Make your own soap moulds
Homemade soap is good clean fun and more popular than ever. Start by building these super-simple soap moulds!
YOU WILL NEED:
20 x 150 x 1200mm pine
20 x 100 x 1500mm pine
4 x 30mm wood screws
Wooden knob
Wood glue
Jigsaw, table saw or handsaw
120-grit sandpaper
Drill/Driver and assorted drill and screw bits
Countersink bit
Combination square
Tape measure
Sandpaper and sanding block
Pencil
Masking tape
HERE'S HOW:
1. Cut all sections as per the diagram above. Use 120-grit sandpaper to smooth the ends to the lines you marked.
2. Position the two end pieces and the sides on the base section. Note that the base is larger than the sum of the sections and you will leave a 5mm gap all the way around.
3. Apply a bead of wood glue to the edges to be joined and then hold them together with masking tape at each end and in the middle. Leave the glue to dry overnight.
4. On the underside of the base, drill and countersink pilot holes and drive screws through the base and into the sides and ends.
5. Repeat this process to drive screws through the sides into the end pieces.
6. Drill a countersunk hole centred in the press board for the wooden knob. Attach the knob with the screw flush with the surface of the underside.
7.Lightly sand all the parts to eliminate sharp edges and corners.
For the soap itself, you can either make it the old-fashioned way - from scratch using essential oils, and natural ingredients from your garden. Choose from a variety of bases (glycerine, goat’s milk, aloe vera, or shea butter) and personalise with oils, fragrances, herbs, and natural exfoliants (oatmeal, crushed seeds, or fine sand). Cut the soap base into small chunks and place in a bowl. Microwave 1 minute or until most of the chunks have melted. Stir in ingredients, and then pour in your mould.
To make the circular pipe mould
You will need:
25mm diameter x 300mm length of PVC pipe
2 end caps
Hacksaw
Parchment paper
Here's how:
1. Use a hacksaw to cut the pipe to length.
2. Place a cap on one end of the pipe and line the inside with parchment paper. To keep the pipe upright and steady while pouring the melted base, we put paper towels in the bottom of a pitcher and set the pipe inside the pitcher.
3. Carefully pour the melted soap inside the parchment paper lining. Let dry overnight.
4. Use a sharp knife to cut the soap into circular sections
Give it a wrap
To help preserve soap or give as gifts, wrap your bars in cheesecloth or brown paper and tie the ends with twine, raffia or ribbon.