Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with plastic

you'd think this would have been invented by now

jak68 — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:45:57 -0800

does anyone make "plastic" or "non-marring" screwdrivers? For delicate crafts work? I need a non-marring screwdriver, I'm imagining one made out of plastic (both in phillips and flathead, in various sizes). Does anyone make these, for maybe the arts and crafts industry? Even just plastic screwdriver bits that can maybe fit into a regular screwdriver multi-bit handle.
Googling has not brought me fu. Wondering if anyone has come across anything like this.
thanks

Why don't they make roofs out of plastic?

seanyboy — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:54:04 -0800

Why aren't roofs made out of plastic? It's waterproof, keeps the heat in, can be ruggedised and protected against UV, and it's easier to transport than slate or clay. So why don't they make modern roofs out of plastic?

Does EMF-responsive paint exist?

swimming naked when the tide goes out — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:07:42 -0800

I'm looking for a material I'm not sure exists. I want a plastic (or even better, a paint) that glows (at all) in response to being in an electromagnetic field. Please tell me...does this exist? I'm willing to accept "exists but costs eleventy-billion dollars a microgram" answers as well. Thanks!

What's this plastic garbage called, and can I replace it and not the whole door?

SpecialK — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:51:16 -0800

I'm moving out of a house I'd rented, and my dogs at one point had eaten the plastic "trim" pieces that are on the outside of the back door, which is your average metal-framed swinging with a big full-length dual-paned glass window. the damage isn't really to the door or the glass; it's to this stupid plastic trim that's around and within the glass that makes up a grid of squares. I don't know what this trim is called. Bonus question: Can I just replace the trim and not the door? Home Depot was, unsurprisingly, unhelpful.

My mom changed her face.

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:27:32 -0800

I come back to Southern California for Thanksgiving and my mom has gotten idiotic plastic surgery. Please help me cope. My mother is in her mid-60s. She always looked 20 years younger, but never had self-confidence. In the last few years she has grown increasingly vain; paranoid about her relatives to the point of cutting off several that I liked; and convinced that something is wrong with her looks. In fact, she has refused for probably 15 years to let me photograph her.

Well, as of tonight it is now too late to photograph my lovely mom the way I remember her. This year she became obsessed with the idea that her average-sized chin and slight-overbite were betraying her double chin and retention water. Which is fine, I mean I guess I have heard of people getting facelifts (not that I would be thrilled about that either; I prefer people to age gracefully) but then she decided the answer was a chin implant.

She had the surgery without telling my brother and me. I found out about this 2 weeks via Gchat with my dad. The given excuse was that I was having such a hard time in life that they didn't want to make it worse. I hoped for weeks that she wouldn't look like Michael Jackson.

So I walk in the door for Thanksgiving, I am already going through a lot, and suddenly my mother's lower face looks like Sigourney Weaver's! I guess it may be swollen and will go down a bit, and maybe I am overreacting.

But still, I had to go outside and sob while my younger brother comforted me. (He was in town to introduce his first girlfriend ever, who looks like a normal curvy woman and not a plastic-surgery addict, btw, and whom I am afraid of scaring off if I freak out about this. I always thought, until now, that our family was sweet and normal.)

I realize it's her face, not mine. But my mom taught me growing up that looks don't matter. And it is basic to my sense of continuity that my mother, the person I was closest to growing up, not shapechange like fucking Odo from Deep Space 9.

Can you guys please help me deal with this? Who even gets "chin implants"--something my cyberchondriac mother has at one time or another tried to push on me or my brother? Am I right to be upset that my dad kept this from me?

Seeking clicking mechanism or design...

pallen123 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:21:02 -0800

What kind of small toys or devices click when you rotate them forwards and backwards? Seeking mechanism or design... I’m trying to help a friend design a small toy and she needs a mechanism that will click in very small increments as she rotates a small (1 inch diameter) dial that turns 360 degrees on its axis. She needs the dial to click precisely as it turns clockwise and counterclockwise in smallish increments. I was thinking a fishing reel mechanism might work, but that just allows turning in one direction. Then I thought a ratchet wrench mechanism might work, but that also turns in just one direction (and I’m not sure how the inside of a ratchet wrench works either). Can anyone think of existing toys or devices that have a clicking mechanism that freely rotate? Novel solutions? Suggestions? Thank you!

Not-so-Fantastic Plastic

Miko — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 07:19:55 -0800

Can you help my household kick the plastic habit? I've been reading all sorts of creepy things about plastics lately, and really want to stop using them as much as possible, especially for food storage and heating.

