We frequently associate plastics with the modern era, starting at around the 1950s with the prevalence of bakelite. However, for all of you "you can't use plastic in Steampunk" purists out there, I have bad news for you:
If you're interested in creating a dosimeter using simple tools, take a look at this video. Using a digital camera, a plastic scintillator, and some tape a radiation dosimeter can be crafted allowing for radiation information to be collected with simple materials.
Plastic masks are usually the cheapest that you can get, but their tiny eye and mouth holes impede your use of your organs and can cut you as well. Watch this video to learn how to use a woodburning pen to widen the holes in such as way that they wont' come out sharp and jagged, and will make you Guy Fawkes or other mask much more wearable.
In this tutorial, we learn how to recycle plastic bottles and make decorative flower art. Start out by cutting around the cap of the bottle until the body is cut off. Then, cut small slits in the bottle until it's completely cut up. From here, you will spread these out so they are opened up like petals. Take different colored plastic bottles and repeat this process. When you're finished, you will then attach these together using heat and use them as decorative art for your wall! This is great...
In this tutorial, we learn how to recycle a plastic bottle to make a toy bottle rocket. First, take a large plastic bottle and a sharp knife, then cut it in half. After this, take the side with the cap on it and then paint on the inside of the bottle. You can paint whatever you want on the inside, feel free to use different colors and get as creative as you want! From here, take some bottle caps and poke holes in the center of them. Then, string these together by pushing a string in the middl...
In this tutorial we learn how to recycle plastic bottles to make a toy windmill. First, cut the bottle in half so you just have the cap end of it. Then, use the scissors to cut strips in the plastic, all running next to each other. Once you have all of these cut, pull the strips out so they are flared away from the cap. Then, twist these so the are all going backwards from the cap and place a stick on the bottom of these, connecting with the cap. Now you can use these as a toy windmill, enjoy...
Make a beautiful box for your child to keep their jewelry or precious possessions in. You'll need a small plastic or metal container, strands of thread with small beads on them, plastic gems or rhinestones, a hot glue gun and a kid-friendly pair of scissors.
Easter is over, and what to do with all the plastic eggs that hold candy? You can always recycle them and turn them into a bumble bee! This craft requires 2 googly eyes, one black pipe cleaner, one white, gold or silver pipe cleaner, a stick and some glue.
Teach your children art at the same time you teach them conservation! This video shows you how to take an old pair of jeans and an empty plastic bottle, then add a little lace and other decorations to make a cute denim bracelet.
In this video, we learn how to cut plastic push-fit pipe. Make sure you never use a hack saw to cut the push-fit pipe because it can damage the O-ring in the connector. What you need is a pair of dedicated plastic pipe cutters. Once you have this, put your pipe in the middle of the cutters and then push down on the handles. After this, your will cut the pipe and it will com out nice and clean. From here you will be able to fit a connector into the pipe and continue to use it rather than ruini...
Plastic milk bottles are a fixture of most American trash cans, but they need not be. With a little effort and some simple tools you can covert an old milk bottle into a DIY bird feeder! Watch this video to learn how.
If you like making miniature models for their own sake or for use in playing Warhammer and other table top games, there may come a time when you want a shiny new model to look like an old rusty model. If you're working with plastic, you've come to the right place, because this video will show you how to give plastic models a rusty look that will blend them into your post-apocalyptic or just plain derelict scene.
In this tutorial, we learn how to defy gravity with a water trick. First, you will need to fill a cup with water. After this, place a piece of plastic over the top of the cup. After this, push the plastic down, then turn the cup upside down. You will notice that the water does not immediately come out of the cup! Next, place a plastic bag filled with water into water, then bring it out and poke two pencils through, and none of the water will immediately leak out! These are great tricks to sho...
In this video tutorial you will learn how to siphon gas out of a modern 3.8 GM engine. The tools you need are a screwdriver, a clear plastic pipe and a container to hold the gas. Every fuel tank has a fuel inlet and outlet point. Remove the two clamps on the pipe connected to the fuel outlet point on the tank and fix the clear plastic pipe. The other end of the plastic pipe goes in to the container. Now locate the fuel pump relay in the relay box. In this engine it is relay number 19. Remove ...
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make a box out of used plastic bottles. This task is very simple, fast and easy to do. The materials required for this task are 2 plastic bottles and a zipper. Begin by cutting off the bottom of both plastic bottles. Now glue the zipper on both of the bottom pieces and glue the bottom pieces together. Then zip the bottom pieces together. This video will benefit those viewers who enjoy making arts and crafts and recycling material, and would like to...
In this tutorial, learn how to make a vacuum table that you can use to make plastic objects. You will learn how to build this type of surface and create anything you may need to replace - for example, if you lose the cover of your cell phone - don't spend a ton getting a new one- just make your own!
Now, there are many different ways to make certain dishes using all sorts of different tools and pot and pans. This tutorial seems to take it to a whole new level. In this video you'll not only find out how to make sauerkraut, but you'll find out how to make it using a plastic bucket. How's that for weird? Enjoy!
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to make distilled water. Begin by pouring some water into a kettle pot and heat it at medium temperature. Then make a hole in the side of a plastic cup and insert a tube into the hole. Now cover the top of the cup with plastic wrap and insert the tube from the cup to the kettle pot spout. Seal the gaps in the spout with some paper towels. Leave the cup for several minutes to steam. Then take off the plastic wrap and wait 10-15 minutes for the water. T...
In this Education video tutorial you will learn how to make ice cream and explore the ingredient salt. Ingredients are a cup of milk, sugar, vanilla, some salt, ice and two plastic bags. Add two tablespoons of sugar to one cup of milk, a quarter teaspoon of vanilla, stir it up and pour it in to a plastic bag. Put this bag in another bigger plastic bag, add some ice and about half a cup of salt. Seal the bag and start mashing it. After about 10 minutes, it will turn into ice cream. When salt i...
