tricky.....


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Congratulations on your first batch of soap. Keep a bar. Sort of like the first dollar bill ever earned. I have a bar from my first batch and it still looks good. I guess it is 3 years old now and well cured I might add. It is special. :lol


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## Madfarmer (Nov 18, 2008)

The link & the formula: If the link doesn't work, google "Building wooden soap molds on YouTube". The guy's ID is kebrown1980. http:www.youtube.com/watch?v+yog0-390sDA&feature=related.

To find how much oil your mold will hold, multiply the (interior) length X width X depth-of pour, X 0.40 The answer is the number of OZ.'s that should be in your batch.

Tom


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## dvm-mommy (Feb 5, 2009)

Congrats Beth- 

Now you are hooked


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