This is so NEAT! I will try it tomorrow. I usually stash away the 'cool' plastic bags in my room and I always feel bad using them up to put my lunch in or something...now I have something useful to do with them.
lesley
January 03, 2008
I don't know how I managed to miss this. They look so cool! I also think this would be an excellent project when you need to occupy a bored and unpleasant teenage girl.
wizodd
December 08, 2007
Very interesting. You probably want to stick to one type of plastic, Though most of them (if not all) are theroplastic (can be modified by heating e.g.fused,) different plastics have different melting points (and behaviours when melted!)
Some experimentation is required. By using all bags from a single merchant of course, you will more than likely be using the same type plastic.
Good ventilation is essential! fumes will be annoying at the very least, highly toxic at the worst. Outside is a GREAT idea. (Of course you are now turning some of the plastic into air pollutions....)
The melt point for average commercial low-density polyethylene is typically 105-115 °C.
You may be able to make thicker materials, but at some point you will run into problems because the pressing time will increase as the number of layers increases. Ideally, you would know the plastic, the melting point, and have a press set up at that temperature--like a dry-cleaners press.
Plastic bags also make excellent kite making material, in particular there is a Vietnamese crossed stick kite design that is extremely easy to make and possibly the easiest kite to fly. (I'll try and find instruction for it and post them.)
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org">TYVEK</a> is a spun flashspun high-density <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene">polyethylene</a> fibers. If your bags are polyethelene, most are, it will be a similar, although not as tough material.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_shopping_bag#Composition">Shopping bags are made of</a>
jeaner
November 10, 2007
This looks really cool and I can think of fun things to do but BIRD OWNERS DO NOT DO THIS ANYWHERE EXCEPT OUTSIDE AND AWAY FROM ANY WINDOWS! The fumes will kill them. If there are people in the house with ashma then this is definately something that needs to be outside.
optimist
November 02, 2007
As with all these plastic bag crafts, some places - like Ireland - now use biodegradable plastic bags (which in Ireland you have to buy so that there are not too many of them about) and in about 6 months it will be a heap of little fragments. Not sure how this would affect the fusing process, but be aware!
bhartzer
September 27, 2007
This is definitely one of the ultimate recycling ideas...maybe we need to tell those folks in the cities who city councils that have banned plastic bags that they should start making real stuff like this from plastic bags.
eastteak
September 27, 2007
Interesting concept...I wonder if you could fuse the bags together and make something like a tarp or even a drop cloth for painting?
cindyAtStaged4more
September 20, 2007
ahh thanks for this, i always wanted a bag like this ;)
frontier
September 19, 2007
ok, I did this this weekend, and a suggestion: DO IT IN THE BACKYARD. I opened a window, and still coughed for 24 hours. The fumes are silent but deadly. Basically, it seems to me, unless I did it wrong, that it makes tyvek. Very cool. Also, there is a topic on some other craft place where a woman suggests using silk taffeta for the top and bottom layer. Made it very easy to peel off. Just don't breathe.
rhosting
Tis bags are nics and Is it necessary to use it.We know it is very easy to use.But we have to check hoe to recycle it.
http://www.biggest-hosting.com/
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haleyer
This is so NEAT! I will try it tomorrow. I usually stash away the 'cool' plastic bags in my room and I always feel bad using them up to put my lunch in or something...now I have something useful to do with them.
lesley
wizodd
Very interesting. You probably want to stick to one type of plastic, Though most of them (if not all) are theroplastic (can be modified by heating e.g.fused,) different plastics have different melting points (and behaviours when melted!)
Some experimentation is required. By using all bags from a single merchant of course, you will more than likely be using the same type plastic.
Good ventilation is essential! fumes will be annoying at the very least, highly toxic at the worst. Outside is a GREAT idea. (Of course you are now turning some of the plastic into air pollutions....)
The melt point for average commercial low-density polyethylene is typically 105-115 °C.
You may be able to make thicker materials, but at some point you will run into problems because the pressing time will increase as the number of layers increases. Ideally, you would know the plastic, the melting point, and have a press set up at that temperature--like a dry-cleaners press.
Plastic bags also make excellent kite making material, in particular there is a Vietnamese crossed stick kite design that is extremely easy to make and possibly the easiest kite to fly. (I'll try and find instruction for it and post them.)
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org">TYVEK</a> is a spun flashspun high-density <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene">polyethylene</a>
fibers. If your bags are polyethelene, most are, it will be a similar, although not as tough material.
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_shopping_bag#Composition">Shopping bags are made of</a>
jeaner
optimist
bhartzer
eastteak
cindyAtStaged4more
frontier
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