In this master class you will make your own flask from a bottle decorated with polymer clay and putty.
The stylish design hides simple glass and turns an ordinary container into a beautiful accessory - a worthy gift for a man. The flask is decorative in nature and can withstand minor ingress of water. To ensure that the product can be washed and actively used for its intended purpose, coat it with two layers of yacht varnish.
Decoration materials
A flat bottle is suitable for decoration, since the decor will not look so impressive on a rounded surface. It is better to use a round one for making. You can make an unusual one from another similar vessel.
Materials for decorating a bottle with polymer clay:
- polymer clay of different colors;
- latex putty – 200 g;
- gouache;
- starch or mortar 4 tbsp. l.;
- dishwashing liquid;
- old eye shadow.
Tools: stacks with rubber tips, nail scissors, video clip.
Equipment: modeling mat, wet wipes.
If you want to make a flask with your own hands from leather, see our other step by step lesson. We also have one for transforming unnecessary vessels into masterpieces.
How to turn a bottle into a flask
First, cover with jasper. To do this you need to get various shades clay.
Carefully knead the plastic of brown, yellow, red, black and green. Divide the brown mass into four parts and add the colors listed separately to each.
You should get four shades polymer clay.
Roll each piece randomly into layers with a roller different thicknesses.
Place one layer on top of the other and twist the rope.
Cut the tourniquet into pieces with a knife, pull each piece out a little. Lay out the resulting elements into a canvas. Roll out lightly with a binding roller. Jasper is much easier to obtain than it is to make.
Place the resulting canvas on the bottle.
Cut the workpiece into an oval shape with a knife. For decorative element– bull figurines, you can draw an image on paper, attach the silhouette to light brown clay rolled out into a layer and cut it out with nail scissors.
To get more effective relief image make a figure. From the mass rolled into a ball, pull out the part for the head and legs.
Sculpt the legs, head, tail. Decorate the body of the animal with a stack.
For effect metal surface Apply eyeshadow from a bottle using your finger to a flask.
Make a random pattern with a stack and send the flask to bake under the conditions specified in the instructions for thermoplastic.
A gift for a man should be brutal, so you need to add rough jewelry. For a mixture that imitates masonry, pour plaster or starch into the putty to create a plastic mass.
To prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands, pour in 1 tsp. dishwashing liquid and stir. Add a little black, yellow and green gouache and mix again.
Cover the bottle with the mixture to a thickness of 0.7 cm, excluding areas covered with plastic. Stick around the lid of a flask to get a stone effect.
Apply a “stone-like” pattern in a stack. Smooth out uneven areas with your fingers dipped in water. Leave the flask out of the bottle to dry for a day or two.
If you need a sweet gift for a man, pay attention to sweets - no one will remain indifferent to such a gift. Don't be afraid to give guys homemade surprises, even if they aren't executed perfectly. The recipient will definitely appreciate the amount of effort you put into your work.
A master class on making a decorative flask for a man with your own hands was prepared by Natalya Neustroyeva, idea and photo by the author.
Making your own distiller – the best way out for those who consider its purchase an unjustified investment. However, you can do alcohol mashine from a flask, and the necessary “”, the same refrigerator, or even – buy separately.
Many in their dachas, especially in private homes, have perfectly preserved 38-liter aluminum milk flasks. This was the most popular size in Soviet time. They were inexpensive, but were (and remain) very practical due to the ability to be hermetically sealed.
And to be honest, even then these cans were actively used by home distillers for their own purposes: they put mash in them and successfully distilled them. It is worth noting that today there is even more choice: you can buy a flask from 5 to 100 liters.
In Europe and China, flasks are mainly used stainless steel. Probably the main reason is that medical studies interpret the use of aluminum ambiguously. Allegedly, when interacting with aggressive environment(which is), especially when heated, it oxidizes. This releases substances harmful to humans.
Even today we continue to produce aluminum flasks and pots.
Reference. Not a single case of poisoning associated with the use aluminum cookware, has not been reported worldwide. That is, the conclusions of scientists are only theoretical.
However, for those who are worried about the material, there is an alternative - buy a stainless steel flask. They are produced in China and European countries and sold here.
note. To save money, you can independently order a flask of the required size from China through online platforms, the same Aliexpress, for example.
Although European ones are much better in quality. But why bother then, if for the money paid for a European flask you can buy a quite decent one made in Russia.
Advantages of milk cans
- This is an almost ready-made cube that requires minimal modifications. And even then, if you plan to heat it on a stove (gas or electric), only the lid will require changes; the can itself can not be touched at all;
- flasks are made of thick metal and have a large margin of safety;
- do not rust, durable;
- in the same vessel you can put mash;
- aluminum heats up quickly, transferring heat to the mash, thereby speeding up distillation;
- voluminous neck, which allows you to track and also easily wash the can.
The disadvantages include the presence of a special rim near the bottom of the can. It is difficult to heat such a flask on an electric stove, but for gas stove, steam generator, heating element, it doesn’t matter.
