archived-plastic

https://www.sciencealert.com/at-last-we-have-a-plastic-that-can-be-efficiently-recycled-over-and-over-again

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

I've always wondered- plastic can only be recycled so much because heating and such shorten polymer chains, making the product less chemically and mechanically stable... but you can make long chains out of ethylene and propylene. is there any way to turn polymers back into monomers, so you can make long chain polymers again, and reset the recycling process? (edited)

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I've been reading about recyclable thermosets accidentally invented by IBM about 6 years ago. They used molecular simulations on a super-computer, to refine the process and begin to understand how it works. So, who knows? The real question is: Does the plastic industry really want a solution. My guess is the answer is no.

I was thinking more of a process, and it shouldn't be hard- after all, these things break down from heating and recycling. we just need to make sure they break down ALL the way, or at least enough to dissolve and begin rechaining them

3:13 AM

looking it up, cold plasma pyrolysis seems to work, to simply break down the bonds, but 45% turns to methane and CO2 in the process

3:14 AM

those could supposedly be turned to plastic too, with the right processes\

@Frederik C (ZA) I agree that a solution is, to the industry, a problem. They have no financial interest in the environment, nor scientific advancement that would disrupt their money-making pollution scheme.

Perhaps you can think about recycling plastics using string acid agent

I don't think pollution is their goal. no one does bad things because they want to. and it's not like the big companies are the ones throwing trash in the sea- that happens because waste mitigation isn't taken seriously by governments or people, including the people that make up these companies. (edited)

would it be worth the energy at that point?

if you use renewable energy, it's always worth it, but you have to realize, that at some point, the only source of plastic is going to be plastic, not oil.

3:21 AM

so as oil is used up, these processes will become more economical as plastic becomes more precious (edited)

@nubnubbud I strongly differ with the position that no one does bad things because they want to. There are plenty of bad actors in the world, and they're doing those acts because they want the rewards they will reap from their bad behavior.

I don't think pollution is their goal. Not directly, no. Because they are not villains from a Captain Planet cartoon. That would be insane troll logic. What they want is to not be accountable, morally and (by extension) financially. And if you think the tentacles of Big Oil are not a part of this... well, sorry... you're naive.

3:24 AM

The future source will be coal.

oh no, definitely, they are, but I think it's naive to consider these things even choices that are made. I've worked with businessmen, and seen their views and models, and as far as I can see, it's not that they're sacrificing the environment for their goal, they don't even consider their actions to affect the environment.

That would make them idiots, at best.

green energy or not, it's still energy (edited)

hell, when I was a kid, I was all like, "why don't we switch to electric burners?" and my dad said "because gas is more efficient" to which I replied "how is it? it's literally burning stuff that was piped here from a huge station with thousands of people working on it." "no, I meant it costs less for the same heat."

3:36 AM

and to me it feels like other businessmen view it the same way. these things aren't considered by effect, they're considered in theory

3:36 AM

and that theory does not include environmental fallout

Scientists Just Revealed a Brand New Type of Endlessly Recyclable ...

In a perfect world, plastic would never be on a one-way trip into landfill - it's a vision we've strived to realise for decades. Unfortunately, some plastics just don't recycle as easily as others, limiting how well we can reuse them in new products.

1

this. I like this.

"poly(diketoenamine) – or PDK" Sounds very promising. But so are the recyclable thermosets. Where are they? "Being thoroughly researched" in a lab somewhere. This could be like the electric car all over again. We need to keep an eye on this.

it's not that they're sacrificing the environment for their goal, they don't even consider their actions to affect the environment.

Yes. Thanks a lot Neo-classical Economics and the Ivy League. For giving us three generations of highly educated morons. The gift that keeps on giving. I have long theorised that what might be considered "mental illness," under different circumstances, can actually be induced, en masse, if the same absurdities are just repeated often enough, with enough confidence.

From the film Four Horsemen: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5fbvquHSPJU

https://www.intelligentliving.co/australian-scientists-recycle-all-types-of-plastic

Dan Edel

Australian Scientists Created A Way To Recycle All Types of Plastic

This plastic recycling process allows for all types of plastic to be recycled without separating by type or color. The first plant will be set up in the UK.

Seems less efficient than PDK, with only 85% recovery and so much heating energy required. But PDK is still experimental, so I don't know.

well, because all thermoplastics are different arrangements of ethylene, ethane, propylene, and such, if you break it down enough, you can totally turn one into another with catalysts or even heating/cooling/separation processes. the issue is energy.

1

Anyone here already make plastic beam? Is the plastic beam strong enough to make a furniture?

@zila also very interested in seeing results of beam strength tests

Anyone here already make plastic beam? Is the plastic beam strong enough to make a furniture? Well, the V4 team has made a few pieces of all-plastic furniture so, in theory, yes.

@Frederik C (ZA) I've seen one of their videos recently where a lady at the end sits on what looks like a beam-bench and it was sagging quite noticeably. So I wouldn't be so sure about it's readiness for practical applications outside of proof-of-concept/show-piece mindset (edited)

hell, when I was a kid, I was all like, "why don't we switch to electric burners?" and my dad said "because gas is more efficient" to which I replied "how is it? it's literally burning stuff that was piped here from a huge station with thousands of people working on it." "no, I meant it costs less for the same heat."

@nubnubbud you just described the fundamental flaw in the current mode of capitalism basically.

10:32 AM

it's not that they're sacrificing the environment for their goal, they don't even consider their actions to affect the environment.

Yes. Thanks a lot Neo-classical Economics and the Ivy League. For giving us three generations of highly educated morons. The gift that keeps on giving. I have long theorised that what might be considered "mental illness," under different circumstances, can actually be induced, en masse, if the same absurdities are just repeated often enough, with enough confidence.

@Frederik C (ZA) yes; an enormous amount of modern illnesses are products of our economies, not natural human conditions.

I wouldn't be so sure about it's readiness for practical applications outside of proof-of-concept/show-piece mindset Maybe it's about the mixture "recipe."

Someone above mentioned methane and co2 being released by certain processes to break down plastics to monomers. Which plastics were that? And are you aware of Biogas systems?

I'm actually finding videos on carbon capture to post, as we type.

And locally, we are looking at methane harvesting for an off-grid hostel. I would have, already, but I have tendency to fall down the "video recommendation rabbit hole."

But, hey... That's how I found Dave... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ And YouTube keeps telling me that I might like PP videos. Really? Y'think?

imagine if we could put methane traps above cow sheds to convert to plastic

11:29 AM

there's more of the stuff than you'd think

@nubnubbud Imagine there would be no cow sheds

@zila also very interested in seeing results of beam strength tests

@Arseniy (PL) Maby for a start you can calculate your beam with elastic beam calculation. By hand or for example with this free tool: https://www.engineeringcalculator.net/beam_calculator.html Youngs modulus for some plastics you can find here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young%27s_modulus Second moment of area for your profile you can calculate here:https://www.johannes-strommer.com/english/calculators/area-moment-of-inertia-and-section-modulus/ Maby the guys who already made beams can share their displacements for a 2-Meter Beam, so we can recalculate how near the recycled beam is to industrial pruduced plastic beams... (edited)

Beam Calculator - Free Online Shear and Moment Diagrams

Calculate reactions, deflection, moments and shear forces in simply supported and cantilever beams.

Young%27s_modulus

Area Moment of Inertia & Section Modulus: Calculator/Formulas

Calculator for: axial/polar area moment of inertia & section modulus, outer-fibre distance, cross sectional area and mass of beams. Table with formulas.

1

The simplest use for methane, is simply as a heating fuel. Since it would usually just rise into the sky, and transport over long distances, for now, sort of defeats the purpose of capturing an inevitable greenhouse gas.

the reason I suggested it as a plastic. any that is turned ointo a solid, recyclable product is kept out of the air, and every cow makes about 100kg of methane a year, which is as potent as 2300 kg of CO2. here in the US, there are buildings housing hundreds of cows each all over the place. Even if it's only nighttime emissions, you could expect to capture a significant amount. if it's not worth transporting to burn, it can still be worth transporting to be made a building material. (edited)

1:45 PM

I do understand the energy deficit inherent in my suggestion, but it could be considered an energy investment to "bring solid objects out of the ether"

Yeah, weighing the long-term pros and cons is where crux of the problem is. It's not just what science and technology allows. It's market forces, profit margins, legislative viability... etc. Also about what can be done on micro-scale, without major industrial investment.

I read up on it, and supposedly you can use a tank full of certain microbes to sequester methane from a tank. it needs oxygen, though.

@Frederik C (ZA) yeah; this is what the biogas company does. They give you a big machine for your compost and a stove top that connects to the methane balloon.

2:06 PM

Burning methane does release some co2, but if it's methane that would've otherwise been released by decomposition of plant material, co2 instead of unburnt methane is a massive win.

2:07 PM

But you could even just hook that up to a turbine and make electricity.

Since we've ventured somewhat off-topic, I'll post what I think is relevant in #just-chatting . But, generally, it seems to me creating new plastic incentivizes everybody to keep ignoring growing landfills.

1

@Frederik C (ZA) @zila I too am curious of beam properties, I have had my hands on a couple of test pieces approx 600mm and I was surprised at how rigid they were. I now see they have not too much more flex than the equivalent piece of sustainable building timber. I am a builder and would like to test these beams at the least for a non load bearing stud wall and to continue testing its structural strength and application. Has any real testing been done on beams you know of, throwing this out to the community as well.

I've posted before about the compressed plastic garden furniture produced in SA. It's very sturdy stuff. So, with the right mix of plastics and proper compression, I think construction might be doable. It would be good for workspaces to have a way of doing random stress testing on beams and sheets, to get a sense of what the products can handle. There is a lot of opportunity in my country for informal, low-cost, small shack building. That's how most of the population lives, unfortunately. Might as well lower the cost as much as possible for the poorest of the poor. As for fire safety: The shacks are considered sort of "disposable" in any case. And we are looking at bare basics housing options. Shipping containers and such. The building regulations seem to be based on residential zoning. Or just double standards between rich and poor. I'm not sure. (edited)

Of course, there's also the option of "ecobricks": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt73zMOeQn8

60 Second Docs

Visit Schools Made From Plastic Bottles // 60 Second Docs

12:51 PM

But modular, "Lego" type structures appeal to me as an idea. Why have a small house, that can't be moved when necessary? If it works as both "permanent" and emergency housing, it solves two problems, instead of just one. A previous post on shelters, for reference: https://discordapp.com/channels/586676777334865928/598888879126478849/652820451231531012 (edited)

Silly question but what exactly happens to the plastic beams, sheets and molds when cooled right away with water?

Experienced makers will have a better answer, but I'm guessing the plastic will warp, like with out-of-mould air-cooling. But I don't know if the effect will be better or worse.

I've been testing all day and it has it's pros and cons but overall looks like it will work for me and what I'm trying to do.

It's still in the mould?

Yeah, so it starts to warp and shrink however I have it weighted down being pressed while it's under water and it stays flat and works quite well. Just getting stuck in the mould a little more than it use to when I let it cool by itself.

8:13 AM

Stack from today's test

How much much smaller is it form shrinking Than if you hadn’t cooled it in water?

This seems to vary for some reason, but when I cool "normally" (sheet hot side on shed floor with weight on top of it) it can sometime shrink from one side and bend, However when cooled in water that shrink seems to be more even than just being on one side. I'll see if I can get a photo of what I mean.

8:53 AM

8:57 AM

So the top one is "normally" done and the bottom was water. As you can see the top left of the normal one has shrunken In and bent out at the top. The botton also has a shimmer to it.

2

@Zero Plastics Australia so rapid cooling in water causes less distortion? A bit counterintuitive for me

12:13 PM

@Zero Plastics Australia can you please post a pic of you mould?

I've seen this photo around and have done a little research on it. My first question was how it went from shredded to spinning material. Normally this wouldn't be an interest of mine.. But the town I live in has a spinning group that meets up weekly and this would be cool for them to work with. We also has a trading fort replica and we do reinactments from time to time and are looking into adding a section where we take old processes that they use but use new materials. Anyways enough of my rambling. I know in order to make the spinning material they basically extrude it but it is super tiny threads. But everything that I saw was done in a massive factory. I'm curious if anyone has done or seen anyone do this on a PP scale.

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@Aggro Lord so on https://www.kastlfel.com/sustainability/ they say

These recyclables are stripped of their labels and washed, and then shredded into tiny pieces. The tiny pieces are then melted down and turned into recycled polyester fibers.

7:06 PM

Indeed very interesting process. (edited)

thats how plastic fibers are made in general, using gravity

11:54 PM

actually recycled stuff is extruded

11:59 PM

12:02 AM

video about the process https://youtu.be/zyF9MxlcItw

@ninja @Aggro Lord Here is some example of a machine producing plastic 'wool' - https://youtu.be/H-yBefbeEDs?t=549 (they also have shredder in the beginning, without much detail sadly)

Polyester fiber from PET bottle with new "EASY WOOL 3 "

Hello everyone.. I have a question regarding how to DIY rotational moulding machine for plastics..Does anyone have a cad file that can be shared ?

@muqing.bai haven't seen one yet, please share it if you'll find it. Do you have any specific reason why you are after rotational moulding?

@Arseniy (PL) @ninja https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXKZ6ZKQcu8 here is a different video that shows basically an extruder with an aircompressor hooked up to it. thanks for the leads. those videos you pasted led me to this.

Alexander Yevstaffyev

PET bottles Recycling cheap and easy technology, fiber from pet bo...

2

1

Hello, I am french and my school asked me to build the project. I'm in charge to build the compression machine and I have a question : How many degrees does the oven have to reach ?

@Coach Steeve , depends on the type of plastic. See the melting temperature chart here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

@John thanks man

@Aggro Lord thx, that's so cool! I really want to start producing construction insulation now

As a uni envs student recycled fibre and insolation concerns me, honestly even the precious plastics machines (though I see them better than plastic waste being in the environment) produce dangerous plastic pollution. The manufacturing would create a large amount of micro/nano plastic pollution, and may even give off dangerous aerosols (airborne plastic pollution). Also the products themselves would, even assuming no endocrine disrupting chemicals (which they most likely would be), have an effect on habitats if leached into the environment; aquatic environments are especially affected. Washing any synthetic polymer will cause plastic pollution to leach into the environment (though they do have specified filters). However at higher temperatures even the filters become inefective plastics can leach into the grey water and cause endocrine disrupting chemicals to leach into the water system. Not a large issue in places that treat grey water efficiently, but it can be an issue in places where grey water is used for irrigation. There has been new research coming out that shows possible negative effects of photosynthesis caused by micro/nano-plastics in Salt/Fresh water ecosystems. (edited)

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10:09 PM

Just thought I'd bring that up. Not saying it's a bad idea, just something to be aware of.

The Academy section of the site does give guidelines for waste water and air filtering. Your concerns are valid, but since petroleum-based plastic is not going away in the short-term, near future, we might have to accept a "lesser of two evils" approach, for now. That's why anyone who is genuinely concerned about the Plastic Problem, needs to take a multi-facetted approach. The problem stems from societal ignorance, corporate greed, economic structure and political complacency. You need to tackle all of that, to make more than just a dent. (edited)

6

1

is there a washing machine? or how do you clean dirty plastic?

Are there any DIY methods for Polyurethane recycling?

Polyurethane can be a thermoset, a thermoplast or a elastomer. So you can only recycle it if it is a thermoplast an most times PU are elastomers (sponges, ...) or thermosets (Resin Casting). If you have a PU-thermoplast (TPU) for example Elastollan, Desmopan, ... you should be able to shred and recycle it. Elastollan (picture): http://www.polyurethanes.basf.de/pu/solutions/elastollan/en/function/conversions:/publish/content/group/Arbeitsgebiete_und_Produkte/Thermoplastische_Spezialelastomere/Infomaterial/elastollan_verarbeitung_en.pdf Desmopan: https://solutions.covestro.com/en/products/desmopan/desmopan-192_00230992-00009182?SelectedCountry=CZ

Desmopan 192

|

Desmopan I have no informations about the fumes...

So you would have to identify which Polyurethane it is before processing.

1:31 AM

Do you know if that's easy?

Is there anyone from New Zealand here?

There should be some on the map.

@MJ Good question, but no answer. How do you all clean dirty plastic? I am really new in this and wanting to start a project!!!

@Mortar Art (Melb, AU) If you don´t have symbol (like TPU) it´s not easy. But you can find some tricks: https://www.polyvance.com/identify.php

Identify Plastics

This table shows the plastic most often used in automotive applications. Use it to help you identify the plastic you are working with.

Hey ppl .. I work with extruded PVC sheets and have a lot of excess scrap that I’m trying to find a new use for .. I saw that the PP site said they don’t recommend PVC in the standard equipment due to harmful vapor.. what then can I do ? Any suggestions ?

@MJ @RespiraAtenciónPlena we clean ours in an old washing machine but we are also fairly new so of some one has a better solution please let me know

Hi guys. Can you hepl me. I collect carton milk box (100tons/month). How does recycle milk box?

5:46 PM

milk cartons including 75% paper + 21% plastic + 4% aluminum

How [...] recycle milk box ? Just to be clear: You're talking about Tetra Pak boxes? (edited)

Yes. Tetrapak boxes

It's a paper product, so it would have to be turned back into pulp for processing. The beyond plastic channel should have some insight.

6

Hi, anyone know the exact temperature to use with HDPE? I am using injection and the normal temperature is 235-245 degree celcius, but found out that the temp should not be set more than 200 to avoid toxic and fume but... using 200 degree, the plastic is hardly melted. Please advise what temperature you are using with HDPE, PP and PS for injection machine. Thank you so much.

> Hi guys. Can you hepl me. I collect carton milk box (100tons/month). How does recycle milk box? milk cartons including 75% paper + 21% plastic + 4% aluminum

@Ken Tran https://mashable.com/article/tetra-pak-recycle/?europe=true

There is dedicated Tetra Pak recycling in some places. My municipality accepts Tetra Pak as part of the municipal collecting program.

Of course, if the whole thing turns out to be yet another, long-standing corporate conspiracy and misinformation campaign, I won't be particularly shocked. (edited)

Hey guys, has anybody done PET plastic recycling/molding? (edited)

hai. where is the shredder download kit?

All download kits are listed here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download [FAQ] [starter kits] [download]

10:32 AM

@Workspace @Machine shop Can we please get a PET FAQ on the Discord?

@Frederik C (ZA) : have this since long on the list due to repeating forum requests, i still have to finish a new markup/wiki language before. however,it's actually quite short : we do't have a PPish process for PET, but it's possible to print. You can't heatup PET for long, it will degrade in no time, thus currently printing is the only real thing I know. Other than that, and also due to multiple forum requests, there is PET->yarn & PET -> ropes, but that may last 1-2 years still that there is any open-sourcish process available. (edited)

@MWS13 pvc release chlorine gas when heated

1

PET = Very dense polymer The melting temperature range of PET is very tight (so hard to process if the temperature control is not VERY VERY VERY precise) 2 types of degradation occur : Thermal degradation (if put at too high temperature, or too long at the right temperature) Hydrodegradation (will occur if there are H2O molecules present while put to melt, wich can be water or just humidity) So to recycle PET properly, you need to have a VERY VERY GOOD control on the temperature applied, and be sure to dehydrate the PET flakes before putting them to melt (edited)

11:00 AM

@Workspace @Machine shop Can we please get a PET FAQ on the Discord? @Frederik C (ZA)

2

yeah, that's @3d-seed also noticed, it's about 0.5 degc tolerances

11:04 AM

worst even, you need to know each PET types another temp. Any news about doing fiber ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-yBefbeEDs

Polyester fiber from PET bottle with new "EASY WOOL 3 "

@Deleted User i saw people using a "diy" system with a coton-candy-like machine http://sacre.psl.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/De-Visscher_Manufactures-Technophaniques_low-res.pdf

11:10 AM

"The Polyfloss Factory" https://www.edevisscher.com/polyfloss.html (edited)

1

nice, thanks a lot; will take some time to process this into something doable, PPwise

Where do we stand on PET shredding?

not on a good leg, v3 too week, v4 is overkill but @Butte (PP Philippines) seems to have a cool grinder, but looks like we have to downsize it

11:29 AM

evtl. the upcoming v3.5ish can combine shredding and grinding, first prototypes are on the bench right now

What exactly is too weak? The blades? The gripping action? The motor?

everything

you have to put insane amounts of power in there (cutting edge too far from shaft) and the housing and blades are actually not made for 3.5Kw +

11:31 AM

and of course, too small overall

Just to "prove" that I'm not a technician

: If we apply more "overkill" to the shredder, can we get to a point where we can actually crush glass? (Maybe another potential revenue stream for workspaces in countries with large bottling industries and liquor exports.) (edited)

i'd love to see that also for Aluminum cans

11:52 AM

with that we're actually back to the replaceable axle system idea, dropping in whatever blade system (edited)

Cans generally just get flattened. That's good enough to tightly pack them into recycling bales. But, locally, I've seen spinning car tyres used as a rapid, "flattener."

11:58 AM

2

1

12:04 PM

The idea is not to take focus away from plastic, but to help start-up spaces use as many income opportunities as possible.

1

yeah, this keeps actually bouncing : one shredder for multiple materials via quick changeable axles/blade system & sieve. so shredder wise, I hand this over our new team mate @3d-seed - a true Solidworks ninja - using the v3.5 ish as base; i am sold , thanks man

It's also about plugging into a slightly larger, more generalized maker space "eco-system." People who maybe are not very concerned about plastic, but can form useful partnerships, nonetheless. As either clients, suppliers or partners. "Absorb what is useful, discard what is not." (edited)

1

Oh lol, thought you said "absorb what is useful, discord what is not"

Oh lol, thought you said "absorb what is useful, discord what is not" It's Bruce Lee's famous Jeet Kune Do philosophy on learning practical self-defence. But yeah... it depends what servers you're on

. Most of them are just as useless as 99% of the internet. (edited)

2

Frederikc the can guys supply the alum for the estrusion molds. partnerships.

1

Of course, if the whole thing turns out to be yet another, long-standing corporate conspiracy and misinformation campaign, I won't be particularly shocked.

@Frederik C (ZA) my thoughts exactly. Our council tells us to include them in the cardboard collection.

1

Now, my question is... If by now PET is not yet an option with PP, how do we proceed in our collection point with PET? Shouls we not accept any PET or should we accept it and do what with it?

1

that's correct unless we have a process or consider 3D print, til then you can try selling shredded & cleaned PET flakes, here in the EU the price is quite low ; 20 - 40 Euro for 100Kg

2:01 PM

@RespiraAtenciónPlena : https://www.google.com/search?q=PET+site%3A%2F%2Fdavehakkens.nl&oq=PET+site%3A%2F%2Fdavehakkens.nl&aqs=chrome..69i57j33.18015j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

"Distribution" networks are something to look at and build. Breadtags For Wheelchairs is a good example. They raise enough money just from selling breadtags to commercial recyclers, to supply wheelchairs to those in need. But they can only do it because: A) the tags are washed by hand by volunteers and B) there is no transport cost, because long-haul shipping companies transport bags of tags for free, whenever they have some empty space on their trucks. (Usually on the "upstream" trips back to the major manufacturing centres.) So, there's no priority or scheduled shipping. It gets there, when it gets there. And that's good enough for a steady stream of income to the charity. (edited)

I guess maybe there's not currently an answer that works for everybody. However, shredding bottles can still be helpful in the sense that shredded plastic takes up way less space than containers that are ~98% air.

2:22 PM

long-haul shipping companies transport bags of tags for free, whenever they have some empty space on their trucks. You basically have to start thinking like a drug smuggler.

I guess moving over from #archived-beyond-plastic to this channel is a better fit for further discussion on EPS, and what to realistically do about it. @lechatblanc: Situating compressors at fish processing plants where they have huge stock of waste EPS boxes. That's fitting, because the whole website is "fishy," if you ask me. @Deleted User: Petrol melts eps the best from my experiments And then what are we supposed to do with the highly flammable, toxic goop? I've been showered with petrol once, by accident. It's not an experience I will ever forget or want to repeat.

Well that was as far as I got @Frederik C (ZA)

. It does burn well, makes a lot of groady black smoke though.

1

t can be dissolved with solvent, used as a glue, or mixed with carbon black to make a tough roof coating and paint.

1

Well, it is used in plastic bricks, as well. I'm just not sure about the consistency and long-term effects yet. People taking a "use now, ask questions later" approach, is basically what got us into the current global disaster. Humans never learn.

2

@Deleted User thanks for the information. Will study to decide what to do!!!

Hola muy buenas noches, Me llamo David, soy de Temuco, Chile.

2

greetings! from Port-au-Prince I applauds to the multiple works undertaking daily for the environment... I am Andy running a collection center in Haiti open for any suggestion, or request!!! thanks! anyone looking for LDPE??? inbox me at tycrecyclingservices@gmail.com

2

I was wondering when Haitians would show up.

Hey guys question, I am wishing to extrude lumber, typically this plastic will be used outdoors/exposure to sun and UV, any thoughts on plastics to use/stay away from? Any additives people put in the plastic to keep it from bleaching in the sun? Any articles you can refer me to would be appreciated!!!

2

UV protection with either carbon black, milled charcoal, or titamium dioxied pigments. Iron oxide pigments work too

How do those additives affect later remelting / reusing of the products? I don't think it's a "deal-breaker," because the plastic would have been in a landfill, otherwise. I'm just wondering what the best possible option is.

Greetings from TakaTaka Plastics in Uganda https://www.takatakaplastics.com/. Has any one ever build the V1.1 shredder with an output greater 50KG/hr. What did you have to modify from the design. How did you resize the different parts?

Takataka Plastics

Watching the videos, it seems like it would need to have higher rpms. That would mean a different gear box. Maybe a bigger motor to provide enough torque to chew through that much plastic at the higher rpms of the knives.

9:19 AM

The shredder I won at auction is an industrial one that can do 150-200 pounds an hour. It has a different blade system but they spin at 1500 rpm

is it worth trying to make it have more throughput or just making a 2nd shredder and parallelising your output instead (edited)

I don't know on the PP shredder as I don't have one. But as an engineer, looking at it... I would say that would be the biggest thing keeping your production lower.

1

9:23 AM

That would be a question from someone that has one or two of them. They could answer that better. But when I was going to build one (before getting an auction) I was looking at building two and maybe powering from one big motor or making one that was longer and use a big motor. I liked the two different shredders so I could do two different plastics or colors

ooh yeah the two colours thing is good, didn't think of that

1

I've seen bigger (longer box) shredders for sale on the bazaar.

9:27 AM

If they are powered from the same motor, you can't clean out one while shredding plastic in the other. But I would be inclined to have separate motors and just have a shredding bench. Load the hopper and put the plunger on the first. Then load the second and put the plunger in on the second. Repeat. Allows you to grow as you need more shredding capacity.

shredder array

Hopefully everyone gets to the point they need one

9:37 AM

To keep up with all the plastic demand

Hello guys i want to ask after making a filtration system for the machines is there still any fumes?

@oliver I looked at the safety video from the academy and it will tell you all about it. Beeing married to a safety coordinator, I can tell you everything she says is not to be taken lightly. Activated Carbon is really good in making sure the fumes are filtered. Good luck...

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Thanks @Garg

How viable is it to use PET in building furniture ?

12:25 AM

as in, wouldn't its combustibility make it dangerous ?

Depends, lots of things are combustible. Have you ever seen the fire demos on how fast a house can burn down

1:13 AM

Clothing is flammable. However, for small children, like infants, their clothing must have fire retardant.

1:15 AM

lots of things burn, how easily it catches on fire would eb the only issue i can see. there is plenty of plastic (pet included) in your house already

Interesting ... thanks @Arson

I got a question from a local fisherman which has a boat made of MDPE that he wants to fix the keel of. As I understand you can try to mix up LDPE and HDPE to create a pseudo MDPE? but the mixture is a problem although I would extrude them. The second question is the fixation and come back to the first one, he finds HDPE wealders quite pricy and we are wondering if you know of a solvant that allows us to stick PE together? If yes do i really need to make a pseudo MDPE and why not "sticking" to HDPE (that I have in abundance)?

1

If building a tabletop which plastic should I be using (due to flamability)

Whatever the sheets are typically made of, I guess. Is flammability a regulatory issue for some countries? Because wood burns pretty well, I've heard. I'm not sure if PP makers have dabbled much with chemical additives.

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland : that´s a good question for the forum, we have a few more veterans there ..

1:04 PM

re plastic sheets, i will ask those new small enterprises interested in dual the sheetpress, mainly to be put into buildings - hence the request for 2.4m sheets. however, those seem to be happy to have a new material in their portfolio - it doesn't seem to be a problem, but i ask explicitly

Do you presort the plastics before shredding or is there a way to sort them after it's in shreds

Presorting by type is necessary. Colour blends are up to the look you want. Even if you blend types, it helps to able to control percentages (by weighing it.)

Ty

9:49 PM

We're doing a project for this in class so I'm trying to find information about the basics. Most of the stuff was obvious but I wasn't sure about that. I think the next big question is WHO buys it lol. Is there a better channel to get information about customer potential? I'm not starting a business but we still have to present on it.

There's no short answer. Typically workspaces will shred only as needed for their own use. Dedicated collection points / shredding spaces may or may not be viable, based on a lot of factors in the local environment. Like the extent of municipal and/or informal recycling trash collection and such. Some people might rely on trash "donation" from businesses and the general public.

Yeah I am just doing research. I have no plans to make this a thing.

4:02 AM

Worse case we present and decide that while this is an awesome idea, there isn't much to do on the business side.

regarding fire & sheets : I've got feedback from the clients; they say they have to add on a case-to-case base additives (in french 'bemeum' or so) - this renders the plastic un-recyclable. We're on site in April to see how this works in detail.

1

@Frederik C (ZA) Thank you for letting me know. @ariel Thank you for sharing the research on PDK. This community is AWESOME!!! Really... it's such a resource to having all of you here.

1

Hi has anyone try to attached an ACF to the rear exhaust of a fume caddie

Has anyone tried combining sand and plastic ? Or are there better combinations

that seems like a good way to make your plastic more brittle

Not sure about that, I read somewhere used as an aggregate in sand concrete

9:22 AM

This is not the one I was thinking, but it came up in my research gate account @anna https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338014914_Experimental_Study_on_the_Use_of_Waste_Polyethylene_Terephthalate_PET_and_River_Sand_in_Roof_Tile_Production

(PDF) Experimental Study on the Use of Waste Polyethylene Terephtha...

PDF | On Dec 1, 2019, G. O. Bamigboye and others published Experimental Study on the Use of Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and River Sand in Roof Tile Production | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

@Plastikourgeio the study in that paper seems to have tested only compressive strength, not brittleness or long term wear resistance

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correct, I'm trying to find the one for sand concrete, I will this afternoon when I finish work

Example of sand and plastic tiles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7oUk10rKjE (edited)

Florence Blondel

ECO FRIENDLY Plastic & Sand Tiled Houses

Hello again does anybody have experience with the ALTAIR 5X IR Multigas Detector

@Frederik C (ZA) Do you have informations how to recycle these plastic-sand-mix?

The video seems to suggest that they can just be grinded and remelted. The process was supposedly invented in my country, but I haven't actually seen it, first-hand. I've been told about a company that makes it, but it's not close to where I live. We will hopefully learn more as the people network expands. (edited)

@Frederik C (ZA) But you can only recycle the mix, right? To split it after use into sand an plastic would be difficult...

Thanks for the information! I'd like to know more about what you're asking @Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

I assume you are more or less stuck with the original colour and base composition, yes. So, you'll only be making new shapes. (edited)

@!Bianc @Frederik C (ZA) Paper abot this, but no word about re-recycling...

Plastic_sand_composite.pdf

770.92 KB

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They have faith in their paper masks...

Yes, I noticed. Worker safety is not a big concern in African countries. That much I do know. They are disposable... "Plenty more where they come from." In many cases it is probably more out of ignorance than not caring. Also, life-expectancy is shockingly low in some these countries. So, maybe the health deficits are barely noticed, in the long run.

(edited)

@Frederik C (ZA) We are fighting so that people wear gloves while picking up marine plastics, especially nurdles that can carry some nasty toxins... It is not easy

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Question, what type of plastic is the best to use for a plastic plank for a bench? It also has to be pretty common.

I think HDPE is typically used for most things that need to carry a lot of weight. LDPE might be used in industrial applications where they have big machines to tightly compress the material. The irony of plastic is that it gets very heavy as you scale up. You easily end up with furniture that is sturdy, but a pain to move.

Thank you!

Does anyone have experience with using clear plastic to make clear objects?

Melting processes tends to leave everything a bit murky, although it can stay translucent. (Like frosted glass.)

That would be fine, mostly something that at least let's some light through for things like lampshades, "stain glass" and other art projects

What do you guys think about using recycled plastic from the big recyclers like MBApolymers or Veolia? Isn't using these guys just being part of the system that spills so much already?

11:52 AM

Their plastic is fairly affordable and is guaranteed to be clean and washed. It's a good solution for my procurement but I would rather take the plastic from my local town and recycle it but that's not viable

Getting that plastic is not really helping the waste problem since that plastic is gonna be recycled anyway. Its the challenge to clean and shred the dirty plastic :p

11:54 AM

But for a business ut makes sense to do so. Maybe you can use a mix?

What would really help the plastic problem, in terms of collecting the existing plastic out there (not in terms of reducing plastic consumption or use alternative plastics) ?

12:09 PM

Yeah a mix sounds interesting, it's cheap and there's lots out there. It just doesn't look as nice for finished products

Well plastic is a resource that doesnt degrade, by reusing it you dont have to produce new plastic. The looks should be part of your branding probably, more and more people are aware of the environment and the rougher look might become a selling point.

1

Yeah you are right, I see a lot of companies who use fishing nets as their source, output black products. Recycled plastic needs to have a it's own kind of theme for it to stand out

12:47 PM

Or just a stamp of where the plastic came from

That would be cool. Like 'made from recycled household products' 'made from recycled packaging' ...

For example, these guys showed it clearly on their packaging that it's recycled plastic

Yeah but thats not plastic that has been used. Its way too clear.

@Jonatan | NL No, this is Frosch, they use plastics from household waste. Mostly PET bottles used for storing water and cleaning detergents. The plastic is washed before being shredded. (I think I remember this from a video made by the company so take it with a grain of salt)

3:04 PM

according to their website they use 20% bottles from household waste and 80% shredded bottles from the german bottle deposit system (edited)

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thats not plastic that has been used. Its way too clear. Not necessarily. Some kinds of PET are fully recycled. Most companies just don't bother. But as a general rule, yes, be sceptical of companies' claims.

they use a machine like this to separate PET flakes from any contaminated flakes: https://youtu.be/bWUuBz2hWc0?t=92

Bühler Group

SORTEX E PolyVision™ optical sorter for PET recyclers

3:09 PM

As far as I know FROSCH is one of the few companies actually utilising recycling to a high level not 5-10% other companies use to greenwash. But again, most of my info is from their own website. (edited)

Ever wonder why companies say "we can't afford to recycle"?

Their CEOs can afford private jets and private islands, though.

@Frederik C (ZA) You have to think of the shareholders. A shareholder that gets only 0.5% return instead of 0.7% suffers much more than a few turtles suffocating on our waste

3:11 PM

that was sarcasm in case that wasnt clear

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Yes. It "all makes sense" in a society that fosters and glorifies sociopaths.

it needs to be mandated by law. As long as we as consumers choose the bottle that is 5 ct cheaper, companies wont change. Only if all of them have to recycle everything can we expect new and more efficient recycling technology and business models

That's one of the strengths of strategies of things like PP. Decentralized. "Bottom up." Rely on dedicated individuals instead of governments and multi-national conglomerates. Or some "messiah" politician. And not waiting for "someone else" to do something. Ultimately, that will only get us so far. (Because the scale of the disasters we face are so massive.) But it's a start. What has marching with placards achieved?

That would be fine, mostly something that at least let's some light through for things like lampshades, "stain glass" and other art projects

@Titankore.ai I do some lamps out of thin PP that have a stain glass aspect

@robin-hf sorry. i am against any law of the sort

5:20 AM

i don't mind a small tax on virgin plastic. but i am totally against laws that take away freedoms of people. just like cigarette or alcohol taxes. the consumer can still choose to buy, but it cost them more. but to mandate anything of the such is a major sin and no no to those that value their freedoms. basically, it won't fly in the USA. better to provide the carrot and the stick to get people to choose to change than mandate it

@Arson currently the freedoms of nations external to developed countries in the West are being exploited by corporations that face no consequence for their actions. It's crazy to place the responsibility for recycling in the hands of citizens and the state.

11:57 AM

If a corporation pass the cost of the tax to the consumer, then that's fine. It's a truer reflection of the cost of the product. So a consumer buys less? The manufacturer finds an alternative material? These are all positive outcomes.

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@lechatblanc That is why I suggest that (taxing virgin plastic usage in packaging) as an alternative to mandating through laws that they use recycled and not virgin plastics. Encouraging the change because it is cheaper is one thing. Mandating it is another.

3:53 PM

Don't tell me I have too do it, just let me decide that I want to save money. It is a subtle difference, but it makes all the difference.

Would removing oil extraction subsidies help, I wonder?

4:13 PM

...that sounded more antagonistic than I meant it to!

4:15 PM

Either way, to me, it feels like the status quo should be changed.

remove all subsidies for the oil industry, fine/penalize them for billions for all of the pollution/misinformation they put out for decades, execute the board members in a public square...

4:41 PM

I mean, human rights should be reserved for humans, not stock portfolios in suits

execute the board members in a public square... Ah, yes... there's a little Fascist in all of us, just clambering to get out. That's why Fascism keeps coming back. It's like the common cold... it can't be cured, only managed. (Much like human stupidity in all its forms.) I've also had it with those oppressive anti-murder laws that restrict my fundamental freedom to kill people who annoy me. I'm an African, dammit! Everyone knows Africans are special people who deserve special rights. Anyway... it's a purely "academic" argument, because it makes no difference to what will actually happen until money is removed from politics. I think it was Robin Williams who said politicians should wear jumpsuits with company patches on them, like race car drivers, so we can all see who owns them. (edited)

It's not facism, it's machiavellian, you wipe out the old guard that would constantly fight over every change, policy, and movement towards a goal that hurts their base of power which in this case is an economic system that missplaces the value of things. Goo under the ground "Must be protected at all costs!!!", Human lives dying from preventable illnesses caused by polution, "Meh, pick yourselves up by your bootstraps." Plus I'm native american, they are shooting my brothers and sisters with beanbags, freezing water mid winter, and destroying out historical sites to build shit like pipelines on our land. (edited)

5:07 PM

your "Virgin plastic" comes from oil stolen from one tribes land in canada to get shipped through other tribes land, polluting our water, destroying our sacred sites. (edited)

5:09 PM

If they were doing this to white people, well, exactly what happened. A white community just signed a petition to keep the pipeline from intersecting their area so that it then they were like, "welp here's all this native land that we can further exploit!"

your "Virgin plastic" comes from oil stolen from one tribes land in canada Who are you referring to? Did you miss the part where I'm in Africa? I've never set foot on your continent. I understand you are colonized. So is most of the World. It's big a "club." (edited)

1) most plastic is produced/distributed from the US and China. 2) Regardless of your location they deserve to die. Even if no blood oil reaches you they are still causing the deaths of thousands each year if you don't include all the wars.

5:28 PM

I'm angry about this whole situation, where if I get caught stealing to survive I go to jail, another person kills hundreds and wipes out thousands of years of history with a stroke of the pen for greed gets to retire with more wealth then they can spend in a hundred lifetimes. (edited)

5:30 PM

but back on topic of plastic, I think I will make a couple plastic guillotines

@Arson Taxing virgin plastic could be a way forward. I am under no illusion that there is the popular and political will to outright ban non-recycled plastic. At the moment there is just not enough high-quality recycled plastic to replace all virgin plastic. Change needs to be made incrementally as businesses and material streams catch up. There are also industries that will use virgin plastic for a long time (medical equipment/packaging, Safety critical parts and sensors) but things like detergent bottles dont need to be made from virgin materials. There needs to be a massive shift in recycling especially the collection and sorting aspect to make meaningful change in that regard.

@robin-hf agreed. part of the tax collected, could go to buying washed, clean, label-free plastic. then maybe their would be a high-quality stream of plastic for recycling

https://youtu.be/3rqsiJmLyYY

Collaborative on Health and the Environment

CHE Webinar: Plastic Food Packaging: State of the Science on Chemic...

12:57 AM

We dump so much plastic at work and it sickens me

12:58 AM

1,457lbs so far this week

I have made a tumbler to separate microplastics from the sand from an old bike and bits of shed. Handy if you have a lot of nurdles.

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@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Would you mind making a vid of it in function? It seems like a super cool idea

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HELLO! why is PET so difficult to recycle ?? any reason on they say that precious plastic ?? --- Por qué dicen que es dificil reciclar PET con las maquinas de precious plastic? THANKS! -- Gracias

Its not ... Its difficult to sell - price of virgin is so low and you get a lower quality product

8:44 PM

And it is almost allways

8:44 PM

downgrading

8:47 PM

oh and it runs like water

But difficult to sell, I gues that depends on what you make (edited)

9:05 PM

runs like water?

PET is difficult to recycle with Precious Plastic machines because it has a very specific melting temperature with a small range (edited)

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9:07 PM

Precious Plastic machines tend not to be that precise, so its actually kinda dangerous to try because you could burn the PET

9:07 PM

And when you burn PET it's quite nasty !

Precious Plastic machines tend not to be that precise, so its actually kinda dangerous to try because you could burn the PET

@Joseph THANKS!!!

9:09 PM

Its sad, im having build the shredderer and a injection, and aI have already recolected lots of PET

9:09 PM

hahahaha

I do know that people have done it successfully with Precious Plastic machines though! not sure how though...

great, thats good to know

9:12 PM

And as I understand, PET is one of the most common plastic waste, so It would be great if can be recycled by everyone

Depends what products you are recycling, PP is more common.

OK, thanks

I also collected a large quantity of PET plastic, I searched a lot about ways of recycling them and found out that it is a bit difficult to do so... However, I found this interesting machine that can turn PET plastic into fabric

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11:08 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw0uWNlbiTQ

fiber white

Производства волокна

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11:12 PM

I am still looking for an open source Blueprints of this machine...I will share it once I find it

It's similar to the PolyFloss Factory machines. I'm also not sure if they're open source. But they are definitely scalable, and very promising as a potential solution. Just think of all the product possibilities we can add with recycled fabric.

https://www.thepolyflossfactory.com/

The Polyfloss Factory

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This could possibly be a really nice crossover with the textile stuff that precious plastic is also doing. Using old fabrics and homemade polyester could possibly be pretty cool

Hey guys, they say melting plastic at LOW TEMP gives out the least pollutants. Can anyone tell my the value or url to what are the exact values of these LOW TEMPs?

runs like water?

@pepe_trueno It has in comparison to other thermoplasts a very high melt flow index.

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@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Would you mind making a vid of it in function? It seems like a super cool idea

@Emil Not our idea but these are sold for quite some money and we desperately needed one so I made it. Will try it in a week or so, can make a video then

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Sweet! Looking forward to seeing that

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GREAT!

bonjour

6:15 PM

hello i'm cyrille and i'm in france

Hello Cyrille, I am Khalid from Saudi Arabia

‍♂️

10:57 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5p6Nk3SzcU

RecycleStuffCDR

Recycling Plastics Today: A Growing Solution

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I'm really glad for how international this project has become

Hi, did anyone some research on how to recycle cigarette butts? they are made of thermoplastic, so they can be melted and reshaped, but what about the heavy meltals and other toxic substances?

Yeah I checked this out a couple years ago, doing some tests at home, the toxic fumes coming from melting those things is dangerous so be careful! I looked for companies who do recycle them, TerraCycle is the obvious candidate here but there was another one which I can't find anymore. It's doable so please give it a shot! There's these guys in India who are giving it a shot. Good luck

https://www.thebetterindia.com/77701/cigarette-butt-recycling-noida/ https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/cigarette-waste-recycling

Cigarette Waste Recycling Program

Every year, billions of cigarette butts end up in dumpsters and landfills. The waste collected through this program is recycled into new products, such as plastic pallets, and any remaining tobacco is recycled as compost.

6:02 PM

https://patents.google.com/patent/US7560059B2/en

US7560059B2 - Process and method for recycling cigarette butts ...

A process and method for recycling cigarette butts is disclosed. The process and method involves reacting ground cigarette butts with a solvent and mineral spirits and then shaping and drying the resultant product. Once the processed cigarette butts have hardened or cure...

6:04 PM

These guys too do it: https://www.greenminded.fr/ @Mikeš

Recyclage Mégots de Cigarettes | Association GreenMinded

Recyclez vos mégots en plastique grâce à l'association GreenMinded ! Entreprises & particuliers : commandez nos kits de recyclage et nos cendriers ludiques.

@the_troubleshooter thanks, i’ll check that out.

Sorry I do not speak english very well. but I'm having trouble downloading the plans to build a Shredder Pro

Many people is using PET this way, what do you think about this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYCxpWo1Tn4&feature=emb_logo

El Universo

Máquina recicla botellas plásticas para confeccionar ladrillos

7:28 AM

https://youtu.be/hz-B1bexM74

Catherine Cruz

Tritubot en PLV

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@Plastikourgeio Absolutely awesome idea! It gives incentives for people to pick up bottles and then educates them that there's value in what you throw away. Good idea in my eyes

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Wow this is like a reverse version of drink auto vendors! Really interested! I am happy to help with some stuff!

Hello!! can CDs and DVD and Blurays be recycled?? what kind of plastic are they??

@pepe_trueno Polycarbonate

6:35 PM

usualy processed by 270-300 degrees

ok... so i guess it really difficult to recycle??

6:37 PM

270 - 300 Celcius?

yes sorry

6:38 PM

i saw this video where a girl uses scotchtape to remove the foil

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6:38 PM

on the cds

6:39 PM

with out the foil cds must be valuable

6:39 PM

very valuable

6:39 PM

i dont know how much PC transparent is selling these days for

6:40 PM

but i think it should be abut 2€ - 3€ a kilo

thanks!

6:40 PM

thats really helpfull

6:41 PM

i will serch on this topic couse there are lots of cds and dvd here (Bolivia)

Is there any reason UHMW couldn't be recycled like HDPE?

@Mikeš I told a friend to try his heat press on cigarette butts from his workshop.

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3:50 PM

For extruding plastic beams, what's a common way to do it it without warping? I noticed if I'm patient, it comes out better. If I dunk it in water, it warps quite a bit.

Yeah let it cool slowly

4:33 PM

And maybe attach it to a straight surface while its cooling.

4:33 PM

Like bolt it down

That cigarette butt piece is quite beautiful...until you realise all that colour is tar!

5:49 PM

@pepe_trueno check out Revive innovations design on Instagram. They have success with cds, even with the foil.

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thanks!

Hi folks, have heard PET can’t be injected with the injector and was interested to know why if anyone knew?

@durack it's more trouble than its worth. for injection it was very good at jamming up my machine so much that i decided that it was better to not bother with it. It requires a high temperature and seems to have a temperature it likes, if you go above or below it there will be problems. if you manage to produce a product with the injection machine, the plastic has a consistency similar to glass and will shatter like glass, at least that's been my experience when melting it down in a bowl.

4:56 AM

^ produce a product with PET, not any plastic but specifically to PET. I assume PS is similar in terms of cracking and being glass/like.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug thank you for the feedback! Exactly what I was looking for and had thought it might be related to PET having a very fine window for melting temp. Interesting to hear it becomes very brittle too :/

Re: https://discordapp.com/channels/586676777334865928/605683727770583050/687907600406282251 @Pitou asks: "Has anyone made bricks yet?"

Hi guys, I'm quite new here so sorry for my ignorance about plastics. But I wanna ask what's the difference between PET Plastics and LDPE Plastics? (apart from properties found on the website) (more to the real life products) Thank you in advance!

If you want more info than Wikipedia can provide, you'll have to be more specific about what you want to know. (edited)

@dB have you looked around google? https://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/promo-university/different-types-of-plastic.htm

@Frederik C (ZA) I basically wanted to know the simple's guide to plastic.

2:47 AM

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Thanks for the link! This was exactly what I was looking for.

Hey everyone, I am also new to the Precious Plastic universe and super excited to get started with collecting and processing. I would like to know if someone can tell me which kind of plastic this lid is made off. I cant find anything on the internet

@Jonas S There is no triangle marking ? Weird, but it should be HDPE or PP. Compare it to other plastic to see if it seems to be one or the other.

Set it on fire

Set it on fire Sadly, one of the most common responses to plastic, in many scenarios.

Without a scanner, is a burn test really the best we can do (for now)? If the brand is known, the bottle label might say what the cap is made of. However, in the cases I'm aware of, the caps are also marked inside. (edited)

What do the markings say, by the way? They are too faint in the uploaded version of the photo. Discord often scales down resolution. (I think it's an adjustable setting.) (edited)

@Jonas S my guess is HDPE. From my own observations, if it's this size and is used for beverages, it's quite likely HDPE. You need to compare it's shininess to other bottle caps. Almost always PP is shiny and almost always HDPE is more matte/flat/doff.

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my guess is HDPE Yes. Looks like a "2" on the inside.

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@Frederik C (ZA) A burn test is a really good way to quickly identify plastic by smell and flame.

perfect guys. thank you a lot

Hello Everyone, I'm new to recycling and I'm buying parts to build one

2:17 AM

I need some help as i try to look for the template of the measurements to download it from the original website but sadly I can't find it, any one can drop me the link for the extrusion machine pls ( this is the one I want to build https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusion )

Pigments for Plastic Colorants: Types, Properties & Processing Guide

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

The files for the basic extruder are in the complete V4-Download: Complete V4-Download: https://github.com/ONEARMY/precious-plastic-kit/releases/tag/V4.1 Download this for the extruder pro: https://cutt.ly/starterkit-extrusion See this;) : https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/set-up-an-extrusion-workspace (edited)

Hey everyone, I am also new to the Precious Plastic universe and super excited to get started with collecting and processing. I would like to know if someone can tell me which kind of plastic this lid is made off. I cant find anything on the internet

@Jonas S Put it in vegetable oil, it floats =>PP it sinks => HDPE (assuming it is a modern one. Old caps could be in LDPE)

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"how do you color your products?" I often get asked this question. My answer is always, "I don't, they come in these colors". I've been looking for a list of pigments and dyes that can be added and found a link. It's worth mentioning that coloring your plastic works best if done through extrusion machine. All other methods won't melt and mix enough for colors to be uniform. https://polymer-additives.specialchem.com/selection-guide/pigments-for-plastics

Explore the detailed information on different types of pigments and colorants for the plastics industry along with their key features, properties and processing solutions.

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12:56 PM

The lighter tiles have titanium dioxide mixed in. The darker ones have no additives in my process.

Cool!

Does anyone have a rough estimate of the Kg weight of plastic required to produce say a 10mm thick 1x1m sheet?

easy peasy! @NoMorePlastic

@NoMorePlastic Here you go: 10mm thick is 1cm, 1m is 100cm. 1cm x 100cm x 100cm is 10,000cc (cubic centimeter) The weight of plastic depends on which one you're using. Weight per cc HDPE : .96g PP : .9g LDPE : .91g PS : 1.06g 10,000 x weight per cc = total weight for your product. HDPE : 10,000 x 0.96 = 9,600g PP : 10,000 x 0.9 = 9,000g LDPE : 10,000 x 0.91 = 9,100g PS : 10,000 x 1.06 = 10,600g Please let me know if i've messed up my math here. I did fail algebra in high school several times. I hope this answers your question! (edited)

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@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug haha awesome, I never passed algebra at all, now you want me to what! Perfect thanks.

Hello PP Community! I'm judt starting with my own oven and wanted to ask, at what temperature should I set it to melt PET, HDPE and PP? I can't find it anywhere. Thaaanks!

You can search the server history for keywords. In this case, I refer you to Dan The Man: https://discordapp.com/channels/586676777334865928/598887270636060694/674255893134573589 (edited)

1

This is interesting, and a nice escape from the corona reality. Mother of Pearl, Stretched Taffy Plastic.

1

2:33 PM

https://www.dezeen.com/2020/03/20/plasticiet-mother-of-pearl-furniture/

Anna Winston

Plasticiet stretches recycled plastic like taffy for Mother of Pear...

Monolithic slabs of pearlescent polycarbonate make up the latest designs from Dutch startup Plasticiet, which aim to bring new value to recycled plastic.

2

Simulating a wood grain in different colours would be interesting.

Hey all...it would be great if there is a way to determine..the life of a plastic and also to differentiate non recyclable plastic

Crude oil -> Polymerisation(Virgin) -> Production of (eg: Bottle, Film ....) -> End use -> Waste -> sorting -> different fraktions -> Recycling

8:42 PM

1

hi all

11:41 PM

i have a few questions that may have been asked before i beleive

11:44 PM

i seem to not be able to find laser cutting services that work with 3mm, 5mm or 6mm thickness. i am in the states so most sheets are based on inches: .125"/3.2mm, .187"/4.7mm, .25"/6.3mm seems to be what is commonly available

hi, yeah : https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/shredder-converted-to-imperial-system-inches/

1

wow thx!

11:49 PM

i have been wanting to get into this project for a few years now, i am very glad that it keeps evolving

@punksout just for future reference for anyone, i just became pretty confused with the files i was able to download from that link

1:43 AM

on the blog it lists the parts that needed to be resized. these seem to be the only ones that are actually in imperial units. the rest of the parts seem to remain in mm. I only note this because i really have no experience with any sort of manufacturing or 3D design. I am using this project as a "jumpstart" into being more handy.

@Deleted User : from what I've seen Oliver did a pretty decent job on the conversion. I just checked all the files and it seem quite alright to me. https://github.com/plastic-hub/pp-v4/tree/master/v3/shredder/imperial

plastic-hub/pp-v4

cheat sheets & more compact version of PP v4. Contribute to plastic-hub/pp-v4 development by creating an account on GitHub.

Someone know if there is a process to turn some plastic to graphite?

In one of my jobs we receive plastic bags with gloves. I'm not certain but led to believe the bags are #4 LDPE. Should I be able to create plastic blocks as structural components with many of these melted down?

@tazmanian#0060 it's probably LDPE. Look for the number. Just try making something with it and see what happens.

1

Hello!!!! I have asked this in #archived-collection I don't know where is the better place. What kind of plastic are these 2 photos? Are glasses of yogurt. And the slim plastic of yogurt top? https://imgur.com/a/KMurHoY

Most likely hdpe but could be pp. Maybe try to float it: https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/sort-hdpe-and-pp/

HITESH PATEL

sort HDPE and PP - Dave Hakkens

I have a mixture of bottle cap flakes which contain mixture of HDPE and PP plastic. What is the easiest way to separate the two types of plastic? Quantity is 50 metric tonne so difficult to try - Dave Hakkens

2:34 PM

@iwanttobefreak

A question I have. Is there any way, to turn PET into PETG?

One other question, can we shred and reuse resin?

4:53 AM

For filament, 3d printing, injection molding, etc.

Also just wanted to get input on this. https://markforged.com/x7/?mfa=dga-na-bof-retargeting&adg=83337763174&kw=&device=m&gclid=CjwKCAiA44LzBRB-EiwA-jJipClo__zcl2L5fP2dwgFINmAhd11NNQtSY4kEHr2yrcgXHVbiu9PsrhoCtzMQAvD_BwE

Markforged Industrial 3D Printer: Carbon Fiber, Fiberglass, Kevlar

The Markforged X7 is a top-of-the-line industrial 3D printer featuring a dual nozzle print system that supports continuous carbon fiber and Kevlar reinforcement.

Hey guys, I'm new here! I'm just wondering if there are any adverse effects over time if I were to use plastic bricks to build a planter? Is there any chemical leakage as the bricks age that could harm plants?

Does anyone have any papers on the following topics?: Warping temperatures as a result of heat on plastics Effects of UV light on plastics

@Uplifted im wondering the same... I thought maybe at Boiling Point it might Bond but I'm unsure. Can pet be remolded without a glycol additive?

6:23 PM

@neoshaman look up rice University's method for turning plastic into graphene I don't think graphite. So thankful you got me to look back bro January 27th they came out with a new method

Oh cool

Damn look like something that can be done in a kitchen , flash graphene, I'm too poor to get the paper though

Hello! how are they? could someone help me build my Shredder?

Can UV radiation have something to say about the quality of the plastic. If you collect plastic by sea and then melt it into products

If, do anyone know how to prevent it?

Kind regards Mathias "Miljoprotector.com"

UV could kill stuff on the surface but not sure how it would effect the plastic, an hour under UV for sanitation of the shredded plastic might lightly bleach the color.

4:18 PM

I have a couple plastic planters I printed a year ago that have been outdoors. Perhaps if I get a chance I could try recycling them to test it.

@Titankore.ai sterilization procedure is 30s. if you want to sterilize a fabric wash it with soap.

I mean UV causes the commonly used coloring agents of most commercial plastics to break down. (edited)

5:11 PM

So that's why old plastic left outside looks faded. (edited)

https://www.essentracomponents.com/en-gb/news/product-resources/uv-and-its-effect-on-plastics-an-overview

UV and its effect on plastics: an overview | Global Manufacturer & ...

Exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation can spell bad news for your project – find out why as we delve into the subject of UV and plastics.

1

Thanks

Heyy , can you please tell me correct temperature of PP 5 in injector machine ?? Thx

Hey everyone. I'm new here so sorry if i am in the wrong place. I built my injection machine a few months ago but i'm having trouble with HDPE. My plastic melts but when i inject it, my products seem to be very brittle. The outside shell of the parts are fine, but the inside seems almost like layers. like a laminated product. What am i doing wrong?

@Anthonyvanvolkinburg how long do you wait before injecting? seems like the plastic is not totally melted. Maybe you could shred thinner too?

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Thanks for the tip. I usually wait about 8 minutes. My chunks are roughly 8mm x 8 mmx 2mm

@Anthonyvanvolkinburg try 20 minutes see if it is the same. check also heat bands are properly in contact. what volume of plastic do you have more or less? standard injection press?

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland I'll give that a go. My heat bands are also kind of strange... I'm setting the PID controller to about 260 C sometimes. My temperature laser says its close (within 20 or 30 degrees) is that too low for HDPE? I have close to the standard injection press. My tube is 22mm ID. I'm injecting around 150cm3 at a time (if i did my math right)

wow, HDPE I inject at 140, you will poison yourself and destroy the polymer if it is too hot. HDPE starts melting at 137 degs

11:21 AM

You may have cooked the HDPE so it looses its structure

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Maybe I'll have to try a lower temperature then! Thanks for the tips! (its hard to find any documentation or info on the forums. Glad i found this discord thing)

11:22 AM

Lower temperature, wait longer. Got it.

There is a nice poster on PP somewhere let me search it for you

11:27 AM

Go in the kit master/plastics, you have all the documents you need

11:27 AM

Physical_properties_plastic.pdf

1.41 MB

Thank you so much!

1

Hi everyone, I'm Mirko from Croatia. I'm glad Dave direct me here to find some answer or help from plastic enthusiast. My questions and research is focused on plastic sheets as replacement for plywood or steel in some agriculture machines. We need to find out reference values for comparison. Is this a right channel for that topic?

Re. recycled pellets for repeatable injection. Is anyone making their own pellets with the extruder? Do you have any fixed recipe for your pellets? In the industry, mixed colour shred is referred to as 'Jazz', with different variations of 'Blue Jazz' etc.. However these come from mixed sources and are standardized by bulk. Would it be useful to begin to compile any recipes which people have developed along with their characteristics? For example, one of the most prevalent sources of HDPE is milk jugs, which are natural colour but with a blow moulding additive which makes it more like chewing gum when melted. A recipe for a certain type of standardized extuded pellet could be a certain percentage of this, giving a repeatable product.. ....... Just thoughts..

9:33 PM

@mirko_lesko yes, right place... one of the problems with getting reference values is that the ingredients are not standardized, this what i' thinking about ^

I've been doing hex tile coasters... I'm not making pellets... but i've stuck with a specific "recipe" to get a consistent color. I'll do 35 grams of white and 5 grams of blue HDPE flakes. They look like a nice marble look with a splash of blue here and there. So, i can sell them in a set and they look like they belong together.

@Anthonyvanvolkinburg How selective are you with the sourcing? Do you sort only by colour or do you do say, strictly 5g evian water bottle lids plus 35g medicine pots of the same type?

9:37 PM

i guess its not so critical for coasters, but I'm thinking about for pellets

Well, i don't mix plastic types obviously. I don't have much variation in my stock. Just for those two items. the blue and white HDPE, i'm getting it from work so it doesn't change in color or type. Then i have just a mix of colors for tests and stuff.

yes that's the best, a predictable stream

If you wanted a more solid blue, i'd think you'd have to have a lot more than my ratio and you'd have to mix the flakes together pretty well.

9:39 PM

The coffee shop by my house has PP lids and straws, so i'm hoping to team up with them after the coronavirus is gone and they're open again.

Hello everyone!! Has someone ever tried to recycle PLA from 3D printing failures in the machines? If so, which were the results and conclusions you have arrived at? Thanks!!

@mfanlo I've done it with my injection machine. However, i usually do PETG filament but PLA is easier as the temperature doesn't have to be as high.

Hello. 3D PRINT FILAMENT RECYCLING. 3dcrowduk.org are organising several thousand individuals all over the UK to print face masks. The printing process produces a lot of scrap PLA, including spare ends too short to print, odd bits from brims, skirts and supports, as well as failed prints etc. There is a national coordinating system which could gather this scrap and send it to someone with the right sort of extruder to make it usable again. Is there anyone in the UK with the right kit to do this? Let me know...

@Timberstar, thank you for reply. I understand what you mean, you're probably right. My idea was to start with only one ingredient and test. Additionally to add another ingredients to achieve better sheet quality and strength. I saw on videos there was people experimenting and making sheets, do you know somebody who already tried with producing sheets from recycled plastic?

hi what kind of plastic it's better to triturate

10:50 PM

or they are good_

10:50 PM

?

