Last evening while wrapping up my blacksmithing class, I met three ladies who were looking around the blacksmithing area. While talking to them I discovered that they had a significant interest in candlemaking and soap making.
I learned soap making at DMS and I actually make soap at home, which has pretty much eliminated the eczema on my wife’s hands. She has suffered greatly with excema on her hands for years.
is made with an oil called Neem oil. I use this tool, too to do my saponification calculations:
Commerically made soap removes the glycerin and adds ingredients/chemicals to prolong the shelf life of the soap. These can be toxic/allergenic to some people with skin diseases like eczema. Hand made soap leaves the glycerin in and does not have other shelf life prolonging chemicals added.
SOAP making would likely involve either doing it outside or under a fume hood as NaOH and water emit a very pungent and toxic fume when mixed.
I’ve also taught a number of candle making classes at DMS before. One was a “recycle” old candles class where everyone brought old candles and remnants to be remelted and used for new candles and the others were using new wax, either soy, paraffin or bees wax. There are lots of options for molds, colors, scents, carving, shaping (dripping into tapers), etc. Candle making can be profitable, too.
I can also teach a candle making class for children which doesn’t involve heating wax. It uses this wax:
Is there any interest in either of these types of classes? I woudn’t be able to teach them until after July but if there is any interest I can put one on the schedule.