Soap Making Equipment

I'm very pleased to announce that my Kickstarter project reached its funding goal in just over a week, so my soap making project WILL be going forward.  Hurray!  Many thanks to our generous backers!

I won't receive the actual funds for about another month (who knew we'd reach the funding goal so quickly?), but I want to get started on the project as soon as possible because I'm going to try to have all the backers' soap finished and cured in time to mail before the holidays.

Knowing that the project money will be coming in, I was able to advance myself some money from my hay-buying fund and spend the weekend shopping.  Saturday we went in to town and got most of the soap making equipment.  Sunday I went online and ordered the supplies.  I only have a few more minor items to pick up while I wait for the supplies to arrive.  Then I'll be ready to make my first soap!

Here's what I have so far:

• A large stainless steel pot to contain the soap ingredients while I blend them

• A stick blender for mixing the ingredients

• A digital food scale to precisely measure the ingredients

• Two digital thermometers to check the temperatures of the oil and the lye-water

• A heavy duty plastic pitcher to contain the lye-water and allow for safe, easy pouring

• A large Pyrex measuring cup to hold the dry lye

• Heavy duty silicone spoons and ladle for stirring and transferring the soap before it hardens

• Safety gear:  Apron, rubber gloves, goggles, and mask.  The goggles and mask are ones I already had for crafting, but I'll get new ones to be designated specifically for soap making.

• Wax paper, masking tape, and scissors for lining the soap mold.  The scissors and wax paper we already had.

• Wooden soap mold with cover and soap cutter.  I had already purchased this one online here.  Once I try it and determine that it works well for my needs, I'll probably buy a couple more.  This is the 6-lb. version, that makes 20 bars of soap at a time.

• Soap making books.  These books are ones I had already collected over the years, but I did order three more online:  one a good general soap making book, and two devoted specifically to making milk soaps, which are slightly trickier than non-milk soaps.

Also ordered online:  several gallons of olive oil, 10 lbs. of lye, and a quantity of the essential oils needed to make our exclusive essential oil blend.

I already have a good supply of sheep's milk waiting in the freezer, but I'll still have to buy some distilled water to complete the recipe.