There are many crafts made from plastic bottles. We have already written about some of them in our articles. Today we will tell you about another unusual use for them: how to make a chain from plastic bottles. Such a chain can be used both in interior decor (for hanging flowerpots, tying curtains, etc.), and for performing various power tasks (after all, when using a sufficiently wide tape, such a chain can withstand a load of 100 kg). Just follow our instructions.
Content:
Read also: Making a greenhouse with your own hands from a profile pipe and polycarbonate: a complete description of the process, drawings with dimensions, watering and heating (Photo & Video)
Materials for manufacturing
To make chain, you will need:
- empty plastic bottles;
- replaceable blade from a construction knife;
- wooden block;
- washers and screws;
- building hair dryer or container for boiling water;
- U-stud with nuts (4.1 cm wide in the example);
- vise;
- container with cold water.
Step 1. Dissolve the bottles into ribbons
We will assemble a device for dissolving plastic bottles into tapes on a wooden block.
We put the required number of washers under the knife blade (their total thickness depends on the desired thickness of the tape) and fasten it through the hole with a self-tapping screw to the bar. In the example, when using 2 washers, the width of the tape turned out to be 3.1 mm.
We put the same number of washers under the second side of the blade so that the hole protrudes beyond the blade, cover with another washer and clamp everything with a self-tapping screw.
We cut off the bottom from the bottles and cut the beginning of the tape.
We draw the beginning of the tape under the blade and, holding the bottle, pull it until the bottles are completely dissolved.
We cut the tapes into pieces of the required length. In the example, this is 1.4 meters (with a chain link length of 4.1 cm and winding 9 turns per link). You will determine the required length experimentally by making the first link of the required length and strength.
Step 2. We make a chain
We make the first link. To do this, we clamp the hairpin in a vice and wind 9 turns on it.
Then we tightly wrap the long sides of the link with the rest of the tape. We fill the edge of the tape between the turns and cut it off.
Without removing the link from the stud, we warm it up with a building hair dryer, conducting heat shrinkage.
To cool the plastic quickly, dip the pin in a container of cold water and remove the link. If it comes off too tight, just unscrew one of the nuts.
Similarly, make the second link.
When winding the turns of the third link, pass the tape through the first and second links.
All subsequent operations are carried out in the same way as the manufacture of the first link.
Repeating the manufacture of even links similarly to the first, and odd links similarly to the third, we achieve the required chain length.
Super strong plastic bottle chain
How to make a chain? from plastic bottles?
