Thread: IV bags *DIY Required!!!

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Okay, so the hospital theme is super popular. I've thought up how to make an IV bag, pole, and attach it to someone.

You will need:

-vacuum sealer such as the Food Saver
- plastic sealant material for sealer
-frozen theater blood (ice cubes)

-OR-

-Prop IV bag

And...

-5 ft. Wooden or metal pole
-power drill
-6 12 in. Shelf brackets
-sheet metal screws
-4 wheels with brackets attached
-1 - 2 cans Chrome spray paint
-3 - 4 ft. Clear plastic tubing
-2 stoppers for tubing
-plastic safe epoxy
-theater blood
-long embroidery needle
-medical tape
-scissors

To make an IV bag, cut the basic shape out of 2 sheets of plastic and seal all sides except the bottom where tubing would be attached. take frozen blood cubes, 4 or so, place in bag and seal high enough to still leave an opening, like this: /_ _\ (dotted line is opening)

Cut a strip of plastic 1/2 in. wide, 5 in. Long and secure it in a loop to the backside of. the bag, about an inch from the top with the epoxy.

Put a stopper in one end of the tubing and fill with theater blood. put other stopper in. Attach one end to opening of bag with epoxy. On the other end, put a large glow of epoxy at the tip of the tubing. When almost dry, insert Sharp side of needle and let dry. Tape other side of needle, about 1/4 in. From end so it doesn't puncture skin accidentally. Adhere at desired location with medical tape.
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For IV pole, attach 4 brackets to one end of the pole in an X formation with screws. To the brackets, attach wheels so when on the ground, it can roll with little effort. On the other end, attach the remaining brackets in a T formation, as if to hang an IV bag from (which you will once the frozen blood melts). Spraypaint the entire apparatus, was when dry you're ready to go!

Neat idea and thanks for sharing

Cool idea! Do you have any pics?

we haven't put the whole thing together. we were messing around at work (I work @ home depot) and a similar pole was made to let customers know where certain clinis would be held. As for the blood, i got the idea from a commercial . Ever seen one of those blue gel cold packs for a lunch box? On the commercial they used ice cubes for the first time and refroze it. I know theater blood can freeze (NOT a good idea to store Halloween props in your garage for the winter in Ohio) so why not make cubes and do the same? Plus, one could print labels off their computer to put on the bags.

We started to do the IV bags one year as invites but never finished. I like the idea of an IV pole.

Pic in my album.

Drea

I figure if you buy the prop bags, you can forego the whole first process. the ones i've seen have tubal placement for an IV line and grommets so they can be hung. drea11, how did you make yours? they look awesome

We used the seal-a-meal thing. We put tea in the bags as a test. We got side-tracked with other decor when it came to the tubing. We figured it was something small and wouldnt take long so we put it off... : /