# pvc advice



## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

Last night we made our first attempt at using pvc pipes. We made shea/palm Kernel/castor/coconut/olive oil. The recipe was basically the Walmart with the Shea and palm kernel splitting the lard percentage.

I can not imagine one other thing I could have done wrong.

My husband bought the thick walled pipes and we wondered if they would hold in heat. Four pipes, 18 inches, freezer paper with a elastic hair band holing it in place.

The recipe came to trace quickly which made it impossible to pour. The pour was wider than the three inch pipe. We always pour strait from the pot. I had big globs falling over the tubes. Finally, he poured between the tubes with half falling in one and half in the other. I tried to catch the globs..and put them into the tubes. The tubes had soap all on the sides...I had the great idea to shake to bucket to get the soap to settle down. It did settle down and out of the tubes about 1/4 from each tube. 

I just finished scraping the drippy soap off of the sides and bottom...(will think about that later). I know to put them the freezer. I am hoping and praying they will slide out like you guys have suggested.

I think we waited too late to pour, but surely there is something I could have done something else to make it work better. 

Making soap has been an activity my DH and I could do together. NORMALLY it is something enjoyable. This experience was less than fun and I would like to figure out what went wrong.

PSD


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## nightskyfarm (Sep 7, 2009)

First my PVC tubes are no taller than 16" for ease of pouring. Second you need a funnel. I use a Blue Ball jar canning funnel works great. Third don't wait till a full trace to pour. Pour at a good medium trace, a bit thicker than pancake batter. Do not place in freezer before the soap has set for at least 15 hours. I place mine in the fridge if they need it. Freeze up to an hour to remove. You do not need freezer paper plus it can move and your soap will look bad. Remove the PVC from the freezer and run under hot water and the soap slides right out. Allow to thaw BEFORE cutting or if not careful chunks will break off. On the pvc ends I use cardboard scribed, plastic bag and duck tape.


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## MiaBella Farm (Jul 22, 2008)

At Home Depot in the plumbing section, they sell flat caps that fit just inside the 3" PVC pipe. I first put a piece of wax paper over the PVC end, then the cap, then on top of the cap I put Saran Wrap, lastly I put an actual 3" PVC CAP END on and then sort of push down with my hands on it so it is secure.

As far as the soap being too thick...what fragrance or EO did you use? How much liquid?

I always pour at a medium to light trace as Jennifer described so I don't have the issue of the oils being too thick to pour.
Michelle


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

I was also unsure if I should have used palm kernel oil or palm oil. the palm oil was mean to get out of the box.


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

I used soapcalc and set the lye at 33% and the liquid (coconut milk) two times that.

One was plain, one with oats, one was cucumber and the fourth was lavendar.

I should have done them all the same. This is why it was so thick.


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

It was the Palm Kernal. 

I've done the same thing only subbing the PK for coconut (PK and coconut give the same properties to soap so they are pretty much interchangeable). Oh what a mess that was! The batches seized almost immediately, it was horrible. I tried tweaking the liquid and the amount of PK etc, etc, I finally just gave up and went back to coconut. The process was a very expensive lesson in soapmaking. :blush You can use PK but I'd sub it for some of the coconut to give you a milder bar - I was never able to use more than 10% of the coconut weight and not have it affect the trace time.

The Palm oil on the other hand is a great substitute for lard! It does not behave like PK at all and you should be happy with the results. Can you warm the container a bit to soften the Palm? That will make it easier to scoop out.


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

It was a BEAR to get out. We pulled out every tool we could think of including knives! 

What can I use the PK for other than soap. 

So I should use small amounts of it?


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

You can use the PK but you'll have to soap "hot" as in above about 95 degrees and keep it there until trace. PK has a high melt point so when it falls below that temp it solidifies. Since I'm a milk soaper soaping hot is not an option for me because of the overheating/burning issue with milk. You can use the Palm Kernal for cooking though... 

This is where trial and error come in to soapmaking and it can make you :crazy I wish I could tell you what to do but I can't - each one of us has our own particular likes and dislikes. For instance, if I used the recipe you are using my skin would be screaming for mercy because of the high cleansing and drying properties (ie; using high percentage of coconut and PK in the same recipe). However I know there are people out there who would probably love it. 

My advice would be to make smaller batches of different recipes using soapcalc and paying particular attention to the soap qualities on the left of the page - keep lots of notes so that you can find the recipe that suites you both while making it and using it :biggrin


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

"You can use the Palm Kernal for cooking though... "

I can cook with it? No way... Ok I will try it. It is mean -Columbus foods sends it in a plastic bag inside of a box. I would have a hard time heating it to soften it to get it out. 

Thanks for all your help.

PSD


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I use palm and palm kernel and have plenty of time with my soap. Not sure how high a percentage you used. The first time I bought PKO I bought the block and yes....you need a hammer and chisel to break it up. It's harder than cocoa butter. Now I buy it flaked and it's the easiest oil I deal with. LOL


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

You have to walk before you run.

