DIY Bubbling Pen
Hand boilers are small glass devices that are filled with a liquid with a very low vaporization point, often ethanol. When you hold a hand boiler in your hand, it appears to boil, though this is actually the pressure from the ethanol vapor forcing the liquid ethanol from the lower bulb in the device to the higher one. Some novelty pens come with a tiny hand boiler attached to the end, which will bubble as you write. Making one of these is difficult and a little dangerous, but is possible and teaches a few lessons about science.
Things You'll Need
- Gloves
- Pen
- Craft knife
- Ethanol
- Dye
- Eyedropper
- Clear straw
- Two miniature glass bottles
- Epoxy
- Toothpicks
- Towel
Instructions
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1
Cut off the end of a pen. You need a pen that unscrews at the tip so that you can replace the ink cartridge. For a plain plastic pen, a craft knife will be sufficient to cut off the end. You may need a small saw for a sturdier pen.
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2
Put on gloves to protect your hands. Ethanol and epoxy are both hazardous for your skin. You may want to wear chemical goggles during this project, as well.
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3
Mix a few drops of dye into the ethanol. You will have the best results using a water or alcohol based dye. You only need a very small amount of ethanol; put away any excess ethanol to prevent it from forming vapors in the area. Fill the eyedropper once you have finished.
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4
Cut the straw. The straw segment must be the length of the neck of one bottle plus slightly less than the height of the second bottle. The straw will help the liquid move from the bottom of the lower bottle and into the top bottle. Miniature bottles with a round bottom that are designed for jewelry are appropriate for this project.
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5
Mix the two-part epoxy on a piece of paper or cardboard. Spread it with a toothpick on one end of the straw and put it into one bottle, reaching all the way to the end of the neck.
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6
Heat a towel in a microwave for a few seconds. You don't want the towel to become very hot, as ethanol is extremely flammable, but it should be warm.
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7
Warm both bottles on the towel for a few seconds. The heat causes the air to expand in the bottle, creating a partial vacuum once cooled. Smear epoxy around the opening of one bottle. Put a little ethanol in the other bottle using the eyedropper, and then put the bottle with the epoxy onto the second bottle, sealing them with the openings together. Remove the bottles from the towel. This should all be done as quickly as possible.
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8
Attach the boiler to the end of the pen with more epoxy.
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1
Tips & Warnings
If the boiler does not work readily when you write, try inserting some copper wires into the pen to help carry the heat from your hand to the end of the pen.
Ethanol is very flammable. Keep away from extreme heat and open flame. It vaporizes easily, and the vapors are also flammable. Work in a room with good ventilation. (see References 2 and 3)
References
- Photo Credit Creatas Images/Creatas/Getty Images
