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#1
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Instant cat toys
A penchant for trying out random crap purchased on Amazon reputedly runs in
my family; at least according to my mom. The latest weird thing I just had to try out was this: http://www.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Mol.../dp/B003QKLJKQ This is a low temperature thermoplastic that softens and is moldable when heated, and is used in industry in various interesting applications such as dentistry and drug delivery. When I ordered it, I thought that I'd be able to come up with lots of great uses for it around the house, like fixing gadgets, making spare and replacement parts, or splinting broken limbs. So as soon as I got it, I tried heating some up in a cup of water in the microwave, and played around with it. Buster watched, quite fascinated. Then, I got an idea for my first creation with the plastic - an artificial milk jug ring! So I stretched and twisted the warm plastic into a loop, ran it under cold water to quickly let it cool, wiped it off, and dangled it at Buster. He put his paws on my legs and whined. I tossed the ring to him, and he circled it and batted at it. Since it had a more corkscrew shape than a normal ring, it stood up and rolled around. After playing with it for a while, he decided that this was a great invention, and picked it up in his mouth, trotting off somewhere with it. I wonder if the only thing I'm going to end up making with the plastic is cat toys... |
#2
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Instant cat toys
On 01/31/2012 11:24 PM, Takayuki wrote:
A penchant for trying out random crap purchased on Amazon reputedly runs in my family; at least according to my mom. The latest weird thing I just had to try out was this: http://www.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Mol.../dp/B003QKLJKQ This is a low temperature thermoplastic that softens and is moldable when heated, and is used in industry in various interesting applications such as dentistry and drug delivery. When I ordered it, I thought that I'd be able to come up with lots of great uses for it around the house, like fixing gadgets, making spare and replacement parts, or splinting broken limbs. So as soon as I got it, I tried heating some up in a cup of water in the microwave, and played around with it. Buster watched, quite fascinated. Then, I got an idea for my first creation with the plastic - an artificial milk jug ring! So I stretched and twisted the warm plastic into a loop, ran it under cold water to quickly let it cool, wiped it off, and dangled it at Buster. He put his paws on my legs and whined. I tossed the ring to him, and he circled it and batted at it. Since it had a more corkscrew shape than a normal ring, it stood up and rolled around. After playing with it for a while, he decided that this was a great invention, and picked it up in his mouth, trotting off somewhere with it. I wonder if the only thing I'm going to end up making with the plastic is cat toys... It's a beginning............ as anyone ever invented a corkscrew shaped imitation milk bottle ring? MLB |
#3
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Instant cat toys
On 2/1/2012 1:35 AM, MLB wrote:
On 01/31/2012 11:24 PM, Takayuki wrote: A penchant for trying out random crap purchased on Amazon reputedly runs in my family; at least according to my mom. The latest weird thing I just had to try out was this: http://www.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Mol.../dp/B003QKLJKQ This is a low temperature thermoplastic that softens and is moldable when heated, and is used in industry in various interesting applications such as dentistry and drug delivery. When I ordered it, I thought that I'd be able to come up with lots of great uses for it around the house, like fixing gadgets, making spare and replacement parts, or splinting broken limbs. So as soon as I got it, I tried heating some up in a cup of water in the microwave, and played around with it. Buster watched, quite fascinated. Then, I got an idea for my first creation with the plastic - an artificial milk jug ring! So I stretched and twisted the warm plastic into a loop, ran it under cold water to quickly let it cool, wiped it off, and dangled it at Buster. He put his paws on my legs and whined. I tossed the ring to him, and he circled it and batted at it. Since it had a more corkscrew shape than a normal ring, it stood up and rolled around. After playing with it for a while, he decided that this was a great invention, and picked it up in his mouth, trotting off somewhere with it. I wonder if the only thing I'm going to end up making with the plastic is cat toys... It's a beginning............ as anyone ever invented a corkscrew shaped imitation milk bottle ring? MLB I bought a package of them at PetSmart last year. I think they're under the sofa somewhere. Pam S. |
#4
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Instant cat toys
