HOW TO MEASURE A SOAP MOLD (mould), FREE soap mold calculator download - cold process soap tutorial.

Learn how to measure a soap mold (mould) and work out the amount of oil needed to fill it. Free soap mold calculator download
Welcome to I Dream in Soap. Use this cold process soap making tutorial to learn how to calculate the quantity of oil for any mold, no matter what shape or size. No more guessing and wasting soaping materials.
In this cold process soap making tutorial, I show you how to calculate the size of your mold, whether you work in cms or inches and even how to work out the size of irregularly shaped molds. I then take you through the steps to work out how much oil you need to put into your soap/lye calculator to get the perfect amount of soap batter to fill your mold. Standard formulas ( e.g. the ones you see telling you to multiply by 0.40) do exist but these do not take account of your particular soap recipe and are therefore just approximations. Follow the steps that I show you to get the perfect amount every time.
FREE SOAP MOLD CALCULATOR DOWNLOAD:
I have also made a handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from this link. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) )
Here's the link:
onedrive.live....
I hope you enjoy the video. I'd love it if you would give me a thumbs up, subscribe to my channel and ring the notification bell this helps me to grow my channel. If you have any comments or question please leave them in the comment section below and I will get back to you.
Timings so you can jump to the parts relevant to you:
Measuring - using water weight 1:08
Measuring - ruler 4:37
Calculating volume - 7:18
Calculating total soap weight 7:18
Calculating oils needed 9:05.
#IDreaminSoap Discount on Lye (sodium hydroxide) and rubbing alcohol
Are you a soapmaker in the UK? for great value lye (sodium hydroxide), rubbing alcohol and more try JennyChem, they are one of the cheapest suppliers in the UK, I use their lye in all of my soap. You can even get 5% off any order if you use my special discount code LISA7152 - go to Jennychem at - www.jennychem....
Disclaimer
Although my cold process soap making tutorials are of a tutorial nature, they are intended for people who have a good understanding of making cold process soap. The information given is based on what works for me, however, there are lots of variables associated with cold process soap making and I therefore, take no responsibility for the results achieved when using the techniques or methods explained in these tutorials. Cold process soap involves the necessary use of sodium Hydroxide (lye) which is a very dangerous substance. Before attempting and cold process soap making you should ensure you are fully aware of the lye safety procedures and always wear the correct safety equipment when making soap.
#soapmaking #coldprocessoap

[@823Steve]

WOW! That "magic number" sets this video apart from ALL the others. I've watched dozens of videos on this subject and yours is the ONLY one that goes the extra mile by plugging those figures into the SoapCalc to get the percentage and then recalculating based on those figures. Thank you so much!!!!!!!

[@stradartsavonnerieartisana3188]

Thank YOU ever so much! Such generosity is getting rare.

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW that's lovely to hear, thank you so much Do Piano, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment for me 😊

[@muhammadsaquibjamadar5433]

@@IDreamInSoap love your channel, I have some olive oil but it is expired, is it safe to use the same for making soap.

[@tanyabonnett4174]

Thankyou Lisa for doing all this work it is wonderful especially for us newbies

[@IDreamInSoap]

You are so welcome Tanya, stay safe and well :-)

[@thesoapandcandledude150]

Thank you so much for sharing this video with us! I have been going crazy trying to figure out why I was always over. The funny thing is the mold that you used for your demonstration is the same mold that I have. Perfect!!!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Excellent, well that's double lucky, you can just use my figures :-)

[@transitvandoors]

Hi Lisa, I found this to be the easiest to understand video on working out the oil quantities needed for my DIY mold. Thanks for taking the time to make it.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much transitvandoors, that's very kind of you. So pleased you found it helpful :-)

[@RNatesha]

I finally understand how to work out my oils now. Wow💡. Never too new to the business to learn. I know this video is 2yrs old but thank you for sharing.

[@rachwilson2009]

This is a life changer. My dad made me some wooden molds but everyone is slightly longer or shorter so my bars where coming out some higher some shorter. Now i can work out each one. Brilliant! Ty xx

[@IDreamInSoap]

That's excellent news Rachel, you'll be so chuffed the 1st time you pour all your batter and if fits perfectly :-)

[@jacquibuckley6015]

Thank you so much for explaining this process. I've nearly blown a gasket trying to work that process out xxx

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Jacqui thank you so much for your very kind comment 😊

[@kimberlyo2037]

I recently decided to start making soap and I am so thankful for you doing such a detailed tutorial. Thank you so much!!! 💞

[@IDreamInSoap]

That's so kind of you to say Kimmy O, thank you so much 😊

[@jrccandleco7939]

This is a awesome for a new soap maker like me!!! Lisa, you are the best!! So clear and concise. I appreciate you

[@IDreamInSoap]

You are so welcome, thank you so much for your lovely comment

[@tammystjohn5802]

Thank you so much! I actually understand this now and I have watched several tutorials on this and your video explains this so very well.

[@IDreamInSoap]

You're very welcome!

[@LS-lb7pw]

Super info. I forgot how to do these calcs after not soaping for several years. Now I have my calcs done for all my molds. Thank you good teacher!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you LS

[@saritapagita]

Thanks for showing these calculations in such a straightforward way. I’d like to chance a guess that you were/are a scientist or engineer during your day job, Lisa. Your organization and analytical explanations are 💯

[@IDreamInSoap]

HI Sarah, thank you so much. I'm actually a chartered accountant, but I train other accountants for their professional exams

[@shannonrios8982]

Seriously, thank you so much for this video. I have been going crazy with numbers and struggling to find the right measurements for my mold. Love this video and it’s so easy!!!!!