@carlos24 think you better start here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

https://wastemanagementreview.com.au/city-mitcham-uses-waste-tyres-asphalt-trial/

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

2

Does anyone have info on the weight of plastic needed to make the brick?

I am researching how to include recycled plastic in construction of a single level but large (about the size of an NBA basketball court) building so around 95 feet by 45 feet. It will be for a production line for sewing pants. I saw the videos on the lego style bricks. Very cool stuff. From research I see a few drawbacks being 1) it is not stiff but with the bricks this would largely be overcome 2) not secure from thieves....a person with a propane torch could melt a hole in minutes availability of different plastics. I see it looks to be polypropylene but what about making bricks from PET? So I then began to think about composite building. First question. Can I use the sheet press to make one out of PET and what is maximum thickness? If I take 4.5mm steel mat that is at around 1.5 inch square and tack stainless stock to the bottom in a few places and place that into the press and subsequently press the plastic around the steel mat I would think I would have an ideal building material. I could then treat it like sheet rock for construction and it would be exceptionally strong. Any thoughts? Is this even practical or possible? I would think the sheet would be easy to recycle as one would just melt the plastic off the mat and recycle each separately. Kind regards, Mike Kendall

one article claims 1.5 kilo/3.3 pounds and 4 minutes to make each brick. What kinds of plastic can be used? Can anyone answer my question above?

1

I think you need to make some test panels and experiment

12:07 AM

report back with your results!

which of the different grade plastic can be cut using laser cutting ?

I don't know about USA, but in Japan, if a building is larger than 10 square meters, It's considered a building... "Officially a building" It should be resistant to fire if you build it, but I wonder about harmful fumes??? @ke6cvh

Hi to all. I was searching informations about TIRES. Somebody can please help me out? Was thinking to recycle tires as there are a lot of them everywhere.

Ryoma-RecycleNaga, That is an extremely valid point. We are almost complete on an upper building that is much smaller. It is entirely metal and concrete construction (except glass in the jelosi style windows). Nothing to burn yet. Eventually the wiring will obviously have some plastic and I'm undecided if any doors will have wood or not. We already made one door entirely from steel. Lots to think about this. I saw discussion of a group in Philippines that is taking PET bottles then filling them with plastic trash and then plastering over that with concrete. I have to give this one allot of thought. There are some youtube videos of making string from PET bottles and very low tech with no money/energy investment. My thought is to make PET rope and weave that into the metal mat. I can put concrete on the outside of that but I want to keep the inside visible so that anyone looking at it can tell it is recycled. Glass is not going to burn. Maybe a mulit-level approach to composites are in order at this time. More studying.......

@ke6cvh Institute that can help you with Advance Materials: https://materials.imdea.org/

Home

I am researching how to include recycled plastic in construction of a single level but large (about the size of an NBA basketball court) building so around 95 feet by 45 feet. It will be for a production line for sewing pants. I saw the videos on the lego style bricks. Very cool stuff. From research I see a few drawbacks being 1) it is not stiff but with the bricks this would largely be overcome 2) not secure from thieves....a person with a propane torch could melt a hole in minutes availability of different plastics. I see it looks to be polypropylene but what about making bricks from PET? So I then began to think about composite building. First question. Can I use the sheet press to make one out of PET and what is maximum thickness? If I take 4.5mm steel mat that is at around 1.5 inch square and tack stainless stock to the bottom in a few places and place that into the press and subsequently press the plastic around the steel mat I would think I would have an ideal building material. I could then treat it like sheet rock for construction and it would be exceptionally strong. Any thoughts? Is this even practical or possible? I would think the sheet would be easy to recycle as one would just melt the plastic off the mat and recycle each separately. Kind regards, Mike Kendall

@ke6cvh This is why i was thinking about TIRES. They have iron inside. You can use this to mix it inside the bricks and create bricks made with plastic and iron filaments inside.

@crisdeluxe tires are made of rubber which I personally would not want to handle as it is relatively toxic and leach nasty stuff easily. There are a few successful tire recycling plants but they are heavy, industrial solutions. The best I have seen so far is this upcycling project like furniture making and the sort

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland so if i understand right, nobody want to work with Rubber? I search for many hours on the web without any good results.

@crisdeluxe nobody wants to work with recycling rubber because car tyres have metal wires in them which makes them extremely difficult to cut up or do anything with.

Has anyone done anything with PET and if so could please advise me on how to go about it

@crisdeluxe in Australia we have been using recycled tyres in our roads for a few years, it seems to work well.

@Timberstar with an industrial shredder its not a problem to trash them and to separate the materials it should be possible with simple water container (Rubber swim, iron no). But the real question is: What can i do with the Rubber? @NoMorePlastic How was it managed to use Rubber on steets?

I believe it's ground up and added to asphalt

@Deleted User but who is managing this? The goverment or private companies? I mean, collecting Tires is the easiest thing to do....

City of Mitcham uses waste tyres in asphalt trial - Waste Managemen...

Around 850 used tyres have been recycled to pave a stretch of road as part of a crumbed rubber asphalt trial in the City of Mitcham, SA.

10:04 AM

being driven by the tyre industry it seems

10:05 AM

google around for more info. crumbed rubber asphalt appears to be a good keyword

@Deleted User Thanks a lot mate!!

@crisdeluxe they mix it in with the bitumen

@NoMorePlastic you mean private companies that works on the maintenance of the streets?

well yes, contractors employed by the government that build our roads.

Is there a CHEAP possibility to separate plastic by various type??

yes, pre sort it

If i have 500kg per day its hard so pre-sort all

won't cost YOU a thing

How about floating technique?

@Lazy_Turtle do you have more informations about this technique?

Hold on, one sec

12:48 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsqLJNyrVss

Precious Plastic - learn about plastic

12:50 PM

Kind of out-dated though, it's a technique

I know this video. But how do you scale this for big portions of plastic?

1

bigger buckets of water

Hmm... Let's think more industrial?

I think you can try that

My idea was to create a small company in my town and start collecting the plastic. Only PET is managed by government. All the rest is free for work. So it's possible to collect a lot of plastic without big enforcements.

Where do you live? In Japan they only recycle PET

https://steinertglobal.com/au/magnets-sensor-sorting-units/sensor-sorting/nir-sorting-systems/unisort-blackeye/

UniSort BlackEye sorts your dark black objects by type

Enjoy low excessive sorting and a machine capable of learning, which can work and separate according to different sorting criteria.

1:03 PM

ez pz

@Lazy_Turtle Switzerland

1:40 PM

@Deleted User i send them an email to find out the prices. But i think it will be expensive.

we gave you the cheap option and that wasn't industrial enough

Hahaha

Yeah i know

1:41 PM

My idea was to find a solution to collect the plastic, sort it and shredder it.

1:42 PM

But i think we will talk about at least 200kg a day.

1

Regarding rubber I remember seeing (around 1999 or 2000) a web site that was selling scrap materials by the ton. They were crushing rubber and separating any metal by magnet then they would pave tracks at high schools etc with it. My understanding is that it was stopped because off gassing of the rubber for track athletes. Roads for cars mixed with asphalt surely would be a different situation. What I was looking into is crushed glass. They already crush it and mix it with concrete as well as use it as a top aggregate for good looks. There surely is some synergistic combination that would not easily burn or off gas. It is hard to beat concrete and metal (if one does not consider the pollution) but from a recycling aspect this is what I'm interested in. I'd like to make a single story building and be able to not only make statements of using recyclables in the construction but also it be apparent and meet building codes/durability/security. Still thinking/researching. Kind regards, Mike

@ke6cvh you think it would be possible to make the rubber from tires hard?

Hello, my name is Rainer, I live in Uganda and I want to start a workshop. I am thinking about building or maybe buying a shredder and an extruder 4.0. At the beginning I would like to produce planks 4 x 14 x 250 cm which can be used as floors for terraces or in the garden. My question is which plastic is best suited for this. I suppose PP would be best but here in Uganda there is much more PET available. I have read that PET is difficult to process, but I do not know why. Can anyone help me?

@Rainer tried already here? https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/forum/precious-plastic/research/

Dave Hakkens

Research about plastic - Dave Hakkens

Learning about plastic? Share it here! - Dave Hakkens

Has somebody some experience with Polycarbonate (food grade)? I can potentially have access to great deal of Tarflon IR 2200, Makrolon 2856 or Lexan 164R and would like to do something with it (injection or sheetpress). The process temperature is between 280 and 300° C

@crisdeluxe Tires can be repurposed as a building material. https://www.builtinchicago.org/blog/all-you-wanna-know-about-building-home-recycled-tyre

All you wanna know about building a Home with recycled Tyre | Built...

The ABCD of Building Your Home Using Recycled Tyres.

@crisdeluxe Tires can be repurposed as a building material. https://www.builtinchicago.org/blog/all-you-wanna-know-about-building-home-recycled-tyre

@Ruby Its a great idea. But i was looking for possibilities to shredder them and after user it for constructions. BTW i have to figure out if i can mix different plastics to make the bricks.... Hmmm??

All you wanna know about building a Home with recycled Tyre | Built...

The ABCD of Building Your Home Using Recycled Tyres.

@crisdeluxe tires are basically toxic. PP is not an industrial project, it is rather DIY, you don't want to melt it and to put it in contact with the environment. Furthermore, nanoparticles of tires are one of the plastic which toxicity has been legally asserted to be toxic. I would not be happy with an open shredder in my workshop. Doesn't mean other plastics are not toxic but this one is some of the worse. To my knowledge modern recycling plants dissolve the rubber to obtain high quality rubber again or something like that. There is a huge plant in NL which is often in the news. Have a look

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Thanks for this informations. I will focus on other plastics.

1:11 PM

Somebody knows if it's possible to mix different plastics and what will be the results?

@crisdeluxe Yeah, sorry I don't have any insight into shredding tires. Just thought you might be interested in knowing this use as it seems like there are limited uses for retired tires as of yet.

@Vincent G check this out for your polycarb research https://www.dezeen.com/2020/03/20/plasticiet-mother-of-pearl-furniture/ (edited)

Anna Winston

Plasticiet stretches recycled plastic like taffy for Mother of Pear...

Monolithic slabs of pearlescent polycarbonate make up the latest designs from Dutch startup Plasticiet, which aim to bring new value to recycled plastic.

2

we are planning to make a multi-layer board from LDPE bags, any one has done such kind of project can you please share the information, Mostly this plastic bags are 20 to 40 micron

@Joseph I had a feeling they could definitely do something like that. I was thinking of something exactly like a taffy machine for plastic. Didn't know what use there could be for it.

I found some documents that might help to teach how to modify PET plastic with Glycol. Post them here momentarily.

lyondellbasell-chemicals-technicalliterature-modification-of-pet-using-mpdiol-glycol-3045.pdf

679.93 KB

PET-recycling.pdf

971.62 KB

2:56 AM

2016_Recycling_of_PET_A_review.pdf

839.17 KB

2:56 AM

2016_Recycling_of_PET_A_review.pdf

839.17 KB

2:58 AM

PIIS2542435119300479.pdf

2.83 MB

2

My mind is

Especially because it's in English

Hopefully they help. I hadn't gotten to read them all. Each are from different sites but I don't know if I can find them all. Lots of it has to do with chemistry and science terms I have to research.

I will read them slowly

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950061811000596

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260073837_Post-consumer_PET_Bottles_Recycling_II_PET_depolymerization_using_microwaves

6:17 AM

https://filament2print.com/gb/blog/49_petg.html

What is PETG?

PETG is the most famous and used copolymer in the world of 3D printing. Its appearance is due to the combination of PET with glycol, improving the interesting properties of PET with a glycolization process.

1

"The PETG as a material used in 3D printing is characterized by a functionality very similar to ABS (good temperature resistance, durable, resistant) and the ease of being printed as the PLA." -filament2print

6:56 AM

That will be absolutely INCREDIBLE if it's true.

@Uplifted interesting stuff about PET G. I knew that was the way that it is commonly 3d printed. Anything in there about turning everyday PET into PETG? like could you just mix it in the extruder barrel? Seems like that might work

@Joseph I'm still looking over the material. I haven't seen anything as of yet that offers a straight forward step by step approach that seems to offer what would resemble a diy guide yet. That or perhaps I'm reading these wrong. However, the Science Direct link may be able to offer something resembling that. It is 40 dollars. I intend to buy it later.

9:45 PM

@Uplifted like could you just mix it in the extruder barrel? Seems like that might work

@Joseph I was thinking something similar. Though I don't think you could mix the glycol into an extruder. My assumption is that 1st: Collect PET plastic. 2nd: Glycolize plastic through instructed process, likely a solution mixture. 3rd: After prepping plastic pieces (perhaps through drying?) Begin process of extrusion or injection molding. (edited)

Hello fellow humans, i have a collection of plastic lids but they dont have a number on them other than JA034 What plastic is this?

@Zero Plastics Australia pretty sure that's not a number for a plastic type, more like a mould number. Better try other methods to identify it - burning, flotation, bending to check for stress whitening, snapping... if you know what brand beverage etc they come from you could search that way or contact the manufacturer. Most lids are HDPE, some PP. https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/faq-how-can-i-easily-identify-a-plastic

How can I easily identify a plastic?

Identification of polymers by a flame test and spectroscopy is described.

1

@Joseph @Uplifted Making PETG is not as simple as adding a bit of G to some PET. In fact there is already ethylene glycol in PET but in a different configuration. https://hackaday.com/2019/01/29/plastics-petg/

Dan Maloney

Plastics: PETG

You’d be hard-pressed to walk down nearly any aisle of a modern food store without coming across something made of plastic. From jars of peanut butter to bottles of soda, along with the trays…

Hmmmmmm well how would I be able to identify the ones that have the glycol modification?

PETG is not very common outside of 3D printing. If it's not 3D printed, it's unlikely to be PETG

Well certainly wouldn't stop me from trying if I could. :P

Hello fellow humans, i have a collection of plastic lids but they dont have a number on them other than JA034 What plastic is this?

@Zero Plastics Australia if it floats on vegetable oil => PP if not HDPE (if they are very old they could be LDPE but I never found one

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland thank you I'll test this out.

Ladies and Gentlemen. I give you: https://youtu.be/0ItPfhx3ulw

XYZAidan

Recycle Cardboard into Anything with 3D Printing!

1

2:45 AM

On a side note: Is there any way to turn plastic into resin?

@crisdeluxe @Deleted User have you guys seen this tech? its small scale but worthy of looking into for potential automation for mass sorting. https://www.matoha.com/plastell (edited)

PlasTell | Matoha

Our low-cost device PlasTell enables rapid sorting of plastic waste anywhere, anytime.

3

hot damn @NoMorePlastic that is great! Pretty cheap really for what it is accomplishing

Yeah I agree, worth while looking into. Could reduce sorting times on a larger scale.

~1600 dollarydoos

Should we contact them and collabrate?

11:23 AM

The company is located in London

@🤙v4-team might be worth contacting https://plasticodyssey.org/en/ to see if they are interested in an official partnership? they might have some ideas/contacts or maybe even funding links to help with the current situation (edited)

Plastic Odyssey | Home

The expedition around the world to fight plastic pollution

1

3:35 PM

@Lazy_Turtle @Deleted User they also have a section on their site about sorting plastic (edited)

5

Hi! I have a question about melting different kind of plastic. Someone knows if its possible?

@Timberstar Yeah we know them! Cool guys. They came to our headquarters last year.

1

Anyone out there who has tried the plastic used for playsets and if anyone has identified the type of plastic it uses? An example would be the Little Tykes swing and slide or house sets. The only one I'm familiar that uses these kinds of plastics are Ecobirdy.

Does the Precious Plastic system work with laminates, like sachets? I've scoured the website looking for a definitive answer (whether a YES or a NO), but no luck.

Not really sure what you meant by "work with laminates" But I think it is possible using the compression machine?

10:16 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp4vmfVlm2k&t=5s

Make a durable tote bag from shitty plastic bags #preciousplastic

10:16 AM

Is this kind of what you are looking for???

10:18 AM

Or did you mean laminate on plastic bowl to put food on it?

10:19 AM

@theislandergirl

@Lazy_Turtle sorry, i meant the plastic laminates, like the ones used for sachets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp4vmfVlm2k&t=5s

Make a durable tote bag from shitty plastic bags #preciousplastic

10:46 AM

I think this is the closest they have done

10:47 AM

It's not using any machines, but I think it can work with compression machines.

10:47 AM

I don't think it is possible to mass-produce like that photo you uploaded here.

10:48 AM

Try it out anyway

@crisdeluxe think this guy has solved your building idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfWBhNhZuzY

Al Jazeera English

Colombia's Lego Homes - earthrise (lead)

1

@Lazy_Turtle

Oh so it is allowed in Columbia... How about uk?

5:15 PM

Already 0:14

no it would be allowed here, but with injection it could be done in a more controlled way

1

It reminds me of maisons phenix. One of childhood friend built his home like that, it is a kit. You slide the panels into a metal frame the same way

bricks and panels are sure to be one of the main products in demand, and they seem to make sense as a way of locking away waste plastic

5:42 PM

but i am for a cleaner product which is safer around people

@Timberstar yes and you don't want to think about what happen if it heats up or even burns. I am fairly sure it releases gas. I mean if you have nothing it is indeed best. I would never use that indoors.

i figure clean HDPE is relatively benign, would be interesting to know the regulations about this

all the plastic is grey so it is not good not good... It is too hot

Hello everyone! I'm from Argentina. I have questions about RECYCLING OF #PLASTICS BY EXTRUSION

8:34 PM

I want to know what types of plastics can be or should be mix for makin beams

8:34 PM

or is it better to use only one type of plastic?

8:35 PM

My boyfriend and I want to invest in recycling, so please help us with any info! My e-mail abigailpiedrabuena@gmail.com

Hello Guys, I'm new here. I was researching about PET, because this is a very common plastic here and it would be a pitty to now work with it too... So, have you already found any way to use it on the recycling process?

9:58 PM

I saw that they use mostly to make clothes, but the machinery is too expensive, this would have to be a way bigger project..

Hi everyone! I have clean post-industrial shredded HDPE / regrind available; $4.50 per pound, FREE USA SHIPPING. You can see the color schemes I have available on the PP Bazar: https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/raw-material/plastic/2-hdpe/ I obtained more than I need for my experiments, with some to re-sell to fund development of a sheet / block press.

Raw Material :: Plastic :: #2 HDPE

4:32 PM

Liking the candy corn theme there.

@Uplifted Yeah, it's nice and vibrant!

I love the creative spontaneity that comes with collecting plastic. Lots of creative freedom and the reuse of vibrant colors.

1

Hello, I'm a researcher on small scale recycling solutions that can be implemented within buildings. I was wondering if precious plastic has conducted any research on how much CO2 is emitted or any other harmful gases per hour of plastic recycling? Let's assume if I had to build a shredder, an extruder, a sheetpress, a compressor, an injector and a machine for washing (the basic sized ones posted on the website), and recycling all sorts of plastic for around 8 hours per day, how much CO2 will I emit roughly taking into account the energy consumption of the machinery and the fumes that will be emitted during the process of recycling? I know for instance that ABS and PS plastics emit the most fumes, while PE and PP plastic emit the least. It will be very helpful if I could get an estimate value. Thank you.

https://www.acmeplastics.com/what-is-petg

What is PETG Plastic? Information on PETG | Acme Plastics

PETG plastic is growing in popularity among both businesses and consumers. Learn the key traits that define this durable and easy to use plastic.

2:33 AM

"In general, PETG is a food-safe plastic that's commonly used for food containers and bottles for liquid beverages."

2:33 AM

I didn't expect that. (edited)

Still using oil right?

2:35 AM

Plus not composable

2:35 AM

Not a big difference I guess

What would be preferred?

I hope both but...

3:44 AM

I think not composable would be preferred

3:44 AM

I mean it should be composable

@Uplifted PETG cannot be food safe, it contains Phtalates. T stands for Tetraphtalates. In contact with fatty acids it dissolves like most plastics. It is slow but it happens. Plastic + food = no. The reason why it is still used is beyond my understanding. Happy googling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthalate

Phthalate

Phthalates (US: , UK: ), or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic anhydride. They are mainly used as plasticizers, i.e., substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity. They are used primarily to soften polyvinyl chlorid...

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland hmm I see. Then something was outright lying to me. Researching further.

1

Hi everyone, can clear sheets be made from water bottles?

Dear Sir or Madam,We are writing to you because we would be interested in having some information on the production of objects dedicated to have contact with aliments made with precious plastic machines. The question is then, if using plastic washed and used previously to contain food, using precious plastic machines can we create long-lasting products dedicated to contact with food? And also we need CE certification to sell that type of products?

1:03 PM

Thank you very much for the answer, and I'm very sorry if it's not the first if this question is made.

@Stefan.Rasic I don't know much about food-safety, but found this in the forum https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/recycled-party-cups/

Forest Melcher

Recycled Party Cups! - Dave Hakkens

Collaborate! LET’S REPLACE THE NASTY TOXIC NON-RECYCLABLE RED SOLOS at UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES!!!! Hi Guys! I have been following this site for a while now, just joined the forum. - Dave Hakkens

Put glaze or something if you can't confirm that it's safe... always better to stay on a safer side

@Lazy_Turtle thank you very much!

1

hello guys, please share who makes any products from pet bottles on an extruder. Is it the same as with other types of plastic or not? and if you can photo products

No, PET is hard to recycle. I can't provide photos but other types such as HDPE and PP is Recommended

9:42 AM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

plastic waste to oil/fuel improved pyrolysis reactor

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

9:42 AM

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland

hello

Hi, i don’t know if someone already post this here, but I think it’s worth sharing anyways https://youtu.be/_BfjaVbLb8I

Hazel Chem

Hi Guys. I'm currently working to start a campaign to collect various kinds of waste such as plastic bottles, old clothes and also paper. Precious plastic is one of the main sources that I am getting this huge knowledge from. Just a quick question

8:14 AM

We are trying to collect plastic bottles and reuse and create something out of it

8:14 AM

What would you people suggest me to work on?

8:14 AM

is it possible to mold plastic and make something out of it?

8:15 AM

This is the only question i have in midn.

8:15 AM

Hope to find a solution so we can bring in a social change.

@Mikeš I love the conclusion :D You know that you can get yours on Alibaba :D? https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/plastic-pyrolysis-plant.html

plastic pyrolysis plant, plastic pyrolysis plant Suppliers and Manu...

Alibaba.com offers 2,717 plastic pyrolysis plant products. About 11% of these are Machine Oil Purifier, 1% are Reactors, and 19% are Rubber Pyrolysis Machines. A wide variety of plastic pyrolysis plant options are available to you,

10:18 AM

@Artem_lavitgrass You will have very hard time to extrude PET as it is very temperature and moisture dependent. It is very hard to know the actual temperature inside your barrel and I don't speak about the moisture content in a PP system. as far as I know in the PP extrusion world there are the bricks the beams and some weaving? They can be seen on the website or bazar

1

Hi, i don’t know if someone already post this here, but I think it’s worth sharing anyways https://youtu.be/_BfjaVbLb8I

@Mikeš I mentioned it but a lot of people dont like this option because they dont consider it recycling. I like to think of it as a way to reuse it for a new purpose and i am actually looking at making a version play with. on a large scale it would be a great way to reuse plastic that can not be reused any other way.

Hazel Chem

plastic waste to oil/fuel improved pyrolysis reactor

@Beginner's Tech @Mikeš We are actually considering it for marine plastics that we cannot clean. But we would go for a semiindustrial one. DIY it is mad. There are more advanced project in the UK than the ones advising not to die. But it is not recycling, downcycling if you want but you destroy the plastic doing it

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland so I don't think things like this should be the first line of recycling obviously we should always try to reduce reuse and recycle at the waist first but I am also a big fan of incinerators and this sort of recycling for things that are harder to reduce or reuse here's my reasoning for it if we can take trash and use it to make energy or replace other fossil fuels like coal and oil to make electricity then you're basically taking a worthless piece of trash and turning it into a valuable commodity. so yes I agree that it should not be the first thing that happens with trash but it's a whole lot better to burn it for electricity or turn it into usable crude oil again then bury it in the ground and hopefully by doing that we can replace other things like coal power plants (edited)

I don't know if this has anything to do with plastic but need to post this. Maybe this could be a way to recycle thermosets?

8:52 AM

https://youtu.be/ePROb4ook3Y

Connora Technologies | World's First Recyclable Epoxy System

Manufacturing Waste Recycling Demo - Recyclable Epoxy

they didn't say what acids epoxies etc, but from what i gathered

3:58 PM

they broke cured epoxy down in acid

3:58 PM

removed the aggregate (may be a more accurate term for this)

3:58 PM

then precipitated the monomers out via neutralising the solution?

That seems to be the case. Sadly they don't seem to give more information on the process other than what they offer on screen.

who are the "chem people" of this discord?

5:04 PM

outside of high school level basic chemistry i can't say/do much on this front (at least in the theoretical stuff, hands on machine/reactor building i can do)

5:05 PM

need to find some chemical engineer or something

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Might have some stuff

hahaha I would have to look into it. We get a lot of epoxy too on the beach but it is mixed with glass fiber I am not too sure what you can recover and it doesn't like much UVs. I can ask someone to look into it

hello precious plastic community !!!!! thanks a lot for you work i love y so much .. i'm planing to start a recycling community business here in Nayarit (Mexico ) but right no i'm have a problem that i would like to share with the community hopping y guy can help me understand how we can recycling the PET plastic if some one can give me some can be so kind to give me some explenation thanks so much ...

alrighty

8:42 PM

i'm not the best person, but i'll try my best here, take all my stuff with a grain of salt, and feel free to get help from others (or be that other and chime in):

8:42 PM

So assuming you are using bottles

8:42 PM

you want to get/make a shredding device first

8:42 PM

the PP (using this as shorthand from this point on) shredder is good, but also expensive

8:43 PM

for a lower cost option, "unwravalers" / "peelers" exist

8:43 PM

essentially the bottle goes on a post (post goes in the top hole of the bottle)

8:43 PM

is rotated by hand causing a blade to peel it into a long strip

8:44 PM

this can then be cut by hand (with scissors/shears), or via paper shredder into flakes

8:46 PM

ANOTHER THING

8:47 PM

i work with ose, and i think one of the people is in Guadalajara !

8:47 PM

quick maps search says ~3 hrs by car?

@recyclingmundis

thanks so much Eric !!! so we can recycling plastic PET and use the extrusion macchine to inject the melt materials in to a mold right ? IM ASKING THESE question because i heard that PET is not the best plastic to use for producing object of day use like plate or cup or .....

9:12 PM

right ??

i hear it is VERY moisture sensitive

9:12 PM

and will break down when heated and even slightly wet

9:12 PM

So

9:13 PM

(especially in Mexico i bet, i'm in Florida and it's even bad here)

9:13 PM

HVAC is a must (edited)

9:13 PM

then probably some sort of drying bin

9:13 PM

and if you are doing FDM 3D Printer Filament, a Filament Dryer

9:14 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PET_bottle_recycling#Drying_polyester

PET bottle recycling

Bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET, sometimes PETE) can be used to make lower grade products, such as carpets. To make a food grade plastic, the bottles need to be hydrolysed down to monomers, which are purified and then re-polymerised to make new PET. In many co...

9:14 PM

some info i found, again i am no expert, so double-check what i say

ok thanks

Hi All, I am in Australia and looking for some help and guidance. I am not mechanically minded at all. I have access to a lot of recyclable plastics that I would like to transform into products. Such as flower pots, cheese boards for a start. I am totally confused where and how to start. Where best could I source suitable machinery and moulds. Am I correct that I need a shredder, then an injection machine and mould (the mould goes on the end of the injection machine). Any little bit of assistance would be hugely appreciated.

Just checking my message got on the Board? I am pretty new and unfamiliar with this.

2

Shredding and Injecting is just one way of it. There are many ways you can recycle with Precious Plastic's machines.

7:29 AM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/intro this might be a good guide to get started

7:31 AM

Where in Australia?

@LearnerPlasticRecycler if you don't have enough money you could use a 12-18 sheet paper shredder to shred thin plastic. you could also use a vise for a sheet press, and / or a toaster oven to melt your plastic! good luck!!!

@LearnerPlasticRecycler Do you have a (FDM) 3D Printer Yet?

@LearnerPlasticRecycler where in Aus are you based?

Hi! A question for you

In many bottles caps (here from water bottles) there is this thin layer of plastic... Do you know what kind of plastic it is and if it can be shredded with HDPE without contaminating the plastic for future recycling? Please tell me it's some kind of PE and I don't have to remove all of them piece by piece...

Found something that seems like it works with legos. Burnt it, but it melts like HDPE. Interesting.

It's ABS.

When ABS burns its smoke this isn't

I think that's only when you burn it. Not melting it.

4:47 AM

I tried the same thing with normal Abs and HDPE. Similar results. But I'll show.

4:49 AM

Momentarily.

Ok

4:51 AM

”ABS has a strong resistance to corrosive chemicals and/or physical impacts. It is very easy to machine and has a low melting temperature making it particularly simple to use in injection molding manufacturing processes or 3D printing on an FDM machine”

4:51 AM

From https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-abs-plastic

Everything You Need to Know About ABS Plastic

ABS plastic is a common thermoplastic polymer used for 3D printing prototype development and injection molded part manufacturing.

Hmmm

5:27 AM

I would show but discord doesn't transfer video.

Too big huh?

5:28 AM

Share a google drive link I guess

5:29 AM

Upload it to Google drive, and send the link to it here.

Kay hold a sec. Might not be able to do it now. Might need to go to bed in an hour as I tried to burn it in front of the camera and the wind kept blowing it out so I have to show the burn later. I only have the video of the object in question XP

5:58 AM

And I'd rather not burn it inside.

Careful, Use masks. Just in case.

6:06 AM

Try in Well-ventilated area.

@vishbish What kind of bottles?

@Lazy_Turtle pump bottle between 500ml-1L range, storing chemicals like disinfectants and solutions

Well first the plastic needs to be chemical-resistant.

are they easy to process ?

I guess HDPE can

2:19 PM

Which machines do you have?

i currently don't have one

2:20 PM

i'm looking to invest in one

Haven't decided?

yes, i want to make sure the machine can process any kind of plastic

No... it's not possible to process any kind of plastic at the moment.

2:22 PM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

1

wondering if anyone has done experiment on creating recycled plastic bottles

To be honest, you don't have to recycle, you can just reuse them.

2:23 PM

Our mission is to reduce plastic waste, so you don't have to recycle every time.

2:24 PM

Recycling is the last wall of 3R: reduce, reuse, recycle. Reduce is best, (beyond plastic) reuse is good, and Recycling is ok.

2:25 PM

If you can reuse... I don't think you have to recycle.

2:25 PM

That's just my thoughts.

well, i'm trying to reuse the recycled plastic to creating new products, bottle is just to do an experiment

Great.

2:28 PM

Bottle might be hard because you have to make space inside.

2:28 PM

Plus it's hard to prevent leakage.

so any liquid storing function won't be feasible with recycled plastic ?

2:29 PM

because it might leak ?

It's possible, but it's hard, and I don't know if there is a demand for it. (edited)

alright, for demand i will have to conduct some market surveys to check

Try to make long-lasting products.

is it possible to get precise products out of injection moulding ?

Yes it's possible.

2:32 PM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/create/injection-moulds

1

2:32 PM

Can be a little pricy.

as long as the parts are detailed

2:37 PM

thank you for the links, will read them thorough

ok

a

ok

@Lazy_Turtle do you have any workspace which i can collaborate with ?

No, not now.

2:40 PM

The workspace is located inside school, and school is closed... so..

2:40 PM

I can provide infos.

2:41 PM

Where in Australia are you based on?

ohh.. yeah.. hoping they will reopen schools

2:42 PM

i'm based in melbourne cbd

Do you want to be a part of a workspace?

2:45 PM

There is @NoMorePlastic

yeah, that would be great

Perhaps you can DM with @NoMorePlastic . Go to #deleted-channel for more.

1

2:47 PM

OOPSIE, wrong channel.

2:47 PM

#🥝oceania

1

Hola! Soy Ana Luz, de Argentina. Estoy comenzando a trabajar con los precious plastic y conseguí una empresa de torneado de teflón, y quiero saber si es posible utilizar ese plástico para reciclarlo ya que esta empresa me donaría los "desechos" de las piezas que construyen. Muchas gracias. #Argentina

Hi guys, I m trying to build a Shredder Pro. Anybody has the blue prints/dimensions of the Blades? are they made from tubes or steel plates ?

Just found a really cool yoga mat upcycled from wetsuits and was just wondering how it was made

HI There. South Africa. I would like to know if anyone has information on how much plastic a mix workspace diverts from landfill, ie: reduces and recycles? What estimate percentages? Which country?

Hello from Glasgow. I have zero idea how to use Discord, so not sure where this message will go. I'm looking for a design of some sort for a fume extraction system, not unlike the one in the PP safety video. I can see it in the background, but don't know where to find an example of a diy system.

@UpHub You've done it right:)

1:34 PM

Are you planning to develop one?

1:38 PM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/safety Just in case if you have not read this yet.

@Lazy_Turtle Yes that's the video I was referencing. Do you know if there are other examples folks have built? Yes I'm building one at a community centre where kids will be visiting, to it needs to be good enough for that. (edited)

I've never heard of it. @PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland

8:12 PM

Has anyone been able to do anything with this type of plastic??

That's LDPE, you can use it, sure

how are you all processing it?

Hello I would like to guide me regarding what type of plastic and additives are suitable for making plastic blocks for house construction. The block must obviously have characteristics such as fire, humidity, thermal and acoustic insulation.

@UpHub We use a large restaurant air extractor where we add a layer of active carbon wool. I am planning to add a UV chamber to break formaldehydes too. The room of the workshop has a constant negative pressure. We use PVC plastic stripe to separate the public space from the machinery. like these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PVC-Refrigeration-Strip-Curtain-Door-Strips-Only-2-5-Meter-Drop-3mmX-300mm-Wide/163883117884?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item262831ed3c:g:sVgAAOSw5Ppdj3BC&enc=AQAEAAACcIQvEcHUrT7nmUC3yY5qbPyaBN1nJEDYW8MyypsJPgXKym2Jdff8P6pcVkPslsrmDzfalqR3DzO%2FXQBisZOXfHsTRF6D0E%2FrCqSJyNrBpSndsDc0hgE7FecYiK0Q28%2FZOxhgU%2B3AuDdcnxJCn24yTDECTDaemU5VEvZud2iA0QLIWxCeoQbs6QoqyWWGhxZrWBzTMIHeeNKmoNGVjWDsMXknQab%2B7i3XpOhxzDpKS8B3JXHIbHHhLJWupy5HdVGybRor7RiNb%2F87tWt7c67IloYgWPC7FPqdCJNsiak9dKu%2BjbW%2FmPfvgjLlD6Un%2FpkQCKyHw622YmahOp%2FaX12HC%2FRYpgp02aoHR%2Fk60s0q3ySjQtQcb6O4wpH8TuDsZgRh8tUvHNuek0SOM5LdMGwZKat%2BaOjm7QUHy0OhlqPkv71s2lCEpHyGlaAEAdBs97EcyYgJG4D81%2FAp1g%2FCNevdV9rCZ9epfHFfh3nvBIEuldVokUfeaF4pgWNCXgxmCUj3MeZVX0pt1yAEAYXYee6Smw9VT6LBjIdog194UJmixO9t1fmwk8jgZeZbAgUe3WXcFPK55uNfdl%2Bfi%2FPeQnrE8zNUmsPisPFQeIPVsNWTcWFnumc9%2FtIxbC5LCHTFtfrvOfHWK6oqNDdUCuc9DozqZ5G%2FBlCQkF7HRGaZS4Iu0c9ZRsNp%2F7ltCX3uCX8pBDOYPuLXJFKx7g5UY6b26POLoWJKmKKNQMfjU5HZ%2FNJC0Z4ldB%2FfiDjhl7EB4I%2B7PjPW8zbrbIuUjFyA5botdqhC7d3%2BMY%2FuXu45WO9VxnLzPQm%2B%2FfspBEva9m2qxsvfy9tUgw%3D%3D&checksum=1638831178849b98226a47a44b94a519656449db69ee

PVC Refrigeration Strip Curtain Door Strips Only 2.5 Meter Drop 3mm...

PVC Strip Curtain. Strip Curtain. Option of Stainless Steel 985mm suspension rail is available.

Has anyone had any experience with injecting plastic into a mold that held a larger volume of plastic than the piston of the injection machine holds? Let’s say my mold took three full pistons injected into it would the three different injections work? I’m worried about the temperature difference between the three different “layers” piled on top of each other. Would they still bind together cohesively or would there be a pronounced demarcation between each separate injection? (edited)

I think a larger barrel, or the extrusion machine would be the only way (in my armchair opinion)

1

@Eric Lotze What about doweling in? In concrete forming I’ve used anchoring rods with hooks to essentially connect two sections of concrete together as they cure at different times. I’m wondering if something like this could work. I think there would still be a line showing where the two meet but I’m wondering if they would connect and hold together well.

i am being very armchair, we may need some hands on experimenting off all these ideas. My main concern is heating + thermal fusion/welding (forget which term) if the mold is heated this may not be bad, but otherwise there may be unmelted sections and melted sections reducing structural rigidity, but this is essentially what FDM 3D Printing is so who knows!

1

Yah I think I’m going to do some tests on this over the weekend. I want to eventually get an extension machine but in the meantime I’m trying to see what I can do with my injection machine with regards to larger molds. I definitely get what you’re saying though. I’ll post about the results.

Has anyone had any issues when making a bowl and the plastic contaminates the food you put in it?

Does anyone know what kind of plastic hotel toiletries are made of and why they're not really being recycled?

hola

10:33 PM

Soy de Perú, soy nuevo aqui

Hi guys. I just started making workspace. I have lot of polycarbonate, clearite and plexiglas. Does anyone have experience with that and any idea what I can do with that? Thanks in advance

so i ranted about this on another page, one moment starts around here i think? : https://discordapp.com/channels/586676777334865928/598855096121425920/712444346577715270

has anyone experience in plastic pre-drying? How do you pre-dry your plastic?

Anyone have an idea of what to make out of waterbottle plastic or polyethylene terephthalate?

@Kevin Wang Since it's a thermoplastic, you can do pretty much all the items displayed in the PP project

@tsiour_p what is the PP project?

8:27 AM

thx for the response though

Precious Plastic

Oh lol

8:30 AM

me smol brain

8:30 AM

Thanks!!!

8:31 AM

can it also be made into... like ... those plastic marble stuff?

Sure

wow... thx!!

Has anyone experimented with precision tolerances on the Pro extrusion machine? 3D printing quite a bit and kicking around the idea of using recycled plastics to create my own filament.

not sure, a pile of factors with fdm filament, extrusion rate, tension, cooling etc. Some work done here as well: https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Lyman_Filament_Extruder

Lyman Filament Extruder

Has anyone experimented with precision tolerances on the Pro extrusion machine? 3D printing quite a bit and kicking around the idea of using recycled plastics to create my own filament.

@crito Im a big fan of Gigabot X which is an open source 3d printer that works only with recycled plastic, taking account of so much variables with a vacuum gravity extruder built in! So far its the only open source way I know turning shredded plastic into 3D objects

5:15 PM

Hello guys, I have something special to ask you. Im funding a startup to plastic recycle with a v4 workspace and a game for mobile that I've been designing for 2 years now, I'm really close to getting real funding with this investor that came to me, but she requested I presented her more accurate market data. Since small scale and on demand plastic recycling facilities are RARE here in Brazil, I ask you, could you who works with plastic products please answer this formulary? https://forms.gle/aM1VV6eWDDoSHD9N9

Help us know better before we start plastic recycling!

We aim at creating wider knowledge among the universe of small / medium scale PLASTIC RECYCLING! Besides, the results of this research will give aditional, real world data for an investor + startup relationship that just started within a specific project in Brazil called Plasm...

Any recommendations on what to make with PET?

Hey Everyone! I was wanting to know if you guys recommend using PP, PS, HDPE, and LDPE for the PP machines or is it recomended to use other plastics? Also, does any one know specifically their melting points of those plastics as through research I find various numbers and ranges? Thanks.

@DanGus , download the precious plastic kit zip file. everything you need to know as a beginner for plastics melting should be there

@mpadovani anything really. if you just started like me, making sure you acknowledge the learning curve when it comes to making your product helps. Like, start with a plastic tile in the shape of a square, then a stamped plastic tile, then a cubic block (make loads and stack it on one another like a lego), then put a hole in the cubic block and turn it into a flower pot. if you wanna make money with your product, make something sellable like an iphone case. Honestly, if you make an item that has no value to a person, and your customer buys your product for the sake of 'recycling' the recycled goods will get trashed anyway.

9:27 PM

All I'm saying is, put some thought into it. About the life cycle of your creation. Also, I think this topic should be in "products"

9:30 PM

soz, theres no "products". my bad :/

@sofifi Great, Thanks! (edited)

@DanGus HDPE is the favourite, melts at 130 degrees or so, very little fumes

3

@sofifi Thanks for the advice. Any recommendation on machine to use with PET?

PP machines are not suited to PET, it´s one of the more difficult plastics to recycle at this level

haa i see @Timberstar

Hi guys, I'd like to know if there's some kind of guide that gives the most efficient heating temperatures, rotation speed, heating time and other tweakable settings on the extrusion machine for the different plastic types. I'm kind of new here so sorry if this isn't the right place to ask or if this has already been said (I couldn't find very specific informations in the starterkits)

Hello, good afternoon, I hope the entire community of preciuos plastic is well. Through this channel I would like to know what type of plastic is ideal for the manufacture of plastic frames. Thank you

PROBABLY ABS, it is a common, and pretty easy to use (melt, store etc) plastic, it also has good structural properties

11:46 PM

let others chime in as well though, also may have been a video on plastic types? i forget

thank you very much for your answer! have a good day. It helped me a lot

I have made a little video to show our new facility to clean marine plastic. I call that our 0 carbon washing machine. It is specifically aiming at cleaning nets and ropes that we collect, contaminated by sand, organic matter and algae. It might look stupid but it is the only thing that actually work at small scale. It is low tech so I love it

It is not completely cheap and it is labour intensive. This method has always been used to clean ropes, we just made it bigger. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VTU1gWEjvU

Plastic At Bay

How we wash beach plastic

6

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Bravo Julien. Just saw your video. Fantastic.

1

Hello, is it possible to melt and mix HDPE with LDPE ?

No, in my understanding no.

8:24 AM

8:25 AM

From https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

hello all newbie question but where can you find a bill of materials to build shredder pro i have searched the site but have no idea - TIA

@studio21 in precious-plastic-kit.zip> build> click your machine of choice > bill of material maybe you can check to download the kit linked from precious plastic website in the 'build' tab of your preferred machine (i didnt check this, its just a suggestion to help you look for the kit, cus i had the same problem)

@Tibodo HDPE and LDPE are an exception and can be mixed. From article, " Unlike other polymers, HDPE and LDPE are miscible. They can be recycled together. However, to maintain their specific properties, it is better to separate them." https://www.appropedia.org/Plastics_recovery_manual_2

Plastics recovery manual 2

1

HDPE and LDPE..... High Density PolyEthylene vs Low Density PolyEthylene, they are both Polyethylene... you just degrade the quality of plastic and can't qualitatively call it either one

Ok thank you very much guys

Hi there! I understand that we need to remove the labels around the container before melting them. What if instead there are printed lettering on the containers? Do those need to be removed as well? If yes, any tips on how to remove them effectively?

Hey all, wanted to know the usage of the plastic sheets? Can anybody brief me about that. Can the plastic sheet be used as tile for the house?

@Fei i would guess some sort of solvent as it is some sort of ink?

5:54 AM

find one that doesn't dissolve the plastic too though! (if any)

5:55 AM

@Prashant (India) i am unsure as to the long term reliability, but i would ASSUME that use case would work?

5:55 AM

sheets can almost do anythhing you can think up, just needs to "work" and hold up long term (edited)

Yeah true @Eric Lotze that would be very productive if used as a floor tile cheap and replaceable but need to check with the sheet properties.

You can bend sheets too.

That's great. What about the surface of the sheet?

6:20 AM

I haven't started the production yet needed a prototype for the production.

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/bend-plastic-sheets

6:21 AM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/sheetpressrun

6:22 AM

"prototype" machines perspective or business perspective?

Thanks for the link @Lazy_Turtle It would be for the business perspective

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/business

6:23 AM

This should cover most of it

6:24 AM

Do step by step, that's my recommandation

Yep sure. I will go through it. @Lazy_Turtle thanks a lot

1

#deleted-channel if you need help:)

6:25 AM

Good luck:)

also depends on thickness of sheets

6:38 AM

thin = better for molding (thermo/vacuum forming)

6:38 AM

thick = better for structual panels and cutting into other shapes (ie hexagons etc)

@Prashant (India) I would not recommend the sheets for roofs on houses, they would not be safe in case of fire and would be likely to change shape in strong sunlight

2:02 PM

it's a good question, we should make a list of known applications

@Timberstar What about using it as a floor tile inside the house?

i imagine that would be ok, best to check if there are any regulations where you live.. there are also questions about if its healthy to have recycled plastic in the home, i guess it depends on how clean your raw material is and your choices about your health

1

2:26 PM

personally i would be ok with recycled HDPE in my home but not so much the others

on the soil it will be worn and produce micro-nanoparticles. We only recommand our tiles on walls for that reason. I suppose it is the same for sheets. Regarding toxicity, PE and PP should be OK as long as it is not used for food?

1

Great answers very helpful

Anyone have any ideas for recycling very large amounts of thin polyethylene film used on greenhouses? I’m from southern Ontario, Canada (Kingsville / Leamington) and we have one of highest concentrations of greenhouses in North America. The amount of plastic that gets used and thrown out is staggering. Trying to see what options there are for recycling any of this. (edited)

@Nicolas Lamoureux (PPYQG) what about smaller greenhouses? could work well as a covering for the geodesic dome which was being worked on..

2

9:56 PM

if you can make something which can be packaged and sent in the mail... maybe working like a tension tent so it needs fewer poles

1

9:57 PM

like this but no corner posts, sitting on the ground

@Timberstar It’s funny that you said that because I’ve had that geodesic dome mold made for the connection points and I was going to do exactly this. Just waiting for it in the mail now.

I can definitely use some of it for this but what happens with a lot of the polyethylene film is that the UV exposure makes it very brittle and falls apart, especially at tension points. I’ll be able to reuse some of it but the quantities that I can get every year here is just insane. I really wish there was something I could do to make it useable again.

10:01 PM

A flat pack tent / greenhouse would be incredible though.

i think products which help people to grow food for themselves will be in greater demand in future

@Timberstar I think so too.

valve connections, pipes, plumping stuff made with the injector will be really great - we face the same problem right now, watering a 100sqm plot, cost a little fortune, ideally the ´system´ releases only drops here and there and runs under earth. (edited)

1

I’m thinking of doing something like this with a raised bed on the bottom.

6

Are you planning to use PP beams?

I unfortunately don’t have an extruder yet so I will be building mine out of wood.

Hopefully one day.

Are you working on that?

On this note, does there exist an aggregation of resources around a given product or building in the precious p universe in this case, guides, best practices etc around geodesic domes and greenhouses?

@Doeyo - not really but the old forum can assist you in research, you can use google for searching it faster, eg: https://www.google.com/search?q=geodesic+site%3A%2F%2Fdavehakkens.nl&oq=geodesic+site%3A%2F%2Fdavehakkens.nl Lots of your other questions have been answered there too - consider it your knowledge base Nr. 1 (edited)

1

Hopefully one day.

Are you working on that?

@Nicolas Lamoureux (PPYQG) Yes I should have made my first prototype last month but I am getting caught up with other more urgent stuff. I am basically working on the typology of the dome, the opening and my main concern is the links. I seem to have opposite view in terms of mechanics compared to the links I have seen. So far I still think that using some tubes should be the go-to solution but we don't know how to make them (trying to get closer in this domain too). I have solved a couple of equations that could really be handy to design your own dome. The critical point being a constant angle between the beam in 3D to distribute the stress. If you fail that, you are better off making a box...

1

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland That’s fantastic! I think creating this as a whole unit out of recycled plastic would be very useful and would definitely be a good product to sell. Are you planning on bolted connections for the plastic tubes to angled connectors?

@Nicolas Lamoureux (PPYQG) no bolt as it would be a weakness. I am thinking of a system where you slot the beams in.

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Does the weakness just come from putting a hole through the beam or is it more complex than that? I see bolted connections in steel all the time. I really like the idea of slotting the beams in though. I think that would look great. (edited)

just btw., there have been some talks combining ALU T-Slots with beams. I'd love to see that too. A nice way building up fixtures or even bigger, flexible workshop tables or shelfs - I'd have plenty of use for it.

2

i may or may not be obsessed with t-slot aluminium extrusions....

Yes we are making the new benches with that. For the geodome it is a good solution but expensive. As a linkage it is interesting if you get hexagonal or pentagonal sections. @Nicolas Lamoureux (PPYQG) yes steel in steel, wood in wood no problem but mixing something very rigid with something soft of very different mechanical properties in a joint where there should be quite some strain going on is not my cup of tea. In my experience with woodwork the least metal you put in your construction the longer it lasts and the better it behaves. Of course bolting always faster to assemble but you might just get only the links left and the beams worn after a few years. I will try to get a prototype soon to show what I have in mind. (edited)

1

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland That definitely makes sense. Especially with these being outside with wind loads, temperature changes, and shrinking expanding with moisture. Definitely going to be testing things out to see what works best. That would be great to see, thank you!

turns out our PP sticks work in a hot glue gun!

2

@ave any pics or vids?

not yet. Also, I don't recommend doing this with a glue gun you intend to use with glue again right away. It's harder to squeeze out, and makes regular glue difficult for awhile

Hello everyone, I would like to have your thoughts, I'm trying to make products from rPET and I'm wondering what lines other than packaging that I could go into?

Hey guys could anybody give me some feedback about mixing HDPE and LDPE? How well does it work? Do you have examples? Ethical issues? Happy about any answer! Thanks!!

4:22 PM

or alternative solution injecting LDPE and product quality

1

Found this forum post: https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/mixing-ldpe-hdpe/

cool thanks

You are creating "MDPE"-Middle density according to comments

4:24 PM

In theory I guess, but maybe it's not that easy.

You can mix both, I suspect it would work better (mixture) if it goes through the extrusion rather than injection or compression. They should remain slightly different so there might be consequences in terms of physical properties but that's a bit too much chemistry for me

its not a true MDPE plastic though, it would be still called a blend. It's not just the density which defines it but also the molecular length and branching @louisbruno https://crimsonpublishers.com/rdms/pdf/RDMS.000672.pdf (edited)

4:46 PM

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/003238619390809O

has anyone tried to mix pastic on the sheetpress like type 7 and 3 or something related ?

its not advisable to mix different plastic types as they have different melting temperatures, you will end up burning one type before the other type is fully melted. Also it makes further recycling virtually impossible

Hello Everyone, I know that there is a table made by PP that shows diferent plastics and its changes at diferent temperatures, but I dont seem to find it, ¿can any one share it?? THANKS!

https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/types-of-plastic/ @pepe_trueno (edited)

thanks @Timberstar !! But the one Im looking for is picture of a table with different plastics in different states of melting, and showing the temperature (sorry if my english is not good)

it's on the starter kits

I´ve looked for, but didnt find it. But thanks!

melting t

Melting-Temperatures_A1.pdf

2.55 MB

Guys how can I classify plastic if I don't have info about it?

Things I've noticed about certain types of plastic.

12:06 AM

PET and HDPE and LDPE are the most flexible types of plastic. (edited)

12:08 AM

PVC, ABS, PP, and PS are the most inflexible.

12:09 AM

ABS and PVC seem the hardest.

12:10 AM

It seems each can usually be easily identified simply by the way it looks and feels.

@Frederick. Yes, Ive seen this for rooftiles and will be using it. Thank you

Guys how can I classify plastic if I don't have info about it?

@ciscolara do a flotation test to separate by density

it is in the kit

Just wondering from a "drowning in plastic shopping bags due to Coronavirus ban on resuables here" point-of-view, has anyone developed a workflow for processing these other than scissors and a lot of time?

@Zellim74 you can put to melt in teflon-coated dish, then compression in compression mould

Hi frds we are build shredder bro machine, so we need to materials specifications.please guide me.

i think the pro models should henceforth be referred to as bro/bruh models

3:16 PM

ANYHOW

3:16 PM

let me dig for links to help

3:16 PM

also ping @Deleted User they have a pile of githubs

Shredder pro v4

https://onearmy.github.io/academy/build/shredderprobuild

Build a Shredder Pro · Precious Plastic Toolbox

3:19 PM

idk if you already found that one

3:19 PM

does it work?

Isn't everything in the download kit?

can you inject HDPE into an epoxy resin or SLA Resin mould?

Dont know about the polymères you said but i used some moulding silicone with no issue in compression

that may be a great workflow for molds

5:01 PM

that or 3dp->plaster mold

5:01 PM

also could save on infill...

Thanks @Nick - PP France

Shredder bro machines materials bearing side plate give to steel but H13 or EN8 then hardness i need to this info

i am unsure how to answer

3:14 AM

pinging others now

3:14 AM

@Deleted User etc

3:14 AM

too "above my paygrade"

3:14 AM

volunteer free paygrade

Has anyone had success with injection molding PET?

i've had mostly fails working with PET but i saw a couple people manage to do nice stiff with it :)

I just wish you a good luck

it's issue is HYDROLYSIS

3:04 PM

work on this here:

3:07 PM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/PET_(Plastic)

PET (Plastic)

Hey Just posted a new website for my nonprofit foundation, http://www.oneexistencefoundation.org/ CHECK IT OUT we are trying to transform plastic waste into housing and other using material If you would like to help with ideas or join the team feel free to go on the site and sign up or just chat with me and ask questions.

Home | One Existence Foundation

Sounds awesome!

1:55 AM

I'll add it to my list, also check out OBI and the software "Sweethome 3D" for help

1:56 AM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/OBI

OBI

1:56 AM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/SweetHome3D

SweetHome3D

1

Hello I won't to use petbot for filaments can someone help me

have you tried contacting petbot creators @nii ?

No

12:38 PM

Do you no the web site

no sorry, i never heard of that project

Pet plastic

Hi! I am working with polyethylene in an enclosed space and want to make sure I have enough ventilation. Do you know what fumes are produced by polyethylene and if there is a good way to detect their concentration?

@Phillip sorry the info is in french =/ hope it can still help (edited)

5:35 PM

that is specific to the polymer, please note a plastic = polymer + additives

haha, its clear enough that I can put it together

5:36 PM

Do you know of a good detector for those compounds?

i am afraid not; if i recall correctly, fumes detectors are usually specific to one type of molecule (please someone correct me if i'm wrong)

I think your best guarantee is to calculate the volume of your space and replace that volume 5 times per hour. This is the OSHA standard in the US for welding fumes, which are at or above the same levels of toxicity. Wecrate fume extractors here with Cubic Feet per Minute, so I don't know if it is rated in cubic meters or liters per kinute elsewhere.

6:18 PM

*minute

*We rate

6:27 PM

Personally I would check out Baileigh. They have a HEPA filtration system that is really good and user friendly. https://www.baileigh.com/air-filtration-system-afs-2400 That is their biggest model for consumers.

AFS-2400 Air Filtration System | Industrial Air Cleaner for Sale | ...

With a heavy-duty motor, the AFS-2400 Air Filtration System cleans air in a 55' x 55' shop in 10 minutes. See the full specs of our industrial air cleaner.

@Nick - PP France Salut. Ça se trouve où cette page sur PE que t'as posté? Je cherche à connaitre tous les COV dégagés lors de la fonte des principaux plastique

10:35 PM

where can i find the more complete informations about all VOC that can be produced when melting all the main plastic? like this chart @Nick - PP France posted 1 page up here

Hello @Pat the document in question is still in development and will soon be released in french; translation of it all is planned but will take some time to do (70pages)

@Nick - PP France So it is available in english ?

no; it is planned to be translated; but it will take some time because it is 70pages long

Anyone know what kind of plastic is used to make the plastic bricks?

PE (PolyEthylene) or PP (PolyPropylene)

1

Can someone tell me where I can find the 3D Files of the 2.0 Plastic Shredder?

Where do I find the .dxf files for the Shredder Pro

Turning blue hdpe to black

5:26 AM

5:28 AM

Use black iron oxide pigment plus shredded plastic, mix, extrude into this kind of shape to shred again if you don't have a

5:28 AM

filament puller.

5:29 AM

I'm doing this because someone asked me to make a black product and I don't have enough black bottle caps (plenty of blue though)

Nice. So I assume you might be able to dye any type of plastic any color?

To a degree, yes. I mean, if you start with black plastic and want to turn it yellow, you're going to have a very difficult time. Once you go black, it's hard to go back. The pigments that I know work are iron oxide based, titanium dioxide (white), and carbon black. The latter two are good for UV protection. But yes, if you work it right you can get the color you're aiming for so long as its not something too crazy like fluorescent yellow.

1

Does anyone have some file with blueprints for making extrusion machine. I am unable to open what I download from preciousplastic site.

https://cutt.ly/starterkit-mix is the file set from precious plastic. extract it. \precious-plastic-starterkit-mix\3. Build the machines\4. Extrusion\Blueprints This is where you'll find the PDF files for the build. If you cannot view PDF files then you're going to have a problem. What is the problem you're having exactly, @Slaven ? File coruption so the zip file does not extract? (edited)

12:23 PM

Another way to access the PDF files is by going through github. https://github.com/ONEARMY/precious-plastic-kit/tree/master/3.%20Build/4.%20Extrusion/Blueprints Enjoy

ONEARMY/precious-plastic-kit

Precious Plastic Downloadpack. Contribute to ONEARMY/precious-plastic-kit development by creating an account on GitHub.

I would say then, what if I made it white then changed it a different color?

Hi, I'm new in this and I'm learning all I can about plastic. One thing I haven't been able to find is How can I clean plastic? (I know the best would be for people to bring plastic that has already been cleaned, but where I live it's very hard for people to do that and part of my goal is to clean the beaches near).

@Yucatán Recicla go there https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to and filter by "washing" (down the list). There you can find a prototype we started to develop, and you could start there to push it further

(edited)

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

1

@Yucatán Recicla go there https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to and filter by "washing" (down the list). There you can find a prototype we started to develop, and you could start there to push it further

@Yann Just what we've been looking for. Ur the best!!! Thx

Plastic Welding: How To Instructional Video by Techspan

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

1

@Uplifted I wish it were that easy. If you're working with a light color then you'll get something a bit off white. But if it's darker, the amount of pigment/titanium dioxide you'd have to add would be quite a lot and would likely change the characteristics of the plastic too much. If you go to a paint store and ask for a custom color, they always start with white. White is easier to work with as a base. If you started with a different color, you'd have to add in a lot of white to make the other colors fade away a bit, but the white will not be nearly as pure as what it would be if it started off as white. Let's say you have a bunch of green plastic and you instead want brown plastic. You don't need to try and turn the green into white and then from white into brown. Instead you can add red to green and you'll come out with brown. Here's a better explanation http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/1BA.html

Hi there! I'm considering building boats with recycled hdpe. Consequently I'm looking for the mechanical properties ( young's modulus, poisson's ratio) of the kind of recycled hdpe obtained by low-tech processes such as precious plastic's. If someone knows them, it would be a great help, thanks

I would also want to know how it ages when exposed to sunlight all day long, and if there is a way to protect it from UV light.. Thanks a lot for your help!!

If someone is OK to send us samples of recycled hdpe, I can make the tests myself thanks to the machines we have at my university. I can share the results with you all afterwards!

@Guillaume Pic-Rivière we made some test, for extruded beams you can consider you are around 60-70% of virgin plastic properties if you beam is properly done. Also note that this is close to crafting technic, so defect location is hard to predit. For sheet, this is much harder to anticipate as cleanliness of your plastic have a huge impact on how flakes will melt to each other. I made 9 samples, obtaining result from 20 to 80% of expected virgin pastic properties.

6:02 PM

I would recomand you to not consider recycled plastic as structural : make a wood or metal structure, and built around with plastic (taking inspiration from inuit skin boat maybe). But some people managed : research about FlipFloppi, so you'll find a way

6:03 PM

Also, where are you located ? When de R&D center will be re-install, I would be interested to send you samples, if you hve access to a lab and share results ! (edited)

Yes the Flip-flopi gave me the idea! In fact, I intended to use the same structure as on a plywood or wooden boat : plastic sheets as a "skin" and plastic beams as an inside frame. All being assembled by welding How do you clean the plastic flakes? Is the cleaning process different for beams and sheets? I'm located in Rennes, France

6:17 PM

I'm studying at the INSA Rennes and we have a "mechanical behavior of materials" lab with a few machines, so I think we could run some tests there

For beams the plastic is better mixed, thanks to the compression screw from the extruder. While for sheet you have more chance to only glue the flakes together.

6:38 PM

My advice on it would be to not calculate your boat too much, particularly if you also plan to weld it together (process we also observed to be quiet unreliable when done manually). Maybe do some calculation at 50% virgin plastic properties if your school ask for it, but mostly oversize everything and try

Hopefully my school doesn't ask anything, it's a completely independent project I'm thinking, we can use beams only (square and flat sections) , no sheets and build it completely like a wooden boat. ( that's how the Flip-flopi was made I think) From your experience, is there a maximum plastic thickness for welding? What tool did you use for that purpose?

SALUT

What kind of plastic would you say dishwasher plastic is? PVC?

9:45 PM

It kind of feels like PP or HDPE

9:49 PM

@Guillaume Pic-Rivière I guess it is possible to use only beams, you can also slice them with a saw to obtain planks.

Yes, that's the idea!

I used a heat gun with a special head (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvV9a3lEe2g&t=200s). Any thickness should be doable, but having your plastic properly welded is tricky (it often more glued than welded).

TECHSPANONLINE

1:40 PM

You can also heat the side you want to weld with a heat gun or a hot plate, and then press them together.

1:42 PM

@Uplifted I have no idea. Try to look for a logo with the recycling symbol. Or you can try to break it and use this video : https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

@Yann okay, it could be interesting to test the mechanical strength of some welded samples as well! In order to see the difference between properly done welding, glueing and a "virgin" material Love your advice, thanks!

