I'm working on a project for a client who wants to melt down hundreds of empty mountain valley water bottles to create large 12" cubes. I've never tackled a project like this before, and I'm curious if it's actually feasible. What methods might work for achieving this, and are there any safety concerns I should be aware of?
5 Answers
Honestly, you might need an expert for something this involved. I'd suggest reaching out to Nathan at plasticrecycled.com; he’s got experience with similar projects and could definitely steer you in the right direction!
You might want to check out this video for some insight: [Making Large Plastic Molds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-igxhoGEQFU&ab_channel=BrothersMake). However, your project sounds like it would be on a much larger scale. Just be prepared for the environmental impact of melting that much plastic; it's something to keep in mind!
If you're planning to melt those bottles, definitely ensure you have a separate air supply handy. Melting plastic releases fumes that aren't great for your health, so be careful!
Transforming plastic bottles into a solid cube requires a heap of manual work. Instead of melting them completely, consider creating a loose cube with air between the bottles. Just remember that whatever method you choose, pollution is a big concern. You'd need industrial strength air scrubbers to handle the fumes properly.
Creating a solid 12" cube from PET plastic would weigh around 80 pounds. Have you calculated how many bottles you'd actually need for just one cube? You might need close to 1000 bottles! That's a lot more material than you might think.
That's important to mention! Can you elaborate more on the safety risks involved?