I'm melllllllltiiiiiing...
September 5, 2007 12:42 AM Subscribe
I want to make one of these bowls instead of buying one.
In theory it seems pretty simple to me - all I need is a nice round-shaped wok and a few bags of toy soldiers. I'm thinking it might be rather trial and error, but I don't want to a) get sick from any fumes or b) ruin a wok.
I realize this one might be a stretch but if anyone has some plastics-molding experience they might be able to impart, I would appreciate it...
In theory it seems pretty simple to me - all I need is a nice round-shaped wok and a few bags of toy soldiers. I'm thinking it might be rather trial and error, but I don't want to a) get sick from any fumes or b) ruin a wok.
I realize this one might be a stretch but if anyone has some plastics-molding experience they might be able to impart, I would appreciate it...
I'm planning on doing the same thing this weekend with some cheap stainless steel mixing bowls. I thought they'd be better than a wok since they're cheaper and they have a flat bottom. I was thinking:
1. Get soldiers into larger bowl
2. Press smaller bowl into bowl of soldiers (to press them to the edges of larger bowl). Maybe fill the gaps at the side with more soldiers? Throw in a bunch of stones or something to keep smaller bowl in place
3. Bang the whole thing in the oven, and hope it works out.
Is that a reasonable approach?
posted by bunglin jones at 1:07 AM on September 5, 2007
1. Get soldiers into larger bowl
2. Press smaller bowl into bowl of soldiers (to press them to the edges of larger bowl). Maybe fill the gaps at the side with more soldiers? Throw in a bunch of stones or something to keep smaller bowl in place
3. Bang the whole thing in the oven, and hope it works out.
Is that a reasonable approach?
posted by bunglin jones at 1:07 AM on September 5, 2007
Sorry, should have previewed.
posted by bunglin jones at 1:07 AM on September 5, 2007
posted by bunglin jones at 1:07 AM on September 5, 2007
Best answer: Both links above don't really yield as pretty bowls as the one in the original link.
The metal bowl within a metal bowl tactic seems like a good one, but putting it into the oven fills the house with yucky melting plastic smell.
Also, the first link shows how putting it into the oven might leave you with a mushy mess and not with 1 smooth side and 1 textured side.
If it were me i'd get hold of a heat gun (maybe you can rent one from home depot? i had access to them while i was in art school) and try slowly heating the outside of the bowl. That way it would melt just the one side instead of the whole thing at the same time (thus giving you some texture towards the inside and smoothness towards the outside).
You could try to find an outlet on the outside of your house so it doesn't stink up the inside.
posted by modernsquid at 6:14 AM on September 5, 2007
The metal bowl within a metal bowl tactic seems like a good one, but putting it into the oven fills the house with yucky melting plastic smell.
Also, the first link shows how putting it into the oven might leave you with a mushy mess and not with 1 smooth side and 1 textured side.
If it were me i'd get hold of a heat gun (maybe you can rent one from home depot? i had access to them while i was in art school) and try slowly heating the outside of the bowl. That way it would melt just the one side instead of the whole thing at the same time (thus giving you some texture towards the inside and smoothness towards the outside).
You could try to find an outlet on the outside of your house so it doesn't stink up the inside.
posted by modernsquid at 6:14 AM on September 5, 2007
Response by poster: That's about what I was thinking, 23skidoo, but my only thought was "How did they get the depression in the middle of the bowl. You pour all that goo into the steel bowl and its going to sit level across the top, like water would if you poured it in, follow what I mean? I'm guessing there's a third step after what you mentioned, where they press down the dudes into the glue to force the depression that forms the bowl shape.
posted by allkindsoftime at 7:01 AM on September 5, 2007
posted by allkindsoftime at 7:01 AM on September 5, 2007
Another way would be spinning the bowl - that would force the goo out and up.
posted by TheNewWazoo at 9:29 AM on September 5, 2007
posted by TheNewWazoo at 9:29 AM on September 5, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by clearlydemon at 1:00 AM on September 5, 2007 [2 favorites]