# Need Ice Luge help



## Macabre1 (Jan 13, 2004)

I want to make a Halloween ice luge for a halloween party this year. I want it to be coffin shaped. I've never made one before. I'm thinking about making a coffin shape out of wood then lining it with plastic and filling with water and then freezing. Not sure if this would work or not with the water expanding when it freezes. Anyone got any ideas about this or any experience with homemade ice luges?


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## HeatherEve1234 (Sep 5, 2008)

*Ice luge*

The #1 concern if making it yourself is making sure you have a big enough freezer to put it in, so be sure to check as you build. Another option might be making a fun shaped base/drainage area, but just using block ice to build up the slope?

I haven't made one, but we're planning on having one this year too and I might just have it made by an ice artist and focus on the food instead. They sell a cheap kit on amazon.com (under $20) but it looks pretty short and not that steep. The longer the slope, the more fun and the more presentation value, in my opinion. And the less likely it is to flood my house 

I looked around and found artists in the $150 range in my area (MN) including delivery and set up (very handy when I know I'll be running around with a million other projects). I'm still weighing whether I want to spend that much, but it would be hours of entertainment...


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## Macabre1 (Jan 13, 2004)

I've got a friend that has a huge freezer to put it in for me. I was thinking of putting the coffin on its side since the toe pincher type coffin would have the perfect slope to it. I've seen those ice luge kits online and they look too small. Nobody in my area makes ice luges or has even heard of them so i guess i'll try to make it. If I do i'll post pics of it. Thanks for your help HeatherEve!!


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## GDfreak (Jul 11, 2006)

Ohhh!! this would be such a neat idea!! You must MUST take pics if you do it!


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## HeatherEve1234 (Sep 5, 2008)

Mac, have you started on this? I'm also waffling between making one, I have a smallish chest freezer but it would still allow a bigger luge than the little kits. I've heard of using block ice and chipping out a channel, or creating your own "mold" but I don't quite know how deep it should be, etc. If you make any early attempts, I'd love to hear how they go!


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## Snowman671 (Sep 16, 2008)

Ice Luge's

Call all the ice suppliers you can find. you want to buy ice that is clear and made for sculpting. if you freeze your own you will end up with ice that has fissures in it and your drinks will carve channels very very quickly. once it creates a fissure it will be worthless..

most places that have this ice will sell you a block that is approx 1 foot thick by 2 foot wide and about 3-4 foot long.. 

your going to need a freezer to hold the ice if you get it before the day or else your going to be busy the day you need it..

shape the ice with a chainsaw and then use a warm rag and hot water to smooth it out. do it quick and then get it back in the freezer asap.. 

use a dremel tool (battery powered) to carve 1/4 inch wide and 1/4 inch deep channels for your tracks.. i usually do 3 tracks 2 squiggly ones on each edge and a strait one down the center. You can use a router (elec) but do so at your won risk..

don't make them too deep as they will wear fast as it is.. 
keep the ice in the freezer until 2 hours before then wrap it in a blanket and bring it out and let it acclimatise itself to the temp before unwrapping it.

lastly find someplace to get some 3" long 1 inch diameter flexible plastic tubes for people to set at the end to "catch" the drinks so they are not tounging the ice all night..

hope this helps ya out i have done several ice luges and had great success...

now for the cheap way. !!

build your coffin line it with plastic.. get some 1/4 : plastic clear flexible tubing suspend the tube with small thin wire from the top so it rests someplace near the center when filled with water freeze the tube inside the ice.. I would use some food color to tint the ice red or some other color possibly. once ice is hard shave a bit of ice off the top and bottom to expose the tube and then you can pour your shots down the tube and it will not create fissures in the ice.. you can put multiple tubes in if ya like.

for really cool ice luge get some LED battery powered Christmas lights and put them either underneath or freeze them in the block of ice. either way it will be great looking and they don't get hot so it don't melt the ice.. 

if you go cheap route you need to chill your shots first as they wont get near as cold running thu the tubes as if they were direct on the ice.

Hope this helps ya a bit..

Snowman


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## HeatherEve1234 (Sep 5, 2008)

AWESOME! Do you have any pics of what you've done before???


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## Snowman671 (Sep 16, 2008)

Sorry I don't have pictures but I have done it both ways. The first is easiest but you have to find the sculpting ice.. the second is best if your going to do it yourself.

Snowman


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## Macabre1 (Jan 13, 2004)

Heather I haven't started it yet. I was doing a little research on it and as Snowman said with homemade one there will be fissures in it. I read that the water should be boiled twice before making an ice luge so the water will be clear and not cloudy white. Not sure if this will work or not. I'm not sure if i'll call an ice company for a block and then shape it myself or try the homemade way. Thank you for all your help Snowman, you've brought up good points on the different methods. I will definitely keep you posted on what I do. And GDFreak I will definitely take pics and post them!!


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## Macabre1 (Jan 13, 2004)

Well i'm going to try to make a homemade one. The ice companies in my area only sell ice blocks that weigh 300 lbs and thats way too big. I'm going to make a toepincher coffin shape and line it with plastic. I have no idea what kind of plastic to use. I guess i'll go to Menards and see what they suggest. I also think i'll spray the plastic with vegetable spray first so hopefully the ice won't stick to the plastic.


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## korigirl (Aug 28, 2010)

Did anyone here make one of these?? 

I want one for my party this year but I don't want to pay for it. A company here does it for $45, which is pretty darn cheap, but I'm also cheaper. ha. We got one last year and it was a lot of fun. I'll post a pic. It was only $30 last year but looks like they are making them angled this year so you don't need a stand for them. That's smart of them.

I like the idea of the tube going down the middle of it, maybe I'll try that.



















and this is a picture the company has on their website with a rope light under it... it looks awesome.










Here is the new and improved $45 angled one










hmmm... maybe we should break down and go ahead and buy it from them...


This is how ours from last year melted, so it's obvious the water was treated in some way, because normal ice doesn't melt like this.


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## iceberguk (Sep 7, 2012)

For those of you in the UK looking for a ice luge or vodka luge, this website has these 3 Halloween designs for £149 which can ordered online.

www.vodkaluge.co.uk 

No need to make moulds and try to make them yourselves now!

Happy Lugeing!


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