Takayuki wrote:
A penchant for trying out random crap purchased on Amazon reputedly runs in my family; at least according to my mom. The latest weird thing I just had to try out was this: http://www.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Mol.../dp/B003QKLJKQ Oh, wow - I want this! I'm going to buy some of that stuff. Thanks for the tip. Once it's been heated, how long does it take before it gets too stiff to be molded? In other words, how long would I have to shape an object? So as soon as I got it, I tried heating some up in a cup of water in the microwave, and played around with it. Buster watched, quite fascinated. Then, I got an idea for my first creation with the plastic - an artificial milk jug ring! So I stretched and twisted the warm plastic into a loop, ran it under cold water to quickly let it cool, wiped it off, and dangled it at Buster. He put his paws on my legs and whined. I tossed the ring to him, and he circled it and batted at it. Since it had a more corkscrew shape than a normal ring, it stood up and rolled around. After playing with it for a while, he decided that this was a great invention, and picked it up in his mouth, trotting off somewhere with it. Aww! Daddy made him a corkscrew toy. I wonder if the only thing I'm going to end up making with the plastic is cat toys... A worthy use, IMO. -- Joyce "Bacteria, with a few more bells and whistles." -- Bonnie Bassler, describing human beings |
#5
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Instant cat toys
On 04 Feb 2012 07:39:23 GMT, Bastette wrote:
Takayuki wrote: A penchant for trying out random crap purchased on Amazon reputedly runs in my family; at least according to my mom. The latest weird thing I just had to try out was this: http://www.amazon.com/InstaMorph-Mol.../dp/B003QKLJKQ Oh, wow - I want this! I'm going to buy some of that stuff. Thanks for the tip. Once it's been heated, how long does it take before it gets too stiff to be molded? In other words, how long would I have to shape an object? It's plastic, so it transfers heat slowly. It takes maybe 5 minutes or so at room temperature to firm up - long enough that I get impatient with it and end up running it under cold water. You can keep reheating and remolding it indefinitely though. I amused myself by placing some on the metal flue of my hot water heater - it alternates between being soft and transparent when the water heater is on, to being hard and opaque when the water heater is off. And Buster still plays with that plastic ring I made him. |
#6
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Instant cat toys
Takayuki wrote:
Once it's been heated, how long does it take before it gets too stiff to be molded? In other words, how long would I have to shape an object? It's plastic, so it transfers heat slowly. It takes maybe 5 minutes or so at room temperature to firm up - long enough that I get impatient with it and end up running it under cold water. Thanks. That gives me a good idea. You can keep reheating and remolding it indefinitely though. When you reheat something, does it kind of droop because it becomes soft? That is, if it's an object that, when hard, can stand on its own, but when soft, the parts that support it aren't strong enough to hold it up? (Wow, that's almost NSFW. ) And Buster still plays with that plastic ring I made him. Best plastic ring ever! -- Joyce There is no alternative to being yourself. |
#7
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Instant cat toys
On 06 Feb 2012 07:59:26 GMT, Bastette wrote:
Takayuki wrote: Once it's been heated, how long does it take before it gets too stiff to be molded? In other words, how long would I have to shape an object? It's plastic, so it transfers heat slowly. It takes maybe 5 minutes or so at room temperature to firm up - long enough that I get impatient with it and end up running it under cold water. Thanks. That gives me a good idea. You can keep reheating and remolding it indefinitely though. When you reheat something, does it kind of droop because it becomes soft? That is, if it's an object that, when hard, can stand on its own, but when soft, the parts that support it aren't strong enough to hold it up? (Wow, that's almost NSFW. ) It is? What are you planning on making? When soft, it's pliable, but it is, at least, not fluid. So it won't be as easy to sculpt as a piece of clay, which stays the same consistency for a long period, and can be made more or less firm by kneading in water or product. |
#8
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Instant cat toys
Takayuki wrote:
