# Igloo made from frozen milk cartoons in Canada **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 7, 2013, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330 "2013-01-07T08:04:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/21 "2013-01-07T20:16:21Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Did you notice that the dye in the ice blocks tends to be concentrated in the middle? - this is because of [fractional crystallisation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractional_crystallization_%28chemistry%29) I don’t think there’s dye in the water. I think the color you see is from the printing on the cartons themselves, which are filled with ordinary uncolored water. Look at the photos of his preparation. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/22 "2013-01-07T20:29:33Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Not sure I’d want my kids to play in a fort made out of ice blocks. One really could fall on your head – something real igloos (and the dome-shaped snow forts we built as kids) don’t have as a problem. The ice-block structures I’ve seen have been really frozen together. By which I mean that the whole thing might collapse, but the odds of one block working loose on its own is pretty minimal. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/23 "2013-01-07T20:30:47Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I don’t think there’s dye in the water. I think the color you see is from the printing on the cartons themselves, which are filled with ordinary uncolored water. Look at the photos of his preparation. Nope. From the article: > [@](#): > > The project began back in October when Miss Starrie began collecting hundreds of milk cartons at her home in Edmonton, washing and **filling them with colored water.** I think it’s very cool and beautiful. StG ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/24 "2013-01-07T20:38:01Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > The ice-block structures I’ve seen have been really frozen together. By which I mean that the whole thing might collapse, but the odds of one block working loose on its own is pretty minimal. When it’sd frozen, yes. But once it starts to melt, I’d stay out. And it can work loose even when fully chilled if it’s stressed enough. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/25 "2013-01-07T20:41:35Z")
Very cool video of an eskimo building an igoo, from 1949: [How to Build an Igloo by Douglas Wilkinson - NFB](http://www.nfb.ca/film/How_to_Build_an_Igloo) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/26 "2013-01-07T21:35:58Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I don’t think there’s dye in the water. I think the color you see is from the printing on the cartons themselves, which are filled with ordinary uncolored water. Look at the photos of his preparation. The cartons are just the mold. Once the brick is frozen then you rip it open. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/27 "2013-01-07T21:55:02Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Did you notice that the dye in the ice blocks tends to be concentrated in the middle? - this is because of [fractional crystallisation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractional_crystallization_%28chemistry%29) Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/28 "2013-01-07T22:45:28Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Not sure I’d want my kids to play in a fort made out of ice blocks. One really could fall on your head – something real igloos (and the dome-shaped snow forts we built as kids) don’t have as a problem. > [@hogarth](#): > > The ice-block structures I’ve seen have been really frozen together. By which I mean that the whole thing might collapse, but the odds of one block working loose on its own is pretty minimal. I think physics is working against them falling out, too - the dome shape kind of props each other up. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/29 "2013-01-07T23:35:34Z")
Thanks for posting. Amazing how quickly and efficiently those two men built that igloo. Heck, it takes me an hour to unpack and raise a tent. They built that igloo in not much more time. > [@needscoffee](#): > > Very cool video of an eskimo building an igoo, from 1949: [http://www.nfb.ca/film/How\_to\_Build\_an\_Igloo](http://www.nfb.ca/film/How_to_Build_an_Igloo) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2013, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/30 "2013-01-07T23:39:41Z")
It takes you an hour to raise a tent? I don’t think most men would brag about that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/31 "2013-01-08T00:04:36Z")
hmm, I could have stated that better. 😃 ---
**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:** [January 8, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330/32 "2013-01-08T00:36:09Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I don’t think there’s dye in the water. I think the color you see is from the printing on the cartons themselves, which are filled with ordinary uncolored water. Look at the photos of his preparation. (Noted others have already corrected this) - the appearance of frozen dyed water is unmistakable - here’s an article detailing a little more about how and why it separates like this: > **[Frozen Tornadoes From Used Markers](https://www.instructables.com/Frozen-Tornadoes-from-Used-Markers/)** > > Frozen Tornadoes From Used Markers: This instructable will show you how to squeeze the last bits of color out of dried out markers, and make beautiful ice blocks in the process. This is a very kid friendly project that has many teachable moments... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/igloo-made-from-frozen-milk-cartoons-in-canada/646330.md?page=1)