I've been using Pyrex refrigerator dishes for leftovers for a long time, and have a bunch of old-school Thermoses that still work well. I've become aware of round metal "tiffin" containers, but haven't bought any yet. We store a lot of grains, beans, and spices in canning jars in the cupboards.

Beyond that, I'm still searching for solutions. Things like: when I want to pop a bowl of dough or something in the fridge with an airtight cover, what can I use? Are there reusable sandwich bags or food wrap of some material other than plastic? What about sandwich-shaped containers? What can go into the freezer and provide a real seal - as for frozen pizza dough, leftovers, etc?

A lot of cosmetic products come in plastics, too. Any ways of getting around that?

Thanks all.

White plastic sheeting, suitable for rear-projection, in or around Toronto

sixswitch — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:07:47 -0800

I'm doing a show in Toronto involving rear-projection (both of plain white light with a person creating a shadow, and of video). I'm trying to locally source thin, white plastic sheeting to use for a large screen, by this week or next week. For a tactile reference, think of the slippery, slightly stretchy plastic used in layers as tablecloths at some Chinese restaurants. Or white Glad kitchen catchers.

I would love to buy a roll of something, at least 8 ft x 40 ft and preferably longer (so I have 'spares').

This is in the very near future, and I would prefer to buy something locally in Toronto or the GTA rather than online. Budget is minimal and definitely under a hundred bucks.

So far: I've found the tablecloths, but they don't come on a roll, so I'd have to stitch or melt them together. Fraught. I've found giant white tarps, which are an okay backup but are staggeringly unsexy. I've found vapour barrier, which is almost perfect, except I've only found it in 'clear'. I've found white plastic banquet tablecloths on rolls, but only online; they're only 40" wide which is also less than ideal.

I prefer plastic to paper because it needs to setup and strike quietly, and because there are more possibilities for tactile interaction (like stretching and deforming), but I'd use paper as a backup. Know any good, cheap, nonwovens?

The most useful information would be local fabricators or dealers that stock similar stuff. Laird Plastics and Plasticworld focus on rigid plastics rather than rolled sheeting.

Summary: looking for a) ideas for off-the-shelf materials that might work for this, and b) ideas for where to go to get them. Thanks in advance.

Seeking the Uber-Sharpie

kalapierson — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:32:43 -0800

Ultra-permanent marker (more permanent than Sharpie Industrial, on soft rubbery plastic)? Alternately: paint or coating that's very strong AND very soft-thin-flexible? What kind of marker or paint or coating would permanently change Apple headphone cables from white to black, yet still leave them almost as soft, as thin and as flexible as they naturally are?

I want to do this right because, aside from the white color, I've got my perfect Frankenphones now (the stock Apple phones with in-line mic/clicker plus the earpieces from my high-quality sealing earphones, via my friend's soldering magic).

Things that wouldn't work:
• electrical tape wrapped around the cable (inflexibility and bulk).
• Sharpie (tried both standard and Industrial as recommended in another AskMe; both are solid black at first but soon start to rub away in daily use).
• anything liquid that couldn't be delicately spot-applied (I need to preserve the clicker's mic hole and its ability to click, by carefully hand-painting).

I have to end up with black headphones, not white, so please help me figure out how to get there. Thanks!

Did cleaning my old plastic toys make them unsafe?

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:47:33 -0800

Should I dump my old toys, or give them to my toddler to play with? I have a large box of Fisher-Price "Little People" and various related plastic/wood toys from 30-40 years ago that were well-loved by me and my siblings. They were very grimy, so I dumped them in a sink full of warm soapy water and used a scrub brush to try to get the dirt off. That did nothing. I then used a Magic Eraser, which did really well getting the old grime off of the plastic.

My husband wasn't so happy about this - he reminded me that the Magic Eraser is just very fine sandpaper, and what I did was remove very fine layers of plastic from each toy. Now I wonder if I have rendered these old plastic toys unsafe for my small child to play with.

Beauty items not packaged in plastic?

toomuchkatherine — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:18:58 -0800

Plastic-free beauty filter: I'm researching how to diminish the amount of plastic I am using from day to day, and I'm about to attack my personal-care items. Does anyone have suggestions for shampoos, deodorants, face washes, lotions, toothpastes, etc., that don't come packed in plastic containers? I'm interested in commercially available stuff and also recipes I can make at home if the components aren't too plastic-y.

