Translucent Containers Needed - Help!

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fine-tune
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Translucent Containers Needed - Help!

Post by fine-tune »

The images are a small upside down translucent plastic bottle. Inside the bottle is a fork handle
with riveted black veneers. You can easily see a rivet through the milky colored plastic.

I need several much larger round plastic containers with similar opacity. There will be a light source.
I want to diffuse the light enough, so the hardware inside the container is somewhat obscured. I've
already tried a couple of white containers that reduced the light output too much.

Most round storage containers are wider at the top and taper toward the bottom. That's ok. I need
a container about 10 inches diameter at the bottom. Miminum 6 inches height. I have tools in my
shop for cutting and shaping plastic without overheating. About ten years ago I built a jig for clamping
round objects up to 36 inches. I can accurately cut a round container to any needed height.

Tapered containers that are 12-to-14 inches diameter at the top are usually close to 10 inches at the
bottom.

This is very important! The container must be blank. Except for peel off labels, it cannot have any
raised print or markings. Simple translucent banding lines around the container would be acceptable.

There are "natural" color 5-gallon buckets. Their opacity is similar to the attached bottle images.
Unfortunately, they're all covered with heat or chemically etched print.

I'm going slightly crazy trying to find the right container. I've already ordered and returned a few large
containers from Amazon. Maybe surplus outlets are the place to search.

A couple of friends got me involved in this little nightmare! I'm almost ready to quit. Before I tell them
it's impossible to continue, I'm asking you guys for assistance.
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haklesup
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Re: Translucent Containers Needed - Help!

Post by haklesup »

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Janitor Tzap
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Re: Translucent Containers Needed - Help!

Post by Janitor Tzap »

Hmmmm.........

10 inches in diameter.
6 inches tall.

The only thing I can think of would be a Cake Container.
Image

But you'd want it to be a milky colored, so here's one from RubberMaid.
Image

I don't know how many your making....

If it is only 2 or 3.
Then I'd just get some of the RubberMaid Cake Containers.

Otherwise......
Get a bunch of the clear plastic Cake Containers, a can of flat white enamel spray paint.
Mold the plastic first to the shape you want.
Then spray or "Frost" the inside of the plastic with the paint.

Note: Incandescent Bulbs, CFL's, and Fluorescent Tubes are made this way.


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haklesup
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Re: Translucent Containers Needed - Help!

Post by haklesup »

Does it need to be round
https://www.scotzinbros.com/hedpak-plas ... uare-rigid

I think you can find more by image searching on "Plastic Fermenter" also water container

http://www.homebrewit.com/primary-ferme ... ood-grade/

I'm seeing 2 to 50 gal pail, bucket, keg and pickle barrel forms, lots of sizes and shapes and most have no markings

uline also has a range of unmarked while 5 gal buckets
fine-tune
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Re: Translucent Containers Needed - Help!

Post by fine-tune »

All those "unmarked" 5-gallon buckets have etched warning labels. Small children can drown in a large
bucket. They all must have that warning label or they can't sell large buckets. You may not see the
label on website images, but they are on the bucket somewhere.

Fermentation containers are very nice and extremely expensive. Military style water containers are
usually shaped like gas cans. They're blue, instead of red.

I've downloaded many images of Rubbermaid products, including the Cake Container. It seems like
all Rubbermaid containers have an almost invisible raised logo imprinted on the plastic. A few of the
containers I returned to Amazon had a large Rubbermaid logo that is not visible on your computer
monitor.

Several hours ago I purchased a can of Rust-Oleum Frosted Glass. To test the product, I sprayed the
inside and outside of a clear plastic container. The results are good, but there is a problem. Additional
coats do not increase opacity (decrease transparency). I don't know why.

There is a popular brand of transparent spray paint called Belton Molotow. It's available in a wide range
of colors from Arts & Crafts suppliers. If I can find this product in a local retail store I'll try it.
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Janitor Tzap
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Re: Translucent Containers Needed - Help!

Post by Janitor Tzap »

Hmmm...........

Some years back I was working on a VCR with a Clear Plastic Lens over the display.
I got some liquid flux cleaner on the plastic, and it dis-colored it from clear to a white-ish haze.

That plastic was an ABS type.

What you have is probably some type of vinyl based plastic.

I'd try using Paint Thinner on the plastic.
Get a clean rag, put a bit of Paint Thinner on it.
Then lightly wipe a test area on the plastic, and see if it dis-colors to a haze.
Don't put on so much as to melt through the plastic.

If Paint thinner doesn't work, try Acetone.


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Lenp
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Re: Translucent Containers Needed - Help!

Post by Lenp »

Try US Plastic, they have a wide range of labware, bottles and containers. http://www.usplastic.com
Len

“To invent, you need a good imagination and a big pile of junk.” (T. Edison)
"I must be on the way to success since I already have the junk". (Me)
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