Home Made Silly Putty
Cost: Pennies for a small batch
CAUTION: This formula uses Borax which is toxic. This is the caution printed on the 20 Mule Team Borax Box:
"Keep Out of Reach of Children -- Rinse mouth. Give a large glass of water or milk. Do not induce vomiting. Call a physician immediately."
This formula uses a weak solution of Borax; but, still, precaution should be taken to have children wash their hands after using this silly putty. It is advisable that adults mix the glue and borax solutions as well as prepare the final silly putty. Do not mix or use in food preparation areas.
"Keep Out of Reach of Children -- Rinse mouth. Give a large glass of water or milk. Do not induce vomiting. Call a physician immediately."
This formula uses a weak solution of Borax; but, still, precaution should be taken to have children wash their hands after using this silly putty. It is advisable that adults mix the glue and borax solutions as well as prepare the final silly putty. Do not mix or use in food preparation areas.
The most amazing stuff! --- Silly Putty. It flows like liquid over time. If pulled rapidly, it snaps as if very brittle. When rolled into a ball, it bounces. It behaves just like the commercial product, "Silly Putty." this compound is inexpensive to make and provides hours of fun for both adult and child.
Personal experimentation as of February 17, 2010, is documented here to provide one with the information to make your silly putty project a success.
This photo shows the what happens when silly putty is put on top of a bottle and left there for five hours. It flows like thick syrup, down the side and puddles at the bottom. Yet, it's not sticky and is easily removed by simply stripping away from the sides of the bottle.
The silly putty described here has no coloration. I prefer the pearly white color which seems to go perfectly with the freshly-fried-egg-white texture of this compound.
Personal experimentation as of February 17, 2010, is documented here to provide one with the information to make your silly putty project a success.
This photo shows the what happens when silly putty is put on top of a bottle and left there for five hours. It flows like thick syrup, down the side and puddles at the bottom. Yet, it's not sticky and is easily removed by simply stripping away from the sides of the bottle.
The silly putty described here has no coloration. I prefer the pearly white color which seems to go perfectly with the freshly-fried-egg-white texture of this compound.
A small amount of the silly putty is placed on top of this closed plastic bottle.
Six minutes after the project was started, the silly putty is well on it's way. It flows down the side of the plastic bottle.
5 1/2 hours later, the silly putty has puddled. Further, it has thinned out as the mass flows down the sides of the bottle.
These were my tested white glues.
Do NOT use the Ross white glue (on the right).
All other brands shown work well. Experimentation
may show other brands not shown to work equally well.
I personally like the RoseArt (WalMart brand) glue.
Do NOT use the Ross white glue (on the right).
All other brands shown work well. Experimentation
may show other brands not shown to work equally well.
I personally like the RoseArt (WalMart brand) glue.
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So, ... let's get started! . . .
Wayne's Silly Putty Recipe - February 17, 2010
CAUTION: Do NOT pour any of these prepared or unmixed liquids or silly putty down your drain. It will clog the drain.
Tested white glues that worked well: WalMart RoseArt Improved Washable White Glue, Elmer's regular white
glue, Elmer's Washable School Glue. My favorite was the WalMart RoseArt Improved Washable White Glue. It's also inexpensive (37-cents on February 10, 2010 for a 4-ounce bottle at WalMart).
One brand tested that did NOT work was Ross New White Glue.
Borax can be found in most grocery stores in the laundry detergent section (about $5 for a very large box).
1. Get two 8 ounce bottles you can store and seal off the mixed ingredients. This will allow a way to store the unused portions. (These instructions assume you are using the 4 ounce size white glue container)
2. Ready a wide mouthed bowl for the final mix of the ingredients.
3. Pour 4 ounces of white glue into one of the 8 ounce storage bottles.
4. Add 4 ounces of water to the white glue. You can use the empty Glue container for this measure. Shake or mix well. Label it "Mixed White Glue."
5. Put 1 cup (8 ounces) of water into the remaining 8 ounce storage bottle....(preferably have water on the warm side so the Borax will dissolve completely and easily).
6. Add 1 teaspoon of Borax powder to the 8 ounce bottle of water just prepared in step 5. Stir or shake well until fully dissolved. Label this bottle, "Borax Solution."
7. You now have the two ingredients for making your silly putty. I recommend this two bottle method because you can make as much or as little of the silly putty as you need. Let the two bottles stand so they are at room temperature. When storing them, store them in a cool place.
8. Now you have the two ingredients for making your silly putty. You will be using EQUAL amounts of the Glue mixture and Borax solution. I found about ONE TABLESPOON of each gives something you and kids can handle easily. Smaller or larger equal amounts work just as well. Just remember to always keep the proportions equal.
9. Now, pour ONE TABLESPOON of the prepared Borax solution into the wide mouthed mixing bowl. The reason for a wide mouthed bowl is because it will be easier to remove the forming blob.
10. Next, slowly pour ONE TABLESPOON of the mixed Glue solution into the wide mouthed mixing bowl containing the Borax solution. As you do so, you will notice a curd like mixture forming. Slowly stir to mix the two ingredients.
11. Remove the newly formed curd with your hands. It should come out mostly as one blob. This is why you mix it in a wide mouthed bowl. It will be easier to remove this very slippery compound from the remaining liquid.
12. Knead the mixture with your hands. It will be very sticky at first. However, as you knead it, it will quickly turn into a manageable consistency which reminds me much of the white of a freshly fried egg. Continue kneading for a minute or so. At this point you will start to feel and see the strange properties of this compound. It will start to flow between your fingers if you stop the kneading; but, will act as a solid when you knead it.
You now have your home brew Silly Putty.
It will flow slowly, but will snap and break if you abruptly pull it. It will bounce if you form it into a ball.
13. STORE this newly prepared silly putty in a sealed plastic sandwich bag in the refrigerator when not in use.
When you need a new batch of silly putty, just mix those two prepared bottles of liquid together in equal proportions.