Bastette wrote: When you reheat something, does it kind of droop because it becomes soft? That is, if it's an object that, when hard, can stand on its own, but when soft, the parts that support it aren't strong enough to hold it up? (Wow, that's almost NSFW. ) It is? What are you planning on making? LOL, no, not quite that desperate. I was just referring to the language I was using. What I'm planning to make is considerably more prosaic. I recently lost a travel mug that I'd had for years, and I can't seem to find anything similar to replace it. The world has moved on to stainless steel travel mugs. And they are often without handles. Or the handles are badly designed, or the combination of lid and handle is designed so that you can only drink out of one side, which is only friendly to right-handers. And so on... Before you posted about this stuff, I was trying to think of how I might make a removable handle of plastic, attached to a couple of circular braces that would go around the cup, and be smaller in diameter than the top of the cup (so the cup doesn't fall through). Most travel mugs are wider at the top than the bottom, since the cup has to fit in a car's drink holder, and not fall through that. I'm not at all handy with plastic, though, and I don't have the right tools for working with it. Then I saw your post. Voila, a solution! -- Joyce - Your mom and I are going to divorce next month. - What??? Why! Call me please? - I wrote Disney and this phone changed it. We are going to Disney. -- damnyouautocorrect.com |
#9
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Instant cat toys
On 07 Feb 2012 20:58:24 GMT, Bastette wrote:
Takayuki wrote: Bastette wrote: When you reheat something, does it kind of droop because it becomes soft? That is, if it's an object that, when hard, can stand on its own, but when soft, the parts that support it aren't strong enough to hold it up? (Wow, that's almost NSFW. ) It is? What are you planning on making? LOL, no, not quite that desperate. I was just referring to the language I was using. What I'm planning to make is considerably more prosaic. I recently lost a travel mug that I'd had for years, and I can't seem to find anything similar to replace it. The world has moved on to stainless steel travel mugs. And they are often without handles. Or the handles are badly designed, or the combination of lid and handle is designed so that you can only drink out of one side, which is only friendly to right-handers. And so on... Before you posted about this stuff, I was trying to think of how I might make a removable handle of plastic, attached to a couple of circular braces that would go around the cup, and be smaller in diameter than the top of the cup (so the cup doesn't fall through). Most travel mugs are wider at the top than the bottom, since the cup has to fit in a car's drink holder, and not fall through that. I'm not at all handy with plastic, though, and I don't have the right tools for working with it. Then I saw your post. Voila, a solution! Sorry, j/k - I just wanted you to think, "My cautionary qualifiers are backfiring!" That sounds like a cool project, except that I'd probably do it with duct tape or something. Or, I'd see if Amazon had a southpaw travel mug. |
#10
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Instant cat toys
On 2/8/2012 10:01 PM, Takayuki wrote:
On 07 Feb 2012 20:58:24 GMT, wrote: Takayuki wrote: wrote: When you reheat something, does it kind of droop because it becomes soft? That is, if it's an object that, when hard, can stand on its own, but when soft, the parts that support it aren't strong enough to hold it up? (Wow, that's almost NSFW. ) It is? What are you planning on making? LOL, no, not quite that desperate. I was just referring to the language I was using. What I'm planning to make is considerably more prosaic. I recently lost a travel mug that I'd had for years, and I can't seem to find anything similar to replace it. The world has moved on to stainless steel travel mugs. And they are often without handles. Or the handles are badly designed, or the combination of lid and handle is designed so that you can only drink out of one side, which is only friendly to right-handers. And so on... Before you posted about this stuff, I was trying to think of how I might make a removable handle of plastic, attached to a couple of circular braces that would go around the cup, and be smaller in diameter than the top of the cup (so the cup doesn't fall through). Most travel mugs are wider at the top than the bottom, since the cup has to fit in a car's drink holder, and not fall through that. I'm not at all handy with plastic, though, and I don't have the right tools for working with it. Then I saw your post. Voila, a solution! Sorry, j/k - I just wanted you to think, "My cautionary qualifiers are backfiring!" That sounds like a cool project, except that I'd probably do it with duct tape or something. Or, I'd see if Amazon had a southpaw travel mug. I must be picturing something different, but couldn't you just turn the top around so that the handle is on the left of the sip hole? -- Hugs, CatNipped See all our masters at: http://www.PossiblePlaces.com/CatNipped See the RPCA FAQ site, created by "Yowie", maintained by Mark Edwards, at: http://www.professional-geek.net/rpcablog/ Email: L(dot)T(dot)Crews(at)comcast(dot)net |
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