Life Science: Bottle Biology
Bottle Anatomy
The most important parts of the bottle to notice are the “shoulder” and the “hip”. These points are where the bottle begins to narrow at the top and the bottom, and are where bottles are fit together.
Generally, you will cut bottles just below or above the shoulder or hip, depending on the system you ’re building.
Because the diameters of bottles from different brands may vary (Coke vs. Pepsi, for example), it’s a good idea to construct any one bottle using only one brand.
Removing the
Skin
You’ll need a hairdryer to remove the skin:
- Leave the cap on or fill the bottle with water to prevent warping.
- Hold the bottle between your thighs so you have one hand free for the hairdryer and one free to pull the label off.
- Set the hairdryer on low.
- Hold the bottle about 10 cm from the blowing nozzle, and move it rapidly up and down so the air warms the seam of the label. Keep the nozzle moving so the bottle doesn’t overheat and warp.
- Gently pull on an edge of the label until you feel the glue begin to give. Then pull the label off!
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