[@camsanders5756]

I can't love this enough! Thank you! This is so much better than having wasted batter.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much and yes I so agree, there is something very satisfying about pouring your soap and it all fits perfectly. Stay safe and well :-)

[@RedStingBlogs]

Massively helpful and clear!

[@IDreamInSoap]

I'm so pleased you found it helpful, it makes making the videos worthwhile. Stay sfae and well :-)

[@TheRashDesigns]

Thank you so much for this, made my first loaf batch last week and made the EXACT amount I needed using these calculations, I was so pleased :) You explained it so well. Thanks again for sharing.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Woohoo, that is brilliant news, thank you for letting me know. Welcome to the addictive world of cold process soap, I bet you're hooked now aren't you :-)

[@TheRashDesigns]

@@IDreamInSoap Haha, yes I am. Now my soaping list is bigger than my grocery list 😆

[@kathrynadams8789]

Thank you Lisa, you explain everything so well and so clear :)

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hey Kathryn, so pleased you found it useful :-)

[@handeedandeescrapper]

Hi Lisa, I have been watching videos for months and purchasing oils and lye to make soap but I haven't felt comfortable enough to really try and make soap until I started watching your videos. They have all been so informative especially for me as a beginner. One of the reasons I have not made any soap is because I don't know how much to make for my molds. I was following along in this video until you arrived at the part about the oils! I am lost at that point because I do not have a soap recipe. I have found several on youtube but most if not all of them are only listed by percentages so I would have to know how much my mold can hold before I can work out the percentages to get my recipe of oils and lye water solution. You said your recipe is 72% which is the percentage you used in the video. This is where I get a little lost in your video. One minute I think I got it but then I rethink it and I am lost again! LOL Can you help me figure out this part so I can find my percentage?

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi, welcome to the exciting world of cold process soap. Of course I can help you. I know what you mean by it being a bit confusing with recipes. Generally most recipes are written in % exactly for the reason that you can then make them to fit you mold, which as you say is tricky when you don't know how much to put in your mold. I would suggest taking the recipe you like and putting any size in to soap calc. So maybe just go for a pound or a kilo (which ever method you are comfortable with). Put the % into soapcalc, your recipe may tell you how much water to use. Soapcalc defaults to 38% of oils which is rather high, I would change the water setting for 33% (then go lower as you get more experienced - I soap at 25% water to oils). Once you enter all the oils and their % and set your water then click calculate recipe, then view/print recipe. YOu will then get the screen with your recipe on it. From here you can calculate the % of oils in the recipe you want to use by taking the total oil figure and dividing it by the total soap weight before cure figure then multiply by 100 and you will have your %. Once you've got that it will always be the same for that recipe no matter what size you make, so you can use that where I use my 72%. I hope this helps, feel free to ask more questions if you need to, once you get going you'll love it. Stay safe and well - Lisa :-)

[@handeedandeescrapper]

WOW Lisa!!! That is really helpful and thank you for breaking it down for me. I use to scrapbook 24/7 and I was the same way, I wanted to share everything that I could to help new people with scrapbooking because everyone is always new to something and may need a helping hand to get started so thank you so very much for this information. It makes a lot of sense to me now. So much that I am going to make some soap to test out all my FO that I have purchased just like the way you showed in your other video. I am waiting for my measuring spoons that say Tad, Dash, Smidgen, Pinch and Drop so I can make some samples of my colors. I believe that will help me a lot in the future when I am ready to make batches of soap. Again, thank you for all your help and inspiration. I can't wait to try making some of the soap tutorials you have made, especially the clam shell! Hopefully this shut-in will be over soon, take care.

[@adventuresofagypsynurse3691]

Awesome video! Thank you. I had stopped making soaps for 5 years (been soaping since 1996) and has since lost my 5" binder with all my master formulae. So I was quite happy to find your video! Awesome presentation!

[@IDreamInSoap]

😉👍

[@LadyGecko]

This is beyond brilliant, and very timely for me. I had purchased SoapMaker3 and was having difficulty with the MyMolds section and trying to understand where the volume calculations were coming from. Thank you so much.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Oooh that's brilliant, I'm so pleased you found it helpful, that makes my day :-) I hope you and your family are all keeping safe and well :-)

[@LadyGecko]

We are well Lisa, thank you for inquiring. I hope that you and yours are also well. I love you kitchen, very vintage feeling.

[@katarzynaderkacz39]

Lisa, you are amazing, I appreciate your work and patience and will to explain all of these issues to us 😘🍒♥️

[@IDreamInSoap]

That's so kind of you to say Katarzyna , thank you so much 😊

[@DistilledDiscourse]

I have spent so much time trying to figure out how to get the volume for my first time making soap, and your video explained it perfectly! Thank you, very much!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Glad I could help! that's excellent news

[@brujachingona2175]

I'm a wonderful mOther. I'm a horrible mAther. It's going to take me a few watches to understand this very useful Greek dialect. I do appreciate you making it as plain to understand as possible.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hey Brunja, I'm glad the video was helpful

[@susanboshaw5846]

I always learn so much by watching your videos. Thank you so much😁

[@IDreamInSoap]

You are so welcome, I'm so pleased they're helpful

[@Christaforde]

Thank you Lisa. I am Christina from Ballygarvan Soap & Candles. We are based in Cork, Ireland. I love your videos. They are extremely informative and very professional. It is so kind of you to share all this information with us. It is very helpful especially for people who are new in the art of soaping. Your tutorial explains really well how to calculate & measure the size of the batch of soap for any mold. Best wishes from all of us and looking forward to your next informative tutorials!

