Get the shea butter out!

Last few batches I've been in the 'heat gun' mode. (I'm using a 2:1 mix of Shea Butter and Coconut Oil and the same 'Sport Cube' trays shown in Xochipilli's post)

-- fill the trays and scrape off the excess with a rubber mixing-pan squeegee,
-- cold-soak the trays in the freezer
-- turn tray upside-down on a piece of waxed-paper and blast the bottom of the tray with a heat-gun (1600 watt), while pounding the tray against the papered surface to eject the pellets.
-- put the pellets back in the freezer to harden them.


yeah ---I like the pellets but there's gotta be a better way! am wondering about first wetting the empty trays but haven't thought of a suitable wetting agent. Any ideas ?

What about lining the trays with a dusting of corn starch before inserting the lube mixture? It works for candy making.

This is a bit off the topic question
I use a core cutter. A modified syringe that has a fully open end. I push this into my Shea Butter while holding the plunger. The Shea Butter is pushed as a core into the syringe. I can then:

1. Eject the "core" of SB in tubes on some surface that I can put into the freezer. After freezing I cut to the desired lengths and keep in freezer, or I eject the core in desired lengths.

2. I can do this on demand by making a point of She Butter at the open end of the syringe and insert and inject. However some careful thought needs to go into the open end of the "lubetube" so that there are no sharp edges. The end can be partially closed for a smooth finish.

3. My current practice is a modified #2: after cutting the core I pump it into the plunger end of a "lube tube" insert plunger push SB to the outlet end. Then I put the syringe into my Aneros warming glass of warm water for a short while to soften the SB bit not liquefy it and insert as usual. As we head into summer I think I won't need the warming glass as the SB will be soft.

I find the 'on demand' methods are so convenient and trouble free.

In all the above I do not touch the Shea Butter in the process. For my convenience I melt the SB into a plastic container about 1 1/2 deep and let it cool to room temp.

Edit:added
#3 is the safest as there is no double dipping. The core cutter is never inserted so cannot get contaminated.

rook, you must live in a cold climate.
I mixed up 2:1 SB and CO and got a sort of custard consistency. I must say it is extraordinarily slippery.
I can just use a lubetube. Basically using my #3 so I don't contaminate my mix (200gms)

How much mix do you use as a prelube?

Edit: it has set. Looks very good. It seems to have set rather than just cooled. I am looking forward to testing it