Heat Shrink Ties From Plastic Bottles and Other Junk

Intro: Heat Shrink Ties From Plastic Bottles and Other Junk

So I had this idea on making tie bands for holding things together using some particular pieces of jung. The whole "action" part of the device is based on the PET plastic ability to shrink when heat is applied. This instructable documents my experiment and the result.

In two words, it worked worked and the product can be useful for some implementations.

STEP 1: Type-A Tie

In this tutorial I'm going to show two alterations of the design. I'll start with first one.

The tie consist of two parts. One of them is a ring cut from plastic bottle. You can make multiple ~2cm wide rings, or a tube for biger "patches". The diametre of the bottle partialy determins the lenght of the tie.

After you cut the rings, flatten them.

STEP 2:

With a hole punch make two openings on the opposite sides of the loop.

Widen the oppenings by punching another hole conjunct to the first one.

STEP 3:

For the second part of the tie the plastic handle from wine dispencer pack is used. It has T-shaped ends and the are the part that holds the handle attched to the plastic loop.

Put one side of the handle through the hole in the loop.

To use the tie, wrap it around the object and put other end through the second opening in the loop.

STEP 4:

Apply heat to the plastic loop part to make it shrink and secure the piece tightly.

I don't have a heat gun and heat the piece with the flame of kitchen stove. It kind ofmesses up the result a bit. The bottle piece doesn't shrink as much as I expected, so make sure that your tie sits on the object not too loose.

STEP 5: Type-B Tie

For the second design of the tie I'm using handle from plastic food container.

STEP 6:

Loops from plasic bottle are narrower in this case, and the loles are made deep in the body of the loop.

The handle has mushroom shaped "knobs" on its ends. They should fit snuggly in the hole, and even kind of clasp in it.

STEP 7:

After the first test with heating I was not satisfied with the result, so I made an improvement in the form of few subsequent holes in the loop instead of one. This way you can adjust the lenght of the tie, and if it's way too long, you can wrap it arond the object twice.

STEP 8:

A lot of you, may already have a completely justified objection at this point: " Why you don't just cut a loop or a tube from the bottle, pull it on the object/s from one end and heat it to set? Why to implement the handle part?" Yes, if you can pell the loop/tube from one end ut would the most rational way to do it, without any handles. But if you're dealing with objects that don't have exposed open ends, like, for example, a coil of wire, floor-to-ceilling pole or exposed bend of a pipe, this might come in use.

Anyway, this is it for today, thanks for your attention and I'm still lovi'n youuuuuu!

My Patreon page.

STEP 9: Type-C Tie

Today is one day after I published the instructable, and I kind of have one more idea.

For this design you only need a piece of relatively wide plastic strip, so cut it with your bottle cutter or simply with scissors. This method allows to make ties of any lenght you want.

STEP 10:

On one end punch a hole ofdiametre that is roughly equals 1/3 of the width of the strip.

STEP 11:

Make the othet end pointy and then punch a series of semi-circlers on its sidesthe way, shown on the photo.

STEP 12:

To close the tie bend the pointy end a little bit and pull it through the hole on the opposite end from the underneath untill it "clasps" on desired spot.

This tie holds reasonably tight, but to improve the performance

STEP 13:

But you can improve the strenght by adding one more hole on the same end, where the first one is.

In this case, you'll need to pull the pointy end through both holes.

Comments

[scott.cairo]

You could use 'treasury tags' if you cant find a handle (little metal rods connected by string for tying up documents)

[Waldemar Sha]

I've never heard of such things existing. But they/ look like they can do the job.

[doctoryodru]

Очень круто, главное прочно и легко, Супер. Very cool, the main thing is solid and easy, Super.

[Waldemar Sha]

Дякую. Спасибо. Thank you.

[schaapkameel]

very creative! You can even use plastic bottles to make banjo skins!

[Waldemar Sha]

Thanks. What is banjo skins?

[schaapkameel]

A membrane on the musical instrument called "the banjo". It is an instrument with African roots, possibly linked to the Akonting.
Normally made from animal skins (although nowadays modern banjos are from plastics) you can easily make the skin from a very large PET bottle. Tack it down with a staple gun and heat it up and you've got yourself a taught membrane, ready to add some strings to.

[Waldemar Sha]

Oh, I get it. I thought of making a toy drum for my nephew in similar way.

[schaapkameel]

yes go for it!

[kardusd]

Thank you for sharing .This site is very helpful to us.

[KristofB1]

Great idea, well worked out and so practical. I will try to use this for making small "cases for wearable electronics. You inspired me :-).
Thanks for sharing!

[Waldemar Sha]

Thanks you. Let me know of the results of your work, I'm interested in ways this concept can be developed.

[FrankM220]

This is just plain brilliant!

[Waldemar Sha]

Well... you kind of still can use zip ties with much less effort. I keep thinking on what advantages do PET ties have, and in what direction I can develope this idea further. Thanks for the responce)

[arlene.puentes.5]

Nice! What's also great is that you're a tinkerer! It comes through in your industructable!

[Waldemar Sha]

"Tinkerer"? Hm... Usually I call it "I have no idea what i'm doing"

Thanks)

[Jack-of-All]

sorry for the tip, cannot delete it. I didn't see the vote now button for this page. BTW voted.

[Waldemar Sha]

Thanks)

[Jack-of-All]

Why don't you add this to pro tip challange https://www.instructables.com/contest/protips/

[YvesG21]

Nice instructable, Very brilliant, Awesome.