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wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 6:26 pm Post subject:

Sarah D wrote:

I can see how soap making can become addictive................

It's all those tasty sounding recipes - they sound so tempting! And the idea of being able to laze in the bath with them is just irresistable. When I fist looked at the book, and made a list of the soaps I wanted to make, I realised that I was planning to make about 200 bars of soap! I have been very restrained!

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 8:49 pm Post subject:
I wish I had done it sooner It has been on my to do list for a couple of years, and I had never got around to it. Sarah did you use wood ash or lye in the end.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45690
Location: Essex

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 8:50 pm Post subject:
Wnder what my missus'd say if I told her about soap making

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 9:25 pm Post subject:
I used the caustic soda this time, as I still have to find or make a suitable vessel for passing the water through the wood ash; that's next on the agenda though. I did buy two bottles of the caustic soda, so have plenty to be going on with. I'll tell her if you like, Tahir............

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 9:45 pm Post subject:
I looked like I was about to take a trip on the moon, with my safety specs and gloves on, but I found the caustic soda tobe very easy to use. How is the wood ash method for calculating the saponification.

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 9:50 pm Post subject:
If you can float an egg in the resulting lye, then it is about right. Will definitely be trying it soon, might have to get Mr D on to the task of making/finding suitable said vessel, though. I'm sure there must be something in the shed..........

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 10:02 pm Post subject:
didn't know that about theegg. I am looking forward to hearing how you get on.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 11:11 pm Post subject:

I wish I'd done it sooner too, but then I always do when things turn out to be straightforward (if you read the recipe's right anyway!) I bet I looked I pretty stupid too (I wore my old ski glasses!) but I think the warnings may be a little over zealous, as I managed to get the traced soap on my t-shirt, and the only effect was to make my arm itch a bit, where it was resting against it, and I hadn't noticed. I washed it with vinegar straightaway, but it must have been there for a good hour before I noticed! Never mind, too much care is always better than not enough (unless of course it was because I did it wrong in the first place

) I wonder how one makes lye out of woodash then, lots of woodash in our woodburner........

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 05 11:44 pm Post subject:
Of all the chemicals you're ever likely to encounter, sodium hydroxide is one of the nastiest. A little bit of tracing material on your shirt ain't so bad, but a drop of lye solution in your eye and you can be in -serious- trouble. The warnings about being careful with it really are worthwhile!

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 05 11:30 am Post subject:

You're absolutely right about the caustic soda, and the eyes, cab (and I promise I really was careful with the solution, and I did wear my specs!) But it seems a shame when a few sensible precautions (and a bit of respect for nasty chemicals) will get you through unscathed.

I didn't mean to imply that it wasn't nasty, or that you shouldn't wear gloves or glasses, just that it wasn't as dramatic as I was expecting from what I had read.

It never fails to amaze what people injure themselves on through familiarity breeding contempt. I had a poor toddler patient who had put herself in hospital (and had several skin grafts) because she had badly burnt herself on custard. it was so sad, but custard? Boiling water's got a lot to answer for too, and yet we all use it daily.

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