Does anyone have any idea on how to get a sealed, sucked in bottle to expand out without breaking the seal? I managed to get a bottle of Red Fusion yesterday that had been sitting around for a few years at a Dr. Pepper bottling plant. The only problem is that the bottle looks as if it is smashed because the side of it is sucked in. Since I want to keep this bottle for my collection of extinct beverages, I don't want to break the seal.

Unfortunatley, I don't belive there is a way to correct this. I have dozens of bottles like this and they look so sad. I've just learned to live with it.

OK. I think I might have figured out a way to fix this bottle.

Heat a sauce pan with water just to the boiling point. Let the bottom of the plastic bottle heat up so that the top of the pop gets hot and bubbles. As soon as it get heated put the bottle in a full ice bath. Be careful and rotate the bottle for a few moments, then take the bottle out of the ice batch and gently shake it to try and take out the bulge.

The heat will soften the plastic and make it flexible. The cold bath will help the heated gas expand as you rock it gently.

If this works then I will be happy.
If this fails than my suit cases are pack for the middle East. LOL

[ 10-06-2005, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: Mr Zabe ]

Hey, that's pretty good Zabe! But, please try it and let us know the results! haha..

I think I'll try it on another, less important bottle first. But it sounds like it should work! Have you tried it before?

[ 10-06-2005, 05:49 PM: Message edited by: jericho ]

Pete,
I'm neat freak. I would never acquire a sucked in bottle. I don't even collect, I solely consume the soda pop.

I bet this de-sucking procedure might work.
Let's call it the BzabeJ Procedure. LOL

I say you should give it try.

PS I have not tried it but I love science, I recall seeing this done on some goofy kids show when I was a kid. If I could relive my youth I would study math the physical sciences. Those two fields are so awesome and so useful to our daily world. Think about it every day we use math. How many 20oz bottles of Coke will fill a 2ltr bottle up? Just an example.

[ 10-06-2005, 06:14 PM: Message edited by: Mr Zabe ]

Would that goofy kids show be "Mr. Wizards World"? I used to love that show on Nickelodeon.

Bingo!!!!
Yes it was.
I liked the show but I thought some of those kids could use intense drug therapy. LOL It was a great show.

Well, I tried the experiement tonight. I tested on a bottle of water that I opened and then squeezed closed making it about the same amount sucked in as the Red Fusion bottle. I then boiled a pot of water and sat the bottle right in the middle of the boiling water. (it did not melt the plastic) The bottle never got hot enough for the liquid to bubble but the heat did push out the air making the bottle firm. Once the bottle was as firm as it would get I put it in the icy water. This caused the bottle to shrink back up.

Next I did the same thing with the bottle of Red Fusion. Since this drink is carbinated and still air tight sealed, I wondered if it would react differently. In the pot of boiling water the bottle reacted the same as the bottle of water, it firmed up gradually. I did not put the bottle of Red Fusion in the icy water just to see what would happen after the Red Fusion cooled down. It's been several hours now and the liquid is close to room temperature and the bottle is STILL FIRM AND NOT BENT!!! The bottle of Red Fusion looks as good as new.

My Grashopper.....you done damn good!!!!!!

The gas (Co2) cooled off and expanded thereby expanding your indentation. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Mr Wizard, may he rest in peace, would have been so proud of you.

[ 10-07-2005, 12:02 AM: Message edited by: Mr Zabe ]