# how do they make ice for sculptures?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 24, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791 "2003-03-24T15:48:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791/1 "2003-03-24T15:48:32Z")

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Some friends are getting married, they’re having an ice sculpture, the demo that the sculptor showed us said it was “poor quality” ice and thus didn’t look as good as theirs will for the wedding

The question is this: How do they make better and poorer qualities of ice for sculpting? What’s the process by which they make clear ice vs. opaque?

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**Author:** ![Jammers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@Jammers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jammers)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791/2 "2003-03-24T15:54:41Z")

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I think that if you freeze hot water, it makes clear ice.

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**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791/3 "2003-03-24T16:07:46Z")

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When you freeze hot water, it becomes cold water first.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791/4 "2003-03-24T16:10:56Z")

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Boiling the water before freezing it (yes, it will have to get cold before it freezes) should reduce the amount of dissolved gases - this should make clearer ice.

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**Author:** ![Jammers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@Jammers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jammers)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791/5 "2003-03-24T16:13:13Z")

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Hmm. True, maybe it’s boiled water, so that it’s purer. For ice cubes in drinks, i boil the water first, then freeze straight away. Always clear cubes. I thought it was the heat, though.

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791/6 "2003-03-24T16:19:19Z")

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[hijack]There is a very interesting debate regarding whether or not hot water freezes faster than cold; it is the so called _Mpemba Effect_.

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**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-make-ice-for-sculptures/163791/7 "2003-03-24T16:25:44Z")

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Yo, [look at this](http://home.howstuffworks.com/question205.htm) [and this](http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question152.htm) [oh yeah, and this too](http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF8/864.html)

cheers