[@IDreamInSoap]

I'm so pleased you found it useful 😀

[@user-Gigischannel]

This is great thank you for putting it in your video exactly where each little nugget is. I wish they did this in more videos like NDE experiences

[@IDreamInSoap]

I'm so pleased you found it useful

[@AromaDelightBeautyCareProducts]

Awesome video on how to measure a soap mold! Your video will really help many new soapers and some old soap also! Great info on how to use the soap calculator! Great job as always!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Debra, I think I'm running out of ways to tell you how lovely you are. I really appreciate your support xxxx

[@AromaDelightBeautyCareProducts]

@@IDreamInSoap You're so welcome! It comes very easy to do this because I'm a fan!! ML Soapy sister!

[@ourkingdomhomestead]

Every time you said wobbly or wibbly I thought of dr who 🙂🙂🙂🙂 loved it thank you for sharing this

[@rosieeder5512]

Thank you for this. This is invaluable to someone who is just starting out. Thank you so much.

[@IDreamInSoap]

You're welcome. Glad to help. 😉

[@shielamauldin-brown3657]

I am loving your channel. Thank you for taking the time to create these lessons. MUCH appreciated.

[@IDreamInSoap]

My pleasure Sheila, I'm so pleased you like the videos it makes it worth making them :-)

[@lisak5720]

Thank you so much! So helpful!!!!!

[@IDreamInSoap]

You are so welcome!

[@onwa.beauty]

This was the 7th video I watched about this and you made it make sense to me finally. I only had half the math problem and was stuck at 45oz I knew I needed to find out the percentage but couldn't figure out how several people talked about the 72 % or 70 % to 30% I just didn't get it.. now, this makes total SENSE its like the light bulb clicked. I always make soap and always have about 9 to 10 oz overage i just thought this is how it is. hhahaah now I know I can do it correctly thank you soooo much you are a soap angel!!! GOD BLESS you

[@IDreamInSoap]

That is excellent news. Yes I think a lot of people use the standard formulae that are around and never really know what they mean and why they don't always work.

[@mikeellis5691]

Excellent explanation.. very clear ! Easy to follow! Thanks

[@IDreamInSoap]

So pleased you found it useful Mike (and excuse me if I've replied twice, my dashboard isn't saving my comments for some reason) and thank you for leaving me a comment, I do appreciate it. Stay safe and well

[@ritualhealingcentre6054]

Great video thanx. I started a few years ago, but simply weighed the amount of water up to the top and used that amount for my oils. Works for me as I make a mountain in the middle of my soap. I’m going to check out soap calc tho because I’ve done all the hard yards figuring out percentages allowed of each oil and manually added them up. This way is so much easier than the Sage Lye calculator that my mum used years and years ago and I still use. X x

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Lee Van Leeuwen, the water method is great especially for funny shaped moulds. I hope you get on with this method

[@libertymicrofarm6032]

I have that same mold you used as the example. It would never hold 45 oz. lol The match I use is Length X width X height X .40. This gives me just the weight I need in oils (calculation doesn’t include the lye) by the time I ad my lye solution I have the perfect amount for my mold 😉

[@tamaragleaves]

Does It matter cm or Inches? Thank you

[@libertymicrofarm6032]

@@tamaragleaves the X.40 gives you oz of oils needed for your batch. If you use grams then use .L (cm) x W (cm) X H (cm) X .70. This = the grams of oils needed for your batch. Hope that helps.

[@TeriGrogan-ub9vt]

Thank you so much for this, it will definitely help me with starting back up after 10 years of not making soaps and with this pink mold it is a smaller one then I use to use, Again thank you

[@IDreamInSoap]

Welcome back! You are welcome, glad to help. 😉😍

[@SweetVelvetBuds]

Thank you very much for taking the time and do this. Very helpful.

[@IDreamInSoap]

I'm so pleased you found it helpful, thanks Flor

[@IDreamInSoap]

A little update, I thought I'd post on your comment as you may find it useful. I have also handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from the link in this comment. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) ) Here's the link: onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx?resid=875659A477B22D5!28947&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AIVMZtupZR6tY4o

[@jshutts100]

Wow Lisa, thank you so much for this 😊

[@IDreamInSoap]

Glad it was helpful!

[@amicia0079]

You are amazing! Thank you so much for making this video. Math scares me but this made total sense!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much, I'm so pleased it made sense. Once you've done it a few times it gets easier and you only have to do it once for each mold as long as you remember it afterwards. If you need any help if you struggle at all just pop a comment up and I can try to help you

[@Helen-cw1qs]

I work in accounts receivable so I was very happy to have your explanation! I’m on it! Thank you

[@IDreamInSoap]

😉

[@tomsnider1821]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It is much appreciated!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Glad it was helpful, thank you Michelle :-)

[@anamariscal9711]

Thank you very much, I think I finally understood how to calculate to make soap

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Ana , I'm so pleased you found the video helpful, it makes it worthwhile making videos when people benefit from them. :-)

[@suhasinijalan4347]

Very succinctly explained. Thank you for sharing.

[@peterk2018]

Thank you again Lisa! Another great video with very helpful information. I just measured all my molds, not that I have that many yet, but am able better calculate the batters I need. All the best!