1

The only symbols I seem to find are the clock like symbols I think meant to determine the expiration.

How well would thicker HDPE hold up to the elements? Could i build a small workshed with half inch thick sheets you tink?

Nvm it says it's PVC but the front panel is PC/ABS

11:31 PM

I assume there's no way to separate plastics from each other is there?

Not that i know of?

Alguien sabe como soldar planchas de plastico?

depende de qué material estés tratando @dboddent

Hey guys !! I wanted to talk about fumes! I have already read this article (link down bellow) on the website, but i am confused! I was considering about opening a space which gives worshops 2-3 times a week. I want people to contribute in the process. Should i request from every visitor to wear a mask??? I don't think people would like the idea. And i'm not sure after reading the article,if filtering and ventilation will be enough. So, please help me on this!!!!!!! How do you guys handle it? I'm considering to use less dangerous ones: HDPE,LDPE and PP. #fumes https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/safety#:~:text=Fume%20Dangers,-The%20first%20rule&text=It%20is%20extremely%20harmful%20to,respiratory%20illnesses%20and%20birth%20defects.&text=At%20Precious%20Plastic%2C%20we%20don%27t%20work%20with%20PVC.

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Hi all I have a question about HDPE, does anyone has good experience with melting stable and straight plates of it with the sheetpress?

Best temperatures ranges for injection moulding polypropylene and HDPE?

Hello, I hope everyone is staying safe during these unprecedented times. We are in the process of collecting all types of plastic bags for our product. However, we are facing difficulties in segregating these! Only a very small batch of plastic bags indicate what type they fall into. What would be the best solution for this? There is a video in the PP website saying that we can sort the plastic bags either by plastic type or by color. If we do decide to just sort the plastic bags by color, this essentially is no longer recyclable right? Would definitely appreciate any advice on this! Thanks a lot!

@tin101 I wouldn't worry about mixing bags too much so long as they don't contain a catalyst like Oxium that breaks down the plastic over a period of time, usually something like 6 months or a year or so. You're already taking plastic bags that are not identified as being any particular plastic. On top of this, many plastic bags use fillers like calcium carbonate, this can be between 8%-20% So to answer your question... do it to the best of your ability. Those plastic bags that are unlabeled would likely not be recycled and you are recycling them so that counts for something. You just need to be open to taking back your own creations and making them into something new again, otherwise traditional recycling centers are going to toss them into a landfill or incinerator. I hope this helps...probably not so much but you're not alone.

2

1

I would say they are generally LDPE or PP for the sturdy one isn't it?

@dboddent check out this how to's https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-ps-glue-yourself https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/weld-plastic-heat-gun

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Filament_extruder

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

2:54 PM

@PreciousPlasticCork PP works pretty well from 220 till 280 (i wouldnt go over that, cause it burns and gets brittle), you should always test the source of plastic you get to see at which temperature it works better due to the aditives of every kind of PP in this case (you have to apply the same principle for the other types of plastic)

Ok thank you!

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Thank you so much for your advice. It's been a frustrating process trying to guess which type each plastic film should be sorted to. Due to CoVid, we're yet to find a "plastic expert" to give us a proper lecture on which plastic is which, HDPE or LDPE or a combination of something else, so right now we're just learning as we go along. A quick question regarding "oxo-biodegradable" plastic films -- Do these things really break down? We found a few bags with the "oxo-bio" label on it and its supposed expiration date. It was dated 2017 but the bags do not appear degraded at all, almost completely new even.

@tin101 Oh yes, they do. Usually they put in enough additive for the bag to have a useful life from a store to your home, then it gets used as a garbage bag, and then ends up in landfill where it breaks down. This is mostly what they're trying to accomplish. the bag will go through crazy fragmentation and eventually turn to dust. I'm not an expert on how it works but it's been explained to me that the plastic chains get broken down small enough for microbes and stuff to break it down the rest of the way. Personally, i've had many of these oxo-degradable bags fall apart on me. They can make a big mess too when they flake away. I'm not sure why yours didn't break down, could be they put in less additive or maybe there's none in it? Plastic bags are super visible in the environment so the oxo-degradable bags are designed to be less visible although i'm a bit concerned about the fragmentation period when they become small flakes and can enter food streams. Just try to steer clear of them or if you want or make something with them and keep an eye on it over time. Heat, air, and sunlight accelerate the degradation process so you can see for yourself.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Thank you for the clarification! Truly appreciate it!

Please hepl me. How to recycle PE plastic. Thanks

5:10 PM

Anyone familiar with this type of sticker? It's got like a thin white coat under it and I'm not sure how to get it off, thanks

5:11 PM

It's a polypropylene bucket

5:11 PM

Or was

@PreciousPlasticCork You're sure it's a sticker? It looks like a "white plastic" bucket painted yellow

Nope it's yellow with a yellow sticker

Looks like sheep feed buckets

It looks like ABS.

9:00 PM

Nvm yeah PP

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland yeah I think it is for meal for cows

1

Has anyone had any experience with making fitting parts out of various plastics with different shrinkage rates?

1:36 AM

I'm curious how much I need to account for this ... perhaps by having different molds for different plastics.

Hello everyone, somebody can explain in detail what's the exact or recommended temperatures we should melt the plastic, I've download the melting temperature image but I have this doubt because some plastics has like a wide range of melting temperatures

@Camilo Ferrúa maybe this doc should help you see more clearly https://discordapp.com/channels/586676777334865928/598888879126478849/724029073826906253

Thanks @Nick - PP France

1

Out of interest, has anybody tried shredding 3D printer waste? I ask as deciding if worth building one for that purpose

There doesn't seem to be any major difference between shredding prints and packaging. People have reported success with the PP shredders (V3 and up.)

Ahhh neat, cheers

1

1:29 PM

Anyone have any experience with recycling this? It's strapping used for fertizer bags. Pretty sure it's polypropylene but I could be wrong

@PreciousPlasticCork i just read a bit about it and this kind of stripe can be made of polyester or polypropylene, apparently the polyester ones are a bit thicker and shiny. You can try putting it in water to see if it floats or sinks, if it floats could be PP and if it sinks polyester

3

4

Ah cool, I tried the float test and it does indeed float, so it must be pp. Thanks for that!

1

Anyone have any experience with recycling this? It's strapping used for fertizer bags. Pretty sure it's polypropylene but I could be wrong

@PreciousPlasticCork Strappings can be made of many different kind of plastics, not just polyesthers and PP. We collect a lot on the beach and if you don't know their origin I personnally would not recommend to work with it. If you go online to buy the industrial rolls, you will see the choice you get

2

I've been studying about build and extrusion workshop here in Brazil to build beams with this kind of hollow cross area...to you think this would be possible? Any tips? I'm really new here...thanks for the support /\

2

@Vitor Chaves You cannot use a mold as we usually do with PP machine for this kind of section because the plastic will shrink and get stuck on the innert parts of your mold. What you could try though, is to machine / laser cut a buse and water cool it as soon as it get out of the extruder. This is very experimental, and we didn't manage to do it (but we didn't push it a lot neither). Don't forget to document it if you manage to do it !

thannk you La Grenouille ! I'll study more about and if we go for the experiment I will certainly share with you all

Has anyone heard of Filacycle? They're a company that seem to make recycled 3D printer filament here in UK from old parts of fridges and cars etc that'd otherwise go to landfill

1:14 PM

And the quality of the prints looks pretty decent

on the note of FDM Filament:

7:12 PM

Filament extruder

7:12 PM

open source version

7:12 PM

~400 USD or so

7:12 PM

not sure on dimentional tolerances yet on the resulting filament

7:12 PM

no prusament level (yet), but for 1mm nozzles etc that isn't much of a concern

Anyone have any experience with recycling this? It's strapping used for fertizer bags. Pretty sure it's polypropylene but I could be wrong

@PreciousPlasticCork Actually a lot of strapping material is made from PET. PET will sink but in some instances it will foat if there's tiny bubbles in it. have a look at this http://tiny.cc/6k1qrz it's a google search for "PET strapping band white"

Hey guys. I'm new here. Can the PP shredder shred PET effectively?

@Mr.kcee Yes, we've tested 0.050" sheet for PP shields (scrap from face shield producion" and water bottles.

1

@Mr.kcee My V3 shredder runs at 2x the recommended speed and usually jams on thicker parts of bottles like the top and sometimes the bottom. PET is not something i work with though.

2

we tested on 50 rpm with basic and ~25rpm on Pro

I have a 1300w motor, geared down to 60rpm, it should be around 300nm or so and it does PET bottles, eg, coke bottles. One bottle at a time and you have to let it process most of the shreddings before putting another bottle in or it'll get close to stalling.

1

Hi, Does anyone know that , can we use PET material v4 extruder? also please suggest what temperature is required to melt PET. (edited)

@Vipa i wouldnt recommend you to use PET with the Precious Plastic extuder because is not made for this material, same for the other machines. I think there's people that have tried (not me personally) but i can just tell that the machine is not made for that.

1

@Vipa i havent tried pure PET but i've mixed it in with other plastic to see what it would do with my v3 extruder + screw upgrade. If i look closely enough, i can see small strings of PET mixed in. I'm not sure if it's melted or if the compression + heat of the machine cause it to turn stringy. But Pure PET is difficult due to the small workable temperature window. It can cause some really bad jams too, even if you're trying to be careful.

1

Hi guys, does anybody have a tip on how to recognize and sort PP and PE bottle caps ?

@Tibodo Yours are not marked? I would guess PP and HDPE ones feel different, maybe one is more flexible, but I hardly ever encounter PP ones.

@Tibodo I believe that practically all bottle caps that have a hinge mechanism (like shampoo bottles for example) are PP. (edited)

I'm asking because most of them are PP, but sometimes a HDPE pops out of nowhere and feels almost identical as PP ones

5:38 PM

And the marking is really rare one those bottle caps

Hi everyone, I have a v2 basic shredder. I'm trying to shred PLA and I think due to the heat and the low GT temp of PLA it's causing blobs of gummy PLA to form and jam the shredder. Particularly due to the orientation of the teeth it's forming in just one corner. Can anyone offer any advice?

1

@MarcBloke I have the same thing happen to me with other types of plastic too. I have to wait until it cools down to continue.

How many rpm's does your motor? To get rid of the blobs in one corner i added a "go back and forth" pattern to my shredder with an arduino.

Hey everyone, how can I best seperate HDPE from other plastic types??

@sonik we have a VFD so can control the speed quite well. Yes reversing the motor does clear it but even with a control system that will reverse automatically I still fear it will jam up. I'm thinking to re-configure the blades so that they don't push all the plastic into one corner. Unfortunately the person that built the grinder welded the end teeth onto the shaft so isn't completely straightforward.

5:40 PM

Thinking about using a water cooling system to take the heat away from the trouble corner

1

@MarcBloke In this case, if you have a compressor, think of compressed air coming from under the sieve in the corner. Water cooling means you need to dry your flakes after.

10:11 PM

And still, at which speed it makes blobs?

Has anyone worked with plastic film with aluminum lining (snack items, potato chip bags, pet food pouches, etc.)? Do they melt together like regular plastic bags using the iron technique? (edited)

any one have experience extruding bricks?

I am looking into the possibility of recycling ski boot shells. Any ideas on if it possible to shred that hard of a plastic (TPU) with a machine like the Shredder Pro? Boot shell pieces aren't that large, but I don't know much about the strength of the machine to break up hard plastics such as Polyurethane (PU), PU-Ester, PU-Ether, or Polyamide (PA) that ski boot shells are made of. Thoughts?

@mrudd I think it would be on the edge and you would need the latest design. If you want to be sure, you should go for a second hand industrial shredder or granulator, c.10kv 3 phase. But maybe the Team has more insight on this? I have a 11kv and I actually regret I didn't put a bit more money for a 17 to be able to shred some large items.

Hi everybody! I`m just beginning to use the injection (and extruder) machine and in my first attempts on the injector the texture of the result seems very rough. I may have to wait longer to let the shredded plastic melt in the chamber before I make the injection? Any ideas how to make a good injection in all the mould and get a nice smooth surface? Thanks in advance!

@ONDA I havent hands on experience yet, still waiting for my machines to arrive. but from what i've read, pre-heating moulds can help smooth the surface

Hi everyone I'm very new the plastics scene. I'm have a little challenge finding HDPE which is what I prefer to try tinkering with to make things. However, I'm seeing no shortage of the recycling symbols with the numbers 1, 3, 5, or PP. Are these safe to use? Ultimately I want to melt them down in a toaster oven, reshape them, place them in molds, and make products from plastic. I'm trying to avoid paying for plastics, especially HDPE, or paying very little if necessary. Any help would be appreciated.

@Deleted User I get a lot of HDPE from laundromats. I get them to collect detergent bottles for me. Might be worth a try.

1

Yeah, the detergent bottles are great. @Deleted User I also really like using bottle caps because those are thin and melt into a very soft, chewing-gum type of consistency which is great for some types of projects.

2

Hello guys, my name is Aadhi, and I am currently trying to find out a way to recycle some PVC material. Does anyone have any resources or knowledge specifically on PVC and additives about PVC recycling?

Anyone have any advice or recommendations on 3D printers and CNC machines for starters? I'm trying to tinker with some ideas I have which will likely require using both types of machines. I'm hoping to melt some HDPE or other usuable types of plastics, make a few parts with the 3D printer and CNC machine. Molds, etc. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! #3d #cnc #machines

@Erazik Any 3D Printer ? Personnally I have an older Ender 3, you could buy and Ender 3 Pro, it's cheap and with a bit of thinkering and a few mods you can get a very nice printer. If you're looking for something bigger but still affordable, you can look into Creality CR's printer. If you're looking for something more "plug and play", I would maybe recommend a Prusa MK3 original printer, as it will be more reliable at the begining. It really depends on your experience in machine/electronics, if changing parts/tweaking the machine scares you or it's more something than you like. I'm really happy with my hardly modded Ender 3, but I'm also more into 3D Printers than 3D printing itself. --- For CNC, I don't have much experience, but you could look at the MPCNC. But really it depends on what you want to cut. Finding a "laser engraver" for wood is easy and cheap, but if you want to cut steel it's a whole other category. I don't know where you live, but looking at fablab/makerspace could be a good idea. (edited)

2

11:18 PM

@Aadhi Uh, PVC is a huge no-no for recycling, it emits highly toxic fumes in the process. Except if you're a big company wanting to specialized in PVC, having special and expensive equipement and all of that (and even then), you shouldn't try it.

@Ley Klussyn Thank you for your feedback. I'm just dipping my toes into the world of 3D printers, CNC, laser printers, plastics, etc. So I've got a lot to learn. I'm just needing something that's reliable, cheap, and good enough to make some working prototypes. Are there any affordable 3D printers that double as a CNC machine as well? I htink for now I'll just be engraving wood. Never heard of MPCNC or fablab/makerspace. Thank you, I'll look into those.

12:45 AM

@Ley Klussyn would you happen to know if using plastics with the number "1" or "5" is okay to melt down and reuse? I'm seeing a ton of free and low priced plastics on Craiglist, OfferUp, FB Marketplace for "1" and "5" plastics, but not much luck with the HDPE yet. Wondering if I can just get away with using 1 and 5's for now, or if I should continue the hunt and focus on HDPE's. I'm planning to get a toaster oven to melt things down, and a panini press just to start off with getting some small molds made. Then coupling it with the 3D printer and CNC to fine tine parts, etc. Thanks again for your help!

12:48 AM

@Nicolas Lamoureux (PPYQG) Good idea on the laundromats. By any chance do you know if they charge for those detergent bottles or can you just snag them for free?

1

@Deleted User 1 (PET) is very hard to work with, because it will easily "burn"/degrade and loose it's transparency. (It will look more like caramel and less like clear plastic). But apparently it's possible with precision and lot of work. (Getting there with PP take a while). 5 (PP) is another great plastic, like HDPE. I've heard many positive comments. It's the second most used plastic in PP. (https://preciousplastic.com/impact) (edited)

@Ley Klussyn Thanks for the helpful info. I'll keep an eye on 2's and 5's and avoid the 1's.

Hi everyone, I'm thinking of using recycled plastic in beams for an outdoor structure and wondered if anyone had any experience regarding how different plastics might behave under load when open to the elements, particularly thinking of any warping that might occur during a hot summer etc. Is there a commonly recycled plastic that is suitable for outdoor use that is also compatible with an extruder? Thanks

hey guys,,, i have a burning question in mind. i know that its best to recycle plastic like HDPE as in milk jug, ect. but what about clear plastic like PET as in water bottles, because its kinda a thing now where people buy 1L coffee from these bottles and i think that this type of plastic are what people dispose greatly today (atleast here) what would be the best way to recycle them?

@dcoco PET is not possible with the precious plastic machines. https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/support/faq

https://youtu.be/ICQXb-ZmmYI

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

I have seen some PET machines but PET is one of the problem plastics due to the vast amount of PET and how difficult it is to recycle

10:37 PM

"EASY WOOL 3 " The new model for recycling PET.

10:39 PM

This is kinda a side step to the PET plastic issue as the fibres break and polute the environment over time

it needs drying, i was plotting that out here: https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/PET_Plastic_Recycling_Workflow

PET Plastic Recycling Workflow

10:40 PM

it hydrolyses if even slightly humid at melt temp

1

Yeah ive tried talking to various PET using companys that unnessisarily use PET when HDPE would be a solution at no cost to the product finish. (Yazoo is on my hit list for company product change.)

i'm thinking: -collect -wash -dry in ambeint -shredding -dry storage -fluidized drying -melting + whatever else

10:49 PM

on the note of fluidized drying, a somewhat odd method may be "hot air corn poppers"

Its not a circular recycle its a recycle but a downcycle at the same time its the real problem plastic

11:00 PM

Least with PE,HDPE,LDPE and PP these can be recycled without issues

Thx guys, appreciate it.

Hi everyone, I am planning to build a recycling center in Gambia next year. We will remove the VOCs in the fumes using an activated carbon filter. After a month you should refill the filter. What do you recommend to do with the used activated carbon? Is it harmfull to put the used activated carbon, containing VOCs in the ground? I was thinking it could there be broken down without causing to much harm.

@Britt dude found this might be of help to you

11:56 AM

Not 100% sure if our active carbon is considered green or amber but this webpage gives more info on how these folks do it https://www.circularonline.co.uk/features/activated-carbon-applications-in-the-waste-management-industry/

Darrel Moore

Activated carbon applications in the waste management industry

CPL Activated Carbons is a leading supplier of carbons and related services to the waste management sector, including a wide range of mobile carbon filter vessels and spent carbon reactivation. Prior to their appearance at this year’s RWM exhibition at the NEC, the company’s m...

it depends on the source, carbon can be from biomass, petroleum (liquids or gasses), coal, or ever co2

7:13 PM

most is biomass, some commercial is coal based

7:13 PM

Also "carbon black" is essentially superfine carbon dust used as dye (made from Petrolium Gas typically)

7:13 PM

Can be done diy:

7:14 PM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Activated_Carbon

Activated Carbon

Hello, can you tell me how can I recycle Expanded Polystyrene?

@Camilo Ferrúa polystyrene is a thermoset

7:36 PM

so you can't directly melt recycle it

7:36 PM

you can do complex chemistry to break it down into hydrocarbons/monomers

7:36 PM

it also can be pyrolysed into pyrolysis oil (a less black/viscous crude oil)

In some pp videos they show some sheets made of Polystyrene, right?

wait i may be wrong hold on

In the past I used it melted with gas (in Spanish "gasolina") yo make insulation for my house roof

7:39 PM

Ok, I'll wait

https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/polystyrene-ps-plastic#:~:text=Polystyrene%20is%20typically%20(but%20not,or%20a%20%E2%80%9Cthermoset%E2%80%9D%20material.&text=This%20characteristic%20makes%20thermoset%20materials%20poor%20candidates%20for%20recycling.

7:39 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene#Recycling

7:40 PM

i know especially with foams, cleaning is an issue due to greases being trapped in pores etc (edited)

I was asking about Expanded Polystyrene especificly because I think is different from the "normal" Polystyrene

7:43 PM

It's thermoplastic

7:43 PM

Thanks

7:44 PM

But I want to know if Expanded Polystyrene has to be treated in a different way that the "normal" Polystyrene

i would say it is very hard to use, it is Low Density, and Hard to Clean (granted i have no hands on experience)

Ok

@Deleted User I’ve just asked to speak to the owner and they’ve always been happy that I was taken them so I’ve never had to pay anything.

Hi everyone, I'm trying to build a Shredder plastic machine, but I don't know what kind of metal should I use for the Shredder. ¿What kind of metal is good for this part of the machine?

@Camilo Ferrúa EPS can be recycled in our machine. The tricky part is shredding, as it tend to sly everywhere instead of being catch by the teeth. One technic you can try is breaking it by hand, put it in the injection machine, and inject it is some molds like any other plastic you would have put in. As this is full of air, you need to fill the machine, wait for melting, compact it, fill it again etc...

11:22 AM

@adrianmanzo there is different option, lots of people use stainless steel, as it will last long is you are in a wet environment or if you are not taking care or it too much. You also can use standard carbon steel for a cheaper option. Best of is to use hardened carbon steel for blades.

hello all! lovely community; would love to be a part of it

10:09 PM

just a technical question tho: what's the melting point of PET and can i recycle it the same way as HDPE?

PET melts at >250°C (482°C) and it is different than HDPE. PET can be trickier to recycle and some machines are not made to work with it

aw dang would love to be able to recycle it as often as hdpe since we have a lot more of it where im from than hdpe

PET can be done @razaq90 main issue is it hydrolyses at it's melting point if even a little humidity is present. So it must be dried to a strict standard. You CAN make PET bottles into rope with no melting however!

12:56 AM

PET Plastic Recycling Workflow

thanks

Hello everyone, love the discussion. Am curious how current filament makers are operating - are they part of the eco system of recycling plastic waste or they just simply purchase their pallets from manufacturers.

Hi everyone, I just joining.

9:36 PM

How can I get the drawings to build the machines.

on their website under the how-to section

hi all! My name is Frank and I had a small question I'am sorry if it is already been asked: Is there some who knows what the melting point is of #5 PP?

Oh I think I found it, is it corret that is is on a degree of 150°C?

@FrankD depending on the source of PP you can try in a range from 220° to 280°

Thanks for your quick reaction @Carolina, what kind of source do you recommend to reach that range?

what i meant by source was that, probably the PP that comes from Coca Cola bottle caps is not the same PP from a shampoo bottle from another brand. Generally they have different additives depending on what the company wants to afford. It's just a matter of testing (edited)

@Carolina aah yes, thank you!

Is hdpe film the same hdpe just thinner? can hdpe film be fused then shredded to be used like regular hdpe?

Hello. 3D PRINT FILAMENT RECYCLING. 3dcrowduk.org are organising several thousand individuals all over the UK to print face masks. The printing process produces a lot of scrap PLA, including spare ends too short to print, odd bits from brims, skirts and supports, as well as failed prints etc. There is a national coordinating system which could gather this scrap and send it to someone with the right sort of extruder to make it usable again. Is there anyone in the UK with the right kit to do this? Let me know...

@PJ Hi! So glad to read about you. Have you finished this project are is it still ongoing?

Hi guys. Is there anybody with experience in extruding recycling plastic here? I'm working on a project where we will 3D-print objects (preferably small furniture like a stool) using recycled plastics. I would like to get some advice from anybody who is familiar with the process! Let me know if you have a few minutes for me, let's chat

Hi guys, has anyone tried shredding PET bottles using Shredder Pro. I am looking into building one and will mostly be shredding PET bottles. (edited)

Not the Pro, but my non-Pro shredder doesn't have any issues with PET. I occasionally need to reverse it, because it's not self feeding like a two axle shredder, but otherwise it's fine.

Thanks @ryanstev, I also think it capable of shredding PET, though it wasn't among the the tested plastic types.

@FrankD depending on the source of PP you can try in a range from 220° to 280°

@Carolina PP starts melting at 173 if you overheat it, it will loose its properties. Are you not mixing up with PET?

Not hard to find:

3

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland probably i should've specify, but this is the temperature we use with the machines, which means is the temperature of what the thermocouple is measuring (the heating element). So the temperature of the plastic itself is less than what the PID measures (around 30 degrees less, depending if the machines is isolated or not) (edited)

@Carolina I personally think it is a bad idea to overheat plastics 60 degs. On my machines I have never seen that there was a 30 degs difference especially not that way. In particular for the extrusion, it is exothermic because of the friction so I am a bit confused. I know you have moved and so on but I would be very cautious about these temperatures and I would double check the actual temperature at the nozzle. I used to put it much hotter and I have observed plastic loss of coloration due to overheating, that means that you are damaging the structure of the polymers at these high temperature. Also a slight difference in temperature has a huge impact on the quantity of fumes generated. My advice would be to put it first at the exact melting temperature and move from there.

does any one know of an ink that will stay on plastic? I have found mixed reviews for oil-based inks. Some say they work others say they dont.

@Poly Pearl hdpe has good resistance to paint and chemicals so reckon it would be difficult to do unless you are using colours of hdpe plastic within a mould still reckon even this would be tricky to do

Watching the academy videos and there is not that much information on PET (plastic bottles like water bottles, which is the major plastic that I'm looking at collecting I'm assuming these are fine to use in the shredder? Would they also be good for the sheet press?

There's no problem shredding them, but apparently PET isn't meant for the other PP machines. (edited)

Ah I see. Thanks @ryanstev

Hi guys, i wanna make shredder, extrusion, injection and compression in my home.... what will be the capital?? And what machine parts are needed to make it??

There's no problem shredding them, but apparently PET isn't meant for the other PP machines.

@ryanstev Any reasons why PET and ABS arent meant for PP machines. ( I know tham both are extremally toxic when heated, any other reasons why not ) (edited)

@ryanstev Any reasons why PET and ABS arent meant for PP machines. ( I know tham both are extremally toxic when heated, any other reasons why not )

@marek kucharz PET changes property in a very narrow range of temperature and moisture. You need an atmosphere controlled setup and some very precise temperature monitoring

hi, I'm the uni student in Australia, I'm really like your idea of using the plastic injection to make many of the daily items, in this term one of my projects was through using the recycled plastic to make the product. But I have a question about the material properties. if I want to make a brick through using this kind of material is there has a strict ratio between each of the material? if possible would you give me some recommendations about this ratio? it not for business, just using in academics.

I would love some sort of test on recycling's effect on strength. Recycled (Perhaps even recycle PP recycled plastic 1-3 more times to chart degradation?) vs virgin plastic (made into standard test objects with PP Machines). Do you have access to a Universal Testing Machine (i forget the name lol) .

Pet plastic

@nii Nii, have you found anything?

From what ive seen online pet only gets downcycled making its destruction quicker from plastic bottles to pet wool to fabric (plastic fibre shedding) to clothing (more fibre shedding) to landfil (micro plastics)

12:13 PM

I have seen PET being used as insulation which is a slower downcycle but ultimately still a downcycle

https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/recycled_plastic_clothing_solution_or_threat/

Recycled Plastic Clothing: Solution or Threat?

Research shows that synthetic clothing sheds plastic microfibers, which end up back in oceans

12:23 PM

https://www.celticsustainables.co.uk/thermafleece-supasoft-polyester-insulation/

Thermafleece - SupaSoft Polyester Insulation

SupaSoft Recycled Plastic Insulation by Thermafleece. Manufactured from 95% recycled PET (recycled plastic bottles). Green polyester insulation that's totally safe to handle.

https://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/articles/entry/recycled_plastic_clothing_solution_or_threat/

@Aldothegreen85 I find the PET to fabric solution problematic for this reason as well. Microplastics will be harder to collect. I'm currently working on turning PET flakes into hardshell suitcases. Saves a bit of the microplastics shedding issue and is quite a good material for this

Recycled Plastic Clothing: Solution or Threat?

Research shows that synthetic clothing sheds plastic microfibers, which end up back in oceans

Reckon we need PET broken down by something as its way too fragile a substance to recycle. On our scale of recycling anyway without having the material get damaged in the process and becoming brittle. Never worked with the stuff but from the videos it looks a nightmare to work with without serious investment. But hats off to you if you are manageing to get it to work for the suitcases.

2:38 PM

2:41 PM

Does anyone know if shredding the fused HDPE film will shred easyier or does it still clog the machines?

Yeah I will be using an industrial extruder for this. Didn't find a small scale way to work with it but wanted to because the bottles are so prevalent where I am (Lagos) and get almost zero recycling

3:12 PM

Has anyone had any experience with dyeing plastic bags before fusing or weaving with them? I have seen some videos using different types of dyes, but I am wondering whether that affects the future recyclability of the bag in any way.

@Aldothegreen85 thanks for the feed back!

If PET can be 3d printed with a standard 3d printer i reckon the 3d printing comunity could benefit from decent material to work with i mean id love to print something with mountain dew bottles thats an awesome colour large scale 3d printer making some RC controler shells in mountain due green/yellow plastic could be awesome.

https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/machines/extruder/extruder-fully-built/petbot-machine/

Machines :: Extruder :: Extruder Fully Built :: PETBOT MACHINE

5:32 AM

Have you guys checked this out? Not sure if it would really work though. Contacted the seller, and says that any PET/PETE bottles can be shredded, and that it works with any 3D printer.

the issue with PET is even if partially "damp" it will hydrolyse at melting temp and make a non pet goopy mess or at least a poor product.

5:34 AM

It CAN be done, and i am plotting it here:

5:34 AM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/PET_Plastic_Recycling_Workflow

PET Plastic Recycling Workflow

5:35 AM

Also on the note of FDM 3D Printer Filament, i am unsure on those extruders, i think the main limit is diameter tolerances, but if that is ok you are good to go

So you’d have to wash them, and dry them in a dry area for a while before using?

If the diameter varies, so does your extrusion, and thus 3d prints often fail with large variances

Seller also says that the filament produced is 1.75mm

yep, the issue is the +/- 0.?

5:36 AM

On the note of washing, i kinda consider it standard, but it may not be needed in all cases

5:36 AM

Here’s what he sent

Also i am developing an open source FDM Filament Maker Here with OSE based of the "Lyman Extruder":

5:37 AM

I see.

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Open_Source_Filament_Maker_Industry_Standards

Open Source Filament Maker Industry Standards

5:37 AM

the wiki is a bit of a labyrinth at times

Hah

but the lyman was the original, OSE made a fork of it, and is actively developing it. I am trying to plot how to make a "2 axis micrometer" to measue, and thus control the diameter (not sure if this will pan out lol)

5:38 AM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Open_Source_Filament_Diameter_Sensor

Open Source Filament Diameter Sensor

5:39 AM

The prusament line doesn't use recycled plastic yet, but they are my "endgame"

5:39 AM

most of the other components are covered ish (that and maybe control software). The device can be made for 400USD or so i think?

I see. Do you think the machine in the Bazar would be worth buying? I live in the Canadian Prairies, so I don’t think excess humidity would be a major problem if I dried the bottles for a couple weeks?

I am unsure on the PET workflows as i have no "hands on" experience. Even if it failed with that, most should work with ABS etc, but i do agree PET is a must with the sheer volume supplies via plastic bottles etc.

1

5:45 AM

I think that or a DIY lyman (they may be similar, if not the same designs, let me dig) should work fine

Yeah. 90% of what I’ve been finding littered around town is PET.

I don't know what you already know, so sorry in advance if i overexplain, but 3D Printing often has "dryboxes" for drying and/or storing filament. So that either modified to dry flakes in a large bin, or even my goofy idea of modifying a "Hot air Popcorn Popper" into a f l u i d i z e d f l a k e d r y i n g k i l n " should all work

5:48 AM

Old "food dehydrators"work well, they use hot air, and can be found for cheap used

Yeah, I’ve been contacting some people around, and they all say they use food dehydrators too. Seems like a good idea.

my plan was "raw" plastic in -> shredding -> washing -> "basic drying" (ie left in sun spread out) -> intentional drying in a machine -> dry storage (box with sorbet, or an attached dehumidifier) -> end use

5:52 AM

i was plotting some sort of "clip on" thermoelectric dehumidifier for those large plastic bins

5:52 AM

A pack of sorbent, and occasionally swapping it works great too

5:52 AM

https://youtu.be/CLCpNIx3O0M?t=345

Thomas Sanladerer

I saw how Prusament and the Prusa i3 MK3 are made! (we find some ea...

5:53 AM

In this part of the video they show their prusament making setup (it is WAY higher capacity than what any of us would use, but similar concept)

Huh. I see.

Final "also" i said OSE a few times, have you heard of the group, or do you need some info?

Haha, yeah, was a little confused by that.

Basically a group dedicated to making all the open source hardware needed to build/run a small town/farm. Complex to explain so perhaps watch the ted talk and check it out? Ted talk on the group: https://www.ted.com/talks/marcin_jakubowski_open_sourced_blueprints_for_civilization?language=en More PR-ey Site https://www.opensourceecology.org/ Wiki Link https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Main_Page

Oh! Sweet, I’ll check it out.

6:06 AM

Thanks for all the help!!

No problem! It's geting late so i'm about to log off, but here is the OSE discord link before i go in ~15 mins https://discord.gg/x4VAEj (feel free to @ me if you have any other questions)

Hello, Can any one provide mechanical or physical properties of Recycled plastic sheets

@Carolina I personally think it is a bad idea to overheat plastics 60 degs. On my machines I have never seen that there was a 30 degs difference especially not that way. In particular for the extrusion, it is exothermic because of the friction so I am a bit confused. I know you have moved and so on but I would be very cautious about these temperatures and I would double check the actual temperature at the nozzle. I used to put it much hotter and I have observed plastic loss of coloration due to overheating, that means that you are damaging the structure of the polymers at these high temperature. Also a slight difference in temperature has a huge impact on the quantity of fumes generated. My advice would be to put it first at the exact melting temperature and move from there.

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland that's the temperature we used during v4 in the extruder and injection at least. I guess every machine is different

‍♀️ And what i said about the difference between the actual temperature of the plastic and the temperature of the heating element is because we tested it with a thermometer that was in the barrel so it was touching the plastic while the machine was running. So yes, i do agree with you on the fact that to be sure, we should start testing from the low temperature and go higher if its needed, that's why we generally work with ranges rather than exact temperature

1

Does know what percentage of total plastics produced globally is actually recyclable? I remember reading >90% somewhere a few years back but cant find a reliable reference for it.

i was digging up/through papers on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). I also want to do studies in my home (keep a log of all plastic in/out)

8:29 PM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Municipal_Solid_Waste

Municipal Solid Waste

8:29 PM

pile is organic waste, but plastic is the next big one i think

8:29 PM

MOSTLY hdpe i think (edited)

8:32 PM

i think 15% or so were unrecoverable? idk i had two studies linked, and did a messy info densifying

Hey humans, I'm trying to find the melt time for LDPE, I can find the temperature but can't find the time it takes. Does anyone here work with LDPE? If so do you have any tips?

I suppose you need to calculate from its heat conductivity, that's on wikipedia. It will be mass-dependent

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland will do thank you.

@Zero Plastics Australia the easiest way to do is just to try on your process how long it takes. Unless you plan to do your own high end machine. Depends on a lot of variables - ares of heat transfer, granule size and shape, level of compression, (maybe environment temp). Easy to get lost in calculations there^^

anybody know the diference between homopolyers or copolyers for making a sheet in the sheetpress? (edited)

co is a mix of two or more polymers i think (edited)

10:06 PM

good for properties, bad for recycling

why is bad for recycling?

10:10 PM

btw; thanks for the answer

It isn't terrible, but it does lock down that mixture (ie it can't be separated after being mixed and melted)

can it be later recycle?

10:43 PM

into new copolymer?

it should be able to be melted down again if the two polymers are both "Themoplastics" and have a similar melting point

Guys i have a little question about the injection machine and the use of PET in it. Due to the injection mold machine having a vertical fill position is it possible to shred PET #1 plastic and use the injection moulder to dry the shred in the machine first (to completely dry the flakes) then to melt the flakes to be injection molded? Could the chamber be set to a low heat to dry off the moisture then after say 15mins-20mins then ramped up to melt point to then create a new object? Or is their a cool down procedure as well?

1

I don't know how the airflow of that would work, and i think other methods would be more power/time efficient. But i guess the only way to know is to try!

So is their a cool down procedure or is it allow to cool naturally im getting alot of cross info online

Aldo: Have you already tested shredding PET in a shredder, or is this at the speculation stage? I am currently working on a similar undertaking so looking for advice and tips.

1

the shredding should work fine, the issue is that any water present in the material causes Hydrolysis at the PET's Melting Point

@Eric Lotze I like your idea of drying the PET in a hot air corn popper... This could be a possibility.

it seems goofy, but it is essentially a f l u i d i z e d b e d d r y e r

2:38 AM

i don't have one, do they have an adequate screen to keep flakes/dust from backflowing into the fan?

I don't have one on hand. Something to research.

Also another goofy concept, some mix of pvc pipe, and a hair dryer

I'd suggest doing that inside an enclosed space, eg those mini greenhouses you can buy (they're about 3 square feet and 6 foot tall, made of plastic, cheap). In theory the greenhouse will keep the heat inside, so you can save money on electricity and the steam will condense at the top and then drip down the sides and not back down onto your plastic. If it's summer you can just put it outside and use the hair dryer with the no heat option. Or maybe not need the hair dryer at all. (edited)

Please, for the shredder (version 2.1) what is the indicated power (cv) of the electric motor and what is the gear ratio?

@Osmar Borduchi at least 2kw/3hp @70rpm. Gear ratio depends on primary rpm's of your motor.

@sonik Tanks!!!

Hello.. What are any technologies insert in plastic SEGREGATION at minimum cost

Guys i have a little question about the injection machine and the use of PET in it. Due to the injection mold machine having a vertical fill position is it possible to shred PET #1 plastic and use the injection moulder to dry the shred in the machine first (to completely dry the flakes) then to melt the flakes to be injection molded? Could the chamber be set to a low heat to dry off the moisture then after say 15mins-20mins then ramped up to melt point to then create a new object? Or is their a cool down procedure as well?

@Aldothegreen85 Interested in this as well. I have seen many posts where PET has been written off as not possible with the PP machines. With the abundance of water bottles in the waste stream, getting this to work would really be brilliant.

Hey Guys, Newbie here...

I was wondering if there is a maximum size for an object to be injection moulded. Im looking to inject some "timber slats" at 400mm (L) x 65mm (w) x 12mm (h), and also a seperate size of 160mm(L) x 30mm (h) x 30mm (h)

7:15 PM

for ultra large injection, i think most use the extruder as a "motorized injection" don't quote me on it though

is there any documentaion on maximum sizes? It seems most of the showcase pages and vids say smaller items (edited)

7:22 PM

but no guide to what is smaller

7:22 PM

I was thinking to make sheets and cut to size

7:23 PM

Anyone had any experience with making sheets at 30mm thickness

7:23 PM

?

the injection machine has a theoretical maximium of 150cm3 volume. in practice the molded object must be at least 20% less then that to achieve consistent sucessful results.

2:33 PM

The extruder machine is similar in that theoretically it can do any size, but in the real world it's limited to about 40*40mm max cross sectional area. Beyond that you will start to have issues with plastic cooling too fast to create a homogenus structure.

2

Hey who has a shredder and injection moulder? I have a little investigating for you to do.

The extruder machine is similar in that theoretically it can do any size, but in the real world it's limited to about 40*40mm max cross sectional area. Beyond that you will start to have issues with plastic cooling too fast to create a homogenus structure.

@Isometric good to know bud, i wonder if the design/build could be upgraded to go further

The extruder machine is similar in that theoretically it can do any size, but in the real world it's limited to about 40*40mm max cross sectional area. Beyond that you will start to have issues with plastic cooling too fast to create a homogenus structure.

@Isometric Am wondering about the possibility to make bigger objects with the extruder if the mold is heated? What are your thoughts on that?

You can, but you cannot shot two times with an injection machine. The other way would be using continuous extrusion (heating the mould brings you very far). Or you go for compression moulding, where there is no pressure applied apart from the mould halfs themself.

@bmbaron if the mold is heated it definitely could do it, but would require relatively expensive heaters and insulation.

Good afternoon Precious Plastic team... we generate lots of waste, when we peel off self adhesive vinyl after an event or similar, I am very keen to find a way to repurpose. The material comes off a surface "screwed up", it could fit into the shredder. Looking for some advice if this material suitable... much appreciate anyone's thoughts and advice. All the best and thank you Giles.

If its currently not recycled then it may as well end up in landfill unless you can fuse the plastics together ive started a not currently recycled roof canopy to adapt the front of my shed so when it rains i have a drinking and smoking area outside the shed

7:31 PM

Fused using the same tech as the plastic bag making video all these plastic sleeves are currently not recycled

I was thinking the sheet press or the compression would be great as a film-densifier

1

It would but im unsure if the shredder would cope with the film the same way as reg hdpe plastics

i think is is almost essential to make into a block first, the film could wrap around the axle

So I've been lurking around PP for years, but I just recently decide to take action. However I'm not a fan of this new format, I have always liked forums. Long story short I have been trying to collect and sort all the plastic we use at my house. I have not yet built any of the machines, but I have everything to build the Injection machine. Today I came upon something I have never saw before. A recycling triangle with an arrow in the middle pointing to one side. On one side is the letters PP and another PS with the arrow pointing to PS. I am assuming that this means the item is PS, but I was not positive. Thank you for the help.

hm, send a picture maybe

8:01 PM

what is the object exactly? I heard things like the top and bottom of fruit containers can be made of two different materials (edited)

Hello there, Does anyone know what kind of plastic are this metallic surface one?? I see a lot, my bet is on PP but im not sure. Best regards and thanks!

8:07 PM

some are even multiple plastic layers

8:08 PM

kind of the anti-recyclable. Depends on what it is

8:08 PM

acid can dissolve the metal off in most cases

ooh no...

8:09 PM

so its a big NO for us to recycle them?

indeed =/

thats too bad

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Metallised_Plastic_Film

Metallised Plastic Film

8:10 PM

made a page on it i think

becouse there are lots and lots of it everywhere

there are efforts to make a reciclable "vapor proof" film

8:10 PM

downcycle some like those juicebox bags

8:11 PM

most others are mainly incinerated/pyrolysed/gassified and the metal is recovered

thats a shame

8:11 PM

but thanks fot the info!

8:11 PM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Metallised_Plastic_Film

@Eric Lotze thanks!

Metallised Plastic Film

no problem!

Another question, maybe this isnt the right chat room

8:13 PM

when you inject some plastic, and then you whant to inject another tipe of plastic ¿how do you clean the injection machine?

what is the object exactly? I heard things like the top and bottom of fruit containers can be made of two different materials

@Rai It is a clothes hanger from the store. Most of them are PS, so i am assuming this is as well.

8:41 PM

is it a blend?

must be then

if it’s one piece, it’s gotta be a blend

The arrow might be a replaceable insert in the mould, so they don't have to build two different sets of moulds if they work with different plastic at different times. I saw similar things on plastic items, indicating the year and month of manufacture, with an arrow pointing to the appropriate bit. That's my guess, though!

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11:01 PM

Something like this: https://image.ec21.com/image/wongmichael/oimg_GC08917385_CA08920008/product_image_1.jpg

@Tiz - Plastically reckon you're right bud they work with 2 materials at the factory PP and PS and the stamp has a movable arrow thats my guess

Ohhhh you’re right, that makes a ton of sense

when you inject some plastic, and then you whant to inject another tipe of plastic ¿how do you clean the injection machine?

@pepe_trueno Hey, we recently made an injection machine and here's our process. When we work with one kind of plastic, we try to extrude all of the material out when we're done making. Maybe if there's a little bit left in the cylinder, we'll just press it all out and wait for some more minutes and press again to clear the tube. For example, if we're making tiles with HDPE, we try to get all the HDPE out before switching to PP. But we have noticed that it's difficult to get 100% of it out, so the first thing you make with the new PP might be contaminated with some HDPE which may or may not be a problem. But once that first bit comes out, it's pretty clean

9:59 AM

Speaking of PS, has anyone had success making durable items with it? I tried making small tiles with PS and then PET in an injection machine last week and was not impressed. They aren't strong at all like HDPE and PP

Reading up on "FDM 3D Printer Nozzle Cleaning" may be similar for cleaning (they push out plastic filament and melt it, but get "dirty" in a similar manner to larger plastic melting machines)

my PS items have been very durable but I don’t use the machines and have never done a full on stress test

1

@pepe_trueno Hey, we recently made an injection machine and here's our process. When we work with one kind of plastic, we try to extrude all of the material out when we're done making. Maybe if there's a little bit left in the cylinder, we'll just press it all out and wait for some more minutes and press again to clear the tube. For example, if we're making tiles with HDPE, we try to get all the HDPE out before switching to PP. But we have noticed that it's difficult to get 100% of it out, so the first thing you make with the new PP might be contaminated with some HDPE which may or may not be a problem. But once that first bit comes out, it's pretty clean

@bmbaron THANKS!

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my PS items have been very durable but I don’t use the machines and have never done a full on stress test

@Rai Oh, are you just cooking PS in an oven or something? Curious to hear about your technique. Maybe by shredding and injection, it gets weaker or maybe our injection temperature was too high

let me get some pictures

Is it possible to use the sheet press machine with a very thin opening to create recycled plastic laminate? Has anyone explored this application, is the pp machine capable?

i forget what someone said the thinnest sheet they made was

2

Hi all, does anyone know if you can run soft plastics through an extruder? There is lots at my local supermarket door ready for the taking.

@bmbaron I use a lab stove, custom mold and vent for the fumes and I just press it with a piece of metal. the coaster on the left is PS and about a centimeter thick. I’m not such what temperatures it gets to but it only completely melts on one side (edited)

11:12 PM

made from coffee lids and trays but they hold up pretty well

1

Also just checked you guys’ facebook, nice work you do

1

@Doeyo i didn't get what you mean, do you have a picture to help me understand what to get ? We'll love to explore more the sheet-press capabilities.

I got this plastic off the Bazar and had someone injection mold some pieces for me with a professional non-PP injection molder. On the PP videos and from samples on here, I was expecting the marbled effect that shows the different plastic colors. Instead the part was only uniform orange (a lighter orange resulting from mixing those three colors). How come they did not come out multi-colored? Is there a specific technique for this? Thanks

@cwakeman The more you "mix" molten plastic, the more homogeneous it get. My guess would be that your professionnal injection machine mix, in one way or another, the plastic. (Which I would expect, in industrial applications the more consistent the material the better. Like when you're baking a cake.) The reverse (marble effect) happen because the pellets "melts next to each other" but aren't mixed.

1

1:17 AM

If you could specify which machine it is, it could help answering your question.

@Ley Klussyn That makes sense thanks. I think the machine is still manual. I think this is it, I don't have any model information just the photo. I guess I could ask them to attempt to purposefully not mix the molten plastic.

2:59 AM

does anyone know if this is the kind of plastic printer and cartridges have?? Written on every tiny little piece of plastic is this ">PS-FR(17)<" . I did a little search and found that it is maybe styrene acrylate copolymer. i do not know, so i ask . Also i needed help in setting up a industrial design lab in a e-waste recycling warehouse. please help.

Hey together, just got a source for free plastic if anyone interested please PM! Material is for free, shipping has to be organized by yourself (southern Germany near Stuttgart). Ultradur B4300 G 6 PBT GF30 - 22 tons Ryton R-4-200BL, PPS-GF40 - 0,8 tons Grivory HTV-4H1 PA6T/6I-GF40 - 3tons (Numbers are given for their annual production)

@Yann The laminate I'm talking about is a composite material that is made of paper/textile and melamine resins. It is used decoratively on furniture and very popular within the digital fabrication (CNC) furniture design space for aesthetic value. I assume some equivalent could be created with recycled plastic, not sure if the sheet press machine is capable, or what the lamination manufacturing process could entail, very unexplored space https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decorative_laminate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHo380SrasA https://d2w9rnfcy7mm78.cloudfront.net/5180107/large_ca3660921adade404acaf9e96495916b.jpg?1570306201?bc=0 https://d2w9rnfcy7mm78.cloudfront.net/5180106/large_6fd6ab02499d60c174db0d50e1c4a6ea.jpg?1570306184?bc=0 https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/iwf/iwf-products/recycled-pet-bottles-find-new-life-laminate-panels (edited)

Decorative laminate

Decorative laminates are laminated products primarily used as furniture surface materials or wall paneling. It can be manufactured as either high- or low-pressure laminate, with the two processes not much different from each other except for the pressure applied in the pressin...

Home Care

How to apply Laminate to Plywood

Recycled plastic bottles find new life in laminate panels

From plastic water bottles, 3B S.p.A. creates laminates of recycled PET resin in an effort to contribute to the preservation of the planet’s well-being.

3

Sound like something possible I guess. Either melting flakes on plywood or creating a very thin sheet to glue somehow on it. There will be this heterogeneous material created that is then hard to recycle, but maybe there is specific application to it (water protection on plywood for example) ?

1

does anyone know if this is the kind of plastic printer and cartridges have?? Written on every tiny little piece of plastic is this ">PS-FR(17)<" . I did a little search and found that it is maybe styrene acrylate copolymer. i do not know, so i ask . Also i needed help in setting up a industrial design lab in a e-waste recycling warehouse. please help.

@demonhunter That means styrenes with added flame retardants. Basically dangerous to recycle and could be non-recyclable with the FR (Flame Retardant).

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland it is recyclable for sure. Needs a binding agent that's it

Hey everyone! I wanted to know if you guys recommend using PS for the machines. I saw on the precious plastics website that the machines work well with PS but, on the saftey section of plastics I saw that it emits harmful fumes. Are the fumes relitavely minimaly or is it better not to use PS? Thanks, and if you guys have any additional sources, please feel free to share them!

@DanGus its recommended to work with a ABEK mask on it and use some ventilation to exhaust the fumes - or have a well ventilated space at least.

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland it is recyclable for sure. Needs a binding agent that's it

@demonhunter Your health, not mine we have stopped recycling styrenes and having flame retardants in the atmosphere on top of it... I am sure that quite a few doctors would be horrified. I heard it is notoriously difficult to recycle plastics with flame retardants and considering the risk, I just don't try.

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland oh thanks for the information. thats why im here

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@Fritz @easymoulds Awesome, thanks!

ฃ

Hi everyone! During the melting stage of the process does type 2 and type 5 plastics smell? Would it emit toxic/bad fumes?

2 is probably safer, more like 4

2:19 PM

5 I think you need protection for

2:19 PM

I wear a gas mask for both

@Deleted User i was just following the conversation and i too wear a gas mask for melting, but i'm not sure to know when i should replace the filters ... do you have any info/parameters on this?

@Rai when working with all plastics its better to barrier yourself from all VoCs use a good filtered respirator and avoid over exposure ie dont sit in the area when not actively working (adopt a similar system as an auto paint shop)

yep that’s what I do!

1

Hi guys, anybody know the melting range of the PP?

been working at 220/230 but it burns a little the plastic

PP melting temperature is 173 as far as I remember. Wait longer and you will avoid the fumes. Also if you "burn" the plastic it is not recyclable and loose some of its properties

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene

Polypropylene

Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. It is produced via chain-growth polymerization from the monomer propylene. Polypropylene belongs to the group of polyolefins and is partially crystalline and non-p...

6:52 PM

Melting point 130 to 171 °C (266 to 340 °F; 403 to 444 K)

great, i was beeing guided by this file, aparently wrong

7:03 PM

PP melting temperature is 173 as far as I remember. Wait longer and you will avoid the fumes. Also if you "burn" the plastic it is not recyclable and loose some of its properties

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland what do you mean by if i wait longer, ill avoid the fumes?

I have a source for fishing nets in Germany. These are ghost nets or illegal nets that were confiscated. Is anyone interested in getting these and see if they can be melted and reused? Many of the nets used here in Mexico are plastic, I haven't tried melting them yet.

@Deleted User i was just following the conversation and i too wear a gas mask for melting, but i'm not sure to know when i should replace the filters ... do you have any info/parameters on this?

@gustavomaske Also interested in this. Is there any way to test if the filters are still good? Smell or something?

@Tiz - Plastically look at the manufacturers guidelines with some masks the filters run on a time/useby date (6wks use or before the 31st of julaugust 2020) some its based on hours of use some its based on hours of continued use ie if you only wear it for 15mins twice a week the filter should be good righy up until ita exp date.

uhh yea that

This is my respirator for battleing covid M3 filters with carbon according to the MF instructions my carbon m3 filters are good for 6months use (obv there will be some flex within this time depending on use) ie an M3 carbon catching mdf dust filter will clog quicker than the same filter being used as an air fliter. This trend mask can carry various filters so if i was to be working with chemicals or airosols and needed an m2 mask or better its just replace the filters and its good to go.

great, i was beeing guided by this file, aparently wrong

@holis Well I have mentioned a few times that there was a problem with the strategy of overshooting melting temperature by 50 or 60 deg C. It generates fumes and degrades the plastics seriously. I am very concerned by this advice and I am basically told to just get on with it. Here a little explanation of what is going on: You may know that plastic is a good thermal insulant, meaning its thermal conductivity is low. That means that if you heat up a mass from the outside, it will take a long time to be at the same temperature in the inside. The gradient between the core and the outside of what you want to melt is depending of the thermal conductivity. For the sake of simplicity, lets say the "instantaneous" thermal gradient needed to melt your example is 60 deg C. So to get the inside to melt, either (1) you heat up to the melting temperature or just above and wait that the heat transfers inside let say it takes 12h or (2) you rise the outside temperature 60 degrees above the melting temperature so "relatively" quickly the inside reaches the melting temperature. (2) is what the Team is advising and I am firmly against it because while you do that, the outside of the mass (here sheet) is at 220-240 degs, the mass that is overheated generates a lot of fumes and looses its chemical properties and basically its capacity to bond. That's why many complain that the sheets have a random output. All the charts should be changed with a proper time-to-temperature-to-mass output. I find the current advice dangerous. (edited)

2

5

1

Also just checked you guys’ facebook, nice work you do

@Rai Thank you very much and nice work on the PS. We might try your method. Do you have a facebook or recyling content channel?

oh you're welcome!

6:24 PM

and nah, I don't do videos

6:25 PM

but for the PS, I'd recommend keeping things ventilated

been working at 220/230 but it burns a little the plastic

@holis Hi, yes with our injection machine, we typically set the top heating elements to 190 C and the bottom one (closer to the nozzle) to 210 or 220 for PP

I'm going to be making more PS coasters today, I'll check the temperatures while I'm there too.

1

6:27 PM

could link my website but it's more for sales and stuff than the process itself

Do you guys use anything to coat your products as a finish or varnish? We experimented with epoxy resin and got a really nice look for our coasters, but we can't justify using a petroleum product like that. Are there any more natural waxes or clear coats that will achieve the same protection and beautiful sheen?

beeswax, various saps

6:29 PM

woodworking stuff

6:29 PM

some bug excreted thing

ooo

1

varnish i think? (edited)

6:29 PM

let me dig

6:29 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellac#:~:text=Shellac%20is%20a%20resin%20secreted,forests%20of%20India%20and%20Thailand.&text=Shellac%20functions%20as%20a%20tough,%2C%20and%20high%2Dgloss%20varnish.

Shellac

Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and sold as dry flakes (pictured) and dissolved in alcohol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze and wood finish. Shellac functio...

6:29 PM

shellac

6:29 PM

there we go

I have heard of this stuff

~~granted it's probably shipped on a bunker fuel - fueled ship soooooooooooo~~

6:30 PM

i need to get me some glassware, a pyrolysis system, and a HTL pressure pot, and

6:30 PM

MAKE THE DAMN PETROCHEMICALS MYSELF

Nice Eric! Way to come through

@bmbaron the temperature was around 115 - 160 C

10:17 PM

which is actually a lot lower than the melting point of PS, so what I've been doing is just getting it soft enough to make into shapes

@Rai great, you probably reduce the fumes doing it that way too.

For those of you who work with PP and HDPE to make flat objects like coasters, how do you ensure that they don't warp? We inject our coasters into a lasercut mold, and they often change shape or shrink a bit which makes them wobble on a table.

@demonhunter Your health, not mine we have stopped recycling styrenes and having flame retardants in the atmosphere on top of it... I am sure that quite a few doctors would be horrified. I heard it is notoriously difficult to recycle plastics with flame retardants and considering the risk, I just don't try.

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Hi! which are the flame retardants, please give me some examples. I havent use the PS yet, but have some already shreddered. thanks,

@bmbaron PP and HDPE will always warp, it's a property of both those polymers (PS doesn't warp). The warping occurs while cooling down; to ensure your product doesn't wabble, you would want to keep into the mould longer while cooling down. (edited)

8:24 AM

i mainly experienced compression moulding and my process was as following : put melted plastic in mould compress wait take product out of mould to cut off the surplus of plastic put product on the floor and add some flat wood over it + weights wait tadaa :)

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Hi! which are the flame retardants, please give me some examples. I havent use the PS yet, but have some already shreddered. thanks,

@LauraVB-Seakyat There is a label "FR" often. These are generally plastics from electrical appliances and electronics

hello everyone, im trying to see if i can recycle pet (its one of the main plastic waste in guatemala) and create plastic wood, do you know how many plastic do you need for one 2000mmx28mmx28mm beam? or if its posible to create it with pet (edited)

@Mr. Mustacho hi, I haven't worked with PET too much but from what I did do with using my injection machine, I feel it's difficult to work with. The melting temperature range seems quick small and if I heated it a bit too much, it became pretty much liquid and poured out of my machine on the floor, but if it was a bit too cold to melt, it hardened and got stuck in the machine. Also, the products I made were brittle and could be easily snapped in half. Maybe for your wood, if it's thicker that won't happen. Seems tricky to work with, but if you can find the sweet spot for melting it around 280 C, might be possible. Anyways, I highly recommend starting with HDPE or PP at least for testing because those are quite safe to work with at lower temperatures (200 C-ish) and more forgiving and "normal". For the volume you need, just multiply those three numbers together and multiply by the density of the plastic to find the rough weight you'll need

2:31 AM

@Nick - PP France That's quite helpful, thank you. We do mainly injection, so I think we can try waiting a bit and then taking it out and cold pressing as you suggest to free up the mold

@drplasticVN thanks I'll try that

1

how do we open the drawings in the download not sure what program to use ?

What's is y'all way of cleaning the plastic before using it?

I'm, also, interested in how people clean the plastic. I've thought about a cutting each bottle in half and putting it in a dishwasher, or shred it and put in a washing machine?? In the end, since I live in Mexico where people need jobs, I think we're going to hire someone to just wash it in a large sink and not try to automate the process. But I'd like to know what others do.

From what I know, people clean before shredding, but also wash the flakes after. Then they dry it.

does anyone need baling press machine?

What's is y'all way of cleaning the plastic before using it?

@Angus17 at home i have started collecting HDPE,LDPE and PP. depending on the products use i tend to wash the plastic in dish water as the last thing to be washed i then rinse the plastic to remove any residues then i dry them on my windowsill. *i cut the bottles in half using the moulding shapes as a guide, then cut the handle section in half vertically to then put the plastic top halfs back to back to then live in the bottom half while drying.

Hello everyone, I’m Sharon Lennon m, citizen of Mauritius and an entrepreneur in the recycling environment. We have recently faced an environmental tragedy on our island with the wrecking of MV Wakashio on our coastal reef, creating a massive oil spill. We made boom barriers and plastic bottles were used as floaters. Now they are covered with oil and we are looking for a solution to recycle these bottles. Can anyone help please. I wouldn’t want to have to let it in the sea or in one of our landfills.

@Recyclean Best to get in touch with a chemist or an oil expert, perhaps they can give some kind of solution to remove the oil from the bottles. But because there is little to no money to be made in using contaminated oil, I am afraid that the only solution is to store or burn it. The same thing happend in Africa with Shell a number of years ago and they are still cleaning up the mess to this day.

@Marcel123095 thank you for your answer and advice. Indeed there is no other solution. It will be spending another 2-3 weeks in the sea with oil on it so I even doubt the plastic bottle will still be fully recognizable after that. Damn the micro particules that will end up floating in the ocean.

https://youtu.be/XY9EcDujnv4

Scroll.in

Eco India Shorts: The tribal community spinning plastic waste into ...

1

Hello! Immediately I apologize, I have bad English, so I am writing through a translator! I want to tackle the topic of plastic recycling! From collection to processing into pellets! And I would like to know someone in Russia doing this, using ideas from this site! ??

auuuuuu......

#🍞russia ? @Eduard

Hey folks i have a 2 part question you may or may not be able to answer so if you dont know would you be willing to try an experiment to find out the answer ? My question is both hdpe/ldpe and pp have poor uv resistance but does the wall thickness of the plastic give a level of uv resistance? Like if i had a 2mm wall a 4mm wall and a 10mm wall would the 10mm have a better uv resistance compaired to the 2mm or would the UV permeate no matter the thickness? If you dont know and want to find out could you please put a few thicknesses of hdpe/ ldpe or pp out in sunlight or in a combination of natural hot and cold extremes and compare the degrade of the plastic between the thicknesses over a set time?

@sharma.sagar94 Is there any way to diy that?

Hi there, I am starting my sheetpress workplace and I just run our machine yesterday and the result was bad :( It didn't melt properly, some parts didnt melted at all. (It didnt burn) I want to know why it failed. I followed the guide from preciousplastic official site. (see the pic) I melted HDPE in 220 degree for 1 hour (for 22MM thickness) I know the melting point of HDPE is 120 degree but I just followed the guide. Do you guys think the temperature was wrong? (edited)

Might need to check your heat points, somethings not right did it give a patchy melt? bits raw chip and bits liquid? Or did it not melt at all? (edited)

@Aldothegreen85 has the right idea. Any more information you can give us, photos, videos?

Hello I'm new here

4:13 PM

I'm building a shredder machine for my project, and I need help

4:16 PM

What type of motor is needed to get an output speed of about 24rpm and a higher torque

@holis melting points have been super frustrating for me getting started. I've just used the injection machine so far. I used 120°C on both barrel and nozzle for #5 PP and injection worked great for small molds. This seems way lower than what others have done. The melting temps poster doesn't really help me...

