Turning an old vinyl record into a bowl for keys, change, or other small items like jewelry is a fun project for everyone in your family. These nostalgic and interesting crafts are fun and easy to make, add a unique look and feel to any room, and can even be a great gift for a music lover. Just find some old records at a thrift store, or from your own collection, and grab your heat gun.

Here’s how to make a vinyl record bowl:

Step 1: Balance the record on an inverted glass jar or bowl, don’t worry, you won’t have to hold it there long.

Step 2: Turn your heat gun to highest setting and begin to heat the record around the outside from about 1-2 inches above. Take special care not to heat the paper in the center.

Step 3: Envision the album cut into fourths, and heat from the inside (near the label), across the grooves and out, turning it as you go, or moving with the heat gun.

Step 4: By this point, the record should start to warp pretty significantly. From here, move your heat gun to the outside of record, heating the lip so that each fourth starts to droop.

Step 5: Keep the heat moving around record until each side looks similar. Once there is a fairly consistent shape around it, you can now start to bend it with your hands.

Tips: 

• As much as you may want to, don’t melt the record inside.
• When shaping with your hands, be careful not to burn yourself.
• Depending on whether you are using a 33 or a 78, melting times will vary based on the thickness of the plastic and the heat of your gun.
• Wear a mask when completing this craft. Melted vinyl can produce harmful chemicals.

For more information on heat gun, view other Master Appliance heat tools.