You don’t necessarily need a 3D printer for DIY plastic projects. Brothers Matt and Jonny Browning from Great Britain have been showing this on their YouTube channel for years Brothers Make. There they recycle plastic waste with small and large devices into new furniture, dishes or other practical things. In their current video, they give seven project tips, ranging from simple to (mechanically) complex.
The two makers mainly use bottle caps made of plastic as the material High density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP). These can be thermally deformed and in the videos are first heated with heat guns and contact grills until an elastic mass is formed. After that, it is properly kneaded, pressed, sawn, milled and sanded until a new product is created. The mix of different colored lids creates a marbling that gives the boards, handles and ping-pong bats a special aesthetic.
On the Brothers Make Youtube channel There are many guides for beginners and advanced users. So you can start right away without owning an expensive workshop. But don’t forget gloves.
(akf)