Home technology for making plastic handles from recycled materials

Sometimes an old tool loses its original handles, without which its use becomes significantly more difficult. If desired, they can be restored in various ways, including by molding them from plastic. This is especially good when made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene), which is used to make milk bottles. This material can be recognized by the “HDPE” marking or the number 2 inscribed in a triangle.

Materials and tools:

tin can of suitable volume;
dense metal lid for the jar;
white plastic milk bottles;
a bolt and 4 nuts corresponding to the size of the tool stem with the missing handle;
oven with precise temperature control;
stirring stick;
gloves;
metal scissors.

Making the handle

To make a handle, you need to stock up on milk bottles. They are cut into small pieces. High-density polyethylene shrinks greatly, so it is better to play it safe and prepare the raw materials with a reserve.
In order to evenly press nuts for screwing onto the tool rod into the formed blank for the handle, you need to select a guide in the form of a cover on the mold.

A hole is made in the center of this lid. A bolt with a nut screwed all the way is inserted into it, after which 3 more nuts are screwed onto it, as in the photo. They are pressed with keys so as to fit tightly onto the lid.

Cut-up polyethylene is placed in the jar.

After which it is placed in an oven preheated to 180 degrees.

As soon as the mass becomes plastic and compacts at the bottom, you should add more chopped bottles.

As the polyethylene settles, you need to add recyclables until the jar is completely filled with a dense mass.

Additionally, you should periodically compact the molten plastic using a metal or wooden rod.
After filling the jar, a lid with nuts, preheated in the oven, is pressed into it.

Hot plastic polyethylene allows you to do this manually. After waiting for the mold to cool completely, the upper locknut and bolt are unscrewed and the lid is removed.

To remove the sealed handle, the can should be cut with metal scissors.

The result is a white polyethylene blank with an interesting black pattern reminiscent of damask. The dark veins are obtained because the milk can consists of 3 thin layers, the middle of which is black.

The workpiece is processed in any convenient way.

It can be ground on an emery machine or lathe, holding it by a pre-screwed temporary bolt. The processed part looks very decent.Since HDPE cut into small pieces was used when melting it, the structure of the handle does not have voids or other defects.

The use of this technology allows melting even in a kitchen oven. HDPE, unlike other types of plastic, produces much less odor when heated; at 180 degrees it does not boil or spread. The resulting blanks are easy to process because they are only slightly denser than solid wood.