D-I-Y
In praise of a 2 litre Coke bottle
F
or something that
contains a substance so
poisonous to humans as
sugar-and-chemical-laden
cold drink it is refreshing that
the plastic bottle should be
such a useful thing about a
smallholding.
For a 2-litre PET bottle is,
indeed a versatile thing! Here
are just some of its uses about
the plot.
K Funnel ~ Remove the cap
and cut away the top, making
the “body” as long or as short
as you like. The top end,
inverted, makes an invaluable
funnel for filling generators,
mowers and tractors with
petrol or diesel in a spill-proof
way. (A small 500ml cold
drink bottle subjected to
similar treatment makes a
handy funnel for filling the
same machines' sumps with
oil).
The bottoms of bottles thus
cut up make handy disposable containers for washing
paint brushes, washing
machine components in
petrol, storing nuts and bolts
in the workshop, scooping
animal feed in measurable
quantities, and spreading
fertilizers
The bottoms, with holes
punched in them, also make
handy, if not very attractive,
flower pots.
K Fly catcher ~ Remove the
cap and cut away the top
about 1cm down the vertical
side. Turn it upside down and
force it inside the bottom so
that the two cut away edges
align. Using a standard office
stapler, fix the two sections
together.
Punch two holes, on opposite
sides of the container and
thread a loop of wire through,
hooking the ends inside the
container.
Mix up a dose of proprietary
fly-bait (or make your own
out of meat scraps, syrup and
water) and pour this into the
container.
Hang the container in full sun,
(but under a protective
overhang to prevent rain
water from filling the bottle).
Shake the bottle every day for
a couple of days till the
mixture it contains is good
and ripe and pongy and you
Continued on page 47
Coke bottle fly trap
46
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