[@IDreamInSoap]

I'm so pleased you found it useful, yes the calc for the batter % comes in useful quite a lot

[@IDreamInSoap]

A little update, I thought I'd post on your comment as you may find it useful. I have also handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from the link in this comment. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) ) Here's the link: onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx?resid=875659A477B22D5!28947&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AIVMZtupZR6tY4o

[@peterk2018]

@@IDreamInSoap Thank you for this Lisa! I have downloaded the file and will utilize it to recalculate my batters based on oils. Always had a little extra with just goes into some of my little molds. I will be happy to share your youtube channel as well! Had some fun this weekend making my first 5 kilo soap batter! Put a challenge on my old stick blender, I think it was tired. Time to get a new one, more heavy duty :) We are working on 1000 bars (250 made so far with 750 to go) by mid March for our Greek Festival in the end of May.

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@peterk2018 Ooh that's great I hope it's really useful. Godness me 1000 bars, I can't even imagine that. Good luck with it. I think you may need to treat yourself to a new stick blender by the time you've finished with that lot :-0

[@Fridskan]

So well explained. Very easy to follow.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much and thank you for leaving me another comment :-) I've noticed you've commented on a couple of my 'How to' videos, I really appreciate it. I'm keen to keep doing the 'how to videos' so if you have soap topic you would like me to do a video on then please let me know as I want to do things that people would like to see. Best wishes, stay safe and well :-)

[@pippinrocks]

I really appreciate this video. I’ve been on the struggle bus with figuring out how to organise this

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Danielle, I'm so pleased you found the video helpful, it makes it worthwhile making videos when people benefit from them. Stay safe and well :-)

[@rozenwynsee2521]

Amazing. Thank you so much. Easy to understand and useful.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Rozenwyn See thank you so much for your very kind comment 😊

[@yolandaescanciano8511]

Marvellous! Thanks for the clear explanation!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Yolanda, so pleased you found it helpful. Thank you for leaving a comment for me :-)

[@Farenfran]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This is so helpful. I have learned a lot from this video!👏👏👏

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW, that's so great. I'm really pleased. Thank you for your comment

[@IDreamInSoap]

A little update, I thought I'd post on your comment as you may find it useful. I have also handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from the link in this comment. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) ) Here's the link: onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx?resid=875659A477B22D5!28947&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AIVMZtupZR6tY4o

[@jacqshope]

This video is SO helpful! Thanks so much for explaining this!💕

[@IDreamInSoap]

You're so welcome!

[@jinipatton3200]

Great video, Lisa! Thank you so much!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much @jinipatton3200, that's very kind of you.

[@irenegourley6647]

Hi Lisa this is a brilliant tutorial. Is there any way you an upload the spreadsheet again as the link doesn't seem to work any more? Thank you for all your interesting tutorials - love the techy ones 😂

[@DebsShipley1969]

Still a fabulous video that I refer back to. Thank you

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much, that's very kind of you.

[@laurierhan8909]

Thank you so much for this video!! I learned so much from it !

[@IDreamInSoap]

You're very welcome Laurie. I'm really pleased it was a help.

[@IDreamInSoap]

A little update, I thought I'd post on your comment as you may find it useful. I have also handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from the link in this comment. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) ) Here's the link: onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx?resid=875659A477B22D5!28947&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AIVMZtupZR6tY4o

[@TheGirlfromWyntersPen]

Thank.you so very much for this. I watched it two times and have come up with my magic figure. Will let you know how it goes

[@IDreamInSoap]

Wonderful! that's great news.

[@ruthkape2089]

thank you for this video but you caught my deep attention when you said you made a mold for you slab mold Can you please share how you did it thanks

[@fereshtehe-nazari6255]

You're the best 🌟

[@IDreamInSoap]

That's so kind of you to say Fereshteh, thank you so much 😊

[@babyblueslove]

Finally..thank you soooo much for this you have no idea how much this will help me...God bless you for be so generous with this information 😊8

[@IDreamInSoap]

You are so welcome

[@anamariagmp]

you don't know how much your video help me I was literally crying with tons of batter or little batter it was a battle for me... until I watched your video thanks so much ! ❤

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW that's lovely to hear, thank you so much @anamariagmp, and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment for me 😊

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Everyone, I hope you found the video useful. I have also made a handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from the link in this comment. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) ) Here's the link: onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx?resid=875659A477B22D5!28947&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AIVMZtupZR6tY4o

[@fransiscakartikasari7832]

Hi Lisa, apparently the workbook is in read only mode and I cannot fill in the numbers :( Can you please advise what should I do to use the sheet? Thank you, you are so genius and I love all your videos!

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@fransiscakartikasari7832 Hi Fransisca. I have checked the file and it should be editable, you should be able to put numbers in the coloured cells only. YOu will need to be using excel. When you download it your computer may save it as read only, as it's a file from the internet, make sure you change the setting to allow editing. As it opens up you may get a message that says 'opening in protective view' or something, but you then click on the little box that says 'allow editing?' Let me know if you still have problems, best wishes.

[@fransiscakartikasari7832]

@@IDreamInSoap Ah save as! It works now! Thank you so much :*

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@fransiscakartikasari7832 That's brilliant, I'm so pleased

[@darren8854]

Lisa you're now my go to soap channel for advice - thank you so much! Can I ask, where did you buy your scales from? Thanks in advance.