1

Hi

10:36 PM

thanks for accepting me in this forum, I am from Bolivia, I interested in recycling plastics ...

10:37 PM

hello, hope everyone is doing great and is staying safe. i would like to know what is posible for PET plastics, can it be shredded and made into slabs or is it not possible on the small scale?

@kahtmandu#0876 bud PET is a difficult plastic to process. The main 3 id be looking at, for ease and minimal problems would be #2 (HDPE) ,#4(LDPE),#5 (PP)

Carbon fiber filled HDPE plastic made from bottle caps in our compression molder and extrusion machine. (edited)

3

Reaching out to see if anyone knows of a recycled plastic/rubber that might work for an injection moulded welly boot?

@Aldothegreen85 thanks, thats pretty much the idea I've gotten from the precious plastic web page but it doesn't state why. Its the most abundant plastic waste, i would hope someone would have tried something and could tell me what to do with it

@kahtmandu#0876 its effected by moisture too much moisture in the process and the plastic becomes gubbed with no use for man nor beast @Eric Lotze what was the term called? i know it makes plastic become like toffee brittle and it shatters into millions of bits.

@Aldothegreen85 i see

Hyrolises? hydrolazes? i forget the term, but in laymans terms water bad and PET is a C*nt lol I dont even entertain the idea of PS recycling thats another can of worms.

7:44 PM

3 plastics (Hdpe,Ldpe and PP) that if done locally would clean up the process to PET and PS meaning not as many contaminated loads

@Aldothegreen85 thanks alot, this is very informative

The sky documentary on youtube is quiet good for showing whats wrong with the system as is.

7:46 PM

https://youtu.be/oRQLilXLAIU

Sky News

Dirty Business: what really happens to your recycling

7:49 PM

Thing is the PP idea is good for both local business and entrepenurship but also for streamlining the PET problem not as many contaminated loads not as many loads ditched to landfil or burned here in the uk or across the globe

@Aldothegreen85 will give it a watch

1

There are a few bud but this one hits it home with babywipes tge second big problem no gov is really adressing

@Butte (PP Philippines) Can you try to recycle that composite again?

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto i could but this chair is not disposable

3

2

Hi precious people! I am wroking with a Fablab that has made a bunch of lasercutted face shield They have quite a lot of plexiglass sheet left over

2:30 PM

do you know the melting temperature for this kind of plastic?

2:30 PM

ever worked with that?

2:30 PM

the goal il to make smaller plastic sheet

A quick google search says it melts at 160ºC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(methyl_methacrylate)

Poly(methyl methacrylate)

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, or plexiglass, as well as by the trade names Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite, Astariglas, Lucite, Perclax, and Perspex, among several others (see below), is a transparent thermoplastic often used in sheet form...

1

Hello I'm Karen from Hong Kong, now based in Amsterdam

I'm working on a sustainable X'mas tree project where we would like to recycled materials for the decorations. We have a huge amount of acetate, and wonder if anyone has experience if they could be recycled please?

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258392402_Sago_Starch-Mixed_Low-Density_Polyethylene_Biodegradable_Polymer_Synthesis_and_Characterization Sooo if one mixes corn starch with HDPE it can become biodegradable...

3:29 AM

also, I have found a slightly expensive but easily available source of plastic pigment that everyone can get locally. It is copy machine toner powder.

@Butte (PP Philippines) how much do you need for colouring?

@Isometric depends on the starting material. With black and mixed color HDPE it is not that much. However with mixed colors and white, it takes a LOT to lighen the color.

Someone know which type of plastic these cable strips are?

10:14 AM

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_tie Wiki says nylon:/

Cable tie

A cable tie (also known as a hose tie, zip tie, or by the brand name Ty-Rap) is a type of fastener, for holding items together, primarily electrical cables or wires. Because of their low cost and ease of use, cable ties are ubiquitous, finding use in a wide range of other app...

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto if you have a lot of them you can run some burn and float tests to make sure

I thought we don’t burn plastic

✌️

To waste 10g of plastic to save xxxkg seems reasonable to me^^ Thats why I meant if you have much plastic - wouldn't do it for a single piece for sure

1

Hello!!!! I have a question, when cleaning PET bottles is there a faster way to clean the glue of the labels? I'm going to build the cleaning station but I was wondering if that takes care of the glue too

1

Someone know which type of plastic these cable strips are?

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto I have some in PVC

some sort of solvent i bet

3:23 PM

Also may be worth it to look into using charcoal as an abrasive in these washers idk

@Tiago-recycle lab. Portugal I found out that a high pressure washer is the fastest way to get rid of stickers and glue.

@sonik when you say high pressure washer is that a full like washing machine or one of those to clean cars?

Something like that:

Has anyone had any success shredding HDPE pipe with the PP shredders, probably V4 required is possible at all

6:40 PM

I am sitting on a pile of 200kg and it seems destined for the landfill if I can't find an alternative.

@NVCurt Got a picture?

6:45 PM

3mm~ish wall thickness?

4mm

TBH that looks like great material. Not terrible to rinse either, I suspect. You could feed that through a barrel with a rotary cutter on the end of it and make lots of little o's, which would shred very easily. I don't quite know how the tube shade would react in a Pro style shredder, but it would be worth a try.

Now, I just need a shredder Ha! Looks like I'm gonna store it, and build a shredder.

8:38 PM

Thanks for the input

@NVCurt I shredded a larger thickness pipe than that with my basic shredder and it worked. Unfortunately after spending days shredding huge amounts of it I found out that it was cross-linked and could not be melted

. Make sure to check if it’s cross-linked HDPE first haha!

I know it can be melted to weld together.

1

As much as I love recycling, I feel like that amount of pipe, if it's one long length, would be better to be reused instead. You'd be able to sell it for more than it's worth as plastic.

1

Hey all, Sorry I am new here and might used the wrong channel. Is it possible to turn Non-woven polypropylene (as found in single use face masks) back into a raw material of any kind? Seem to be to thin to use.

Hey @ryanstev, that spool is only 10% of what I have. I am looking for someone to take/buy the unused portion. I have a huge pile of use pieces.

@holis melting points have been super frustrating for me getting started. I've just used the injection machine so far. I used 120°C on both barrel and nozzle for #5 PP and injection worked great for small molds. This seems way lower than what others have done. The melting temps poster doesn't really help me...

@cedar_walters Hi, am wondering how long you usually wait after putting in the flakes since you're using a lower temperature? And does the plastic look like it's fully melted, no unmelted pieces?

Good morning mates I would like to know which type of plastic is this one

5:44 PM

It's a phone case

@Amara if its original could be easier to find from the package and digging it up online. if you bought online or in a cheap shop it could be a hard to find mix. It also depends on why do you need to know. do u have a lot of it?

Hi everyone. I am specifically looking at recycling acrylic plastics (PMMA). I know this is not a majority of the plastic waste, but as I am a new laser cutting hobbyist, I'm super concerned with how little recycling is available for this type of plastic. I'm part of a community of people, And I think remelting scraps into new sheets to use in cutting would be AMAZING for both new and fun art and also to keep it out of landfills. I'm really excited about this.

1

7:20 PM

Does anyone here have experience with PMMA? I know it melts at 320 degrees F.

7:22 PM

I would be looking at both shredding it, an then turning it into sheets for my crafting community (and myself). One issue that I have is that the thickness of the sheets needs to be very consistent for the laser work. Also, 3mm and 6mm are standard thicknesses, so this might be a question for the "build" channel, but I'm wondering how these types of heat presses do in terms of thickness consistency or removing air bubbles as it melts.

@Amara Maybe it’s silicone?

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto @arthuraloha thnx for answering I don't think it's silicon it's a lil more hard thanx silicon things I'm looking for a good plastic materiel to use it for phones covers ? A plastic that's absorbs more shocks

@Amara The one I have on both my phones I bought for 3 euros in a shopping mall where they have hundreds of models and designs. despite the cheap price they work perfect unless Im dropping it from the 2nd floor or above. Therefore I'm guessing it could be a mix of plastic that are not used on the industry or more like leftovers from other products (im talking about the one I have which bends the same way ).

@Clever Bunny Jen Hi! Unfortunately acrylic is one of the tricker plastics to recycle. When processing it releases toxic fumes. However I have seen someone do it on a small scale, I’ll try and find that for you.

1

1:52 AM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fwFaiSAS8k4

Dave Hakkens Community

How to recycle acrylic

Yes, thanks Isometric#5292 I have seen this video and been wondering how to scale it up a little larger in term of the width of the sheet she makes, as well as in terms of reliability of the thickness of the sheet of acrylic that is produced. If that is possible, this could be a very helpful and useful technique to both the artistic community and the recycling community at once. I would LOVE to be a part of that coming revolution!

5:26 AM

I have also put out a few feelers towards technology manufacturers in terms of heating pressure plate set ups and such. The Precious Plastic sheet production system is a little too large and $$$ for what I am looking to invest in this system. I'm looking more towards 12" by 12" or 12" by 20" at max size of sheets, which is useful for laser cutter clients. I think the artist value of these sheets would be great, and the recycling value would be phenomenal, but I''m unsure how to proceed in terms of testing without a ton of capital sink in the idea.

Are the rings always made of the same material as the bottle caps?

From my experience, yes, and It would seem impractical that companies would use two materials.

7:44 AM

But I’m sure others can weigh in.

Yes, should always be, if it’s injection moulded it would be stupid to use an other material;)

@arthuraloha thanx dude

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto I think @Rai is right. if you take a new bottle you will see that what brakes when we open the bottles is only a thin part of the material. Thinking about the 3d model you would have to leave a section where a machine can go around it to make it breakable.

Guys ive been ironing milk lids (#4 LDPE) together for a prototype product im building i have a question what makes the LDPE go shiney ive got propper polished shine on areas and the rest is matt finish but i dont understand why it has t e gloss finish in parts not fully?

9:17 PM

@Aldothegreen85 On the Photo it looks for me that there are sinks? Maybe grind deeper with sandpaper?

Its only cut by hand and fused using an iron but due to the ldpe it goes liquid then sets matt but the lower (fractionally lower talking 1.5mm lower dips they shine like polished Polyprop

Maybe the matt areas were in contact with the iron (liquid->hot iron moves over surface->friction=matt) and the shiny areas were just liquid and cooled down without contact to the iron? @Aldothegreen85 (edited)

2

Maybe the matt areas were in contact with the iron (liquid->hot iron moves over surface->friction=matt) and the shiny areas were just liquid and cooled down without contact to the iron? @Aldothegreen85

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto makes sense but the lids before they are heated are matt but i wasnt expecting them to go shiney at all i wonder if the sheetpress would have any shine with LDPE or would it be a flat matt finish?

9:45 PM

Like i like the shine but im not sure how its happening id like to know so i can do it across the full surface rather just in little areas.

In the sheetpress there is no movement. The surface quality depends on the surface quality of the metal sheet where you press with...

1

So high sheen metal gives a high polish finish on the plastic yeah?

In my limited experience, it depends on the surface in contact with the molten plastic. Baking paper matte, metal depends on the polish, ceramic highly shiny, silicone shiny

1

10:25 PM

Air (no contact with surface) also shiny

2

plastic basically creates a mirror image of any surface, it’s very sensitive to even subtle textures

@Aldothegreen85 On the Photo it looks for me that there are sinks? Maybe grind deeper with sandpaper?

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto please guys, keep in mind using sand paper generates a bunch of micro/nano plastics... The Matt texture is due to the "cooking paper" in contact with the plastic when cooling down. Shiny parts are due to the fact some parts of your plastic aren't in contact with the "cooking paper" while cooking down/hardening

1

8:25 AM

(On my phone ans just realized people already explained this... Sorry.. At least pay attention to the micro/nano plastics generated with post-prod techniques such as sanding, sawing, etc...)

@holis I wait 10 mn to preheat, then about 10 mn with barrel loaded. Super melted, drips out nozzle, injects fine. Internal temp may be higher, that may be why this relatively low temp is working.

@Isometric Ooooooh that looks promising.

Guys where can i find info on what happens with uv exposure on plastics like i know PET & PP become brittle with uv exposure when used in thin walled products but does it still degrade if made in a thick walled product? say 10+mm thick? What happens with HDPE if exposed to UV would thick walled products make any difference? TIA folks.

2

Question Everyone! What would you consider to be the most stiff common plastic type? Especially when pressed into sheets. I have HDPE sheets and PP but for making furniture which I indent to do, they all seem so flexible.

PS is very stiff but of course it makes some fumes and isn't that safe to recycle

4:43 AM

Have made some PS sheets from yogurt cups which were incredibly stiff

1

Question Everyone! What would you consider to be the most stiff common plastic type? Especially when pressed into sheets. I have HDPE sheets and PP but for making furniture which I indent to do, they all seem so flexible.

@Zonko reckon if you reinforce the plastic with a metal rod it wouldnt flex as much giving you the stiffer plastic you want as long as the outer edges have reinforcement and you run support bars over longer spans reckon you could make it work. Obv im suggesting a cold connection reinforcement to enable easy removal if you want to recycle it again later on. With sheet material i reckon a steel mesh would give you the rigidty you are looking for reckon you would need to use a router or cnc cutter to make the channels and a top plate scewed on top to seal it up.

2

Hi everyone I am Stephen sukumar from India Karnataka I needed to build a extruder pro 3.6 version but I am unavailable to download the blue print .

@Stephen sukumar What is the 3.6 version? Here you can find the downloads: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

Hi guys, anyone able to DM me some images/diagrams of ventilation? I’m looking for a mobile option to connection sheet press but also move to compression oven. Hoping to make something up without breaking the bank. Anyone done this using the activated carbon granulates.

https://hackaday.com/2020/09/12/pla-f-blends-pla-and-abs/

Al Williams

PLA-F Blends PLA And ABS

In the early days of 3D printing, most people used ABS plastic. It is durable and sticks well to simple surfaces. However, it smells and emits fumes that may be dangerous. It also tends to warp as …

8:50 PM

What do you guys think of this? Does this seem like a viable alternative to other toy plastics?

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto please guys, keep in mind using sand paper generates a bunch of micro/nano plastics... The Matt texture is due to the "cooking paper" in contact with the plastic when cooling down. Shiny parts are due to the fact some parts of your plastic aren't in contact with the "cooking paper" while cooking down/hardening

@Nick - PP France i did some flaming over the surface of the plastic (toasted gently like a marshmallow) with a blowtorch and its shiney! Shiney shiney like well polished plastic!

1

Do you have a video?

Not yet bud but when i get the chance ill get it done.

Hey everyone! What is your most gnarly/shocking video of plastic pollution? My two nominations are https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH878t78bw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PavA4rUypE

Sea Turtle Biologist

Sea Turtle with Straw up its Nostril - "NO" TO PLASTIC STRAWS

ViralHog

A River of Plastic Waste in Guatemala || ViralHog

@jasonknight If you want us to vote for one, maybe post them in 2 posts so we can do reactions. I would show the river...

Not vote but suggest more

I'm looking for information on the affect of UV on various types of Precious Plastics. I'd like to find out two things: 1) How long a lifespan do these recycled plastics have? 2) Does UV break down the plastic in a way that produces more VOCs or do any broken down microplastics go into the groundwater supply via rainwater? Thanks for any resources you can point me towards!

4

Hi all, I'm looking for 2 different type of plastic sheets (1m x 1m x 1cm). It needs to be sturdy and tough (not warp through the years) and also should not break by corroding (for instance). I'm thinking PP and PS. Is there anyone around who could advise me on this.. and then maybe sell me?

Thanks in advance! Dennis ~Wijkiki~

hey y'all! i was wondering what type of plastic straws are. are they all the same plastic? should we try and melt it into new products?

@ROJI they are usually PP (#5) so very friendly to recycle within the PP Universe

thank you!

@Norsie check out the sheets category on the Bazar

Boa tarde Vi um documentário sobre a reciclagem de plástico em Recife e achei interessante o projeto. Gostaria de obter mais informações

Hey Everyone!! Is it okay to use and collect PET for the machines? Thanks!

Hey. We will soon be able to be part of a Bachelor's thesis about material properties of ocean plastic vs. recycled plastic vs. virgin plastic. The material engineering lab of one of the top Universities of Applied Sciences in Finland will be available for this thesis. Now is your change to get hard facts on recycled plastic. What would you like to know? The results will be available in spring 2021

4

@DanGus pet in the Precious plastic machines is risky if the plastic is wet or if there is humidity in the air as pet hyrolises and makes its self brittle . I have seen pet wool machines but no idea if its easy or reliable to work with

hey y'all! i was wondering what type of plastic straws are. are they all the same plastic? should we try and melt it into new products?

@ROJI usually #5 PP

would some synthetic fabrics be recylclable using the precious plastic set-up?

I mostly sew with organic fabrics but recycling it yourself would be a really good of of keeping small synthetic fabric scraps out of the landfill

Reading up on "FDM 3D Printer Nozzle Cleaning" may be similar for cleaning (they push out plastic filament and melt it, but get "dirty" in a similar manner to larger plastic melting machines)

@Eric Lotze - I never really clean a nozzle. They wear out too, so I just replace as they are like .10 each

depends on the type, hardened steel etc, and other "good nozzles" can cost w a a y more

@Eric Lotze true that. I researched using the fancier nozzles but the cost vs the return doesn't seen worth it to me for standard pla. I did do some glow in the dark pla that was super abbrasive and would wear out the nozzle in about a day. I've used about a 1/2 container of spools so far in the last few yrs.

anything with the powders will kill nozzles

7:16 PM

like carbon/glass fiber composites, those metal powder composite filaments

1

How are people handling plastics with labels?

1

hi folks, I have a lot of a white waste plastic - no labelling on it. I have a suspicion it's PP. it floats in water and when doing the burn test, it continues to burn with a yellow flame with blue edge. This could also be HDPE with these results though?

Hello, I am looking for ABS flakes suppliers. I know that some are available on the Bazar but I would be interessed to have an overview of the european market so if you have any idea, thank you

hi folks, I have a lot of a white waste plastic - no labelling on it. I have a suspicion it's PP. it floats in water and when doing the burn test, it continues to burn with a yellow flame with blue edge. This could also be HDPE with these results though?

@durack try to immerse it in vegetable oil, if it floats => PP if not HDPE or LDPE

3

Thank you @PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland !!

Is any one from india dealing in precious plastic project

Hey ive been thinking. PET must be the most common type of plastic on the planet. But its one of the most difficult to recycle due to it hydrolising if too much moisture in the environment when processing. So ive done some digging and found that insulation is one of the best ways to turn PET into something which wont degrade into micro plastics as quick as polyester clothing due to its non moving nature of product this got me thinking even more if say global warming is caused by burning fossil fuels and we cause more burning to occur due to electricity and gas for heating homes could we be missing a trick for PET recycling if we only allow it to be processed into rope or clothing via big recycling businesses. Like could the PP internal wall be made insulated via PET insulation pads? Like could PET wool be felted together to make insulation blocks for fitting inside the cubes?

we have the tools, the technique and the know how to make it work

what do you guys think?

@Aldothegreen85 We don't have the tools yet, at least at preciousplastic, but there are some russian backyard-videos on youtube which show the process of making wool from pet.

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Ive been working on a PET idea which could be quiet profitable. As you probably already know PET can be turned into Polyester fabric, this is a degrade of product which brings other issues (ie micro plastics) due to washing and wearing the clothing but this secondary issue is due to application not the product this is why i think ive found the perfect application even through degrading the plastic to polyester. PET -insulation pads As a designer/crafts person i was introduced to felting this was done using wool and a felting brush which weaves one layer of wool into the next layer building up the layer until you have a reasonably dense fabric which can then be sewen together for clothing with this type of application ie insulation sewing wouldnt be needed its just felt it until its dense enough to fill the wall void. https://youtu.be/T3c9EjzIRDQ

Recycled PET plastic with "Easy Wool 3"

3:21 PM

@Aldothegreen85 We don't have the tools yet, at least at preciousplastic, but there are some russian backyard-videos on youtube which show the process of making wool from pet.

@sonik im sure the nice folks at PP could restyle a PET wool maker 3 to a PP PET wool maker. The shredder is already available and the felting tools are basic and cheap its just down to the wool maker and PP gain another large tool for the PP workshop community.

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I absolutely agree.

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@davehakkens are you guys up for a reverse engineering time to make a precious plastic PET wool maker, If you can open up PET with the precious plastic community we might be able to sort a lot of plastic issues out as well as energy consumption if we make PET insulation from it.

Great idea!

I dont if this is the right place to ask, but my country has elections in a year and I would like to make recycled posters. Is it possible to make thin plastic sheets with the sheet presser, and is it possible to find a printer that can print on them?

Anyone know if there's any way to use potato chip bags as material? Google says they're mostly PP but idk if they'd need special processing

& the pet wool idea sounds cool esp as insulation where it's not being regularly exposed to groundwater (edited)

Those bags are usually a mess

7:44 PM

i looked into this

7:44 PM

The metal can be easily dissolved with acid (hazard, but not bad if controlled)

7:45 PM

the issue mainly comes with how some are "multi layer" / material to get properties the company wants

7:45 PM

like vapor/hermetic seals etc (so grease and gas doesn't pass through the plastic)

7:45 PM

chip bags may be single type, but with metal? IDK need to research it more

7:46 PM

also would need a pre-processing soap wash to remove oils

@Karl Sagan I am recycling PP chip bags and making sheet and coasters

8:12 PM

PP bags are transparent, they are different from multi layer bags that have aluminum in between layers.

how do you deal with the metal in your process?

I think they mean like the pure plastic sheet bags that ramen & stuff come in

Hi! We are starting to test HDPE but our plastic burns a lot and turns black. We are using an electric oven. Anyone who has fixed this problem? Do you know how long and at what temperature the HDPE should be? Thank you

Hi, I just want to post a safety warning to those of you who have an injection machine. Be careful about how long you leave the plastic to heat up. Had an incident today where shredded straws were compressed and left in the injection machine for around 30 minutes while I did some other work, and when I came back to inject, there was an explosion of hot plastic when I tried to lower the lever. Burned my arm and face a bit. Be careful not to leave plastic in too long or at too high temperatures and with too much pressure on it. These straws were LDPE and we had them in the machine at 200 degrees Celsius. Going forward, we're not going to multitask when injecting and will also be sure to check for lower temperatures to work with the plastic. It was very scary (edited)

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5

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outch, what an experience @bmbaron , thank you for sharing, hope you didn't burn yourself to hard :(

Hope you are OK @bmbaron LDPE melts around 100 degs so it must have been quite degraded/fumy. But explosion sounds more like steam to me. Happened to us a very wet day in the extrusion mould. @Aaron Arias HDPE melts between 137 and 143 degsC

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@bmbaron Take care man! I had a similar experience. Mostly it happens if you overheat plastic and it liquifies to a milk like consistency. Apart from that it does not matter much as long as you process the plastic within around two hours.

Hey @bmbaron sorry to hear about that! Thank you also for sharing, I think it's an important reminder that we're dealing with VERY HOT plastic here. AND that wearing glasses and gloves DOES make sense. Never had an experience like that, but know that it can also happen when the plastic is not very clean/dry, so the moisture or other materials turn into gas when heated up, resulting in pressure building up as the gas wants to find a way out... Hope you're burns are not too bad. Take care!

@bmbaron Get well soon!

Thanks everyone. Stay safe and maybe a good time to check out your procedures and look for ways to make things safer

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maybe it would be nice to add a note about that in https://onearmy.github.io/academy/create#%EF%B8%8F-temperature

Create · Precious Plastic Toolbox

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2

Hello! Has anyone started a dataset of what type of plastic is used in common products? And is there enough consistency to use such a source?

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I’ve thought of doing that on a smaller scale for items I’ve come across

9:07 AM

something big would be really helpful

I'm building a basic webapp to keep track of my own supply....when I get it going I can open source it if ppl want

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Am I crazy, or is this LLDPE mislabeled as a #5 instead of a #4? This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this, and I’m very confused! Would greatly appreciate any insights. I’m in the United States (in New York), and the LLDPE item here is the lid of a takeout food container. The PP on the right is the container itself. They’re similar in transparency, but the lid is a bit thicker, and slightly more pliable. Thank you all for your insight

@_garbagequeen_ LLDPE is linear low density polyethylene. I know theses lids also from LDPE, I think the “5” is wrong but I don’t know if we can mix LLDPE and LDPE? Can you try?

(edited)

yeah it's weird it's labeled 5 LLDPE (which would be a 7). indeed i would think too it's PP by the look of it. Mixing LLDPE & LDPE is no problem (from my experiences)

Hello! Has anyone started a dataset of what type of plastic is used in common products? And is there enough consistency to use such a source?

@DinkyBird It would be useful, but I haven't found a consistent one yet. I think some products might also change from country to country. I found some sources citing PP as the plastic (drink) bottle caps are made of, but in my experience only a tiny fraction of them are PP, while the vast majority are HDPE around here

11:01 AM

So I'm making my own basic wee posters. Not sure if they are helpful but feel free to use them / improve them

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11:01 AM

poster_PP.svg

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11:01 AM

poster_HDPE.svg

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@Nick - PP France so you think the LLDPE is mislabeled, and it’s actually PP?! Can you (or anyone, thanks trash friends!) point me to a place where I can learn more about identifying resins/polymer types, or maybe about liquid density separation? Seeing how these items are mislabeled, it seems that some amount of visual identification or possibly post-shredding separation is important and I’m trying to learn more! Or perhaps another way to ask this question, Nick, would you just assume that the ‘LLDPE’ here is PP and treat it as such? Or would you avoid using it because there’s no way to be sure? Thank you! (edited)

@Tiz - Plastically Nice!

@_garbagequeen_ indeed ! PE (HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, MDPE) & PP are from a same polymer family called the Polyolefines, in that sense, their properties are very similar. Worst case scenario you will have different melting temperatures, but it should "blend" quite fine. I would NOT recommend doing such with other polymers (ex : PET + PE, PS + PE, etc..) as their molecular structure is totally different and it will not work at all. (i tried PS + LDPE and it came out as different layers that you could peel one from another). Now to answer your question concerning the identification, it is quite a tricky subject as additives changes the properties of plastic and density (floating) might be wrong. The most precise system is infrared identification (but is quite an investment and does not work with black plastic) plastic recycling is not that easy once you start digging deep into research :p

@Nick - PP France Thank you!! So greatly appreciate your time, I’m learning a lot but have found that some of these practical realities about plastics are hard to find except in the minds of experienced experts! I will read more about the PE and PP polymer family. Also appreciate your answer about identification - this is what I assumed based on my research but it helps to have it confirmed. Have a lovely day

Hey guys, does anyone have an experience with disinfecting plastics before/during recycling process? My point: i'm a diabetic who uses a lot of plastic for my treatment and i would like to use it. I contacted producers of the acessories to find out what type it is (as it's nowhere to be found and I don't have floating test liquids yet). But problem is, that some it gets in contact with blood (needles). And even though i'll be able to safely discard steel needles, I'm not sure if heat during melting would be sufficient to kill microbes/disinfect said plastic. Any ideas? Cleaning flakes in chloride?...

@magi SVK what about boiling it, as a moon cup?

@mariacastiel yep, thought about it, but to kill microbes, i would need to boil it for at least 12minutes or so, which seems quite ineffective. Even more if taken into account the higher temp during melting. Anyway, first answer from Medtronic was that they use polyurethane and polycarbonate, so i'm not sure about possibility to recycle

@magi SVK Most medical recyclers use industial microwaves to disinfect. Maybe you could use a home microwave effectively

@microage97 may be a way. Will try to find some info, thanks

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@microage97 may be a way. Will try to find some info, thanks

@magi SVK 4 minutes on high with a 600w microwave oven. https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/sterilization/other-methods.html

Other Sterilization Methods | Disinfection & Sterilization Guidelin...

Sterilization recommendations in the Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities (2008)

How are people dealing with labels? It is a huge issue that involves a lot of labor.

Currently I'm seperating the labels from the delabeled plastic. The labeled stuff will be shredded and then used in a decycled product.

What’s the largest parts you guys can put in your shredders?

I've put 1.5l coke bottles through my non-Pro. If I put 1.5 in it starts to bog my motor down when it's processing the flakes.

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Hey!! Does anyone successfully recycled Pvc!??!

I did once mistakenly - never left a room that fast

1:47 PM

@Tiago-recycle lab. Portugal I would try to avoid it until you really have/want to. Take care of the chlor gas that is generated at the degredation stage - the advantage is you will smell it.

Damn, yop not going to do that know hahahaha

Hey, has any one here worked with PET in the inyection machine? Any tips?

@Tiago-recycle lab. Portugal PVC seems fine and has similar extruder specs, just do it safely. PVC as said is a fantastic material to work with and has applications by ten folds , compared to the usual PP world. In a few weeks we have first hand data from an established vendor who is using a v4-ish machine. Hang on for a moment. To us, it there are lots of potential use cases linked to this material, incl. recycled PVC. Send me your email via Instagram, will update you on the go

(edited)

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hello my name is harriet Ritah N from kampala i would love to recycle plastics down here in kampala uganda how can you help.

Hello! I could use some help identifying plastic. The black wheel looks fibrous but feels pretty much the same as the other two - one of which we know is PP. The white rod looks like the white disc but it's hard to tell if the rod is also PP. If these came from the same factory on the same product, can we assume the same material was used, regardless of marking?

1:06 AM

Hey! We where testing some plastics an one was marked as PP but it didn't float in alcohol is there a special alcohol or....

12:45 PM

Which type of alcohol?

@Tiago-recycle lab. Portugal you need 99% Ethanol as reference. (not the fancy 99,99 lab grade is good enough)

2:51 PM

And the chart seems to be wrong too - Ethanol is used to bring water down from 1g/cm³ to the center of PP (0,9) and HDPE(0,93). So you can separate both.

2:52 PM

As you can see from the numbers, a bit tricky - due additives can change those properties too.

@Fritz @easymoulds ahhhh okey thank you!

Please help me. How to recycle PET?

@Ken Tran There are some options to 3D print PET. https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/machines/extruder/extruder-fully-built/petbot-machine/

Machines :: Extruder :: Extruder Fully Built :: PETBOT MACHINE

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hi guys, we are almost there in the process of making PP sheets, but having problems eliminating bubbles inside the sheet. Anibody know the cause of this? (we work with oven + cold press)

5:09 PM

one more pic of the bubbles. thanks for any help you can give us

how to make a machine to obtain fiber?

Is anyone familiar with or heard of blow molding PCR with multiple colors and achieving the same marble/camouflage effect that is the result when injection molding or using other methods? I am curious whether when the plastic expands what it does to the mix of colors?

@holis how dry is your material? Smaller bubbles may be humidity related.

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High frequency vibrations of the press should get rid of the bubbles, A hydraulic concrete vibrator may be too strong/expensive, but the idea is the same: If you can attach (vice clamp) a decent speed, small, asymmetrical flywheel on a small electric motor, there might be enough vibrations to eliminate the bubbles @holis

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Speack español

High frequency vibrations of the press should get rid of the bubbles, A hydraulic concrete vibrator may be too strong/expensive, but the idea is the same: If you can attach (vice clamp) a decent speed, small, asymmetrical flywheel on a small electric motor, there might be enough vibrations to eliminate the bubbles @holis

@Lean Bean (Pegasup) And if you add even minor friction, you will also heat up more efficiently. You can use an orbital motor from a sander or the sort

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Hi there Has someone ever tried to run projects with used 3D printing powder? I work for a 3D printing partner and actual we trow the old used PA12 powder away (waste incineration). Would be great to use it in a better way... BR Sam

@Deleted User I think you can just use it as normal plastic. You can either melt it or sinter it in a normal oven - if the grain size is the same for all the material. For melting you can just apply the normal processes. PA12 is a very tough material, so probably you can do a lot of cool stuff with that.

@Fritz @easymoulds Hi Fritz. The grain size is homogeneous, but really fine - the grain size is about 50 microns. I can imagine that it will be really hard to keep on position while pressing, etc... And yes, PA12 is a really polyvalent plastic. I see big potential

@holis I’m having the same issues with my sheet press. Playing around to problem solve

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland @Lean Bean (Pegasup) thanks. I understand the logic behind this, but I'm actually looking to the root cause of the bubbles in the process, so i can eliminate the from the beginning.

6:39 PM

@minvayu Auroville I think that the PP is dry, will pay special attention to this

The root cause of the bubble is that the air doesn't flow into your plastic or that your plastic is wet (steam). Considering the size I would think that it could be steam. If you could press your plastic harder or vibrate your melt, you might not have the issue. Are you using a standard PP machine, which one? (edited)

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland Im using electrical oven + cold press.

A normal oven?

pizza oven

6:46 PM

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so it is on a tray open and then you move it to the press Watch out I eat the dog!

6:49 PM

Do you have the both side of the mould within the oven? meaning 2 plates?

6:50 PM

Or you have access to the plastic surface?

this is the mold, and we put a frame inside depending of the sheet height

6:50 PM

both plates inside

ok

6:53 PM

Looking at your profile I suggest you calculate the true porosity of your shredded plastic compared to your frame. I think that when you press, you press on the frame and not in the plastic. Maybe the press lacks a bit of humf?

6:53 PM

Do you weight the exact amount of plastic that goes in it=

6:59 PM

Also I don't know where the heating elements are but I would think that opening the mould is more efficient and you could visually control what is going on. You could also use tricks such as making ploughing topography on the plastic to increase the surface. If you had an excess of plastic compared to the side of the frame, and the correct pressure, the bubbles would go. Having the top mould cold or hot is not very important for pressing but having a good air circulation on top of your mix is important. It also allows you to check everything is alright. If the heating elements are just above you can flip the top part so that there is a good air gap, or you make a plate only for the purpose with holes in it.

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Hey all. Random question but it has always been on my mind. For all the plastics we up cycled into sheets, bowls, bricks etc., eventually it will degrade and I’m guessing there will a leakage of microplastics. Is there anything we can do to prevent this?

microplastics will become a thing, but the main issue is ocean plastic and the macro-borderline microplastics (beads/flakes). The nano's impact (at least in non-industrial levels of output etc) is negligible*

11:13 PM

My main concerns in regards to PP work are:

Microplastics Produced From Machining/Trimming Products

Spills of Flakes into Environment

Improper Disposal Fumes/Residues

(edited)

Who already has a shredding center - how much shredded plastic do you produce per day? How long do you run your shredding machine?

@Eric Lotze I'm not sure it is fair to say the effects of micro/nano plastic are negligible - to me this is the problem that worries me the most. In the marine science world, for example, we still know very, very, little about the effects. In the limited lab studies that I've seen regarding micro and nano plastics there are many very concerning findings. Many invertebrate filter feeders, for example, simply don't handle plastic contaminates the same way they do other natural particles like silt or sand. We still don't even have good accessible techniques for classifying the composition of microplastic in animals, plants, and water samples which limits a lot of research. My focus lately has been researching abundance of marine species in the pacific northwest united states - specifically the majority of species that receive very little research because they lack commercial value and partnering with academic researchers to publish findings as appropriate. In general, the scientific community still can't fully account for the decline of a variety of species and we absolutely haven't been able to rule out micro & nano plastic pollution. No one is even systematically tracking the abundance and health of most documented species. My colleagues are still even discovering new species even in shallow waters in well studied and highly populated areas.

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8:57 PM

@Bobear 🐻 I don't personally have a great answer to your question but for now, for my own personal plastic work, I'm trying to avoid using recycled products for outdoor situations where they would be exposed to uv light without protection. Most waste plastic seem doesn't contain enough additives/dyes/etc to prevent it from quickly degrading and turning into micro particles from sunlight. In and around aquatic environments, I try to only use negatively buoyant materials so in the event something does get loose it won't float on surface where it will quickly degrade. Polypropylene for example, although easy to work with, is really bad in this way since it floats so well. Negatively buoyant plastic is frequently used for structures and experiments on the sea bottom and as long as stays at the bottom it generally remains intact and I've not personally observed any UV degradation even after many many years. Still not a perfect solution but hopefully better than nothing and helps me better about my own contribution. And all of this is, of course, relative since our own work/products/decisions are just a drop in the ocean (literally and figuratively) compared to the the plastic pollution from everyone else. These are just my own thoughts, however, so curious to hear perspectives and strategies of others who have researched and considered this topic.

I am not stating they are harmless per se, moreso in the terms of "Enviromental Harm Reduction" we can do, they are not the biggest issue ; (In my opinion) The amount of fish+marine mammals+etc that could be saved via reduction in fishing nets, and other small plastic debris, as well as the reduction of bioaccumulation of flakes/pellets is more effective and more efficient than directing focus to nanoparticles. Granted industrial regulation, and futher research on said micro/nano partilces is warranted, and i want more of it! But on a "what can i do" , and "what should i currently be concerned about/demanding solutions to" i think it is more relevant.

9:03 PM

On the note of UV Protection

9:04 PM

I heard "Carbon Black" can help? It is essentially soot (an industrially produced + standardized form of "Lamp Black") so soot collection, or prefferably VERY finely ground charcoal dust may work?

9:05 PM

This is my (non-paper admitably) source for the carbon black claim: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxPdPpi5W4o

Veritasium

Why Are 96,000,000 Black Balls on This Reservoir?

9:05 PM

they said they added it, even though it would add more heat due to the UV protective aspect

9:08 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_black

Carbon black

Carbon black (subtypes are acetylene black, channel black, furnace black, lamp black and thermal black) is a material produced by the incomplete combustion of heavy petroleum products such as FCC tar, coal tar, or ethylene cracking tar. Carbon black is a form of paracrystalli...

I buy a pigment from TAP plastics for use in resins which somewhat slows degradation. I wonder if there is a better pigment more like the material you mention above? Unfortunately, I worry the current designs don't mix the plastic enough for this to be useful for PP products. Perhaps we would need an additional intermediary melting and mixing machine to dye the plastic before injecting, pressing, etc. Maybe the extruder could be modified for this purpose? (tap plastic product: https://www.tapplastics.com/product/fiberglass/resin_fillers_dyes/tap_super_pigment/49)

I have to strongly disagree about your view of focusing entirely on macro vs microplastic. I think people's perceptions are heavily influenced by the sensational stories they see in media and the fish they see in supermarkets. Although large plastics certainly affect a number of the famous macrofauna people talk about (sharks, whales, large fish, turtles, etc) these species do not represent the majority of the life in the ocean. Although important and a problem to be addressed, their scale pales in comparison to the majority of species whom are all capable of ingesting microplastic. If you were to randomly pick a square meter of reef or water somewhere it is unlikely to contain any of those macrofauna however it will be teeming with other organisms actively ingesting and accumulating smaller plastic particles. Echinoderms (stars/urchins/etc), porifera (sponges), mullusca (clams, octopus, squid), cnidaria (anemones, jellys), annelida (worms), urochordata (tunicates), arthropodia (shrimp/crabs/barnicles). Zooplankton and pytoplankton. These are the species that make up the bulk and foundation of all life in the ocean. Most are too small to be bothered by an old bottle, but microplastics have the potential to affect them all.

and by micro do you mean smaller than a flake/pellet?

Old nets, plastic bottles, etc are terrible and can kill, but, of the 150 or so species we track in the PNW as a representational cross section of marine life I can't point to a single species whos population has been meaningfully affected this way. There are a ton of species in this list, however, who are experiencing significant abundance changes and microplastics absolutely may play a role. If one of the goals of the PP movement is to reprocess our accumulation of waste plastic in an environmentally friendly way they I think @Bobear 🐻 's question is a great one and we should very much think about opportunities to prevent degradation of material into future microplastic.

10:38 PM

I think microplastic can be defined as anything up to a cm in size (I can look it up) but generally I'm thinking about stuff far smaller, yes. @Eric Lotze (edited)

not in the range of nanoplastics though, or including them? I find the small "flakes" microplastics DEFINETLY bad (chippings from waste/decomposition of larger waste, or spilled pellets/flakes) The guts of small fish get filled with them which get eaten by animals higher up the trophic scale (i think that was the term?, my lack of knowledge is showing lol) leading to bioaccumulation, so birds/marine apex predadors severely struggle right?

10:42 PM

10:43 PM

i know the nano/very small micro can decay to pollutants similar to petrochemical burning/processing i think (edited)

Definitely bad - yeah. And the even smaller particles get scooped up by smaller critters directly from the water column as well

filter feeders, could that be used for "bio-scrubbing" of wastewater?

10:47 PM

greywater garden/artificial wetland->filter feeders (then gassify/incinerate/pyrolyze filter feeders to dispose of plastic (and get lime i think, may be able to integrate into cement industry/micro-cement production) (edited)

I recently attended a presentation by a local PHD candidate who studied the effects of tiny plastic particles on muscles (the bivalve). They have special techniques for flushing sand, dirt, etc out of their system but for whatever reason they didn't recognize the similarly sized plastic particles in the same way. So much that it affects growth rates. Bad news for muscles as well as the crabs, starfish, etc that feed on them (edited)

do those "boom collectors" capture ones this small, or at they not buoyant enough?

There was another study where they collected runoff from a roadway full of microplastic (nanoplastic?) from car tire dust. They introduced it to a tank of fish (steelhead i think) and it killed every last fish

10:55 PM

There was also a study showing that spawning salmon experience large mortality events during times of rain runoff from populated areas. Our local salmon species are really struggling lately and everyone is still struggling to understand all the factors. Our local salmon eating orcas are starving and at risk of extinction. Really need more research on these factors because it sounds bad.

10:55 PM

I think the boom collectors only capture that large plastic garbage that floats

Would the road runoff may have also contained content from catalytic converters, or diesel emissions (sulfur perhaps) etc (i saw a video where someone extracted various metals from swept highway dust) (granted still would kill the fish lol) that could lead to those results?

10:57 PM

Would be intresting to replicate it with dust from ground tires put in a ballmill (if that even grinds them, as they are flexible) (edited)

10:58 PM

runoff is terrible in general

10:58 PM

dead zones and everything

Absolutely - agree. I had the same thought as there could have been lots of stuff in the runoff. Really like to see more research that eliminates other potential contaminates like you say.

On the note of runoff reduction/managment, i was looking into this form of "artificial kelp forests" / non-coral reefs, that also reduce overfishing and fertilizer use (in theory...) : https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/3D_Ocean_Farming (edited)

3D Ocean Farming

11:01 PM

seems great, and papers + real world tests suggest so, my only concern is it it would have some effect long term

11:02 PM

Granted if the reduction from "normal levels" is in fact a "toxic normal" net degredation of nitrogen content etc may be a GOOD thing

There simply isn't that much micro and nanoplastic research yet. One of my dreams is to find a way to repurpose our cheap waste plastic into underwater reef habitats to help rebuild threatened species. So really interested in making sure I'm not doing more harm than good by putting plastic BACK into the ocean

11:04 PM

Yeah - eelgrass also has been shown to work really well. I love kelp forests. I love the idea of growing more of them. Especially since many of the natural ones in my area are in decline

so not this... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_Reef

Osborne Reef

Osborne Reef is an artificial reef off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, constructed of concrete jacks in a 50-foot (15 m) -diameter circle. In the 1970s, the reef was the subject of an ambitious expansion project utilizing over two million old and discarded tires. The p...

haha - yeah. We have that problem here in washington state as well. We are still removing them. I'm actually helping with a scuba diving survey in a few weeks that will hopefully collect data to identify the effect on species abundance of removing a tire reef.

11:08 PM

Wouldnt it be cool if we could someday replace it with some cool vertical structures built from PP extruded beams.

i still need to get my scuba qualification and some gear (i have some great snorkeling stuff from when i was a year round competitive swimmer).

11:09 PM

For starting reefs/artificial kelp forests is there regulation i assume, even for "test plots", or how does one go about that (edited)

Yeah - the regulation in the seattle area is something aweful. We are currently trying to put in a reef nearby and the bureaucracy has taken years. There are like 5 different agencies that all want to assert their right to review/approve/reject any plan even though many have no marine science expertise and no established processes. i understand some states on the gulf coast have set up a more streamlined approval process (edited)

i wouldn't use non-native stuff, and like fuckin tires lol

11:15 PM

leTs rEviEw iT tHouGh (edited)

Honestly the approval experience has resulted in other scuba groups purposefully setting up artificial reefs "rogue", under the radar, to avoid the bureaucratic hell.

11:16 PM

Mostly built from big pvc pipes and concrete blocks

I've been lowkey obsessed with it recently, but "Carbon Foam" is intriguing me.

11:20 PM

Kind of carbon fixation, not certain on density (but if flooded it should be fine?)

11:20 PM

Definetly concrete too

11:20 PM

Have you had any experience with this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biorock

Biorock

Biorock, also known as Seacrete or Seament, is a trademark name used by Biorock, Inc. to refer to the substance formed by electro-accumulation of minerals dissolved in seawater. Wolf Hilbertz developed the process and patented it in 1979. The building process, popularly called...

I've read about that! Sounds cool but only seen in pictures.

11:22 PM

If there was a way to convert CO2 into some sort of hard sinkable material that would be epic

carbon foam is easy, you just carbonize bread (i want to find a "utility recipie") ie as low ingredient as possible, and as "foamy" as possible

11:23 PM

It is unconfirmed, but i would imagine it's porosity would make it a great bio-substrate

11:23 PM

coral could kindof "infill" the gaps

11:27 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wex_yKfrTo4

AvE

Carbon Foam: an incredible material made from everyday items.

Honestly sunken logs work pretty well as well. Eventually they rot but it takes many years. Both plastic and wood gets very quickly completely covered by a forest of invertebrate life and then fish move in.

have you ever tried inoculating the substrate with local plant samples (not coral for obvious reasons) ?

11:29 PM

even just like biofilm sludge

I haven't done it personally yet, but apparently there is a technique for transplanting anemones. Most of the other critters settle on their own from larvae that floats in the water column.

11:33 PM

A friend of mine somehow got ahold of a bunch of bull kelp starts and grew a bull kelp forest in front of their house to dive in

11:33 PM

I've heard of researchers planting artificial eelgrass meadows as well.

11:34 PM

bull kelp

11:35 PM

The problem was they grew so well and developed so many pneumatocysts (the floating air sacks) that it lifted up the massive concrete foundation they planted them on

rope suspended seaweed (the linguistics hell between macroalgae/seaweed/kelp is a mess i haven't resolved), is supposedly very easy to get going

they had to use a boat anchor to keep the artificial bull kelp forest from floating away lol

reminds me of the "Floaters" in subnautica

exactly!

I think i might make a channel in OSE's discord for all this artificial reef stuff

Sure - that would be awesome. We might be borderline straying off topic in this "plastic" channel. lol

are you in the OSE discord (or know what ose is) yet?

I need to run anyway and do some work but nice chatting with you. Curious any ideas anyone has about fortifying our PP products to reduce microplastic. Whether for artificial reefs or outdoor planter pots

11:39 PM

I don't know about OSE I don't think (edited)

copy and pasted standard explanation thing: Open Source Ecology or “OSE” is a basically a group dedicated to making all the hardware needed to build, and run, a small community/farm/town, ALL Fully Open Source It is a bit complex, as it is such a broad, multidisciplinary goal, so I’d recommend first watching the TED Talk made when the group was founded: https://youtu.be/S63Cy64p2lQ Then I’d recommend looking around these pages: The wiki where the “real work” happens https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Main_Page (FYI it is a bit of a mess, and it’s search engine is using tech from the 90’s) The more basic (mainly announcements) page: https://www.opensourceecology.org/ There are also offshoot groups:

The “Open Building Institute” speciallizing in buildings and houses (worboth design, and construction)

The “Open Circuit Institute” which specializes in circuit design, and decentralized production of these PCBs

Given that the wiki can be hard to navigate, I can be a “Sherpa” of sorts, feel free to ask any questions you have!

awesome, thanks

no problem!

11:41 PM

Here is that discord link and i can let you get to work lol:

11:41 PM

https://discord.gg/YS7SFk

Hallo, am interested to learn about plastic recycling. I am currently part of a time that is working of setting up a plastic recycling facility in a refugee camp. We have been having problems deciding on some aspects such as the developing construction materials from recycled plastic. Can you help on this please?

@Eric Lotze @Eric Lotze @Eric Lotze @Eric Lotze @Eric Lotze

What type of materials?

5:25 PM

Also only 1 @ is needed

@Purity what do you want to produce? What plastic you have available? Here in Auroville we make bricks from compressed eart blocks which uses local materials for sturdy construction. But not sure if you rather build something more temporary???

Hi nice to meet you, I need help on the amount of PP and HDPE that was used to make the beam? also wanted to ask if it is possible to combine PP, HDPE, LDPE and a little bit of PET to make a beam? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNGuuSKE1pY&t=270s

Extrude beams from plastic waste #preciousplastic

Just had an idea that I thought I'd share here. Possibly creating a mass stamp/guillotine cutter to reuse "single-use" plastic bags into "plarn" (plastic yarn). for those unfamiliar, typically the bags are folded into their shipped shape, handles removed and then cut into strips (either one zig-zagging strip, or multiple straight-across strips). Then, the strips are knotted together or otherwise joined to create a long strip/ball. (edited)

9:25 PM

Seems like it would probably need some sort of pressure plate or weight (possibly with slots cut out to permit the cuts) to hold the stack of bags in place as well as a blade (hydraulic, perhaps?)

I buy a pigment from TAP plastics for use in resins which somewhat slows degradation. I wonder if there is a better pigment more like the material you mention above? Unfortunately, I worry the current designs don't mix the plastic enough for this to be useful for PP products. Perhaps we would need an additional intermediary melting and mixing machine to dye the plastic before injecting, pressing, etc. Maybe the extruder could be modified for this purpose? (tap plastic product: https://www.tapplastics.com/product/fiberglass/resin_fillers_dyes/tap_super_pigment/49)

@Cmjstealth I mix in different pigments with good results. If you want UV protection you can use Carbon Black or Titanium Dioxide (white). Normally I use iron oxide pigments and have never used carbon black (yet). The extrusion machine does a good job mixing things up and I believe it will work. Maybe not so well for other machines like sheet press or injection that don't "churn" the melted plastics.

3:27 AM

3:31 AM

This is clear hdpe that is colored with a mix of red iron oxide pigment and titanium dioxide (white). The powder mixes in just fine with the plastic. No pockets of powder. The plastic looks like sausage meat. If you want UV protection, you need to find out what percentage (by weight) you need to add for adequate protection. I think I read it's something like 3% of the plastic weight is what you should use, but don't take my word for this. I think a quick Google search will find you some scientific articles that go over this.

@carlos7 mixing different materials like hdpe, pp, pet is not recommended. Mixing hdpe, ldpe is fine as they are from the same family.

@minvayu Auroville I see, do you have any idea about the proportion of the mixed? Thank you so much

Hey guys can you please tell me how do you clean sheet press, When Plastic stays in ?

Do you have to remove the "paint" on these before you melt them?

I’d keep the ink on there tbh, you’d need unnecessary chemicals to get it off

5:23 PM

I’ve found that inks have a lower burning temp than plastic so be careful there too, though that’s a minimal amount of it

does anyone have resources or info about corrugated plastic? here in the US, election season means yard signs - sometimes made from corrugated plastic that get thrown away after the election. Instead of shredding/melting it down, I've been thinking about way to use the plastic - cut it into new products. (edited)

2

9:20 PM

I'm especially curious of the strength of the corrugated plastic vs corrugated card board.

I imagine we'll be able to find plenty of test materials on Wednesday!

definitely!

@Steve D some of these panels are made of PP but I noticed it is not always indicated on it... I found out by asking the provider

how do i extrude pet

8:01 PM

i know it has to be in shreds or pellets

8:01 PM

thats all

8:04 PM

what problems will i run into

@Dlanm2u It´s difficult to get the right melting point of PET, its very sensible... (edited)

is it possible to achieve clear plastic with precious plastics ethos?

9:08 AM

@Doeyo You can but you will never reach the same transparency as with virgin plastic. Usually you end up around 70-90% depending on the contamination level of your plastic.

@Fritz @easymoulds what contaminates the plastic?

Anyone know what these sorta vet cones are made of? Feels sorta like LDPE if I were to guess

LDPE would be my first guess! ^

1

4:05 AM

@Doeyo Polystyrene has the most clarity but even then it turns slightly brown or yellow

Hi, can someone advice the perfect temperature for using with HDPE and PP please? I am using 235/245 for HDPE and 190/200 for PP but lately, the pieces dont come out beautifully as it used to. #archived-plastic #injection (edited)

@Getthip HDPE should have a lower melting area than PP. I use 180deg for PP and 160deg for HDPE in my injection. But it depends a lot how and where you measure? (edited)

@Doeyo All kinds of dirt, dust other plastic

@Getthip HDPE should have a lower melting area than PP. I use 180deg for PP and 160deg for HDPE in my injection. But it depends a lot how and where you measure?

@ThomasPeterberns |thanks a lot Johannplasto#0777

Are soda bottles caps pet as the bottle?

5:55 AM

Will leavening on some adhesive affect adhesion or clog the extruded. I don't have either nor do I have the washing machine to wash, so right now I'm sticking to collecting soda bottles. Container and soap bottles.

5:56 AM

I don't have a extruded or injector or shredder, but saving for the extruded.

5:56 AM

I mean the shredder.

@lemonhead soda caps are generally pp, not pet

@lemonhead there are also a lot of bottle caps that are made of HDPE

How do I know he difference? What is he issue when you mix the soda pop caps together and melt them. Will it be uneven melting in the extruded or uneven adhesion during injection?

Hi guys, i have a question. Yesterday i completed and succesfully tested v2.1 shredder (yay!). I tossed in some PP yoghurt cups, shredding OK, but it seemed that flakes didnt really fell through sieve (6mm holes), although a lot of flakes was even smaller. I know that grinding part is supposed to be slow, so i was thinking how to speed it up a bit. My friends idea was to add another set of fixed knives (or perhaps something like comb would do) on the other side of the shredder. It could speed up grinding, and doesnt need to be as strong for grinding as current fixed knives i suppose. Does anyone tried anything similar? My idea was to "help" flakes to fall through by placing industrial vacuum cleaner under the sieve so the fllakes would be pulled through. Now that i think about it, it propably stick the larger chunks of plastic to the sieve and block the holes...

Anyway, what do you think?

@magi SVK Are the flakes electrostatically charged? Connect the shredder box to the ground, then it won't stick so much to the blades and it will fall through better...

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto yes, they are, i forgot to mention that. Will do, thanks!

Anyone out there who has tried the plastic used for playsets and if anyone has identified the type of plastic it uses? An example would be the Little Tykes swing and slide or house sets. The only one I'm familiar that uses these kinds of plastics are Ecobirdy.

@plastics.manila.automat Sharing some photos with the plastics used for kids play-sets (which I think uses some kind of ABS plastic) the properties are a mix of HDPE and PP

10:34 AM

Even if the plastics were brittle from the sun weathering, it's still quite re-useable and it melts quickly.

Hopefully this is the correct channel. I’m looking to build a Shredder Pro, but I was wondering if it would be suitable for shredding ABS plastics or if it would need to be scaled up a bit before that would be possible.

@Rick we're beginning our own testing at 5-7.5HP for the same reason

2

@CitSciWorkshop Are you increasing the size of the unit at all? (edited)

Yes on the gear reduction and framework so far.

i am starting to build extruder pro. I want to know can I extrude UPVC or PVC in it? I am working on project of pvc or upvc plastic waste into reusable products. @CitSciWorkshop @Rick

Is anyone on here cluey enough with plastics to know whether Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene can be blended with HDPE or any other plastics. An engineering firm has loads of shavings they are keen for me to take. Anyone worked with it or know anything about it?

I’m keen to use my sheet press and make sheets but unsure of technical specifics

These machines have great potential past their original designs. I would like to see a design for a shredder that is doubled in size, especially the width, and capable of handling harder plastics.

@Dhairya Please don't take my word for this, but here is a melting temperature list that I just looked up, because I am interested in the same with ABS, and it seems like the melting temperatures are in the same ranges. I would assume that if the extruder could melt HDPE, then it could melt my ABS and your PVC. If anyone has any input otherwise, please elaborate. https://www.plastikcity.co.uk/useful-stuff/material-melt-mould-temperatures

Material Melt and Mould Temperature Chart | PlastikCity

View our Chart showing plastic material melt and mould temperatures.

@Dhairya - PVC is sensitive : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zxdl1Es8dE&ab_channel=JINZESCREW

JINZE SCREW

Conical twin extrusion screw and barrel - How to choose conical twi...

3:15 PM

Does anyone knows the process behind making these blocks ? https://www.byfusion.com/. We tried to contact them for more information about their machines but never received an answer. We would like in particular to know we could fuse different types of PE with this method and if not, what materials (glue) could be used. (edited)

byfusion-wpadmin

ByFusion Global Inc. | Reshape the Future of Plastic Waste

ByFusion has a solution for the global plastic crisis. Our Blocker Systems use post-consumer plastic waste to produce an advanced building material ByBlock .

@Rick @Dhairya for experimenting with PVC and post-industrial plastics we're looking into peripheral additions to the shredder pro with full enclosures, forced air, dust collection, and fume capture. Considering the top end of the v4 Shredder power proposals as a start, and some scaling, but I want to see what the 4.0 box does with the power first.

Thank you @Rick @CitSciWorkshop @PP-AntiCorruptionCommando for sharing your ideas

6:40 PM

As per research only problem in recycling pvc was about high chlorine content in it. So if you people had any idea of recycling it and helping me it would be beneficial for me. @Rick @PP-AntiCorruptionCommando @CitSciWorkshop

@Dhairya I'd lookup nearby vendors or recyclers for consultancy. There is a good chance to find open doors and free advice. You can find specialized second hand machines with similar ball figures, depends also a little on the load and locations you're looking for.

✋ Hi guys, I'm currently trying to build a machine that melts plastic to create pavement tiles, but I'm still in doubt about the mixture. I've seen some videos, where they mix sand with the melted plastic, but I'm specially interested in these other ones, in which they mix the recycled plastic with used cooking oil, and sometimes recycled styrofoam. Do you guys have any idea about the properties of this blend? What are the interactions between plastic, used cooking oil and styrofoam? And if the fumes become more toxic, than just melted plastic? As you can probably see I'm actually very lost...

Hi, did anyone try TPE in the extruder ? And is it capable of extruding 25 Kg the hour ? We want to use a mould to make tiles.

I have been collecting an extensive amount of toy plastics.

10:59 PM

Really really want to get a crank shredder. The plastic is taking up some space.

Hello! Question about safety and fumes: What is the model of the cartridge you use in the 3m mask for plastic? Thinkning about melting hdpe, but I want to be extra cautious and I can't find the specs anywhere.

@shkltn We use these: 3M 60926 P100

@CitSciWorkshop thanks!!

1

Hey guys, i'm really new tho the whole thing so maybe there is someone here who can tell me if its possible to recolour plastic ? or bleach it ?

not without having an entire chemistry lab unfortunately

4:29 PM

though if you find degraded plastic on a beach and melt it, it will darken back to its original color

1

Hi - I have just finished building the injection machine. My plan is to use it to make casings for solar lights that we are building in Kenya and give to local schools. I really need one side of the casings to be at least translucent (as clear as possible). Has anyone done anything similar and can advise me on the best plastic to use and best temperature setting? Thanks.

@Rai well thats a good infroamtion i can work with thenk you alot

(edited)

np!!

raised_hand Hi guys, I'm currently trying to build a machine that melts plastic to create pavement tiles, but I'm still in doubt about the mixture. I've seen some videos, where they mix sand with the melted plastic....you need a vented barrel and long l/d ratio to extruder sand+plastic. A press will make the finished product. (edited)

Hi all,

11:35 AM

Hi all, I am new to this forum. I have a river rehabilitation project going on and wanted to know if old recovered waste can be recylced and if so what format of recycling would be best? Wanting to turn trash into cash to clean up the beaches, rivers and streets.

@Grant generally any thermoplastic (the type that has the recycling logo) can be recycled, the biggest problem with that sort of project would likely be cleaning - dirty plastic leads to dirty products. There's a neat system the PP team has for washing & cleaning plastic in a closed-loop way to not leech additional microplastics into the environment, ill grab the link in a second

11:52 AM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/wash-plastic-pre-wash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urfjw9nwha0

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Great response and very useful @Karl Sagan, thanks for the input.

I was thinking over something similar, i'm in Florida and beach cleanups are common, and may be a good source

10:17 PM

dirt and uv degredation will be issues

Hey all, I am still pretty new to this space but would really love to start experimenting. For starters, would it actually be possible to use food processor to grind plastics into smaller form?

I think so, i have a video somewhere of someone using a blender.

9:55 PM

Here is an example of shredding plastic in a blender:

9:55 PM

Todd Yan

Plastic bottle strength test/Greenis blender

9:56 PM

Here is one with a more realistic blender (ie not a vitamix etc)

9:56 PM

https://youtu.be/BI-Ts8gfn9E

John Bruce

Blender Shred

9:57 PM

I think one with a replaceable blade module would be best, as i would assume you may wear through them

One problem with blenders is that there's no "exit route" for small plastics, so you tend to have inconsistent flake size unless you like, grind it into dust. It's certainly possible to make stuff that way, and getting started with a bad result is better than never getting started at all - so don't let that dissuade you!

1

hi

8:25 PM

could anyone expln for me how does this pre plastic group works

8:26 PM

and how to get more inf about starting ur own recy

8:26 PM

??

8:26 PM

!!!

@Bloom have you checked Academy? https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/intro.html There is everything you need to start. If you'll have more specified question, someone here in Discord will gladly help.

Lobe | Machine Learning Made Easy

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Hey guys

3:06 AM

I am making a AI sorting system

3:06 AM

so far it has a 95 percent accuracy in guessing what plastic type

1

3:06 AM

It uses https://lobe.ai/

Download the free, easy to use app that helps you train custom machine learning models and ship them in your app.

5

3:06 AM

all you need is a webcam

2

3:06 AM

and it tries to guess the plastic from just a image

3:10 AM

my training model is called plasSort

THis is sweet. Id love to try it out!

I never knew about Lobe before, it seems quite useful.

Moonie

THis is sweet. Id love to try it out!

Yeah its pretty cool

Luxurio

I never knew about Lobe before, it seems quite useful.

It is

Hi

7:41 AM

This Manu Here from India

7:41 AM

I want to build bricks from Plastics

hi am zeki from ethiopia iwant ful design of plastic shredder pro

which type of screw is required for extruding PVC material? or can I go with wood drill as suggested in extruder pro.

