Hi just wondering.... i'm able to successfully fuse the pastic together but the part i have trouble with is the sewing... the material is too stiff and it's really hard to turn it right side out once it's sewed together?!?! any suggestions? Thanks
Anonymous
April 25, 2009
The future brain dead unite,think about it,breathing hot plastic fumes....
Atomic Shrimp
April 22, 2009
This is such a cool idea - definitely going to try it - I've been recycling plastic bags by shredding and knitting them (linked), but it takes forever - I like the fast results of this method.
Slightly concerned about this after seeing a comment about toxic fumes from melting on plastic on the Etsy page. What do you think?
haleyer
July 23, 2008
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.
Kathy Malone
Cool Bag Do it yourself Tutorial!
Julie B
Hi just wondering.... i'm able to successfully fuse the pastic together but the part i have trouble with is the sewing... the material is too stiff and it's really hard to turn it right side out once it's sewed together?!?! any suggestions? Thanks
Anonymous
The future brain dead unite,think about it,breathing hot plastic fumes....
Atomic Shrimp
This is such a cool idea - definitely going to try it - I've been recycling plastic bags by shredding and knitting them (linked), but it takes forever - I like the fast results of this method.
Sandra @ Pepperberry and Co.
Hi there!
I just wanted to let you know that this tutorial has been featured on Pepperberry and Co.'s '9 Crafty Ways to Celebrate Earth Day'.
Happy Earth Day!
Sandra
And Calliope
Slightly concerned about this after seeing a comment about toxic fumes from melting on plastic on the Etsy page. What do you think?
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
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