We are often asked the question of how to make a thermos with your own hands at home, and we decided to write detailed instructions for all visitors to our site.
When fishing, no matter whether it is in winter or summer, a thermos is an indispensable attribute for many fishermen. In winter you need to warm up with hot tea, in summer you need to drink a chilled drink. But if the old one has become unusable, not everyone has the opportunity to replace or buy it. Therefore, I want to tell you how to make a thermos yourself very quickly and using inexpensive scrap materials.
Necessary materials
In this article we will look at two ways to make a thermos at home. Everyone can easily find the materials that will be needed to make a thermos in the first way at home.
- Bottle. The easiest way to make a thermos is from a glass bottle. You can, of course, use a plastic container, but it is not recommended. The main criterion in choosing a bottle remains its volume. It should be noted that it is quite difficult to find a glass bottle with a tight-fitting lid, which is very important for a future thermos.
- A few paper towels or scrap newspapers.
- To reduce thermal conductivity, use black electrical tape (you can replace it with tape).
- Regular food foil for baking.
- Regular scissors.
For the second - more complex - method you will need the following materials.
- Two plastic bottles with volumes of 0.5 and 1 liter.
- Regular food foil.
- Polyurethane foam.
- Scotch.
- Knife.
Separately, it is worth noting a number of well-known insulation materials that can be used in the process of making a thermos : foam chips, toilet paper, sawdust and even wool in any form. Most of these materials do not tolerate contact with water well. Therefore, when using them to make a thermos, it is necessary to carefully pour the liquid into the vessel.
You cannot pour liquid into a plastic bottle whose temperature is more than 80 degrees Celsius. At high temperatures, plastic not only begins to melt, but also releases harmful substances into the liquid.
What it is
The question may seem strange, because each of us has seen a thermos. However, in order to begin the process of making a thermos, you need to know how it works. The thermos is based on the principle of Dewar flasks.
A smaller container is inserted into a larger container, and then a vacuum is formed between them.
As is known, heat is transferred by molecules when they collide in space or environment. If there are no molecules, then there is no heat transfer.
Obviously, the absence of molecules is a vacuum. This is what causes low thermal conductivity.
Heat is also transferred using infrared radiation. The inner surface of the thermos reflects heat precisely because it “does not receive” infrared rays.
Of course, there is no need to talk about the formation of a vacuum in a homemade thermos, but it is quite possible to create conditions under which the thermal conductivity of the vessel will be low.
DIY food thermos
If you like long walks or bike rides, winter fishing or mushroom picking, then you will need a thermos for food, which is quite possible to make with your own hands. It is not difficult to build a container that retains heat well.
To do this you will need:
- plastic jar with lid;
- a piece of polyurethane foil insulation;
- tape or tape;
- scissors or sharp knife.
The insulation should be cut according to the dimensions of the existing can - the lid, bottom, and height of the can. It is important to make a reserve for the lid that matches its height - this will help keep the heat in such a thermos longer. Carefully cut out all parts with scissors. Attach the circles with tape to the bottom and lid of the jar. Close the sides in the same way. It is better to put food in such a thermos wrapped in foil. Or you can put small bottles of baby food and feel free to go for a walk. You can also sew a special bag from thick fabric with handles (for example, from old jeans) or tie it with thread. Thus, the thermos for food will have a more convenient and attractive appearance.
Interesting purchasing options
You don’t always have the ideas, time and desire to make a case yourself. The result may not be to your liking or suitable, and the time spent may not be returned. It is for this reason that you can choose a case made at the factory. Such accessories have increased protection against falls and an insulated structure, which does not allow the thermos to cool down for several hours longer.
Often, the thermos manufacturer itself supplies a case with the company logo along with its product. Such accessories most often do not have thermal insulation properties, but can serve as protection against damage and breakage of the thermos.
Whether to use an official case or not is up to each user to decide for himself.
- A green military thermal case with an additional pocket is certainly not suitable for a girl or an office worker, because with all its appearance it shows a commitment to hunting, fishing and hiking. The additional pocket sets this option apart from others, but it is also a disadvantage: if you put something heavy in it, the thermos itself will certainly fall and will not keep its balance. This accessory can be called a pouch, which is what it is: the accessory can be attached to special places near the backpack.
- Multi-colored, bright, with cartoon characters. Perfect for small children's thermoses (up to 1 liter). The top of the cover is open and does not completely cover the thermos, but this is not a problem, because the material used already perfectly preserves the temperature of the liquid inside. Light green, blue, black, grey, red, yellow – colors available for the user to choose from.
- Thermos bags are the best solution for women. Of course, such an accessory does not have thermal insulation properties and does not increase the heat retention period. However, the stated day will be enough for a girl to comfortably drink hot tea while walking. Such a case will save the owner from the inconvenience of carrying a thermos by the handles.
