Mobile
To make a CD mobile,
you can choose to use the CD just as it is, or paint/decorate it with
your own designs. It can make an effective mobile if you leave the silver
side undecorated and hang the mobile objects from it so that they are
reflected in that surface.
- Take a CD and decorate one or both surfaces if you want to using stickers, permanent markers or enamel paint. It may be nice to leave the silver side undecorated.
- Drill four or six small holes near the outer edge of the CD at equal distances. For example if you drill four holes they should be at 90o intervals.
- Take a piece of 14mm dowel and cut a 1cm piece.
- Screw a small "eye" (as in hook and eye) into one end and glue the dowel into the centre hole of the CD.
- Cut as many lengths of thread as you drilled holes. You can either cut them to the same length or to different lengths depending on how you want to hang your mobile objects.
- Tie each piece of thread onto the CD, one at each outer hole.
- Cut a piece of string and attach it to the "eye".
- Now make the objects to hang at the ends of the thread. Here are some ideas:
- Take old greetings cards and glue them so there are pictures on both sides, then cut them out as shapes. Tie one at the end of each piece of thread.
- Make some small Fimo or salt dough objects and paint them, and then glue or tie them onto the threads.
- Make some small cardboard or wooden objects, and paint them, and then glue or tie them onto the threads.
- Finally, attach the mobile using the string that is tied to the "eye" in the dowel at the centre.
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Spinning top
CDs make an effective
spinning top, though you should use three or four at a time or the top
is too light. Here's how to make one.
- Take a piece of 14mm dowel and cut a 1.5cm piece.
- Drill the dowel with a central hole just wide enough for a 4mm dowel to fit inside. You may have to drill this by hand; if so try to make sure the hole is both central and straight through keeping parallel with the sides of the dowel. (You will probably need an adult to help with this - see diagram).
- Glue three or four CDs together using PVA or similar glue, and making sure the two outer CDs have their silver sides showing.
- When glue is dry, decorate the outer surfaces of the CDs as you like
using any combination of the art materials such as permanent marker
pens, stickers, enamel paint. Patterns which radiate from the centre
will blend colours when the top is spun; patterns which are concentric
will appear as circular lines. Leave CDs to dry.
- Fit the CDs onto the 14mm dowel and glue in place.
- Take a piece of 4mm dowel and cut a 10cm length.
- Whittle one end of the 4mm dowel to make a reasonable, but not sharp point (we don't want children to harm themselves or others!).
- Push the 4mm dowel trough the 14mm dowel so that the sharpened end protrudes by about 3cm.
- Spin the top. If it doesn't spin well, experiment with pushing the 4mm dowel further in or not so far until you get the right balance. Then glue in place.