Safer with valve
One of the main reasons is blockage of the steam pipe with foam or even solid particles contained in the mash. At the same time, the pressure inside the cube increases and when the material of the tank cannot withstand the pressure, an explosion occurs. Sometimes the force is so strong that the windows in the house fly out, the moonshiner receives serious injuries and may lose consciousness. At this time, a fire breaks out due to alcohol vapors escaping.
Therefore, under no circumstances should we leave the device unattended during the haul and take additional safety measures. The main one is safety valve installation.
Attention. Many moonshiners express their reluctance to equip alembic valve is explained by the fact that in this way, they say, some of the alcohol vapor will “fly” into the atmosphere.
Will not be! With proper distillation, excess pressure does not arise in the still, alcohol vapor rises through the outlet tube, and the valve “does not work.”
Remember how a pressure cooker works (and a multicooker too). Steam begins to come out only when the liquid inside boils. During distillation, the mash never reaches the boiling point and no steam is released through the valve. But the presence of a valve saves in case of unforeseen situations.
You can choose from the following options:
- valve for a compressor that operates at a pressure of about 10 atm. This is a bit much; the material of the flask may not withstand it, especially if it is far from new. Price from 140 rubles;
- safety valve Chinese-made, “switches on” at 1.6 atm. Price – 500 rub. and higher;
- pressure cooker valve. Its price on Chinese online sales sites is 70 rubles;
- thermometer in an open (not sealed) capsule.
To do this, drill a 10 mm hole in the wall of the flask at the top or in the lid, into which a stainless steel tube is hermetically secured. A conical rubber band from a dropper is inserted into it, and then a bimetallic thermometer is inserted.
Its probe is inside the cube, and the round scale is outside. In distillation or rectification mode, the thermometer informs about the temperature inside the cube. But if an emergency suddenly occurs and the pressure jumps sharply, it will simply push the thermometer out and be released through the tube.
Drain valve and steam generator
You will need a drain valve if you have a large flask. For a 10-liter bottle (which actually holds no more than 7 liters of mash), there is no particular need for it. And for the convenience of emptying a 40-liter container of stillage, it can be very useful.
It is better to use a faucet made entirely of brass with a rotary lever. You can even connect a garden hose to it and drain the used mash either into the sewer or onto compost heap in the garden.
If you want to equip your device steam generator, with the help of which you can distill even very thick wort, which will certainly burn during normal heating on the stove, it’s not difficult. A fitting is screwed into the can 3 centimeters above the bottom, ensuring its tightness.
WITH inside can (this is when a wide neck is important), a bubbler or spiral is installed on the fitting, reaching to the middle of the container. A steam line is connected to the outside.
Electric heater
In many cases, the use of heating elements is advisable, and their installation is not difficult.
It is enough just to make two holes - exactly the size of the connection for the heating element and secure the heater in the flask, retreating approximately 5 cm from the bottom.
As a rule, all connecting elements - gaskets, nuts - are included with the heating element. For a can up to 20 liters, a 2 kilowatt heater is sufficient, or two, installed one opposite the other, but of lower power. For a 38-liter one, you need a more powerful heating element - 3.5 - 4 kW.
Peculiarities. Using a heating element, clean, strained mash that has no sediment is distilled.
When trying to distill a thick wort containing particles of the product, it will certainly burn, deteriorating the quality of the moonshine.
How to do it yourself?
Having decided how you see your future moonshine still, start creating it.
Important. If you plan to use purchased additional products: , or distillation column, it is better to order them in advance and make all the connections already under the existing “awnings”.
- Making a sealed lid. A standard flask lid already has a seal, but it is rubber, which means the final product, which we strive to make crystal clear, will taste like rubber. New seal can be made from silicone hose . It is reliable, durable, not afraid of heating up to 250-300°C, does not enter into chemical reactions with the chemical elements of the brew.
- Making a hole for the steam pipe, insert the fitting. As an option - a hole for a distillation/strengthening column. It needs to be done larger diameter, focusing on existing equipment.
- In the lid or top of the can, preferably secure the safety valve and which will help clearly divide the distillate into fractions: up to 78°C - heads, from 78 to 85°C - body, higher - tails.
- If planned drain valve or steam line– we do it, not forgetting that all connections must be airtight. In addition to gaskets we use silicone sealant, fum tape for plumbing work, heat-resistant sealant where there are threaded connections.
- Having installed the heating element, be sure to protect ourselves from electric shock, reliably isolating the wire connections. Wire cross-section is at least 2.5 cm. Very good installation thermostat, uninterruptible power supply or rheostat. This will help you regulate the heat for best results.
- We provide for the presence of a coil and a refrigerator– without these “parts” no distiller will work. You can buy a refrigerator in specialized stores or make it yourself.
Everything else is at your discretion. Do not forget that in those compounds that come into contact with alcohol vapors and moonshine, you can only use
This flask case looks very nice. The principle of its manufacture is very simple. The biggest difficulty is finding a laser machine for cutting leather. You can simply order this service or do similar perforation manually. Last option very labor-intensive and requires great care, but if you really like this kind of framing, it’s worth it.
