Post by Cyngbaeld on Apr 4, 2014 18:44:35 GMT -5
www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/soapmaking/459629-alternative-method-making-lye.html
The method is ready
I have made the final test and the method is ready for all you hobby soapmakers having trouble getting regular lye in cans or bags.
First , however the legal mumbo-jumbo LOL
This information is provided for educational purposes. Any use of this information is at YOUR OWN RISK. While every attempt has been make to keep this process as SAFE as possible, there is always a danger with working with chemicals in general, and lye in particular. I assume NO responsibility or liability for your actions.
Ok, I know you all who make soap know what the deal is, so here we go.
Equipment:
Rubber/latex gloves!! Before anything else have your gloves on!!
2- 2cup containers. These can be dollar store measuring cups
as no cooking or heating will be involved.
A clear. non metal container that can hold at least 12 oz.
A clear non metal container of at least 8 oz that a funnel can sit on top of . You can use a totally cleaned out plastic 12 oz soda bottle with the label removed for example.
A funnel at least 4" wide that can sit safely on top of the container.
Coffee filters for the funnel.
Plastic spoons or rods for mixing
two 1/2 oz. measuring spoons
Chemicals
Sodium Carbonate sold at Home Depot under the brand name of Pool time as "pH UP" soda ash for increasing Ph. It cost me $4 for 6 lbs. If you have to get it elsewhere, check the label. You'll want 100% Sodium Carbonate. If you can't get 100% get what you can and adjust the mix ( If 50% double the Carbonate . You may have to add more water because of that.)
Hydrated Lime. I got this at a local hardware under the Hoffman brand for $10 for 10lbs. If I wanted to wait I could have ordered it through Home Depot for 50 lbs for $8 and gotten purer building lime.
Distilled water preferred, or at least filtered water.
AND NOW TO THE MAGIC...LOL
Put 4 oz. of water into each 2 cup measuring cup ( or container)
Slowly add 1/2 oz of the Sodium Carbonate to the water in the first cup and stir. It will clunk up , so you'll need to stir gently but well with each 1/2 oz you add. NOTE There will be some very minor but noticeable heat given off. This is normal. ( if you work with lye pellets, you know of such heat, but this is way less.) Add 1/2 oz to the water until you reach 2 ozs. Stir until the mix is clear. There may be a tiny amount that will not mix. This is NOT a problem.
Slowly add 1/2 oz of lime to the water of the second cup, stirring with each 1/2 added to mix as much as possible. Continue until you reach 2 oz. The mix will look like a grey white milk shake and there will be some gritty
residue especially if you use garden lime. This also is not a problem.
Carefully pour the first cup with the 4 oz of clear liquid into the first large container, leaving any non liquid behind.
Now pour the second cup carefully into the first large container.
The mix will now become an even thicker gray white mix. Allow to separate into a clear liquid and a white/grey solid. This can take 2 hours or more. General rule, if you can let it sit for 24 hrs, do so.
Set up your funnel with filter on top of your second container.
MAKE SURE THE FUNNEL SITS SECURELY ON THE CONTAINER
When the mix has settled, carefully pour off the clear liquid into the funnel.
The first 3 to 3 1/2 ozs should filter off rather easily, the last 1/2 oz will take a bit longer. You can either let the mix sit and separate over time, or put the white semi-solid in the filter and let sit until as much of the liquid as possible filters out.
What will be left on the filter paper will be Calcium Carbonate
(raw chalk) with lye residue. Dispose of this very carefully.
You should now have 4 oz more or less of at least 50% lye solution , which I am told is what you need for you soapmaking. The 4 oz batch I made yesterday tested out on the pH scale at 13, the same as the batches before.
I will try a "Crisco" test with this batch to "make soap", but if someone does this as their hobby and does use a batch of the mix , I'd like to hear how it goes.
There you have it hobbyists. No more ID's No more hassles. All the lye solution you need and the cost is mere pennies.
FINAL NOTE Please excuse any spelling errors. I am a disabled vet and my hands have problems with typing. I try to go over each entry and edit them for my errors, but some do creep in.
