Pulp It! - 3D Printable Recycled Cardboard Molds
Introduction: Pulp It! - 3D Printable Recycled Cardboard Molds
Tired of throwing cardboard boxes away? Want to recycle at home with a 3D printer? I've got the perfect project for you.
Pulp It! offers new ways to reshape recycled cardboard at home with just a 3D printer. Download different molds and start making recycled products today.
Supplies
Only basic tools are needed to make incredible cardboard products:
* FDM 3D Printer: Any 3D printer works as the molds are made with PLA plastic
* Blender: Used to pulp the cardboard. Similar tools may also work.
* Cloth: To remove excess water from the pulp.
* Clamps: To press the parts together and form the cardboard product.
* Scissors: to cut the cardboard into smaller pieces.
And some supplies too:
* PLA plastic: To 3D print the molds.
* Cardboard: Or any other pulp-based material such as paper or packing material.
* Glue: PVA glue or rice paste works best.
* Water
Step 1: Pulp It Mold Set
The Pulp It! mold set includes four different designs: Pencil Holder, Box, Tray and Coaster.
Also, an Autodesk Fusion 360 parametric design is also available. With it, you can easily change the dimensions of the mold and customize it with your own text and logo.
Step 2: 3D Printing the Molds
Choose one or more of the mold designs and 3D print them. Keep in mind that these parts will need to withstand pressure, so they need to be resistant.
Recommended print settings:
* Layer Height: 0.2-0.3mm
* Wall thickness: 1.6mm
* Top/Bottom thickness: 1.5mm
* Infill Density: 20%
Tip: The mold designs are compatible with larger nozzles. Use a 0.6mm or 0.8mm nozzle to print the molds faster. That will also make them more resistant!
Each mold has at least four parts:
* Walls: Vertical walls that form the side shape.
* Wall Clip: This clip keeps the wall mold closed and withstands some pressure.
* Bottom lid: It forms the bottom part of the mold and it's flat. It could also be curved.
* Top lid: It forms the interior shape and determines the object's thickness.
There are some molds such as the ones from the Box design that include two different Top lid parts. 254
That's because the same mold set makes two different objects just by changing the Top lid: one makes the cardboard container and the other one the cardboard lid.
Don't know which one to start with?
If it's the first time you'll make objects with recycled cardboard and 3D printed molds, I personally recommend trying the Box design.
Step 3: Making the Pulp
Now the fun part begins!
Preparing the cardboard
Almost any type of pulp-based materials work. If you're using cardboard boxes make sure any tape or coatings are removed before making the pulp.
Make sure you cut the cardboard into smaller pieces so you can easily blend them. For example, 1x3" (25x75mm) cardboard pieces work great for standard-size blenders.
Choosing the binder
A water-soluble binder is required to improve the strength of the final product and it also helps keep its shape when drying.
There are two main binders that I recommend: PVA glue and rice paste (AKA rice glue). I personally recommend using PVA glue if it's your first time working with paper pulp as it's easier to use.
Tip: If you have access to soluble PVA filament for FDM 3D printers, you can dissolve some of it and use it as glue.
Mixing the ingredients
This isn't an exact science. It's recommended to start with the water and binder and slowly add the cardboard until the mix is dense enough.
Warning: Never add too much cardboard as you can damage the blender.
Here's the amount of material I start with:
* Water: 500g
* Cardboard: 150g
* Binder: 30g
Mix all the ingredients until the pulp has a homogeneous consistency. If you can still see pieces of cardboard, you need to blend them more. You can always remove some cardboard bits from the pulp if they had a non-soluble material such as tape or staples that you didn't see during the cutting process.
When making pulp it's difficult to estimate the right amount to make as the density of the mix can vary. However, it's always better to prepare too much than to run out of it in the middle of a project. 254