How to Turn Junk Mail and Paper into Very Nice Bowls

I get alot of old paper, from magazines to junk mail to old telephone directories. I also work at a job where I throw out (or am supposed to, but instead I make bowls!) alot of paper. I mean ALOT. In the summer, I easily can print 2k pages of paper and throw away about that many. Each Night.

Yea, thats pretty scary. Paper is not to be used so trivially in my opinion. But it's hard to change work practices.

So I instead make bowls!

I was inspired to make these from here

And no, this will not the kind that you roll up and coil around and around.. mainly because I am lazy. But I will show you how to do that as well at the end.

Step 1 What you Need

• Paper. Lots of paper.

Think old grocery store ads, newspapers, magazines, telephone books, old schoolwork, roll of tickets.

• Scissors, paper cutter, box cutter...

For cutting the paper

• A piece cut off the end of a dowel

For the center (you dont have to do this, it's just easier to get started)

• Rubber band
• Tape
• Glue
• Water
• Sandpaper (I use 120 grit)
• Acrylic Sealer

If you wish to use these bowls for food, I would recommend coating them with mineral oil or tung oil when you are finished. Remember that you will have to re-coat the bowls occasionally.

The best option is to coat the bowl in a clear epoxy. Make sure to let the epoxy cure for at least 30 days. Epoxy IS dangerous, and you dont want it on or around your food, but once the epoxy has cured completely (which can take longer than 1 month, research the epoxy you are going to use) the epoxy is then inert and 100% safe to use with food, drinks, ect.

Comments

[chipper35]

I'm skeptical, but I still may do it........one thing, though: it's sorta like you took the "low" road here.....what with the going on and on about the "scraps" of paper, then you cave and use a roll of tickets.........kinda odd.

Interesting, nonetheless.

[Gene Hacker]

If only you could burn junk mail to run a car...

[Pippikins]

I'd never have to buy gas again!

[theburn7]

Shya, whoulnt that be nice. i think you can, but it will only get you about 1/4 km

[12koolgirl]

Do I have to use the sealer?

[JellyWoo]

is it safe to eat out of this?

[laminterious]

It is if you use an epoxy. no matter how dangerous they are when you mix them, when they cure completely, they become inert and safe to use for food and drink. So I would suggest to coat the bowls in a epoxy of some time, and wait for them to cure completely, cure time of course varies, but if you are unsure, 30 days is a good time frame.

[lycoris3]

can u make a seperate ible for that?  With lots o fpics, or a vid if you will.  I am a visual learner.

[JellyWoo]

thanks

[mmalecky]

For those of you feeling more subversive than crafty, here's an idea. You know those pre-addressed and postage-paid envelopes that are included with offers? Take the junk mail sent to you, shred it up, stuff it into that envelope, seal it up and send! The company that sent you the junk mail will now have to deal with junk mail of their own, and pay the for postage!

[Lance Mt.]

Ahahahahahahahahahaha, i like it.. Hmm, im gonna do that. actually i want to do this!? Hmm, i cant do both. Wait ill do it and use a magazine for bowl

[eomonkeyboi24]

LOL That reminds me of my friend's dad that sends playboy fold-outs to junk mail companies. OMG it was funny mailing that.

[Rock Soldier]

That's a little mean But a very good idea!

[gardenwife]

My husband is a programmer for a printing company that does direct mail for various companies, including credit card companies. I can tell you that sending back extra-full envelopes doesn't do anything except make the costs go up for the consumer. You'll be able to thank higher interest rates and penalties on all these "revenge" return postage deals. Anyway, take away junk mail in our country and you take away thousands of jobs from pre-press artists to programmers to press operators to mail carriers. Just throw them away or recycle them.

[Pippikins]

I agree. The only ones I send back are the one based on religious or political beliefs and usually I'll have my husband think of something inappropriate (probably from 4chan) to add, because most are volunteering to try to force their beliefs down other people's throats(or making my pile of daily mail become even more chaotic). It's somewhat of my motivation to sort through my mail anymore.

