Concrete Calendar With Dedicated Phone Stand
Introduction: Concrete Calendar With Dedicated Phone Stand
Today I'm going to show a simple process of making a Concrete manual calender 🗓 which you can also use as a stand for your beloved smartphone...
This project is basically aimed towards easy approach towards making things with common items....
Basically for this project I designed everything in Fusion 360 for the first time... Yes.. It's my first project with a CAD software and a 3d printer.... (BTW... I have purchased a Ender 3 with the prize money I got from instructables 🤑... And it's my first use of that pronter in any project)....
But for the ease of others... I lastly made templates for paper mould.... So... No 3d printing required 😂...
Step 1: Things We Gonna Need...
For this project... We will need only some basic tools...
* 3d printer + pla filament / a paper printer (laser)
* Celotape /any kind of plastic tape
* Concrete (I used normal cement with some white cement)
* Sanding paper
* Files
* Some random stuffs
* Mountboard / hard cardboard sheets
* Templates and other files
* Sticker paper A4
I'm giving all the 3d files and the paper version files...
**The final files are now ready ... Go to google drive links
Step 2: Start Making the Mould
Now.... As I made 2 version of the templates I have to explain both the process here😬
* For 3d printed version....
If you are using a 3d printer for printing the moulds for the project... Then pls note that the total print time will be well over 30 hours.... I didn't printed the bigger mould because as I wanted to keep this project simple for all my supporters... I planned to use paper templates....
But if you want to make printed mould... Then pls do use a good kind of mould release spray or wax.... I'm not an expert of 3d printed moulds... But from my experience... I can say that the process of taking out the casted parts from the mould... Is way harder than it looks...
In the files...there will be 1 for the holder...and 1 for the 4 cubes... Print them with your suitable settings....
* For Paper version...
If you are making the mould with my paper method... Then print the 3 pages with a laser printer. And do make sure that the scaling is right... After the print....
Cit all the pieces and stick them on a sheet of cardboard...
When that dries... Cut out them also and apply a whole layer of celotape or any other tape.... I used 2 inch craft tape...
Now cut the templates according to their proper lines and form the shape... There are some line marks for the valley fold and those mountain folds.... Keep them right...
After that... 733
Complete the mold with joining the pieces with tape... And after completing the mould... Use some silicon and seal the inner joints.... So the water will not leak to the cardboard in a large way...
Step 3: Mixing the Concrete and Pouring
For the base... I used normal cement.. With a little amount of white cement.... I mixed the mixer thoroughly and the carefully poured in the mould....
I left some extra in the mould for easy of adjustment.....
For taking out most of the bubbles... I used my random orbital sander... And with the help of its vibration power.. I easily got removed all the air bubbles from the cement mixture...
Now for the smaller cubes... I used maximum white cement and some regular cement... And poured the cement in the 3d printed Small moulds.... Make sure to use some kind of mould release or wax... Otherwise................
Onething I want to say... If you are making or using the paper mold...then make sure to add support materials like ridgit cardboard pieces on over the large flat faces...like I did with the bottom sides...otherwise your mold will also deform like mine...
Step 4: Let the Cement Cure
After pouring the cement.. In the moulds... It's time to level them and let the cement cure for at least 24 hours... And 48 hours for best results....
In the mean while... Make sure the cement is not dry.... Use water to keep the cement wet... Otherwise the curing will not be perfect....
Step 5: Demolding.. Time
After the cement is cured well... It's time to take the casting out....
Take your time... Don't rush.... Now if you have used 3d printed enclosure or mould.. I don't know how much time it will take to come out..... But as for my paper mould... It was just a fact of cutting the tapes... And the mould came right off...
And for the cubes... 254