melt them in the oven. I have read that here before but do not know the details. Hopefully someone else will know.

I haven't done it but, have seen it done. Put metal bowl on cookie sheet, record on top. When it starts to get hot, using a oven mitt, shape it like you want it. I am not sure what temp the oven should be, so would start with a low setting. Another suggestion for old records is to stencil on them, hang or put on a easel used for plates or pictures.

If you google for this info, you'll find lots of variations on how to do it. Here is one:

"Make heirloom serving dishes by placing records on top of an oven-safe bowl covered with aluminum foil. Heat oven to 175 degrees. Turn off heat and insert the record and bowl until the record begins to melt or the edges begin to drop (about five minutes), covering the bowl. Remove from the oven and allow cooling, preserving the shape."

And here are a couple more:

How to Make Vinyl Bowls

Roxycraft: Record Bowl

My mom did this over 20 yrs ago to make center pieces for the PTA luncheon honoring the teachers.
Red Confetti's directions are the ones she used. Just a warning it does make an awful smell so make sure you do it on a day when you can open the windows up.

Thanks everyone...I knew this group would have the answers. I'm kicking myself that I GSaled most of my LPs, but forturnately, they're a common GS item, and I can re-collect. Hope to get enough for a party I'm having Oct. 14. I'll try to get them done well ahead of time so the smell has left the house.

Thanks from me, too. I've seen a couple of them lately in stores and was wanting to make some myself.

I've been making them and they are a hit, especially with the younger members of the family and my friends. They make great candy bowls and covers for small flowerpots. I have one in my bathroom, filled with all the small clutter that usually just lies around, like cosmetics, hair accessories, nail clippers, and so on.

My method:
I heat the oven to about 180 degress Celcius (340 F), put the record on top of a bowl (for wide, shallow bowls) or a vase (for higher, deeper bowls). Put it in the oven for about 1 1/2 minutes, and no longer than 2 minutes (vinyl stinks and smokes when it melts). The aim is to make them pliable without melting them. I then put on a pair of leather gloves, remove the record and bowl/vase from the oven, and quickly form the bowl around the container. You need to be quick, because in about 20 seconds the vinyl has become almost too hard to form. Even badly scratched records come out of the oven shiny and looking like new.

The sun will melt them!...Many years ago when we were moving, I placed several LP's in the cars' back window, and when I finally retrieved them, they had warped into some strange shapes...I tossed them out...Some were melted around the edges that resembled scallops...might of made an unusual looking 'flower'...(?)but that was long before I knew about Garden Junk.

Has anyone ever heard of putting them in the microwave? Just a thought, but a small microwave could be taken outside on the porch, and no smell in the house.

I've a friend who is an avid LP collector. He has his own business buying and selling records. He used some old LPs last weekend as chargers under their China plates. It looked great and really set the theme for dinner. Of course we listened to some great tunes on vinyl that he'd never use for this purpose! He also mentioned the bowls. I'll have to ask him if knows the details.