Plastic Bag Dispenser. Reuse a Plastic Three Liter and Plastic Bags.

Those plastic bags from the grocery store are like rabbits. You bring home a couple and before you know it hundreds of them are around. Some areas will let you recycle them. I know of a mega store that has a bin for recycling. I did ask once about the recycling bin and the greeter said they just throw them away. Hmmm

So I had a couple of empty three liter bottles after a picnic wrapped by a plastic bag, trapping bees. After a few funny moments of bee-ing chased& I thought the 3 liter bottles would make a good storage dispenser for the plastic bags.

The basics are: one (clean) three liter bottle, a hobby knife, a stove, pan and bags. Cut a star pattern following the contours on the bottom of the three liter bottle. Cut a small hole around the top of the bottle, use the dry pan to melt and curl the cut ends inward and then stuff with bags. The whole process is less than 10 minutes for the basic construction and installation.

Step 1: Materials

Materials:

One clean three liter plastic bottle. I used a soda bottle.
Hobby knife
Screw Diver
Permanent marker
Two each: wood screws and washers
News paper or other protective covering

Optional:

Plastic type spray paint
Spray adhesive
covering (fabric, paper, etc.)
Hole punch

Step 2: Mark and Cut

I used a red marker to try to make it easier to view the areas I needed to cut away from the bottle.

Following the contours on the bottom of the bottle, mark a semi-star pattern. Then draw a small circle around the base of the top.

Be careful with the hobby knife. Use the hobby knife to cut the bottom pattern out. Cut the bottom pattern out before the top pattern. Removing the top pattern section first makes the plastic squishier and more difficult to cut as it was constantly collapsing.

Cut the top pattern out.

Your plastic bottle should look similar to this.

Step 3: Heat Molding the Plastic

Warm the pan on medium heat. Place the top part of the bottle (the smaller, circular cut) on the pan. Keep holding it up. Gently apply some pressure so the cut section starts to turn inward. Remove from heat.
Using the same technique, apply the bottom section to the pan and try to get the little plastic fingers to curl inward. This will help keep the bags in.

(I read how to do this on this site. I just don't remember whose instructable it was.)

Step 4: Installation Preparation and Hardware

I plan on installing a dispenser in the upstairs closet so we can store the bags until needed for the small trash cans.

I cut two small crosses to allow the screwdriver access to the screws. On the opposite side, I used the hobby knife to make small pilot holes for the screws.

Place a washer onto the screw and then start to turn the screw by hand to start it into the pilot holes.

Mount the dispenser where you want. Remember the smaller hole (used to be the top of the bottle) is now the bottom.

Step 5: Installed and Filled

Once you have it mounted, start stuffing the dispenser.

I was able to get 27 plastic bags into the dispenser before I ran out of bags.

Need a bag? Pull it out from the bottom.