Recipe & Curing Lab
Precision chemistry tools for soap makers, resin artists, and candle crafters.
Chemistry that has no room for guesswork
The tools in this lab all share one property: the reactions they describe do not forgive rounding errors. Soap making runs on stoichiometry — you need a specific mass of sodium hydroxide to fully saponify a specific mass of triglyceride, and a shortfall leaves free lye in the finished bar. Epoxy resin cures through step-growth polymerization, where a 5% deviation in Part A / Part B ratio can leave the cast permanently tacky. Candle fragrance loads are limited by wax type, not personal preference, and exceeding the maximum causes seepage or flash-point issues.
What you'll find here
Nine calculators covering the everyday questions makers get stuck on. Soapmakers get the Lye & Water Calculator plus the INS Predictor, which together take you from oil weights to a full expected profile of the bar. Resin artists get exact Part A / Part B by weight or volume, plus an exotherm risk assessor for deep pours where heat buildup can cook the piece from the inside. Candle makers get wax weight, fragrance load safe limits, and estimated burn time. Emulsion formulators get required-HLB calculations for stable lotions. Alternative-process photographers get precise cyanotype sensitizer volumes.
Safety notes are not optional
Lye burns. Cyanotype sensitizer is a mild toxin. Fragrance oils have flash points. Deep resin pours can hit temperatures that warp the mold. Where relevant, every tool here surfaces the safety margins built into its formula — safe minimum superfat, maximum single-pour depth, maximum fragrance percentage — rather than letting you calculate your way into a preventable accident.
Tools in this lab
Lye & Water Calculator
Calculate exact lye and water amounts for cold process soap making based on your oil recipe.
Soap INS Predictor
Predict soap hardness, cleansing power, bubbly lather, and conditioning from your oil recipe using INS values.
Epoxy Resin Ratio Calculator
Calculate precise Part A and Part B weights for epoxy resin mixing based on mold volume or known quantities.
Candle Wax & Fragrance Calculator
Calculate wax weight and safe fragrance oil amounts for candle making based on container size.
HLB Calculator for Emulsifiers
Find required HLB for your oil phase and calculate emulsifier blend ratios for stable emulsions.
Cyanotype Sensitizer Calculator
Calculate ferric ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide amounts for cyanotype (blueprint) printing.
Resin Exotherm Calculator
Assess heat buildup risk for deep resin pours and get safe layer thickness recommendations.
Varnish Dilution Calculator
Calculate solvent amounts for wood finish thinning with shellac cut conversion and temperature correction.
Candle Burn Time Estimator
Estimate total burn hours from wax type, weight, and wick size for candle labeling.
2-Part Silicone Mold Estimator
Calculate total silicone volume and A/B component weights for mold making from box dimensions or known volume.
Candle Dye Mixing Estimator
Calculate dye chip, liquid, or powder amounts for target candle color depth based on wax weight.
Gold Leaf Tack Time Estimator
Predict optimal gilding window for gold leaf application based on adhesive type, temperature, and humidity.