Hamster Ball Ice Cream Maker

Intro: Hamster Ball Ice Cream Maker

Though i thought of this idea after making my other project (yet to be completed....yet related), one day, as the creative foodie i am, i noticed that the design of the play and freeze (which is basically a plastic cage and a metal container) was basically a hamster ball (to be correct, its called a critter krawlerl), and basically all you have to do is make a few modifications.

==The beginning of summer==
Just buy hamster ball you think is good enough for you and buy a metal container that hopefully fit in there.

Now, the only required materials other than the hamster ball and metal container are:
(note: when buying the hamster ball, be sure it has screws in it)
-Hot glue (so you can fill in the holes which were meants for oxygen) ($1)
-rock salt, ice, and ingredients for ice-cream ($2)
-the unversal binder of all things, Duck tape ($2)
-Patience and have fun!! (priceless)

Relevant links:
-The makers of the "freeze and play" ice cream maker
http://icecreamrevolution.com/
(note: likely its too hard to play light soccer with)
-Clothes dryer ice cream, who figured.
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Clothes_20Dryer_20Ice_20Cream

STEP 1: Buy Hamster Ball and Obtain Metal Container

== Hamster Balls (critter krawler) ==

There are 4 sizes of hamster balls. here is an estimate of how big they are and how much they cost
(note: when you buy it, be sure it has screws in it!!)
-very Small-imagine fitting baby mic in this (about 4 dollars)
-Small-imagine putting a little bird in this (aobut 7 dollars)
-Medium-imagine putting your baby turtle in this (about 17 dollars)
-Large-imagine putting a full grown hamster in this (about 22 dollars)

== Metal Containers ==

Though people usually use metal coffee cans for this purpose, look for small metal tins or candy at the asian store where they usually have lots of metal containers with plastic caps. (evaporated milk is a good source, but try not to waste too much food)

Now, you want to be sure you metal can fits through the entrance of the container easily and has some space to move around.

GOAL======
The main purpose of this whole project is to make the hamster ball water-proof. Which means filling in all the nooks-and-crannies so that no water brine spills out.

STEP 2: Modifying the Hamster Cage

Basically, this whole step is to lead you to make a water proof hamster ball.

Basically, all you have to do is:

1. Unscrew the screws on the ball

2. Get your glue-gun and heat it up.

3. Fill in the breathing holes with hot-glue.

4. be sure to make a little glue border on the semi-spheres.

5. Also be sure to make a glue border by the entrance of the ball.

6. screw it back together

7. make a little glue border around where the two semi-spheres meet.

8. After that, make a glue border on the cap and than another glue border on the container by the cap.

9. Since i can't figure out a better solution (thats where you come in, suggestions gladly appreciated), test to see if the container is reasonably water proof. If it stand the test just by it being still without leaking, try rolling it a bit to see if anything happens.

10. If its leakproof, clean your metal containers and put your ice cream in there. Just in case, put some duct tape on the covers of the metal containers and once placed inside the ball, put some duct tape on those holes.

STEP 3: Ice Cream Recipes and Using the Hamster Ball

== Summary and the end of our journey ==

It would be nice if you could paint a little hamster on the metal container (perhaps by using laster etching article on this site?) but you can now truly eat your hamster.....i mean ice cream.

Some common ingredients you may want to pick up at your local grocery store:
-evaporated milk (or milk....either one)
-heavy whipping cream
-vanilla extract
-confectioners sugar (or sugar)
-eggs (emulsifiers such as corn starch will do)
-yummy toppings.

Until than, i hope you have enjoyed my instructable article on making a hamster ball ice cream maker (i have too!). Theres nothing like an actual incentive to create things. Anyways, i have my next project, though which is not completed, which will solve the following problems in which i have not yet to solve

-An ice cream maker that is actually fun
-Something that you can play soccer with
-Something involving a certain game in which you collect stuff. A hint to you is......KD.

Enjoy!! Sincerely
Toni Nguyen

Common ice cream recipes
-Vanilla ice cream
http://www.recipezaar.com/4790
-orange gelato
http://www.recipezaar.com/99076

Comments

[Chikpeas Brother]

Cool! I have a hamster and would love to try this sometime! (With an unused ball, of course.)

[mattbomb]

take the lid of the cap and put a small bead of glue around the inside lip of the edge. if that doesn't work then make it thicker and thicker untill it fits snug and water proof

[minny97]

i actualy have a ice cream maker that is not a hamster or mouse wheel but one just for ice cream and i dont know how to use it and i dont have the list lf Ingredientsso if you have time could you tell me how to use it and what the ingredients are. Thank you

[compatta]

http://sci-toys.com/scitoys/scitoys/thermo/ice_cream/ice_cream.html

read this link

[piratequeenfaber]

I thought about doing this with my guinea pig's ball that is relatively unused untill I realized the two end caps were missing

[mouthwashninja]

How exactly do you use this to make ice cream?

[compatta]

the concept is based on friction and basic heat transfer of materials. Basically, the ice melts and transfers heat away from the solid metal cans. As you move it around, in essence, the ice moves around and has a chance to move this heat away from the metal containers which contain the ice cream. Be sure to try it out, it usually works in a nice coffee can!

[Sunny124613]

coolio,i once had a hamster

[Tkuebrich]

Very cool, especially since the real thing is like 25 dollars. Also, I just tried this and it works really well. What I used for the can is one of those small Hershey's Chocolate Syrup cans. The hamster ball I chose fits two of them snugly.

http://www.allflashback.com/images/hersheys.jpg

Thats the can, it has a resealable lid which makes it nice. It took about 15 minutes of constant rolling to freeze both of them.

[jayro707]

you probly would-LOL

[cornboy3]

Well maybe some people want their ice cream pee flavored. :)

[hedgiehog]

these things are so awesome, they make the best cola slushie

[Temperance]

Note on the hamster ball: make sure you buy a brand spankin' new hamster ball. Do not reuse your hamster's old one. God knows my hamster had a bad habit of peeing in his ball. :P <---joking.....

[compatta]

Good joke. good joke. Hey....you might actually like your ice cream a little buttercream flavored!! :)

[skyesidhe]

obviously many of your readers can't see the true reason for using this not other things: it's freakin' COOL! I love this idea...you roll it around on the floor like there's really a hamster in there. you look for some wierd candy (proabaly from asia) that comes in a tin shaped like a hamster...its a freakin' -hamster ball- that makes freakin' -ice cream- oh yeah! you totally win in my book *laughs*

[camscam]

first of all, a coffee can works FINE and its already ready already and second of all, I live in california too and no one speeks english practicaly!

[Crash2108]

I think you would be better off buying an acrylic sphere and cutting a hole in it.

[Moogle]

Crash, where do you find hollow acrylic spheres that can be closed tightly? I couldn't turn up anything on a quick search. I like the project compatta. I've seen the commercial version in REI but thought it was a bit pricey. Pay no attention to the trolls, they're smoking something harsh. :) I'd be a little worried about breaking the hamster ball with the weight of all that water in it. Guess that rules out games of catch then.

[Crash2108]

That would do exactly the opposite of ruling out..

[lowtherjustin]

I like your project, it is much more useful than all of kimotas projects, wait he doesnt have any. Good luck on making a game out of it. You should include actuall steps for making the ice cream too, i.e. ad salt, ice, cream shake repeatedly, roll around or something