Making actual bar soap (cold process)

[Rowyfo]

Do you think this could be done? Basically you need stainless steel equipment (check), something that melts the oils and fats (check), you need to know when it reaches about 37 degrees (check), you need to add caustic solution and then mix it with a stick blender (check) and then pour into moulds (check)

But would it be absolutely terrifying to clean? And would you ever be able to use the TM for food again?

Would the caustic solution (mixed in a separate jug and then added to the bowl) deteriorate the seal and MC? And would the capacity just be too small? They recommend using a stock pot of about 7L but it wouldn't have a lid, and you need to prevent splashes.

If anyone has tried this I would love to know how it went and whether you would consider it again.

[Amanda]

I think that I would be worried about the caustic solution damaging the seal.

[Rowyfo]

Maybe one day when I am feeling rich I will buy a second jug and several seals. And then go nuts? If it doesn't work, there is always using the jug for non food recipes that work!

[CarolineW]

How about asking HQ if it would hurt the seal / MC cup?  Theoretically I don't see why anything else would be affected, and surely the whole point of the surgical steel is that it doesn't get affected by stuff that went in it (hold smells, tainting, etc) so that shouldn't be a problem?  Even the MC could be replaced by a Dariol bowl or something for the duration (saw a chef doing that on TV the other day with his TMX).  Which would just leave the question of the seal.

I've been wondering whether I could use the tmx for making soap too, so great minds think alike     Yours is greater than mine, though.  It hadn't occurred to me to worry about how it might affect the parts      The only thing which had stopped me trying was a) time and b) had never made soap before, and felt overwhelmed at trying it in a non-standard way for the very first time, without having someone's instructions to follow c)  couldn't get my head around what quantities to use.

[Rowyfo]

I have never made soap before either.  But I have been doing lots of research and am almost ready to make my first batch!

There are online calculators where you can add your soap recipe as a percentage and get it to calculate how many grams of everything you require (or ounces) but they do recommend that batches for newbies don't go under 2#/1kg of oils, and then you add about 38% more water, so the batch ends up as about 1.5L of liquid. I think. (I hope nobody Googles this in future and decides my words are gospel)

They say to replace the seal quite regularly anyway so they shouldn't be that expensive. I think I will definitely be doing my soap in the stockpot at least at first!!

[CarolineW]

Looking forward to hearing how you get on, Rowyfo.  You're trailblazing for me! 

[Rowyfo]

I might be too scared to ever attempt it in the TM! If all goes to plan though, I will be making my first batch tomorrow

[Ceee]

Hi my name is Carla, from South Africa, and my husband and I run a rubber moulding manufacturing firm, we make seals much like the ones in the TMX. I dont know what compound they are made of, but if the rubber is acid-resistent, the caustic soda will not (should not) affect the seals. So you need to ask HQ something along those lines.

[Rowyfo]

Thanks for that info, Carla. I'll have to fire off an email to HQ.

I made my first batch today (using traditional methods). Now that I have a much clearer idea of everything, I think it would probably work brilliantly! You wouldn't mix constantly, just in short bursts (but not turbo, maybe turning the dial to about 5 for a few secs)

Capacity would be fine for making a batch with 1kg of oils. I think the biggest problem would be that you wouldn't be easily able to see how it was going, a transparent lid would work wonders in this instance.

And if you can do without your jug for a whole day, it is much easier to clean when the oils and caustic have had a chance to react with each other. So that wouldn't be much of a problem, unless you added a temperamental oil or something and it seized in the bowl... then there would be trouble!

So..... who wants to loan me their jug for testing?

[CreamPuff63]

"Not me" said the little hen
"OK then, I'll do it myself" said Whathisname
and he did...
(and the fairytale goes on)

[Rowyfo]

Yep, and I will have the soap alllllll to myself 

[brazen20au]

actually, i NEED a new seal so i'd be happy to, if you come here to do it but i'd have to order a new seal first!

[Rowyfo]

Aw well aren't you the sweetest! You can share in the fruits of my success... or I will help you clean up the mess!

LMK when your new seal arrives

[Rowyfo]

I found this link... feel a bit more confident about the whole process now...

http://www.colebrothers.com/soap/blender.html

[meganjane]

I make CP soap so can help you here.

1. Be very careful when you are making soap with the TMix. Use only the low mixing setting. I wouldn't go past 5. If you plan to make soap a fair bit, I would seriously look at buying another bowl.

2. Use a good lye calculator for your recipes. Try this one: Soapcalc

3. Try to learn about superfatting to make soap that is less irritating to the skin. Basically, this means you use more oil than you would normally use for the amount of lye. This means that not all the oil will completely saponify and some will remain in the finished soap to make it more gentle on the skin. Soapcalc has an option for superfatting. I generally use 8% SF.

4. To really make good soap, you need to learn the properties of oils. Eg. Castor oil is great for creamy lather, but too much dry your skin out. Beeswax makes a harder soap, but overdo it and you reduce the lather. For more information on making soap, this is a brilliant site: Kathy Millers Soap Site.

5. I have instructions with pictures for the CP method of making soap conventionally, not in the TMix, on my blog: Soap Making

HTH and have fun!