First, you will need to start with a plain white base. A base of 30% coconut oil, 5% castor oil and 65% lard make a nice white base that lathers and conditions well.

To make tri-color soap with nice triangular designs, first make 1/3 of your base recipe to pour into your standard block soap mold. Once base has traced, add colorant of your choice. Then prop your mold at an angle so that when you pour your base into your mold it will fill only one corner of your mold instead of whole bottom.

To do this, place a few books under one side of your mold to raise side a few inches from your counter. Then place books against other side of mold to keep it from moving. Pour your soap down side of your mold that still rests on counter until it has filled corner, but not quite fully to top of mold.

Now carefully cover your mold with a towel until your soap has gone through saponification process and has cooled into soap. This will make a triangular block of soap that will sit off to side of your regular bar, making a nice design.

Armed with correct knowledge, it is quite feasible to melt and cast metal in home workshop, thousands of people world over are involved in it right now... there's no reason why you couldn't try your hand at hobby metal casting too.

But don't attempt metal casting if you have no prior knowledge or experience in this field, first of all you need to learn about basic techniques, and methods used in this ancient metal craft.

There are also many personal safety aspects to consider, remember, you'll be handling molten metals at extremely high temperatures. There is an element of danger involved in hobby, but with a commonsense approach to safety, and by being extremely careful, accidents should not happen.

So just where do you learn about hobby metal casting techniques?

There are many books available about subject, some are highly technical and perhaps difficult to understand. Many books are written purely for metal casting industry. The ordinary hobby worker would find industry specific technical writing difficult to understand, and find it next to impossible to reduce high-tech writing down to a hobby level of understanding.

One of best ways to learn craft is to have, or arrange for someone to train or coach you over a period of time in your own small foundry... you'll quickly learn how to create sand moulds, how to build equipment, and many other things that you need to know.

But, for most people, one on one mentoring is just a dream. And, as time goes on, there are less people around to provide a personal hands on method of teaching metal casting.