What can i use for shrinky dinks?

Our pigment of choice for Shrinky Dinks would be permanent markers (sharpies). They work well for a variety of ages and are ready to roll straight out of the package.

What can you use instead of Shrinky Dink paper?

Tin foil or parchment paper to line a cookie sheet for baking them on. If you wish to shrink these outside to avoid any fumes, a toaster oven you can use for crafts.

What DIY do you use for Shrinky Dinks?

Yep – plain old #6 containers make the perfect shrinky dink art. You can reuse plastic you may have got from ordering take out – or you can purchase some at your dollar store. Any #6 plastic will work – just make sure it says #6 on the bottom of the plastic.

What plastic can be used as shrink plastic?

The sheets of plastic you get in a Shrinky Dinks kit is polystyrene—the same stuff as recycled plastic #6, which is commonly used for those clear clamshell containers you see in cafeterias. When manufactured, raw polystyrene is heated, rolled out into thin sheets and then rapidly cooled so that it can retain its shape.

How do you make homemade shrink plastic?

Heat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and place your plastic drawings in the center of a cookie sheet. Once the oven is preheated, place the cookie sheet on the top rack. After about a minute, the plastic will curl, shrink, and then flatten out.

Where can I find #6 plastic?

Number 6 plastic stands for polystyrene (PS) or styrofoam.

So PS 6 plastic can be found in:


  • Disposable drinking cups.
  • CD, DVD cases.
  • Egg cartons.
  • Food containers to-go and disposable cutlery.
  • Insulation, including building insulation.

Can you use parchment paper for Shrinky Dinks?

Preheat oven to 300 degrees, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Trace or freehand draw anything using permanent markers. Remember that the item will shrink to about 1/3 of the size, so don’t make anything too small. Below is a picture of what I traced, and how small it turned out after shrinking!

Can you use number 2 plastic for Shrinky Dinks?

Shrinky Dinks Plastic. Clear plastic takeout containers are usually not recyclable. Here where I live, we can only recycle number one and two plastic. Check the little recycle triangle symbol on your plastic containers.

Can you use #5 plastic for Shrinky Dinks?

Shrinky Dinks are made of #6 plastic, or polystyrene. In fact, you can use ordinary #6 plastic packaging to make your own DIY Shrinky Dinks! If you’re wondering can you use #5 plastic for making shrink plastic, unfortunately the answer is no. #6 plastic is the only plastic you can use.

Can you use Sharpies on Shrinky Dinks?

Sharpies, Acrylic Paint Pens, or Colored Pencils:

Our pigment of choice for Shrinky Dinks would be permanent markers (sharpies). They work well for a variety of ages and are ready to roll straight out of the package.

Can you make Shrinky Dinks with Styrofoam?

Collect a few flat, white Styrofoam trays – the kind you get from buying meat or vegetables. … (Talk to the kids about why reusing old Styrofoam is environmentally friendly.) Wash the Styrofoam well and dry it.

What Plastic Can you shrink in the oven?

Some plastics will shrink when you get them hot. Two of these are polystyrene, the material in foam cups and plastic food containers, and the other is polyester, from which soda bottles are made. You can make your own shrinking polymers by baking polystyrene in a regular oven!

Can you make Shrinky Dinks without an oven?

Put the cut out plastic shape into the crockpot. If the crockpot is fully hot, it will begin to shrink right in front of you—it will curl, fold up a bit and create either jubilance or tears. But then it flattens and is fine, and tears will turn to glee. … If the crockpot isn’t fully heated, it will take longer.

Can you shrink plastic with a hair dryer?

Blow dryer: Your regular blow dryer will work to shrink plastic! Similar to the heat tool, keep an eye on the plastic shape and use a skewer or tweezers to keep the plastic relatively in place as you shrink it.

Can you make Shrinky Dinks with any plastic?

The Special Plastic and Where To Find It

Shrinky Dinks can be made from #6 plastic. #6 plastic is the classification for Polystyrene (aka Styrofoam). What is this? When you think Styrofoam you’re likely thinking of disposable cups or take out containers.

What is made out of #6 plastic?

The #6 identifies the resin of the plastic which makes polystyrene, but the arrows around the number do not mean that it is recyclable. This type of plasitc is either hard of soft (foam, also known as Styrofoam). Both should go in the landfill. Foam polystyrene, like that found in packaging, is made of mostly air.

What is CRV plastic?

California Refund Value (CRV) is the amount paid by consumers at the checkout stand and paid back to consumers when they recycle eligible aluminum, plastic, glass and bi-metal beverage containers at certified recycling centers.

What does 6 plastic look like?

Polystyrene is one type of plastic which can be identified by finding a #6 “PS” symbol, and includes all foam products like Styrofoam, and some hard plastics like disposable straws and flatware.

Can pp5 be recycled?

5: PP (Polypropylene)

PP is used to make the food containers used for products like yogurt, sour cream and margarine. It’s also made into straws, rope, carpet and bottle caps. PP products CAN SOMETIMES be recycled.

Can you use aluminum foil for shrinky dinks?

Aluminum foil will work fine, but wax paper should never go in the oven. Additionally, never bake a shrinky dink on an uncovered baking sheet. You will run the risk of it getting stuck. It’s shriveling up, HELP!

Can you use soda bottles for shrinky dinks?