[@idalinaalcantarataylor8821]

Hi. Thank you so much for your very detailed video and explanation. In your video at the 7.20 mark you state that the volume = .7789. However, when I multiplied your measurements I got an answer of 77.89. Do you have to divide buy 100 in order to move the decimal over, always? Also, you multiplied your volume by 0.58 vs what other do at .40 for the weight of NaOH. I can be a bit slow so I apologize if this question is off. I'm just trying to understand the formula better so that my calculations are not off when resizing a recipe to fit my mold. Thank you in advance for your help.

[@IDreamInSoap]

HI Idalina. I'm so pleased you found the video helpful. I too get 77.89 in that calculation, maybe the decimal point doesn't show well on the screen, but I do also say 77.89 ounces. The 0.40 that you typically see quoted is an average figure that is used to convert the volume of a mould to the amount of oils needed. It's what I would call a 'quick & rough' method that will get your volume close but not necessarily that accurate and depending on the volume of water you use in your recipe it can be out by some way. My calcs are a bit more complicated, but they give you an accurate quantity. The 0.58 turns the volume of water in the mould in inches into fluid ounces. Then I divide by 0.9 to take account that oil is lighter than water, so you need more. Then I look at my specific recipe to find the actual amount of oils in that volume. That's the last step. It may seem a bit complicated, but once you get used to it you'll fly through it, especially if you use the same recipe. I hope this helps, please feel free to ask any more questions if you get stuck at all.

[@idalinaalcantarataylor8821]

@@IDreamInSoap thank you so much for replying and the very detailed explanation. This makes a bit more sense to me now.

[@IDreamInSoap]

A little update, I thought I'd post on your comment as you may find it useful. I have also handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from the link in this comment. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) ) Here's the link: onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx?resid=875659A477B22D5!28947&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AIVMZtupZR6tY4o

[@IDreamInSoap]

A little update, I thought I'd post on your comment as you may find it useful. I have also handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from the link in this comment. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) ) Here's the link: onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx?resid=875659A477B22D5!28947&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AIVMZtupZR6tY4o

[@DeaJ580]

Thank you so so much for sharing!! 😊

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Dee , so pleased you found it useful

[@ritamgbe6986]

Hi Lisa! Awesome video. Could u pls share with me how u calculate your fragrance oils for your cold processed soaps?

[@IDreamInSoap]

I always use fragrance at 3% of my oil weight unless the IFRA amount is lower, if that's the case then I use the IFRA amount

[@reneepannoni2070]

THANK YOU FOR THIS!! 🙏💕😃

[@IDreamInSoap]

You are so welcome!

[@constancejimenez7361]

Awesome, thank you!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Constance and thank you for leaving me a comment :-)

[@blacktancoonhoundsuk161]

Just bought myself a new slab mould with dividers. Lisa and this has helped tremendously! Thank you :) Only prob now is working out how to reduce for the addition of salt...or am I just being dumb LOL

[@IDreamInSoap]

Have a look at my salt bar video, I go through all the calculations there :-)

[@victoriasakkidis7248]

Brilliant, thank you

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thanks Victoria. 😉

[@CrAzYAuNtSiSsy]

Thank you again and again for sharing your knowledge! So interesting the way you explain. :) I have another question... Your water % isn't set at 38 the way it is when you start the soap calc. I thought I heard less water = less soda ash..? I also heard it can help the soap become safer to use after 3 days..? Are both true?

[@IDreamInSoap]

You can set the water to whatever you want, I have a video explaining all about the effect the amount of water has on your soap here kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5vUiox9lqyJrNk. The amount of water will not change when you soap is safe, saponification is typically complete after 2 to 3 days, so your soap is safe then, but it will be a soft bar, so needs to cure to become a hard, long lasting, milder, more bubbly soap

[@src3360]

Where did the 2000g come from? Your total batter weight was way less. Is 2000g a standard weight?

[@GR-hy3tf]

Same, confusing much.

[@mariarobles3522]

2,000g is the total oils! 2,776g is the total soap weight with water included 😊

[@src3360]

@@mariarobles3522 Thank you

[@lauravasquez1634]

Thank you such a helpful video!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Oooh, I'm so pleased you found it helpful. I hope you manage to make some excellent moulds

[@IDreamInSoap]

A little update, I thought I'd post on your comment as you may find it useful. I have also handy spreadsheet where you can just enter the size of your mold in inches, cms or by using water weight and it will calculate the amount of oils you need. The spreadsheet will also help you calculate the % of oils in your recipe (using soapcalc). If you would like a copy just download it from the link in this comment. It's free, no strings attached. I just produced it to hopefully help people out. If you would like to share the document with others, that's fine, but it would be lovely if you would just direct them to my KZbin channel so they can download it (and maybe subscribe if they like what they see :-) ) Here's the link: onedrive.live.com/edit.aspx?resid=875659A477B22D5!28947&ithint=file%2cxlsx&authkey=!AIVMZtupZR6tY4o

[@lauravasquez1634]

Oh thank so much for the spreadsheet addition! I can’t wait to try it out!

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@lauravasquez1634 My pleasure Laura :-)

[@tweetyb421]

Confused. Fine up until I got to the 2000...What does that number have to do with finding out how much I need for my mold without a prior recipe?

[@tweetyb421]

So, I figured it out…

[@DebsShipley1969]

thank you so much

[@Tser]

I have dyscalculia (an arithmetic learning disability, also called non-verbal learning disability). Thank you so much for making this video and making it so clear. It's still very hard for me when it comes to actually keeping track of numbers, but a video like this helps me check back when I need to. Is the spreadsheet still available? I got a broken link.