Insulation
The key element of the design is insulation. What can be used as insulation:
- Free newspapers with advertisements;
- Foam chips;
- Polyurethane foam;
- Polyurethane foam;
- Wool;
- Wood shavings;
- Toilet paper, etc.
The simplest insulation can be balls made from pieces of free newspapers. The disadvantage of newspapers is their poor tolerance of contact with water. Foam sources: packaging of household appliances, vegetable trays. It is easy to make crumbs out of it.
Rolled polyurethane foam is also used as packaging material. Sold in hardware stores. Polyurethane foam is the same polyurethane foam, but in an aerosol can. It is an almost ideal material, but it has an unpleasant property: it expands so much that the inner vessel can become deformed, and if it is a glass bottle, it can burst. The plastic one must first be filled with water so that it does not lose its shape.
Attention! It is better not to combine glass bottles with polyurethane foam.
The main criterion for choosing insulation is the presence of a particular material. We assume that the design is disposable (or close to it) and manufacturing costs should be minimal.
Content
- What is needed to make a box
- Making a box frame
- Making the “shell” of the box
- Attach the shoulder strap
At one time, I got tired of carrying weights on my shoulder on the way to the hole, and even more so back, and the idea of a lighter design matured. The material is polystyrene foam - it couldn’t be easier, and at the same time it solves the problem of storing food in the summer heat at work and in nature. As they say, two in one bottle. On occasion, my wife at work collected scraps of sandwich panels of the required size, thickness 25-30 mm - laminated polystyrene of sufficient density. But you can use any dense foam. And then both the dimensions and the assembly diagram have already matured in my head. The process has begun. I will briefly describe how I made these boxes.
How to sew or knit a thermos case?
The time has come to reveal the secret of this. If you go for a walk with your child in the cold season, make a thermos with a dispenser, as described above. Then the drink will be warm and will remain at this temperature for a long time. But it is necessary to tie a cover on the vessel.
For it you will need:
- dark and light threads;
- hook;
- scissors.
Cast on 5 air loops, connect them into a ring, making another loop. Tie this blank with single crochets, you will get 9 of them - this is the first row. The next row will alternate between one single crochet and one increase stitch. The third is done in the same way, but two single crochets and one increase are knitted. In each subsequent row you need to increase the number of single crochets by one loop, the increase also remains in the amount of 1 piece.
This way you will knit 7 rows. To finish the bottom, work the 8th row in single crochets without adding a stitch. In this case, the hook must be inserted into the back wall of the loop from the previous row.
Also, without adding loops, you need to crochet the cover further. To do this, we use the “front relief column” pattern, alternating with the “wrong column”. We use single crochets and perform 10 rows like this. Now you need to change the dark thread to a light one, perform 6 rows with single crochets.
Take the dark yarn again and use it to knit 7 rows of embossed double crochets. Then work six rows with a light thread in single crochets. Next, there are 7 rows of embossed double crochets using dark thread.
It remains to complete two rows with single crochet and one with double crochet, using light yarn.
Tie a chain with a blue thread and pass it through the top between the posts.
Now you need to put the crocheted cover on the bottle, tighten the lacing, and decorate it with ties.
See how to sew a cover on a bottle so that it turns into a thermos. It is very convenient for keeping baby food warm. But you can sew one onto a regular glass or plastic container, thereby turning it into a thermos.
To work you will need:
- felt;
- cotton fabric;
- scissors;
- needle;
- threads;
- rags;
- polyethylene;
- felt.
The fabric structure will be four-layer, so you need to cut blanks of the same shape from felt; polyethylene; rags; cotton fabrics. They will be rectangular. The size of these parts is easy to determine; to do this, just measure the distance from the cap to the bottom of the bottle, add 1–2 cm. Reduce the layers of polyethylene and rags on two opposite sides by 1 cm.
Also cut out 4 circular pieces that fit the bottom of the bottle. It is better to immediately iron the edges of the workpieces to make it easier to stitch the layers together. Which is what you will do.
Sew a zipper on one and the other side of the four-layer fabric. This can be done either on a typewriter or by hand. Sew the bottom on one and the other side of the resulting tube.
You can decorate the cover with felt, sewing, cut out butterflies or other figures.
A functional bag as a result of work
It is possible to assemble such a thermal bag in just 10 minutes.
The thermal bag works on the principle of a thermos - it retains heat (cold). It cannot produce cold on its own; to do this, you will need to place inside the bag cold-producing cold elements for thermal containers that you made yourself. Even a child can cope with such work, and in the end you have a mobile food cooling device. True, this does not work for long; over time, the container still loses its seal, so if you are going on a long journey, you cannot do without coolers, or buy a mini-fridge in a specialized store.
Assembling a thermos
The product is assembled in the following sequence:
- Prepare 2 plastic bottles. It is desirable that the walls are thick enough. The volume should differ by approximately 2 times, for example, 500 ml and 1 l or 1.5 l and 3 l. For the inner vessel, it is advisable to use a bottle with a narrow elongated neck to increase the thermal insulation properties. Plastic containers can only be used for cold drinks.