PVC cannot be recycled with precious plastic machines! This material gives off toxic fumes when melted

Yea

9:12 AM

But still

9:13 AM

Modifying it isn't that hard

Hi guys, how are you? I am from Ecuador, I need technical support to transform polystyrene, specifically the containers where the food goes. What can I do with him? Help me

@johansleitgeber I think thats evaporated polystyrene, right? Search @Rai , she creates coasters from PS, also from EPS, right @Rai ? You can can use PS with all the machines/techniques, with EPS you have to make sure to get rid af all the air bubbles;)

yep!

8:21 PM

@johansleitgeber polystyrene is strange. When it is heated it shrinks, but then turns into a rubber material but turns into a glass/ceramic like material when cooled. It doesn’t shrink when it is cooled like other plastics so you need to use a hammer and chisel to get it off a surface sometimes.

8:23 PM

if it’s foam it is less dense so you will need a lot more then you think when recycling it

8:25 PM

Here’s some food containers and a piece of house insulation foam, it gets much darker when melted

3

@Rai I have collected a lot of clean polystyrene reservoirs, I think between 2500 and 5000 grams, I used acetone to dilute them but it didn't work. You could be my tutor. I will do everything you tell me.

sure, I’ve never tried the acetone method, do you have a method of melting them? like a spare oven, hot plate, portable electric grill? probably one you won’t be using for food. (edited)

Hello guys, any ideas on using injection machine with GREEN PET sprite bottles? Not sure if we dan melt PET with the machine and at what temperature?

@Getthip PET is too sensible for the precious plastic machines:/

Hi. I am from Spain, someone can i say me is possible praint3d with recycled milk bottles, water bottle or similar? I need to buy or not recicle machine

You are going to need to build a shredder and a extrusion machine

Has anyone made moldings from silicone and cast some plastic?

9:22 AM

I tired messing around... I use a blowtorch instead of an oven... Cause I was impatient

1

lol that's not a very good idea : oven = 0°C -> 300°C blowtorch = 1300°C (edited)

Should have used an oven and wait patiently

Good evening, please I am new here but I have being following precious plastic works since 2018 and I decided to join discord today so I can gain more teaching on recycling business, also I started building my plastic shredder machine using the same method of precious plastic shredder, but when I test my machine with pet it wasn't shredded, but I discovered that the speed of my electric motor was high, thus what is the right speed of electric Motor that can give me nice shredds? And if I want to continue with the same electric motor how should i reduce the speed? Please I need urgent help. (edited)

I believe slow speed will shred it properly?

AccountGivenToDarkWeb

I believe slow speed will shred it properly?

OK, may be I have to try reduce the speed and see how the shreds look like

fyi for a lot of good info about molding... this youtube channel is really good. covers a lot of things as a beginner plastic molder, you should know. Especially if you are taking this beyond a art project and making serious durable goods... https://youtu.be/aB2v-2C4HJI

Star Rapid

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? Plastic Injection Molding - Some Serious Engin...

2

here is another one... when doing parts design... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Zbmf_Zs9M

Star Rapid

3 Simple Ways to Save Manufacturing Cost | Some Serious Engineering...

Do you have to use the same type of plastic when melting or if you have a mixture of types - PET, HDPE, Nylon - do you just set the temperature to the highest melting point across all of them?

definitely needs to be the same type; if the melting point is too high it can burn and create toxic fumes

Hello, we have a request from one moll. They wanna get 3000 wardrobe number like this. I don't confident about we can do this. Do you have any ideas how to do something similar. Has anyone tried to print on plastic?

2:33 PM

Andrey Gurkovskii

Hello, we have a request from one moll. They wanna get 3000 wardrobe number like this. I don't confident about we can do this. Do you have any ideas how to do something similar. Has anyone tried to print on plastic?

maybe cnc cut plastic sheets?

theFLO

maybe cnc cut plastic sheets?

Yea, this can be made i think. Which material more suitable for cnc? I think it is ps or pp, right?

hey guys! does anyone have any advice for melting plastic/making plastic products in the oven?

Andrey Gurkovskii

Hello, we have a request from one moll. They wanna get 3000 wardrobe number like this. I don't confident about we can do this. Do you have any ideas how to do something similar. Has anyone tried to print on plastic?

Maybe explore laser engraving as well if you have the capability? I know it can be relatively quick and efficient process compared to cnc... at least with certain plastics. Not sure if all pigmented ps/pp/hdpe/ldpe can be laser engraved directly or would need to be temporarily painted with something first (ideally with something that can easily be removed later after the engraved parts have fused).

4:01 AM

I would be interested to hear how it goes

Cmjstealth

Maybe explore laser engraving as well if you have the capability? I know it can be relatively quick and efficient process compared to cnc... at least with certain plastics. Not sure if all pigmented ps/pp/hdpe/ldpe can be laser engraved directly or would need to be temporarily painted with something first (ideally with something that can easily be removed later after the engraved parts have fused).

I think plastic will burn via laser.

@Andrey Gurkovskii So does wood but I assume that is ultimately how laser etching works, no? I know laser engraving is done successfully all the time for acrylic. Although I don't have personal experience doing this a google search for "can you laser engrave polypropylene" seems to suggest it is possible. A bunch of results by machine manufacturers who claim it is possible as well as discussion forums discussing techniques for getting better results with low temperature plastics like these.

10:41 AM

I own a CNC machine but can't imagine making 3000 items that slowly.

Thank you

@ROJI its possible

@Andrey Gurkovskii Laser engraving "works", but it wont look nice - tested by a client. I think CNC machining would be the way to go about it if its a single series of 1-3000 Nr. Alternatively cold-pressing with a series of numbers. But very time consuming I think... Maybe flatbed printing is a feasible option too - check with your local suppliers

What type of plastic if Perspex and is it ok to melt ? Anyone have any experience ?

Hello everybody, I've just seen the safety video for plastic fumes. I was wondering if it is okay to melt PS on the open air wearing the proper mask or I need more protection. Thank you :))

hi people! can i have an idea of melthing point for HDPE, PP, LDPE? if i am to use home oven with maximum 250'C heat, is it enough?

Hey folks i have a little question, has anyone tried recycling garden HDPE items like water barrels (these usually have uv/heat resistant properties) im just wondering if the Precious plastic machines can process this easily or does the uv/heat mods effect recycling capability.

@상희 This should be enough, you will even burn most of your plastics at 250°C. I melt PP at 150°C. (edited)

Andrey Gurkovskii

I think plastic will burn via laser.

There are laser engravers out there that have low temps specifically for plastic. But you are correct in that not all engravers will work on plastic.

상희

hi people! can i have an idea of melthing point for HDPE, PP, LDPE? if i am to use home oven with maximum 250'C heat, is it enough?

This was in the Collection Kit in the PP website (in the Academy)

Aldothegreen85

Hey folks i have a little question, has anyone tried recycling garden HDPE items like water barrels (these usually have uv/heat resistant properties) im just wondering if the Precious plastic machines can process this easily or does the uv/heat mods effect recycling capability.

How big is the item? I don’t see why you couldn’t, the key to collection and before shredding is WASH. So as long as you do that you should be good.

The hell is this

8:56 PM

I didn't join a "one army" discord?

8:58 PM

Yeah, im out. Didn't want a whole ass agenda. Just wanted to make plastic stuff.

4

2

Is recycling plastic not an agenda? Seems pretty intentional to me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

2

IDK not my favorite naming scheme, but doesn't change much, if anything just adds more projects (Also i'm the type to move entire categories to a "Nicer Name" on wikis, and get borderline obsessive on naming schemes (edited)

1

Hi there, my name is Andres Im an industrial designer from colombia, Im joining precious plastic community soon by setting and opening a precious plastic shop and recycling center, can someone talk to me about your experience building the machines, working with plastic making your own products, etc...

What was one army called before?

A collection of things, which are now subsections

2:47 PM

Precious Plastic is the main one

2:48 PM

But it was all under the "brand" name of Dave Hakkens

Does anyone use a dishwasher or washing machine to clean plastic??

@GoUpcycled i tried to put some plastic yogurt containers into dishwasher, they ended up full of water and still dirty, so if youdon't come up with an idea to keep them in place, i don't recommend

magi SVK

@GoUpcycled i tried to put some plastic yogurt containers into dishwasher, they ended up full of water and still dirty, so if youdon't come up with an idea to keep them in place, i don't recommend

Thanks. That’s helpful. Cleaning obviously is the one of the most time consuming parts of the process so trying to come up with a better way to clean than one by one

I know someone mentioned a washing machine was fine for HDPE

pyro

I know someone mentioned a washing machine was fine for HDPE

Could maybe use a garment/delicates bag to keep the pieces together.

How expensive is it to build a grinder to start harvesting plastic within the network in the United States?

@lilrut I bought a hand cranked shredder shipped from Malaysia for less than $900 usd, rn I don't think there's any shredders for sale but occasionally there's some on eBay from the US or Canada. I'm making the frame myself & learning how to weld along the way, but if you can already do that it's a lot cheaper to DIY (edited)

@lilrut I just joined, hi! I had the same idea as well. I just found this "apple" / fruit shredder, would this work for plastic? https://bit.ly/2LjHwvX

@thomas Not likely, looking at the style of blades, see how they are designed to grab and smash the apples. Plastic needs to be pierced and sheared to make a good output particle.

1

@GoUpcycled I think first of all, plastic should be shredded before washing. Then you can put the flakes in some fine cloth-bag and put it into the washing machine. We used to do that with the buttons and pots of our sound-consoles which we put in a pillowcase. That was back than in the golden age of analog

.

fyi - thin plastic sheet in 5 minutes - no vapor no burn - using halogen infrared convection ..peace

9:04 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xHy8681vBs

Second Life Plastics

recycle plastic to thin sheet rapidly with halogen infrared convection

2

what material should the shredder be in? is alluminum a bad choice?

11:35 PM

oof i am thinking yes ,

thomas

@lilrut I just joined, hi! I had the same idea as well. I just found this "apple" / fruit shredder, would this work for plastic? https://bit.ly/2LjHwvX

no plastic is much stronger than u think ..it needs to be either melted,ground or sheared or shredded because of its high impact strength and flexibility.

Yeah steel/stainless is best - not only bc your have to rebuild aluminum more often, but it's actually easier to weld with steel than it is aluminium, surprisingly

aluminium almost requires TIG doesn't it? I know you can s t i c k w e l d steel (not sure about stainless steel)

2:01 AM

(whether you SHOULD stick weld is another question)

You can stick weld stainless but usually for thicker materials. Tig is best for 1.5 mm down and tig all the way for aluminium. It is a very specialised skill however.

I don't know if this belongs here. But I remember we demonstrated we could create a faux marble from plastic bags by melting them. My question is if we can do the same thing with candy wrappers and potato chip bags?

I would think definitely !

3:44 AM

Granted the metal would get "embedded" sort of, so processes like "acid washing" of the metal layer would be harder with shreds of said marble at the end of it's life

3:44 AM

Also not certain on what plastics are involved etc

3:44 AM

All in all Just experiment, and document it!

Indeed that is exactly what I intend to do. :)

Whoo! I am new and have never used Discord before, I hope I can keep the chats straight... Does anybody here have experience with the injection mold? Does it work well for larger-scale production or is it a fairly slow process?

Does anyone know anything about recycling plastic lens inserts for glasses? My research suggests it’s complicated... These were collected by an optometrist who usually throw them out

Hello all.. I recently imported a container from USA . It has PP and PE granules/pellets and they are all mixed together. Can anyone tell me how to separate them

@Eric Lotze nope, you can weld aluminium with MIG also. With Al wire and argon gas (not sure if also mixture of Ar+CO2).

InfinityX

Hello all.. I recently imported a container from USA . It has PP and PE granules/pellets and they are all mixed together. Can anyone tell me how to separate them

If you mix the right amount of ethanol (alcohol) and water together, one should float and the other sink (I think its around 45% ethanol). Havent tried it however

I made some float chart for an entire workflow for that

5:23 PM

It's around somewhere, i can grab it

5:23 PM

It is called "Sink/Float Clasification (or sorting idk) " in most scientific papers etc

5:24 PM

Works Great, main issue is needing liquids (alcohol evaporates etc), and also cleaning them up post-sorting is needed (especially with sugar syrup, or some solvents if used)

i made a boat out of nuthin but foamboard ..next one im working on is all HDPE

8

6:33 PM

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7gd3MJyXmG6aOZvTFQibaw?view_as=subscriber

Second Life Plastics

Names JS. Im a disabled vet who loves to fish the LMR and Ohio River. check it if u feel like it.Preeesh.

That's a great usecase!

6:42 PM

I was thinking kayaks/canoes for smaller peices, but an airboat / whatever that type of boat is called is a great use

Piers

Does anyone know anything about recycling plastic lens inserts for glasses? My research suggests it’s complicated... These were collected by an optometrist who usually throw them out

Interesting and very pretty!

8:13 PM

I’ll do a little digging. Is there any indication of manufacturer on the box or lenses?

I work with a charity making stand-alone solar lights in Mombasa for rural schools where the kids live off-grid. I want to try to make the plastic parts for the lights using a Precious Plastics injection machine. I have built the machine. Has anyone got any advice about how to get translucent parts? What kind of plastics and what temperatures should I use?

Plastic Paradigm

I’ll do a little digging. Is there any indication of manufacturer on the box or lenses?

Thank you! Some of the lenses had brands on them, not sure if that would be helpful. I saw: Barton Perreira, Marc Vincent, Cutler and Gross, Safarro, Barton Perreira, Andy Wolf - so many more! Unfortunately there is nothing written on the boxes.

Hello there guys! I have a question for you, have you grounded PET into powder?

3:48 AM

I’m thinking on buying a coffee grinder to do so, but before I wanted to know any recommendation

3:49 AM

I’m making my master thesis about pet, and I put this flakes of post consumer pet in the planetary ball Miller but noooooothing happened!

3:49 AM

Grind*

@Sam Stark - yes but you need a regular grinder for that, the smaller the flakes get, the more cutting power you need. You need something like that :

Hello people with plastic knowledge. What kind of stamp would you recomend to stamp the plastic product with? One with a self regulating heat switch? If so, how much heat do you need'?

Hi. I hope everyone is well. Is anyone making the plastic bricks. If so, could some one sell me one. With shipping to the UK. I'm setting up a Mental Health project and one of the charitys I'm approaching for founding, would like to see and hold one of the bricks before they say yes. (Just for clarity the Precious Plastic breeze block type.) Any help would be much appreciated. (edited)

Does anyone have any tips for welding plastic?

you can do so with friction and/or heat

4:16 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_welding

Plastic welding

Plastic welding is welding for semi-finished plastic materials, and is described in ISO 472 as a process of uniting softened surfaces of materials, generally with the aid of heat (except solvent welding). Welding of thermoplastics is accomplished in three sequential stages, namely surface preparation, application of heat and pressure, and coolin...

4:16 PM

friction is good to do with "FDM 3D Printing Filament" cut into a "stick" and put in a drill chuck (like a drill bit) Videos on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0zpqhhcmp4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pa2DoE3sirU (edited)

4:17 PM

push the plates/joints together, press the stick in hard, and run the drill

4:17 PM

that is "Friction Stir Welding"

4:17 PM

Thermal can be done with a soldering iron, or a specialized tool

4:17 PM

temperature control is key for that

4:18 PM

I think ultrasonic also exists, but that's kind of "above our level" ?

4:18 PM

Does this help @Tim F ?

Eric Lotze

Does this help @Tim F ?

Thanks Eric. Yes this is helpful. I have some sheets of HDPE that I have wanted to connect together and have been experimenting with a soldering iron to melt the edge seams together. This spin welding technic looks very interesting as well.

glad i could help !

theFLO

If you mix the right amount of ethanol (alcohol) and water together, one should float and the other sink (I think its around 45% ethanol). Havent tried it however

Thanks for your response. Yesterday we heard the same thing and we did a little experiment. Add 10 each pellets of PP and PE in methyl Alcohol, and then started adding water slowly while stirring it. At one point ten pellets started floating and ten pellets stayed down. So it felt like it was a success. However a little time further a few more of the pellets started floating as well.

i forgot to grab that flowchart lol !

5:22 PM

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Unknown_Plastic_Waste_Workflow

Unknown Plastic Waste Workflow

5:22 PM

there the page is!

5:22 PM

Sorry about that @InfinityX !

Has anyone found a chart for how colorings affect melting temps? I work with HPDE a lot and noticed different colors have different ideal temps for melting

no, but that would be intresting !

11:30 PM

I feel like a lot of this more specific data will require in-industry stuff, or research papers

11:31 PM

Any idea what product it was/who made the plastic?

11:31 PM

I think all companies have their "special cocktail" if you aren't buying RAW abs etc

My plastic is mixed but I mainly noticed it because red shampoo bottles from Old spice melted slowest when mixed with white and clear milk jugs, with clear melting the quickest. Yellow mustard bottle from French's melts around the white milk jug

11:32 PM

Rather, my sources are mixed, its pure HDPE

i'll read up one who they buy plastic from/how they make it

That would be great, ty!

no problem!

11:38 PM

https://www.plasticstoday.com/how-pg-buys-plastics

How P&G buys plastics

Back to the futureBig companies are putting much more effort and firepower into their supply management in an effort to boost corporate results. You will be aff

1

11:39 PM

that's what i found first, reading it now

Sweet!

https://polymerdatabase.com/Polymer%20Brands/Plastic%20Manufacturers.html

Top 10 Plastic Resin Producers

CROW's Top 10 Plastics and Resins Producers

11:49 PM

i'm getting more confused, are there intermediate people in the supply chain (or more "official" ones than pure middlemen?) ?

11:49 PM

I thought it would be an answer like "P&G mostly buys from Dow Chemical" rather than this?

11:50 PM

granted maybe the bottles aren't made "in house" ?

Would be nice if companies just would be clear about their supply, eh?

1

My understanding is a company like Dow has subsidiary companies that they buy from but I could be wrong

there also could be a mix between pp and HDPE in very small proportions and that will affect your temperature

6:07 PM

It is not specified on the bottle

1

How doew the funding worl

12:36 AM

Work

titosk8ordie

Work

Funding for a project or just general funding?

4:54 AM

I would honestly put together a team and make sure you have a business person. Then explore options in your area, grants, sponsorships, etc.

4:55 AM

But Precious Plastic doesn’t give out funding, at least not currently.

5:01 AM

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/599284493525843984/786961893851398194

https://www.academia.edu/40616354/Open_Source_Waste_Plastic_Granulator?auto=download&email_work_card=download-paper

Open Source Waste Plastic Granulator

In order to accelerate deployment of distributed recycling by providing low-cost feed stocks of granulated post-consumer waste plastic, this study analyzes an open source waste plastic granulator system. It is designed, built, and tested for its

5:59 AM

@Eric Lotze P&G likely buys bottles from their sub suppliers. Dow is resin supplier. Bottle making is a low-margin business that they'd probably rather have other companies do.

Hi guys, when we shred our PP it gets charged with static electricity, does someone knows how to get rid of that? We bought an industrial second hand shredder, but the tray to collect the plastic is very small, so we connected it to a metal bucket with a vacuum cleaner attached to it. The shredder plastic gets sucked into the bucket, but there it sticks to the walls and we can't get it out properly. I actually think the problem already occurs earlier in the process as the flakes probably get charged with electricity because of the friction of the shredding. The flakes also stick to the mesh and the tray for the plastic collection. We didn't have this problem the first few times that we shredded plastic, so it also might have to do with the change in temperature and humidity in winter. Our workspace has no heating. Can someone give us some advice on this?

Thanks!

@Susantenhoeve You have to earth all the bits of shredder, bucket etc properly, ideally when you suck the plastic use a tube with a metal lining (edited)

@Susantenhoeve I think you mean to say "Ground" not earth, that is not the same in english.

(edited)

InfinityX

Thanks for your response. Yesterday we heard the same thing and we did a little experiment. Add 10 each pellets of PP and PE in methyl Alcohol, and then started adding water slowly while stirring it. At one point ten pellets started floating and ten pellets stayed down. So it felt like it was a success. However a little time further a few more of the pellets started floating as well.

If in your country is available ethanol or isopropyl alcohol rather than methanol, is a lot better for you and for the enviroment when you need to throw it away. Methanol is very toxic and it can be inhaled and absorbed by skin. Ethanol is also slightly toxic, but way less...obviously, since we drink it. Isopropyl alcohol is the main ingredient of some hand sanityzer, so also with that you can work without problems, even if it dry skin more than ethanol.

Even if my shredder is incomplete (I'm working on its parts at job, but it need some work) I started collecting plastic. Since I work in a metalworking industry, I start collecting some of the tool boxes (you can't imagine how many of them we throw in the plastic bin every day). Some are marked, some not. Lathe insert boxes are made mainly from PP and PS, some are in PC (I can't figure why, since no one cares about the packaging, shape of boxes is the same but different colors and materials), but when we come to drills and end mills some are unmarked, but they seems to be PP and PEHD. After some test with the hammer, I was thinking to ask the producer of the boxes (Rose Plastic, here in Italy, it seems to be the biggest producer of those boxes in the world). After a short visit to their website, I found what I want, they describe all the boxes and they say what material they use for each of them. A suggestion, if you are searching for a good source of plastics, try to ask to a metalworking industry if they can keep the old boxes for you. I started collecting them only on two of about 20 machines at my job and in a week I have a bag full of plastic...

1

Can plastic be melted to a certain degree?

Dont know, do you have a degree

Ok, just kidding, I think I know what you were asking. There are melt ranges as before detailed by Precious Plastic. (edited)

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Phase-diagram-of-liquid-and-crystalline-polyethylene-The-present-knowledge-was-limited_fig3_228975904

7:39 PM

In plastic, assuming it’s like anything else, the solidity and consistency will arise from molecular structure and phase, which is typically manipulated in terms of pressure, temperature and volume

7:40 PM

but while this is a simple concept for something like water which at normal pressures undergoes fairly linear shifts from solid -> liquid -> gas, different variables can have an effect including speed of temperature change, form factor (like thin sheets vs unrestricted volume) and other things. something like 20+ distinct phases have been identified for water alone, depending on how you count, and the same general idea should apply to any other material you can think of

PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland

@Susantenhoeve You have to earth all the bits of shredder, bucket etc properly, ideally when you suck the plastic use a tube with a metal lining (edited)

Thanks! Sounds like a lot of work though

Susantenhoeve

Thanks! Sounds like a lot of work though

We had a similar issue and followed this approach. We’ve only just installed it but it seems to be working well. https://youtu.be/XtkHzmXe4ZA

David Stanton

PVC dust extractor pipe how to no static dave stanton woodworking s...

2

Hello

11:44 AM

Good day to you all,or night depending where you are

I am tryingt to find CAD files of those shredders that precious plastics shared with people but i cant locate them on their web site. I find link On some page posted by precious plastics but it didnt contain CAD files,only 3d preview. Can someone send me those files or point me in the right direction?

11:47 AM

https://b2b.partcommunity.com/community/partcloud/?route=part&name=Shredder+Basic+V2.0&model_id=96649

Shredder Basic V2.0

http://preciousplastic.comFor reasons of file version control, the latest release is only available from our website.

11:48 AM

This is what i found but it doesnt have the cad files uploaded

Hi precious, for everyone that wants to create a social business or initiative in plastic recycling: I've just launched the new website of my sick initiative, you may get inspired or learn something from it

> www.sickplastic.com For questions you can contact me via email you'll find there too

@Gallon here's the whole package https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

Bas Sick Plastic

Hi precious, for everyone that wants to create a social business or initiative in plastic recycling: I've just launched the new website of my sick initiative, you may get inspired or learn something from it

> www.sickplastic.com For questions you can contact me via email you'll find there too

nice forksheets!

Hi! I am new here. I want to create some beginners products using my owen. What will be the result if I mix PP/HDPE/PET together? Is it worth trying?

@Platacis don't mix plastics as they couldn't be recycled further. Also the "product" would propably not hold together very well.

1

@magi SVK thanks!

Susantenhoeve

Thanks! Sounds like a lot of work though

Statics are very dangerous and if your equipment is not earthed properly you are also at serious risks of electrocution. Earthing a device properly is really easy...

Regarding the video. The statics in the particles have no chance to discharge that way. You only remove the field surrounding them which has nearly no effect. To discharge them they all need to get in contact with the earthed (grounded in US English) metal part as plastic is not conductive. If they charge in the shredder, it is not grounded properly so if anything goes wrong you will get electrocuted

@InfinityX I got plenty of 90% ethanol to be recycled... No idea on how to ship it to you...

9:03 PM

@Andrey Gurkovskii make sheet and CNC THE NUMBERS

Hi! I have a question! How do I change the setting of my shredder machine in order to make it shred smaller pieces of plastic?

@markslvk generally you need to change the hole diameter of the screen that is under the shredder blades.

magi SVK

@Gallon here's the whole package https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

Ty

Hi people! Is there a affordable VOC monitor that you trust? Can't find one with reassuring feedbacks.. none seems really trustful..

Marie.Pan

Hi people! Is there a affordable VOC monitor that you trust? Can't find one with reassuring feedbacks.. none seems really trustful..

I’d also be interested in this if you find an answer

So now I got this plate about 10x10cm and dunno what to do with it. It's flat, smooth and a good color. Anyone can share "products" ideas? Other than coaster? Of course it's just a test to understand how I'm doing! Thankyouuuuuu (edited)

3

12:54 PM

Turned in almost_a_cow head... More a cowzebra

2

12:58 PM

Bad photo I know. That's what I was thinking to make. Than I can simply melt down again the residues and fill the holes with new material to make a new sheet to be cut

1

magi SVK

@Gallon here's the whole package https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

Hey Magi, i downloaded that huge package and under the pro shredder there is Laser cut files. But when i open those i only see 3d model but there is no info needed for cutting such as diamater,shape, height and other. Just a 3d model of blade and similar

@Gallon the files might be compressed, did you unzip? (edited)

Yes i have, and used some online preview and phone apps because i dont have autocad on pc at the moment. But when i open lasercut files all it shows me is a 3d model that you can spin and look close up but without measurements

10:10 PM

10:11 PM

This is what i get when i open it

@Gallon i see. When you open 2D blueprints, there are all the drawings in .pdf so you can take a look at dimensions. I agree that it's a bit confusing. Basic shredder has parts-to-be-cut in folders separate by thickness. (edited)

10:18 PM

10:22 PM

@Gallon this is actually good point to post in #deleted-channel maybe? If anyone could reorganize shredder pro parts the way basic shredders are, it would be little bit less confusing.

10:24 PM

This is what i get when i open .step file

10:24 PM

So does the guy that cuts parts with cnc machine uses these pdf files or swg ones? Im not really too familiar with cnc machinery

10:25 PM

Dwg*

10:29 PM

Im super confused and not shire what i need to send to this shop for them to give me quote for that parts

magi SVK

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Lets say the image you sent here, do i choose the thickness or do i send all those thickness from file?

at the bottom of the pdf in document type it says "sizes in MM" or something like that

@Gallon if you want shredder pro, send them DXF files. My bad, didn't look through all the files. If you open Laser cut file, there are .dxf and .step directories.

So basically all the measurements and stuff should be within that file no matter if they are written or no on preview?

@Gallon#3419 if you want to check dimensions, do it in .pdf in 2D blueprints. DXF files can be put straight into cutting machine (and computer don't need written measurements). Thicknesses and material type is nicely separated in .dxf directory. (my sincere apologies to whoever puts the download-kit together)

11:15 PM

And im sending all these files to them?

hi not sure where to direct this ? is anyone having trouble opening the starter kt

11:31 PM

on the website?

@lizkoe Post it in #deleted-channel

@Gallon yes, also make it clear for them that quantity for each part is in the title.

Hey guys, when I mixed coloured plastic in the injection mould - it comes out as one blended colour rather than multi coloured - any suggestions for how to get nice patterns in injection mould?

@alldayeveryday do you have a picture?

Gallon

Im super confused and not shire what i need to send to this shop for them to give me quote for that parts

i typically use ipt, iges, or some other 3d file to create my CNC tool paths. on sheet metal my machine has "conversational" menus where i can upload a dxf file and cut it out.

10:03 PM

CNC machines also use G21 and G20 code to change units. Always specify metric or imperial.. just dont leave it up to guess. .

alldayeveryday

Hey guys, when I mixed coloured plastic in the injection mould - it comes out as one blended colour rather than multi coloured - any suggestions for how to get nice patterns in injection mould?

I suspect that you are getting good mixture in your injection machine. i would guess you need to reduce the plastic from mixing while melted to get your desired multi colour.

datastreamcowboy

i typically use ipt, iges, or some other 3d file to create my CNC tool paths. on sheet metal my machine has "conversational" menus where i can upload a dxf file and cut it out.

Does anyone have any suggestion on good polishing material for plastic? To make it really shine?

Hey all! We just started the vote for the Precious Plastic Awards 2020 - Best Product! It is happening now on our Instagram so check it out here: https://www.instagram.com/stories/realpreciousplastic/2469136078322821076/?fbclid=IwAR1Abv98JvJKY4GAgziVj1_4gZ-FXI3OHblp5-z9-J1zD_DtqF6GO4w5w80 Or head to our profile: https://www.instagram.com/realpreciousplastic/

Hello Precious Plastic HQ, I am having some trouble with the instagram is that a global problem or just my problem? I get onto the link and then it switches to my feed.

hello everyone

1:44 AM

i just found out there was a discord

We've been actively hiding this Discord from you since August ~~2018~~ 2019. Someone messed up, today.

(edited)

@Mirco (CANADA, ON) I have not had that problem. Could you give more details? What device are you using... What browser if you're using a browser... And if you haven't gotten to it yet you can basically just go on the Instagram website or app and vote from there. Their handle realpreciousplastic if I'm not wrong...

Hey folks when using a plastic sheet press would the press benefit from an oselating vibration to disperse any air bubbles trapped in the plastic or does the current system minimise all air pockets via pressure?

hey everyone, I am working on a project of a plastic shredding machine and i am having a hard time to get a formula for the calculations and design of the cutting blades. Could somebody maybe give a helpful advice? Thanks in advance

Hi, what is the capacity of the plastic shredder? We built a plastic shredder using CAD designs for shredding knives, 3 hp AC motor, and 25:1 reducer as transmission. The shredder worked well in small demos. We could grind up 2 or 3 plastic softdrink bottles a minute. We donated it to the local recycle center in Yelapa Mex (a village of maybe 2000 residents w/ similar number of tourists in season). They are telling me the shredding knives don't have the capacity to handle the amount of plastic they have.

@david de pizota 25:1 ratio on a 2 pole 2800rpm motor takes you down to 112rpm, which is a little on the high side compared to the suggested 50-75rpm. To solve the problem without buying a new gearbox, you can try increasing the number of teeth on the shredder blades, so they are taking a smaller cut, less likely to overload the machine.

Thanks for the response. My question is about capacity of a properly functioning shredder - how many bottles/minute should it handle? Our 220v motor spins at 1750 rpm (drawing 13.5A), so blade revolutions w/ 25:1 transmission are right around 70. We had to build a push stick to keep the plastic engaged w/ the shredder blades, also added a reversing capability (2 pole, 2 throw switch as we only have single phase 220v here) in case of jams. The feeling by folks here is that there is plenty of power; the problem is that more grinding area is needed to handle the load; they want to look for larger shredder Part of the fun is our conversations are in Spanish, not my first language :-) thanks again for engaging! david de pizota (edited)

@david de pizota hello there, interesting read. It seems a little throughput even for a small shredder do you have a picture? Something seems off...curious, what is the motor draw when idle with no plastic running free?

7:03 PM

7:10 PM

What sort of grinding capacity in 16 oz softdrink bottles might i expect? Sorry, I don't know what the no load current draw is, but i (definitely NOT an expert!) do not think this is a power problem. The original solid "collar" coupling (on left of shredder knives in picture above) between the reducer and the shredder blades broke over the summer. I found a link on the old community discussion that pointed to a flexible coupling as being more resilient. For some reason, nothing was done about that and now i'm being told it's not worth repairing the coupling, the motor/transmission could be driving a much larger grinder. Because of 'el virus', there isn't a lot of travel going on, so, in addition to language problem, i think that might be causing some reluctance in the Recycle Center to move forward.

Another view of our shredder

1

2

hi, is "forum" in preciousplastic website closed? then is there any place that I can ask questions on my work progress?

7:22 AM

is this chatting only place that i can share my questions and get feedbacks?

i have below questions that i am struggling to find! please advise if anyone can help me out!

8:40 AM

1. What is the melting point for HDPE/LDPE/PP and how long should I leave? 2.Is there any nice solution to avoid bubbles in sheets? 3.Is there any way to avoid bad shrinkage/ bending or twisting when making sheets? 4.To avoid shrinkage/ bending, which is better between fast cooling or low speed cooling?

Any tips on polishing PP plastic ?

hi guys

9:07 AM

i want to build my first shredder but i can't find the CAD files in the precious plastic website. is there someone who can help me?

Hello !

Hello everyone, im considering building a Grinder and Extruder to recycle the large amount of HIPS the factory i work at is discarding. My question is:

Is HIPS (High Density PolyStyrene) the same as /6\ PS in the sense of Recycling ways, Melting point, and extruding? I could'nt find any info about HIPS recycling as such and im afraid the additives that make it impact resistant, render it not suitable to extrude. Has anyone tried it? Thank you!

from what i ve read so far, it is possible to work with PS but there are a lot of fumes and toxic substances when melted. Never heard about working with HIPS, but you could try to melt a small amount of it and see how it reacts as a first test...

Hi everyone, my name is Kai and I'm completely new to the world of recycled plastics, as well as to this discord army! :-) Hence, I hope that my request is sent to the correct channel. If not, please feel free to let me know otherwise. Anyways, a little bit to my background: I'm currently working on a wall mount for surfboards and, so far, have been using acrylic glass to manufacture it. However, I've grown more and more interested in sustainable solutions as well. Being a surfer myself, I get in contact with ocean waste a lot. This resulted in the ideation of actually collecting ocean waste plastics and then upcycling them into the wall mount. Has anyone of you experience in this direction? I've already created a long list of material specifications and would love to discuss them with someone more experienced than myself. Any help is greatly appreciated!

3

@Deleted User awesome! This is the transition whole society needs. What specification do you mean? Mechanical properties or shape/dimensions, if it is doable?

@spiros nik No fumes or toxic whatever with PS, as long as you don't burn it (as it is with all plastics). I do a lot products with PS, no problem.

sonik

@spiros nik No fumes or toxic whatever with PS, as long as you don't burn it (as it is with all plastics). I do a lot products with PS, no problem.

thanks for the input sonik. I actually do not have any experience myself yet. I am into the research process, designing a plastic recycling workspace for primary school. Of course safety is a primary issue for me at this, so i try to stay at the safest side possible. My comment was based at info extracted from Precious Plastic - Safety and plastic fumes (part 2.2) video, where the researcher says “Abs and Ps have 5 to 7 times more fumes than other plastics…ABS and PS contain cyclic compounds in their structure and when they are melted they also produce some cyclic compounds in the air, and these cyclic compounds are especially dangerous for human beings so we have to protect ourselves extra carefully.” Maybe for real life adult workshop situations the fumes are not much to consider... I have byproducts of dust and fumes in many things i do and sadly many times i do not take the proper measures myself as well...

has anybody attempted using the shredder with synthetic textiles (i.e. polyester/PET?) I'm working on a textile recycling project and we are thinking to build the precious plastic shredder to use for this purpose.

Any advice why the plastic comes out like this after injection? Too hot or not hot enough? Thanks!

@alldayeveryday I would say not enough pression. Plastic will not become more liquid the higher you heat, but all the plastic in your barrel needs to be at temperature. Plastic is the worst thermal conductor, so the flakes near the barrel are melted, but the flakes in the center need much more time to get to temperature. This is why the professionel injection machines have a combined extruder screw / piston.

3:21 PM

@spiros nik From my experience, i can not confirm that PS fumes more than PP or HDPE, but then, there are so many additives in the different kind of sourced plastic, so maybe because of that. I use cd-cases and flower pots made of PS and as i said, no problem so far.

good to know that these products have been tested and produce no fumes. CD cases at least should be made by the same material globally.

@Deleted User Hello, have not attempted to shred textiles, but based on what is likely needed is a clearance change of the space between the blades. As that sounds easy enough it actually is likley requires much additional work. Overall accuracy will also need to be better, especiallly when stacking many blades. We will be testing this on our machines in the future. One thing is sure it will make the shredder much more expensive an or time consuming to build. It maybe possible to buy a machine or custom sub assemblies or alter these clearances after. Talk to the manufacturer you intend to use if going this route. you likely need 0.1mm or less clearance per side but likely the PP experts have some more experience with alternate material processing and chime in. Will be listening for answers as well. (edited)

How do I get access to every spilled nurdle ever? I want to get into 3D printing but I don’t want to buy virgin plastic, and I feel like nurdles are the next best thing.

7:07 PM

currently I only have one lol, I need pounds of the stuff

JU4N

Hello everyone, im considering building a Grinder and Extruder to recycle the large amount of HIPS the factory i work at is discarding. My question is:

Is HIPS (High Density PolyStyrene) the same as /6\ PS in the sense of Recycling ways, Melting point, and extruding? I could'nt find any info about HIPS recycling as such and im afraid the additives that make it impact resistant, render it not suitable to extrude. Has anyone tried it? Thank you!

while researching i came into this table that seperate HIPS from PS regarding making 3d printer filament.. https://filabot.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360017747434-Tested-Plastics-Plastic-that-work-in-Filabot-extruders so probably they have some different properties...

What's a good quality oil to keep the plastic from sticking to the sheets in the hot press?

상희

1. What is the melting point for HDPE/LDPE/PP and how long should I leave? 2.Is there any nice solution to avoid bubbles in sheets? 3.Is there any way to avoid bad shrinkage/ bending or twisting when making sheets? 4.To avoid shrinkage/ bending, which is better between fast cooling or low speed cooling?

I’ve for the same question. What do you do about bubbles and warping in sheets? Any feedback? Where else could we look for tips?

hello everyone, I collected fruit and vegetable nets and would like to know the material they are made of to work with them... does someone know this and can help out?

spoticus

What's a good quality oil to keep the plastic from sticking to the sheets in the hot press?

Best is wax, mirror glaze or spray silicone for demoulding

1

PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland

Best is wax, mirror glaze or spray silicone for demoulding

Ah okay, thank you! I just watched a precious plastic video and saw that they liked silicone oil too

I've certainly only scratched the surface of this thing, but I have to believe that America is easily the #1 producer and consumer of plastic is that not right?

Shane

I've certainly only scratched the surface of this thing, but I have to believe that America is easily the #1 producer and consumer of plastic is that not right?

I'm not 100% but I would imagine China being the number one producer of plastic, being that they are the leader in manufacturing and exporting goods. Not sure on who consumes the most.

1

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland wax as common candle wax or some special kind? Won't it melt when heated/leave an traces in product? I'm curious as I have a lot of candle wax at home and can use that.

No candle wax is flammable at these temperatures (hence used as a candle) The wax we get is called "mirror glaze"

magi SVK

@Deleted User awesome! This is the transition whole society needs. What specification do you mean? Mechanical properties or shape/dimensions, if it is doable?

@magi SVK Really appreciate that! Definitely looking forward to the long journey ahead. By specifications, I meant the requirements of the material as well as mechanical properties. I've attached a screenshot of them below. Really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

Hey Guys

My Name is Benedikt and I am currently Planning to set up an mixture of an Extruder Workspace and an Collection Point. My plan is to identify plastic(without the marks) with the sink float test as shown on the Precious Plastics Channel.But with that the Plastic is soaking up water

. I intend to throw the plastic in a big dehydrator to fully dry them after identification. And that is where my question comes in. Am I able to fully dry the plastics without sacrificing the properties of the Plastic itself?

using a dehydrator is a common practice to dry plastics as i read. Didn't read anywhere about the plastics losing properties after dehydrating though...

@spiros nik Thanks for the input ! I'm just concerned that after the plastic was in the water and soaked that water up its going to become brittle etc. I'm hoping to "prevent" that with immediately drying it afterwards

magi SVK

@PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland wax as common candle wax or some special kind? Won't it melt when heated/leave an traces in product? I'm curious as I have a lot of candle wax at home and can use that.

@spoticus @magi SVK The type of wax typically used in mould release coatings is Carnauba wax - ideally just search for a tin of "mold release wax". A tin of it may cost a lot if you have to import it, but you can get hundreds if not thousands of uses out of it with very thin top-up coating.

8:03 PM

As always, use adequate breathing protection and ventilation around hot waxes and resins.

️

@4ndy thanks a lot, will take a look at it

Happy new year

1

So I was watching some videos and was wondering if you all have tried adding shredded cardboard or other cellulose material to create an insulated block of sorts. I was thinking roughly the same amount of material but mixed with cardboard to create a solid block version

I've seen paper/cardboard pulp compressed into blocks, but I'm not sure how it'd perform under plastic flow temperatures, especially since moisture causes all kinds of problems with molten plastic.

Fiber reinforced plastics are a thing, usually with carbon fiber, or those crazy plastics

7:58 AM

Cellulose could be used, would make further (non-destructive) recycling near impossible, but it could be useful for "stabalizing" cellulose material maybe?

Hey! Has anyone tried to recycle plastic other than PP, HDPE and PS? Would using other types of plastics reduce the quality of the final product or does it just make the recycling process more difficult?

@Deleted User there are people who recycle PET, PLA or ABS. Thing is, these are most common, relatively safe to work with and "forgiving" in means of temperature range. PET needs stable temp and almost no humidity i think and so on. I guess that if you have other thermoplastics of one kind, you can try to experiment and find the way to recycle.

1

Moved from main chat, didnt see this one at first Hey all, long time no chat. Currently working on sorting out the plastic the house has saved up over about a year that the local recycling waste stream will not take. [The large container is NOT waste. Bread tags and twist ties in another container, not pictured]

5:00 PM

and yes I still have my unsorted bag of litter from Feb/March that has been paused long-term with litter cleanup, also not pictured

I am discovering how many little pieces I have or similarly sized containers do not like to stack together

Welcome back, @Natu 🇺🇸 [Ohio].

That picture looks sadly familiar to me, I'm sorry to say.

Most of it fits! Keeping the egg cartons, tupperware, and recently acquired bags of cassette tapes separate at the moment.

6:15 PM

I havent been great at diverting some of the flimsier plastics like food wrappers and sandwich bags, but the harder plastics have been getting to the collection fairly easily

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polycaprolactone I'm wondering about the hand-moulding plastic, polycaprolactone (PCL) sold under the brandnames: InstaMorph, Shapelock, Friendly plastic, Re-Form, Polydoh, Plastimake, NiftyFix, Protoplastic, Polymorph, ReMoldables, Plastdude,TechTack, Frogz Eggz, etc. How feasible is it to use that to make prototypes and do lost casting with aluminium? Will the metal melt it away? Also, is there a way to stop the PCL from sticking to itself, in order to make the "negative" parts of a mould, once you've sculpted your prototype? (edited)

You might ask: "Why bother if you can 3D-print your prototype and then make your negatives from that?" Well, you probably wouldn't bother. This would be a "low-tech" starting point, for those without 3D-printing and CAD experience.

can we use recycled HDPE, LDPE, PET & PP for making floor tiles?

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a few questions? if these are in the wrong part of the chat please point me where to ask this. Thanks in advance. When extruding plastic filament of any variety is the yield of filament to plastic pellets used 1 for 1? Also the time it takes to make a 1kg roll and has anyone measured the energy used in doing so ? Thanks

Hi all! I’m totally new to this plastic recycling stuff but looking to set up shop on our islands conservation center. However, I’m a little confused about some of the background here. If I’m looking into the feasibility to creating bricks and beams for construction use, how can I find the type of plastic required for that. I haven’t seen info in the materials I’ve read online. Thanks in advance for the advice! -Jake

Deleted User

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me out with a few questions? if these are in the wrong part of the chat please point me where to ask this. Thanks in advance. When extruding plastic filament of any variety is the yield of filament to plastic pellets used 1 for 1? Also the time it takes to make a 1kg roll and has anyone measured the energy used in doing so ? Thanks

the time of extrusion depends on material, feed screw speed and temperature. Do you refer to extruding 3d printer filamnet with the precious plastic extrusion machine or something else?

5:05 PM

HDPE and PP are softer, while PS is more stiff...

spiros nik

the time of extrusion depends on material, feed screw speed and temperature. Do you refer to extruding 3d printer filamnet with the precious plastic extrusion machine or something else?

yeah I was referring to the precious plastic extrusion machine just to get a baseline idea. Is the stiffer the plastic the higher temperature required. And what does the feed screw speed affect ? Thanks

Hey guys, i would like to ask if there is a technique how to clean Plastic container from Oil ? Thanks

Deleted User

yeah I was referring to the precious plastic extrusion machine just to get a baseline idea. Is the stiffer the plastic the higher temperature required. And what does the feed screw speed affect ? Thanks

here's a precious plastics poster with melting temperatures https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e2/02/36/e20236b62a51595339a447c3ac0c3e1d.jpg the speed of the feed screw, affects the speed of the flow of the material, but it has to be adjusted related to the temperature and so on...

can i get a 2d diagram of extruder?

Pragati

can i get a 2d diagram of extruder?

hey hi are you from India?

yes

@Martin ugh try good old dishwashing soap and hot water. Just pour in and shake like your life depends on it.

magi SVK

@Martin ugh try good old dishwashing soap and hot water. Just pour in and shake like your life depends on it.

Thank yo, i will try !

Pragati

can i get a 2d diagram of extruder?

Hey Guy's it would be too helpfull if i could get the 2D diagram of the extruder and shredder machine of plastic recycling

Hi! Is there a limit of what you could recycle the plastic into? As in what can you realistically make by recycling plastic in this way?

Pragati

yes

Great do you have any plastic recycling in India?

Pragati

Hey Guy's it would be too helpfull if i could get the 2D diagram of the extruder and shredder machine of plastic recycling

they cannot be found here? https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Hi, just a question for product makers: which type of plastic pellets do you use most? As in the type of plastic.

What's the most efficient way to identify miscellaneous plastics that aren't labelled with an SPI? I've been keeping a bin of random plastics I come across and am not sure what to do with them. Ideas?

You can do "float sink" seperating

10:52 PM

so essentially you get a few fluids with different densities, shred the plastics, dump+mix them in, and it will seperate the plastics into two categories "float" and "sink", then you use another fluid for each for further sorting

Eric Lotze

so essentially you get a few fluids with different densities, shred the plastics, dump+mix them in, and it will seperate the plastics into two categories "float" and "sink", then you use another fluid for each for further sorting

I just wonder if that's the most efficient way or if anyone has explored other avenues. (edited)

I know in #deleted-channel someone has developed a sensor, and another person has developed an app using machine learning to guess based off of the product's shape

10:58 PM

Want to move this discussion to there for more in depth stuff? @FlipsidePlastics (edited)

1

#deleted-channel is still a highly experimental project. But, yes, all the high-tech discussion is there.

I found some old flowcharts, and am posting them in there now

Greetings, i'd like to ask if i can use recycled plastic for 3D printing?

Hi, have a look here https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/783423267821584416

oh sorry, i didn't saw that channel

Is it PS(6)? Someone know for sure?

Martin ugh

Hey guys, i would like to ask if there is a technique how to clean Plastic container from Oil ? Thanks

Yesterday I tried my first time in washing plastic with my clothes washing machine. I cutted in half or in three the bottles, depending on their size, put them in an old pillowcase (one with zipper) and put it in the machine. I used a small quantity of liquid laundry detergent (like a third of the quantity I use for a half normal washing) and run it in the 40°C cycle. All the plastic comes out perfectly clean, and I put in a lot, something like ten bottles cutted plus a load of caps and other plastic tool container I saved from my job (I work in a mechanical industry, every tool is packed in his PP/HDPE case). With the exception of some bottles that contained detergent, the other was motor oil ones, just leaved to drip the oil upside-down for a week, some oil traces were present). Even the tool boxes weren't so clean before washing, but it comes out perfect.

4

@Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna Nice! Going to try that out myself

1

Hello guys, I'm trying to build a sheetpress machine. However, it has been quite difficult to specify the spring (linked to jack) for this machine. Do you know where can I find Precious Plastic Engineering Drawing for SheetPress?

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

2

Thank you!

8:29 PM

Another question, on Engineering DRW, its specified a spring for a force of 10.000 N . However, it's used a 8 Ton Jack. It's that correct? I don't exactly which is actual used work load, but I'm little confused regard this.

8:31 PM

The reason for my ask: 8 ton is equivalent to 80.000 N approximately, right?

8:32 PM

This work load it won't surpass the spring force limit?

Hi! I was wondering if anyone who has done a few projects with the plastic fusing using an iron would mind answering some questions I have?

1

6:06 AM

I collected some bags and sorted them, and I cut them too, but I want to know what types of things work for other people beyond the video on the Precious Plastics youtube. Amongst some other questions.

2

6:07 AM

Please feel free to @ me here or PM me

Hey. Can anyone guide me about what material should i use for building injection molding machine. Feel free to email on shahabjamal16@gmail.com

11:25 AM

?

11:25 AM

?

@Andreas2000 The spring in the sheetpress is used to maintain the clamping force on the two plates during the melting process. Without it, you would have to keep applying pressure as the plastic melted. This is why the 10,000N spring is rated under the 8 ton limit of the jack. Hopefully this clears it up for you

@Shahab Jamal Look through the Academy playlist for basic information and look at the schematics in the download kits. Try to find local help on the map, because volunteers, working remotely, can only help you up to a point. Academy playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtYgsstkMPuXdOmvoUYAc0oDoFlk_Ztsp Download kits https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download Map https://community.preciousplastic.com/map (edited)

Hello!! I collected some PP (5) mixed with talcum! Does anyone tried to inject mixed plastics?? Thanks

Mercè

Hello!! I collected some PP (5) mixed with talcum! Does anyone tried to inject mixed plastics?? Thanks

@Mercè I believe @Butte (PP Philippines) mixed plastic with shredded carbon fibre, but apart from that I'm not aware of anyone else doing so. Experiment if you can and tell us your results.

the bad side of melting different types together is that it becomes unrecyclable

1:33 PM

I wanted to ask a plastics related question as well. On monthly news #38, Mattia and the people from Sri Lanka precious plastic, refer that PET is not recyclable by precious plastics machines. Is this the case? I had the idea that PET is one of the materials that can be recycled by PP machines...

PET needs to be dehydrated first

8:46 PM

if I remember correctly

Rai

PET needs to be dehydrated first

Yes, like Precious Plastic machines could recycle PET, it's just that the process need to be really controlled, especially regarding moisture/hydratation (PET doesn't like water at all), and the temperature of the machine need to be tightly controlled. (As in, PET is easier to burn/degrade, as far as I understand it. And apparently, "stock" PP machine don't have the best temp. control) As long as you perfectly control the environnement/process, and you want to specialise in PET, you could do it, but it require skill, knowledge, and time investment, much more than PE/PP. You will need to carefully modify the base machine, too. When we say "PP can't do PET", it's more like, "People who start from scratch, with PP base machines, won't be able to recycle PET 'out of the box'". It's really hard, and need more investment. (edited)

9:02 PM

(I will also add that it really depends on who you have on board. As I said, there's a part of knowledge. If you have people with some sort of industrial machining/engineering/electronics background, it will be easier than if everyone is "new" to that.)

mmm, i totally get your point! thanks for the input!

Ley Klussyn

Yes, like Precious Plastic machines could recycle PET, it's just that the process need to be really controlled, especially regarding moisture/hydratation (PET doesn't like water at all), and the temperature of the machine need to be tightly controlled. (As in, PET is easier to burn/degrade, as far as I understand it. And apparently, "stock" PP machine don't have the best temp. control) As long as you perfectly control the environnement/process, and you want to specialise in PET, you could do it, but it require skill, knowledge, and time investment, much more than PE/PP. You will need to carefully modify the base machine, too. When we say "PP can't do PET", it's more like, "People who start from scratch, with PP base machines, won't be able to recycle PET 'out of the box'". It's really hard, and need more investment. (edited)

That is a bit of a loaded question. I may add in some more information. We have recycled PET in the shop doing a spray melt fiber. It requires a LOT of air pressure and very fine flake. Not exactly a DIY project. Robot Digg sells a lot of the parts for this. Alternately a 50/50 PET HDPE alloy is possible. You can google PET HDPE alloys and find many papers on the subject. We messed with it, but since PET is VERY difficult to shred because of its hardness, the effort was not worth the return of work and energy. You can upgrade your extrusion temp control by using basalt muffler insulation wrap. It comes in long 25mm wide x 5 meter rolls. Very cheap only about 6USD. You can also use a thicker extrusion barrel as well. Again not a beginner project as you will need to bore out steel bar stock on the lathe.

2

1

Isometric

@Mercè I believe @Butte (PP Philippines) mixed plastic with shredded carbon fibre, but apart from that I'm not aware of anyone else doing so. Experiment if you can and tell us your results.

We did carbon fiber filled HDPE for furniture pieces. We only had a kilo to experiment with and it was VERY expensive. (70usd) However we do have some beautiful chairs to sit on in the shop. We have also made graphite filled HDPE which makes a awesome bushing for engineering use. We also have added in Baking soda (fail) titanium dioxide pigment (success), zinc oxide pigment(success), powdered activated charcoal as a pigment (success). Future experiments we will try finely ground red clay soil as a pigment and possible UV inhibitor.

12:38 PM

Also other things in the works, is developing a continous extrusion die for the extrusion machine. (ordered, ready next week hopefully) and last but not least our project to pelletize and extrude sachets, and foil packaging. Thanks to generous donors, and Precious Plastic sales we will be embarking on this in the next few weeks.

12:41 PM

Our plan is to use a conventional feet pellet mill to agglomerate the fine loose shredded bag plastic into a usable pellet for the extrusion machine. We have had limited success making plant pots with this material, however the loose physical properties, makes it difficult to feed into the machines without someone constantly pushing the material into the extrusion screw with a stick.

1

I'm thinking of naming my business "Infinity Plastics" is this a good name? And can it be misconstrued as anything else?

1

Reactive_Gold

I'm thinking of naming my business "Infinity Plastics" is this a good name? And can it be misconstrued as anything else?

there is a company(?) called infinity plastics that had apparently started since 1984... People could mix you up with that company and its not good to share the same name with other companies...

They're in America and I'm in the UK

1:07 AM

I hope someone wouldnt mess that up, I also plan on having my website be .co.uk so there's that too

It's likely to cause confusion. Not to mention possible trademark issues.

Greetings people, I'm Alfonso from venezuela

2:30 AM

Listen about plastic fusion and shape

2:32 AM

Excuse my English please

@alfonso Maybe you can find helpers in #🍌latin-america.

Oh.. maybe @Frederik C (ZA) mmgvo! But I'm searching who are here from L.A thank

2

Aún no nos hemos decidido por la traducción automática. Por ahora, usamos el poder de las personas.

due to its downcycled reported properties, i ve been wondering if it is known, or if actually anyone has experimented with how many times we can recycle plastic. Probably it will differ depending type of plastic, additives, melting temperatures etc, but do we have any knowledge on the subject?

The commercial recycling industry certainly has knowledge on that. Should be trade articles and studies available. (Not necessarily in the public domain.)

hi,

9:45 PM

I need to clean my plastic before shred , anybody know how to do ? (sorry for my english ^^ )

there are several ways. you can find here some ideas https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to

@grillepain See https://discordapp.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/796971896515461140 https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/796971896515461140

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

thank's guys

1

So why is it that California is supposedly awash in plastic waste, and no recycling. Yet when someone I know contacts the MRF around California, NO ONE will give him any information as to where he can get this waste plastic. He genuinely is interested in getting it and processing it, and no one will give him any information. Its almost like some mafia has somethng goin on there.

what happend to the forums? i found a way to recycle styrofoam and want to share it but i cant make an acount on davehakkens.nl. so is there a new forum coming or do i have to publish my idea a other way.

We're not sure. Either self-publish and share the link here, or make a How To tutorial on the Community website. https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/create/howto https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to (edited)

Are there instructions on mould building somewhere.

Hello guys, is there any control (for example a manometer) for applied pressure by jack on the plastic sheet?

8:03 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3OctDe3xVk&t=575s

Precious Plastic - Build a PRO sheetpress machine and make sheets (...

8:04 PM

on the avaliable video, i didn't see any kind of control of the applied pressure

Hello everyone, Rodrigo here, industrial designer based in Spain. ¿Does anyone tried to extrude "L" type profiles?

How many lbs or kilos of plastic does it take to make one of the Lego looking bricks and what is the physical dimensions

"L" type profiles? Lego looking bricks All of that should be in the relevant How To's.

Frederik C (ZA)

"L" type profiles? Lego looking bricks All of that should be in the relevant How To's.

silly me didn't use the How To section, just found out a "T" type profile, enough for what I was searching, thanks!

1

Hi everyone, im trying to make recycled filaments for my 3D printer and i have a question. Do anyone knows about the "cleaning process" I need to remove all the waste from the plastic in order to make a quality filament.. how can I clean it??.. thanks !!

With water? Regular washing? Or something else?

1:09 PM

Washing system: https://discordapp.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/796971896515461140 https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/796971896515461140

Hi, new to discord, where is the build section

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/598887270636060694

Hello guys, is there a differrence of pressure for different kinds of used materials on Sheet Press?

re-PET fiber from soda bottles. Bringing this up again after about 2 years since all the new people who have joined, have not seen this. Melt blown fiber from PET is used to make non woven cloth. Like Eco bags and hospital masks. It is a extrusion machine, that has a spray nozzle similar to a paint sprayer and uses high temperature air to blow the plastic. We build a couple machines like this 2 years ago, but found that the energy costs were very high per kilo of fiber produced. A better alternative is the spinnerette design. This works just like a cotton candy machine. Most production machines for fiber filler use this method or the extrusion thru fine holes method which is not very usable with recycled plastic. The main difference is that when you look at the cotton candy machine the bowl is facing up which catches the fiber candy. The plastic machine, the bowl is facing down so that the machine can run continous and the fiber falls into bags for packaging.

12:47 AM

12:49 AM

we have theorized that a polyester fiber machine like a cotton candy machine could be fabricated using a stainless steel cup with fine holes drilled in it, and spun via a sewing machine motor, with the heat being provided by a hot air heat gun blowing into the cup.

12:51 AM

likely less than 1000USD in materials to build. Alternately a v3 extrusion machine could be adapted to feed molten PET into a spinner.

12:52 AM

I am unsure that a existing cotton candy machine could be used to make fiber without modification, and likely the plastic model in the picture here would not work at higher temps

12:55 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mytgt4-468

bigclivedotcom

How does a cotton candy floss machine work?

12:55 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYiE6kKk3-0

Creative Channel

How to make Cotton Candy Machine from Glow Plug

Any luck extruding large beams? I want to make fencing materials, so 9cm x 9cm posts, up to 9cm x 14cm (or 4x4 4x6 for imperial folks). I’m Canada so hella hot in the summer and hella cold in the winter so probably need a pvc or PE solution... PP will explode / smash easily if impacted in winter months. Looking for specs/practices that have worked in your region! Feel free to DM.

Also anyone make post setting material out of old plastic? Debating if this is a good use for the less liked plastics out there

Something like magic this recicled products :) amazing and ecológica ideas in PP !

3:25 AM

Old plastic my first test hehe

3:26 AM

3:27 AM

Texture and old plastic natural colors

3:33 AM

Like an feedback I'd like show the reason for what I'm searching info here, I was arrived here searching any way to close my crepuscular control made with used oil filters, may be can be another apport for anybody

3:34 AM

3:35 AM

Ratilicious(AB)

Any luck extruding large beams? I want to make fencing materials, so 9cm x 9cm posts, up to 9cm x 14cm (or 4x4 4x6 for imperial folks). I’m Canada so hella hot in the summer and hella cold in the winter so probably need a pvc or PE solution... PP will explode / smash easily if impacted in winter months. Looking for specs/practices that have worked in your region! Feel free to DM.

working on a continuous extrusion process for beams.

Hello, im new on this Discord. I have two questions and I think this is the right # to ask it in. My first question is: What is the minimum wall thickness i should try when drawing a mould? Second question: What types of plastic are recommended for smaller products? I think the injection machine fits my product best.

By wall thickness i mean the thickness of the plastic

Butte (PP Philippines)

re-PET fiber from soda bottles. Bringing this up again after about 2 years since all the new people who have joined, have not seen this. Melt blown fiber from PET is used to make non woven cloth. Like Eco bags and hospital masks. It is a extrusion machine, that has a spray nozzle similar to a paint sprayer and uses high temperature air to blow the plastic. We build a couple machines like this 2 years ago, but found that the energy costs were very high per kilo of fiber produced. A better alternative is the spinnerette design. This works just like a cotton candy machine. Most production machines for fiber filler use this method or the extrusion thru fine holes method which is not very usable with recycled plastic. The main difference is that when you look at the cotton candy machine the bowl is facing up which catches the fiber candy. The plastic machine, the bowl is facing down so that the machine can run continous and the fiber falls into bags for packaging.

lots of insights for sure! actually for recycled PET, what is the best use you've found?

Wanting to have the plastic shredder machined State side is there a standard measurement that would work?

4:56 PM

Looking at 18316 and a quarter the biggest difference being the 3/16 is 4.76 ml and a quarter is 6.35 ml

hi all

11:36 PM

anyone here

Hi everybody, I have a quick question about the Precious Plastic separation chart. It says that LDPE and PP will float on "alcohol" and the rest will sink. Ive spent hours researching the densities of different alcohols and each one seems to have such a low density that every plastic type would float on them and none would sink. Just curious if this was a mistake in the chart or did Precious Plastic use a specific type of alcohol or am I just missing something? Trying to separate LDPE from HPDE and cannot find a liquid with a density that sits between the two. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

Terracene

Hi everybody, I have a quick question about the Precious Plastic separation chart. It says that LDPE and PP will float on "alcohol" and the rest will sink. Ive spent hours researching the densities of different alcohols and each one seems to have such a low density that every plastic type would float on them and none would sink. Just curious if this was a mistake in the chart or did Precious Plastic use a specific type of alcohol or am I just missing something? Trying to separate LDPE from HPDE and cannot find a liquid with a density that sits between the two. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

Ahhh Terracene, I felt your pain two@summers ago when I started my journey. I’ll DM you the tricks I learnt, you need a hammer

(edited)

i am also interested in this. discussing about it a couple of weeks ago, it was mentioned that the type of alcohol is not really relevant...

