No cauldron used!!!
I used a 1 gallon rubbermaid pitcher to mix the lye. I was wearing yellow rubber gloves and goggles. I spread out a trash bag on the grass, put the pitcher on the bag, added the lye and stirred it with a long handled stainless steel spoon while holding my head to the side because of the fumes. There was a couple on their back porch across the golf course from me that I know was wondering what in the world I was doing!! I could barely hear them talking and I could see that they were looking my way.
I told hubby about them, and he said they probably thought I was mixing something to make drugs. My girls are afraid someone will get suspicious and call the law on me.
Hubby is really sensitive to smells and did not want me smelling up the house. Most people cover their stove and mix the lye under their vent hood, but he wanted no chance of any fumes in the house.
Now that I've done it, it's not nearly so bad. I could do it without the trash bag and goggles. I just wasn't sure what to expect. I'll try to post some pic's when I get it out of the mold and cut. It actually looks pretty good this morning, and smells nice.