D.I.Y.
arts & culture
decorative record bowls By Shannon Cruse-Ranson
This easy, D.I.Y. project will guide you through the steps necessary for transforming your old records into unique, decorative bowls that will dress up your coffee table. Besides looking chic, you can feel good about re-purposing this vintage technology and keeping stacks of vinyl out of the local landfill. Things You’ll Need: • Old records, duh. (Flea markets and thrift stores are great places to look) • Cookie sheet • oven-safe mixing bowl (metal) • Assorted sizes of heat-safe bowls or dishes (Pyrex bakeware or terracotta pots will also work) Before melting records, go online to check if your titles are worth anything. • Turn oven on to 200 degrees, but not any higher, or else toxic fumes from the vinyl may be released, yuck. • Place the metal mixing bowl upside-down on the cookie sheet. • Select a record, choose which side of the label you want to be visible on the inside of the bowl, and center it on top of the metal mixing bowl (if not sure, the B side is always a good default.) • Pop your record into the oven and wait 5-7 minutes for the vinyl to soften. (The record should look very droopy before coming out of the heat.) • Remove cookie sheet and melted record from the oven and peel it off the metal bowl. The record will be warm, but you can still manipulate it with your bare hands without risk of burns. However, don’t forget to use an oven mitt to take out the cookie sheet! • Smush the warped record into a heat-safe bowl and push the record into shape with another, smaller bowl on the inside. WORK QUICKLY! The vinyl cools in under a minute, so if you can’t shape the edges to your liking before the record hardens, just pop it back in the oven and try the process again. The variety of shapes and designs are endless, so keep at it and see what you can come up with. DISCLAIMER: Bowls are NOT intended for use in the microwave or dishwasher, as the heat from either will warp and ruin your creation. Also, it’s not a great choice for a serving dish because it’s got that hole at the bottom. Record bowls are best used for fruit, wrapped candies, or as a catch-all for keys and knick-knacks. Photos by Rachel Kiscaden
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1/30/12 5:37 PM