I make bath bombs
using Christmas tree ornaments. Is using your Bath Bomb
Press any faster? Does it make harder bath bombs?
Answer:
The answer to both
of your questions is, YES.
One very
important and added benefit is, and we don't mean to alarm you
and know that it is difficult to stay on top of everything; your
customers will not be exposed to toxicity, inherent from the
decomposing plastic.
I am sure you have
noticed how your molds eventually degrade, get sticky and
start...sort of disappearing? The plastic is breaking down,
out-gassing and.....it is becoming part of your Bath Bombs. The
citric acid, oils and fragrances break down the plastic and it's
all downhill from there. But, that is not the bigger problem,
your customer is getting into a tub with warm to very warm water
and then soaking in it. Your skin is the largest organ of your
body, it is very porous and it is only a short trip to the blood
stream.
Our molds are made of
materials approved for containing food and or water. They do not
break down or degrade with citric acid, fragrance oils,
essential oils, vegetable oils, etc.
Click to Enlarge
Bath Bombs Left to
Right
MiniBall |
Tablet
Cylinder |
Cubed
Question:
What shapes do you
make?
Answer:
We presently make the
Cylinder, Cuber, Tablet, Mini-Ball, Maxi-Ball and are working on
several other sizes of balls and shapes. We can make just about
any custom shape.
Question:
How do you adjust the
depth for the Cylinder, Cuber and Tablet molds?
Answer:
The press can be set
to stop at most any depth, so if you wanted 1" deep, then you
could adjust it accordingly. Most people use the volume of
material to set depth and just go more by feel. In the end this
is quicker. The extra depth of the mold, allows you to put in
whatever material you need for density and weight.
Question:
How tall can you make
the Cylinder, Cuber and Tablet Bath bombs?
Answer:
The Cuber, Tablet and
Cylinder molds allow you to go up to almost 2” in depth.
Yes, see this page on
our web site:
http://www.soapequipment.com/service/. This Press is made by
Willow Way and therefore, is covered by a 3 year warranty for
parts and 1 year for labor.
Question:
Are replacements
parts available?
Answer:
Yes. We have been
selling the Bath Bomb Makers for four years and as yet have not had to
replace any parts.
Question:
How do the raw
materials get placed into the hopper and where is the hopper?
Answer:
There is not a
hopper. There is tube which you fill by hand or it can be filled
using a measuring cup. When filled, the volume of material
is correct for the average size Bath Bomb. If you wish a taller
Bath Bomb or a ring around it, then you can pack a little more
in. Most people within a short time of using the press, just go
by feel, as it both faster and surprisingly accurate.
Concerning a Hopper:
As you know, since you are making Bath Bombs now, that the material
when mixed, does not flow well when poured. It clings,
packs and by it's own weight compresses itself. Therefore to use
a hopper, one would have to design an auger method to
dispense the material. Since the material dries quickly and only
a couple gallons at a time can be mixed, it may not be a cost
effective way of dispensing the material, given the fact that it
must be mixed extremely well, to prevent cracking and provide a
consistent pack.
Question:
Do each bath bomb's
materials need to be fed into the mold individually or can you
load batches of mix and then control how much goes into the
mold?
Answer:
For the moment, each
mold needs to be filled individually; however, we are working on
a pneumatic press that would press out multiple bath bombs at a
time.
Note: Many of our
customers buy extra tubes and the bottom part of the mold. One
person fills the tubes and hands them it to the person using the
press. They can also mix the materials while the other person is
arranging the balls onto the drying trays and stacking, etc.
Question:
How are the bath bombs
released from the mold and is there any special care to the
mold?
Answer:
With the individual
mold, you turn it over in your hand, lightly tap the top of the
mold with your finger and the bath bomb pops out.
With respect to care
of the molds, we recommend that you keep them clean by hand
washing them. Other than that, no special care is needed
other than what one would ordinarily give any piece of
equipment.
Question:
..Is the 10-15 second
time limit you are describing include pouring in the mixture?
Answer:
Yes, with a little
experience this should be easy to do. This does not include of
course, mixing the materials. Some mix a lot at a time and some
just few pieces at a time. The number of ingredients used,
measuring methods, etc. will also affect how quickly the batch
is mixed and ready to press.
In all cases; the use
of efficient production methods, will speed the number of pieces
per minute. For example: Having all the dry ingredients measured
and mixed. Having all the liquids mixed. Multiple batches in
readiness to combine ingredients, set up for the entire days
work. Having a fast and effective means of mixing. Having work
space height, stools, access, drying racks and work flow
properly arranged, will make a world of difference. A few minors
factors that are often forgotten are clean up, breaks, start up,
think time, etc. These can add up to an amazing amount of lost
time. When you set up to produce, try to do it for an entire
work day.
For the production
you describe, screw the Press down to your work table. It will
beef up the press table and also prevent it from moving around.
Question:
Are the bath bombs
perfectly round or do they have any flat spots on them?
Answer:
The amount of
material used determines whether they are perfectly round or
elongated. There is tube which you fill by hand or it can be
filled using a measuring cup. When filled the volume of material
is correct for the average size Bath Bomb. If you wish a taller
Bath Bomb or a ring around it then you can pack a little more in.
There are no flat spots.
Question:
Do the bath bombs
have a visible seam?
Answer:
Yes. We provide a
De-Ringer to remove most of it but there is no physical way to
remove the ring, from any balled Bath Bomb other than by brushing
the seam by hand. Some companies leave the ring (we call it a
Saturn ring) and actually elongate the Bath Bomb to leave it more
prominent.
Question:
How many molds would
you need if you only offered one size?
Answer:
We actually offer
three sizes, 2.25", 2.5" and 3.
Question:
How do you clean the
press and surrounding material?
Answer:
Just use a bench
brush, such as the one we carry in our accessories section, to
brush away excess from the work surfaces. A plastic putty knife
works well to scrape anything clinging to the work bench and
press table.
Question:
What is the press &
molds manufactured of? Plastic, steel, silicone, etc?
Answer:
Depends on the size
chosen as to the exact materials of the molds. As you can see
from the picture on the site there is plastic, steel, acrylic,
wood. Some molds are of a special resin.
Question:
..What manufacturing
limit is it specified for? We make about 100 bombs an hour, 6 hours
a day, 5 days a week. Would it hold up making that quantity and
is that guaranteed?
Answer:
There is no limit
that we know of. This is relative to the number of presses,
people and ability of the producer to set up and maintain an
efficient production.
There is a warranty,
not sure what else is needed here.
You may want to
consider the pneumatic press we are developing. This will be
$3000 or less, will come with the same warranty and of course
will be much faster.
Question:
What is the weight of
a round, dry bath bomb made on the Willow
Press? I want a ball,
is that the cylinder one?
Answer:
The ball would be the
Mini-Ball Mold. The Cylinder is round but not ball shaped. The
ingredients can make a difference as to the weight of the bath
bombs. I have found that my dried weights for the Mini-Ball is
between 3 and 3.5 ounces. The Cylinder weighs slightly more.
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combined with any other discount, offer, promotion or special
incentive program and are not valid on: (a) prior purchases, (b)
prior quotes or offers. Void where prohibited.
Prices are in U.S. dollars (USD). All prices and product
availability subject to change without notice. Unless noted, prices
do not include shipping and applicable sales taxes.
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