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Silver Stater | 02-12-2010 01:37 AM
Making Soap I'm in the process of making some soap for the first time. I researched on the internet how to make soap from rendered fat and I'll post pictures once I'm done. I got some beef fat trimming from the local market for 29 cents a pound. I ended up with 2.5 pounds total after I refined it twice (starting weight of ~5 pounds) and a lot of beef that would make dog food/bird food. I'm now making the lye from ashes left over in the fireplace and rainwater I caught in the gutter. I plan on making my first soap a "coffee" soap with some coffee and grinds I picked up in a hotel room. The total spent on this first batch should cost $1.57 total (plus the energy costs of rendering the fat) and I'll hopefully get about 12 bars. I'm making the mold from cardboard I had lying around.

thrifty_bob | 02-12-2010 02:58 AM
Re: Making Soap A true adventurer :)

j-son | 02-12-2010 07:59 AM
Re: Making Soap 1 Attachment(s) here's what i use. i just rub this on and go to work! i think i smell delicious too! j/k. keep us posted to see what the scent is like

jogslvr | 02-12-2010 08:26 AM
Re: Making Soap vinegar cleans as good or better than soap and easier to make.

Golddust | 02-12-2010 08:45 AM
Re: Making Soap You are making some old time lye soap... It will clean and polish you.... Just be careful..!! Edit: Find some coconut oil and throw it in the mix, or any scent of your choice... The raw soap has a smell that is less than I personally care for....! But you may like it...

Silver Stater | 02-12-2010 10:18 AM
Re: Making Soap Quote:
Originally Posted by Golddust (Post 2176094) The raw soap has a smell that is less than I personally care for....! But you may like it...
I triple rendered the fat so it doesn't really have a smell as of right now. Also, coffee grounds are known for neutralizing smells so I was hoping it would take out all the residual smells. In other bars I'll probably use essential oils to add smell. Thanks for the advice about the coconut oil. I'll have to throw in a little bit.

scholarcoon | 02-12-2010 10:33 AM
Re: Making Soap Good luck and have fun. Making the lye yourself will be the trickiest part. Most people buy it from the store because getting to the correct strength can be difficult. Let us know how it goes.

Silver Stater | 02-12-2010 01:08 PM
Re: Making Soap Quote:
Originally Posted by scholarcoon (Post 2176257) Good luck and have fun. Making the lye yourself will be the trickiest part. Most people buy it from the store because getting to the correct strength can be difficult. Let us know how it goes.
The lye is definitely the most tricky part. It's been steeping for 2 days and I'll filter it tomorrow to make see how it is. If I need to let it steep more I'll just pour it back into the ashes. I didn't buy lye because I wanted to do it the cheapest way possible. Lye also makes a great pipe/drain cleaner so it will nice to have it around for that use as well. I also just tried using the beef tallow as a leather conditioner on an old purse of my wifes and so far it seems to work really well.

scholarcoon | 02-12-2010 01:31 PM
Re: Making Soap I just did some googling and apparently you can also boil off some of the water if it's not strong enough.

Mr. Shiny | 02-12-2010 01:54 PM
Re: Making Soap Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver Stater (Post 2175847) I'm now making the lye from ashes left over in the fireplace and rainwater I caught in the gutter.
This will give you potassium hydroxide (KOH). Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver Stater (Post 2175847) I'm making the mold from cardboard I had lying around.
To the best of my recollection you can't use KOH to make bar soap, you'll need sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for that.

CrufflerJJ | 02-12-2010 02:02 PM
Re: Making Soap Quote:
Originally Posted by scholarcoon (Post 2176257) Making the lye yourself will be the trickiest part. Most people buy it from the store because getting to the correct strength can be difficult.
Buying decent quantities of lye from your local store might be difficult and/or result in you being questioned by certain "officials." Lye is one of the materials that can be used to make methamphetamine, along with lithium batteries, matches, certain solvents, ether, sudafed tabs,..... For a "fun" time, buy as many of the following items listed above during a single shopping trip to your local store and see what happens.

.375 | 02-12-2010 02:10 PM
Re: Making Soap Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver Stater (Post 2176504) The lye is definitely the most tricky part. It's been steeping for 2 days and I'll filter it tomorrow to make see how it is. If I need to let it steep more I'll just pour it back into the ashes. I didn't buy lye because I wanted to do it the cheapest way possible. Lye also makes a great pipe/drain cleaner so it will nice to have it around for that use as well. I also just tried using the beef tallow as a leather conditioner on an old purse of my wifes and so far it seems to work really well.
:36_1_30: Please tell us you asked your wife before you rubbed beef tallow on her purse! Valentines in the dog house wouldn't be good.

Silver Stater | 02-12-2010 03:00 PM
Re: Making Soap Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Shiny (Post 2176568) This will give you potassium hydroxide (KOH). To the best of my recollection you can't use KOH to make bar soap, you'll need sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for that.
I've read that you make the soap harden by adding sodium (salt) to the mixture. The soaps would have to cure over the course of at least a month. The longer you let them cure the harder they get.

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