[thydzik]

wait, how did it go from a roll of scrap paper to a roll of tickets? any pictures of the bowl made from scrap paper?

[laminterious]

Yea, I will put them up once I am done. i am making a big one for our table, a nice large centerpiece bowl for fruit and whatnot. I have been scrounging paper from where ever I can to get it to the size I want.

[emsh]

(removed by author or community request)

[mowie]

wats with the pic

[Father Christmas]

lol im thinking the same thing

[djr6789]

i did this and when i was nearly finished it all unraveld

[lego187]

what about the hole in the middle?

[jeradhoy424]

this is almost the best instructable i have seen i think this guy should win the green science contest because this was the best way of recycling i have heard!! I am in scool so i use easily 25 sheets of paper a day! i could make a bunch of bowls

[tictac24]

Finally a way to get rid all that scrap paper laying around. But before I start one I have a few questions: Is there any visible difference between paper with ink and whatnot on it compared to paper with little to no ink, once the bowl is completed? About how much paper would you say is needed for your average 5-6 diameter bowl? I don't know much about sealers, but do you think it'd be okay if I just use All-Purpose Enamel instead of acrylic sealer? I wouldn't be using the bowl for food or anything. Sorry for all the questions.

[laminterious]

There really isnt that much difference... the only difference being scrap paper with ink and pictures right at the edge. Then it's not as aesthetic as a pure white bowl. Though of course, depending on what type of paper you have and whats on the edge, you can make it where the bowl will have rings of color. Like a phone book.. where the red or blue pages are, you can cut off the ends and roll them up together to get a red or blue strip. How much paper you need kinda depends on what type of paper it is. If it's real thin, like the paper from a phone book, plan on cutting it all up. If its thicker and glossy, it might just take a few magazines. I know that doesnt help much, sorry. The enamel should be fine for what you are wanting.

[Neelie]

what do you use the bowls for?

[laminterious]

I am working on a big one for a centerpiece, but mainly for decorations and holding different things... I also have one that has been used a vase.

[maxpower212]

Wow, how much tape does this use? Did you tape each strip to the previous one, or was it just in the beginning to get started?

[laminterious]

Yes, I tape each piece together... it uses about half a roll of scotch tape for a decent sized bowl.

[smithy813]

just a tip, i have used saws to cut paper b-4, you just need to make sure it's clamped together. if you use a telephone book, cut from the outside in, and it all stays together w/ the binding.

[RiddleOfSphinx]

Wonder if they sell paper shreaders that shread in 1 inch strips..hmm. Would certainly make the cutting part go faster...lol

[pinokeeo]

This person is an imposter. He or she stole my pictures. I had posted this tutorial on Craftster only a couple of weeks ago. I have the pictures still in my own computer to prove it.

[FrenchCrawler]

I've checked your Craftster "tutorial" and the pictures do not look anything like those in this Instructable. Nor does your tutorial go into the details found in this Instructable.

BTW laminterious: Nicely done Instructable :)

[FrenchCrawler]

I made an assumption and was corrected by pinokeeo:
"The reason they don't look the same is because I convinced him to use his own pictures. You weren't looking at about three o'clock this afternoon, PDT."

Sorry, my mistake :P

[stinkymum]

I wondered why the pictures were completely different than when this was first posted... I liked the one that was there of the "keep this ticket" bowl, which must have been pinokeeo's

[FrenchCrawler]

• "tutorial"

[thermoelectric]

this is cool
i started to make one and i gave up when it was at about 3.5cm in diameter =[

[jehan60188]

so, I finally found a paper cutter that I liked, and started this project. It's going to take a while for me to get all the paper I need! thank goodness for junk mail (never thought I'd be saying that...)

[MR.builderguy]

I think that's very cool!

[laminterious]

Thanks!