I picked up the May 2013 issue of Real Simple Magazine in my doctor's office, and came across an article about how to recycle old CD discs on page 42. They had ideas for using them as reflectors for car headlights, a sun catcher, and some other outdoor decorations.
These ideas are so bad that I had to scribble a warning on the page, telling people not to do that.
Several years ago, CD sun catcher crafts were all the rage. I made some to sell at craft shows. As I was sitting in my craft show booth, the sun began to set. The CD turned to just the right angle and caught the sun’s rays. It reflected the sun light directly into my eyes with laser point accuracy. It hurt like all heck. I saw CD shaped spots in my eyes for the next six months. It was just like do-it-yourself Lasik surgery.
A few months later, I was at the corner of 12th Ave. and Bayou Blvd, watching a red light and waiting for it to turn green. A strong, bright flash of light would appear every few seconds. It was a CD sun catcher swinging in the breeze, hung from a balcony that was a good six to ten blocks away from the intersection. Even at that distance, the reflected light was strong enough to blind drivers and cause a traffic jam.
CD sun catcher patterns should be crossed out of every craft program, book or web site. When I see patterns for these crafts, I try to post a warning about how these crafts can cause eye injury when they are hung outdoors.
If you want to do a CD craft, only use the clear plastic disc that comes on the top of the stack, and is used for packing material. If it’s a real CD, sand the surface with fine grit sand paper and then spray paint the plastic with plastic model kit paint. Metal flake paint will sparkle, but it won’t put your eye out.
These ideas are so bad that I had to scribble a warning on the page, telling people not to do that.
Several years ago, CD sun catcher crafts were all the rage. I made some to sell at craft shows. As I was sitting in my craft show booth, the sun began to set. The CD turned to just the right angle and caught the sun’s rays. It reflected the sun light directly into my eyes with laser point accuracy. It hurt like all heck. I saw CD shaped spots in my eyes for the next six months. It was just like do-it-yourself Lasik surgery.
A few months later, I was at the corner of 12th Ave. and Bayou Blvd, watching a red light and waiting for it to turn green. A strong, bright flash of light would appear every few seconds. It was a CD sun catcher swinging in the breeze, hung from a balcony that was a good six to ten blocks away from the intersection. Even at that distance, the reflected light was strong enough to blind drivers and cause a traffic jam.
CD sun catcher patterns should be crossed out of every craft program, book or web site. When I see patterns for these crafts, I try to post a warning about how these crafts can cause eye injury when they are hung outdoors.
If you want to do a CD craft, only use the clear plastic disc that comes on the top of the stack, and is used for packing material. If it’s a real CD, sand the surface with fine grit sand paper and then spray paint the plastic with plastic model kit paint. Metal flake paint will sparkle, but it won’t put your eye out.
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