Hello everyone

We are a German startup developing and selling machines for filament production. We recently made a how-to video on drying granulate, you can check it out here: https://youtu.be/dkm_gXxX2pk

QiTech Industries

How to dry granulate | Make 3D printing filament

4

hi

1:45 AM

i new here ns where to go lol

anyone here

@Ibra There are plenty of people active in this server to answer questions and share their experience. However you don’t seem to be asking an specific question. If you are curious about something, lead with the question you have instead of fishing for a reply.

about plastic recyling

anybody get machines from pericous plastis was woundering how they work

Hey hey, lazy man here. working on creating robust and formable material from fused scrap plastic film bags and hot sand. https://www.facebook.com/events/683108805717050/ https://plasticrete.wordpress.com/

pete

plasticrete

Visit the post for more.

What i would consider the "why not" is it would make recycling more difficult

5:30 AM

Outside of destructive methods (ie incineration, pyrolysis and/or gasification) it is hard to seperate the sand from the plastic again

5:31 AM

GRANTED as a "Final Use" in a Product Life Cycle (of the plastic being the product) it could make sense

5:31 AM

And you may be able to extrude it etc, but it would be quite abrasive

5:32 AM

Also due to the sand if used in any sort of incineration, pyrolysis and/or gasification system all the sand will add to ash or slag volume

5:32 AM

And sand mining is concerning at times

5:32 AM

Have you tried charcoal powder, or salt maybe?

How do you guys separate rubber circles or metal flakes from your plastic? (edited)

@AnthonyTH i spent about 4 hours getting off rubber ones. With small screwdriver and a little bit of practice you can peel it in one piece in about 5-seconds. Just try to "scratch" it from the bottle cap all the way around. With alu, just carefully pull it off i suppose. Or maybe try to heat it up, if it is glued.

magi SVK

@AnthonyTH i spent about 4 hours getting off rubber ones. With small screwdriver and a little bit of practice you can peel it in one piece in about 5-seconds. Just try to "scratch" it from the bottle cap all the way around. With alu, just carefully pull it off i suppose. Or maybe try to heat it up, if it is glued.

Thanks

I think that'll work for the rubber ones. For Alu or other metal flakes that we can find it in our plastic, I've heard about a method that consist in shredder up all the plastic with alu, etc, and and after that clean it up using a magnet

...If this alu or other metal flakes are irrelevant please let me know haha, I'm just trying to be careful about the final product

@AnthonyTH well, that could be a way, but:

it's more difficult to separate plastic from metal when shredded/you throw out plastic on metal parts

-aluminium is non-magnetic

magi SVK

@AnthonyTH well, that could be a way, but:

it's more difficult to separate plastic from metal when shredded/you throw out plastic on metal parts

-aluminium is non-magnetic

Oh yep sorry

That method apply just for metal flakes, not alu. Ok, I'll be working on it

4:29 PM

What about labels? I'll try to shred PET, but I don't know what to do with the all this labels

@AnthonyTH cut off, glue can easily can be scrub down with something like paint thinner (theliquid that dilutes paint)

magi SVK

@AnthonyTH cut off, glue can easily can be scrub down with something like paint thinner (theliquid that dilutes paint)

Ok, great

✨

Hello, Me and my friends started with the project of building plastic bricks, what is the best formula to make resistance ones to the heat ? Thanks I really appreciate your help

Because we will have the possibilty to create a bug change in our country cause all the routes are quiet dirty

AnthonyTH

Thanks

I think that'll work for the rubber ones. For Alu or other metal flakes that we can find it in our plastic, I've heard about a method that consist in shredder up all the plastic with alu, etc, and and after that clean it up using a magnet

...If this alu or other metal flakes are irrelevant please let me know haha, I'm just trying to be careful about the final product

Check out Biffa's MRF and polymer videos. High tech but there may be a way to create a separation magnet like them but on a smaller sacle. A reverse current.

AnthonyTH

What about labels? I'll try to shred PET, but I don't know what to do with the all this labels

Please are you using precious plastic shredder for shredding pet, does it work well?

paulo121

Please are you using precious plastic shredder for shredding pet, does it work well?

I'm building the PP shredder, I've heard about someone shredding PET with this machine that says it's ok, I'll confirm this information before doing it

AnthonyTH

I'm building the PP shredder, I've heard about someone shredding PET with this machine that says it's ok, I'll confirm this information before doing it

Thanks

cookingmad

Check out Biffa's MRF and polymer videos. High tech but there may be a way to create a separation magnet like them but on a smaller sacle. A reverse current.

Sure, I'll check it out. I think that magnetizing + washing system can give good results... I take the idea from that video, it's a guy magnetizing by hand *I don't know If there is someone applying floating test to shreds (edited)

Hello, does anyone know if it is posible to DIY larger plastic containers? 140x30x30 open ended?

i imagine it possible, working with sheets. bending and welding. Or with the extrusion machine "waving" the spaghetti around a mold. Don't know if they could be done with extruding directly into a mold...

Does anyone know what the potential volume (in kg per annum) of post-consumer plastics could replace the use of virgin plastic by using a PP system? Curious if anyone has crunched the numbers? I'm sure it varies depending on the machines you have, but I'm curious is anyone has a rough idea?

@Guido I was just wondering the same thing

10:01 PM

My "End Goal" would be products like these:

10:02 PM

https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/storage/bins-totes-containers/shipping-security/distribution-container-with-hinged-lid-21-1-2x15-1-4x12-1-2-blue?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=CjwKCAiAgJWABhArEiwAmNVTBwq3R7Cy4FWgdTWPV5JmoHWzcjiGqlSbUr4l4Y9FeNIMXCwFKmi0ZRoCr1MQAvD_BwE

Global Industrial™ Plastic Shipping/Storage Tote W/ Attached Lid, 2...

10:02 PM

or

10:02 PM

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-37-in-Rolling-Tool-Box-Utility-Cart-Black-209261/203668066?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&mtc=Shopping-BA-F_PB-G-D25T-25_28_COMPRESSORS_AND_AIR_TOOL-Husky-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-Compressors_And_Air_Tool_BT3&cm_mmc=Shopping-BA-F_PB-G-D25T-25_28_COMPRESSORS_AND_AIR_TOOL-Husky-NA-Feed-LIA-NA-NA-Compressors_And_Air_Tool_BT3-71700000045008692-58700004650922073-92700039927177501&gclid=CjwKCAiAgJWABhArEiwAmNVTB-ZbBrHJaagZdSnkQb8_cWvbgcL-ROmjr0VkRwhYaSsGAD2s2_ERxBoCElIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Husky 37 in. Rolling Tool Box Utility Cart Black-209261 - The Home ...

Store large power tools, accessories and gear with this Husky Mobile Job Box Utility Cart Black. Comes with extendable metal tubular handle.

10:03 PM

I'm assuming a compression mold or vaccum forming would be the way to go?

Hey on this page https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/nerdy The same phrase is repeated, just thought I would report the bug!

1

spiros nik

i imagine it possible, working with sheets. bending and welding. Or with the extrusion machine "waving" the spaghetti around a mold. Don't know if they could be done with extruding directly into a mold...

I was thinking sheets as wel. Do you know if glueing sheets into a square box would work/be strong?

haven't try out myself, but there are some related how to's on PP website

I just attempted to open a mold for a Precious Plastic brick, which I filled with PLA, and the brick's "teeth" snapped off inside that portion of the mold. Is there methods for improving the ability for a steel mold to release?

did you use any type of mold wax or oil on the mold?

Nada.

11:37 AM

I was lent one of the molds by a local group, and I had a go at just heating the PLA in the oven.

11:39 AM

PLA has very low shrinkage. That's why I wanted to test if it worked.

11:39 AM

But I suspect that's why it's jammed.

1

Hi guys! I'm writing on the behalf of a marine research institute in Italy. We would like to set up a plastic recycle demonstration for public engagement in order to sensitize people about plastic litter in the sea. We would like to buy one o more machines that could shred plastic litter and transform it into something usable. Could you suggest to me what kind of configuration I would need? Do you know if potential biological substrate on the plastic could damage the machines? Sorry if this is the wrong chat!

if you are really into setting something as this, i would suggest to study a bit at this academy https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy By going through it, you will receive a lot of valuable information regarding your questions plus more

https://youtu.be/cZLrSglQhTU

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Buon giorno e grazie per avermi accolto. Vorrei sapere dove posso trovare i piani costruttivi e schemi elettrici per iniziare a fare del macchinario di prova, possibilmente in lingua italiana perché l'inglese me lo sono

dimenticato... Grazie

@geppetto61 https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download La traduzione del sito web è ancora in fase di elaborazione. Forse qualcuno in #🥗europe può aiutarti.

Guido

Hello, does anyone know if it is posible to DIY larger plastic containers? 140x30x30 open ended?

We are doing 200x200x200mm pots with recycled plastic. However the process will require a substantial investment in funds. Our process takes extruded molten plastic 820 grams and presses at 6 tons in a liquid cooled steel mold. The flashing is trimmed off leaving a 790 gram pot.

10:53 PM

Making Recycled Plastic Plant Pots

Hey folks any ideas on how to remove label on this pp #5 pot. the pot had a non sealed edge which i tried to peel but its stuck ive tried heat to remove it and its not moving. Im not sure how to go about removing it without damaging the PP plastic?

I am brazilian

@Aldothegreen85 i tried to scratch it down, it's slow and doesn't go down smoothly. I assumed it is kind of PP film? So it may not be problem to use it whole?

I am wondering if the precious plastic shredder, especially the early version, could be used to shred materials other than plastic. For example tree branches (which could be used for soil fertilizer) or paper and cardboard. Has anyone tried something like this?

Hi

Hi everyone!

10:11 PM

oeps didnt meant to sent it already haha

10:11 PM

I'm Herman from the netherlands and just starting in this precious community

10:16 PM

Lets introduce myself real quick. So i'm Herman, 24 years old and as a job i'm sailing around the world for ocean floor mapping and ocean research. Already in 2017 I got triggered by the precious plastic community to start with recycling. Till the day of today I still haven't started but as the covid gives me more spare time i think this is the time to start! Before starting with the recycling plastic i'm trying to set up a plan that could work for me. So im looking to start up a collection point in the village i live at the local supermarket and hopefully draw some attetion in the local media to get the engagement for recycling. To recycle im looking to build a shredder and an injection molt machine. Am i correct when saying this is the simpelst way to start of? Or do you guys recomment me to start with a different machine setup.

Hi Herman, your approach regarding the community point sounds nice, also the machines you refer to are generally one of the simplest setups you can start with, indeed. (sidenote: have a look at the top of the discord channels. each one is for a different purpose. for introduction and general questions you could use the "just-chatting" channel)

Hi there! I'm Pat, I'm getting a startup off the ground to recycle plastic in the communityt

2

12:28 AM

glad I can be part of this

hi

Hello guys, I'm new to the comunity is there anyone here who has built a precius plastic point in Italy or that you know? I am collecting as much information as possible, but I cannot understand if the plastic collected on the shore, then brought by the sea and consumed by the water, is usable, since it does not maintain the same properties as the "home" plastic..... someone has already asked, or knows answer me? thank you all!! #archived-plastic

I'll try to add ocean plastic to the Frequently Asked Questions. I think the people with the most experience in salvaging beach plastic are @pauldufour and @PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland. You can maybe find partners in the #🥗europe channel. (edited)

ely trill

Hello guys, I'm new to the comunity is there anyone here who has built a precius plastic point in Italy or that you know? I am collecting as much information as possible, but I cannot understand if the plastic collected on the shore, then brought by the sea and consumed by the water, is usable, since it does not maintain the same properties as the "home" plastic..... someone has already asked, or knows answer me? thank you all!! #archived-plastic

The plastic is usable depending generally on what it was first, like for household waste recycling. The "advantage" is that most annoying polymers sink so you deal mainly with stuff Precious Plastic can deal with. It will depends on where you are and what kind of plastic you collect on the shore

Hi, we are students from Janson de Sailly in Paris. We just watched the video about the edible plastic made from orange peels. Does anyone know how much time we need to press and under which temperature?

4:17 PM

If you have more information can you share them with us please

4:18 PM

thank you for your precious time !

there are a couple of videos about the biodegradable material and they are also mentioned at another video, maybe a monthly news i cant recall. If i remember correctly it was around 15 minutes in total to produce one bowl. ask here as well https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/600998730262380545

1

how can I avoid air bubbles forming in plastic

11:23 PM

usually it’s not a problem but I’m making blank records and those need to have a perfectly smooth surface.

1

Hello, I have a question

1:19 AM

is this the right chat for that?

Dose ennyone know what this tipes of labels are made of? I have riped one apart before and it seems like a type of film or someting, and it would be pretty tricky and time consuming to remove. But I'm not sure. So do you guys think I can shred it and remelt them with it on?

3:41 AM

They are bouth made of PP btw

B0aws

Dose ennyone know what this tipes of labels are made of? I have riped one apart before and it seems like a type of film or someting, and it would be pretty tricky and time consuming to remove. But I'm not sure. So do you guys think I can shred it and remelt them with it on?

Yikes! Welcome to the world of plastic recycling! Depending on what you are making you can decide to try and remove or live with it In Your product. If you try and remove you will need to experiment. If glued on, how can you remove the glue? Peal it back slowly? Apply heat? Or use some solution (possibly alcohol to release the glue)... key here is experiment, learn, and share to help the next person who posts this!

2

Hey guys I was wondering if there is a video tutorial/blueprint on how to convert plastic bags into cloth to make tote bags etc as well as some literature to explain what’s process and reactions are taking place?! I remember watching a video but can’t find it anywhere now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp4vmfVlm2k

Make a durable tote bag from shitty plastic bags #preciousplastic

1

hello, just joining this discord channel from Bali, Indonesia. we're planning to start the recycling/upcycling business. thanks precious plastic for all the resources!

1

Hi, I am writing my MBA thesis in the non-profit organization Wecycle, that started with the precious plastic project! In my thesis, I am developing a risk management plan for our organization, and I would like to know if anyone has ever done a risk assessment of the machines. I would be really happy to hear your inputs on the topic! Through brainstorming technic, we have made a list of risk that ai can share with those interested! :)

How does sunlight effect recycled plastic products specifically beams? is there a place I can find a collection of info on this? Im asking because I want to make some park benches out of PP HDPE

icaldua

hello, just joining this discord channel from Bali, Indonesia. we're planning to start the recycling/upcycling business. thanks precious plastic for all the resources!

how is bali doing right now?i was really stuck at Jakarta now. Can't do anything because of the lockdown

Ratilicious(AB)

Yikes! Welcome to the world of plastic recycling! Depending on what you are making you can decide to try and remove or live with it In Your product. If you try and remove you will need to experiment. If glued on, how can you remove the glue? Peal it back slowly? Apply heat? Or use some solution (possibly alcohol to release the glue)... key here is experiment, learn, and share to help the next person who posts this!

oh ok, thank you

it would be nice to have a pinned message in this channel, with the melting temperatures of the basic plastic categories..

Hi everyone, I’m new here and have a question about precious plastics.. not sure if I’m engaging the right group so any suggestions for how to go about this will be v much appreciated! I’m an artist working on large-scale outdoor installations that float at the confluence-points of rivers and waterways. I’m looking to make thousands of thin triangle-shaped tiles, with sides that are anywhere from 20-36 inches and about 1/4” thick - though any of these lengths are totally flexible.. I’m based in western Massachusetts and am looking to connect with someone who is familiar with the precious plastics process.. I am v connected to community and could spearhead a solid plastics collection effort but I’ve got tons of questions regarding the technical aspects of the process.. ideally I’d love to connect with someone local (or local-ish) who’s already set up to do this kind of thing and run some tests to see what’s possible. Also, I have some questions, both about the process and that are specific to my project, so it would be great to connect about those as well. Thank you so much for any info and/or suggestions about how to proceed. I just learned about this yesterday - would really love to continue along this precious plastics line. Long note, thanks for reading!

Ηi! if you are new to the precious plastic world and you would like to get involved in the production process, it is highly recommended to ''study'' at the academy https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy the triangles you want to make sound "doable". Maybe the 'workspace' channel would be more appropriate to ask specific questions. And generally have a look at the title of every channel, where it is indicated what it is about. There is also the north-america channel if you want to connect locally and you can always have a look at the map for precious plastic points near you https://community.preciousplastic.com/map

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Easy PVC Pipe Bending (How To/DIY)

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

hello again, does anyone have any insight about plastic bag?i think i have seen it on one of the youtube video. But can we use any type of plastic bag to melt it and shape it. because as far as i know most of it doesn't have the recycle logo on it and i don't know the type number of plastic on a cheap plastic bag

i think most of them are LDPE or HDPE. You will have to identify them before process. The sinking method is usually referred for plastic separation. I am not sure how practical it is though...

spiros nik

i think most of them are LDPE or HDPE. You will have to identify them before process. The sinking method is usually referred for plastic separation. I am not sure how practical it is though...

thank you for the information.

Rick BS

hello again, does anyone have any insight about plastic bag?i think i have seen it on one of the youtube video. But can we use any type of plastic bag to melt it and shape it. because as far as i know most of it doesn't have the recycle logo on it and i don't know the type number of plastic on a cheap plastic bag

I have worked with plastic bags some time ago, you can feel the difference between HDPE and LDPE bags quite easily after some time. LDPE is softer than HDPE at the same thickness, also HDPE bags are louder, higher pitch when you crunch/move them.

Does anyone know what type of plastic wall plugs are typically made from?

@Aldothegreen85 i tried to scratch it down, it's slow and doesn't go down smoothly. I assumed it is kind of PP film? So it may not be problem to use it whole?

@magi SVK ah ok, i wonder how easily it merges with the blue PP plastic body when recycling it in the Precious plastic systems

‍♂️? Or will it be noticable in the end product?

6:12 AM

@B0aws hey bud have a look at my post thread im doing similar research with these PP pots so far its a PP film but i to want to know if the film will vanish into the PP body plastic or will the pp film be seen in the final product?

6:18 AM

@BC Ben hey bud pp doesnt do well in sunlight it becomes brittle and it flakes. From my product research HPDE has higher durability. I made a bee water container from a milk jug made of HDPE so far its been 3 years and no major damage. This is the second attempt as the first attempt was a pp yog pot which lasted 2years and then broke into a million bits when i tried to pick it up for cleaning.

1

We are in Bangkok. How can we get involved here with plastic recycling. We are a school. Thanks.

Hello all lovely plastic people. We're looking into rotational moulding, and wonder: Can you produce plastic POWDER for large-scale rotational moulding from shredded/granulated plastic? Has anyone looked into this? #rotationalmoulding #research

HGS

We are in Bangkok. How can we get involved here with plastic recycling. We are a school. Thanks.

what grades are the students? I am designing a recycling workshop for primary schools

1

Hello! My name is Thomas. I am a student (16) and would like to gain work experience and also help the planet at the same time I was curious what I could do in my area?

1

Not sure where to place this question, but I have a brand (pre-launch) that I would like to create a closed supply chain and make it easy to recycle the waste. I’d like to set up a program where the waste can be sent to a collection point/recycling center that takes, specifically, recycled clear lip balm tubes. I’m not sure how or where or if that is even possible.

Thanks so much @spiros nik ! Just seeing your reply now. All very helpful, thank you

hi every on iwant to ask about plastic shredder pro,my question is the cutting blade material type is not described on the down load kit so please tell me the type of material of the cutting blade

Deleted User

@Tiago-recycle lab. Portugal PVC seems fine and has similar extruder specs, just do it safely. PVC as said is a fantastic material to work with and has applications by ten folds , compared to the usual PP world. In a few weeks we have first hand data from an established vendor who is using a v4-ish machine. Hang on for a moment. To us, it there are lots of potential use cases linked to this material, incl. recycled PVC. Send me your email via Instagram, will update you on the go

(edited)

Hi, Could you DM me on Instagram @preciousplasticbristol, would love to find out more about your pvc process

Prescription bottles- the translucent kind are #5 HDPE. Has anyone used them for melting? (I hope this is the right tab for this question.)

Different from regular HDPE in what way?

_garbagequeen_

Am I crazy, or is this LLDPE mislabeled as a #5 instead of a #4? This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this, and I’m very confused! Would greatly appreciate any insights. I’m in the United States (in New York), and the LLDPE item here is the lid of a takeout food container. The PP on the right is the container itself. They’re similar in transparency, but the lid is a bit thicker, and slightly more pliable. Thank you all for your insight

don;t know about it, but i wouldn't hesitate to write a mail at the manufacturers asking about it...

I suspect the "5" does not indicate the plastic type. I've seen all kinds of numbers on see-through pill bottles. Also, can HDPE be translucent?

can HDPE be translucent? Yes. But I'm not used to seeing it. I think most of our pharmacy containers are tinted PET. Commercial medication containers over here are almost always opaque HDPE #2. I think especially for medication that is sensitive to UV light. (edited)

Quick links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code

Frederik C (ZA) pinned a message to this channel. 1/28/2021 8:52 PM

Hi everyone! Here is Gus from Plástico Chido.com, I've been wanting to make a video about Styrofoam/Foam PS recycling. And I've been making some experiments using paint Thinner, but also D-Toluene from Orange Peal to "reduce" the foam and take out the oxygen. But I wonder what you think about it? Is it worth spreading that you can use those chemicals to create new shapes with PS?

1:17 AM

anyone in cinci area from precious plastic?

How much is the weight of empty 1.75ltr Thumps-up bottle ??

Hi I’m new I’m a artist and I’m looking for a source for shredded multi color plastic tops etc if anyone can suggest where I can get in California

GusMerckel

Hi everyone! Here is Gus from Plástico Chido.com, I've been wanting to make a video about Styrofoam/Foam PS recycling. And I've been making some experiments using paint Thinner, but also D-Toluene from Orange Peal to "reduce" the foam and take out the oxygen. But I wonder what you think about it? Is it worth spreading that you can use those chemicals to create new shapes with PS?

mixed feelings about a method that introduces the use of chemicals. nevertheless i would be interested to know how it works

1

bernothp

anyone in cinci area from precious plastic?

I'm In Columbus. Not to far away.

EmiF

Not sure where to place this question, but I have a brand (pre-launch) that I would like to create a closed supply chain and make it easy to recycle the waste. I’d like to set up a program where the waste can be sent to a collection point/recycling center that takes, specifically, recycled clear lip balm tubes. I’m not sure how or where or if that is even possible.

I think starting with a clear action plan, then develop that into a business plan (networking with local or surrounding businesses or connections if necessary), I don't see why this wouldn't be a possibility. You'll need to be clear about if you're only taking clear lip balm tubes or if you'll take all tubes, etc. If they need to be cleaned prior to dropping off, etc.

Has anyone in the community got HQ photos of their material surfaces like this?

1:01 AM

Cause with the right magic you can pre render your product for clients and I am happy to build a catalogue for people if I can source the images.

3

2

Which plastic is used to make this kind of plastic strips for box packaging??

Rory - Sustainable Design Studio

Cause with the right magic you can pre render your product for clients and I am happy to build a catalogue for people if I can source the images.

Awesome renders! Really looks like a recycled plastic product, and the ability for us designers to test out aesthetic design choices is huge.

Hi everyone, we are new on PP comunity, we are buildin our first shredder and injection machine and we think to start with carabiner mould, I have read and understood the difference between cnc and lase cutted mould, i think the CNC one is much better but you know how expensive it can be? (I haven't found it on the bazar)

D_makhalepara

Which plastic is used to make this kind of plastic strips for box packaging??

Likely PP, although others are used.

Whats the easiest way to get labels and glue off jugs and bottles

Render Example

2

Ibra

Whats the easiest way to get labels and glue off jugs and bottles

I'm not sure if this is the best way, but hot/warm water and soap (I have tryd dish soup, but I have not tested using it properly yet)

11:29 PM

soking, scrubbing... soking and THEN scrubing... there is a lot one can try

1

Ok ty

1

So it takes 500 degree Fahrenheit to melt PET, is that the main reason that makes it less friendly than PP or PE? Or are there other reasons?

summer

So it takes 500 degree Fahrenheit to melt PET, is that the main reason that makes it less friendly than PP or PE? Or are there other reasons?

i think that the adhesion of it is difficult and that you may have some irregularities at the final products. IT also needs to be really well dehydrated before processing. But all of this info comes out of secondary sources. I have not try working with it yet...

spiros nik

i think that the adhesion of it is difficult and that you may have some irregularities at the final products. IT also needs to be really well dehydrated before processing. But all of this info comes out of secondary sources. I have not try working with it yet...

Thank you, I’m gonna try to build a bench with it using screws. We’ll see what happens.

best of luck!

spiros nik

best of luck!

Thank you, last question, do you happen to know how many kilos the shredder pro can process in one hour? Has anyone tried anything like that? That’s a very useful info. As well as how the extruded works in connection to timing.

I think i remember this info been given somewhere at the precious plastic website. The basic shredder is referred as being able to process about 10 kg per hour. I think the pro has a reference of 50 kg per hour if i recall correctly..

experimenting with EPS melting

11:47 PM

toaster oven works great for this

Does any know how much plastic is used in a beam? what eight of plastic is some arbitrary length of beam, or just the weight of a beam

thanks!!

@BC Ben I’d begin by estimating using the density of the plastic and the volume of the beam you want. It’s 100% equivalent but it will get you an estimate.

1

5:25 AM

working on a new styrofoam workflow. melt > grind > melt

the brown isnt charred, it’s actually all of the collective dirt and contaminants that were all pulled together

Trying to make fabric with plastic bags.....Used LDPE bags but idk why but I am not getting something right and the bags don’t get fused even when I iron it around 150-200C

4:37 PM

If anyone has any tips please do let me know!

What are you using to iron, and how damp or cool is the environment? Damp is the enemy of plastic cloth.

Vishal🦑

Trying to make fabric with plastic bags.....Used LDPE bags but idk why but I am not getting something right and the bags don’t get fused even when I iron it around 150-200C

I think you need to troubleshoot a lot. What are you using between the iron and plastic? Baking sheets/paper transfers the heat really well. Other thicker materials like silicone might not. How much pressure are you putting on and how long do you iron in one area? If you try to take 2 small pieces and iron them together, how long does it take to fuse them completely?

2

Ulfrigg

What are you using to iron, and how damp or cool is the environment? Damp is the enemy of plastic cloth.

I am just using a normal home iron!! Oooo that’s interesting....didn’t know damp was the enemy of plastic cloth! The environment is cool but not very damp.....I can surely set up a dehumidifier to help regulate the environment!! Thanks Ulfrigg

bmbaron

I think you need to troubleshoot a lot. What are you using between the iron and plastic? Baking sheets/paper transfers the heat really well. Other thicker materials like silicone might not. How much pressure are you putting on and how long do you iron in one area? If you try to take 2 small pieces and iron them together, how long does it take to fuse them completely?

Yeah I get that!! Experiment experiment experiment! 1). I used baking paper between the iron & plastic. I surely did face a few hurdles with baking paper because the plastic would get melt and get stuck to the baking paper instead with each other(I’ll send pictures to that as well) 2). As for pressure, I am just applying standard body weight pressure and I iron in one area for 45sec and then keep continuously moving the iron over the sample 3). It took around 45sec-60sec to fuse 2 small pieces of good quality LDPE plastic and much longer to fuse HDPE plastic (around 90sec)

7:30 AM

The purple colour from a few bags transferred onto the baking paper

7:32 AM

Another test sample with a lower quality LDPE bag! The texture of the sample was much firmer and the plastics fused pretty well! (Some baking paper got stuck to it hence the white design)

Ulfrigg

What are you using to iron, and how damp or cool is the environment? Damp is the enemy of plastic cloth.

Hey also since dampness is the worst enemy of plastic fabric, does living in a tropical city like Mumbai effect the final fabric after its fused together?!

Vishal🦑

Yeah I get that!! Experiment experiment experiment! 1). I used baking paper between the iron & plastic. I surely did face a few hurdles with baking paper because the plastic would get melt and get stuck to the baking paper instead with each other(I’ll send pictures to that as well) 2). As for pressure, I am just applying standard body weight pressure and I iron in one area for 45sec and then keep continuously moving the iron over the sample 3). It took around 45sec-60sec to fuse 2 small pieces of good quality LDPE plastic and much longer to fuse HDPE plastic (around 90sec)

Maybe your iron isn't as hot as you think because I believe I measured mine at around 170 C and it can fuse a few layers in like 10 seconds when turned on high. I even have the problem where if I hold a bit too long in a spot, it will make holes from overheating and plastic bubbling. To stop the sticking, just wait a minute when you're done ironing for it to cool, then it should come off the baking paper without any ripping. If you want to do a lot of work with pressing bags, you could look into getting a t-shirt press. I got one for around 200 USD that is really great at pressing with different pressures and temperatures. You can make a huge pile of bags turn into sheets in like 30 minutes. Love it (edited)

1

bmbaron

Maybe your iron isn't as hot as you think because I believe I measured mine at around 170 C and it can fuse a few layers in like 10 seconds when turned on high. I even have the problem where if I hold a bit too long in a spot, it will make holes from overheating and plastic bubbling. To stop the sticking, just wait a minute when you're done ironing for it to cool, then it should come off the baking paper without any ripping. If you want to do a lot of work with pressing bags, you could look into getting a t-shirt press. I got one for around 200 USD that is really great at pressing with different pressures and temperatures. You can make a huge pile of bags turn into sheets in like 30 minutes. Love it (edited)

Ooo thanks you so much I am going to keep all the tips in mind!! I’ll definitely measure and temperature! I was going by the assumption of the scale on the iron

Oh yeah I’ll definitely look into the T-shirt press!! It actually sounds perfect!! I really want to organise a educational community event around precious plastics and the power of recycling

3:06 PM

Thank you @bmbaron

‍♂️

NOTE: although the title says PVC, it's not to be used with PP machines. However, the video says it's also a good technique for other plastic tubes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1SMOPaajgY (edited)

NightHawkInLight

hey friends can anyone help provide me with a spec recommendation for the motor of the normal shredder?

5:40 AM

I can't find it on the download kit

Charley

hey friends can anyone help provide me with a spec recommendation for the motor of the normal shredder?

http://preciousplastic.com/solutions/machines/basic.html You need a 2.2 kW

Precious Plastic Basic Machines

The Basic machines are perfect to get started into plastic recycling and create educational workshops. These are the Shredder, Extrusion, Injection and Compression machine.

Hello! I noticed that the beam mold design links from the precious plastic website didn't work. Would anyone know of where I could go to obtain beam mold blueprints? Thanks!

상희

1. What is the melting point for HDPE/LDPE/PP and how long should I leave? 2.Is there any nice solution to avoid bubbles in sheets? 3.Is there any way to avoid bad shrinkage/ bending or twisting when making sheets? 4.To avoid shrinkage/ bending, which is better between fast cooling or low speed cooling?

I have the same question about the melting point for LDPE. is it slightly lower than HDPE? because i have many LDPE from water gallon cap. They have very vibrant color

is anyone working on pvc or pet?

PVC is toxic to work with iirc

It makes chlorine/hydrochoric acid gas when heated i think

1

11:23 PM

So unless you have an INSANE gas scrubbing + safety system, you will be having a WW1 reenactment

cosmo.guffa

PVC is toxic to work with iirc

whats iirc?

12:56 AM

i have some pvc shreds that can be used for stuffing of some sort. any ideas for use?

Pete here Anyone tried fusing with sand? Good for large scale projects unencumbered by previous. https://youtu.be/ueRIaqNtOLQ

pete abrams

w Tim Plasticrete

Matti

Hi everyone, we are new on PP comunity, we are buildin our first shredder and injection machine and we think to start with carabiner mould, I have read and understood the difference between cnc and lase cutted mould, i think the CNC one is much better but you know how expensive it can be? (I haven't found it on the bazar)

Best way to confirm it would be to cut a bit off, clean it, then put into different solutions and see if it floats/sinks and make deductions from there.

9:53 AM

Use this file to figure it out

Floating-Properties_A1.pdf

120.01 KB

Ibra

Whats the easiest way to get labels and glue off jugs and bottles

I've found the easiest way, if you want to keep the label intact to reduce residue on the plastic, is to get a spray bottle of IPA, spray the label at the edge once and use a box cutter blade or similar to peel it off. I recommend wearing gloves because the label adhesive is a pain to get off your hands

Hi Gang, is there anyone here from Wales? Especially Powys? There is funding available for plastic recycling, anyone in Powys interested let me know https://www.wrapcymru.org.uk/grants

Hello everybody, I don‘t know if I‘m on the correct channel, but I‘m looking for a place in Germany where I can buy from a local precious plastic workshop. I am an artist, and I don‘t have the means to build an entire workshop myself, but I want to use recycled plastic plates for my works and I was hoping there‘s somebody in (or around) Germany who could help me with that. Thanks guys ✌

Hi, my name is Jennifer and I am just starting my graduation semester at Amsterdam Fashion Insitute. I was wondering if someone could help me or knows a company that could help me to make my own 3D printer filaments from recycled fishing nets? I have tons of different nets in various thicknesses and colours from a prievious collection that I would love to use in a new and sustainable way! Any help is appreciated.

Florian Thind

Hello everybody, I don‘t know if I‘m on the correct channel, but I‘m looking for a place in Germany where I can buy from a local precious plastic workshop. I am an artist, and I don‘t have the means to build an entire workshop myself, but I want to use recycled plastic plates for my works and I was hoping there‘s somebody in (or around) Germany who could help me with that. Thanks guys ✌

you can have also have a look at the precious plastics map for workspaces near you and ask questions to them. Although you need something quite specific, so either they would have to produce already this item or see if you can workout an arrangement

spiros nik

you can have also have a look at the precious plastics map for workspaces near you and ask questions to them. Although you need something quite specific, so either they would have to produce already this item or see if you can workout an arrangement

Oh thank you, I couldn‘t find the map, but now I got it!

Hey guys anyone done any colourmixing work using the extruder to get various shades of solid colour i was hoping we could develop a percentage ratio do gain specific colours in pellet form to then sheet press of injection mould i was even thinking it would be awesome if we had a colour scanner (like the one they use for dulux paints) to have customers ask for specific products in specific colours say for making tiles or bowls etc those sheets that are made would be awesome as room dividers esp if a customer says can you make 4 boards this colour its for my study as a room divider to then have them able to click together using a router bit (and no need for glue or internal screws)

can i melt down some sort of plastic and extrude it into a dimension that i can then use it with a a medium for a 3d printer?

@Lofty_The_Albatross Yes!

1:29 PM

If you have further questions about that topic just hit me up

centorion, tht is pretty great the. thank you.

Hey does anyone know if you can make the long plastic beam molds with a standard extruder instead of the pro version?

@Centorion is there a quick runt

2:48 AM

down on how to extruden the right dimension/property to work with a printer?

what do you do with plastic that doesn't melt? Like the temp we've tested has to be well above 500 degrees...so what else can you do to repurpose it?

dogwire

Hey does anyone know if you can make the long plastic beam molds with a standard extruder instead of the pro version?

I think the main reason that helps you with making the long beams at the pro version, is the specific screw in the barel, instead of the wood drill screw option firstly introduced. The "specific" screw helps built up the pressure needed. Have no personal experience with an extrusion machine though...

@Lofty_The_Albatross Could you go into that a bit more? Size Wise you can go as big as your budget allows

@spiros nik Thanks for the information!

Has anyone had any experience with using the extrusion machine to make bricks out of HDPE

hi all.. if we make a paver block from waste plastic what composition should we create? please help us out on this.. we created a composition which was PP LDPE & HDPE polymers with some fillers like carbon black and made some test specimens & done some testing like tensile and flexural but having some elongation issues, does any having any opinion about it? (edited)

I want to know when building a precious plastic shredder there are two size gears a 20 tooth and a 18 tooth witch one goes on witch shaft.

If I melt plastic, will release harmful smoke???

piyush

If I melt plastic, will release harmful smoke???

Plastic does not release smoke unless it is burning or overheated. Melting plastic is different from burning. however, melting some plastic will release more poisonous fumes than others.

siddharth82ak

hi all.. if we make a paver block from waste plastic what composition should we create? please help us out on this.. we created a composition which was PP LDPE & HDPE polymers with some fillers like carbon black and made some test specimens & done some testing like tensile and flexural but having some elongation issues, does any having any opinion about it? (edited)

What do you mean by "elongation issues"?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Plastic does not release smoke unless it is burning or overheated. Melting plastic is different from burning. however, melting some plastic will release more poisonous fumes than others.

what can we use so that these fumes wont leak out in a closed area?

I am new here. This is my first question. Does anyone know what Video Cassette tapes are made of ? both the black part and the clear part. Can they be recycled ?

MrRobot

what can we use so that these fumes wont leak out in a closed area?

ventilation https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/safety

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/pol.20190261

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Is it possible to use the extrusion machine to make sheet, and if yes how big can it be?

good question

2:52 AM

I’ve never used either machine but I feel like 12x12in, 30x30cm would be a safe maximum

2:53 AM

any more and I’d imagine you’d run into problems but... maybe someone has a better answer (edited)

Rai

any more and I’d imagine you’d run into problems but... maybe someone has a better answer (edited)

Thank you for the reply

yea np

7:45 AM

So reconstituted styrofoam simply has zero plasticizer in it

7:46 AM

it just cracks upon cooling :(

Rai

it just cracks upon cooling :(

What solvent have you used ? Limonene ?

melting in an oven, a blender, and another round of melting actually

7:47 AM

I guess with a solvent you wouldn’t have to worry about temperature changes?

Maybe, but getting rid of the solvent is another issue

7:49 AM

There is this enterprise, Polystyvert, in Canada, that use this process

7:50 AM

I've read their patent, but didn't exactly understood it

7:51 AM

Basically, their "melt" the EPS in essential oil, then put in into their process, and they obtain granules of PS

ah alright

7:57 AM

7:58 AM

found a scientific paper, they use hexane to precipitate it out of the solution

Can Polystyrene be used in the shredders and extrusion machine the same as Polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP).? I only ask because I have access to an inexhaustible supply. Thank you.

Is it expansed ?

Its knifes and forks

Then you should be fine

Hi, does anyone have any insight in all the types of plastic? I am doing a project on rethinking single-use plastic waste and I have to select one type of plastic to explore and I am unsure on which to select to start experimenting with.

ow1996

Hi, does anyone have any insight in all the types of plastic? I am doing a project on rethinking single-use plastic waste and I have to select one type of plastic to explore and I am unsure on which to select to start experimenting with.

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics Here is a good start

Large Plastic Building Blocks For Kids | Children's Toys | TG

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

tsiour_p

Then you should be fine

Thank you for responding. Thats great.

tsiour_p

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics Here is a good start

thank you

Hey guys. I’m new to this chat. Can anyone give insight into which is easier to sort by plastic type: shredded or non-shredded?

Generally speaking it is easier and more common to sort before shred...

spiros nik

Generally speaking it is easier and more common to sort before shred...

I thought so, but saw one of the basic videos by precious plastic that suggested that water and salt can help separate shredded materials. I guess as long as the volume is low, it shouldn’t take too much time to sort between different plastics.

I think that that video means to give an example of how you can identify plastics that are not marked with their type, rather than suggesting it as a routine

Does anyone know of any good UV blocking additives for HDPE and PP that preserve the plastics color and are available online?

has anyone considered adding graphene to the recycled plastic ?

how do additives get additive’d anyway

4:37 AM

do you just. mix it in with the shreds and that’s it?

yes you just mix it in the same time

Hello everyone, I'm new here. Hoping to get tutored on how to start a plastic recycling business from the scratch. I'm pretty much a greenhorn but eager and excited to learn. Thanks guys.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

What do you mean by "elongation issues"?

we made a composition out of LDPE PP plastic waste and we added 1 filler content that is carbon black & made test specimens, did some flexural and tensile test in UTM but when doing tensile test elongation issue is coming, it should break not elongate.

Hello my name is Arnold and I have been interested in the work and passion of Dave Hakkens for some time now. A year ago I met people in Kenya who provide help and training to a group of young people in the tourism industry. (Progress Welfare Association) Since I had planned to do something with my possibilities, I offered to see if we could introduce the concept of precious plastic there. I showed them Dave's videos and after talking to the local managers I was told they saw this as a huge opportunity. A: There is a lot of stray plastic B: they see opportunities to sell the tourists souvenirs made from recycled plastic. C: enough people willing to cooperate Okay so far so good. To begin with, I have the necessary thoughts and the associated questions: They are not techies, they work in the tourist industry Is it better to make the machines in parts from the Netherlands and send them to Kenya? Or to manufacture the essential parts in the Netherlands and to have the less complex parts produced locally. Personally I think, if you still have to arrange a transport to Kenya, then it doesn't matter whether it is something more than just the essential parts? If we were to do it here in the Netherlands: we can manufacture all parts ourselves, but for the details I would like to use experienced builders, of course I facilitate everything. Who would be willing and able to help me with this? Mail: arnold@oversluizen.com

Mario CV

Hello I would like to guide me regarding what type of plastic and additives are suitable for making plastic blocks for house construction. The block must obviously have characteristics such as fire, humidity, thermal and acoustic insulation.

Hi, what composition should we try to make paver blocks or cross blocks from HDPE, LDPE, PET & PP waste plastic?

Hi all, stumbled upon the website, seems a great idea! Is it possible to make pipes or some other shapes for light structures, I'm thinking of like a greenhouse? Doesn't have to be pretty but just strong enough? (edited)

Arnold

Hello my name is Arnold and I have been interested in the work and passion of Dave Hakkens for some time now. A year ago I met people in Kenya who provide help and training to a group of young people in the tourism industry. (Progress Welfare Association) Since I had planned to do something with my possibilities, I offered to see if we could introduce the concept of precious plastic there. I showed them Dave's videos and after talking to the local managers I was told they saw this as a huge opportunity. A: There is a lot of stray plastic B: they see opportunities to sell the tourists souvenirs made from recycled plastic. C: enough people willing to cooperate Okay so far so good. To begin with, I have the necessary thoughts and the associated questions: They are not techies, they work in the tourist industry Is it better to make the machines in parts from the Netherlands and send them to Kenya? Or to manufacture the essential parts in the Netherlands and to have the less complex parts produced locally. Personally I think, if you still have to arrange a transport to Kenya, then it doesn't matter whether it is something more than just the essential parts? If we were to do it here in the Netherlands: we can manufacture all parts ourselves, but for the details I would like to use experienced builders, of course I facilitate everything. Who would be willing and able to help me with this? Mail: arnold@oversluizen.com

Hi Arnold. Just brainstorming with you here. What about more technical locals to partner with in Kenya? There have been some amazing technical things come out of Africa so the talent will be there, even if not in your group of tourism folks, then not far off. I haven't looked at the designs that much yet but they seem pretty low tech. Plus, local manufacturing could empower local people quicker. Let me know your thoughts. Edit: PS I hear what you're saying about transport, and that is a good point. A crate of bearings, sheet metal and motors will be a bit more compact to ship, but yes what you're saying does make sense. If you have funds to get the parts, have you made sums if it won't get you more bang for your buck to procure locally? Getting to build in Netherlands will be easier to manage the build, which is probably the counterpoint to what I've said. (edited)

So got my brick to show as I move forward, thanks to @greenbrick for providing them to me.

2:03 PM

1

2:03 PM

I just wanted to see what process I could do to them. (edited)

2:03 PM

2:04 PM

So I took a hand plane to them. I totally love them, Planed or not.

4

Very random question: anyone know much about recycling plastic textiles (polyester fleece, spandex, Lycra, etc)?I’m just looking for basic info for a friend.

pasqualina

Hi everyone, I’m new here and have a question about precious plastics.. not sure if I’m engaging the right group so any suggestions for how to go about this will be v much appreciated! I’m an artist working on large-scale outdoor installations that float at the confluence-points of rivers and waterways. I’m looking to make thousands of thin triangle-shaped tiles, with sides that are anywhere from 20-36 inches and about 1/4” thick - though any of these lengths are totally flexible.. I’m based in western Massachusetts and am looking to connect with someone who is familiar with the precious plastics process.. I am v connected to community and could spearhead a solid plastics collection effort but I’ve got tons of questions regarding the technical aspects of the process.. ideally I’d love to connect with someone local (or local-ish) who’s already set up to do this kind of thing and run some tests to see what’s possible. Also, I have some questions, both about the process and that are specific to my project, so it would be great to connect about those as well. Thank you so much for any info and/or suggestions about how to proceed. I just learned about this yesterday - would really love to continue along this precious plastics line. Long note, thanks for reading!

Hi Pasqualina! I am also in Western Mass. I am not currently involved with precious plastics, but I would like to get involved, potentially through a collection site, and network from there. I'd love to collaborate and work together to make this come to fruition

hello, I am looking for the best way to get the plastic out of the mold nicely and easily. Thx

Are there any moulds for a lighter weight plastic brick designed for children at pre-schools. I'm thinking this kind of thing: https://tgplastics.com/product/large-plastic-building-blocks-for-kids/

Our Large Plastic Building Blocks For Kids provide hours of safe and educational play for your little builders! Easy to assemble.

Has anyone used PET in the Pro Extrusion machineÉ

Dave42W

Are there any moulds for a lighter weight plastic brick designed for children at pre-schools. I'm thinking this kind of thing: https://tgplastics.com/product/large-plastic-building-blocks-for-kids/

The ad says that these are for kids, but i don't see anywhere specified the weight of these. There are two brick how to's in precious plastic for bricks. One being this https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-extruded-plastic-bricks that weighs 1,5 kilo and the other is a smaller one https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-an-interlocking-brick that weighs 300 grams

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

https://github.com/ONEARMY/precious-plastic-starterkit-sheetpress/releases/download/V1.1/starterkit-sheetpress.zip

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

spiros nik

The ad says that these are for kids, but i don't see anywhere specified the weight of these. There are two brick how to's in precious plastic for bricks. One being this https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-extruded-plastic-bricks that weighs 1,5 kilo and the other is a smaller one https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-an-interlocking-brick that weighs 300 grams

Thanks! I'd seen the 1.5kg brick which isn't suitable for 2 to 4 year olds to play with. But I hadn't seen the other, that might be a possibility. Nice curves and could be made even thinner/thinner with a looser fit for this purpose

Hi, long shot but does anyone know of a makerspace in UAE that has machinery for plastic waste e.g. extrusion, compression, sheetpress etc? Or alternatively, somewhere that offers services using these types of machinery.

Does anyone here have any experience with making beads? I've got people asking but they seem to want smaller beads which I'd just simply say no to but I said I'd ask. Any bead makers out there?

Hi everyone. I repair printers for a living and I get plastic printer parts quite regularly to dispose of. I'm very interested in recycling these into something . However the plastic is ABS and POM and Im not sure about the harmfull fumes that may produced. especially since my dad has had a bout with cancer before and I would hate to bring something into the house that would cause it to return. I allready have some of it sorted and ran through a woodchipper. Is there anyone who has worked with ABS or POM and knows about the fumes created, or perhaps could use another source of plastic?

hello, to work with HDPE? Melt temperature = 130 degrees processing temperature 200/260 degrees is this correct ? What is the right temperature to work with HDPE

@De Bartjes For injection moulding about 140*C

1:23 PM

Material tests for product safety Because the lamps are electrical housings, it must be ensured that they comply with the prescribed standards. The first test is the "Glow wire test" (IEC 60695-2-11: 2000) -Glow wire for 30s (550 ° C, 750 ° C) -Does it burn? -If it burns, it must be extinguished within 60s -Only HDPE, started to burn briefly at 750 ° C, went out again after 8s. -Result for Johannplasto: -> PP & HDPE are suitable as electrical housings; components carrying electrical current can even be mounted directly on PP. The second test is the "Ball pressuere test" (IEC 60695-10-2: 2003) -The samples are heated in an oven (1: 75 ° C, 2: 125 ° C) -Test weight with ball point according to the standard on the sample -1 hour test time (sample cools down during this time) -The impression diameter is measured -Result for Johannplasto: -> Diameter at 75 ° C below 2mm: Suitable for electrical housings (HDPE). -> Diameter at 125 ° C below 2mm: even suitable for components carrying electrical current (PP). The third test is the device test according to DIN VDE 0701 -Visual inspection -Measurement of the insulation resistance:> 2MOhm -> Example test lamp in the picture:> 299MOhm

2

1:24 PM

1

1:27 PM

1

1:33 PM

Will upload the full video later on YouTube, ... Does someone else made tests like this, or has results to compare? (edited)

cookingmad

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Are these made with PP or HDPE plastic?

@GoUpcycled HDPE

How much electricity dose the Sheetpress machine use per h?

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

7:44 AM

I have a few questiona for you

@Mory Go for it

7:48 AM

@Charley https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/sheetpress

Hi looking to purchase a bench like this one to use a demo piece to beef up my business plan, if you can do it please let me know and thanks!

11:34 PM

Tried looking in the bazar but don't see any of this specific model

Hello community! We are a hydropower specialist who design and install FISH FRIENDLY micro turbines. www.HallidaysHydropower.com I am seeking advice on how we can move away from fabricating our turbines from raw HDPE and instead move towards recycled polymer with the same mechanical properties as HDPE? Any advice appreciated. (edited)

Vegan Monster

Hi looking to purchase a bench like this one to use a demo piece to beef up my business plan, if you can do it please let me know and thanks!

If i were you, i'd try finding a precious plastic workshop that's near your location and contact them with what you want.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If i were you, i'd try finding a precious plastic workshop that's near your location and contact them with what you want.

I’m in Panamá haha I need it as a demo piece to get financing to start the first one hahah

Hi everyone! My friends and I at the University of Miami in Florida are dedicating our senior capstone design project on creating a high-efficiency combination of the shredder and compressor machines designed by Precious Plastic. We are looking for all the help we can get on resources to start prototyping the machine. If anyone here is in the South Florida area and can help us, please let me know!!

Hi people, we can recicled the ABS+PBT plastic for single molding ???

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

@De Bartjes For injection moulding about 140*C

Thanks for posting the info on the burn test and videos, very interesting! Is the test jig open source?

hi i am madhan from India. I am interested to build the single shaft shredder so can anyone please share me that complete starter kit.

Mirco (CANADA, ON)

Thanks for posting the info on the burn test and videos, very interesting! Is the test jig open source?

No, it’s according to the standard

Who is the manufacturer?

Hello, I am an engineering student who wants to make an extrusion. I have a question about the mechanism. The site describes the temperature control as follows: The first three elements (barrel) should be set at a slightly lower temperature than the last one near the nozzle. This is to make sure the plastic gets a last boost of heat right before it comes out. I have a few questions here. 1. Does this temperature control have to set the temperature of each band heater differently? 2. Why should the temperature of the last nozzle be higher? Doesn't the plastic come out solidified only when the temperature of the last nozzle is lower than the first three elements? 3. Like the extrusion video on the site, can I set the temperature as above to extract the plastic from the nozzle at the end? What is the principle? Doesn't I need a separate cooling system?

I don't have an extrusion machine, but from what i have read, the settings on it, may depend on the appliance you will be doing. I ve seen that at some occasions people set slightly differently the temperatures, so you will have to experiment yourself a bit as well...

Artificial ice is made with polyethylene plastic. The sheets are 3/4 inch thick. Some are self lubricating and others need a silicone spray administered after it’s cleaned with a rug doctor once a week then sprayed with silicone. What is self lubricating plastic? Is it possible to make sheets of this?

i need to buy a plan to make a Pro shredder. Could you find out how to.

11:56 PM

or to buy parts from a dealer please.

Hello, can I ask how long does the product withstand liquid?

Hi PP Community, here are some of the sheets that we've been doing. Would love to know what simple ways of bending them have been tested out there! Love from Argentina ❤️

️

5

2

Hey Guys I am from Mumbai, India and looking to set up a workspace of Precious Plastic under Enroot foundation So Can I get more information on the types of Shredders ?

hey guys, just want to know, how do you make a plastic vase??

5:50 PM

"@" me!!

Living in Hawaii, I see a lot of cheap foam surfboards and boogie boards that wind up in the landfill. I’ve decided to make use of these boards, possibly by making coolers. Currently, I am gathering old boards to work with, and am considering making molds for plastic handles, possibly hinges and latches. I’d love to have some other precious plastic operations to collaborate with!

@Abe maybe you could use the map to find ongoing workspaces in Hawaii and contact them directly?

(edited)

Hi everyone! I am looking at building either the basic extruder or the extruder pro. I saw that the basic extruder is only recommended to run for 4 hours. Do you know what creates this limitation? I would think that if the motor were rated for continuous use the rest of the design would hold up as well.

Phillip

Hi everyone! I am looking at building either the basic extruder or the extruder pro. I saw that the basic extruder is only recommended to run for 4 hours. Do you know what creates this limitation? I would think that if the motor were rated for continuous use the rest of the design would hold up as well.

probably it could run for more. I ve just heard from users saying that it needs quite some maintenance

Hi everyone! I'm totally new to the injection molding and precious plastics space. But i'm looking to mold some sleeves for a limited run of LPs. Can anyone advice me on where to find a producer, someone to make the actual molds? I'm situated in Norway, but anywhere is interesting, i guess. Thank you kindly! (edited)

Re-posting this in plastic-chat, cos I don't think I put the question in the right place...We're engaging in am upcycling project, and we've identified problems with accessing clean waste. Are there any machines/blueprints out there for cleaning? It's a low resource community, so it needs to be clever...

Never mind - committed the cardinal sin of posting before checking every corner of the website. Found the plastic washer....I'll be back!

Hello everyone, how do you filter the fumes from the plastic? What machines do you use for it? Would be awesome to see some pictures of installations. Thank you very much

Artolomeus

Hello everyone, how do you filter the fumes from the plastic? What machines do you use for it? Would be awesome to see some pictures of installations. Thank you very much

see at precious plastic academy. there is a section for fumes filtering

i was wondering about how much microplastic can be expected to be produced during the shredding process. we wash after shredding so we don't want our wastewater to contain high levels of microplastics

Hey guys anyone here has experience building brick structures with the precious plastic brick model that would care to talk so I can get some insight? Thanks in advance!

Hi guys

11:59 PM

My name is Patagon ...from Chile ....in the south of the country ...

12:02 AM

Im intrested in the plastic world and im new in this area , but i wanna learn ......my inglish in not very good

Hi Guys , I produce a mixed plastic chip. But Need to find a home for it to be recycled. Anyone help?

7:45 PM

Can mixxed plastic be recycled?

well i think they all have different melting points so you might burn it!! i'm not realy sure

Willydev

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Do you have a specific reason to "mix" different kind of plastics? I would assume to most recyclers prefer "separated by type but not yet chipped" plastic than the contrary. It's really hard to sort plastic like that (you must sort it, you can't just "recycle" it, in most cases), but maybe you have some reason to do it in the first place, like you can't sort them or they're already in that state? (edited)

spiros nik

Can mixxed plastic be recycled?

If you're mixing different types of plastics together to produce a product, i suppose you could say it's recyclable so long as it melts and doesn't degrade or have other issues. I think in this situation, if it's intentional to mix the plastics, you'd be making some sort of composite material and should list what it is on your product so it could be recycled effectively down the road.

Felix Lachner ;)

well i think they all have different melting points so you might burn it!! i'm not realy sure

Just need enough of the stuff with lower melting point, no need to try and melt everything. I mean, you can mix sand in with plastic and melt it and produce a product. Not saying it's going to be a good product but it's doable. (edited)

.emilia.

i was wondering about how much microplastic can be expected to be produced during the shredding process. we wash after shredding so we don't want our wastewater to contain high levels of microplastics

How much? Depends on how you wash things. The whole point of washing is to remove dirt, grime, and non-plastic crud. But, plastic will ultimately go wherever the water flows. You'll need a system to filter out your waste water. It could be a system of various strainers of different sizes or something more significant. I like using fried oil strainers since they're so common where i live.

Hi guys, Trying to find sheetpress system blueprints (there is no system blueprints in the download kit), Is it possible to download it and where can I find the link, Thanks

prostorrrusik

Hi guys, Trying to find sheetpress system blueprints (there is no system blueprints in the download kit), Is it possible to download it and where can I find the link, Thanks

7:25 AM

found on https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

https://github.com/ONEARMY/precious-plastic-starterkit-sheetpress/releases/download/V1.1/starterkit-sheetpress.zip

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

heyyy hello- anyone recycling camera film parts? i think the cylinder shaped cases look totally HDPE and recyclable, but what about developed film itself and the thing that holds the rolled film? i appreciate your help already! ps it is my first time using discord i'm a bit confused. sorry if my question doesn't belong here.

does anyone know if there is a market for selling collected plastic? I'm looking to create a collection point and then sell that material to other people in the precious plastics community that have machines? Is this something that can be done or is done now? Just testing the waters. Thanks

🌖

heyyy hello- anyone recycling camera film parts? i think the cylinder shaped cases look totally HDPE and recyclable, but what about developed film itself and the thing that holds the rolled film? i appreciate your help already! ps it is my first time using discord i'm a bit confused. sorry if my question doesn't belong here.

Developed film? Ah, that's going to be Cellulose Acetate and PET. Im optimistic and will tell you that anything can be recycled. But, the problem is the time it would take for it do be done properly and economically. As for the other parts? the cylinder cases are HDPE, lids are LDPE.

Ezz49

does anyone know if there is a market for selling collected plastic? I'm looking to create a collection point and then sell that material to other people in the precious plastics community that have machines? Is this something that can be done or is done now? Just testing the waters. Thanks

This depends on where you're located. In Indonesia, you can run your own recycling center and focus on sorting and selling plastic that is not shredded. If you shred it, you'll get more income per kg. If your focus is only on precious plastic workshops, then you're limiting yourself. For me there's very few workshops around and it wouldnt make sense for me to ship plastic long distances when it should be locally sourced. So you need to reach out to the workshops in your area to get a feel for what they'd pay you and also try finding some sort of recycling association that you might be able to sell your plastics to if you end up amassing too much plastic with nowhere to put it.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Developed film? Ah, that's going to be Cellulose Acetate and PET. Im optimistic and will tell you that anything can be recycled. But, the problem is the time it would take for it do be done properly and economically. As for the other parts? the cylinder cases are HDPE, lids are LDPE.

thanks for answering my question i'll look into those things..!

hello la team , j'aimerais me lancer dans le recyclage plastique quelq'un sait ou je peux me renseigner sur le démarrage ? par ou commencer ? achat de matériels etc

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Appreciate

2

Hello, I am doing some tests, please, could someone help me or give me a recommendation, because when I remove the plastic from its mold, I get a deformation on the faces of the unmoulded plastic, thank you

What is the best kind of shredder for shredding laser cut acrylic scrap? I'm leaning towards the pro, but I'd like to hear more information if anyone has experience shredding acrylic.

Indernatur9000

What is the best kind of shredder for shredding laser cut acrylic scrap? I'm leaning towards the pro, but I'd like to hear more information if anyone has experience shredding acrylic.

The Shredder Pro would be the best in my opinion because acrylic is much harder as a material compared to plastic bottles so the dual axis teeth’s will help to give you a better grip on it and shred the acrylic with ease

3:31 AM

I have a lot of acrylic & polycarbonate waste in my factory too which we give to a recycling company!! I decided to develop the Basic shredder since I am just fresh out of college so wanted to learn from basic before I move up to the pro!! But I would definitely recommend the Shredder Pro for acrylic

Hi, I volunteer for engineers without borders and we're considering using precious plastic machines to recycle plastic waste collected into waste bins to place around the city. How would we go around getting started?Are there blue prints or similar for a waste bin? Thanks

Hello guys!, I am looking for a good Online course about recycling and recolection plastic. Any high Quality Course that could you guys recommend me please?

Hi every one ! Are there any french here ?

Hey guys - Simone from Reading, Berkshire- UK here. We just built this hydroponics unit publishing open source in a few days (just writing up documentation). We are looking for people to collborate on a project to help us make beams + twin slot (ish) structure for it. Please do get in touch if you're around the area

fw1520@ic.ac.uk - ICL students (edited)

3

2

@Deleted User There is a discord francophone: https://discord.gg/Qa3wTrn

Invite to join a server

Precious Plastic Francophone

accueil

@sonik merci

Anyone know the exact shredding chamber dimensions of 2.1 shredder version? All i can see on pages on preciousplastic are full dimensions with engine and table

Anna Varling

Hi, I volunteer for engineers without borders and we're considering using precious plastic machines to recycle plastic waste collected into waste bins to place around the city. How would we go around getting started?Are there blue prints or similar for a waste bin? Thanks

You can check out this video of a company in Vietnam called Reform that presses mixed waste into various sized sheets. They have made furniture and waste bins from their recycled sheets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITgHH81zoTI&t=315s. You can also look for Tetra Pak recyclers around you and see if they make boards which you could buy. In my experience, recycled TetraPak boards make a durable and strong material suitable for making bins.