Do , however, ask me if anything in this method is confusing or unclear.
Happy soapmaking , all
I have made the final test and the method is ready for all you hobby soapmakers having trouble getting regular lye in cans or bags.
First , however the legal mumbo-jumbo LOL
This information is provided for educational purposes. Any use of this information is at YOUR OWN RISK. While every attempt has been make to keep this process as SAFE as possible, there is always a danger with working with chemicals in general, and lye in particular. I assume NO responsibility or liability for your actions.
Ok, I know you all who make soap know what the deal is, so here we go.
Equipment:
Rubber/latex gloves!! Before anything else have your gloves on!!
2- 2cup containers. These can be dollar store measuring cups
as no cooking or heating will be involved.
A clear. non metal container that can hold at least 12 oz.
A clear non metal container of at least 8 oz that a funnel can sit on top of . You can use a totally cleaned out plastic 12 oz soda bottle with the label removed for example.
A funnel at least 4" wide that can sit safely on top of the container.
Coffee filters for the funnel.
Plastic spoons or rods for mixing
two 1/2 oz. measuring spoons
Chemicals
Sodium Carbonate sold at Home Depot under the brand name of Pool time as "pH UP" soda ash for increasing Ph. It cost me $4 for 6 lbs. If you have to get it elsewhere, check the label. You'll want 100% Sodium Carbonate. If you can't get 100% get what you can and adjust the mix ( If 50% double the Carbonate . You may have to add more water because of that.)
Hydrated Lime. I got this at a local hardware under the Hoffman brand for $10 for 10lbs. If I wanted to wait I could have ordered it through Home Depot for 50 lbs for $8 and gotten purer building lime.
Distilled water preferred, or at least filtered water.
AND NOW TO THE MAGIC...LOL
Put 4 oz. of water into each 2 cup measuring cup ( or container)
Slowly add 1/2 oz of the Sodium Carbonate to the water in the first cup and stir. It will clunk up , so you'll need to stir gently but well with each 1/2 oz you add. NOTE There will be some very minor but noticeable heat given off. This is normal. ( if you work with lye pellets, you know of such heat, but this is way less.) Add 1/2 oz to the water until you reach 2 ozs. Stir until the mix is clear. There may be a tiny amount that will not mix. This is NOT a problem.
Slowly add 1/2 oz of lime to the water of the second cup, stirring with each 1/2 added to mix as much as possible. Continue until you reach 2 oz. The mix will look like a grey white milk shake and there will be some gritty
residue especially if you use garden lime. This also is not a problem.
Carefully pour the first cup with the 4 oz of clear liquid into the first large container, leaving any non liquid behind.
Now pour the second cup carefully into the first large container.
The mix will now become an even thicker gray white mix. Allow to separate into a clear liquid and a white/grey solid. This can take 2 hours or more. General rule, if you can let it sit for 24 hrs, do so.
Set up your funnel with filter on top of your second container.
MAKE SURE THE FUNNEL SITS SECURELY ON THE CONTAINER
When the mix has settled, carefully pour off the clear liquid into the funnel.
The first 3 to 3 1/2 ozs should filter off rather easily, the last 1/2 oz will take a bit longer. You can either let the mix sit and separate over time, or put the white semi-solid in the filter and let sit until as much of the liquid as possible filters out.
What will be left on the filter paper will be Calcium Carbonate
(raw chalk) with lye residue. Dispose of this very carefully.
You should now have 4 oz more or less of at least 50% lye solution , which I am told is what you need for you soapmaking. The 4 oz batch I made yesterday tested out on the pH scale at 13, the same as the batches before.
I will try a "Crisco" test with this batch to "make soap", but if someone does this as their hobby and does use a batch of the mix , I'd like to hear how it goes.
There you have it hobbyists. No more ID's No more hassles. All the lye solution you need and the cost is mere pennies.
FINAL NOTE Please excuse any spelling errors. I am a disabled vet and my hands have problems with typing. I try to go over each entry and edit them for my errors, but some do creep in.
Do , however, ask me if anything in this method is confusing or unclear.
Happy soapmaking , all
Thanks, Kim!