Who is the most famous cosmetic/plastic surgeon in Venezuela?

omaralarifi — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:12:25 -0800

Who is the most famous cosmetic/plastic surgeon in Venezuela?

How to make my thermos flask not ruin my coffee?

pompomtom — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:35:20 -0800

How to make my thermos flask not ruin my coffee? I bought a thermos flask, and it is making my coffee taste like dreck - horrible plastic-y dreck. That said, I've only given it two tries so far, and the foul taste seems to be weakening. Is there something I can do/soak with/heat/cool/manipulate to get more quickly to the point where I actually enjoy drinking the coffee?

whats the best way to measure plastic

edtut — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:00:20 -0800

in my work, there is a requirement to test two plastics and compare the properties for an automotive application. the testing is done by an external agency, with whom i have no background, and they just give a table of results. what tests are they doing, how do they do them, why do they do them, and what tricks should i be on the lookout for? plastics at a basic level can seem to be spec'd quite similar, for instance two sources for thailand and china will say they give the same product. however additives, regrind, tolerance and production method lead to significant differences in the finished product.
there are a range of tests that are done on produced material to get a fuller understanding of what they are - crystalisation, true density, consistency, etc. I want to know what the full spectrum of these tests are for background knowledge.

Where can I find a replacement lid for my Dutch Oven?

Diablevert — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:48:01 -0800

Does Benjamin & Medwin still exist? And if they don't, any idea where I can get a lid for my cast iron pan? Can I make one? I have a cast iron pan that came with a glass lid --- dropped it the other day and the knob cracked. I had thought it was a Lodge --- but it's not, it's by a company called Benjamin & Medwin. There are some stores selling their stuff online, I couldn't find any that had my Dutch oven. They don't see to have their own website, and the when I called the number given for the only address I could find for them, it had been disconnected. Does anyone know of a company that makes glass lids that will stand up to the high heat of cast iron cooking? (I particularly liked to do no-knead bread in mine, and for that I usually crank the oven to 450.) Or if not, is there at way to tell whether a plastic knob from the hardware store can take that kind of heat? The glass itself isn't cracked; I could screw in a new knob.

My water jug has a funny taste.

zeek321 — Sat, 30 May 2009 06:04:58 -0800

The water in my #7 plastic polycarbonate 5-gallon jug is starting to taste funny. Also a bonus BPA question. I completely empty and refill my 5-gallon jug every 1-2 weeks. (When drinking or cooking, I don't have a dispenser or anything--I pour directly from the jug.) I wash the inside of the jug every 1-2 weeks. I do this by filling it partially full with hot water, adding a squirt of dish soap, shaking madly, emptying completely, partially refilling, shaking madly, and repeating until there seems to be no soap residue or suds left.

Why the funny taste that wasn't there before? Is there a better way to clean this thing? I've had it maybe six months, and the taste started a few weeks ago. The water source (Whole Foods reverse osmosis) has been the same. The taste isn't horrible, just noticeable. It's an "un-fresh" taste...

Bonus question: Is this thing leaching BPA into my body? Is there a better 5-gallon container out there? (Getting multiple smaller containers or any kind of home/tap/pitcher water filter are not options right now.)

Cratification

a womble is an active kind of sloth — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:56:15 -0800

Looking for sturdy cheap plastic crates in the Boston area Does anyone know where I can get something like this? I would like to get 10-15 of these types of crates, and ideally spend a few dollars per crate. Any searches I have done typically show the crates as costing ~$15. I want them for storing books, folders and clothes. I have 3 and they work very well in the space that I have.

Why is Plastic Model Breaking, How Best to Replace Parts

rahnefan — Tue, 19 May 2009 10:38:54 -0800

Do unassembled plastic model kits become brittle or warped over time? Is there a preferable medium for building replacement parts? I'm assembling MPC's The Strange Changing Vampire (1970s) and pieces are breaking. I think it is styrene. One piece just didn't fit; I tried heating with a hair dryer (ineffective) and hot water (ruined the piece). I can replace it but the ones that broke are moving parts, essential to the function of the model. How-Not-Tu-Do-Torial in progress.

Parallel Plastic Tubes

Tube — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 21:19:16 -0800

What is this series of tubes? While walking in Jack Block park here in Seattle, I came upon this plastic structure set solidly into the earth at the base of this tree. I have never seen such a thing before. My best guesses as to its function are:

1. Erosion control. The tree is planted on a rather steep slope, as can be seen by the angle of the adjacent stairs. Perhaps this structure acts as a dam, especially when the tree is a sapling.

