One big plastic drink bottle, two uses: How to

Searching online for that perfect piece of a kitchen utensil can be a pain if you have specifics about its make and looks. I got fed up with a search, for an extra ceramic jar to hold my stash of kitchen ladles. It's strange I cannot find the right one in the exact nano second I want it, when my soup is boiling away on the stove. Last week I noticed the plastic drink jar that got empty.

It was thick. It had a unique hand-friendly design. And it threatened to make me cry - I simply could not trash it.

Let's just say the need for a large container enough to hold ladles, and the availability of such a bottle coincided.

I needed one other thing in my kitchen, and scoured the internet away, with hardly any satisfying results - steel or copper funnel to ease storing grains. Too expensive. The drink bottle was a perfect fit for my need.

You can try this with thick plastic bottles that come with drinks or old plastic kitchen boxes that have a good depth. Use your discretion and get imaginative.

After the orange juice got over in my kitchen, all I had to do, was to wash it thoroughly. And bring out the craft knife.

The bright yellow cap I kept aside for future projects.

Among the other materials that came in useful for this project, were:

-- a nose plier

-- tweezer

-- candle and matchbox

-- fine-point marker pen

-- Gold hue paint pen to decorate

You will need to begin by marking out the exact line between the narrow mouth of the bottle and its broad base, that you want for - the funnel and for the ladle jar. I was lucky to find perfect contours on the container. You can mark out with the help of a masking tape.

Run the masking tape along the jar, and cut.

I am dreaming of the day I cut that piece of plastic with precision using my craft knife. The one I have is a sharp piece, but I am a long way from getting the angles right while cutting along cylindrical and elliptical bottles.

I made sure to pull out the `tab' ring from the funnel half of these two pieces.

And trim the uneven edges a little with the craft knife, the way I used to sharpen a pencil as a kid. I had to be careful.

Now, you make cut the container into two with all the precision in the world, but remember, you will still have to deal with sharp edges that can hurt. Here is where a candle comes in handy.

I lit the candle using the matchbox, and ran the cut or sharp edges of the two pieces one after another, over its flame. The idea is to blunt the edges out. If you have the skill you can turn them into artful shapes. Beware. The fumes are not good. So do this in open air if possible.

The funnel got ready. Uneven on edges. But a functional utility piece that will ease my kitchen woes.


I ran the jar half of the drink bottle over the candle next. While I did not feel any need to embellish or paint the funnel, the jar cried for some colour. Out came my gold coloured paint pen. I used its contours and draw away some lines. And over its edges I tried a wavy border to go with its uneven edges.

And the ladle holder was ready for use.

I do not know how long it will last. I did save some bucks on not one, but two pieces I wanted for my kitchen use.

Here is how the funnel looks, and has started to find use.

When you set out for a similar project, remember to keep children away from your work area. Also, remember to work outdoors. Choose a container with thick plastic.

If the container has plastic that is less thick, it can be repurposed for other uses - jewellery/jewelry, toys, household pieces, and the likes.

Just do not buy a bottle for the sake of the project.


Pictures courtesy: Radhika M B


For permission to reuse content and pictures: radicreative@gmail.com