Building A Thermos

I'm not a handy guy when it comes to building or making things. I can hang a picture or (maybe) a shelf but I would never think to make my own cabinetry or anything. I can see the appeal of it though, having something that you created from nothing.

So yeah, bookshelves or a table or clock - all things I can see taking the time to make for yourself. They add personality to your home and can be passed on generation to generation.

But some things I just can't understand - like making or building your own thermos. I know, it sounds silly to you too right? I mean, it's a thermos. You pick them up at Target for a few bucks and use them until you accidentally drop them getting out of the car or knock them off the shelf when grabbing your lunch box. They're cheap and they're disposable - right?

I used to think so but recent events have led me to think there must be more to it....

Like most blog authors, I like to look at my site statistics and see how people are finding me. I've talked a bit about my search terms before but over the last couple of weeks I've been literally flooded with folks looking for information on building or making their own thermos. Ok - flooded is probably an overstatement, but I get at least 4 or 5 a day

Think about that, 4 or 5 people a day are finding my site because they are looking for information on how to make their own thermos. Even if I have a 100% click through, it still means 4 or 5 people a day are looking for information on how to make their own thermos!!

So despite my complete failure to understand why someone would want to do such a thing, I also feel bad that people are visiting me for this info and not finding a detailed schematic or something. I took a couple of minutes to try and find some resources on thermos building to include but it seems that when you google "build your own thermos" the main links you get are actually for this site, and after a few moments of searching I wasn't able to find anything here about thermos making (crappy thermos blog!!)

So I am putting out an appeal to My Thermos readers to please point me to any information you can find on thermos building that I can pass on to my other readers. I really want to be the definitive thermos building resource site on The Internet but I need your help!!

And for my distinguished thermos building wannabes - please post in the comments just what you are looking for - and for heaven's sake - why?

Posted by

Scott Blitstein

at 16:54 | 18 Comments

Defined tags for this entry: inane, search, thermos

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Open Thread - What's In My Thermos?
Since it's inception, My Thermos has always just been a place to share stuff about me. I've never had a formal theme or agenda here other than the general Thermos motif - basically things I like = hot and things I don't = cold. In an article I wrot

Weblog: My Thermos
Tracked: Jun 16, 14:40

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Well I know when I was in elementray school, I was in the "gifted" class. One of the little projects we did was to study heat, cold, and insulation, culminating in building our own "thermos" for a contest to see who could keep an ice cube from melting the least. That is perhaps a why, as for the how, good luck. But most basic thermoses (thermi?) have three basic layers, an inner liner, a core, and the outer shell. The outer shell basically protects the core, which is the most important part. A good cheap core material is styrofoam. Also you could use that foam epoxy insulator available at most hardware stores. Then you could make it of just about any shape. The inner liner is debatable. Although I would probably go with some sort metalic linner, like aluminum or copper.
For a simple project start with the foam epoxy, a plastic dixie cup big enough to hold a coke can, and an empty coke can. Empty the coke, preferably by drinking, cut of the top and clean it out. Suspend or hold the can in the cup about 1 cm off the bottom of the cup. Pour the epoxy foam components into the dixie cup. Use caution as this stuff can expand like crazy so you shouldn't need much for such a small area. Let the foam set and then trim off the excess. Fashion a lid.

#1 pilotg2 (Homepage) on 2008-02-25 21:55 (Reply)

Thanks - my wife was saying that it was probably a school project which actually does make a good bit of sense. Hopefully your detailed instructions here will assist some bewildered internet traveler and lead them on to scholarly greatness. I have an idea to create a true Thermos resource page and now I have some real content to include.

Thanks so much for the comment and the visit - was most helpful.

SB

#1.1 Scott (Homepage) on 2008-02-26 11:08 (Reply)

Can't help you with the thermos search, but I had someone from Iran find me with "photos of fat women" oh yeah, that's encouraging.

#2 cardiogirl (Homepage) on 2008-02-26 12:51 (Reply)

Well I'm certain they didn't find what they were looking for. Is odd what people search for isn't it. Gina has a pretty funny list in progress.

