How to make your own stress squeeze toy, (or how that stuff you learn from tv science shows can be truly useful).

Tools and Materials:

Step 1.

Pour very hot water into the empty gatorade bottle. Empty the bottle quickly and slip balloon into bottle and fit the mouth of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, so the bottle mouth holds the balloon open and makes a seal and the balloon is dangling inside the bottle.

As the steam inside the bottle cools, the air pressure inside the bottle will decrease, it will try to draw air into the bottle through the mouth, but the balloon is in the way, so it will artificially expand the balloon inside the bottle, making a nice easy cavity for us to pour baking soda into.

Step 2.

Take the syphon and pour a reasonable amount of baking soda in it. Slowly pour the baking soda into the balloon until you have a good amount in there. It may take several syphon loads. You're just going to have to eyeball it.

Step 3.

Now, to remove the balloon from the bottle. Pour a few milliliters of water (maybe 10 to 15 drops) into the balloon to form a seal over the top of the baking soda so when you break the seal between the balloon and the bottle, the baking soda won't come exploding out of the balloon and covering every available surface.

Quickly pinch the neck of the balloon (there's no telling how long the seal will last) and then slowly work the balloon out of the bottle. Once you have it out, work all the remaining air out of the balloon while still retaining a firm grip on the neck. Tie a firm knot around the neck of the balloon, snip off the excess and you have just made your very own stress ball.

Double bag the balloon if you are feeling paranoid. I had one such balloon explode on me at work, all over my clothes and desk and keyboard and it sucked.

I will take you a few tries to get it just right, but, keep trying. It is very worth it.

It took me about 10 tries following different instructions I found on the internet to work out this method. The gatorade bottle is my original idea. I guess watching Mr. Wizard all those years paid off...