Tetris Ice Cubes

Make your own tetris block silicone ice cube tray.
The mold created in this project can be used for much more than just ice cubes- try making Jello tetris pieces, or tetris soap, tetris Popsicles, or even tetris ground beef squares!

Mmmmm ... ground beef squares

Step 1 Materials

The materials and design for this project are somewhat flexible. The idea is to create many different 1" cubes, and piece them together in the form of the tetris pieces. The tetris pieces are then assembled on a board, creating a positive for liquid silicone to be poured on.

1. 1" thick wood (or any other solid material you have the ability to make the cubes out of; ie acrylic or metal can also be used)
2. Saw
3. Ruler
4. Sander
5. Wood glue
6. Molding Silicone
7. Hot glue gun
8. Exacto knife

Comments

[HoshizakiIce]

Why didn't we think of that. http://www.hoshizakiice.com/Home_Page.html

[TheMacyC]

Awesome!

[builderkidj]

Awesome!

[SHIFT!]

Hey Tetrinate!

Just wanted to say this build is completely amazing and the results I had with my own Tetris Ice cubes were amazing! Thank you also for inspiring me to create my own Video Game ice casts instructable : http://www.instructables.com/id/FREE-Z-or-How-to-make-VG-Ice-Casts-from-Papercraft/

You Rule!

[vt13013]

Did you tap or vibrate the mold to make sure you didn't have any air bubbles? I noticed a few on the pour images.

[Tetranitrate]

I tapped it a few times to get rid of as many bubbles as I could.

[neckrochylde9]

Mixing the silicone very slowly will also help with air bubbles, check the cure time of your rubber first though, most have more than enough time to be patient when mixing. Ideally you would make a vacuum chamber and vacuum the rubber before pouring it. but be sure not to fill your container more than 2 thirds or less or you'll end up with silicone all over your vac chamber! gooey mess!

[Void Schism]

it also helps to use an old brush to paint a layer of silicone over the surfaces, especially where there are overhangs, before pouring the rest

[robinhood2605]

congrats for your creativity

[coppeis]

Where could I get the silicone and the positive? Also does it have to be food grade?

P.S. I live in the NYC aria and would prefer not to buy it only line any suggestions?

[neffk]

I was reading about silicon the other day and noticed that there are several kinds. They differ in the curing agent, which can be platnium or peroxide. Platnuim is safe for projects in which the silicone cures against skin. Not the same as food grade, but related.

[coppeis]

thanks!

[aleybru]

jojojojo!!! very nice!!
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[Dr. dB]

Good Instructable, coherently presented and well photgraphed! I may have to try this, as my wife is an avid (or would that be "rabid"?) Tetris player. I have to keep an NES001 alive and operating on each of our main TVs so she can "satisfy the urge" whenever it strikes... (Plus, the "XBoxed" grandkids are hooked on some of those "quaint, antique" games, too!) Definitely should WASH THE MOLD THOROUGHLY a couple of times, before using, to ensure complete removal of any remaining "release compound". None of them would be very tasty, and some of the "commercial" products are rather toxic... For folks going with wood as their "positive" medium, I would suggest starting with a 1" square moulding strip - might cost a little more but reduces cuts considerably. A hunk of angle iron or a pair of straight 2x4s nailed into a "V" would make a handy "alignment jig" for glueing the shapes. Perhaps a shallow cardboard tray lined with that "release"-type aluminum foil for an expendable mold housing? Hot glue should stick well enough but silicone ought to "peel out" fairly well. Plus, if the hot-gluing is done carefully enough, maybe with some cotton swabs for "dressing-in" the excess around edges, the shapes should "pop" out from behind without much hassle, once the facing foil is removed. (You might even get to keep the undercuts, although the expansion of the water as it freezes might not allow that to work....) This would also make interesting candles, and those needn't be limited to 1" cubes since they wouldn't have to fit a glass...!

[mikoto]

Oh my goodness, Now I want to play with silicone.

[Dr. dB]

hmm... I had that same thought a couple of times while Pam Anderson was "Dancing With The Stars"....

[endawmyke]

Did you use COOL AID to color the cubes (sorry for the caps the caps lock gets stuck alot)

[zazukain]

Did you not read Step 7? and I doubt that there is something wrong with your caps lock because it just happens to be for the words, "cool" and "aid." Anyway, you could have just fixed it.

[cowscankill]

Lol. And why would he apologize for it being stuck if he cuold just backspace and retype it... Some people on the internet just don't have comment sense.

[M4industries]

Heheh
comment sense
common sense

was that spelling intended?

[cowscankill]

I meant Common but Comment actually works xD

[pyrorower]

 Just a typo that happens to fit the context :P

[Dr. dB]

Serendipity rocks!

[nodnodwinkwink]

Theres plenty of novelty ice cube trays out there for sale online and in shops, this would sell too!

[myvoiceisdubbed]

Love this. I was going to give it a 4 1/2, but the very idea of tetris ground beef squares... that's an instant 5/5 right there.

[Morriscow]

 now if only they would disappear when i made rows... hmm *chomp* ow fk my tooth

[rennoc]

You can make an awesome game from this instructable!!!

[anniehela]

I like it. Very nice idea and can create more new ideas..

[Radke22]

Sweet instructable! 5/5! If only I was as creative! =]
My first instructable:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-an-ice-fishing-rod/

[jotism]

<b><font face="Sawasdee"><a href="http://www.makeyourownmolds.com/">http://www.makeyourownmolds.com/</a><br /> <br /> there should be some useful stuff there...<br /> </font></b>

[jdc187]

where does one get molding silicone from?

[EgViAgN]

www.smooth-on.com/index.php
Its a great site.

[adamgillies]

Food grade silicone or just normal silicone?

[Hero Under The Pine]

Definitely gonna use THAT at my next party, Thanks!!! w00t Tetris FTW

[mickyminime]

i cant find moulding silicone ANYWHERE!!! im so sad. if anyone knows where, please say.

[dvsdarrel]

Have you tried the craft stores in your area? Hobby lobby or Michaels

[Hey Jude]

bentley chemicals or smooth-on often give sample packs out for a small fee. I recon from the pics that this is the actual company too. good luck, if this post isn't too old!

[cd41]

just a comment but you could use polymorph alittle expensive and not real sure if you can afford/find/want-to-work-with it and might be hard to color unless you got the right grade but if there is absolutly no place for ytou to get molding silicone(to be honest i never heard of it) try it let me know

[sharlston]

what is polymorph?

[M4industries]

A prototyping material. Some was used in MAKE: 16 SpyTech.

Dont rely on me. Just google it.