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Plastic Bag Mitten "Rubber Glove"

Plastic Bag Mitten \"Rubber Glove\"
I once built a sailing canoe on Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. I used Pandanus keys washed up on the beach as paintbrushes. Pandanus is a local fruit. After it's been bashed on shore for awhile the fibers at one end make a nice brush. I didn't have rubber gloves to use with the epoxy. So I figured out this nifty way to put a plastic disposable shopping bag on like a mitten and use it instead of a rubber glove.
I've been using this method ever since.

Excellent photos by theinfonaut The hand model is Bhaskar Mookerji a.k.a. "Buro".
 
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Step 1Place hand in bag and wrap

place hand in bag and wrap
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  • bagon.jpg
  • bagover.jpg
  • bagwrap.jpg
This is the key step. If you start by pulling the bag to one side instead of the other the handle loop won't be long enough to loop over your thumb. You'll be off by half your wrist circumference.

Try it both ways til it works.
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9 comments
Aug 16, 2009. 5:26 PMxando says:
i use plastic bags to insulate my clothes when i find myself without a place to crash
Mar 19, 2009. 4:27 PMerosser says:
Ow ow, way to model, Buro...:)
Nov 23, 2008. 5:44 PMtemp says:
I'm pretty sure the holes are in case a person decides to place the bag over his head; this way they might not choke themselves to death. Why people do this is beyond my knowledge
Nov 18, 2007. 6:12 PMAusmaus says:
Great Idea! Actually, working at a grocery store, I'm pretty sure the bags are designed like that so we courtesy clerks (distinguishable from "baggers" because we also clean) can fit paper bags inside of them.
Apr 8, 2007. 6:21 PMStepsoftheSun says:
I know that model! Hah, that's so funny to see him (er, his hands) here.
Mar 18, 2007. 12:51 PMp1pe says:
I love it! Gonna be painting my house this summer. This will save hand cleaning time.
Aug 3, 2006. 10:29 AMiman says:
wouldnt epoxy melt them?¿?
Aug 3, 2006. 9:29 AMTheCheese9921 says:
this is ingenius
Aug 3, 2006. 8:24 AMWade Tarzia says:
That's clever. But what I would really really like to see is an instructable about how to build a canoe far from home on Majuro Island ;-)

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Author:TimAnderson
Tim Anderson is the author of the "Heirloom Technology" column in Make Magazine. He is co-founder of www.zcorp.com, manufacturers of "3D Printer" output devices. His detailed drawings of traditional ...
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