[@irenegourley6647]

Yes I couldn't access it either 😢

[@debrastearman6938]

Thanks Lisa, this video is so useful and clearly set out. May I just ask which Trade Approved scales you use, as I can't find a huge amount of information about them in the UK.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Debra, I use these ones, they come in a range of sizes, min, max etc www.oneweigh.co.uk/adam-highland-trade-approved-portable-precision-balance-9752-p.asp

[@debrastearman6938]

@@IDreamInSoap Thank you. These are handy scales, as they have internal calibration! You have inspired me to become more creative, after watching your fantastic soap videos.

[@Imokanurnot]

To be honest, some of this was a bit confusing (you see, math and I are mortal enemies 🤭), but I think that with enough time (and the proper therapy) I just might get it. I appreciate you sharing your vast brain with us! 💗 I have just one question though (I know I know, always with the questions). If you're placing embeds into your soap, should you weigh the finished embeds and subtract that amount from your batter? Is it just wishful thinking on my part, or is something starting to seep in? 😲 Thanks agan, I appreciate you!

[@debbieescobar6267]

Please do a video on how to make silicone liners.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Oh, rats and double rats. I made a tall and skinny mould just the other day, but I didn't video the process.

[@debbieescobar6267]

I Dream In Soap 😿

[@silkysuds5653]

I would love to see how you made your mould

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@silkysuds5653 I've made a video, I had quite a few people request it, so I made one, here's the link kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaram4SGbZx-iM0

[@nakamuraka777]

Wow, amazing, very informative video..😍❤🫰

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@barbiescraft]

This is great

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hey, thanks a lot, I'm so glad you found it useful :-)

[@AD_Eydi]

Thanks for the informative vid. What about when you add other additives since the calculation for capacity of soap moulds is only done by measuring the oils? For instance, if have 1000g of oils as enough for my mould, what happens if i add turmeric powder, etc which is calculated based on the amount of oil. So if I add 2% turmeric powder, = 20g then that makes 1020, plus plus plus. So the mould overflows :))). Please help. Thank you.

[@IDreamInSoap]

If you add a lot of other additive you would factor those into your % of oils in the recipe. So you would look at the weight of everything you include, then calculate the % by comparing the weight of the oils with the weight of everything.

[@AD_Eydi]

@@IDreamInSoap Thank you for the reply. But my confusion is that, the amount of additive is calculated based on the amount of oils. my dummy calculation: just an illustration of adding this and adding that: Oils (based on mold) = 1000g PLUS (lye&water. = ____ (pre-calculated) PLUS: Turmeric 2% of oils = 20g AC 1%. = 10g sod lac 1%. = 10g colorant 0.5% = 5g etc etc etc 1%. = 10g __________________________ = 1,055 PLUS NaOh + H20 I understand the amount of additives are "percentages" extracted from the amount of oils. So if I then add these additives, the batter will overflow. But if deduct these total additives to maintain the exact 1000g for the mold, then the ratio is not longer 2 or 3 or 1 or 15 percent of that 1000g. so confused here.

[@melissaowens6031]

I honestly am so grateful to you, but so pissed at utube for putting a 51 MINUTE AD IN YOUR VIDEO.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thank you so much Melissa. Goodness me 51 minutes that's a joke!!! Oh gosh I hope you didn't watch it all, we just need the 1st 30 seconds for it to count. Thank you so much for watching the ads, I really appreciate it.

[@miamiranti9885]

Hi Lisa. Thank you for the tutorials & explanations 🙏💜 I first came across a similar calculation video at Elly's Everyday channel.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Mia, thanks a loot, pleased you like it.

[@lorraineshakespeare5887]

I’ve seen some people multiply instead of divide. I.e. weight of water x 0.9 and you do weight of water / 0.9 I’m now confused

[@uN_TiGrE_aZuL]

I think you should multiply too. I was confused with the video

[@tamaragleaves]

Very informative. But how do I make a double batch? Do I weigh out my oils, Lye, etc twice for 2 Molds. Thank you.

[@IDreamInSoap]

You can simply foibles everything. Melt it down and mix then split in half for each soap

[@troutfamilylife551]

I'm confused as to where the 2000g came from

[@gratituderanch9406]

The 2000 g was from a random recipe she grabbed. So let’s just say she’s trying to use this recipe but she’s now trying to figure out how to change it so it fits the amount of soap she needs. She doesn’t need the 2000 g, that’s what the recipe’s default was.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Thanks for replying, got a bit snowed in comments :-)

[@KyoraTashaeXo]

Hi loved your video ❤️ and I got confused on how you got the oz @8:48 . Where did you get the 0.58 for measuring in inches? If anyone knows would be helpful as well 😩

[@ladybug6450]

Hello! From what I understand .58 is the conversion ratio she gives to convert from cubic inches to fluid ounces. One cubic inch holds .58 fluid ounces, so to convert 77.89cubic inches she multiplied it by .58. So, 45 fl oz is what fits in 77.89 cu in. I hope this makes sense!