Dưa Leo

1 cty TÁI CHẾ RÁC thành TỦ BÀN GHẾ ở Hội An [ReviewNe]

Bonjour, J'imagine que c'est une question basique mais mélangez-vous les plastiques HDPE et LEPE? et avec le PP? (en paillettes broyées)

simonesuresh

Hey guys - Simone from Reading, Berkshire- UK here. We just built this hydroponics unit publishing open source in a few days (just writing up documentation). We are looking for people to collborate on a project to help us make beams + twin slot (ish) structure for it. Please do get in touch if you're around the area

fw1520@ic.ac.uk - ICL students (edited)

maybe ask in the PP UK discord? https://discord.gg/rkgDmpXe

PlasticAtBay_Julien_NScotland

maybe ask in the PP UK discord? https://discord.gg/rkgDmpXe

nice will do thanks Julien

Anna Varling

Hi, I volunteer for engineers without borders and we're considering using precious plastic machines to recycle plastic waste collected into waste bins to place around the city. How would we go around getting started?Are there blue prints or similar for a waste bin? Thanks

Here is a special link to get started on a machine shop. However you can also check the above links for the different machines you want to try building and any of them could help get you started.

https://preciousplastic.com/starterkits/showcase/machine-shop.html (edited)

Start a Machine Shop to Build Recycling Machines

Learn how to set up a space, build machines, make and sell parts and help fix the plastic waste problem.

hey friends, I'm brainstorming about how to use hdpe plastic for making hair claw clips. I could potentially get a mold made of the exterior wings but would there be a way to secure it to a metal claw clip base? Pic to show a little what I'm talking about:

misstambourine

hey friends, I'm brainstorming about how to use hdpe plastic for making hair claw clips. I could potentially get a mold made of the exterior wings but would there be a way to secure it to a metal claw clip base? Pic to show a little what I'm talking about:

Interesting choice! The closest I could think of to a design that is somewhat similar to the hair clip, is a Piranna Clamp, but instead making the design to be a bit wider depending on the unique use if you want to make a claw clip without a metal coil. I would think the "teeth" could be made in plastic too. Here is the mould of the Piranna Clamp.

https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/moulds/injection-moulds/piranna-clamp-moulds/

Piranna Clamp Moulds

1

Good morning. Has anyone in America made an extruder machine in the last year

@simonesuresh Zero.Plastics.Australia would love to help you further with this as this is a dream of ours!

Does someone know if the Shredder Pro can easily shred PET?

cami lambert

Does someone know if the Shredder Pro can easily shred PET?

The Pro definitely has an easier time with other plastics, but we've tested clam shell packaging, bottles, etc and it can. Just need to watch for thin material getting stuck between blades in operation. Watching any accelerated wear on the blades would be something to watch for long term.

1

kinda cross posting from #archived-showcase since this gets technical

EPS foam is usable, but it has no natural plasticizer and shatters, to avoid that you must mix it with some other PS containing a plasticizer, in a 50-50 ratio.

3

Hey guys, can we talk about this idea i have, i think im not the only one, i saw Plasticoin is a platform baded on blockchain for Backing the recycling chain, i would love to see our own ppcoin rise and soar, we could make a big impact, im creating my own cryptocurrency with some help from my community, i wish i can find more collaboration and we can start this journey togheter this summer, this new coin is in development right now, i wilñ make it happen i hope we all share the same views, feel free to message me, and please put me in contact with dave hakkens if is not too impossibile at this point

unfortunately blockchain and crypto tech is awful for the environment :(

Yeah they do.....so much energy required to mine one coin.

looking through the history, there is a one army coin already

5:25 PM

tho I’d refuse to use personally

if anything I’d rather make stamped HDPE coins or bills or something

Hey humans, I am really struggling using pp (5) plastic in my injection machine, it just seems to stay to hard or no matter the temp just not flow as well. Any tips or hints when using pp plastic in an injection machine? The normal temp i use is 170-180

Zero Plastics Australia

Hey humans, I am really struggling using pp (5) plastic in my injection machine, it just seems to stay to hard or no matter the temp just not flow as well. Any tips or hints when using pp plastic in an injection machine? The normal temp i use is 170-180

I think you want a much higher temp, probably starting to get the results you want at 220-260C

I'm curious if anyone knows about how much shredded plastic goes for per pound?

I like to rely on the density of the plastic as a good estimate

Angus17

I'm curious if anyone knows about how much shredded plastic goes for per pound?

Dirty shred or clean shred? What I've seen recently is about $4/pound if you buy in small quantities of clean stuff, but by the ton (dirty shred), it's pennies per pound (plus freight). Something tells me I'll be building a materials sorting facility to get the levels I'm looking for.

Hey, 6 months ago a large plastic manufacturing plant caught fire in Texas. US, and our Mother Nature hit that area with a cold spell so bad that the resin (monomer collector) industry almost fell to the weigh side... Was that a coincidence or did we underestimate the Her true power? (edited)

@CitSciWorkshop thank you I will give this a try

Hi everyone ! Have you already heard about this european project ? https://www.plasticityproject.eu

Home, PlastiCityProject

CitSciWorkshop

I think you want a much higher temp, probably starting to get the results you want at 220-260C

Hello, I'm trying to send a private message to you but I can't

Paulina

Hello, I'm trying to send a private message to you but I can't

Hi Paulina, I've sent you a friend invite. I think that will help.

hi doze enyone have a bluprint of a small extruder and shrede for starting reciceling plastic for my school

check preciousplastic.com

spiros nik

check preciousplastic.com

i did but they are a bit to big and costly i need some machins that are smaller

Currently building a shredder with a few peers for our college makerspace. Trying to figure out if anyone has shredded (with success) bits of pressed acrylic sheets. It's a type 7, and we are only working on a shredder right now, so in theory I think it would be okay? Let me know if you have tried to shred acrylic OR if you have any reasons you think it would not work. Thanks!

https://instagram.com/stories/ecothon2021/2528632388599581136?igshid=1orzexufelk7n

6:02 PM

Check out ecothon2021 at ecothon.org and share with any teenagers that can benefit from participating in this event.

Not sure if this the the right place to post but found this old fisher price play set in the trash near my house and want to save for my shredder (in process of building) any idea what kind it is? There are no markings. HDPE? (edited)

itsgeorge

Not sure if this the the right place to post but found this old fisher price play set in the trash near my house and want to save for my shredder (in process of building) any idea what kind it is? There are no markings. HDPE? (edited)

I know for certain there are at least types of plastic that make those toys. Be aware of some pieces being thermoset (hard, difficult to melt) plastics. (edited)

Hey - does anyone know if using a heat press (similar to T-shirt press) would be able to produce plastic sheets of 10mm thickness?

Kia ora from a start-up PP workshop in New Zealand. Our workspace has been collecting and experimenting mostly with #5 polyprop - there's a lot of this available from single use food containers locally, and it has been going to landfill because we had no #5 recycling. BUT, the food containers are mostly white or clear... with printed labels the end colour is boring as, not great from a public engagement/ marketing perspective. I'm keen to hear suggestions/ experience of others for adding colour. I don't want to mix plastics if possible (#2 lids seem the obvious source of colour), & have thought about buying pigment but didn't progress that idea beyond looking briefly online (I found large industrial suppliers but I don't have the knowledge about what to buy even if they do small orders). Mā te wā , Cath

Hey everyone. I need help with this mission. These PP bags are going to the landfill

Any ideas or suggestions? I baled and reduced them. Ideas for shredding, melting or any reuse will be great...? So I have done some digging (around the internet) Is there anyone who has worked with textile machines? This 'plastic fabric' is good for melting once separated? (edited)

MystroPolymeric

I know for certain there are at least types of plastic that make those toys. Be aware of some pieces being thermoset (hard, difficult to melt) plastics. (edited)

got it thanks

CathdM

Kia ora from a start-up PP workshop in New Zealand. Our workspace has been collecting and experimenting mostly with #5 polyprop - there's a lot of this available from single use food containers locally, and it has been going to landfill because we had no #5 recycling. BUT, the food containers are mostly white or clear... with printed labels the end colour is boring as, not great from a public engagement/ marketing perspective. I'm keen to hear suggestions/ experience of others for adding colour. I don't want to mix plastics if possible (#2 lids seem the obvious source of colour), & have thought about buying pigment but didn't progress that idea beyond looking briefly online (I found large industrial suppliers but I don't have the knowledge about what to buy even if they do small orders). Mā te wā , Cath

You could maybe try to see if there are any companies that have PP plastic waste and see if they're willing to give it to you. That way you are recycling "trash", and have a good resource of whatever colors they might have.

1

mikeymikes.

Hey - does anyone know if using a heat press (similar to T-shirt press) would be able to produce plastic sheets of 10mm thickness?

Brothers Make recently published a video on their channel pressing 0.5 mm sheets for guitar picks, I'm not sure about 10mm but I would try DMing them on Instagram they usually answer quickly, although be aware of time zones...

1

12:36 AM

Let me know if you want me to link their Instagram or that specific video

(please @ me if you do!) (edited)

How does PS do in an injector machine?

5:07 AM

is it a mold killer or does it work ok

Angus17

I'm curious if anyone knows about how much shredded plastic goes for per pound?

For Indonesia, shredded HDPE from collection/shredding facilities tend to be: 1kg = Rp15.000 ($1.04usd) 1lb = Rp6.825 ($0.47usd)

itsgeorge

Not sure if this the the right place to post but found this old fisher price play set in the trash near my house and want to save for my shredder (in process of building) any idea what kind it is? There are no markings. HDPE? (edited)

Good guess, those toys tend to be blown HDPE. Between plastic bottlecaps and blown HDPE, i've noticed they have different characteristics, like the blown stuff won't melt down flat on its own and it seemed to be really thick when i ran it through my extrusion machine.

1

killer203040

hi doze enyone have a bluprint of a small extruder and shrede for starting reciceling plastic for my school

Even if you downsize the shredder box and use a smaller electric motor, your price isn't going to come down as much as you might like. You might need an alternative shredding solution or try to find additional funding for building the machine.

We're looking at options for our next machine, at present we can make flat sheets of plastic, and thinking about a laser cutter. Has anyone used a snapmaker 2.0 for cutting plastic? Any reviews from users would be very welcome.

I v e been wondering if melting and processing food grade plastic, gives you also food grade products. It could be that the material is also kind of sterilized by the process or that more contaminants arise out of the diy process. Any ideas?

spiros nik

I v e been wondering if melting and processing food grade plastic, gives you also food grade products. It could be that the material is also kind of sterilized by the process or that more contaminants arise out of the diy process. Any ideas?

There must be some possibility to make plastic food-safe again because I saw a Coke advert last week that said their bottles are now 100% recycled. Made me curious... we have #1 recycling at Flight Plastics in NZ, they make muffin cases, tomato punnets and similar, but every item them make from recycled plastic has a film of virgin overlaid, presumably to make it safe enough for food contact.

If there's no contamination in the material it should remain food-grade. I did see some sweet type and color sorting optical machines on alibaba yesterday.

mikeymikes.

Hey - does anyone know if using a heat press (similar to T-shirt press) would be able to produce plastic sheets of 10mm thickness?

there are a couple of ways you could do it. The technique I have used to create 7mm thick plastic is to press the plastic in a metal mold. you can see the process I used in this video https://youtu.be/tozjozraKAY (about 2 1/2 mins in). The other process is to melt the plastic in the press and then press it into shape. An example of that process can be seen on a video by Brothers Make here https://youtu.be/LL3gh-WrTew

MrSimmoM

Making a ring from recycled plastic

DIY Recycled Plastic Stool - Furniture made from HDPE!

1

CathdM

We're looking at options for our next machine, at present we can make flat sheets of plastic, and thinking about a laser cutter. Has anyone used a snapmaker 2.0 for cutting plastic? Any reviews from users would be very welcome.

I tried using a 50watt laser cutter on 3mm sheets of hdpe and it melted too much. I know Precious Plastics Perth were successfully using a laser cutter but they were using one that was over 100 watts

1

I'm new here. My husband worked in industrial plastic extrusion, blow molding, and structural foam manufacturing plants. We are now interested in starting our own small scale set-up. But I'm having to do a lot of the sourcing and I don't have a clue. Where do I find the shredder blades? I can't find anyplace on the @Precious Plastic website to purchase parts or kits. TIA for your help!

Upcycler_Simon

there are a couple of ways you could do it. The technique I have used to create 7mm thick plastic is to press the plastic in a metal mold. you can see the process I used in this video https://youtu.be/tozjozraKAY (about 2 1/2 mins in). The other process is to melt the plastic in the press and then press it into shape. An example of that process can be seen on a video by Brothers Make here https://youtu.be/LL3gh-WrTew

wow this is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!! so is the machine you use for heating the T-shirt heat press - you don't put the mold in an oven first? I thought since T-shirt presses only applied heat from one side it wouldn't be enough to fully melt the plastic! What temperature settings do you use? Also where did you source the mold? Or did you make the CAD files and send them to a laser cutter?

mikeymikes.

wow this is exactly what I was looking for, thank you!! so is the machine you use for heating the T-shirt heat press - you don't put the mold in an oven first? I thought since T-shirt presses only applied heat from one side it wouldn't be enough to fully melt the plastic! What temperature settings do you use? Also where did you source the mold? Or did you make the CAD files and send them to a laser cutter?

I set the temperature to around 330 Fahrenheit which is around 165 Celsius, heat one side for about 10 mins then flip it and heat the other side for about the same. As for the molds, I made them myself. I got pressed metal plates, welded them together and cut to middle out to get the cavity. I then cut and welded other plates to size for the other part of the mold. it was difficult getting the plastic out because it sometimes got caught in the gap where the plates met. I am in the process of creating new molds with aluminium where I use a cnc to mill out the pockets etc

Upcycler_Simon

I set the temperature to around 330 Fahrenheit which is around 165 Celsius, heat one side for about 10 mins then flip it and heat the other side for about the same. As for the molds, I made them myself. I got pressed metal plates, welded them together and cut to middle out to get the cavity. I then cut and welded other plates to size for the other part of the mold. it was difficult getting the plastic out because it sometimes got caught in the gap where the plates met. I am in the process of creating new molds with aluminium where I use a cnc to mill out the pockets etc

Thanks for that info, that + your video have been very helpful - I'm literally testing a mini mold out of aluminium with the CNC as we speak, gonna test it to see if there are any problems and then make a full size one

mikeymikes.

Thanks for that info, that + your video have been very helpful - I'm literally testing a mini mold out of aluminium with the CNC as we speak, gonna test it to see if there are any problems and then make a full size one

Let me know how it goes

Upcycler_Simon

Let me know how it goes

Will do!

You might have trouble to crush big and long pieces, but it's ok for trying things and get started

@Deleted User tried that when starting out. Would not recommend. It didn't work well and burns the blender out very fast

Janet

I'm new here. My husband worked in industrial plastic extrusion, blow molding, and structural foam manufacturing plants. We are now interested in starting our own small scale set-up. But I'm having to do a lot of the sourcing and I don't have a clue. Where do I find the shredder blades? I can't find anyplace on the @Precious Plastic website to purchase parts or kits. TIA for your help!

What country are you in?? i have a waterjet cutter that would do very well cutting blade sets. I have thought about cutting sets and selling them online. but the shipping could be a killer

Hi. I am writing regarding deposit return system. In 2022 it will work also in my country (Latvia). I want to ask if it can possibly bring some negative impact on this kind of business. Or it’s completely opposite - deposit system will rise awareness and interest in the subject? Your thoughts? (edited)

Upcycler_Simon

Let me know how it goes

this is the mini mold I've made to test before scaling up, yet to test though as I don't have a heat source as of yet!

2

1

@Deleted User depending on what you doing yes you can just let melt

I'm looking at shredders and granulators and I'm curious what HP and types of shredders people are using to regrind their plastic sheets? My sheetpress is 4' x 4' ! I'll be working with HDPE, PC, and Acrylic.

Hello everyone I am wondering whether it is safe to recycle plastic that was retrieved from waterways into plates and bowls from which then will be eaten? The plastic will be washed before but not sterilized. Do I need to add anything to make it safe? Thank you!

Hello. Has anyone tried or had any luck using thermoset powder coat paint waste? Would love to be able to extrude it into usable plastic lumber. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

@Chiara I think that depends on the legislation in your country. You probably need to get a certifying organism to be involved.

sonik

@Chiara I think that depends on the legislation in your country. You probably need to get a certifying organism to be involved.

thank you!

Janet

I'm new here. My husband worked in industrial plastic extrusion, blow molding, and structural foam manufacturing plants. We are now interested in starting our own small scale set-up. But I'm having to do a lot of the sourcing and I don't have a clue. Where do I find the shredder blades? I can't find anyplace on the @Precious Plastic website to purchase parts or kits. TIA for your help!

Anyone have any ideas where I can start?

Hi everybody, I have recycling small plant and want to make the garden bench l. Any suggestion on what us the best mix of the different types of plastics I should use? I am thinking of LDPE and HDPE. Also, do I need to add PP? Anything else? What mix ratios? Please advise.

Recycled plastic bricks in Kenya: https://atlasofthefuture.org/project/gjenge-makers/

Recycled plastic bricks stronger than concrete | Atlas of the future

A Kenyan entrepreneur take discarded plastic and turn it into bricks, tested to hold twice the weight threshold of the concrete blocks.

Hello everybody. In country have a big problem with automotive plastic. Is someone trying to shreding and molding i want to comunicate with him

I can have a lot of plastic (PP T10, PPT20, PP TV20 and many others from cars), almost all people they trow to unregulated landfild. If someone tryed to shreding and molding this type of plastic is have any specific from temperature or molding. Please to give me a advice. And if have some forms from them, what is theyre durability and is they have side efect aftrer molding - chemically or physically? Thanks in advance .

mineatdiscord

Hi everybody, I have recycling small plant and want to make the garden bench l. Any suggestion on what us the best mix of the different types of plastics I should use? I am thinking of LDPE and HDPE. Also, do I need to add PP? Anything else? What mix ratios? Please advise.

it s not suggested to mix different types of plastics together. They melt at different temperatures and you would also stop their recyclability by doing this. Stick to one type per product and try to mark their type on them, for people to be bale to easily identify in the future.

Hi i wonder if anybody is doing crypto plastic combo

3:49 PM

Lets share ideas

3:49 PM

I have some bussines plan i would like to share

3:50 PM

Maybe we can all have the dedicated preciousplasticcoin or ppcoin working before September and use it as a tool and common ground for our plastic dreams

3:50 PM

Hahaha

crypto is baaaad

1

4:59 PM

it uses so much energy, so unless you can figure out how to hook it up to massive solar farm, I’d advise against that (edited)

1

Hi. I have a question regarding safety. Do I need use activated carbon filter and 3M mask when melting HDPE too? (edited)

Someone with automobile plastics?

Platacis

Hi. I have a question regarding safety. Do I need use activated carbon filter and 3M mask when melting HDPE too? (edited)

HDPE is the safest but it’s always a good idea to have a mask anyway

1

@titosk8ordie im keen to invest

Rai

it uses so much energy, so unless you can figure out how to hook it up to massive solar farm, I’d advise against that (edited)

I do have a solar company willing to back me up in my island, investors welcome now cause im literally at the start, i have the development covered, please contact me if you have any questions on how to jump on board

10:39 AM

@jakeyeah. jake lets talk

10:45 AM

Im not the first thinking about this, plasticbank, plasticoin, ecodocta, greencoin, recyclechain and many more platforms already do, plus I think i solved the energy problem, Spain where i live has a free market for energy companies, this one i work with is called univergy solar, and they can cover the investment for the solar farms,they use israel tech and that allows the user to sell energy back to the govt when not using, reducing the consumption of enerfy from the grid, i can hook up 45kw/h and sell the rest i dont use during night or so to the grid, my plan is to hook up my whole town, municipality, island and then province to this solar farms wich we also gonna use to do the plastic recycling and the crypto, my crypto is different, u only get it if u recycle the residues, so therefore a real word action must be done not so much a computer calculation, miners will get their money from the tranfers not feom the actual mining wich is gonna be the recycle action in te real world

10:47 AM

If we combine several platforms togheter we can make a massive change on how we do things, be able to reach more people, clean up the planet and become the first group of millions of people to become really really rich all at once

10:47 AM

Why that?

10:48 AM

Well 9billion tons of plastic

10:50 AM

Give a value to every kg, then we claim that value digitally and dont gihe back to private, govt, companies and factory that uses plastic till they either buy in the project or recycle their plastics for real, we aim to give a full track of all the plastic residues onve it pases thru one of the recycling points, we will be able to know where all the 9billion tons of plastics are once we recycled them once at least

10:51 AM

Knowing exactly where that bottle that is laying on the beach came from opens the door for real consequences for littering and for positive incentives like money for your garbage kinda deals

dont create a token on Eth. Have a token on Tron network or BSC , much less transaction fees/gas and whole whole networks uses less power.... Eth is a big power/cost burner (edited)

9000000000000 Kilos is a lot of cash at 0.15 €

jakeyeah.

dont create a token on Eth. Have a token on Tron network or BSC , much less transaction fees/gas and whole whole networks uses less power.... Eth is a big power/cost burner (edited)

Yeah mybguy told me the same, we are making the most simple we can

jakeyeah.

dont create a token on Eth. Have a token on Tron network or BSC , much less transaction fees/gas and whole whole networks uses less power.... Eth is a big power/cost burner (edited)

Im lucky enough to have some top notch tech support

ok that sounds like a good plan

I was planning on doing something similar but in a smaller scale (small discount on products for people who donate plastic)

Rai

I was planning on doing something similar but in a smaller scale (small discount on products for people who donate plastic)

Check plasticoin.com.uy and plasticbank then

4:03 PM

Or ecodocts

can I ensure those places use renewable energy for transactions?

Thats what they aiming is all really new, but my project is different

4:11 PM

Is a local thing that can bebcopied almos anywhere or everywhere with small tweaks

4:11 PM

I need all kinds if help opinions povs and maybe funding if ita going slow this month

The currency part of crypto is a distraction. Blockchain without any currency associated could be the ledger that actually could make the world a "far" place for all. A world beyond currency that still had some aspects of ownership involved. Example, I believe people should own their land, flat, apartment, or what ever they live in. Pride in ownership I think is important. (edited)

Hey everyone! My name is Dominic and I'm with North Carolina State University. A few of my peers and I are looking to pitch a program based around the precious plastic machines to the University and we are interested in contacting with someone with an established workspace whom we can ask a few questions. Our pitch is largely based around sustainability in and out of the campus community so if that was a major factor in establishing your workspace we would really love to speak with you. Feel free to message me whenever you get the chance I will get back to you as soon as possible! Thank you in advance!

Dom-

Hey everyone! My name is Dominic and I'm with North Carolina State University. A few of my peers and I are looking to pitch a program based around the precious plastic machines to the University and we are interested in contacting with someone with an established workspace whom we can ask a few questions. Our pitch is largely based around sustainability in and out of the campus community so if that was a major factor in establishing your workspace we would really love to speak with you. Feel free to message me whenever you get the chance I will get back to you as soon as possible! Thank you in advance!

Can I suggest you explore a method that uses all types of plastic unwashed. If you mix in sand & keep out the oxygen out you can make a real useful brick.

GudasWorld

The currency part of crypto is a distraction. Blockchain without any currency associated could be the ledger that actually could make the world a "far" place for all. A world beyond currency that still had some aspects of ownership involved. Example, I believe people should own their land, flat, apartment, or what ever they live in. Pride in ownership I think is important. (edited)

Im amiming to make it focus on tracking the plastic rather than the pure token value

GudasWorld

Can I suggest you explore a method that uses all types of plastic unwashed. If you mix in sand & keep out the oxygen out you can make a real useful brick.

You think much pressure is needed?

Hey Anyone mention me some of the uses of melted plastic block

titosk8ordie

Im amiming to make it focus on tracking the plastic rather than the pure token value

Virgin or recycled ?

titosk8ordie

You think much pressure is needed?

Yes it takes pressure but I am not sure how much. My guess is more is better. I've never seen this method in a English speaking video.

4:17 PM

I'd like to see One Army make one of these designed for off grid plastic recycling.

4:17 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFuTCpCVSbM

The Gipsy Journey

THIS SELF SUFFICIENT FAMILY MAKES THEIR OWN FUEL FROM PLASTIC!

1

4:17 PM

Powering off grid plastic recycling with plastic?

4:20 PM

Does One Army work with the https://www.youtube.com/user/TheOceanCleanup

The Ocean Cleanup

The Ocean Cleanup develops advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. Through means of a passive fleet of systems in the ocean gyres, The Ocean Cleanup aims to clean up what is already polluting our oceans and, with their latest technology, the Interceptor, to stop riverine plastic on its way to the ocean. The extracted ocean ...

Hey, does anyone know much about adding pigment/colour to plastic? Trying to press into sheets, but only have mostly clear or white plastic to work with

1

@mikeymikes. a lot of times you buy colored plastic and melt it and mix it in with the other plastic. i never done it but thats what they do when creating colors of plastic for 3d printing

1

My brother and me almost finish shredder pro, and we will continue with extruder. We have more than 2 tons plastic (PP, HDPE, Pet bottles and automabile plastics). In Bulgaria everyone make plastic details with PP. If someone trying to shredder and molding from Pet bottles and automobile plastics, please write. I sure we will shredding automobile and pet, but ... Whats happen wen we trying to molding them. Please write advices

mikeymikes.

Hey - does anyone know if using a heat press (similar to T-shirt press) would be able to produce plastic sheets of 10mm thickness?

Hey @mikeymikes, I'm currently a student in Fabacademy Barcelona. One of my projects is to make an open source, low budget heat press. The original idea was to make plastic fabric by fusioning plastic bags together with it. Looking at the brothers make video I think this is doable, I'll test and keep you up to date if you like @Liri

Chiara

Hello everyone I am wondering whether it is safe to recycle plastic that was retrieved from waterways into plates and bowls from which then will be eaten? The plastic will be washed before but not sterilized. Do I need to add anything to make it safe? Thank you!

From what I have read it all depends on whether the original recycled plastic was fit for food. I imagine the heat would sterilize the plastic, you would be more worried about chemical leaching if the plastic was not originally designed for food.

Hey All, there is a new channel focused on the development of washing plastic. Any input from you all would be amazing

#archived-washing

1

Beginner's Tech

@mikeymikes. a lot of times you buy colored plastic and melt it and mix it in with the other plastic. i never done it but thats what they do when creating colors of plastic for 3d printing

thanks for that I'll give it a go!

znelog

Hey @mikeymikes, I'm currently a student in Fabacademy Barcelona. One of my projects is to make an open source, low budget heat press. The original idea was to make plastic fabric by fusioning plastic bags together with it. Looking at the brothers make video I think this is doable, I'll test and keep you up to date if you like @Liri

that sounds like a cool project! I borrowed a heat press to test it out on and made a tiny tiny sheet - so can confirm it does work, the sheet is definitely stronger on one side than the other and I guess thats because heat presses only apply heat on one side. Definitely keep me updated

2

mikeymikes.

that sounds like a cool project! I borrowed a heat press to test it out on and made a tiny tiny sheet - so can confirm it does work, the sheet is definitely stronger on one side than the other and I guess thats because heat presses only apply heat on one side. Definitely keep me updated

This is cool, you used just a standard heatpress and a mold and plastic bags for this?

yeah just a standard heatpress, and the plastic was the scrap chips from milling something out of a HDPE sheet

2:53 PM

so would be the same as shredded bottle caps i guess but a bit finer shredded

mikeymikes.

yeah just a standard heatpress, and the plastic was the scrap chips from milling something out of a HDPE sheet

What where you milling? It i can ask

Was doing some inital experiments for sustainable packaging

I see, good luck then (edited)

Hey, is it possible to create thread from recycled plastic? I think a really cool use would be if you could do that and then use it with one of these tufting guns, and make recycled plastic rugs! like here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_matYB5rdZA

Unnecessary Inventions

How to create your own custom rugs! (Tufting Gun Tutorial)

mikeymikes.

Hey, is it possible to create thread from recycled plastic? I think a really cool use would be if you could do that and then use it with one of these tufting guns, and make recycled plastic rugs! like here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_matYB5rdZA

The people at Koun made a pillow that looks woven. So I guess it would be possible? https://www.onearmy.earth/news/beam-production-at-koun

1

1:06 PM

Also, mandarin nets and fishing nets?

Oh yeah, thread/yarn can be done, but you need additional machines to cool, spin, and then another to turn it into the end material.

spiros nik

I v e been wondering if melting and processing food grade plastic, gives you also food grade products. It could be that the material is also kind of sterilized by the process or that more contaminants arise out of the diy process. Any ideas?

I stumbled across the answer yesterday.....food grade plastic remains food grade. See the FDA submissions here. https://www.cfsanappsexternal.fda.gov/scripts/fdcc/index.cfm?set=RecycledPlastics

1

mikeymikes.

Hey, does anyone know much about adding pigment/colour to plastic? Trying to press into sheets, but only have mostly clear or white plastic to work with

Also interested what you learn from others who are doing bespoke work - we have been working with #5 a lot from home food containers and many are (boring!) white or clear... with the labels is not a nice outcome. Our coloured plastics are almost all #2, so I prefer not to mix that into #5. I found a couple of global suppliers of plastic related products a year or so ago, but it wasn't easy to navigate the information/ sales for someone who is not a chemical expert or buying industrial quantities.

Anybody ever hear off byblock

Ibra

Anybody ever hear off byblock

yeah, I have heard of them. I think what they're doing is great but don't like that using byblock requires some metal rods

12:00 AM

Does anyone here know about plastic-to-diesel?

+I know I want to build a machine to do it

2:41 AM

Seams pretty easy if a guy on a beach can do it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFuTCpCVSbM

The Gipsy Journey

THIS SELF SUFFICIENT FAMILY MAKES THEIR OWN FUEL FROM PLASTIC!

2:42 AM

The hardest part is the oxygen free melting environment & they don't say in that video how they do it

Pyrolysis is the process, i was looking into this too

3:34 AM

I have a pile of linkspam, but i'll try and keep it concise lol

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Pyrolysis (What relitively "pure" plastic should produce: https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Pyrolysis_Gasoline ) (What biomass / more mixed plastics should produce: https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Pyrolysis_Oil) A Page for plotting on a Basic Kiln: https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Open_Source_Fuel_Agnostic_Pyrolysis_Batch_Kiln A good youtube channel on this subject: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2i2oLLOy2DSYU9Hd65uV7g A (Quite Messy) Playlist I Am Making: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLq6IzRhDFdPNNFTurNpImb4SLKE7J5TtI (edited)

3:49 AM

I do consider this the "last resort" / last phase in a plastic's life cycle though

Hello. I am Tasha from Lesotho, Africa. i am new and not really sure how things work.

How do i know what motor to get for an extrusion machine?

@isayah∮ (GMT-5) Small extrusion here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusion

3:20 PM

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

@isayah∮ (GMT-5) Small extrusion here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusion

thanks. I'll See what i can find

@isayah∮ (GMT-5) Or do you looking for the big extrusion?

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

@isayah∮ (GMT-5) Or do you looking for the big extrusion?

I want to be able to make beams about 3 feet in height

Depends on the cross section, but probably you need a bigger extrusion then: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusionpro

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

Depends on the cross section, but probably you need a bigger extrusion then: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusionpro

So i would need a motor that's about 3 hp?

@isayah∮ (GMT-5) The Pro version is designed to produce bigger parts like the brick. To make normal beams you can use a smaller motor. Look for some videos/fotos from the guys who extrude to see their machine and output: https://community.preciousplastic.com/map

3:45 PM

@isayah∮ (GMT-5) Also have a look here: https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/bean-extrusion-optimization/#post-131338

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

@isayah∮ (GMT-5) The Pro version is designed to produce bigger parts like the brick. To make normal beams you can use a smaller motor. Look for some videos/fotos from the guys who extrude to see their machine and output: https://community.preciousplastic.com/map

Thanks. I am looking over everything now.

Hey guys nice to meet everyone, just joined the group

I was wondering if anyone has a cheat sheet or resource for the properties and real world applications (pre-recycling life) for different types of plastics -PE (HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE) -PP -PVC -PET ...and so on This will really help my companies sustainability department as we are developing video content and need a resource we can refer to rather than making our own from scratch which will be a project in and of itself

I'm raising $1,000.00 until 04/25/2021 for help with the environment. Help now: https://paypal.me/pools/c/8y43iecjfl. If you have $1 and a PayPal account you could help save the world...earth_americas

Transfer money online in seconds with PayPal money transfer. All you need is an email address.

Has anyone explored Chihulys 'polyvitro' series where he created sculptural works with plastic? I am fascinated by this crystal piece and am trying to figure out how he did it..

hi

Hi

10:54 AM

I saw the Plastics shredder video. Was wondering if I can get the drawings for the parts

@Sayed https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

hi, Can I have the PRO plastic extrusion and injection machine design on Solidworks. i need it for my graduation project.

Tasha

Hello. I am Tasha from Lesotho, Africa. i am new and not really sure how things work.

That makes 2 of us . Seems to be pretty intuitive and you can find some information online , myself find using a laptop/desktop easier to navigate . Screen is very busy sometimes and using a small screen like a phone not the best for me . If you want to try out stuff I'll be your partner in that . I am located in Canada so time zones I think are close to 3-4 hrs .

@Tasha & @The cossack : For the start maybe start scrolling/watching the academy: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/intro.html What do you like to do? You can also have look on the map if there is a space near to you: https://community.preciousplastic.com/map

1

yazan Asfour

hi, Can I have the PRO plastic extrusion and injection machine design on Solidworks. i need it for my graduation project.

You are lucky, the shredder pro was constructed in Solidworks. Download the V4-kit: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download and try to open. If you have on older version import the .stp-file.

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto thank you so much

could you tell me what version should I have?

Collage folk. Building a already designed machine is cool. But whats really needed is a new system. A system that takes in all types of plastic & Styrofoam unwashed. Using that to make building materials. The machine needs to run on multi fuels & be simple enough to run off grid.

wouldn't that mix them and thus make them non-recyclable after that use case due to being a blend?

7:41 PM

Also more upredictable properties than a pure plastic

Thats why you make building materials. Building should be lasting about 100 years. In 100 years they will have a way to deal with the mix if needed.

7:44 PM

All the washing & separating is a whole issue by itself.

7:45 PM

There is a equation I don't know. Clean waters value. The power needed to separate.

No, I don‘t know. If you have SolidWorks, just try to open

GudasWorld

Collage folk. Building a already designed machine is cool. But whats really needed is a new system. A system that takes in all types of plastic & Styrofoam unwashed. Using that to make building materials. The machine needs to run on multi fuels & be simple enough to run off grid.

I agree with you, but my project is not about the machine, it's about Development Wood plastic composite and We need this machine for manufacturing processes

Hey folks i saw this on pinterest and thought id share it with you guys wonder if this would be good for finishing plastic edges? https://pin.it/7Dikltq

Pin on Workshop Tools

Feb 20, 2021 - The Quick Edge Trimming Chamfer is a device used for knocking down sharp corners and creating a chamfer or radius profile. Flat for cutting a 45° chamfer, and 1/8″, 3/16″, and 1/4″ radius profiles. Crisp, clean edges from your saws and planers make your joinery come together professionally. There are plenty of other to

yazan Asfour

I agree with you, but my project is not about the machine, it's about Development Wood plastic composite and We need this machine for manufacturing processes

Interesting. PP used saw dust in their giant legos to simulate dirty plastic. Hemp kicks woods butt. Whats the upside of adding wood?

@GudasWorld Well, we use all the components of plastic and wood waste such as Rice hulls, peanut husk, sawdust and many other waste, after processing it and adding plastic and some coupling agent and chemical component to it gives us a beautiful woody look and has very excellent mechanical properties compared to wood used in decorations and floors. And many uses

2:05 AM

2:06 AM

It's a 100% eco-friendly project.

I see. Multi stream recycling. I like it! And you are making building materials. Nice. Are you separating the plastic? If not what are your preferred types? I’ll give you a cyber hug if you say “all”.

yazan Asfour

Click to see attachment 🖼️

this is a very good product to do

3:56 AM

but remember 2 things

3:56 AM

1 this product needs UV blocker

3:57 AM

2 - it's a large piece, you will need a large machine

@GudasWorld In fact the aim of our project is developing the best mixture to produce this product to give us the best mechanical and chemical properties and low price , we can use many types of plastics such as HDPE, LDPE, PP ... each type separately (I mean we choose one type in the mixture and every type of plastic there is A different percentage to add to the mixture and the choice of wood type is different) (edited)

5:06 AM

@marcelozp Yes, it is true. We need UV and antioxidants, and we are looking for any addition that improves the product’s properties. And I know that we need a bigger machine than this But we need it in order to obtain samples only to conduct tests on more than one mixture

5:09 AM

We prepared a list of 19 tests to find the best

5:10 AM

We will do some of them and The rest is satisfied with the results of the research

1.Tensile Test 2. Compression 3.Toughness. 4. Creep 5. Shear Strength 6. Impact Strength 7. Microbial Degradation 8. Termite Resistance 9. Density 10.Flexural Strength 11. Bending Moment 12. Slip Resistance 13. Photooxidation and Fading 14. Shrinkage 15. Thermal Expansion 16. Water Absorption 17. Flexural Modulus 18. Hardness Test shore 19. Self Ignition

yazan Asfour

@GudasWorld In fact the aim of our project is developing the best mixture to produce this product to give us the best mechanical and chemical properties and low price , we can use many types of plastics such as HDPE, LDPE, PP ... each type separately (I mean we choose one type in the mixture and every type of plastic there is A different percentage to add to the mixture and the choice of wood type is different) (edited)

This sounds so fascinating. I've seen a few videos of people making bricks by adding cooking oil or sand. Your project sounds like a very refined process. The product will probably be higher quality than the bricks. Will the cocktail / process be open source?

7:17 AM

Not sure if you guys follow https://www.youtube.com/user/TheOceanCleanup

The Ocean Cleanup

The Ocean Cleanup develops advanced technologies to rid the world’s oceans of plastic. Through means of a passive fleet of systems in the ocean gyres, The Ocean Cleanup aims to clean up what is already polluting our oceans and, with their latest technology, the Interceptor, to stop riverine plastic on its way to the ocean. The extracted ocean ...

7:21 AM

Check out how the plastic they collect looks. Good luck sorting it. Really, really need a process that they can dump their bins in & out comes a building material. A process that doesn't care about the plants or any other non plastic stuff in the mix.

7:22 AM

Separating, washing, grinding power consumption is too high

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-pSA-zbESQ

KTN News Kenya

Kenyan who uses plastic bags to make building materials

Drc3p0

Has anyone explored Chihulys 'polyvitro' series where he created sculptural works with plastic? I am fascinated by this crystal piece and am trying to figure out how he did it..

Came across this website where they briefly explain:

While most of Chihuly’s work on display at The New York Botanical Garden is blown glass, the individual “crystals” that form this installation were created through a rotocasting process in which a polyurethane resin is poured into a rubber mold. The mold is then rotated to ensure that the resin is distributed evenly. Layer after layer of resin is added and then hardened and removed from the mold, resulting in these stunning forms that resemble enormous uncut crystals. Source: https://chihuly.nybg.info/view/blue-polyvitro-crystals/2543f484-f81e-f4c6-64ae-604fa8540823

8:35 PM

You can achieve a similar effect with the technique they use to make sculptures from translucent tape. (edited)

remco

You can achieve a similar effect with the technique they use to make sculptures from translucent tape. (edited)

Thank you for that link! I was hoping that he made them with molten plastic versus casting resin. Makes sense though. I have been wondering if I could take sheets of heated and pliable plastic and then hammer it flat between 2 nonsticky surfaces to get that 'hammered' look

simonesuresh

Hey guys - Simone from Reading, Berkshire- UK here. We just built this hydroponics unit publishing open source in a few days (just writing up documentation). We are looking for people to collborate on a project to help us make beams + twin slot (ish) structure for it. Please do get in touch if you're around the area

fw1520@ic.ac.uk - ICL students (edited)

This is very cool. When it goes open source docs that mean I could build one too?

Anybody buy shredded plastic

Yeah all the time @Ibra

Hello everyone. My name is Javier and I work in a multilayer coextrusion line. I would like to share my knowledge and at the same time receive yours. I hope to be of help to all.

Question about shredder: has anyone tried different configurations for knife offsets? We have tried the "spiral" offset, where each cutting blade is rotated one shaft side. We are wondering whether other configurations might "grab" the plastic better when the bottles being shredded have larger diameters. thanks in advance for any advice/perspective on advantages/disadvantages.

yazan Asfour

It's a 100% eco-friendly project.

the resulting material could be reuse in this same product or the resulting is more complex to reuse ?

Hi everyone, can we shred pet bottle (like classical water or soda bottles) with the classical version of the shredder ?

@Hango Difficult, the bottle-head is tricky...

If we cut the bottle head, is it possible ?

@Hango With about 400Nm it should, depends on the bottle-thickness.

ok thanks !

Hey !

5:43 PM

I have a question, I'm currently on a plastic recycle project in Nepal and they can't buy low rpm motors for the machines, is there a miracle solution which could save us ?

You can make a reduction with belts or chains, small wheel or sprocket on the motor side, big one on the shredder side. When your motor is rated 1400rpm, you need minimum a 20:1 reduction. (edited)

Okay, a technician suggested we use gears. It may be more solid but it is true that the lost power must be more important. For you belts or chains will be sufficiently resistant for a shredder? (i keep the idea for the extrusion)

Hi Precious Plastic Community! I hope my message finds you well. My name is Lisa I am Swiss designer currently living in Madagascar. The problem of plastic waste is huge here so I'm trying to start a Precious Plastic Workshop. Although here most of the plastic that is thrown away is soft plastic, mainly from food packagings and I was wondering if you had find a solution for recycling them. I guess they don't work in the shredding machine? Thank you so much for your feed back.

Typically melt into a block, then shred the block

@Deleted User If the packages are not foils it will work shredding them...

I don't remember if that has only been done manually, or if anyone has used the Sheetpress for the "densification" of those bags /shrink wrap etc

7:13 AM

I think precious plastic/ now "Onearmy" had a video on this (sort of)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp4vmfVlm2k

Make a durable tote bag from shitty plastic bags #preciousplastic

7:42 AM

@Deleted User

7:42 AM

there was the video

7:43 AM

you can make those sheets into an even more rigid/dense thicker sheet, or even a block then shred that

Hi! I'd be curious if anybody has experimented with "self-reinforcing thermoplastic composites"? For example (virgin) polypropylene fibers that are press melted together with recycled polypropylene to form a composite material that is stronger.

Almost like "Reinforced Carbon-Carbon Composites" but with plastic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforced_carbon%E2%80%93carbon

Reinforced_carbon%E2%80%93carbon

8:59 PM

sounds intresting

8:59 PM

The only unknown IMO is if the melting of everything would make that not too useful?

8:59 PM

Granted a fiber like Rayon could be VERY intresting (IMO)

9:00 PM

Also all knowledge is good knowledge too, so experimentation on all this is amazing in general. (edited)

Or "self-reinforced polymer" or "self-reinforced polymeric materials" the names vary.

9:00 PM

Yeah you need to be very finnicky with the melting so the fibers don't melt but just are embedded

9:01 PM

But the advantage is you can recycle the whole composite unlike fiberglass plastic

9:03 PM

Maybe you could make wall panels with such sheets and build tiny houses out of recycled plastic for project kamp

2

has anyone tried working with ldpe? we are kinda use to work with hdpe so i figured it would be similar

@Boyyy Jep, very similar to HDPE

Hello,quick question, what would be realistic proce for stainless stell laser cut parts for shredder pro? Im just asking to know if im going to be ripped off by laser cut compaines

Price*

Hi all! Has anyone tried to shred plastic at home with a hand blender or similar? Do you think it would work for HDPE bottle caps?

@Gallon It probably depends where you live. In France we did a group order of 10 kits and we paid 120€ for each kit without VAT for stainless steel. (edited)

Wow, regardless the VAT you got yourself a great deal there! I know its a 10 kits set so you got discounts but still, one company here asked for 200E for single shaft shredder,not pro!

1:24 PM

Was material theirs in price or did you get the steel?

sonik

@Gallon It probably depends where you live. In France we did a group order of 10 kits and we paid 120€ for each kit without VAT for stainless steel. (edited)

Replied

Guillem

Hi all! Has anyone tried to shred plastic at home with a hand blender or similar? Do you think it would work for HDPE bottle caps?

I've seen people mention that the blenders tend to break easily with the plastic, which is not sustainable, so just keep that in mind I suppose. (edited)

1

Hello. I'm new here. Anyone know if there are any plans for rotary molding in the community? I'd love to make the connect. Rock n' Roll setups for large displacement water tanks (not blow molding). Thanks.

hello, we are trying to recycle plastic bottle caps

3:05 PM

but the bottle caps from carbonated drinks bottles have a thin and soft 'liner' in them

Gallon

Hello,quick question, what would be realistic proce for stainless stell laser cut parts for shredder pro? Im just asking to know if im going to be ripped off by laser cut compaines

I just got a quote recently from a local place in IL. They quoted me $3,550. for shredder pro parts cut.

Are any of you living solely off of your plastic upcycling business?

so like, I've seen some places which are collecting bottle caps in my city, but I'm not sure what they do with the bottle caps

11:01 PM

especially the carbonated drinks bottle caps with the rubbery liner, I assume that has to be removed somehow?

Indernatur9000

I just got a quote recently from a local place in IL. They quoted me $3,550. for shredder pro parts cut.

Damn,that is a lot, and i mean a lot of money! Was that the whole construction with engine or parts only?

carmatic

especially the carbonated drinks bottle caps with the rubbery liner, I assume that has to be removed somehow?

Could you send a photo of the specific liner you are talking about? If this is the blue rubbery plastic that's in stuff like coca cola then yes it must be removed but it is hard.

Liri (They/He)

Could you send a photo of the specific liner you are talking about? If this is the blue rubbery plastic that's in stuff like coca cola then yes it must be removed but it is hard.

https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/plastic-bottle-cap-liner-question/

citamrac aurf

plastic bottle cap liner question - Dave Hakkens

Hello, recently my team are trying to recycle plastic bottle caps for the HDPE plastic However, the bottle caps of carbonated drinks contain a liner which seals the bottle to prevent the high - Dave Hakkens

@carmatic maybe hot water can un-stick the liner.

Not really a “plastic chat” question but I can’t see a business channel. Does anyone know if you need a waste management license to operate a workspace? Technically we are processing/recycling a waste product?

Im guessing it depends of your local laws/government

1

Are there any European countries where that wouldn’t be the case?

Gallon

Damn,that is a lot, and i mean a lot of money! Was that the whole construction with engine or parts only?

parts only!

similar to the quote I received from sendcutsend.com. We ended up purchasing a pre built shredder off of ebay for around $3,000. Haven't received it yet but will soon!

Why the heck is that so expensive? It turns out it would be cheaper for you to order those parts from europe and pay the delivery cost

there are kits from europe for pro shredder stainless for 1,200 usd

Gallon

Why the heck is that so expensive? It turns out it would be cheaper for you to order those parts from europe and pay the delivery cost

there are kits from europe for pro shredder stainless for 1,200 usd

I suspect part of it is the standard thickness of metal and sourcing them. The shop I contacted apparently didn't regularly carry the exact mm thickness of metal I needed

Hi I have few question regarding the sheet press if anyone can help me I would appreciate it my question is how much time to make a 4mm PP sheet and how many kilos of plastic does it require?

Hi does anyone have any information on recycling polycarbonate?

hi everyone, has anyone try recycling soft plastics i.e. plastics bags, cling wraps? is it possible with the shredder or would the plastic just get stuck in that? what classification would a soft plastic fall under?

Joe Lyons

Hi does anyone have any information on recycling polycarbonate?

I know that my local plastics supplier reclaims polycarbonate here in NY. Hopefully it goes back to Bayer (yeah sure).

Liri (They/He)

I've seen people mention that the blenders tend to break easily with the plastic, which is not sustainable, so just keep that in mind I suppose. (edited)

I've used a blender - it self-destructed after 20 loads of bottle caps. Cheap thrills though!

At what temperature 10mm hdpe sheet starts burning.?

Trimegistus

I've used a blender - it self-destructed after 20 loads of bottle caps. Cheap thrills though!

Yeah that's what I was trying to warn them of haha

Indernatur9000

parts only!

similar to the quote I received from sendcutsend.com. We ended up purchasing a pre built shredder off of ebay for around $3,000. Haven't received it yet but will soon!

Do you mind telling me what specs of a shredder you bought and if you are planning to shred HDPE/PP plastic bottles etc with it ?

Inspired Plastics

Do you mind telling me what specs of a shredder you bought and if you are planning to shred HDPE/PP plastic bottles etc with it ?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10Hp-Plastic-Granulator-Grinder-230-460V-3Ph/124224314381?_trkparms=aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818142836%26meid%3D2ed1a956ff9f4a2ab055cf0a2ad905c8%26pid%3D101197%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D7%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D124538254563%26itm%3D124224314381%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2&_trksid=p2047675.c101197.m1850 This is the one we are currently looking at. Things were a go to purchase but now we're waiting on slow University bureaucracy/approval. We want to shred only acrylic waste from our lasers, and then heat press it into 'new' laserable material.

10Hp Plastic Granulator Grinder 230/460V 3Ph | eBay

1/4" Screen Size. Opening 9" x 17 1/2". Tested and works as it should. Country or Manufacture: N/A. Lister: RS.

Indernatur9000

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10Hp-Plastic-Granulator-Grinder-230-460V-3Ph/124224314381?_trkparms=aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818142836%26meid%3D2ed1a956ff9f4a2ab055cf0a2ad905c8%26pid%3D101197%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D7%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D124538254563%26itm%3D124224314381%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2&_trksid=p2047675.c101197.m1850 This is the one we are currently looking at. Things were a go to purchase but now we're waiting on slow University bureaucracy/approval. We want to shred only acrylic waste from our lasers, and then heat press it into 'new' laserable material.

Thank you. I saw that machine. I was debating whether to get it myself - I am a bit lost on the specs. The 10HP and the 1/4" screen size were what attracted me to it. I wont get it though if you need it. What University are you from.

Indernatur9000

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10Hp-Plastic-Granulator-Grinder-230-460V-3Ph/124224314381?_trkparms=aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818142836%26meid%3D2ed1a956ff9f4a2ab055cf0a2ad905c8%26pid%3D101197%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D7%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D124538254563%26itm%3D124224314381%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DPromotedSellersOtherItemsV2&_trksid=p2047675.c101197.m1850 This is the one we are currently looking at. Things were a go to purchase but now we're waiting on slow University bureaucracy/approval. We want to shred only acrylic waste from our lasers, and then heat press it into 'new' laserable material.

We will likely have to take it apart and put in new blades, but it's got good bones! From talking on the phone with the seller, I'm pretty sure it's capable of reversing, I feel like that will be very important for shredding such tough plastic like acrylic

Inspired Plastics

Thank you. I saw that machine. I was debating whether to get it myself - I am a bit lost on the specs. The 10HP and the 1/4" screen size were what attracted me to it. I wont get it though if you need it. What University are you from.

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, I work at their Fab Lab: http://cucfablab.org/

Amanda Elzbieciak

Home - Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT OUR MISSION The CU Community Fab Lab is an open, collaborative, capacity-building makerspace. We strive to enable makers of all kinds through instruction, open access, mentoring, community engagement, and research. NEWSLETTER DONATE MAKE · COLLABORATE · LEAD Fall 2020 kicks off 10 YEARS of supporting the CU Maker Communit...

Thats cool! You'll know how to take it apart and replace the blades then!

Inspired Plastics

Thats cool! You'll know how to take it apart and replace the blades then!

Oh yes I anticipate getting to know it very well! If not this particular machine, then another. We are lucky in that we received a small grant to start recycling plastic. I would very much like to build a bike/PLA shredder too someday. We make so much PLA waste!

I visited the architecture Fab lab at UNCC last week, and they have a small PLA shredder for recycling all the models they make - I thought that was cool. Just in case you need to keep looking, I found this site: https://plastiwin.com/product-category/size-reduction-recycling/grinders/ I am still waiting for them to call me back though!

Used Plastic Grinder Archive – PlastiWin Capital Equipment

Used plastic granulator machinery and equipment from PlastiWin Capital Equipment. We buy and sell used surplus plastic grinders and many other types of plastic processing machinery and equipment.

Inspired Plastics

I visited the architecture Fab lab at UNCC last week, and they have a small PLA shredder for recycling all the models they make - I thought that was cool. Just in case you need to keep looking, I found this site: https://plastiwin.com/product-category/size-reduction-recycling/grinders/ I am still waiting for them to call me back though!

Thanks for the link! Is UNCC in North Carolina, Charlotte? I'd like to reach out to them and get their opinions!

They used the https://www.filabot.com machines

Filament Maker - Recycle Filament for Any 3D Printer

3D Filament Extruders, make filament from almost any plastic. Allowing you to 3D Print with the materials you use for production. Recycle plastic into filament creating a closed loop recycling system.

1

Hello

I'm melting recycled plastic inside mold made of wood. For the moment I put cooking sulfurized paper inside the mold for the plastic not to melt with the wood. Do you know another solution? Is there any spray or cream that I can directly apply to the wood so the plastic doesn't stick to the mold?

joeITU

Hello

I'm melting recycled plastic inside mold made of wood. For the moment I put cooking sulfurized paper inside the mold for the plastic not to melt with the wood. Do you know another solution? Is there any spray or cream that I can directly apply to the wood so the plastic doesn't stick to the mold?

just throwing this out there, no idea if it would work, but I wonder if you used some mix your own silicone and coated the wood if that would work? https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Skin-Making-Silicone-Rubber/dp/B00EOA0EC6/ref=asc_df_B00EOA0EC6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216770040237&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16703314843814820010&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9022185&hvtargid=pla-360828561313&psc=1

joeITU

Hello

I'm melting recycled plastic inside mold made of wood. For the moment I put cooking sulfurized paper inside the mold for the plastic not to melt with the wood. Do you know another solution? Is there any spray or cream that I can directly apply to the wood so the plastic doesn't stick to the mold?

Hi Joel

there are these youtubers that recycle plastic called Brothers Make and they have done multiple videos with wood molds, you can see an example here: https://youtu.be/4Sh9KqnN1FA?t=140

HDPE Knife Handle - Recycled Plastic Chef’s Knife Scales

1

2

8:09 PM

I also messaged them to verify the details, they use a spray varnish on the molds and reapply every 3-4 uses. I put the video to start where they apply the varnish

(edited)

1

8:09 PM

I hope this helps!

Has anyone done any recycling of plastic packaging film products and bags?

Precious plastic has done that video on ironing bags together, I have tried a little but not too much, I was gonna do more once my school year finishes.

Liri (They/He)

Hi Joel

there are these youtubers that recycle plastic called Brothers Make and they have done multiple videos with wood molds, you can see an example here: https://youtu.be/4Sh9KqnN1FA?t=140

Thanks Liri it helps a lot! it is exactly what I was looking for. I'm not melting the plastique the same way they do. I melt it directly in the mold, so the plastic will be warmer than on their video, where the plastic the only cooling inside the mold. Therefore I'm not sure it will work as well but I'll give it a try

joeITU

Thanks Liri it helps a lot! it is exactly what I was looking for. I'm not melting the plastique the same way they do. I melt it directly in the mold, so the plastic will be warmer than on their video, where the plastic the only cooling inside the mold. Therefore I'm not sure it will work as well but I'll give it a try

Yeah, I was a little hesitant because you might be using a different method, but I still wanted to send this your way so that you can try it

I would love to see what you make sometime! Maybe in #archived-showcase or just DM me

Anyone interest in, or is working on, rotary molding? In particular rock n' rolled recycled plastic water tanks. I've seen some blow molding for smaller done in this community. I'd be interested in helping out.

I think water/fuel etc tanks and kayaks/other small boats would be really nice use cases for it !

12:07 AM

If i remember correctly one of the recent videos had a reference to one

12:08 AM

It was really goofy too, like an over-the-fire spit, but for plastic filled metal drum, not some delicious roast

12:09 AM

https://youtu.be/gOIEVG9A8eg?t=467

12:09 AM

there is the timestamp

Eric Lotze

I think water/fuel etc tanks and kayaks/other small boats would be really nice use cases for it !

Ha, thanks, yeah, I saw that. Quick and dirty molding.I liked the attitude of just getting things done.

Hello

12:22 PM

Im having trouble with payment over bazzar. I insert my details and everything and it just says "placing your order" or "completing your order" something like that and it just shows that message for 10 minutes without anything happening. I tried 2 different cards. Can it be payed over paypal or something else?

12:23 PM

Please tag me when answering so i can see the message without having to come here every couple hours to see if someone replied

@Gallon Could you screen shot the error? So I can send it on to the guys for investigation?

Does anyone buy bottle caps or know what to do with them lol

Hi, is there anyone that test injection machine with non shreded bottle caps?

Liri (They/He)

Could you send a photo of the specific liner you are talking about? If this is the blue rubbery plastic that's in stuff like coca cola then yes it must be removed but it is hard.

It is so hard! I spent 5 minutes getting most of ONE liner out, so not viable to include in our projects but it made a good engagement story to share with our viewers that the starting price for a product requiring 80 lids would be $100 just to prep the materials... before the actual making can even begin!

joeITU

Hello

I'm melting recycled plastic inside mold made of wood. For the moment I put cooking sulfurized paper inside the mold for the plastic not to melt with the wood. Do you know another solution? Is there any spray or cream that I can directly apply to the wood so the plastic doesn't stick to the mold?

teflon spray, although it is quite expensive

1

Ashley

hi everyone, has anyone try recycling soft plastics i.e. plastics bags, cling wraps? is it possible with the shredder or would the plastic just get stuck in that? what classification would a soft plastic fall under?

Yes we have tried soft plastics and they get jammed in the shredder teeth, it was a bit messy to clean that up. I also tried melting soft plastics into 8/ 16 layers in the toastie press and then shredding, and 16 layers worked well but 32 layers was a bit tough for the shredder.

1

Blaž

Hi, is there anyone that test injection machine with non shreded bottle caps?

Yes, several people in the community have done that. You need to compress them in the injection machine before injecting to remove the air, but it works

Rory - Sustainable Design Studio

Yes, several people in the community have done that. You need to compress them in the injection machine before injecting to remove the air, but it works

Thanks! now i can make shrreder a few months later

Rory - Sustainable Design Studio

@Gallon Could you screen shot the error? So I can send it on to the guys for investigation?

after several times trying to input details and submit it payment went through

Gallon

after several times trying to input details and submit it payment went through

Happy to hear!

Hi I was wondering for planing and smoothing plastic - would you guys recommend CNC or table saw or planer ? Let me know!

2:30 AM

@SecondActPlasticLA Maybe you can get access to a thickness planer? A lot woodworking guys have these. If the machine is clean before you can catch the chips and recycle them again...

1

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

@SecondActPlasticLA Maybe you can get access to a thickness planer? A lot woodworking guys have these. If the machine is clean before you can catch the chips and recycle them again...

Hello! Have you tried this or heard of it working? My concern is choosing the wrong tool to test my samples that are sort of these flat bricks

@SecondActPlasticLA https://youtu.be/qvpSqV5BVEc?t=211

How to Polish Recycled Plastic Projects - HDPE Cheese Board

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

@SecondActPlasticLA https://youtu.be/qvpSqV5BVEc?t=211

Omg I love you! Thank you SO much I don’t want to seem like I didn’t put research in- I searched planing plastic, routing plastic, cnc plastic but it was such an odd topic to find information that way. I really appreciate this!

7:11 AM

Life safer

@SecondActPlasticLA Happy recycling!

️✌️

Hello One army! I am new to this community but have been inspired greatly by the initiatives and the community itself. After going through the videos and info for some time, I have come up with a product idea and want to know your opinions and if something like this has been attempted before. So wooden pallets are a major component for the supply chain world. They are used in every warehouse or distribution center and as the name suggests, are made from trees. Also these wooden pallets go through a lot of abuse(overweight, water, extreme temperatures) and assume that lots of money must be wasted in buying new ones and disposing old ones. My idea is is to replace the common wooden pallets with recycled plastic ones. With the right kinds(R&D pending) and production, we can have a plastic pallet that 1. Will be made from recycled plastic, hence will be cheaper than wooden ones, 2. Will last longer due to plastic's properties, and if broken, can be reprocessed to fix the broken pallet, 3. Will help in a small amount to slow deforestation, 4. Good PR for companies using these recycled plastic pallets What do u people think? Any suggestions to approach this? Please be brutally honest with ur opinions. Also has this been attempted somewhere before? Thanks!

(edited)

Shapy

Hello One army! I am new to this community but have been inspired greatly by the initiatives and the community itself. After going through the videos and info for some time, I have come up with a product idea and want to know your opinions and if something like this has been attempted before. So wooden pallets are a major component for the supply chain world. They are used in every warehouse or distribution center and as the name suggests, are made from trees. Also these wooden pallets go through a lot of abuse(overweight, water, extreme temperatures) and assume that lots of money must be wasted in buying new ones and disposing old ones. My idea is is to replace the common wooden pallets with recycled plastic ones. With the right kinds(R&D pending) and production, we can have a plastic pallet that 1. Will be made from recycled plastic, hence will be cheaper than wooden ones, 2. Will last longer due to plastic's properties, and if broken, can be reprocessed to fix the broken pallet, 3. Will help in a small amount to slow deforestation, 4. Good PR for companies using these recycled plastic pallets What do u people think? Any suggestions to approach this? Please be brutally honest with ur opinions. Also has this been attempted somewhere before? Thanks!

(edited)

Hey Shapy - good on you for thinking about solutions! In New Zealand we find the pallets are abandoned on the side of roads every day of the week for anyone to take away (firewood mostly but some pallet furniture) - it's cheaper in NZ to keep on making new pallets compared to the cost of collecting them up for re-use. So plastic or wood, the transport cost remains the same. But I heard we are having success somewhere in NZ turning waste plastic into fence posts... for a farming country that's a good long-life option. I hope you find success with your own country solutions!

CathdM

Hey Shapy - good on you for thinking about solutions! In New Zealand we find the pallets are abandoned on the side of roads every day of the week for anyone to take away (firewood mostly but some pallet furniture) - it's cheaper in NZ to keep on making new pallets compared to the cost of collecting them up for re-use. So plastic or wood, the transport cost remains the same. But I heard we are having success somewhere in NZ turning waste plastic into fence posts... for a farming country that's a good long-life option. I hope you find success with your own country solutions!

CathdM thanks for your suggestion! The main reason I am behind plastic pallets is the longevity and slowing deforestation. I thought that if we could get recyclable plastic in areas where natural resources are being used(just like the fences u mentioned) it would be like killing 2 birds with 1 stone. But yeah the fences make more sense for a farming country like mine. But here we also have a lot of supply chain businesses too, so maybe it could work here? Anyway thanks for your suggestions!

