Comments on: Soap Making with Potassium Hydroxide, Part 1, The Process http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/03/soap-making-with-potassium-hydroxide-part-1-the-process/ Timeless Tools Sat, 19 May 2012 20:07:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Bob Strawn http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/03/soap-making-with-potassium-hydroxide-part-1-the-process/comment-page-1/#comment-1816 Bob Strawn Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:36:14 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1137#comment-1816 Bubbles for Mosquito repellent! Great idea! I use DE quite a bit, but I limit use of it when the bees are going flower to flower. Soap makes DE stick better, but I have no problem with reapplying DE, and would rather have the DE level low when the flowers are blooming. Additionally wasps patrol my greens so I would rather not use DE on them either. Bubbles to deter mosquitoes sound like fun, I will have to research that! The formula I have approximated for optimum bubbles is 19 parts sodium oleate to 750 parts of water . Glycerol is added to make the entire mix 1000 parts. I say approximated as I have used less scientifically refined ingredients, Dawn or Joy with distilled water and glycerine. I was never a fan of corn syrup, in my environment it never seemed to help. I have no data on how well potassium soap does for bubbles, but I definitely plan to try it! I will have to order one of your bubble machines so I can review it! I suppose I should try and make one out of cedar. That would be pretty as well as functional. Bob Bubbles for Mosquito repellent! Great idea!

I use DE quite a bit, but I limit use of it when the bees are going flower to flower. Soap makes DE stick better, but I have no problem with reapplying DE, and would rather have the DE level low when the flowers are blooming. Additionally wasps patrol my greens so I would rather not use DE on them either. Bubbles to deter mosquitoes sound like fun, I will have to research that!

The formula I have approximated for optimum bubbles is 19 parts sodium oleate to 750 parts of water . Glycerol is added to make the entire mix 1000 parts. I say approximated as I have used less scientifically refined ingredients, Dawn or Joy with distilled water and glycerine. I was never a fan of corn syrup, in my environment it never seemed to help.

I have no data on how well potassium soap does for bubbles, but I definitely plan to try it! I will have to order one of your bubble machines so I can review it! I suppose I should try and make one out of cedar. That would be pretty as well as functional.

Bob

]]> By: Adam http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/03/soap-making-with-potassium-hydroxide-part-1-the-process/comment-page-1/#comment-1810 Adam Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:15:34 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1137#comment-1810 Hi Bob - Thanks for the tutorial. I've been using homemade (wind-powered) bubble machines & soap bubbles to deter mosquitoes for years. They're generally aimed at certain areas or the perimeter & it's more for the gardener than for the garden. But when using regular dish soap one has to be careful not to get too much blowing directly onto the garden itself, especially with certain plants. I think that this type of 'insecticidal soap' using potassium hydroxide would be much better to use since it's less harmful to plants & can be directly applied to them. Any thoughts on using a slightly higher concentration in order to make bubbles, instead of a more diluted spray? Also have you tried it with any other additives like Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.)? Hi Bob – Thanks for the tutorial. I’ve been using homemade (wind-powered) bubble machines & soap bubbles to deter mosquitoes for years. They’re generally aimed at certain areas or the perimeter & it’s more for the gardener than for the garden. But when using regular dish soap one has to be careful not to get too much blowing directly onto the garden itself, especially with certain plants.

I think that this type of ‘insecticidal soap’ using potassium hydroxide would be much better to use since it’s less harmful to plants & can be directly applied to them. Any thoughts on using a slightly higher concentration in order to make bubbles, instead of a more diluted spray? Also have you tried it with any other additives like Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.)?

]]> By: Bob Strawn http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/03/soap-making-with-potassium-hydroxide-part-1-the-process/comment-page-1/#comment-1800 Bob Strawn Sat, 14 Apr 2012 16:04:56 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1137#comment-1800 Here is a good source for saponification information, http://waltonfeed.com/blog/show/article_id/165 Here is another table with saponification values; http://www.metaphysicalfarms.com/pages/SAP-Table.html Since oils are variable and often adulterated with cheaper oils, it is good to do a small test before you go large from a given source. I don't mind a bit of extra oil for an insect spray, so I go a bit heavy on oil to be sure the KOH is all converted. 1.4 times as much potassium hydroxide is needed than the more commonly used sodium hydroxide. Typically you use 0.38 times the weight of the oil in water. Less water will prevent total conversion to soap. Since I am making a liquid soap here, I put in more water than needed, just to be sure the process runs smoothly. Bob Here is a good source for saponification information, http://waltonfeed.com/blog/show/article_id/165

Here is another table with saponification values; http://www.metaphysicalfarms.com/pages/SAP-Table.html

Since oils are variable and often adulterated with cheaper oils, it is good to do a small test before you go large from a given source. I don’t mind a bit of extra oil for an insect spray, so I go a bit heavy on oil to be sure the KOH is all converted.

1.4 times as much potassium hydroxide is needed than the more commonly used sodium hydroxide. Typically you use 0.38 times the weight of the oil in water. Less water will prevent total conversion to soap. Since I am making a liquid soap here, I put in more water than needed, just to be sure the process runs smoothly.

Bob

]]> By: marian appau http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/03/soap-making-with-potassium-hydroxide-part-1-the-process/comment-page-1/#comment-1799 marian appau Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:19:34 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1137#comment-1799 that is wonderful, can you please give me the quality of water to the potasium salt and the oil part. thanks that is wonderful, can you please give me the quality of water to the potasium salt and the oil part. thanks

]]> By: John http://toolmakingart.com/2009/04/03/soap-making-with-potassium-hydroxide-part-1-the-process/comment-page-1/#comment-1494 John Sun, 22 May 2011 22:33:19 +0000 http://toolmakingart.com/?p=1137#comment-1494 Thank you for mentioning Potassium hydroxide can be neutralized with vinegar. One of my Energizer batteries leaked - i wanted to clean the 'stuff' that leaked out - vinegar did the trick. Thank you for mentioning Potassium hydroxide can be neutralized with vinegar.
One of my Energizer batteries leaked – i wanted to clean the ‘stuff’ that leaked out – vinegar did the trick.

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