SB

#2.1 Scott (Homepage) on 2008-02-29 23:02 (Reply)

Your post is helpful.

#3 Artikelverzeichnis (Homepage) on 2008-02-26 13:42 (Reply)

I have to do a project on insulation and my teacher asked me to build a thermos. It's practically impossible! There is no info whatsoever and it's getting on my nerves! Please try and get info because my project is due next week!

Thanks anyway!

#4 Guillaume on 2008-06-04 18:11 (Reply)

people visit this website beacuase there is a project for grade 7s and its so hard to make a good thermos that will keep things cool and hot
i commented because i have nothing better to do, so... nice website!

#5 David (Homepage) on 2008-10-14 16:22 (Reply)

Hi,

Ok, I made a thermos flask. I really wanted to get a solar collector of the evacuated tube type, but they are sooo expensive! I learned to blow glass, borrowed my girlfriend's pottery kiln for annealing the assemblies and bought a vacuum pump to draw down a vacuum between the vessels. I have gone through an awful lot of glass to get to this stage, but have had a blast learning. I currently have two completed tubes and have two more ready to evacuate.

#6 Steve on 2008-11-02 03:37 (Reply)

i've been on a few websites and a few good things for insulators are aluiminum foil because if you put the shiny side in the heat reflects back into the liquid and everywhere you go it says styrofoam is good so maybe try that.

#7 someone (Homepage) on 2009-01-13 10:12 (Reply)

hey you guys are no help at all thanks alot. I'm looking for good insulators for building my own thermos for a school project. I found a few things but i find the same things over and over on different websites and i need different things to help me!

#8 Someone (Homepage) on 2009-01-13 10:18 (Reply)

i need to make a homemade coller by next week. cannot use ice packs for this and i need to find some good insulators to keep something cool for about 3 to 4 hours.. any ideas for me?? thanks

#9 someone lol on 2009-01-24 18:03 (Reply)

Okay.
I have the same project for Gr.7s, to build a thermos. Personally, I think the easiest, cheapest materials to use is foam, and a pop bottle [cleaned, the top cut off]. Wrapping the pop bottle with cloth is the cheapest method, yet also effective. Add foam [the foam cups you see anywhere will do]. This will be your core. Wrap with almunium foil. Then, to make it look pretty, use a decorated cloth to cover up the outside of the thermos. Enjoy !

#10 Emi-chan on 2009-02-05 16:22 (Reply)

thnx, but iv noticed everyone has the same idea in my class 4 this project, so can someone post a new idea that might work?

#11 charity on 2009-02-08 17:25 (Reply)

i have the same problems! i can't find any info that isn't repeated! the ones i have found and will probably use are:
expanding foam/ styrafoam, bubble rap and will put the shiny
sid of the aluminum foil facing the liquid inside. i will also
probably paint it either white to reflect heat or black to
absorb it. but which one should i do?? o and i heard that it is
really good if you use many layers of things to really make
it work. O and 1 more thing, always, always, always put plastic
wrap or duct tape on the outside in case it leaks. Have anymore
ideas plz reply, hope mine were helpful

#12 Rose on 2009-02-24 18:36 (Reply)

i have the same project and i think everybody is on the same websites as me can someone help mee!?!?!?

#13 bryan peppers on 2009-03-09 07:30 (Reply)

I thiink a lot of people in my class are on this website. But i hope they aren't. These ideas are good. But for my class, we have to keep a pop can cold from morning till noon using a homemade thermos made by us. :S and its not due till the end of this month but im tottaly clueless. I've read these ideas and they've helped me. But i don't want to be the same as everone else. i want to do something unique.

Thanks everyone for the help, but do you have any other great methods?

- Emma Taylor
Mr. Freedman's Class

#14 Emma Taylor <33 on 2009-04-08 18:27 (Reply)

is every1 whos posting in grade 7 ?!?!? lol use aluminum foil, stryfom and duct tape

#14.1 l LOL l on 2010-01-20 09:03 (Reply)

Use bubble wrap and duct tape. Heat can't transfer through that.

#15 curlytop101 on 2009-09-20 14:10 (Reply)

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