The Easter Colander

I live for the dollar store, Dollarama in my part of the world.  So many interesting things for less then $3.  I don't feel guilty when I make a horrible mistake and have to throw it out.  Or have to spend even a small amount of cash (and wait for a month for it to arrive) on items on Ebay when I could make it myself.  Not that I don't hit Ebay way too often, but challenging yourself is good too.

I wanted a colander for the kitchen.  Tutorials involved metal bits and I thought, ummm, I'm going to slice off a finger doing this.  

Fast forward a week or two.  Dollarama is always 6 months ahead of the holiday its selling for.  Christmas in July?  I was a more then a little surprised to see that this summer.  Easter apparently started in January this year.  Again, surprised that we start counting down that soon.  But hanging on the wall were bags and bags on mini plastic Easter eggs.  Jackpot!  

Stop and think about how many mini items need a curved bowl surface (besides the obvious bowl).  Lights? colander? the ideas are endless.  The eggs cut like a dream with scissors or a knife, and you can sand the edges.

I HAVE NOT seen this on Pinterest.  How have the Easter eggs escaped people?  I am truly surprised.  

Supplies:

• 1.5 (ish) inch plastic Easter egg
• Knife or scissors
• Sharpie
• Drill with fine bit
• Internal tooth lock washer
• Finishing washer
• Silver spray paint
• Satin clear spray paint (to seal)
• Wire clippers
• No More Nails Glue
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Silver craft paint (touch ups)

Just in case it wasn't clear, this is 1:12 scale =:)

I cut the connector piece between the 2 sides of the egg and used the rounded end, not the pointy end of the egg.

I attempted a design with my Sharpie.  The results were mixed.  I didn't mind it.

Then, I took my fine drill bit (and my battery powered drill) and made the holes.  The eggs can totally hold up to the drilling.  No cracking at all.  Just watch your fingers as the bit can slip, its a smooth rounded surface.

The washer on the left is a "finishing washer" aka the base of the colander the egg will sit on.

The washer on the right is a "internal tooth lock washer" aka the handles.  Cut in half with wire clippers

I know their names because I sorted and labeled my washers in my little sorting drawers.  Surprised at that?

Assembly

Step 1

Spray it all silver!  I even sprayed the washers.  I wanted a consistent silver finish

The plastic took the spray paint without issue, and it did not say it would specifically work on plastic (Rustoleum Silver).  

As you can see I jammed the colander on the tip of my knife, sprayed it silver and held it up with my wrench.  I wanted to avoid weird drip marks (due to the little holes) that might have appeared it you had just sprayed the outside and then the inside separately.

2 thin coats worked fine.

Step 2

Using pliers bend the internal tooth lock washer to make it slightly curved (as handles would appear attached to a colander).  I even used my vice grip, much easier.

Step 3

After it was dry for 24 hrs I began gluing.  I actually waited that long to ensure the paint was cured on the plastic.

I used No More Nails to adhere the base to the egg and let it dry for 1 hour.  Then I moved to the handles.  I didn't want shifting and bumping things, because its small finicky work.  The handles were tough to stick.  I dabbed No More Nails on the ends (a good dab, it will act as a equalizer if you didn't bend the washer enough) and just tapped it to the colander.  Do once side at a time! Support the colander so its on its side for the handle to dry on a level plane.  About 2-3hrs.  Then repeat the other side.

Step 4

Use your silver craft paint to paint the No More Nails glue as it dries white

Step 5

Seal with the satin spray paint.  It does take the sheen off of the metal spray paint.  And it caused ever so slight bubbling on the silver spray paint on the base finishing washer.  Nothing I was worried about.

My Mistake

I tried to glue the handles on with Quick Grip Glue.  DON'T!!  It wouldn't adhere to the painted plastic because it started to take off the silver paint!!!!  I quickly took it off and removed the glue.  That's why I used the No More Nails.  No issues then.


The metal handles were a bit of a pain, so replacing them with plastic egg cut off bits would work too!