2. Fertilizer addition. The structure is set close to the tree, and implanted solidly into the ground. What better way to get fertilizer to the roots?

3. Irrigation. Perhaps this species of tree is uniquely thirsty, and needs lots of water.

Whatever the case, the structure seems to be well maintained, as I'm sure it would quickly fill with organic debris and be totally clogged. The tubes were relatively clean when I examined them.

What, exactly is its function? What is the generic name for this object? Are they commonly used in landscaping?

Melty glue, make my plastic good as new.

GleepGlop — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:23:12 -0800

When hard plastic breaks is there any adhesive that will 'weld' it back together so it won't just snap again at the glue point under pressure? You know how when hard plastic breaks it usually does so in a random topographical pattern such that you can fit the pieces back together perfectly, if only there was a glue that would hold them indefinitely?
I know there are all types of glue out there for all types of solutions. I am wondering if for broken hard plastic there is any glue that will make it at least as good as new if not better.

Ok to leave wood in contact with stretchy plastic?

jasonsmall — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:33:05 -0800

I'm putting old wooden furniture in long-term storage. Is it okay to leave it wrapped in that stretchy plastic stuff, or will that mess with the finish over time?

I can't keep touching it up.

Netzapper — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 02:20:45 -0800

I'm looking for an adhesive-backed ink-jet printable plastic suitable for use as masking/stencils for airbrushing. I've tried a couple of options, but have failed in some subtle ways. (Now with related bonus question!) At first, I simply tried stencils. But, they really don't work very well unless the underlying object is flat--which most of mine aren't. I printed out transparency, cut it with a hobby knife, and taped it down. Overspray galore, even if I worked carefully.

What I'm trying now is an Avery adhesive-backed "label" designed for making signs. It's basically an ink-jet printable sheet of transparent sticky plastic. Apparently perfect. It even comes off well and cleanly. But, if I've done previous coats of paint, but haven't finished the piece yet, the adhesive tears off my earlier coats of paint. This makes it impossible to overlap elements.

So, in an attempt to ameliorate the stickiness, I've been swiping the stencils with soap and water on the sticky side to cut their adhering strength. This is a little messy but primarily inconsistent. I'll get a good medium of adherence for 95% of it, but I'll miss a spot, and that will tear up paint; or I'll get too much soap somewhere, and it won't stick and bubbles.

The ideal material would be a little bit lighter weight than an overhead transparency, adhesive backed, ink-jet printable (at least kinda, temporarily), clean releasing, and of minimally strong adhesion. I thought about static-cling stuff, but I don't think it would hold up to being sprayed with the airbrush without bubbling and puffing.

Bonus question: I have my stencils in vector format. They print beautifully. Is there some way to automate the cutting of them?

Why do my black plastic frames turn white?

BugsPotter — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:05:01 -0800

My glasses have black plastic frames and they turn white when wet from water or sweat, how can I get them clean? I initially thought this was from sweat because I first noticed it after going to the gym, but my bright idea of washing the glasses to get the sweat off exacerbated the problem. It basically looks like the plastic itself has turned whitish. They eventually (after a few days) turn black again, but I have no clue what makes them return to their normal color. Any suggestions to either prevent this or to clean them (as well as scientific explanations as to why this happens) would be much appreciated, thanks!

How can I best spray paint my white Macbook's exterior?

ilumos — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:51:01 -0800

How can I best spray paint my white Macbook's exterior? I'd like to (durably) paint the outside of my white macbook. I've got experience with spray paints and stencils, but as the outside of my mac is glossy plastic, I wouldn't know how to best make the paint adhere. Is this possible, or will I just have to sticker the hell outta it instead?

Thanks in advance

vintage injection molding toy

Drasher — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:22:54 -0800

I am looking for information and references to a toy that was available during the 1960s. It was an electrically heated hand powered plastic injection toy. It came with a number (3?) of molds that would produce army men (about one inch tall) in different poses and parts to construct a jeep and trailer or a cannon (I believe). It came with two different colors of plastic pellets that were placed in the warming area and when it was hot a plunger was pushed down vertically to shoot the plastic into the bold. The molds were then removed, allowed to cool and the parts could me removed. If parts were incompletely molded they could be broken up, remelted and shot again.

Hive mind: Please help find more information about this vintage toy.