Introduction: Beating Soapy Love Heart
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About: Hi, I'm Tim. I work on the railways during the day, run a scout troop and have a blog (see above website link) where I discuss my allotment and projects!
The soapy love heart will thrill and amaze the one you love. Ignoring safety concerns of course.
This project combines the simplicity of a LED throwie (minus the magnet), some glycerine soap and some hot glue.
To make the heart unique I used a flashing LED. You can customise your soap by adding a fragrance - for this I used strawberry fragrance oil but if you've got cool love why not try tea tree and peppermint?
It flashes quite fast but you can fob your dearly beloved by saying 'my heart always beats faster when I'm around you'. I'm sure it'll get her in a lather!
This project combines the simplicity of a LED throwie (minus the magnet), some glycerine soap and some hot glue.
To make the heart unique I used a flashing LED. You can customise your soap by adding a fragrance - for this I used strawberry fragrance oil but if you've got cool love why not try tea tree and peppermint?
It flashes quite fast but you can fob your dearly beloved by saying 'my heart always beats faster when I'm around you'. I'm sure it'll get her in a lather!
Step 1: Your Equipment
The equipment is very simple.
- Pyrex jug/dish though any small based container will do (less surface area less wastage of glycerine)
- Plastic mould/mold (ebay)
- fragrance oil (health food shops/ebay - check it is for cosmetic use)
- glue gun & sticks preferably clear
- 10mm flashing LED - I chose red, though initially when making a non-heart soap I used a multicoloured one!) - you could use smaller
- 2032 battery
- glycerine melt and pour soap - clear can be used (as in this tutorial) but other styles such as opaque would work better
The only addition I added was a fork, sellotape (clear sticky tape) and plastic bag (not shown).
This is my first instructable, so be kind!
- Pyrex jug/dish though any small based container will do (less surface area less wastage of glycerine)
- Plastic mould/mold (ebay)
- fragrance oil (health food shops/ebay - check it is for cosmetic use)
- glue gun & sticks preferably clear
- 10mm flashing LED - I chose red, though initially when making a non-heart soap I used a multicoloured one!) - you could use smaller
- 2032 battery
- glycerine melt and pour soap - clear can be used (as in this tutorial) but other styles such as opaque would work better
The only addition I added was a fork, sellotape (clear sticky tape) and plastic bag (not shown).
This is my first instructable, so be kind!
Step 2: Customising the LED
Simply twist your LED contacts round in a U shape on both sides. I used a tiny bit of clear tape to secure them to the battery.
BTW Customising is spelt with an s in England! (Though my spelling is usually very attrocious this isn't something I'm compromising on. Similar issues to colour)
BTW Customising is spelt with an s in England! (Though my spelling is usually very attrocious this isn't something I'm compromising on. Similar issues to colour)
Step 3: Waterproofing the Battery
Lithium batteries don't like water. there's a fair few examples of what happens when you get one wet. Be careful!
Currently I can see hundreds of scared for life girlfriends/wives/etc having washed their face using a wet lithium battery.
The clue here is to make sure every single bit of the battery and underneath of the LED where it meets the battery is covered. Check, check and check again. Then of course advise them never to use this gift without special supervision in the bathroom! What could be more romantic than taking an interest in their safety? ;-)
We're making it waterproof y'see! (Check out the aryldite coment at the bottom about other ways to do this - my father told me it is how he used to do it for the military many years ago...)
Currently I can see hundreds of scared for life girlfriends/wives/etc having washed their face using a wet lithium battery.
The clue here is to make sure every single bit of the battery and underneath of the LED where it meets the battery is covered. Check, check and check again. Then of course advise them never to use this gift without special supervision in the bathroom! What could be more romantic than taking an interest in their safety? ;-)
We're making it waterproof y'see! (Check out the aryldite coment at the bottom about other ways to do this - my father told me it is how he used to do it for the military many years ago...)
Step 4: Prepare the Glycerine
This is probably the one dangerous point for the soap maker!
Tear off an approximate amount of soap from your glycerine block and stick in the microwave. This is a two step process so you'll repeat it. Stick it on high (100%) for about 30 seconds max at a time. When the soap has completely disolved (no lumps & difficult to tell without your fork!) you can add your fragrance.
