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...

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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