Halloween "Blood Cocktail" Drink Cooler and Dispenser
by Skrunge in Living > Halloween
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Halloween "Blood Cocktail" Drink Cooler and Dispenser
My two youngest children have birthdays just before and after Halloween. So each year we have a combined birthday and Halloween party for all ages, adults and children.
The main drink served every year is a "Blood Cocktail" made from mixed fruit juices, soda water and blood coloured with fruit pulp from raspberries, blueberries, red dragon fruit and other red fruit.
This year I have made the perfect cooler to serve it.
The main drink served every year is a "Blood Cocktail" made from mixed fruit juices, soda water and blood coloured with fruit pulp from raspberries, blueberries, red dragon fruit and other red fruit.
This year I have made the perfect cooler to serve it.
The Base Cooler
I purchased a new, approximately 20 Litre "Everest" cooler from a local supplier. It cost about $15 and is ideal for a couple of reasons. It is red(!), the lid handle unscrews and it comes with a little basket in the top.
Red is important because it is the colour of blood. The basket will hold a bowl with bricks of dry ice and some hot water, giving a required eerie look as the mist pours out of the hole in the lid, or the "mouth" if the lid is kept open by the lid handle, as in the first photo .
Red is important because it is the colour of blood. The basket will hold a bowl with bricks of dry ice and some hot water, giving a required eerie look as the mist pours out of the hole in the lid, or the "mouth" if the lid is kept open by the lid handle, as in the first photo .
I also purchased a tap and plastic fitting. The tap here has been painted red during a former, abortive attempt to make a cooker.
The tap needs to be fitted securely to its fitting before you continue. Lots of plumber's tape helps ensure a watertight joint.
The tap needs to be fitted securely to its fitting before you continue. Lots of plumber's tape helps ensure a watertight joint.
Use a hole cutting drill attachment, with a diameter just larger than the tap's fitting, cut a hole close to the bottom of the cooler. This is about 1cm above the inside bottom.
The cut hole. Tidy it up with a bit of sand paper.
The magic ingredient. This epoxy putty is very hard and totally waterproof when set. It needs to be kneaded to mix the putty with its hardener. It gets very hot and sticky. When it is a uniform colour, form it around the plastic tap fitting and shove it in your hole.
Make sure your tap faces downwards and ensure a close fit both inside and out then wait for it to harden, about 15 minutes.
Make sure your tap faces downwards and ensure a close fit both inside and out then wait for it to harden, about 15 minutes.
Photographed from underneath. (The cooler is upside down.) The putty has hardened and it is ready to be sanded and painted.
After painting, the cooler is almost ready.
The finishing touch is this graphic. Downloaded from the web, it is from a "True Blood" poster. Slightly photoshopped to lengthen the fang and printed on sticky vinyl, it helps set the scene.
I apologise, I have no dry ice and can not show it in action, but I will photograph it later and upload the pic when I can.
Total cost of this. About US£25 all in. I live in Thailand so prices may be different where you are.
Please be kind, this is my very first Instructible.
I apologise, I have no dry ice and can not show it in action, but I will photograph it later and upload the pic when I can.
Total cost of this. About US£25 all in. I live in Thailand so prices may be different where you are.
Please be kind, this is my very first Instructible.