Many fragrance or essential oils are very potent - you'll only need a few drops. Watch out for peppermint, it can bring a man/girl to tears if you use too much and they use it on their privates!
Tear off an approximate amount of soap from your glycerine block and stick in the microwave. This is a two step process so you'll repeat it. Stick it on high (100%) for about 30 seconds max at a time. When the soap has completely disolved (no lumps & difficult to tell without your fork!) you can add your fragrance.
Many fragrance or essential oils are very potent - you'll only need a few drops. Watch out for peppermint, it can bring a man/girl to tears if you use too much and they use it on their privates!
Step 5: Pouring
When pouring the liquid in, be careful (gloves alert) it's very hot and will probably burn you. I can't confirm this as I've never been stupid enough to pour it on myself, but safety first!
You only need to pour to the level you wish the LED to be fixated at. If you just dropped it in, it would sink to the bottom which in this case is the top of the soap, looking rubbish. Leave to set hard before placing the LED on top.
If you want to, you could add colouring to this project and have two different colours. I prefer transparent though. Don't use food dye - it stains.
If you've heated the soap too high it will get bubbles in the mix - avoid at all costs. If like me you get this, you can explain that like normal hearts it is not pure red, but has layers of white fat to protect and encase the electrical nerve impulses... (yeah...)
You only need to pour to the level you wish the LED to be fixated at. If you just dropped it in, it would sink to the bottom which in this case is the top of the soap, looking rubbish. Leave to set hard before placing the LED on top.
If you want to, you could add colouring to this project and have two different colours. I prefer transparent though. Don't use food dye - it stains.
If you've heated the soap too high it will get bubbles in the mix - avoid at all costs. If like me you get this, you can explain that like normal hearts it is not pure red, but has layers of white fat to protect and encase the electrical nerve impulses... (yeah...)
Step 6: 2nd Pour
We now reheat the soap taking the same precautions as before. Add the LED and pour the remainder to fill the mould. As you can see by the pics your beating heart is already defusing through the soap - the more opaque the better!
Step 7: Cool, Relax and Er... Give
Lets face it, how many girls (or boys, I'm not going to discriminate here...) can be woken at 4am (it simply has to be dark to get the full appreciation!) to be given their valentines gift! (checkout the video!)
(WARNING: PLEASE NOTE SOAP IS A HARD OBJECT AND I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU BEING CLUBBED TO DEATH, NOR AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY 'BATTERY' RELATED INJURIES)
Hopefully you've enjoyed this instructable - it's not hard and only takes about 10 minutes if you ignore the cooling times. You can use a freezer to speed this up, though be careful you don't leave it too long. At this time of year (feb in England) you can leave it outside for the ultra quick carefree treatment!
Remember to tell them about the lithium batteries - it can easily be used a few times for light washing before you'll expose the battery but the glue should take care of that.
Don't forget the traditional flowers and chocs. I find this is a nice present wrapped in some light cloth (a square will do) tied off with some plain ribbon. When you hand over the goodies she'll see it beating in the bag and instantly wonder what it is! The battery should last longer than a normal throwie as it's flashing. Have fun and if you make one, post a pic with the appreciative recipient!
(WARNING: PLEASE NOTE SOAP IS A HARD OBJECT AND I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU BEING CLUBBED TO DEATH, NOR AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY 'BATTERY' RELATED INJURIES)
Hopefully you've enjoyed this instructable - it's not hard and only takes about 10 minutes if you ignore the cooling times. You can use a freezer to speed this up, though be careful you don't leave it too long. At this time of year (feb in England) you can leave it outside for the ultra quick carefree treatment!
Remember to tell them about the lithium batteries - it can easily be used a few times for light washing before you'll expose the battery but the glue should take care of that.
Don't forget the traditional flowers and chocs. I find this is a nice present wrapped in some light cloth (a square will do) tied off with some plain ribbon. When you hand over the goodies she'll see it beating in the bag and instantly wonder what it is! The battery should last longer than a normal throwie as it's flashing. Have fun and if you make one, post a pic with the appreciative recipient!