Introduction: Fried Marbles
'Fried' marbles have a cracked effect on the inside of the marbles without them actually cracking apart. It's interesting to see the way the glass cracks and the way that light passes through them.
I found out about fried marbles when I was researching marble runs and thought it was a really cool idea. I'm not sure why they're called fried marbles and they're made by baking (less fat haha) but I liked the visual imagery that 'fried marbles' evoked.
I like using fried marbles in my marbles runs but they would make some interesting jewelry too. I plan on dropping some of these into a geocache or two too!
Ready to fry some marbles of your own? Just follow these easy steps:
Set oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a baking sheet with some foil and arrange marbles on it.
After your oven has heated, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake.
While waiting for the marbles to heat up, fill a bowl with a few ice cubes and some water.
After about 20 minutes of baking, remove the marbles from the oven and IMMEDIATELY transfer to the bowl of water. I poured mine directly from the baking sheet into the bowl.
Wait a few minutes for the marble to cool then fish them out and admire your very own fried marbles!
15 Comments
10 years ago on Introduction
That's crazy! Do they break easily or are they still pretty strong?
Reply 10 months ago
They are not fragile, but they are no longer good for a vigorous game of marbles. Sometimes, lower quality marbles (seconds) will become very fragile and may even break when they hit the water.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
They're still pretty strong. I even cooked some multiple times and they still held up.
Two did actually break but I think it's because I poured them into the bowl and they hit the bottom pretty hard.
It's weird because on the surface you can't see or feel any cracks so my guess is that they're just really thin and only appear on the inside.
9 years ago on Introduction
how do you get the color?
Reply 10 months ago
The color does not change, so the marbles used in this instructable began as “cats’ eyes” having that twisted color streak in the middle. I used colored “puries” and some flat backed glass in my photos and you’ll see the colors did not change.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
the colors are already in them when you buy a bag of regular cheap toy marbles at a store.
1 year ago
I still have some I did in a cast iron pan 50 ish years ago. Never heard of baking them until today.
7 years ago on Introduction
Ditto William. We did them in cast iron skillets (have to roll them around to get them to heat evenly). My mom had done so when she was young and taught me and my brothers.
8 years ago on Introduction
The reason they are called fried marbles is that years ago, back in the late 50 or early 60"s we did cook them in cast iron frying pans before placing them into the ice bath.We also made all kinds of jewelry from necklaces, to earrings, bracelets and pins. It was quite the fad back then. Different types and sizes of marbles produced different results, each unique and beautiful it their own right.
9 years ago
Cool idea!!!
9 years ago
That looks really awesome!
9 years ago
Fried Marbles.... LOL
10 years ago on Introduction
cool I'll have to do this for my next marble run
10 years ago on Introduction
lolz they break lolz
10 years ago on Introduction
Well now that could be a great effect in a jar or some other fun project, thanks for sharing!