# New molds (Uplands) and log cutter pictures



## Kalne

I absolutely love, love, love my Upland molds! The soaps come out super easy and the silicone liner needs minimal cleaning (usually, only spots that I have dripped along the top edge). To get the soap out I take one side of the box off (by removing the wing nuts), tilt it, then grab the soap log with the liner and pull it out. To remove the soap from the liner I gently pull the sides away from the soap without tugging on the corners (I had read a few accounts where people tore their liner at the corner so I avoid the corners when loosening the soap). Then I turn the whole thing upside down and the liner just pulls right off. The sides of my soap are smooth as glass. Everything goes back together lickety split.

My only complaints.....I think the liner could be a bit thicker, like my silvermoon mold. I think that would make it more durable. I think Woodfields might be thicker but Upland had the dimensions I wanted. One other thing is that the molds are difficult to pick up.....there should be an indentation of some sort along the ends so you could get your fingers under to grab it. The double log and block molds have handles which are useful.

So I have graduated to double log molds. In the past most of my batches filled single logs because I just couldn't seem to divide my soap evenly. Now I can pour 2 logs into 1 mold. Dh built my log cutter which works like a charm! Next I'm going to try a triple wide block. But I'm worried the block of soap might be difficult to handle. They make a 4 log wide block as well.

So here are some photos....I hope they aren't too big. The first shows the empty mold and the upside down log that has just been unmolded.










This next picture shows a log mold with the side removed and the soap and liner ready to come out.










If you look closely you can see where I have pulled the liner edges away from the soap. (The wood box looks warped....that's just the photo, it's perfectly square.)










See how clean the liner is after unmolding the soap?










Here's the block of soap ready to be pushed through the wire cutter. There's a 'stop' under the cutter that holds it against the edge of the counter.










Block of soap going through the cutter.










Block of soap cut all the way through.










One of the logs moved. The cut edge is very smooth. A few 'crumbs' along the top of the cut but that was easily brushed away with a finger.


----------



## goatnewbie

Kathy, thank you so much for the pictures. Your soap is beautiful, I love the way it comes out so perfect from the molds. And how do you get that lovely white swirl in your soap? Thanks again.


----------



## Kalne

I use titanium dioxide for the white swirl. It's the only soap I use it in 'cause it's just not something I care to use. But it really does make it pretty, doesn't it?


----------



## hsmomof4

Very nice!


----------



## Sondra

Pretty pretty!!


----------



## NubianSoaps.com

Really pretty. In talking to those with their larger molds, the liners don't hold up...certainly not with daily use. Any soaps that heat up will eventually warp your liner, or shrink it. On the dish one gal put photos up of her liners in less than a year and showed how the long side was warped away from the wood and she was holding, during the pour with clothespins, then the bottom of the liner warped up, even the weight of the pour didn't push it down into place. They were at the top of my list to buy my commercial molds from until I got feedback from others. All molds seem to have their drawbacks. But replacing the liner which is in essence the mold yearly was way to much expense. Vicki


----------



## hsmomof4

That's really a bummer.


----------



## adillenal

I saw a photo somewhere where a user had replaced one end of the wood mold with a thinner piece of wood and the silicon liner fit perfectly again. So far my upland liner has not stretched or warped and I have been using it for a year but I do not make soap on a daily basis. I am a weekend soapmaker.


----------



## tmfinley

Thank you so much for the pictures. Almost makes me want to try a double mold. Almost. Has your dh tried making a tank yet? My soap projects are way down my dh's to do list so I have to live vicariously through you. And that is a lovely swirl!!

Tiffany


----------



## Kalne

No......I broke down and ordered a 'real' tank. Though as soon as he finished making this he said he thought he could manage the other. Oh well, I will probably have him make one with different spacing anyway so I can use it for smaller bars. Then he'll have the tank to examine. LOL

That is a bummer about the liners. I've been hearing mixed reviews. I think I saw that photo with the clothespins but then some have said they hold up for many years. So I don't know. Honestly, if I get 5 years out of them I'd be happy because they work so well. And I'm just not finding any alternative that doesn't require lining or cutting the soap out. I've even considered designing my own and have a few idea on how to keep them from collapsing or bowing. But do-it-yourself silicone is very expensive!


----------



## buckrun

Beautiful photo story. What a nice contribution. What about making your own liners out of foam core or some other type of cut-able stuff to replace if you need to? Couldn't you find out what the liner was made of and buy a sheet of that material and cut yourself? Or take to a person who does framing and has a wall mounted cutter for mats and foam core. You could put a glass blade in and cut plexiglass so surely you could cut a sheet of the right kind of lining?? The right kind of stuff it can be ordered in full sheets- anything can if you have a wholesale number. 

Kathy makes Loverly soaps- her oh so summery cuke/melon is scrumptious.
Thanks for the trade out Kathy! We have enjoyed it very much.
Lee


----------



## Kalne

The thing that makes them so easy to remove is the flexibility of the liner. Without that you have to slide/pull/cut the sides off and that doesn't always happen nice and smooth. The material I had the best success with that was rigid was plexiglass. I may revisit that some day. I have used craft foam in the past but it does this weird thing where you get little pockets of steam that form and leave poc marks along the sides of the soap. NOT pretty. I also bought a silicone cooking mat that I think would work perfectly but I have yet to cut it and try it. I'm still thinking on the best way to make use of it 'cause once I cut into it that's it. Wondering if it could be velcro'd to the sides of the mold....that would keep it from warping or bowing yet it would be removable from the mold. Hmmmmm.


----------



## favablue

Very nice!


----------



## Whitney

Kathy thank you for sharing these pics!

BTW, that blue and white swirl is gorgeous!


----------



## hsmomof4

I wonder if the velcro would leave a small hump under the liner, though.


----------

