I’ve written about making projects using Sugru but here’s another versatile and easy-to-use plastic you should know about: Friendly Plastic. Its unfriendly chemical name is polycaprolactone. It’s sold under other names, too, like InstaMorph, ShapeLock, and U Mold. It’s a biodegradable polyester with a low melting point.
Just soften the material in hot water, then shape and form it by hand. When it cools, it solidifies into a tough, nylon-like material that you can cut or drill. And you can add dye pellets to blend any color you’d like. Strong plastic parts instantly molded in custom colors: very practical!
Here are some new versions of classic practical jokes you can quickly make with polycaprolactone. Sure, there’s the iconic doggie doo, but check out these other updated fun fakes:
Fake Ketchup and Mustard Blobs
Add a real empty pouch and put one on mom’s iPad!
Chewing Gum Smartphone Easel
Looks gross, works great!
Oops Spilled Creamer
Surprise someone on their issue of Make:!
Crazy Crayon
Won’t color no matter how hard they draw. Pack some softened, colored Friendly Plastic into a tube. When cooled, use a pencil sharpener to make a point and wrap it with the paper label from a real crayon.
