I found this on Craftster.org - “Inna” made a necklace made from recycled CDs. She gives brief instructions on how it was made, which include putting it in the microwave for 5 seconds to ‘crackle’ it before cutting it into pieces. Since this causes sparks, I’m not sure I’m willing to do that step with my microwave, but the melting it in the conventional oven to give it the cool blue sheen is another story….
Necklace made from a recycled CD by Inna from Craftster.org. Picture by Inna, c. 2006, used by permission. Click picture to see it full-sized.
Inna’s original brief tutorial was simply this:
I took a CD and Nuked it in the microwave for 5 seconds, then cut it with scissors into equal sized pieces, then drilled holes with the dremel tool, and then baked them in my oven at 400 degrees until they started to soften. They go from the iridescence to this wild blue color when they melt. Then I didn’t have anything to make a chain out of so I used bead pins to make a chain. – Inna, CD Necklace, 8 July 2004 (last edited 16 May 2007), message id #69540, Craftster.org
Here I will quote a post by Sparkette, another Craftster.org user, who summarized nearly 39 pages of posts that followed this topic and tutorial, and had some insight that I think ought to be shared and might be missed, involving this craft:
All the answers are here! I’ve just read 39 pages in three plus hours! This is awesome! The pictures you’ve posted are beautiful.
So let me paraphrase from memory what I’ve learned from ALL 39 pages of YOUR Experiences:
Microwave for only a few seconds (1-7), STOP when the sparking starts. C D laid on a paper plate or directly on the rotating glass. OR…
Place C D down in a microwavable bowl full of water and microwave for approx. two (2) minutes…this seems to minimize the fumes and creates a unique patterning of its own.
THE MICROWAVE GIVES THE C D THE CRACKLY LOOK TO THE SURFACE. IT DOES NOT CHANGE ITS COLOR. YOU GET THE COLOR OF THE C D YOU STARTED WITH.
Use: Heavy duty scissors, tin snips, glass cutter (to score and snap), a burning tool (can’t remember the name), to shape the microwaved C D into smaller pieces. (Wear Safety glasses and gloves). Someone suggested placing the microwaved C Ds down in very hot water before trying to cut or shape them, they said it made them more pliable.
Place shaped C D pieces onto foil, old pie tins, (or use your imagination), and place into an electric oven, a toaster oven, a countertop oven, at 400 degrees for, I heard anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. (The longer in the oven the more failures I heard about.) I also heard 250 degrees for about 10 minutes once.
There was also talk of using a Flame source such as a torch, a bunson burner, a BBQ grill, or campfire with a metal grate over it, upon which to place the pans of pieces.
THE OVEN MELTS THE PLASTIC IN THE C D AND CREATES BUBBLES AND SOMETIMES CURLS EDGES. IT SEEMS THE LONGER YOU LEAVE THEM IN THE OVEN THE MORE MISSHAPEN THEY ARE REPORTED TO BE AND THE MORE THEY SMELLED BAD. SO WATCHING THEM IS IMPERATIVE! TAKE THEM OUT WHEN THEY LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO LOOK LIKE.
Holes can be accomplished by Dremel tool, battery or electric drill with small drill bit (Caution should be used here. Wear gloves and safety glasses and place the piece being drilled so that it cannot spin and cut fingers), OR I also heard that by heating a large needle with a candleflame, that it pierces the pieces like butter (again, gloves and caution). Other heated tools would do the same.
OR go to a bead shop/jewelry making shop and pick up the jewelry findings that just glue onto the top of the piece and has a ready made place to thread a chain or string.
For those worried about the dangers, over just the last few pages, all of those concerns were approached in a very professional way. The manufacturers were asked and their answers are there.
Also the use of the Microwave and Oven were discussed. Suggestions are: get a Microwave at a second hand store or garage sale just for this purpose, and find a toaster- or countertop oven, and use it outside for proper ventilation of the fumes.
This is a well done subject. There is still much interest. Maybe if some of the “ooh and aah” posts were cleaned out, more people would be encouraged to read all the pages instead of asking the same questions over and over. Just a thot and suggestion to the moderator.
Beautiful work ladies! Please continue to post your new experiences and ideas. I am obviously three years late to the craze, but have benefitted by all the experience. Thank you.
ps. So has anyone tried them in the opposite order? The oven first and then the microwave? OR the microwave AGAIN? – Sparkette, “Re: CD Necklace”, reply #385 posted on 5 Nov. 2007, message id #2201094, Craftster.org
Awesome recycling everyone! Hope these two bits from a very interesting thread help someone else make something awesome also!
Peace,
Bekka
Tags: craftster.org, DIY, Inna, Jewelry, necklace, recycle, tut, tutorial, upcycle
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