1. No category

HOW
To W
E LYE
Lye can be made by u s i n g water t o leach o r soak potassium carbonate'out of the ashes of p l a n t materials. Basic equipment for
making lye includes a bottomless r 5-gallon bucket or b a r r e l : a
pot of c l a y , s t o n e r g l a s s l o r iron: and a f l a t stone l a r g e
enough t o hold the bucket. A run-off l i p and a c i r c u l a r groove
somewhat l a r g e r than the diameter of the bucket are chiseled
i n t o bhe stone. Sqe Figure 1 .
Figure 1 .
Lye-Leaching Apparatus
20
T o make
the l y e , place the f l a t stone on a p i l e of rocks,
s t o n e s , b r i c k s , e t c . Place the bottomless wooden bucket on the
stone, w i t h i n t h e c i r c u l a r groove. P o s i t i o n the c l a y , stone, or
iron pot ben*eath the chiseled l i p . Make a f i l t e r by placing two
criss- crossed l a y e r s of t w i g s i n the bucket. Top the t w i g s w i t h
a layer of straw. See Figure 2 .
I
I-
Wooden Barrel
Ashes
Stone S l a b 7
Figure 2.
A
Straw
Twigs
Bottom w i t h Holes
Lye-Leaching Apparatus--Cross Section
21
F i l l t h e b u c k e t w i t h d r y a s h e s . A s h e s from a l l t y p e s of woods
and p l a n t s may be used, b u t hardwood ashes y i e l d t h e b e s t l y e .
Mounding t h e ashes up a r o u n d t h e s i d e s and l e a v i n g a d e p r e s s i o n
i n t h e denter w i l l e n s u r e t h a t t h e water d r a i n s p r o p e r l y . Slowl y p o u r warm water i n t o t h e b u c k e t , a l l o w i n g t h e ashes t o
absorb a s much water a s p o s s i b l e before a d d i n g more.
S t o p a d d i n g water when a brown l i q u i d b e g i n s t o f l o w from t h e
bottom of t h e b u c k e t across t h e s t a n e and i n t o t h e j a r p l a c e d
a t t h e l i p o f t h e s t o n e . T h e brown l i q u i d is t h e l y e . I t t a k e s
a b o u t o n e h o u r t o c o l l e c t it. T h i s process y i e l d s a b o u t 2- 1/2
quarts of lye.
Remember: l y e is a c a u s t i c , d a n g e r o u s subs t a n c e . D o n o t t o u c h it.
Lye l e a c h e d i n t h i s way may v a r y i n s t r e n g t h . T h e s e v a r i a t i o n s
w i l l a f f e c t t h e p r o p o r t i o n s o f l y e i n t h e r e c i p e s . The s t r e n g t h
o f t h e l y e s o l u t i o n c a n be d e t e r m i n e d p r e c i s e l y b y u s i n g a
Baume h y d r o m e t e r , which is a s p e c i a l i n s t r u m e n t t o m e a s u r e t h e
s p e c i f i c g r a v i t y of a s o l u t i o n . T h e l y e s o l u t i o n is p o u r e d i n t o
a c y l i n d e r and t h e Baume h y d r o m e t e r is c a r e f u l l y placed i n t h e
s o l u t i o n . The r e a d i n g on t h e h y d r o m e t e r is t h e s t r e n g t h o f t h e
l y e s o l u t i o n i n d e g r e e s Baume ( 3 e ) . T h i s method is employed b y
commercial s o a p m a k e r s .
I f no h y d r o m e t e r is a v a i l a b l e , s e v e r a l methods c a n be u s e d t h a t
g i v e r e a s o n a b l y a c c u r a t e r e s u l t s . T h r e e methods a r e as follows:
1
Approximate
Method One
+# 3 0 m ~ ' Diameter
7
Above Lye
S i m p l y f l o a t an egg i n the
l y e s o l u t i o n . I f t h e egg
f l o a t s w i t h its top v i s Egg
ible,
the
solution
is
s t r o n g e n o u g h . See F i g LY e
ure 3.
I
I
.
I
F i g u r e 3.
Egg F l o a t a t i o n T e s t
22
Method Two
. Dip
a chicken f e a t h e r i n
rect s t r e ' n g t h
cling
t h e s o l u t i o n . A s o l u t i o n of t h e corwill
t o t h e f e a t h e r . I f t h e s o l u t i o n is
too s t r o n g , it w i l l d i s s o l v e t h e f e a t h e r .
Method
Three
. Prepare a saturated
s a l t ( s o d i u m c h l o r i d e ) s o l u t i o n by a d d i n g
s a l t t o a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 l i t e r o f warm water. S t i r u n t i l d i s s o l v e d . C o n t i n u e a d d i n q s a l t u n t i l no more w i l l d i s s o l v e i n
t h e water. The s o l u t i o n is t h e n s a t u r a t e d , which means t h e
water h a s a b s o r b e d a l l t h e s a l t t h a t it c a n h o l d .
. Tie
a w e i g h t ( a rock or scrap of i r o n ) t o t h e end o f t h e
s t i c k of wood. F l o a t t h e w e i g h t e d s t i c k i n t h e s a l t solut i o n . The s t i c k s h o u l d s t a n d u p s t r a i g h t . A small p a r t of it
s h o u l d s t i c k o u t from t h e l i q u i d . Mark t h e s t i c k where it
e m e r g e s f r > m t h e l i q u i d surface. T h e marked s t i c k is t h e
measure fo.: t h e l y e c o n c e n t r a t i o n .
. Place
t h e w e i g h t e d s t i c k i n 1 l i t e r of t h e l y e s o l u t i o n , i n
t h e same s i z e c o n t a i n e r used f o r t h e s a l t s o l u t i o n . I f t h e
l y e is t h e proper s t r e n g t h , t h e s t i c k w f l l s t a n d u p s t r a i g h t ,
and i t s t o p w i l l emerge a t t h e marked p o i n t . The s t i c k c a n be
u s e d a g a i n and a g a i n . I t s h o u l d be checked o c c a s i o n a l l y s i n c e
i t s w e i g h t may c h a n g e because of d r y i n g o u t or a b s o r b i n g
m o i s t u r e . T h e s a l t s o l u t i o n c a n a l s o be u s e d a g a i n i f it
remains saturated.
Lye t h a t is too s t r o n g c a n be t h i n n e d by a d d i n g water. Lye t h a t
is too weak c a n be s t r e n g t h e n e d by p o u r i n g it o v e r a b u c k e t of
new a s h e s , or by b o i l i n g it down t o i t s more c o n c e n t r a t e d
strength.
Remember:
L y e is dangerous. When handling it, do not allow it
to s p l a s h on your s k i n . D o n o t allow it to boil so f a s t t h a t it
splashes.