Clear Ice Frame

thingiverse

I love hosting parties, but dislike having those unappealing-looking ice cubes made by my home freezer. They tend to be small, and always have air bubbles making them appear milky. The side effect of the air is that it makes your fancy drinks look less than impressive. After doing some research (not too much), I discovered a method for freezing ice in my home freezer that results in mostly clear ice. Though not perfect (there is still some air left on the bottom of the cube), they look amazing in drinks. This mold is designed to use the silicone ice mold sold at many kitchen stores. The model it's intended to work with is manufactured by Tovol and is called the KING CUBE TRAY. It produces 6 two-inch cubes. Print Settings Printer Brand: MakerBot Printer: MakerBot Replicator 2 Rafts: No Supports: Yes Resolution: 0.4 Infill: 15% Notes: Supports are only required on the insert. I got the best results printing the insert upside down with supports inside to hold the floor up. I use Simplify3D and set my supports to only print from the build plate. You might want to set infill to a high number. I used 50%. This is what makes the thin walls more solid to withstand abuse. Post-Printing Some additional work is required You will need some thin sheets of Styrofoam. This will be the insulation that prevents heat from escaping the water from the bottom (cold does not transfer, only heat does). I also experimented with using expanding foam as insulation, but have yet to try this method. Just ensure if you attempt this, to use the minimally expanding version, or you may find the mold will become distorted. After final assembly, it's crucial to seal the unit using a silicone or caulk that can withstand very cold temperatures with minimal contraction. I used clear silicone. How I Designed This The Science of Clear Ice Okay, so maybe not actual science, but my interpretation of it. Have you ever noticed that in nature, you often see very clear ice on streams in the winter (for those of us living in colder climates)? What's happening is the ice is crystallizing from the surface. As the water cools, heat can only escape upwards. This prevents crystals from forming on the bottom and sides. The layers are formed very cleanly and in a more stable crystal matrix. Air is slowly pressed downward resulting in ice that is mostly clear. As the ice has a more stable matrix, it's harder, warms slower, and looks fantastic in drinks...... MMMMM... drinks .........