Super Liquidy Batter-Can it be saved?

[MonicsDelight]

I tried my hand at using masterbatch lye (33% concentration) for a new cold process recipe. I ran the numbers through the Soapmaking Friend calculator and it gave me an amount for Master Batch Lye Weight and Liquid Required. Almost 24 hours later, the batter is still liquid.
Do I toss the batch and try again without the Liquid Required? Or should I give it more time to solidify?

 

[Yooper]

When you said you did 33% concentration, how did you figure that?
I do 1:1 as seen in this screenshot. Did you do the math and do something to make it 33% lye? Did you add more water?

 

[MonicsDelight]

I used the calculations from Classic Bells on masterbatching lye to get the 33% lye concentration. I kept the 1:1 ratio, but yes, I did add more water, thinking that was what the Liquid Required meant.

 

[Yooper]

Ah. The calculator (soapmakingfriend) has you add the amount of water and lye, as circled above. If you used a 33% lye concentration keep in mind that is very old school and not a great way to soap, instead go with numbers like 2:1 (2 parts water to 1 part lye) all the time.
In any case, you used far too much water if you masterbatched your like at such a big water amount AND added more water. I’d probably rebatch it in the crock pot to cook it down and remove water, or make up a new batch with 1:1 (not masterbatched) water:lye and mix it up well and pour.

 

[MonicsDelight]

I’ve read that masterbatching is helpful for soap making? I’m only doing small batches at a time on weekends.
So if I had to do it over again, stick with the Master Batch Lye Weight given, change the ratio to 2:1, and skip the Liquid Required amount all together.
At the end of the day, it’s all trial and error, right?

 

[Yooper]

Masterbatching the lye water can be helpful, especially if you make huge batches. I only make 52 ounce (oil weight) batches usually, so I don’t bother with masterbatching very often. However, if you are going to do it, I really recommend using the water:lye at 1:1 and mix up the lye into the water so it’s completely dissolved. Then, using the SMF calculator, click ‘masterbatch’ and then only use enough the recipe gives you at the end (and you can use milk, aloe vera juice, water, whatever of course) with the 2:1 ratio.
Forget all about this 33% concentration stuff, or worse, liquid as % of oils and use the masterbatched lye properly instead of too much water for best results. The thing is, with masterbatched lye (1:1), and a 2:1 water:lye ratio, you do end up with 33% but in a safe and dependable way without any errors in calculation.
For example, in this recipe with masterbatched water:lye at 1:1, you would add 25 ounces of coconut oil, and a superfat of 5%, you have the correct amount of lye, and water:

 

[Yooper]

If you go with a 2.5 liquid: lye ratio, the %concentration drops, and you’d add more water to the recipe, but it’s still a good amount to use. More liquid than this would give you a very very runny thin soap batter.
That’s why the % concentration is not as helpful as a calculation, nor the % of oils, as you want to make sure to have enough water to fully dissolve the lye, and have a little time to make up the soap before it gets too thick to pour, but not so thin it doesn’t trace or set up!

 

[MonicsDelight]

I should also share that I didn’t heat up my fats and oils together, if that matters.
The confusing part of the calculator was the Liquid Required, since I assumed once the Ready to Use Master Batch Lye Solution was made, I could just add that amount to my fats and oils.
I was able to get the runny batter into a double boiler and pour it into my mold again. If anything, it will be super rebatch soap in the future!
Thank you for all your help Yooper!

 

[Yooper]

Oh, fats = sold oils so must be melted, together. That’s probably one of the issues.
You mix ALL fats/oils/waxes together until well melted.
You mix lye into water and let that cool. If masterbatching it’s fine to use cool.
Then, when your oils are above their melting point but not hot. usually liquid oils don’t have to be warmed, but anything that isn’t liquid at room temperature must be melted to where they are liquid- tallow for instance will get hard at below 104F- so that could be the problem

Also, it sounds like you never reached a true trace? Or did you? If you never reached an actual trace, it won’t ever be soap, but it’s so hard to know from your description.

When you mixed your lye/water and oils and stirred well, did you actually melt the fats and get an emulsified batter? If not, you’ll have to do it again, I’m afraid. I use an immersion blender (also called a stick blender) so I don’t have to stir until my arm falls off to mix my oils and liquids to a trace. What is your technique?