- Cut off the neck of the outer bottle. It is most convenient to use a stationery knife.
- Cut the outer bottle crosswise approximately in the middle to make it easier for the inner container to fit in.
- Wrap the inner container with foil. You can use adhesive tape for fastening. It is advisable to use foil tape.
- Insert the inner bottle into the top of the outer bottle.
- Fill the space between the containers with insulation. The easiest way is to fill in foam chips. If paper is used, it is advisable to first roll it into balls for ease of filling and improved thermal insulation. The insulation material must be compacted. Otherwise, not only will the containers rotate, but the thermal insulation characteristics will also deteriorate.
- Connect the components of the outer container. The easiest way to secure it is to use adhesive tape.
- Seal the area where the neck of the inner vessel protrudes. This is necessary to prevent liquid from entering the insulation.
At this point, the thermos is considered ready; all that remains is to check its functionality.
The simplest option
If it is not possible to manufacture using the technology considered, you can use an even simpler solution. For example, there is only a 500 ml bottle. It should be wrapped in foil. To ensure thermal insulation, wear 2 down socks and wrap a wool scarf. Place the product in a plastic bag and wrap tightly with adhesive tape. The efficiency will be much lower, but the heat will still remain for some time.
Materials and tools for making a thermos
To make a thermos using the first method, you will need:
- 2 plastic bottles, differing in volume by 2 times;
- insulation material;
- aluminium foil;
- duct tape;
- scissors;
- stationery knife.
For the second option you need:
- 500 ml bottle;
- 2 insulated socks and a good scarf (preferably made of wool);
- plastic bag;
- duct tape;
- scissors.
A compact flask for alcoholic drinks can also be used as a thermos. It is not advisable to wrap it with insulating materials. It is enough to simply store it close to the body, for example, in the inner pocket of a jacket. Due to the thermal insulation properties of winter clothing, the drink will stay hot longer.
Note! Before using the flask, make sure there are no leaks.
Any homemade thermos works worse than its factory counterpart. At home it is impossible to achieve high thermal insulation properties. But, in case of urgent need, this is a good option. For constant use, it is better to purchase a high-quality factory thermos.
Household appliances Thermos
Useful tips
To make the structure durable and effective, you should follow the recommendations of experts:
- it is necessary to provide waterproofing, drainage, ventilation;
- Long-term operation of the greenhouse can only be counted on if all standards are observed during construction;
- the walls must be made of durable material and, when installed from the inside, be thermally insulated;
- For roofing, you should choose the most durable materials.
If you like to grow exotic plants, but the climatic conditions of your region do not allow this, then a thermos greenhouse will be an excellent solution to this issue. After considering all the stages, principles of construction and installation of an underground thermos greenhouse with your own hands, as well as how and from what it can be built with photos and video examples, almost everyone will be able to build such a structure. By choosing the right site, location, building materials and following construction technology, you can create a building in which the temperature will be above zero even in severe frosts. This will allow you to grow not only vegetables, but also berries and flowers.
Author: Vladimir
How long does the effect last?
The operating time of a homemade cooling system depends on several factors:
- properties of the material from which the device is made;
- insulating characteristics of the bag;
- box volume;
- initial temperature of products;
- rationality of layout.
On average, the effect lasts 10-12 hours, provided that the entrance to the box is hermetically sealed. A large bag will require 2-3 batteries.
They need to be placed in this order:
- the first is laid on the bottom;
- the second is placed between the products in the center of the box or on top.
The more sources of cold contained inside, the longer the temperature acceptable for food is maintained.
A DIY cooler bag can be made within one hour or even a few minutes, if you have the necessary material on hand. In the process of gathering for an active pastime in nature, you can sew a useful item without delaying your friends and family. The thermobox will come in handy many times over when you have to go on a long journey.
Source: morrozko.ru
Inner vessel material
The advantage of a thermos made from two plastic bottles is its phenomenal impact resistance. They can even play football. This is where the advantages end. Do not pour boiling water into a plastic bottle.
Firstly, it is deformed, and secondly, harmful substances are released. The maximum water temperature should not exceed approximately 80 degrees.
To compensate for this disadvantage, you can use a glass bottle. It is better to pour boiling water into it in two stages. First, pour a small amount and shake, and then add the remaining amount. Otherwise there is a chance that it will burst.
Homemade from a glass jar and a plastic bottle
If for some reason you still don’t have a thermos, or you have one, but it’s not the right size, then this instructional article is for you.
Of course, you can just go to the store and buy a thermos of any size, fortunately the Chinese abundance allows you to do this without any problems - the choice is great. But the trouble is, not everyone has the money for this useful gadget, especially since the price of a thermos increases in proportion to its volume.
Today, using a specific example, we’ll look at how you can make a simple thermos of any size from a glass jar.