Acquire a huge refrigerated warehouse. Install structure to support a 300' foot cube of water, but leave the top side open. From above this space, dangle hundreds of small lights by their wires at random places within this cube. Mix up 2,240 gallons of gelatin, preferrably of a dessertal persuasion and of a vivid color. Fill cube with said mixture. Chill warehouse.
While cooling, run wires from lights to a control panel with at least power regulation and simple/random sequencing.
After entire cube is set (estimated at about one week), remove support structure. Apply power to lights and gape in awe at the twinkling, sparkling beauty of a massive, free standing hunk of simple, gelatinous dessert.
Other possibilities include glass-lined hallways within the interior for browsing the inner depths, and removing the entire warehouse with the structure. Suggestions for categorization and clever nomenclature welcome.
*stands atop a water tower screaming* "IT IS MY *ART*!! GAZE AND BE BEWILDERED! GWAAHAHAHA!"-- absterge, Oct 12 2003 <jello jingle>"Watch it wiggle..."
category: culture-art-sculpture?-- RayfordSteele, Oct 12 2003 The "stellar" in the title made me think you would be putting it in orbit.-- Detly, Oct 12 2003 I'm inclined to suggest fiber optics as I'm afraid the lamps might melt the Jell-o.-- phoenix, Oct 13 2003 Solve the ant problem by using the unflavoured/unsugared gelatin. Could colour it too. Unfortunately it wouldn't be appealing as a dessert item, but then again I think I'd rather view it as art than eat it, especially after all that work.-- BayRatt, Oct 14 2003 is there not a finite size of jelly (jello) that could be self supporting? Am a little concerned that the lights would melt it, but more worried that the whole thing would wobble itself to the ground.-- jonthegeologist, Oct 14 2003 a stellar gelatin sculpture is not just for christmas..-- po, Oct 14 2003 [geologist], I was thinking something similar. I would expect that given a jello sculpture of a certain height, the hydrostatic pressure will exceed the sheer strength of the jello. If anyone can figure out the tensile or sheer strength of jello, let me know.-- Laughs Last, Oct 14 2003 Free-standing jello tower? Never happen. It would refuse to solidify in the center creating a giant jello bomb which would collapse toward the last removed support wall, rendering the warehouse unserviceable and the hapless wall removers inert and possibly suffocating. So, this won't work. But perhaps if you built your jello brick by brick and stacked the cubes in ever decreasing layers creating a cone or a pyramid, you might be able to achieve your gelatinous dream.-- k_sra, Oct 14 2003 hmm. I suppose all you nay-sayers are right. I like your idea best though, [bliss]. And the fiber optics.
Could we not calculate the best ratio of width/depth to height, given the mechanical properties of gelatin?
The brick-by-brick idea robs me of my will to create. In my mind, it only works as a huge monolith. Now, I would not object to a support structure of vertical pylons made entirely super-clear plastic, if it meant more height was achievable.-- absterge, Oct 17 2003 Maybe you can overcome the excessive heat problem by casting the jello in thin layers. Mix the jello one batch at a time in a vat, wait for it to begin to set, pump it up through a hose. The tip of the hose should be actively cooled, to make sure that the gel is slightly cooled. Pour this on top of the sculpture, and wait for it to fully set up before adding the next layer.-- Laughs Last, Oct 17 2003 [LL]: This is the same concept they use in building concrete dams. If they did it all at once, it would never set.
As for the heat problem: I have sets of LED christmas tree lights that would be perfect for this porpoise. They don't burn out, either.-- Cedar Park, Oct 18 2003 random, halfbakery