[@bahramassary2340]

That 2%is not that important but when I watch your soap making videos you are always so perfect on making exact batter even when you scrape off (thank you for not wasting anything)all of you batter it still fit perfectly on your mold that is why I brought up the 2%difference I want to be that perfect Thanks Bahram

[@IDreamInSoap]

AW, thank you so much. I must admit it's such a nice feeling when it all fits nicely. I hate having those extra little random bits of soap. I've answered your 2% query, so hopefully you should be sorted :-)

[@shannonrios8982]

Hello!!! I have been playing around and doing my calculations based on this video.. first of all THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I did have 1 question though. My mold is 51.13cm x 6.50cm x 7.62cm = 2532g. Total batter I got was 2813g after dividing 2532 by 0.9. For total oils I got 1912g after multiplying 2813 by 68% which was the percentage I got. After plugging in 1912 into soap calc, the total batter weight is 2795. My question to you is: Is it a big deal if 2813g vs. 2795g for total batter weight? That is an 18g difference. Super Fat: 5% & Lye Concentration: 33%

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Shannon, no that won't matter at all and in fact I'd probably just go for 2800g to make it easy

[@shannonrios8982]

@@IDreamInSoap oh ok perfect!! Thank you so much!! This video is amazing and I have it saved as my number 1 for soap making!!

[@bahramassary2340]

Hello Lisa,thank you for taking time to explain in details of how to make the batter to fit the mold(excellent topic) I have a question,I understood that random recipies have 72% of oil to batter ratio at 25%water discount,on your video example the amount of oil needed is 1027 gram (I have the same mold)if I put this in soap calc.@25%water discount the weight of batter is1462.03,now if we divide 1027 by 1462 it will be 70%and not 72% do you know why? Thanks again Bahram

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Bahram. What an excellent question. The oil % will be based on not only your water % but also the type of oils you are using. In the 'test' recipe in my example my oils needed 276g of lye. If you use different oils, you would get a different amount of lye, so for example if I did exactly the same thing with just 100% coconut oil, I would need 348g, which would mean that the soap weight in total would be 72g more. That in turn would mean my oils % would be less. Just quickly working it out that would be 70.2% So you need to bear in mind that if you change your recipe, your oil% will change because of the change in the lye amounts. I hope this helps. Best wishes - Lisa x

[@bahramassary2340]

@@IDreamInSoap Thank you Lisa it did help tremendously, I got it,all make sense now,thanks again look forward to seeing mor magic from you,be safe Bahram

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@bahramassary2340 Perfect, I'm so pleased :-)

[@raethompson4614]

Hello please could you tell me what make your scales are and where you got them .

[@DuchessArtisanCreations]

Hi, Lisa I need to pick your brain about silicone mold. So I ordered a beautiful wooden mold from Etsy the measurements are as follows 18"x 3.5"x 4.75"inches. the silicone liner that I found is the right size but a little off measurements are as follows 18" L x 3.5" W x 3.5" H. So as you can see the 1st 2 are perfect but the 3rd a bit off. So how do I increase the height to equal the mold? I was thinking maybe adding an additional top to add some height which would be taped, and that would be where the silicone is poured on from the bottom going down🤷‍♀🤷‍♀ what do you think?

[@IDreamInSoap]

I think it may be tricky trying to use a silicone liner as your 'mould form' and then pour silicone over that to create a new liner. Firts of all check the measurements. The form that you want to pour over needs to be about 10mm smaller than the final liner you want, as once you cover it with silicone the final liner you make will be bigger. I would hesitate to add extra bits on the top to create height as you are likely to end up with a liner with lines inside of it, the silicone will go into any tiny gaps you leave between the original liner and what ever you add to the top, even things like sellotape make markes in the finished silicone. Also you would kneed to make sure that the liner your using for the 'former' is solid, silicone is heavy and as you pour it the weight of the silicone will push against your former causing it to bend and distort, which would leave you with an odd shaped liner that you pour. I don't think it would be easy to make it work well I'm afraid.

[@DuchessArtisanCreations]

@@IDreamInSoap Thank you😁😁

[@mumtoaidan]

Hi Lisa, I tried to use the calculator you have generously provided but I can't seem to find how to edit it in order to put in my measurements. Please help and thanks!

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi Ariane, are you using Excel, as it's an excel document. I know a few people have tried with a mac and it won't work as the format's not correct. If you are using excel, you should only have to put your entries in the coloured boxes (green for grams & cms, orange for OZ etc)

[@mumtoaidan]

Thanks For responding. I am using excel however it opens as a read-only document. Do you have any other suggestions? Thanks

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@mumtoaidanI have checked the file on the website, it's not read only, but you can only enter anything in the coloured cells, the other cells are protected so that you cannot accidentally change and alter the formulae, so you should be able to enter your measurements in those, but you won't be able to change anything else.

[@mumtoaidan]

Hi Lisa, sorry to be such a bother. I'm actually a member of Saponification Nation. Is it possible I can send you a pic of what I'm getting when I access the link? Thanks

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@mumtoaidan Of course that's fine

[@paulblowman5806]

Strange Question? Can i substitute the 51g cocoa butter and 51g avacado oil for any other oil? Say like extra coconut and caster oil?

[@IDreamInSoap]

Yes you can, but you will need to run it through a soap calculator to correct the amounts of lye you need

[@saram9737]

I just put a plastic bag around my wooden molds, pressed it into the mold, and then poured water in it.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Ooh that's an excellent idea

[@Sreenathplus]

Need advice for designing 1.2 kg mold. I have customized my design mold- L (37.11cm) * W (5.50cm)* H (8.50cm) - inch(14.61*2.17*3.35). Math behind the building the mold - inch(14.61*2.17*3.35) * 0.4 (convert into oz) = 42.36 oz and then multiplied with 28.375 (42.36*28.375) for converting into grams; is that right way to get grams ? I would seek your expert opinion, how to build 1.2kg / 3.6 kg wooden mold. Soap Size that I thinking to make (8.5*5.5*3) cm; 12 bars 100gm. What should be the inner dimensions ? . I have taken - Water as percent of oil weight 21.81 % : Super Fat/Discount 4 % :Lye Concentration 40.0000 % : Water : Lye Ratio 1.5000:1.