It was made with the bumpy bottoms of half liter soda bottles that were shrunk in the oven a la Shrinky Dinks. … Carefully cut the bottoms off the plastic soda bottles using a utility knife. 2. If kitchen fires and huffing fumes scare you, skip the next 3 steps.

Do colored pencils work on shrinky dinks?

Any colored pencils work great on Shrinky dink plastic. The key to getting vibrant designs with colored pencils is to lightly sand the shrink plastic to score it.

Can you use Number 3 plastic for Shrinky Dinks?

Batch #3 was the best shrinky dink, in that they shrunk well, thickened well, and stayed flat.

What happens if you put plastic in the oven?

No matter what kind of plastic you are using, don’t use it for oven use. It will melt from the inside or it might melt completely. For safer use, don’t use plastic ’cause your oven might catch on fire.

Can I use transparency film for Shrinky Dinks?

I wouldn’t use transparency film. It isn’t designed to melt the same way Shrinky Dink plastic is. In fact, you can use ordinary #6 plastic packaging to make your own DIY Shrinky Dinks! If you’re wondering can you use #5 plastic for making shrink plastic, unfortunately the answer is no.

What type of plastic makes Shrinky Dinks?

Shrinky Dinks® consist of thin, flexible sheets of polystyrene, a common polymer. Prior to heating, the thin, flexible sheets can be colored and cut into shapes.

Can you put glitter on Shrinky Dinks?

Seal and Embellish – Once your Shrinky Dinks have cooled it’s time to seal them so that the colored pencil does not rub off. I used my favorite sealant and sprayed one layer over the designs. To add extra sparkle, use glitter glue on the smooth side of your finished design.

Can you use Posca pens on Shrinky Dinks?

What You’ll Need: Shrink Plastic (available in several colors &amp, finishes – I used matte) Sharpie Markers. Posca Paint Pens.

What kind of paint do you use for Shrinky Dinks?

You should only use ink-based acrylics when you are working with Shrinky Dinks. Acrylics made from ink are super fine pigments that are held in a state of emulsion similar to water. Acrylic paint made from ink is the thinnest liquid form available, and shrinking is the best way to do so.

Does Styrofoam shrink in oven?

When Styrofoam is heated in the oven it will shrink a little and become hard like a plastic.

Can you make Shrinky Dinks out of egg cartons?

Examples of this include, disposable drinking cups, egg cartons, and to-go food containers. How Long Do Shrinky Dinks Stay In The Oven? Allow Shrinky Dinks to bake color side up in a preheated oven for 1-3 minutes. … Once the pieces lay flat, allow 30 additional seconds of baking time to complete.

How do you shrink polystyrene?

Place the styrofoam pieces on the cookie sheet and bake for about five minutes. Different styrofoam may shrink differently, so monitor the styrofoam closely during this time. It will curl up as it shrinks, and then flatten back down when it’s done.

How do you make Shrinky Dinks without curling?

Usually small pieces take 2-3 minutes, but bigger pieces could take several minutes longer. Remove from the oven, move the parchment to your counter or other heat-proof surface and press down on them with your oven mitt or lay something flat on them. This will help make sure they do not curl as they cool.

Why is Shrinky Dink not shrinking?

RE: DianeP: You know, it could be that since you’re using a whole sheet and there’s so much plastic to shrink that it’s just going to take longer to shrink. Try heating it longer.

Can you paint Shrinky Dinks?

Can You Paint Shrinky Dinks With Acrylic? Yes, definitely!! Paint made from acrylic is a water-based paint, so it can be used on Shrinky-Dink material to create vivid, beautifully colored art.

How do you make Shrinky Dinks with chip bags?

Chip Bag Shrinky Dinks

Fold over parchment so that chip bag is completely covered. Place on the back of a flipped-over baking sheet. Place the other baking sheet on top right-side-up so that the bag is pressed flat between the sheets. Bake in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.

What can I use instead of a heat gun?

As hair dryers and heat guns have very similar functions, you can use a hair dryer instead of a heat gun for certain applications. If you are removing labels/stickers, removing candle wax, or similar tasks then a hair dryer can be used instead of a heat gun.

Can you use Posca pens on shrink plastic?

Can You Use Acrylic Markers On Shrink Plastic? Yes, definitely!! Paint made from acrylic is a water-based paint, so it can be used on Shrinky-Dink material to create vivid, beautifully colored art.

Can I use Saran Wrap as shrink wrap?

The process of shrink-wrapping is where items are wrapped tightly together in plastic so they cannot move around. … First, you will need to remove the roll of plastic wrap from the box and wrap the plastic around the item to you wish to wrap until you are satisfied that it is fully covered.

Do they still make Shrinky Dinks?

Shrinky Dinks were soon licensed to be manufactured by the major toy companies of the time such as Milton Bradley, Colorforms, Western Publishing and Skyline Toys. The shrink plastic is still available from many retailers and can be used for a variety of things like charms and pins.

Can you microwave 5 PP plastic?

If they container has a #5 on it, it is made from polypropylene, PP, so it is generally considered microwave safe. … These are deli containers, supermarket containers, water bottles, and most containers used for cold foods and display packaging.

What is #6 plastic expanded?

#6 (PS—Polystyrene) is the foam plastic used for packing materials, Styrofoam cups, trays, etc. See the Plastic Loose Fill Council’s directory of places that take those fluffy peanuts used in packaging.