Intermediate Level: Melt & Pour 3-D Soap Making
3-D soaps are a rather labor intensive project, however, the final results are well worth your time. This project focuses on how to join two mold cavities to produce a 3-D soap. Many novelty type molds are specifically designed for 3-D crafting. We recommend a bit of soap crafting experience under your belt before attempting this project.
A Basketball Mold has been used to demonstrate the joining process. This same technique can be followed for other 3-D molds type molds.
Here's what you need:
Basketball Mold (or any other 3-D mold)
Mold Stand- helps to keep the two joined mold halves in an upright position. If you don't have a mold stand, you can generally improvise and find a way to keep the mold upright.
Mold Clips- an absolute necessity for joining the mold halves
X-acto Knife for cutting an opening in the joined mold
Scissors for cutting around each mold cavity
1-lb White Glycerin Soap Base- final soap weighs approximately 6 ounces
Fragrance Oil- approximately 2 teaspoons per pound of soap base
If you are not using the molds stand (suggested above), you will need some type of dish to help keep the mold upright when pouring the soap. Stuffing paper towels around the mold will help to keep the mold balanced in the container that you select. You may have some soap overflow, so don't use anything that can't be discarded or washed.
Glass measuring cup with a pouring spout. You will need this to melt your soap and also to pour into the mold.
Thermometer to gauge the correct pouring temperature of your soap.
Colorants if you wish to color your soap in a shade close to the color of a basketball, you will need to have several colorants on hand: black, red, orange, eggshell. This project will give you the exact drops needed to create the color in the above picture.
GETTING STARTED
Step One
You will note that the basketball mold has a concave and convex circle near each cavity. These circles will help you join and align the two cavities. Using scissors, cut around each mold cavity. Leave approximately a 3/4" lip around each cavity. Be careful not to cut away the convex/concave indentations.
Step Two
Align the two cavities to form one mold (use the convex/concave circles to help you align the mold). Use 5-6 mold clips to securely join the two cavities. With a felt tip marker, mark an opening at the top of the mold. Using an X-acto knife cut an opening in which to pour the soap base (see photo below). The opening should extend on both sides of the joined cavity and should be just large enough to allow for pouring. Our opening was approximately 3/8" wide and 6/8" long. Position your joined mold inside a washable or disposable container so that it is upright. You may need to stuff a few paper towels around the mold to help keep it in position. Our mold stand will also keep the mold upright while pouring.
Step Three
Now that your mold is prepared, you are ready to melt your soap base. Place your glycerine soap in a glass measuring cup. Melt in a microwave in short bursts being careful to not overheat.
Step Four
Once soap is melted, use your thermometer to determine the temperature of soap. You will want the soap to be around 140 degrees..
Step Five
Add fragrance and colorant. Gently stir the fragrance and colorant into the soap base. Spray the soap surface with rubbing alchohol to remove any air bubbles created while stirring the soap.
To color 1-lb white soap for the basketball shown above, we added the following colors :
26 drops DWP orange
4 drops DWP Eggshell
6 drops DWP Red
1 drop DWP Black
Step Six
Slowly pour your fragrance soap into the opening of the joined mold cavities. When the soap has reached the top of the mold, allow the soap mixture to set for a minute. If your soap base begins to set up in the glass measuring cup, return to microwave and melt until soap has returned to a pourable state. Tap the top of the mold slightly and continuing pouring soap base up to the top of the mold. Allow some of the soap base to overflow to ensure that the soap has reached the top of mold. NOTE: This soap mold also works well for "soap-on-the-rope". If you wish to add roping, this is the time. Insert your soap roping into the opening at the top of the mold.
Step Seven
Do not disturb the mold until the soap has completely set-up. Once the soap has hardened, remove soap clips and release the basketball from the mold. With a sharp kitchen knife, trim and buff the seam edges of the soap.
Step Eight
Finished soap should be wrapped immediately to prevent condensation from occurring. Glycerin collects moisture which is good for the skin but not so good for the esthetics of your soap.
Step Nine
Packaging: cut a square or circle from a roll of clear cellophane wrap. Place basketball soap in the center of the square/circle. Gather up the cellophane around the soap and tie with a natural raffia bow.
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