[@IDreamInSoap]

Hi and welcome. If you are trying to make a mold and work in grams you do not need to go anywhere near inches (that just makes it all complicated). Work out the volume in cms, then the volume in cms will be the same as the weight of water in grams, to the take account of the fact that oils are lighter than water DIVIDE that volume by 0.9, your figure should get bigger. This will now give you the total soap weight of your mold. When you ask about the inner dimension that will be the size of the bar that you want, so your 8.5 x 5.5 cm by 30cm long (I'd so maybe 31 or 32 to give you 10 bars plus the extra bit to cut off the ends. A mould that big would give you just over 1.5kg of soap.

[@Sreenathplus]

Thanks , I took only cm for measurement - 30.5*5*8 = 1220 / 0.9 = 1356 ; 1357 *69% (Water as percent of oil weight 22% : Super Fat/Discount 4 % :Lye Concentration 40.0000 % : Water : ed .Lye Ratio 1.5:1) that why I got 69% instead of 72% as you shown in your video. So I got(1357 *69%) 935 total oil need and total batch weight 1357. My question now is , if I need to cut the bar size 2.5*5*8 and same time the net weight of bar need to be 100 gm; Then how I need to design the mold ?

[@Sreenathplus]

I would value your expert feedback on the above question, it will help me a great deal. Thanks!!

[@IDreamInSoap]

@@Sreenathplus HI Streenath, so sorry I didn't get a notification that you had replied to my previous comment so I wasn't aware of it. Your oil % sounds sensible so I'm sure you've done that right. If you cut your bars 2.5x5x8 the volume of each bar would be pretty well 100g, that may vary a bit depending on how accurate your cutting is. Don't forget the bars will lose weight as they cure, so if you want to end up with a 100g bar it's freshly cut weight will need to be more. I'm not really sure what you mean by how do you design the mold, if you've decided your bar size is 2.5x5x8 then your mold will be 5cm wide x 8cm high (I'd do it higher as you don't want to pour right to the top) then the length would be 2.5 x however many bars you want plus a bit to chop off the ends, so if you want 12 bars I'd probably make it 31 or 31.5cm long. - this would give you pretty well a 1.2kg mold as you mention in your 1st post (remember if you make it taller than 8cm that won't affect your soap batter calc as you will only pour to 8cm high). You may need to compare one of your fully cured bars with a freshly cut bar if you have some around that are the same size (won't be 100% accurate but will at least give you an idea) of how much bigger to make them. I hope this helps a bit. Best wishes

[@Sreenathplus]

@@IDreamInSoap Thanks indeed, I got the gist. Remodeled the calculation with 31*5*8 =1240/0.9 =1377.78 * 73% (Water as percent of oil weight 22%: Super Fat/Discount 4 %: Lye Concentration 40.0000 %: Water: Lye Ratio 1.5:1) + Oil combination Coconut -25%: Castor - 5%: Palm - 40 %: Palm Kernel - 5%: Sunflower - 25%) 1377.78 * 73%=1006, total batch 1371.73 (1.3 Kg). If I cut 12 bars Width - 2.58, 114 gm per bar / cut 13 bar width -2.38 , 105 gm. Hope my calculation is good to go, want to check with you before I go head. I really appreciate your time & support.

[@charlenecully6332]

Rather than all that math for the unlined ones how about lining the mold as if soaping and then pour water in as per the 1st method?

[@rodrigolozt]

thank you for this great information, but do you know how to calculate the weight in the case of making melt and pour soaps?, just an example... I have a mould that gives me 84,8 cm3, but in weight it's 107 gr so calculating it gives me a density of 1.27 gr/cm3. it means I should multiply every mould volume by 1.27 to have the weight I need for melt and pour soaps???

[@IDreamInSoap]

Sorry, I'm afraid I don't as I never use melt and pour, so not had the need to look into it

[@breadcrumbs3530]

That sounds perfectly reasonable to me, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.

[@brazilianeyes13]

How do you calculate for fragrance?

[@IDreamInSoap]

I always work out fragrance based on my oil weight. So decide on the fragrance you want o use, in the UK the limit is 3%, but in the US there is no overall limit, but every fragrance will have a safe useage rate, so check the IFRA document that comes with the fragrance and look at category 9A that will tell you the limit. A lot of people in the US use 5% as amount they put in. So take the oils you use say that's 1000g and x 5%, that will tell you to put in 50g. You will find some people use total soap weight, some use oil weight. If the IFRA limit is quite high, you can choose which you like (total batter weight will mean more fragrance and a stronger smell) but if the IFRA limit is low (say maybe 4%) the you should use oil wight only. Hope this helps.

[@sandrabarbera1222]

Hi am trying to understand how to calculate in onz. I have a recipe and I want to resize it. But I don’t have the percentage of oils use in each ok. How I enter the information in SoapCalc. It ask the weight so I put inches, then it say how much water as % of oil. (I don’t know what to put there).? What % Fat and how much fragance. How do I found the percentage of each oil in that recipe? Tx