Materials
To make a leather flask case with your own hands you will need:
- the flask itself;
- two pieces of leather (black and burgundy);
- sharp knife;
- awl;
- needle;
- waxed thread;
- laser machine;
- leather glue;
- leather wax;
- nail polish;
- cotton pad;
- acetone;
- soap;
- water;
- computer and photoshop;
- sheet A4;
- Printer.
Step 1. The flask had previously been framed in a leather case, but it became leaky over time, and it had to be urgently replaced, since the container itself was quite fragile and could be damaged if dropped without such a case. Before work, the old leather layer and all remnants of its fastening should be removed. To do this, the skin must be completely torn off, the remaining glue must be cleaned with a cotton pad soaked in acetone and the surface cleaned. After this, the flask should be washed with soapy water and wiped dry with a waffle towel.
Step 2. Take measurements of the side walls of the flask. Be sure to take into account the few millimeters you will need for the top perforated piece of leather. If you don’t take them into account, the workpiece will have to be redone.
Step 3. Select an image in black and white version with ornament for perforation. Process it in Photoshop, filling the cutouts with black and making their edges as clear as possible. After that, adjust the image to the parameters you need. Mark the seam slots along the edges. Print the image on paper.
Step 4. From a black piece of leather for the base layer, cut out a blank of the appropriate size.
Step 5. Send the piece of red leather along with the prepared paper template for perforation to the laser machine. Set the appropriate parameters before work.
If you decide to do everything manually, be sure to stock up sharp knife for leather and awl. You will make the perforation slots first, and the seam holes second.
After creating the workpiece, be sure to process the edges of the slots and the product itself. During laser treatment, the skin will have bad smell, wipe its surface with a damp toothbrush and lay the material out to dry paper towel. Pre-flatten it, but do not stretch it.
Step 6. Using waxed thread, sew the perforated piece along the long sides of the rectangle. You can secure the ends of the threads with transparent nail polish on the reverse side.
Step 7. Apply glue to the black piece. Attach it to the flask, first straightening it so that there are no creases. Work with leather and glue carefully so that the piece of leather does not become deformed.
Having re-watched Pirates of the Caribbean once again, I was inspired to make a leather flask again. I have several Spanish flasks in my collection and I decided to make a small one. It never crossed my mind until my wife told me we were going to dress up as pirates for Halloween. We were also going to Disneyland and I decided that these flasks would be a great accessory for our costumes. So here I go.
Let's make a mold from wood.
To make the mold, I used 10mm plywood, but to increase the volume of the flask, you can use thicker material.
Using a jigsaw, I carefully cut out a piece in the shape of a flask and glued it and attached it with self-tapping screws to the second piece of plywood.
On grinding machine brought out the rounded shapes of the flask layout; you can also use a router or rasp with sandpaper. The thickness of the flask used to make the flask will tell you how wide the gap to leave between the two parts of the mold will be.
Shaping the skin.
We cut out two pieces of leather with a margin of about 5 cm around the perimeter. Soak the leather for about an hour in water and then place it in the mold. Clamp tightly with clamps and leave to dry overnight. Then make the second part of the flask in the same way. At the stage of preparing the wooden form, you should pay close attention to the symmetry of the sides of the layout. The next step will allow you to easily sew the two halves of the flask without any adjustments.
Glue it together.
Once the halves are completely dry, apply leather glue around the perimeter and press them together. If you have cut out a symmetrical wooden shape, then at this stage everything will go smoothly.
Drill holes for the seam.
At a distance of 3mm from the edge, draw a marking for the seam with a compass. I drill the holes with a small drill bit, but you can also use diamond or line punches. With punches appearance the seam will be prettier.
Sew.
I sew with a saddle stitch. This flask took about 2 meters of waxed braided thread.
Waxing.
I melt the beeswax in a water bath. As soon as the wax melts, I apply it to the flask with a brush. I pour the melted wax inside the flask and shake it for about 20-30 seconds, and pour out the excess. For waxing items that will come into contact with food or water, only beeswax can be used. Do not use paraffin under any circumstances! Beeswax — natural product and it is safe for your health, and paraffin is made from oil - it is extremely dangerous! Paraffin can be used if you are making re-enactment flasks that no one will drink from.
Baking.
I put the flask on a disposable baking sheet and bake it in the oven for about half an hour at a temperature of 90-100 degrees Celsius. In this case, the wax saturates the flask through and through and the color of the flask becomes darker.
Strap and stopper.
I punch holes for the strap. I bought a braided leather strap at a hobby store. I cut a stopper for a flask from a piece of wood.
Wooden neck.
Since leather will stretch over time, even waxed, I recommend making a wooden neck for the flask. You can very conveniently insert regular wine cork. I cut the neck out of a piece of wood and drill a hole in it for the plug. I glue the neck with epoxy glue.
Well, that's all, the flask is ready. Are you ready for adventure?