In this how to video, you will learn how to make bag tags. You will need a tape runner, embellishments, elastic, a plastic bag, letters, cloud 9 rain dot eyelets, a trimmer, bits of card stock, and hole punches. First, cut the card stock and make it a square shape. Next, decorate the card stock with embellishments and the name of the child it is for. You can use the adhesive to stick these on. Next, cut more card stock and wrap it the piece around the decorated card stock. From here, place th...
First, the plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) subfloor floats on a corrugated or “cleated” waterproof underlayment, so the wood never actually touches the floor. The underlayment material can be made of Styrofoam or heavy-duty polyethylene, the same material used in corrugated plastic drain pipe (one of the toughest plastics available). This underlayment creates an air gap above the concrete. Combined with the wooden panels, the air in this space provides a thermal break that acts as insu...
In this how-to video, you will learn how to make a wooden bonsai pot. You will need pressure treated wood made of all weather oak. You will also need a strain brush and nails. Assorted plastic bins will also be needed. Drill holes into the bottom of the plastic bin. Next, cut it to size. Cut the pieces of wood to the correct size and then line and tape them up. Next, nail the wooden pieces together. Now, place two pieces of wood on the bottom for legs. This allows air to flow beneath the pot....
In the summer and fall, swim baits are very effective in luring in forage fishes that have reached their maximum size. In this video, expert Wayne Gustaveson gives an overview of what swim baits are and how you can use them to catch more fish. Swim baits are plastic figures that imitate small fishes. There are various swim baits to chose from and one thing fishermen look for in the bait are the specific sizes and shapes. Each swim bait also contains a core components that is reusable. This in...
This video discusses how to emboss using acrylic paints, like faux plastic.
Learn how to make a homemade kite with this video. To do this you will need a regular plastic bag, some plastic straws, string and scissors. Begin by using the scissors to cut the bag in half, around the edges. Once you have this, make a rhombus shape out of it. You will need five straws and tape. Use one straw for the top and two straws on each side. Make sure that these two sides are the same side. Add clear or regular tape to stick the straws to the plastic bag. Lastly, tie the string at t...
The video deals with a clear step by step process of making a plastic airplane. He asked us to select the model of the airplane we are going to make first. He has selected the North American F86A SABRE model in this demo.
For this you use tenderized steak. She thaws out 2 pounds worth of round steak and she cuts them up into nuggets. She seasons this with meat tenderizer. She adds 1/4 cup peanut oil to a skillet. Into a plastic bag she put 1 cup of flour. She adds the nuggets to the plastic bag with the flour and shakes the plastic bag. Now you can drop the nuggets into the oil and let them sizzle. Cook until the bottom is brown and flip. Also add some ground black pepper while cooking. When cooked, place on a...
This video explains how to get powder or cream make-up out of the plastic container that it comes in. You can condense your products to take up less space if you remove them from the pots and put them in palettes. The tools you need are a flat iron or other heat source, parchment paper to cover the plate of the flat iron, an X-acto knife, alcohol, cotton pads, make-up in pots, self-adhesive magnets and a palette. First use the X-acto knife to pull the plastic pot out of the container. Set the...
Looking for a stylish new look without the price tag? This video tutorial will teach you how to make jewelry on a budget, with your main material being none other than paper and plastic tubing! This step by step instructional video by craftside shows you how to recycle old card stock, paper, and cardboard to make a holder for a plastic tube necklace. First they show you how to make a "matchbook" holder by just folding the card stock around the cardboard that create a little card that will hol...
Learn how to make and use a hydroponic seed starter to produce seedlings with this video tutorial. This is a very easy setup to make. Start with a basic metal shelving unit. Hang florescent lights above each of the shelves on the shelving unit. Make sure the lights are balanced for day time. Put a plastic container on each shelf that is about the size of the shelf and tall enough for the rim to sit just below the florescent light tubes. You will need some pecks tubing and some plastic clamps....
Make your board your own by tailoring it to your skating style. You Will Need
Don’t toss foods into the freezer willy-nilly and hope for the best! Storing them correctly preserves taste and texture. Learn how to freeze food properly.
Watch this video tutorial to see how to make extremely simple scales. This scale is useful when you want to weigh small portions of a substance (like a few grams of powder). It is difficult to get real weight using these scales though. To make this homemade scale, you'll need a plastic bottle cap, a plastic bottle or box, a 9v battery, clear sticky tape, glue for the plastic (epoxy or fast-hardeneing), scissors and a screwdriver.
This instructional video demonstrates how to make an exciting stringed instrument from simple junk materials. This is one of the projects from Nick Penny's book "Making Musical Instruments from Junk". This musical instrument is called a poptar, because of the unique sound it makes. You will need a 2 liter plastic bottle, scissors, and plastic twine.
Greg Swanson and Joe Kelley demonstrate their superb skills at creating bottle rockets on rooftops.
Moving is one chore no one looks forward to. Watch this video tutorial from home improvement expert Danny Lipford to get some tips on how to transport moving boxes from room to room.
Onigiri is simple, but still good. Also good toasted For this you'll need:
This video will teach you the process of vacuum forming sheet plastic into 3D shapes using the $40 make-it-yourself vacuum former from this "Instructable."
Caroline and Val from New Scientist make plastic from milk and vinegar. Sure it likes like food at first, but leave it for a couple days, and it will be plastic. Just try it for yourself.
This week, Christine and Bre Pettis break it on down and show us how to use #6 plastic to create miniature mustaches! She's made a bunch of these in the past. They are awesome for people who need a moustache on the go.