Until you have several good batches under your belt, then it's time to play with new butters and oils and scents, or deviding batches to make different scents in one pour.

Whenever I change anything with scent I always use the basic walmart recipe because it is fool proof, so I know any changes and it's the scent.

Whenever I make any changes to my recipe I make it at least once unscented to see how it reacts and how fast it goes to trace.

Trace is not mash potatoes, it is thin gravy. 

Start over, go slower, get a good recipe and know how to soap it, then move to scent, coloring and flying by the seat of your pants. Otherwise it becomes expensive and failed batches will make you quit soaping. Vicki


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

I make thousands of round soaps for a super lux hotel near me - they change out the soap in every room every morning. Three soaps for each room. I make soap for them 7 days a week & just hired a helper to help with the finishing & polishing. The soap has to feel like a smooth river stone in the guest's hand. 

I use 12" pieces of pipe - easy to work with. Seal the ends with double thickness plastic wrap held in place with 2" masking tape. Tried the pipe caps but got tired of wrestling them. I seldom have run outs with plastic wrap & masking tape. The pipe goes into a plastic container set down in the sink - they are stable & at a good height for pouring. I pour at light trace & just pour straight in from the soap pot using a 100oz recipe so not too much to handle. I probably should do bigger batches & longer pipe but this is what's easy to handle & I'd rather do 2 easy batches than 1 scary one. Next morning they go in the freezer for min 2 hours. I use a big one piece wooden rolling pin for a pusher. It's about 1 1/2" in dia by 2' long & fits easy into the end of the pipe. I don't fill pipes to top so have a couple inches to keep the rolling pin stable. I stand the rolling pin up on the floor with the pipe down on it, put on rubber gloves to get a good grip & push down on the pipe. They usually pop out pretty easy but you do have to really push. 

Anyway, that's my system. Not pretty but the soap is.

Jenny


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Oh, forgot the lube. I pour a few drops of mineral oil inside the pipe & use a long handle bottle brush to get all the inside coated well. After removing the soap the pipes go into a sink of plain hot water - no soap or detergent & no scrubbing with abrasive pads. They rinse out clean as a whistle after a short soak. After many batches the soap is getting easier & easier to remove.


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

Thanks you guys. 

Just for the record, one of the problems we later figured out-when I put the larger recipe into soap calc (only did one pound before) I clicked Palm Oil instead of PK. the liquid was very different. I am not at my book right now, so I am not sure by how much. So...I had discounted the liquid and stirred WAY (DH) too long. 

These slipped right out after freezing. I laughed out loud. It was the funniest thing I have seen in a while. I am running hot water over it thinking- I will never get these to come out- and BAM it was in my sink. 

Now we are trying to get them even in the miter box. fun fun. 

I love the soap BTW. It is for grubby hands- not body. I put corn meal and ground oats in them.

Thanks bunches.

PSD


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Jenny you really ought to look into the pressure lid setup that Diane put on here. You do have to put a collar on all your PVC but you only need one that screws in and has a pressure stem on it. It literally fires the soap out of the PVC pipe, so much so that I have not gotten to use it one time, I only use it for one soap about every 2 weeks (my loofa soaps) and my husband or son always wants to shoot out the soap! No more wrecking the first bar of soap pushing on it with something! Vicki


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Hey, now! I found a thread to a set up that Sheryl uses & showed it to my hub & he said we could do it easy enough. I think we'll try it this week. I really need to get a handle on this production. I also saw that I could have a tank made to cut my rounds to spec. Very cool.

Thanks, ya'll!!


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Jenny....how on earth do you wrap all those round soaps????


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Kathy, I don't have to wrap the hotel soaps. I pack them in boxes with grease proof paper between the layers. The hotel puts them on the soap dishes specially made for the hotel. I had to manipulate the color & size to match the dish. Ended up having to use aloe juice & milk in specific proportions to get the color right. 

I sell some round soaps at the markets, tho, and wrap them in 6'' squares of sandwich paper like I used to wrap cheese. Pleated around the soaps. Sealed with a little round label. They are cute.


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## Lauralynn (Mar 19, 2009)

I use a 3" pvc pipe mold also, but daggone, I'm a plumbers wife and we have a business so that's the first mold he made me.

On one end I have a cap that is made for capping off pvc pipe. On the other end, I have a screw on cap with a valve in it. When the soap is ready to be relased from the mold, I loosen the cap end and then turn on the air compressor and fit it into the valve and it pumps out the soap for me. I also grease the pipe with mineral oil before pouring in the soap. Works like a charm, so far. The people to whom I am giving my soap to so they can test for me like the round soap better, the women do at least. They say it fits into their hands better.

My pipe is 16" long and I use a 5 gallon bucket with a lid on it with a hole just big enough for the pipe to slide down it. This keeps the pipe upright while the soap is hardening.


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