A Melt and Pour Soap Making Extravaganza
A Melt and Pour Soap Making Extravaganza
I got to try out a really great new piece of equipment this week, the WaxMelters PD7 Direct Heat Wax Melter.
I had seen and used homemade soap/wax melters before, made of "presto pots" and some fittings from Home Depot, but had never used one of these professional pieces of equipment. It's really spectacular. It functions just like one of the homemade ones - but it's so much more solid, sleek, and...well...professional.
I tried it out with some melt and pour soap first.
Add Some Soap to the Melter and Turn it On - 6:05 PM
The PD7 Melter holds up to seven pounds of melt and pour soap or candle wax. (Note: This is the smallest one - they get a lot bigger!)
For this test, I added about four pounds of melt and pour soap base to the pot, cut up in about 1" chunks. (Note: the orange colored base is the orange melt and pour base from From Nature With Love mixed in with some regular clear soap base.) I dialed the temperature dial to about 150 degrees and the process (and the timer) had begun!
Pouring the First Batch - 6:11 PM
It took about 6 minutes for the 4 lbs. of soap base to melt completely.
I poured about 18 oz. of soap base into my melt pot. The handle/spigot is really easy to open and close. You'll note that I have a towel down the front of the cabinets under the pour spout. I did this to prevent any drops and dribbles from getting on the cabinets. But the flow of soap out of the spigot was very even and controlled.
The only drips were onto the floor after I had closed the spigot.
First Batch of Soap Finished - 6:16 PM
To this first batch of soap in the melt pot, I added
Second Batch Finished - 6:22 PM
I wiped the melt pot out with a paper towel, and was able to immediately refill it with more melted soap base. I'm not exaggerating when I say "immediately." It really only took the amount of time to wipe the pot out with a paper towel and move the next set of molds into place. A couple of minutes, tops!
To this pot of soap I added:
Third Batch Finished - 6:28PM
I wiped the melt pot out again with a paper towel, and filled it with the rest of the melted soap base.
To this last pot of soap I added:
So, with the help of the WaxMelters PD7 Direct Heat Wax Melter, I made three batches of soap, each with different colors and scents, in about 25 minutes. I could have easily done double that amount with just a little bit more time. The time is not in the coloring and pouring; it only takes a few minutes to pour a dozen soaps. Where the time is spent is in waiting for the soap base to melt - putting it in the microwave, stirring it, heating it, stirring it, heating it.
Etc. Having a pot of completely melted soap base that you can just pour into your melt pot cuts an amazing amount of time out of the soap making process. Additionally, the soap was always at exactly the right temperature. I never had to wait for it to melt some more, worry if it was too hot, or put it back into the microwave to re-melt it. It was always "just right."
At almost $500, these melters are not for everyone, I'll admit that. But for a professional soap maker who wants to vastly improve their efficiency, temperature control, and flexibility in the soap room, this is a great, superbly made piece of professional equipment.
I can't wait to try this out with some candle wax!
Now here is one area where the use of the PD7 differs pretty dramatically between candle and soap making. Clean up. With the soap, I just poured some hot water into the melter, let it heat up, and then opened the spigot into the sink. I did this twice, and then wiped it out with paper towels. Couldn't be quicker or easier.
Obviously, you couldn't do this with wax-you don't want even a tiny bit of melted candle wax going down your drain-but if you used the melter exclusively for soap, this is a great benefit.
I got to try out a really great new piece of equipment this week, the WaxMelters PD7 Direct Heat Wax Melter.
I had seen and used homemade soap/wax melters before, made of "presto pots" and some fittings from Home Depot, but had never used one of these professional pieces of equipment. It's really spectacular. It functions just like one of the homemade ones - but it's so much more solid, sleek, and...well...professional.
I tried it out with some melt and pour soap first.
Add Some Soap to the Melter and Turn it On - 6:05 PM
The PD7 Melter holds up to seven pounds of melt and pour soap or candle wax. (Note: This is the smallest one - they get a lot bigger!)
For this test, I added about four pounds of melt and pour soap base to the pot, cut up in about 1" chunks. (Note: the orange colored base is the orange melt and pour base from From Nature With Love mixed in with some regular clear soap base.) I dialed the temperature dial to about 150 degrees and the process (and the timer) had begun!
Pouring the First Batch - 6:11 PM
It took about 6 minutes for the 4 lbs. of soap base to melt completely.
I poured about 18 oz. of soap base into my melt pot. The handle/spigot is really easy to open and close. You'll note that I have a towel down the front of the cabinets under the pour spout. I did this to prevent any drops and dribbles from getting on the cabinets. But the flow of soap out of the spigot was very even and controlled.
The only drips were onto the floor after I had closed the spigot.
First Batch of Soap Finished - 6:16 PM
To this first batch of soap in the melt pot, I added
- a few additional drops of liquid orange colorant
- and a yummy sweet Bramble Berry fragrance called Rhubarb al Fresco
Second Batch Finished - 6:22 PM
I wiped the melt pot out with a paper towel, and was able to immediately refill it with more melted soap base. I'm not exaggerating when I say "immediately." It really only took the amount of time to wipe the pot out with a paper towel and move the next set of molds into place. A couple of minutes, tops!
To this pot of soap I added:
- several drops of ruby colored soap colorant
- and a great new Bramble Berry fragrance (the winner of the 2007 "Design Your Own Fragrance" contest) called Kentish Rain
Third Batch Finished - 6:28PM
I wiped the melt pot out again with a paper towel, and filled it with the rest of the melted soap base.
To this last pot of soap I added:
- several drops of Basic Red soap colorant
- and one of my favorite Bramble Berry fragrances called Energy. (It's one of my Favorite Valentines Day Fragrance Oils)
So, with the help of the WaxMelters PD7 Direct Heat Wax Melter, I made three batches of soap, each with different colors and scents, in about 25 minutes. I could have easily done double that amount with just a little bit more time. The time is not in the coloring and pouring; it only takes a few minutes to pour a dozen soaps. Where the time is spent is in waiting for the soap base to melt - putting it in the microwave, stirring it, heating it, stirring it, heating it.
Etc. Having a pot of completely melted soap base that you can just pour into your melt pot cuts an amazing amount of time out of the soap making process. Additionally, the soap was always at exactly the right temperature. I never had to wait for it to melt some more, worry if it was too hot, or put it back into the microwave to re-melt it. It was always "just right."
At almost $500, these melters are not for everyone, I'll admit that. But for a professional soap maker who wants to vastly improve their efficiency, temperature control, and flexibility in the soap room, this is a great, superbly made piece of professional equipment.
I can't wait to try this out with some candle wax!
Now here is one area where the use of the PD7 differs pretty dramatically between candle and soap making. Clean up. With the soap, I just poured some hot water into the melter, let it heat up, and then opened the spigot into the sink. I did this twice, and then wiped it out with paper towels. Couldn't be quicker or easier.
Obviously, you couldn't do this with wax-you don't want even a tiny bit of melted candle wax going down your drain-but if you used the melter exclusively for soap, this is a great benefit.
