Heat gun vs Plastic

Firstly sorting out different plastics washing and then cutting into pieces

PET bottle

HDPE milk bottle

I then made a simple mould by fly pressing aluminium and created feet by bending down the corners. I also made a tapered wooden presser.

With heat from the heat gun and pressure from the plug, I woulded the soft plastic into the mould.

HDPE plastic bag

HDPE milk bottle

All the plastics that worked with this method were PP (polypropelene), PS (polysyrene) and HDPE (high density polyethelene).  The plastic that melted down the best and created the smoothest surface was PP.  PS created a sort of crystal structure.

Making plastic from food

Had a go at making plastic from potatoes (starch)  in the hope that food waste could potentially be used for my project.

Squeezing out the liquid from shredded potato, leaving the starch to sink to the bottom  

Cooking with vinegar and glycerine

David Steiner- In House

Came across this great project by RCA graduate David Steiner.  He makes in 'In house' mini factory using domestic appliances which replicate workshop machinery and out of it he creates a dining set .

Blender = lathe, disc sander, pottery wheel

Rotational moulder = embroidery ring and washing machine

Steam bender = micro wave

 The video of how he did it is here:

 http://vimeo.com/68536748

Domestic Mining

Drawing of the concept for my final project 

Drawings from India

Drawn in Hampi, India

An Indian Summer

A selection of photographs from my trip to South India  using a Pentax SLR 

and boots disposable camera. 

Cacti drawings