1

Shapy

Hello One army! I am new to this community but have been inspired greatly by the initiatives and the community itself. After going through the videos and info for some time, I have come up with a product idea and want to know your opinions and if something like this has been attempted before. So wooden pallets are a major component for the supply chain world. They are used in every warehouse or distribution center and as the name suggests, are made from trees. Also these wooden pallets go through a lot of abuse(overweight, water, extreme temperatures) and assume that lots of money must be wasted in buying new ones and disposing old ones. My idea is is to replace the common wooden pallets with recycled plastic ones. With the right kinds(R&D pending) and production, we can have a plastic pallet that 1. Will be made from recycled plastic, hence will be cheaper than wooden ones, 2. Will last longer due to plastic's properties, and if broken, can be reprocessed to fix the broken pallet, 3. Will help in a small amount to slow deforestation, 4. Good PR for companies using these recycled plastic pallets What do u people think? Any suggestions to approach this? Please be brutally honest with ur opinions. Also has this been attempted somewhere before? Thanks!

(edited)

nice thinking in one way. I agree that if properly designed they could be lost lasting. A problem comes with the repairing. Where it would be done and by whom? I don't know of plastic repairence being really a sector already. but my main concern with this idea is the cost of the final product? Is it really gonna be cheaper than the wooden pallets? Working with small scale production methods, like the usual precious plastics ones, certainly no. If you go bigger maybe, but from what i understand from the difficulties of plastic recycling, most likely you would end with a product quite more expensive than the wooden pallets. If you find a market for these though, it could make a point.

spiros nik

nice thinking in one way. I agree that if properly designed they could be lost lasting. A problem comes with the repairing. Where it would be done and by whom? I don't know of plastic repairence being really a sector already. but my main concern with this idea is the cost of the final product? Is it really gonna be cheaper than the wooden pallets? Working with small scale production methods, like the usual precious plastics ones, certainly no. If you go bigger maybe, but from what i understand from the difficulties of plastic recycling, most likely you would end with a product quite more expensive than the wooden pallets. If you find a market for these though, it could make a point.

Thanks for you input Spiros Nik! The repairing can be done by us. On a plastic pallet, if a plastic plank bends and breaks, we can just replace that plank. Meanwhile, the broken plank can be shredded and molded into a new plank, which could be used to replace another broken plank or used in a new pallet. The production cost is something I haven't looked into, but from common knowledge, I agree making wooden pallets will require less procedures,time and money compared to plastic pallets. So that would mean initially plastic pallets would be high cost. That would definitely be a big hurdle for early adoption. But the market i feel is there in the supply chain and many industries dealing with moving heavy items. Do u know of any cases where early adoption of plastic products was a challenge due to higher prices but it was eventually overcome?

Shapy

Thanks for you input Spiros Nik! The repairing can be done by us. On a plastic pallet, if a plastic plank bends and breaks, we can just replace that plank. Meanwhile, the broken plank can be shredded and molded into a new plank, which could be used to replace another broken plank or used in a new pallet. The production cost is something I haven't looked into, but from common knowledge, I agree making wooden pallets will require less procedures,time and money compared to plastic pallets. So that would mean initially plastic pallets would be high cost. That would definitely be a big hurdle for early adoption. But the market i feel is there in the supply chain and many industries dealing with moving heavy items. Do u know of any cases where early adoption of plastic products was a challenge due to higher prices but it was eventually overcome?

i like your question. There not something that comes to my mind, but most likely there would be some...

@Shapy shapmaybe you could try starting out or doing some kind of mix between a company that also collects wooden pellets that have been used and can be used again. Because they are already in the form of a pellet and the only major other parts would be finding the pellets, findong customers, and maybe like testing or inspecting the pellets. The recycled plastic pellets look like a cool idea, really! And if it was the bigger companies immidiately doing it then maybe it would work, bur maybe sticking to small scale and local is better. Possibly working with some small company that's local to you and collect plastic from multiple local places and create the pellets like that.

Liri (They/He)

@Shapy shapmaybe you could try starting out or doing some kind of mix between a company that also collects wooden pellets that have been used and can be used again. Because they are already in the form of a pellet and the only major other parts would be finding the pellets, findong customers, and maybe like testing or inspecting the pellets. The recycled plastic pellets look like a cool idea, really! And if it was the bigger companies immidiately doing it then maybe it would work, bur maybe sticking to small scale and local is better. Possibly working with some small company that's local to you and collect plastic from multiple local places and create the pellets like that.

Are there really wooden pellets? Because I believe the wooden pallets are built by simply sawing and smoothing the wood pieces. I remember in another youtube channel "Brothers Make", they mentioned there to be a shop where plastic is recycled to make planks just like wooden planks. So I think there is a possibility to have a production line for making recycled planks. But ur point of staying at local level I don't understand. Do u think, I as an individual should just aim for local customers? Is that what u meant? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7OJMLlTfvg

The ReCYCLE Wagon | Made from Recycled Plastic

5:14 PM

This is the wooden pallet I am talking about.

5:19 PM

Or anything similar

Uh yes we are talking about the same pellets, I'm not aware of the way they make them since I didn't do the research, and I have watched Brothers Make's video. That company makes furniture. I think the reasons your idea isn't realistic is because most big companies don't care about plastic waste and the pellets don't cost them much to get, use, and dispose of. Like Cath said these pellets are thrown away very often and used as free firewood or other things by other people. Which was where I was suggesting reusing those thrown away pellets and basically distributing those to local places. The reasons I suggest local are because you might find stores and companies that are passionate about more sustainable options which definitely includes less shipping, and also because you'd be able to work with them more closely if they're also physically near to you. I just think your idea to go big is a bit ambitious and it's not gonna be cheaper then the traditional pellets for companies with different priorities as maybe you and I have. (edited)

Ok I understand now. So u mean to say that I should focus on the wooden pallets and their reusability at a local level rather than trying make completely new plastic pallets. I guess that is also a good idea. But one of my motivations for this is to slow down the use of wood and instead use the already existing plastic, which will stay in service for long, helping to prevent more trees being cut down over a period of time. But yes, I agree that aiming big scale is definitely not easy due to reason. That is why, I ain't necessarily aiming to go big. Its the small things that matter is what I want to say. But yeah thanks a lot for your input!

how can i calculate the clearance between blades in the shredder machine? please help me

bonjour, est ce que quelqu'un parle français?

Hello people! Anymore suggestions?

Shapy

Ok I understand now. So u mean to say that I should focus on the wooden pallets and their reusability at a local level rather than trying make completely new plastic pallets. I guess that is also a good idea. But one of my motivations for this is to slow down the use of wood and instead use the already existing plastic, which will stay in service for long, helping to prevent more trees being cut down over a period of time. But yes, I agree that aiming big scale is definitely not easy due to reason. That is why, I ain't necessarily aiming to go big. Its the small things that matter is what I want to say. But yeah thanks a lot for your input!

I was also saying you could possibly do both just to even out costs not necessarily focus on one or the other, but yeah you get it

(edited)

Liri (They/He)

I was also saying you could possibly do both just to even out costs not necessarily focus on one or the other, but yeah you get it

(edited)

Oh yeah! Taking care of both does give a better chance at surviving and more ability to do better business. Thanks a lot for the idea!

1

Hiya! Could someone help me to know what are the Motor specs or features ? please! I mean how many HP or Watts, and voltage

@Lups Have you checked the build section of community.preciousplastic.com ?

CathdM

Yes we have tried soft plastics and they get jammed in the shredder teeth, it was a bit messy to clean that up. I also tried melting soft plastics into 8/ 16 layers in the toastie press and then shredding, and 16 layers worked well but 32 layers was a bit tough for the shredder.

thanks for the suggestions @CathdM ! that's a good idea. do you get a lot of fumes when you melt them in the toastie press? (edited)

Ashley

thanks for the suggestions @CathdM ! that's a good idea. do you get a lot of fumes when you melt them in the toastie press? (edited)

@Ashley nothing more noticeable than #5 or #2. It seems to be naturally set to a good temperature for melting but not burning, only occasionally some dodgy smells I think that come from the printing/ labels. I'm looking forward to when our engineer fits heating plates to our cold press, which is BIGGER, and then I will have a thermostat and pressure control, at the moment having neither does make for quite unpredictable outcomes.

SecondActPlasticLA

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Heya, I used to level mine out with a Router Sled. If you search on Youtube you will see lots of videos on it. Brothersmake use a thickness planer to smooth their plastic. I tried to do the same with no success (hence the router sled).

I wonder why it worked for them and not for you :/

Upcycler_Simon

Heya, I used to level mine out with a Router Sled. If you search on Youtube you will see lots of videos on it. Brothersmake use a thickness planer to smooth their plastic. I tried to do the same with no success (hence the router sled).

@Upcycler_Simon I was really interested to see the Brothers Make using a thicknesser, I'm about to buy one to finish off trims and kitchen detail in my house and now I wonder if I can use it for plastic... I'm a bit wary of saw blades after some experiments with jigsaw and table saw - I found that it's easy to melt the plastic at the same time as cutting and the edges didn't come up so nice! What was your experience when you tried the thicknesser?

CathdM

@Upcycler_Simon I was really interested to see the Brothers Make using a thicknesser, I'm about to buy one to finish off trims and kitchen detail in my house and now I wonder if I can use it for plastic... I'm a bit wary of saw blades after some experiments with jigsaw and table saw - I found that it's easy to melt the plastic at the same time as cutting and the edges didn't come up so nice! What was your experience when you tried the thicknesser?

They use the thicknesser in this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL3gh-WrTew&t=190s . When I tried to use a thicknesser it destroyed the sheet of plastic. I tried multiple pieces of plastic of various thickness but they were all destroyed by the thicknesser. I tried shaving very thin amounts off but it made no difference. I have a theory as to what the cause was. In the youtube video you can see the shaved plastic that is ejected from the machine (about 7:35). The plastic is wide. This indicates to me that the machine that they are using has a spindle with blades that reach all the way across the machine. My thicknesser is a Carbatec machine. In the carbatec the spindle has many small blades staggered around the spindle. I suspect that that style of thicknesser is the problem. The only way to confirm that would be to use a different machine with the wide blades but I couldn't get access to one. I now use a CNC machine so the problem has gone away for me, but I found the router sled to be very effective.

DIY Recycled Plastic Stool - Furniture made from HDPE!

2

Rory - Sustainable Design Studio

@Lups Have you checked the build section of community.preciousplastic.com ?

yes but I'm not really sure!

Shapy

Hello One army! I am new to this community but have been inspired greatly by the initiatives and the community itself. After going through the videos and info for some time, I have come up with a product idea and want to know your opinions and if something like this has been attempted before. So wooden pallets are a major component for the supply chain world. They are used in every warehouse or distribution center and as the name suggests, are made from trees. Also these wooden pallets go through a lot of abuse(overweight, water, extreme temperatures) and assume that lots of money must be wasted in buying new ones and disposing old ones. My idea is is to replace the common wooden pallets with recycled plastic ones. With the right kinds(R&D pending) and production, we can have a plastic pallet that 1. Will be made from recycled plastic, hence will be cheaper than wooden ones, 2. Will last longer due to plastic's properties, and if broken, can be reprocessed to fix the broken pallet, 3. Will help in a small amount to slow deforestation, 4. Good PR for companies using these recycled plastic pallets What do u people think? Any suggestions to approach this? Please be brutally honest with ur opinions. Also has this been attempted somewhere before? Thanks!

(edited)

I like the idea, a few things that came to mind: -Your production must be so that your pallets will always be cheaper than new plastic pallets from a large factory. -You should come up with a way that companies don't just trash the pallets as soon as they break but return them to you. (Maybe the only way is to buy it back from them somehow) -There are already some types of plastic pallets available, why aren't people using them? -Is the traditional wooden pallet structure the most relevant if using plastic? (edited)

Upcycler_Simon

They use the thicknesser in this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL3gh-WrTew&t=190s . When I tried to use a thicknesser it destroyed the sheet of plastic. I tried multiple pieces of plastic of various thickness but they were all destroyed by the thicknesser. I tried shaving very thin amounts off but it made no difference. I have a theory as to what the cause was. In the youtube video you can see the shaved plastic that is ejected from the machine (about 7:35). The plastic is wide. This indicates to me that the machine that they are using has a spindle with blades that reach all the way across the machine. My thicknesser is a Carbatec machine. In the carbatec the spindle has many small blades staggered around the spindle. I suspect that that style of thicknesser is the problem. The only way to confirm that would be to use a different machine with the wide blades but I couldn't get access to one. I now use a CNC machine so the problem has gone away for me, but I found the router sled to be very effective.

@Upcycler_Simon appreciate hearing about that, thanks. We are waiting on delivery of a CNC router at the workshop... I may have some questions about your experience in coming weeks because I have a spooky upskilling journey ahead!

Liri (They/He)

I wonder why it worked for them and not for you :/

I totally get it now that I tried it sadly I had to sacrifice one of my favorite samples to find out

mine were to small for the planer but also it was finicky I think the bigger it is and less precise you feel about it it could be good but maybe not if ur using it on an item you’re selling

Upcycler_Simon

Heya, I used to level mine out with a Router Sled. If you search on Youtube you will see lots of videos on it. Brothersmake use a thickness planer to smooth their plastic. I tried to do the same with no success (hence the router sled).

I need to try this!!

Upcycler_Simon

They use the thicknesser in this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LL3gh-WrTew&t=190s . When I tried to use a thicknesser it destroyed the sheet of plastic. I tried multiple pieces of plastic of various thickness but they were all destroyed by the thicknesser. I tried shaving very thin amounts off but it made no difference. I have a theory as to what the cause was. In the youtube video you can see the shaved plastic that is ejected from the machine (about 7:35). The plastic is wide. This indicates to me that the machine that they are using has a spindle with blades that reach all the way across the machine. My thicknesser is a Carbatec machine. In the carbatec the spindle has many small blades staggered around the spindle. I suspect that that style of thicknesser is the problem. The only way to confirm that would be to use a different machine with the wide blades but I couldn't get access to one. I now use a CNC machine so the problem has gone away for me, but I found the router sled to be very effective.

@CathdM after experimenting with the cnc, lazed and the table saw - table saw was best and router was second! I’m on to finding the best way to finish the top which I’m trying to router sled first

1

CathdM

@Upcycler_Simon appreciate hearing about that, thanks. We are waiting on delivery of a CNC router at the workshop... I may have some questions about your experience in coming weeks because I have a spooky upskilling journey ahead!

Happy to help any way I can

1

3

3:25 AM

3

Upcycler_Simon

Happy to help any way I can

Yea thanks seriously so helpful to have someone who tried and has done the method before sort of debunking it

Georges

I like the idea, a few things that came to mind: -Your production must be so that your pallets will always be cheaper than new plastic pallets from a large factory. -You should come up with a way that companies don't just trash the pallets as soon as they break but return them to you. (Maybe the only way is to buy it back from them somehow) -There are already some types of plastic pallets available, why aren't people using them? -Is the traditional wooden pallet structure the most relevant if using plastic? (edited)

Great points raised Georges! I don't know of any existing plastic pallets being used in the industry. I do agree that the plastic pallets that I need to build need to be competitive, which is a production challenge. And I think if the pallets do get damaged, replacing the broken part would be much more cost effective than just simply throwing the whole thing away and buying a new one, which is done in the case of wooden pallets. Also the buyback option is a good idea! Thanks!

(edited)

Hello, we are working in Uruguay and we received many caps with this other blue plastic inside. Has anyone else had this problem? What do you recommend me to do?

Hi I’m working on a project www.adaptation.net to bring together solutions for the PET plastics industry. We want to connect everyone with an idea to recycle and reuse PET packaging. We're here to support the best most efficient recycling initiatives as well as any technological research being done that will help make reuse and recycling easier

SecondActPlasticLA

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Cool. Where do you produce these?

rainbowblue

Cool. Where do you produce these?

In my friends shop in Long Beach, ca! Is that what u meant

Shapy

Great points raised Georges! I don't know of any existing plastic pallets being used in the industry. I do agree that the plastic pallets that I need to build need to be competitive, which is a production challenge. And I think if the pallets do get damaged, replacing the broken part would be much more cost effective than just simply throwing the whole thing away and buying a new one, which is done in the case of wooden pallets. Also the buyback option is a good idea! Thanks!

(edited)

https://www.qwant.com/?client=brz-brave&t=images&q=plastic+packaging+pallets&o=0%3A2746E90220A67E5BB41F5DF51CA63A9A49B8B5EA Keep in mind in many cases, even if they start the journey locally, they might end up on the other side of the world a few days later.

Souto

Hello, we are working in Uruguay and we received many caps with this other blue plastic inside. Has anyone else had this problem? What do you recommend me to do?

In Germany many bottle caps have similar inlays. Sadly I have no idea out of what plastic they are made of. Personally I would ignore the inlays as even when the aren't of hdpe they would not be a major contamination because their mass is rather small. (edited)

ysys

In Germany many bottle caps have similar inlays. Sadly I have no idea out of what plastic they are made of. Personally I would ignore the inlays as even when the aren't of hdpe they would not be a major contamination because their mass is rather small. (edited)

We usually receive a large number of bottle caps and we have been separating them for a long time. Now we have a reasonable amount to think about doing something. Maybe someone knows which is the best option!

sindrer

Hello all lovely plastic people. We're looking into rotational moulding, and wonder: Can you produce plastic POWDER for large-scale rotational moulding from shredded/granulated plastic? Has anyone looked into this? #rotationalmoulding #research

Ah I just replied to you but it was private (mistake) - It is possible, - LDPE and HDPE recycle fine in rotational moulding but needs pulveriser (machine to make powder) to make the particles smaller than 1mm or smaller than .2mm. We would love to get our hands on a pulveriser for trials to start doing this and check what exactly sizes we need... any news on machines to try or make from anyone (we're in UK) would be very welcome!

@Souto i've had a lots of similar. The soft piece jnside can be scratched off in one piece, after some practice. In mine it was made from PVC and cap itself was PP. Personally i would not use those without removing the inside, if it is also PVC, it can be harmful.

Also@ysys @Souto if different types of plastic are mixed together, the blend, if it's possible to use it, it won't be recyclable again, keep that in mind.

1

magi SVK

Also@ysys @Souto if different types of plastic are mixed together, the blend, if it's possible to use it, it won't be recyclable again, keep that in mind.

Wow! I thought the inside was LDPE, but now that you mention it it may be. An option could be to shred it and then separate by density methods (a lot of work). In my case I am going to save them to recycle it in some way because throw it away i think its not the best option.

Hello Lovely Humans, I am brand new to this wonderful community and was deeply inspired by all of your projects and ideas. I was wondering what we know about the durability / longevity of plastic products once they have been shredded, melted and compressed. I would like to do an outdoor permanent art installation but was a bit concerned about durability. Any thoughts? Thank you so much! -Jessica of NYC

Has anyone had any experience or have any knowledge about coating pre-existing solid plastic with melted PCR HDPE? For example rolling/dipping HDPE in melted HDPE from an oven or panini press. I would obviously need to sand it down since it wouldn't be smooth, but don't know what the cohesion properties of molten HDPE are and am worried about how easily it would bond. The solid HDPE can't be heated in order to maintain the shape. Any insight appreciated.

@Souto well, that inlay is struck into the cap firmly. So if you shred it this way, you still get a lot of now small pieces that you won't be able to use.

magi SVK

@Souto well, that inlay is struck into the cap firmly. So if you shred it this way, you still get a lot of now small pieces that you won't be able to use.

Yes, you are right. Some of them are realy struck into it. This type of caps really is a problem. The other alternative is try to invent something with the actual shape of the cap.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=wSz6HV0ZTbo

Seeker

We're One Step Closer To Solving The Ocean Plastic Crisis, Here's H...

1

10:56 PM

This is impressive and some good science

Very cool

cwakeman

Has anyone had any experience or have any knowledge about coating pre-existing solid plastic with melted PCR HDPE? For example rolling/dipping HDPE in melted HDPE from an oven or panini press. I would obviously need to sand it down since it wouldn't be smooth, but don't know what the cohesion properties of molten HDPE are and am worried about how easily it would bond. The solid HDPE can't be heated in order to maintain the shape. Any insight appreciated.

Not sure this would work since I haven't seen HDPE melted into a liquid that something could be dipped in, it usually melts into a thicker product like in this video: https://youtu.be/937wvXscHHs?t=125 Which shows what the consistency is like exactly when HDPE is melted using an oven and a panini press. I'm not sure what and why you were planning this, but I'm sure it's possible...

Recycled Plastic Push Stick! - FREE Template!

1

Greetings Precious Plastic Community

11:32 AM

Wish to know if food grade plastic can be brought up to lumber strength and then

11:33 AM

Wish to know if food grade plastic can be brought up to lumber strength and then used to 3D print houses?

Jessiemaff

Hello Lovely Humans, I am brand new to this wonderful community and was deeply inspired by all of your projects and ideas. I was wondering what we know about the durability / longevity of plastic products once they have been shredded, melted and compressed. I would like to do an outdoor permanent art installation but was a bit concerned about durability. Any thoughts? Thank you so much! -Jessica of NYC

one thing i have heard forum members mentioning, is problems with resistance of plastics to continuous UV radiation by the sun, when plastics are left permanently outside. Maybe this could be addressed with some kind of coating, but i don't know for sure...

Jessiemaff

Hello Lovely Humans, I am brand new to this wonderful community and was deeply inspired by all of your projects and ideas. I was wondering what we know about the durability / longevity of plastic products once they have been shredded, melted and compressed. I would like to do an outdoor permanent art installation but was a bit concerned about durability. Any thoughts? Thank you so much! -Jessica of NYC

There's this company in the UK that makes outdoor furniture that's supposed to be durable... Maybe you could poke around on their website ( https://www.reformedplastics.co.uk/ ) and maybe email them and try to figure out how they do it?

Recycled Plastic Benches Bournemouth, Recycled Plastic Benches Pool...

Reformed Plastics manufacture recycled plastic furniture and all types of recycled plastic products all from 100% recycled plastic. We manufacture products ourselves and then sell direct to the Domestic and Commercial sector.

Check out these cool recycled plastic samples of different thicknesses and different colour combinations on our insta/fb page @ecodecotrc

1

Hi, person interested in recycling plastic here! I was wondering if anyone has ever tried making role playing game / D&D dice before. A quick internet search told me they're usually made from acrylic or resin, but I've found nothing about them being made from recycled plastic. The reason why I think dice would be such a good fit for recycled plastic is the infinite plastic blends, marbling and colour swirls I've seen on large sheets. Maybe that's also possible in a small dice mould?

5

3

Hello everyone! It's nice to be a part of the community :) I was wondering if anyone knows if PVC can be recycled (shredded and extruded) just as other plastics (HDPE, LDPE, PET, etc) are. I mean, do conditions such as the size of the pieces and the temperature of the extruders stay the same? I have a school project where we have large amounts of PVC as the material and my team and I are considering a workshop to recycle it and make other products. The PVC is in the form of a very narrow pipe which limits the possibilities of applications, so shredding it is the way to go. It is clean PVC and this is its first life cycle.

hi everyone, in alle the videos i only see "solid" plastic beeing reiceled. what about

9:26 PM

plastic bags or plastic wraps?

9:27 PM

is it possible to recycle them too?

Has anyone thought about or made a push bike tyre lever? Where I am gets a lot of cyclists coming past. It would be a cool product to offer.

simsalagin

plastic bags or plastic wraps?

https://youtu.be/Pp4vmfVlm2k

Make a durable tote bag from shitty plastic bags #preciousplastic

10:07 PM

https://youtu.be/LV6Zp9i0mOc

Create marble from plastic bags #preciousplastic

1

10:07 PM

Hope this helps

Hi, just starting here and not very knowledgeable about the different grades of plastic. being in construction I'm very interested in the bricks and was wondering if UV or sunlight in general will degrade the plastic over time? Thanks for your help. CD

savoury

Hello everyone! It's nice to be a part of the community :) I was wondering if anyone knows if PVC can be recycled (shredded and extruded) just as other plastics (HDPE, LDPE, PET, etc) are. I mean, do conditions such as the size of the pieces and the temperature of the extruders stay the same? I have a school project where we have large amounts of PVC as the material and my team and I are considering a workshop to recycle it and make other products. The PVC is in the form of a very narrow pipe which limits the possibilities of applications, so shredding it is the way to go. It is clean PVC and this is its first life cycle.

PVC is tricky if you use the search button and read through the explanations there are better ones. But when you heat a chemical reaction happens and you release toxic fumes into the air. These fumes are much different then ones that come from HDPE and are more dangerous. I do not recommend shredding and extruding/injecting it for a school project.

[PC] CruiseDancer

Hi, just starting here and not very knowledgeable about the different grades of plastic. being in construction I'm very interested in the bricks and was wondering if UV or sunlight in general will degrade the plastic over time? Thanks for your help. CD

UV generally does degrade plastic over time, although I have seen companies like https://www.reformedplastics.co.uk/ make outdoor furniture. I'm not sure how they achieve it though. Might be a good idea to ask them or even buy from them.

Recycled Plastic Benches Bournemouth, Recycled Plastic Benches Pool...

Reformed Plastics manufacture recycled plastic furniture and all types of recycled plastic products all from 100% recycled plastic. We manufacture products ourselves and then sell direct to the Domestic and Commercial sector.

Hello dear precious plastic comunity! I am part of a design studio from berlin, we want to make some furniture using recycled PE sheets. Since we don´t have our own press we bought some from a local company. We just got the materiall but the surface is quite rough, since they were planed to get them to have the same size... long story short: DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY TIPS FOR SMOOTHING OUT THE SURFACE?

11:46 AM

Here is a picture of how the look now:

11:46 AM

11:48 AM

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED! THANKS!!

the minimono project

Hello dear precious plastic comunity! I am part of a design studio from berlin, we want to make some furniture using recycled PE sheets. Since we don´t have our own press we bought some from a local company. We just got the materiall but the surface is quite rough, since they were planed to get them to have the same size... long story short: DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY TIPS FOR SMOOTHING OUT THE SURFACE?

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/create/finishing Brothers make polishing: https://youtu.be/qvpSqV5BVEc?t=412 (edited)

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/create/finishing Brothers make polishing: https://youtu.be/qvpSqV5BVEc?t=412 (edited)

Thanks! Those are such good tips!!

Hi there, I just came across the 'preciousplasic.com' recycling page and am curious about h&s issues such as fumes from melting these materials? Btw I presume the costing to make the machines is using new parts...... I personally think these costs could be reduced to perhaps 1/10th if scrapyard parts were substituted providing one knows what to look for. (edited)

Actually scrapyard parts have been used in many One Army projects if you go to the One Army YouTube channel you may see some of those projects. Beyond price reuse/upcycle is always more sustainable then anything else. And if you go on that channel you will also see videos addressing fumes and what PPE is appropriate.

Liri (They/He)

PVC is tricky if you use the search button and read through the explanations there are better ones. But when you heat a chemical reaction happens and you release toxic fumes into the air. These fumes are much different then ones that come from HDPE and are more dangerous. I do not recommend shredding and extruding/injecting it for a school project.

Thanks for the answer! This is really helpful. Lets say you have around 40,000kg of PVC (coming from the tubes I mentioned which don't have many applications) and you want to turn that into bricks. Is it best to find a company that has the proper equipment and safety measures to do that process? Or is it possible/viable to set-up a semi-industrial workshop with the needed safety measures to do it? Imagine that this workshop could be inside a marginalized community with little means of building their homes and a project like this could turn into a circular economy model: bricks are produced and sold inside the community

5:10 PM

The thing is that we have to come up with a social strategy that utilizes these tubes

@savoury Like I said I don't know the exact chemicals but I have seen people explain it in a bit more detail if you use the search button... But you said these pipes were virgin plastic which means that energy went into making them into cylinders, which means that they should be use as those cylinders first (that would be the most sustainable thing to do). And because PVC is complicated and plastic recycling is already expensive, and this is a school project I would look more into HDPE and PP from local stores and such. If you're really set on PVC I would look for someone who knows how to deal with melting PVC as I am no expert not even a novice, just wanted to be of help before you expose yourself to toxic fumes. And also maybe consider using PVC off cuts instead of the tubes becuase that way you're using something that supposedly cannot be used again and would have been thrown away.

savoury

Thanks for the answer! This is really helpful. Lets say you have around 40,000kg of PVC (coming from the tubes I mentioned which don't have many applications) and you want to turn that into bricks. Is it best to find a company that has the proper equipment and safety measures to do that process? Or is it possible/viable to set-up a semi-industrial workshop with the needed safety measures to do it? Imagine that this workshop could be inside a marginalized community with little means of building their homes and a project like this could turn into a circular economy model: bricks are produced and sold inside the community

the processing temperature is extremely important for the manufacture of plastic parts. If you are going to process this amount of material I recommend that you look for an industry.

Liri (They/He)

@savoury Like I said I don't know the exact chemicals but I have seen people explain it in a bit more detail if you use the search button... But you said these pipes were virgin plastic which means that energy went into making them into cylinders, which means that they should be use as those cylinders first (that would be the most sustainable thing to do). And because PVC is complicated and plastic recycling is already expensive, and this is a school project I would look more into HDPE and PP from local stores and such. If you're really set on PVC I would look for someone who knows how to deal with melting PVC as I am no expert not even a novice, just wanted to be of help before you expose yourself to toxic fumes. And also maybe consider using PVC off cuts instead of the tubes becuase that way you're using something that supposedly cannot be used again and would have been thrown away.

When heated, PVC releases hydrochloric acid, which is extremely harmful to health. Large companies use equipment to remove this gas during processing

12:52 AM

as mentioned, I recommend using PP or PE, they are less harmful to health and have a lower processing temperature, which makes it easier to work

1

12:52 AM

sorry for my english

12:53 AM

i have a good background in polymer science and polymer processing

12:54 AM

any doubt i wll be delighted to help

marcelozp

the processing temperature is extremely important for the manufacture of plastic parts. If you are going to process this amount of material I recommend that you look for an industry.

Thanks a lot! I think i will look for a company that can handle the material properly. The thing is that we MUST use PVC because thats what the tubes are made of and we're supposed to reuse them for something new (they cant stay as tubes because they are too short and too narrow)

do you know if they are 100% PVC

1:27 AM

here in brazil is usual to add some CaCO in the composition

1:31 AM

color is important too

1:31 AM

if you can send me some pictures

1:31 AM

it would be nice

marcelozp

When heated, PVC releases hydrochloric acid, which is extremely harmful to health. Large companies use equipment to remove this gas during processing

Thanks for helping haha, I didn't remember what other people have said and wanted to warn this person...

12:30 PM

This is the tube/rod that we're dealing with. As far as I know it is made entirely from PVC

Liri (They/He)

Thanks for helping haha, I didn't remember what other people have said and wanted to warn this person...

Thanks for your help Liri :) it was really useful and it sparked another conversation with Marcelo so thanks a lot!

1

savoury

This is the tube/rod that we're dealing with. As far as I know it is made entirely from PVC

They have an internal diameter of 7.94mm and an external of 14.29mm. And they are 609.60mm long

What product do you want to make?

I want to turn them into bricks

5:03 PM

Do you happen to know the dimensions of the Precious Plastic Brick? I was only able to find the dimensions of the mould

i've never saw it

5:34 PM

do you have a link

5:34 PM

?

spiros nik

one thing i have heard forum members mentioning, is problems with resistance of plastics to continuous UV radiation by the sun, when plastics are left permanently outside. Maybe this could be addressed with some kind of coating, but i don't know for sure...

Thank you, I will look into coating possibilities!

Jessiemaff

Thank you, I will look into coating possibilities!

You need to look for additives. You will use it while processing

7:49 PM

Anti UV

marcelozp

do you have a link

Here it is: https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-extruded-plastic-bricks

14.1US $ 25% OFF|LJXH Brass Band Heater 30x20/30x35/30x50/30x55/30x...

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

1

Hi everyone! Whoop! Totes excited! My name is Trevor. I participate in a community based NFP for the continuation of mining towns left behind to die. Traditional and unsustainable practices are leaving the west coast of Tasmania in Australia for dead. Enter the foundation. To create as some of its first projects, aquaculture farming and a recycling plant. For some of the most amazing rainforests on earth including some trees that only grow here... The locals seem to be very un aware of how much plastic is floating around these communities. What a perfect way to start! I am gathering resources for a physical location for the foundation. Land... But untill I have somewhere to plonk a shipping container I will be instead doing it from my home. I have a 3d printer, laser cutter/engraver as well as a CNC machine. Also very well learned in all trades from metals to plastics to wood. From electricity to cement to permaculture... It's great to meet you all

1

7:43 AM

Any advice on setting up EVERYTHING in Tasmania would be perfect. There is nothing in this entire state/island. This is such big potential!

6

3

I would like to build a precious plastics injection machine, can someone please advise me of the wattage the band heaters need to be. Thank you. (edited)

@jollyboris https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32980036469.html?spm=a2g0w.12010612.8148356.9.e4f13202bOyiZM But check your lineup... (edited)

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

https://m.facebook.com/groups/594378634362918/permalink/1139587213175388/?sfnsn=mo

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Looking to get a logo question answered. I have a local company (in Arkansas, USA) designing a logo for my company, which will be start-to-finish plastic recycling following the Precious Plastic model. In the logo development section of the Academy on the PP site, all examples show "Precious Plastic" printed across the top, plus the company name at the bottom. This will get hard for me to use in small applications, especially if I want my brand name recognizable locally, where "Precious Plastic" is not a known entity (yet!) Is it OK to use that logo template with only my business name and not using "Precious Plastic"? I like the idea of a logo consistent with the PP community, but if "Precious Plastic" must be on it, it will require too much text for small applications. Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer this!

hi there, we are just starting out and would love to know if it is posible to use the plastic sheets for flooring. thanks

@👮Moderator

@Kroffie Banned the user, thanks!

Hi there, my name is Lewis and currently working on my thesis. I had a question concerning plastics recycling. When working on my thesis, I gather a lot of plastic waste and would like to look for a different use case for this waste. The plastics im talking about is PET and already recycled PET production waste. Would this specific type of plastic waste be a good choice to use when looking to use it as a base material for injection molding or extrusion? I know it's a thermoplastic, so in theory it should be possible. Thanks in advance.

anru7695

Looking to get a logo question answered. I have a local company (in Arkansas, USA) designing a logo for my company, which will be start-to-finish plastic recycling following the Precious Plastic model. In the logo development section of the Academy on the PP site, all examples show "Precious Plastic" printed across the top, plus the company name at the bottom. This will get hard for me to use in small applications, especially if I want my brand name recognizable locally, where "Precious Plastic" is not a known entity (yet!) Is it OK to use that logo template with only my business name and not using "Precious Plastic"? I like the idea of a logo consistent with the PP community, but if "Precious Plastic" must be on it, it will require too much text for small applications. Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer this!

i would have a look at the copyright statements of precious plastic. Everything is published and distributed under a specific creative commons license... not sure where this leads with your case..

Hello everyone. We are interested in starting PP in our area. The map is pretty empty in our region of the world so we are wondering how to start. Should we start with becoming a community point and collection site and then quickly expand to shredding? I am just wondering if it makes sense to collect if we do not have a way to shred/sell the materials. What is a minimum activity to start out with? Any thoughts? Thank you

@spiros nik Thanks. I read everything I could find available on their site and wanted to email someone with PP as it's really an answer I need from them as opposed to the broader PP community, but I couldn't find a way to contact them. Happen to know how? (edited)

Toby

Hello everyone. We are interested in starting PP in our area. The map is pretty empty in our region of the world so we are wondering how to start. Should we start with becoming a community point and collection site and then quickly expand to shredding? I am just wondering if it makes sense to collect if we do not have a way to shred/sell the materials. What is a minimum activity to start out with? Any thoughts? Thank you

Hi Toby, just wanted to mention some of us were just discussing the map in #just-chatting do you have any comments as to your experience. I am just curious if changes to the map might be a good thing for everyone. What was your experience with the map as a new user? Maybe you can comment in #just-chatting cheers.

Another potential tool for makers (with cheap alternative explaination mid-video) https://youtu.be/iHAkCYwxUb0

Adam Savage’s Tested

Adam Savage's Favorite Tools: Plastic Forming Strip Heater!

hello

11:53 AM

do you know how to make a simple blow moulding for 200 ml container

I don't think we have developed Injection Blow Molding yet

Hello. I am interested in applying for a business grant in the United States, specifically Colorado. Does anyone have resources for this?

Hi everyone, i am currently working on a shredder sizing for my internship. I found "Shredder Pro" project very interesting on precious plastic website but i was wondering à few questions about its sizing. For example, it's said that nominal torque should be over 1000 Nm but how has it been calculated ? Was it a physical properties study based on plastic shearing ? An other example, its said that gear module should be 6 but the allowed torque for these gears is under the shredding torque ? If anyone know more about this or know where i could get them that would be kind. Thanks

1000Nm Minimum. Motor with less, take more Energy and heat up Quick

5:54 PM

I got this, used 1 month so it is good as new. (300€)

In fact i already have a motor from a vegetal shredder but it's only 500 Nm so i think i'll just add some reduction to get 1000 Nm but thanks ! My question was rather how the 1000 Nm value was found ?

I dont know how tu calculate this. When you use a gearbox, make sure it is strong enough. This motor have a 60mm hollow shaft. Shredder pro only 45mm (edited)

Seb_Fily

In fact i already have a motor from a vegetal shredder but it's only 500 Nm so i think i'll just add some reduction to get 1000 Nm but thanks ! My question was rather how the 1000 Nm value was found ?

maybe this can help? https://will-it-shred.netlify.app/

spiros nik

maybe this can help? https://will-it-shred.netlify.app/

This calculation was made for the small shredder. About 300Nm to shred plastics up to 4mm thickness. With the big shredder you can shred thicker plastics of PP,PS,HDPE&LDPE... So the calculation just says you if it shred plastics about up to 4mm. @Seb_Fily (edited)

interesting. thanks for the info

Alright thanks a lot for your answers guys ! The aim of my internship is to shred plastics wastes from 3D printing. The main materials used on our 3d printing machines are PLA, ABS, Nylon and PETG. I think that the small shredder can fit for pieces with a low filling rate which represente most of pieces but for high filling rates it shouldn't be enough that's why i thought the double shaft shredder was a better option..

Hi everyone, I'm thinking about building an easy sensor for VOC's (volatile organic compounds) to test and meassure in the workshop. Does anybody knows if this sensor could work? https://www.pantechsolutions.net/cjmcu-811-ccs811-monitoring-indoor-air-quality-digital-gas-sensor-co-vocs

CJMCU-811 CCS811 Monitoring Indoor Air Quality Digital Gas Sensor-C...

CCS811 Indoor air quality monitoring digital gas sensor.The CJMCU-811 is an ultra-low-power digital gas sensor that integrates a CCS801 sensor and an 8-bit MCU with an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to detect indoor air quality, including carbon monoxide (CO) and a wide range of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

@Seb_Fily 3d prints, pending the density of the print are not to be underestimated for strength, especially Nylon. Definitely will do well with auto reverse and overload protection when the parts are thicker. Most prints are thicker than 4mm. (edited)

GusMerckel

Hi everyone, I'm thinking about building an easy sensor for VOC's (volatile organic compounds) to test and meassure in the workshop. Does anybody knows if this sensor could work? https://www.pantechsolutions.net/cjmcu-811-ccs811-monitoring-indoor-air-quality-digital-gas-sensor-co-vocs

Hi Gus, this is the plastic chat channel...there is a #beyond plastic channel, perhaps you can find a larger audience there. Interesting stuff though! (edited)

1

Hi! New to one army. Found it while I was researching heating plastics. A polypropylene Tupperware lid fell in our oven (preheated to 400F). It was on the oven floor (with heating element hidden below), so I’m assuming it was exposed to a temperature higher than 400F. We didn’t notice until we opened the oven later and thick, white/gray, foul (somewhat waxy)-smelling fumes billowed out and filled our house. We left the oven door open (with the puddle of bubbling liquid plastic continuing to heat on the oven floor and introducing fresh oxygen) and ran around to ventilate. However, it gook a while so we weren’t able to get out until ~5-10 mins later. I’m particularly worried because I was holding my baby while running around in the fumes, and we were directly in front of the open oven at times. It looked like the mass of plastic left behind was substantially reduced (it was originally 30g). The manufacturer assured me that they don’t use PVC, BPA/BPS, pthalates, polystyrene, polycarbonates, or latex. It seems PP is a relatively safe plastic. However, I came across this article - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/10915818809014521 - listing all the components released from heating PP in air under different experimental conditions (tables 8-13). Some of these components I recognize as harmful. Others I’m not familiar with, but still dangerous sounding! The results from the different experimental conditions vary quite widely, and I’m not a chemist so I don’t know how relevant each of the conditions are to my situation. Should I be worried about potentially exposing my baby (and ourselves) to toxic gases and long term health effects? Even though the house no longer smells, is there any concern about toxic gases or plastic particles condensed on all our surfaces? Is packaged food that was in the kitchen safe? Not sure if this is the right place for this, but you all are super knowledgeable about heating plastics, so I would appreciate any insight! Thank you!!!

SAGE Journals: Your gateway to world-class research journals

Subscription and open access journals from SAGE Publishing, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

Is there anyone from PP officially who could answer my logo question from a few days ago? If I could just message someone from PP that would really help!

Seb_Fily

Alright thanks a lot for your answers guys ! The aim of my internship is to shred plastics wastes from 3D printing. The main materials used on our 3d printing machines are PLA, ABS, Nylon and PETG. I think that the small shredder can fit for pieces with a low filling rate which represente most of pieces but for high filling rates it shouldn't be enough that's why i thought the double shaft shredder was a better option..

Have a look to this guy: https://www.instagram.com/handy_dans_3dprints/ Watch the latest story, there you can see his shredder for 3D-print waste.

Is there a mould or design for a mould to cover the top of the precious plastic brick? I don't see one in the PP Bazaar.

Hi all- I thought I’d put this in the discord ether - some of my samples are warping and doing this...

10:12 PM

Does anyone know what the cause is

10:13 PM

They’re all the same plastic type, temp and length of time in oven yet some are great some are uneven

Low temp

SecondActPlasticLA

They’re all the same plastic type, temp and length of time in oven yet some are great some are uneven

Probably the inner temperature is lower then the surface temperature

1:53 AM

Try to let it more time

ajz

Hi! New to one army. Found it while I was researching heating plastics. A polypropylene Tupperware lid fell in our oven (preheated to 400F). It was on the oven floor (with heating element hidden below), so I’m assuming it was exposed to a temperature higher than 400F. We didn’t notice until we opened the oven later and thick, white/gray, foul (somewhat waxy)-smelling fumes billowed out and filled our house. We left the oven door open (with the puddle of bubbling liquid plastic continuing to heat on the oven floor and introducing fresh oxygen) and ran around to ventilate. However, it gook a while so we weren’t able to get out until ~5-10 mins later. I’m particularly worried because I was holding my baby while running around in the fumes, and we were directly in front of the open oven at times. It looked like the mass of plastic left behind was substantially reduced (it was originally 30g). The manufacturer assured me that they don’t use PVC, BPA/BPS, pthalates, polystyrene, polycarbonates, or latex. It seems PP is a relatively safe plastic. However, I came across this article - https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/10915818809014521 - listing all the components released from heating PP in air under different experimental conditions (tables 8-13). Some of these components I recognize as harmful. Others I’m not familiar with, but still dangerous sounding! The results from the different experimental conditions vary quite widely, and I’m not a chemist so I don’t know how relevant each of the conditions are to my situation. Should I be worried about potentially exposing my baby (and ourselves) to toxic gases and long term health effects? Even though the house no longer smells, is there any concern about toxic gases or plastic particles condensed on all our surfaces? Is packaged food that was in the kitchen safe? Not sure if this is the right place for this, but you all are super knowledgeable about heating plastics, so I would appreciate any insight! Thank you!!!

Hi this is a topic I have long thought about for a while. Every time I watch a youtube video (not from DIyers but from knowledgeable people) I’m wondering why isn’t the person wearing a respirator? Or when I heard we eat a credit cards worth of plastic a week without knowing - I often think about who is tracking all this? will it turn out that in fifty years when precious plastics first followers are in their late age - will we see trends in cancer? From all the people who have been melting plastic? But the truth is there’s so much contamination and pollution in the world that It doesn’t reasonably seem one incident of approx 400 of majority PP plastic is going to drastically hurt us- especially when it sounds like you did the right thing- you mitigated situation and left. There’s nothing you could have done differently, I would monitor going forward because I know you said your baby was present but from what I’ve experienced personally I’ve only had a bad experience once when my exhaust fan wasn’t on- I had a migraine that freaked me out even though i was using HDPE at 350F and I was using a respirator but my main point is- we all experience contamination accidentally knowingly or unknowingly at some points and because the incident was singular I feel you should be okay monitoring your health.. aka don’t fret !

When talking to people about motors and trying to find one for a shredder what would I say this motor might be from? I have the will it shred calculator but when I ma talking to people to make it easier than numbers, what can I say? It's a motor from something that's really really slow but powerful like ..

11:34 AM

PS. Hope everyone's plastic world is killing

Hello, I'm French, sorry if there are spelling mistakes, Let me introduce myself, my name is Bastien Poucel, I am a student in the Pro CPI License at the IUT of Aix-en-Provence, I am currently on an internship in a plastics company. My project is to optimize a plastic film extruder (TRAMU extrudate line). I saw a video on YouTube from the "precious plastic" channel, and while visiting their website, I took to the Discord thread to maybe get some answers to my problems. To quickly explain how the machine works, there are 5 parts: the beginning: the big bag, then a silo, after a hopper, an endless screw and finally the exit. To start, we have a big bag filled with plastic sequins, these sequins must be able to be transported to the silo. (1st problem). Then, once the plastic flakes are in the silo, they pass through the hopper and end up in the endless screw. The endless screw will heat the plastic flakes to have a dough, and at the end of the endless screw, the dough is currently falling to the ground, the idea would be to be able to recover the dough, cool it and then grind it. Thanks, have a good day Sincerely, Bastien Poucel

Just found this german website to support global small plastic recycling projects. I am not sure if this is known around here. Maybe it helps. https://prevent-waste.net/pilotprojects/

jonas

Pilotprojekte - PREVENT Abfall Allianz

Hi everyone i am from ethiopia and i have just finished building the extrusion mc hoping to produce plastic sheet together with manual pressing but the result was not good . What else can i do with this machine ? I already invest half my money . (edited)

2:56 PM

Label

4:03 PM

new to discus. sorry. looking for advice on removing labels. must be a consolidated answer somewhere?

Hello everyone, I'm looking for an extrusion machine and sheet press to expand on making different things from recycled plastics, thanks

Hello everyone My name is Lisa) I came across with one of the OneArmy projects, namely #PreciousPlastic, almost from its very beginning (app. 5 years ago). At that time, I was just starting my undergraduate studies at the University of St. Petersburg, Russia and did not yet know how much my life and my perception of the would change in the nearest future. After 4 years of studying International Relations, I couldn't stop thinking that I was moving in the wrong direction. Already at the university, I began to spread the ideas of #zerowaste #minimalism and #sustainable_consumption. It has been a year since my graduation and it is almost a year now since I am a Sustainable Development Master student in Sweden, Uppsala. Just recently, I started sharing my experience on Instagram @gr.eenko. Every day spent here, surrounded by the same driven people and the world experts in the field, is defo one exceptional experience. I will be very grateful if you join my path, or just share it with someone who is the same sustainablu-inspired!) All have a good weekend and warm spring days))!!

Hello everyone, working on projects that will centre around recycling polypropylene, but I need a way of colouring the plastic to specific colours, in industry I believe they mix in pellets of plastic that are the right colour while the plastic is melted, does anyone have a better method or will I just have to shred certain colours to mix in to the bulk of the plastic to colour it?

Hey everyone! My school robotics team is working on a Shredder Pro for our school. We're from the United States, and we've found that it is much easier and much cheaper to buy materials made in the country. However, this means that we can only really buy materials in imperial measurements. Is there anyone here from the United States who has done the conversions already?

CosmoLeFairy

Hello everyone, working on projects that will centre around recycling polypropylene, but I need a way of colouring the plastic to specific colours, in industry I believe they mix in pellets of plastic that are the right colour while the plastic is melted, does anyone have a better method or will I just have to shred certain colours to mix in to the bulk of the plastic to colour it?

I have also been using polyprop a lot, and so many food cartons have coloured labels that can't be removed so the end colour can be icky! I was talking to a woman who works with polymer clay and she uses alcohol inks to colour that... maybe this is something to try. I found some in our local shops but they are so expensive here, it was a bit too uncertain to spend the money. If anyone on the thread has tried alcohol inks and can provide feedback, there's an interested audience...

Mr. Mustacho

hello everyone, im trying to see if i can recycle pet (its one of the main plastic waste in guatemala) and create plastic wood, do you know how many plastic do you need for one 2000mmx28mmx28mm beam? or if its posible to create it with pet (edited)

Hello! I'm at Guatemala and we worked with plastic the last year. The PET wasn't good but maybe others. Let me know if I can help you

6:57 PM

I'm having issues with streams forming inside the plastic, does anyone have ideas as to why this is happening? The plastic is LDPE bags heated at 240 then compressed into the Press at 3 tonnes. Everytime I get this results and it's frustrating because I have to sand the imperfections down and it further damages the LDPE. Is it because I don't have a mould ? Is my process wrong?

6:57 PM

I have the same plank of wood on top

the_troubleshooter

I'm having issues with streams forming inside the plastic, does anyone have ideas as to why this is happening? The plastic is LDPE bags heated at 240 then compressed into the Press at 3 tonnes. Everytime I get this results and it's frustrating because I have to sand the imperfections down and it further damages the LDPE. Is it because I don't have a mould ? Is my process wrong?

How long are you leaving it for? I’m not expert but I have been trouble shooting and I found that happens when I do two things. A. When I don’t leave it in for long enough, B. When the top of the mould isn’t hot / is a drastically different temperature so when it makes contact this sort of shrivels- that’s what I think based on working with a metal mould

the_troubleshooter

I have the same plank of wood on top

Also using a table planer or sander and then polishing might help - there’s that video on LDPE marble? Maybe you already saw this though

1

https://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=8938831&fileOId=8938833 look what i found! this might have been shown before on here. but in case it hase not, here it is

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-56937300

Where plastic waste in oceans is coming from

The Ocean Cleanup suggests plastic pollution comes from more rivers in the world than previously thought.

1

Hello, I am Antonio from Chile.I was reading about the plastic project. I want to build a extrusion machine. Actually I want to build the small one. This one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4NoY33-Tfo. The problem is that I did not found the blueprint. The only blueprint that I found is the PRO machine. I am at very beginning, and I want to do some test first. In a future I could evaluate the Pro machine, but not now. someone know if exist the blue print of the plastic small machine? (edited)

Precious Plastic - Build the extrusion ( part 3.2)

hey everyone, I'm thinking of different ways of identifying plastics , and I found that it is possible to do it spectroscopically https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jrs.1704

anru7695

Looking to get a logo question answered. I have a local company (in Arkansas, USA) designing a logo for my company, which will be start-to-finish plastic recycling following the Precious Plastic model. In the logo development section of the Academy on the PP site, all examples show "Precious Plastic" printed across the top, plus the company name at the bottom. This will get hard for me to use in small applications, especially if I want my brand name recognizable locally, where "Precious Plastic" is not a known entity (yet!) Is it OK to use that logo template with only my business name and not using "Precious Plastic"? I like the idea of a logo consistent with the PP community, but if "Precious Plastic" must be on it, it will require too much text for small applications. Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer this!

Do it. It's fine. I had a similar question a while back. So long as you're not going around touting yourself as Dave Hakkens or someone from the main Precious Plastic team, and your mindset is mostly the same with how you want to operate things, you're fine. Using the Precious Plastic name will always stir up questions due to people not quite understanding what Precious Plastic is. But, to the people who have heard of it and have seen the logo, it makes it much easier to be visible to those searching for anything Precious Plastic in their area.

I have a question about plastic in a mold or on a form. Do you need a release agent or does the oil contained form its own release agent?

11:21 AM

Has anyone tried plaster molds for heat and compression forming? Will the plaster dry out too much, and would plastic need a release agent, would it be too fragile for the compression needed?

Joe Cubed

I have a question about plastic in a mold or on a form. Do you need a release agent or does the oil contained form its own release agent?

usually i use silicone oil as a release agent. just use very little

Joe Cubed

Has anyone tried plaster molds for heat and compression forming? Will the plaster dry out too much, and would plastic need a release agent, would it be too fragile for the compression needed?

plaster? which one... gypsum? its only good for one use then the plaster breaks haha

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

plaster? which one... gypsum? its only good for one use then the plaster breaks haha

Yes gypsum. I guess a one mold press would be great for art, but not so great for mass production

11:30 AM

Thanks

speaking of moulds, what do you think of using 'artist concrete' such as https://www.fauxbone.com/products/concrete-refill to make the moulds

Solid Expressions™ Concrete

Solid Expressions™ Concrete Concrete may seem an unlikely material for jewelry, but time to discover the endless creative possibilities! It’s lightweight, easy to use, extremely versatile and inexpensive. Concrete is lighter then stone, resin or metal of comparable size, making it perfect to use for jewelry and other

12:06 PM

i figured that the concrete should be heat resistant and durable enough

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Do it. It's fine. I had a similar question a while back. So long as you're not going around touting yourself as Dave Hakkens or someone from the main Precious Plastic team, and your mindset is mostly the same with how you want to operate things, you're fine. Using the Precious Plastic name will always stir up questions due to people not quite understanding what Precious Plastic is. But, to the people who have heard of it and have seen the logo, it makes it much easier to be visible to those searching for anything Precious Plastic in their area.

Thank you so much for your reply! Do you think it's OK if I use the logo but don't use "Precious Plastic" all the time with it? Or do you think it's important to keep that with it? If so, I may make my own logo. I don't want too many words on my logo confusing locals. I appreciate your input!

Joe Cubed

Yes gypsum. I guess a one mold press would be great for art, but not so great for mass production

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwtkUtLHE6w/ here's the results of my daughters hand in a gypsum mold. the mould was too thin and cracked. but it would have been impossible to remove the plastic from the mould without breaking it as well. The detail was amazing, i can see her finger prints in the plastic. There's some issue with gypsum getting stuck with the plastic too. it's a bit of a hot mess, doable but questionable if you should actually do it hahaha

anru7695

Thank you so much for your reply! Do you think it's OK if I use the logo but don't use "Precious Plastic" all the time with it? Or do you think it's important to keep that with it? If so, I may make my own logo. I don't want too many words on my logo confusing locals. I appreciate your input!

Modify, change the name, use it, promote yourself and your business, get your workshop up and running. The vibe is more like "Here's all the information and graphics you need to get started, modify as you see fit but do maintain the Precious Plastic spirit." We all want each other to be successful, we all want to reduce plastic waste that's in the environment and if modifying a logo helps you to do so. I can't speak for Precious Plastic, but your question has come up before. so don't worry.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwtkUtLHE6w/ here's the results of my daughters hand in a gypsum mold. the mould was too thin and cracked. but it would have been impossible to remove the plastic from the mould without breaking it as well. The detail was amazing, i can see her finger prints in the plastic. There's some issue with gypsum getting stuck with the plastic too. it's a bit of a hot mess, doable but questionable if you should actually do it hahaha

Great experiment, I think it looks workable, a simple mold without overhangs or undercuts. Maybe some wire or screen to reinforce it, and a lot of excess material for strength. Thanks for the photo!

Woo Hoo!!! Got our "new" Crunch Bird working. Realized it's only good for harder/thicker plastics. This batch is a mix of broken children's toys. No stamps so I am going to experiment with identifying it. https://vimeo.com/545257751

1

SPOILER

2:09 AM

a recycled meme for you guys

InspiredMechanic

Woo Hoo!!! Got our "new" Crunch Bird working. Realized it's only good for harder/thicker plastics. This batch is a mix of broken children's toys. No stamps so I am going to experiment with identifying it. https://vimeo.com/545257751

I'm not sure of the name for this type of shredder, but would i be correct in assuming it's the type that has long flat blades that rotate fast?

Yes it is a Polymer Systems 68 SPL. 230vac 3 phase with a 5hp motor. It looks kind of bird-ish. (edited)

5:33 AM

5:36 AM

the inside

Hello I’m new here just found this site. Where can you apply for grants from? Any ideas? I saw someone say they got a grant from EU, UN? thanks

InspiredMechanic

the inside

Ah very cool. I was just looking at machines on Saturday for higher capacity.

9:51 AM

9:52 AM

Quite a bit larger though, they ran these off a diesel truck engine

9:52 AM

Very clean inside but way more than 5hp to move that wheel!

in the video of the sheetpress they say they use silicone oil as mold release. would this be good? https://www.siliconesandmore.com/en/silicone-oil-100000-cst.html

Silicone Oil 100.000 cSt

With silicone oil 100.000 cSt, you can easily change the hardness / Shore (stiffness) and elasticity of pf very viscous silicone.

Hi guys, is there anyone still trying to iron packaging foils? Have anyone figured out any other way to stop sticking plastic to iron? Baking paper works good, but it wrinkles so much and is sometimes pain in the a$$ to get it off plastic.

i ve heard that silicon baking paper (multiuse) is good for this

@spiros nik never heard od it, will look it up, thanks

Has anyone heard about or worked with overmolding/insert molding? Especially looking at DIY/personal scale. I know commercial facilities will do it, but commercial injection molds always mix the plastic in the hopper really well and I want to keep the awesome marble effect. So wondering if anyone has worked with overmolding and kept the marbled color effect? Thanks

Alguien que hable español para compartir conocimientos sobre PET, PP, PS y PET blend?

XavyG

Alguien que hable español para compartir conocimientos sobre PET, PP, PS y PET blend?

eu falo portugues

2:54 AM

usa o chat latin america

@marcelozp ok. Muchas gracias

XavyG

Alguien que hable español para compartir conocimientos sobre PET, PP, PS y PET blend?

yo hablo español, pero no tengo mucho conocimientos sobre PET, PP, PS, Y PET blend

6:24 AM

‍♀️

Pulo

in the video of the sheetpress they say they use silicone oil as mold release. would this be good? https://www.siliconesandmore.com/en/silicone-oil-100000-cst.html

I would avoid that particular silicone oil, it's probably too thick and not designed to be used as a release agent.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I would avoid that particular silicone oil, it's probably too thick and not designed to be used as a release agent.

alright thanks. anthing particular i would have to look out for? im kindof looking for something that can be aplied with a cloth or something

Hey, is there any video showcasing how various plastics can be by using the floating technique not only PP and PET but PS, PE, PA and more.

Pulo

alright thanks. anthing particular i would have to look out for? im kindof looking for something that can be aplied with a cloth or something

well, it might work. im not sure what the difference is but my assumption with that one was that it's more meant for making silicone moulds. I'd focus your search more on silicone oil release agent

Shalin Doshi

Hey, is there any video showcasing how various plastics can be by using the floating technique not only PP and PET but PS, PE, PA and more.

something like this but with plastic? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CDkJuo_LYs&t=70s

Sick Science!

Amazing 9 Layer Density Tower - Sick Science! #012

1

Hello! My name is Lázaro and I am from México. Just starting to sketch out a project for a new workspace in the costal city of Veracruz. There is a huge amount of plastic in the oceans of the region and this could be a great community project.

7:16 PM

I have a very specific question regarding the design of the workspace calculator financial tool. One of the interested investors rose this question and I cannot figure out the answer.

7:19 PM

I cannot figure out where is the factor "4.33" coming from. Does anyone have any idea?

1

7:20 PM

same thing for the Indirect Labor Cost

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

something like this but with plastic? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CDkJuo_LYs&t=70s

Amazing stuff, but the question is how can various plastic be managed or separated in that way by managing density? Because the fluids mentioned in there if used at any will make the plastic material smell, which will lead to rejection of the material. I agree this was just a way to show the densities but, any idea as to how other plastics can be separated out?

Lázaro G.

I cannot figure out where is the factor "4.33" coming from. Does anyone have any idea?

The 4.33 is an estimate of how many weeks there are in a month

3

10:31 PM

as they are drawing the weekly hours and estimating how much wages there will be per month

Hi

5:28 PM

i have a question, where can i find the properties of the recycled plastic? for example if the plastic that they recycled is waterproof, the density and all this stuff?

@citizen-charming correcto! merci

Shalin Doshi

Amazing stuff, but the question is how can various plastic be managed or separated in that way by managing density? Because the fluids mentioned in there if used at any will make the plastic material smell, which will lead to rejection of the material. I agree this was just a way to show the densities but, any idea as to how other plastics can be separated out?

There's been posts about this but i've never seen any videos using anything other than water, likely because it's too expensive to separate by density in other liquids (glycerin, vegetable oil, alcohol....) https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/separation-by-density/

Jerry de Vos

Separation by density - Dave Hakkens

Hi everyone, In a quest to find the best sorting methods I made multiple post on different ways of separating plastics. In this post I will explain separation by density. A different approach to - Dave Hakkens

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

There's been posts about this but i've never seen any videos using anything other than water, likely because it's too expensive to separate by density in other liquids (glycerin, vegetable oil, alcohol....) https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/separation-by-density/

I agree it's an expensive process but there is a way where if you add chemicals like Ethanol or base salt you can separate plastics. Over the years I have also learnt how you can demetallise films and then reuse them.

Hello! Im new here, i came from the precious plastic series of videos. I am planning to try to use rice husk or even its stems, or sugarcane bagasse, or corn stems/leaves (they're my town's main produce) to create bowls,plates etc. Has anyone tried it?

JheymsBond

Hello! Im new here, i came from the precious plastic series of videos. I am planning to try to use rice husk or even its stems, or sugarcane bagasse, or corn stems/leaves (they're my town's main produce) to create bowls,plates etc. Has anyone tried it?

try the #archived-beyond-plastic channel for this

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

try the #archived-beyond-plastic channel for this

Thanks!

Hello! I'm new here I'm a teacher in the North of spain and I like to make a project at school to bring at least two basic machines

6:33 PM

I saw in one of the videos that you have a map where you can locate other people to work with or get help (edited)

6:35 PM

Could anyone help me fing that map? The video was old so I'm not sure if it is still up as I didn't see it in the website

Iñaki

Hello! I'm new here I'm a teacher in the North of spain and I like to make a project at school to bring at least two basic machines

the website has a lot of information and it gets kind of difficult to navigate indeed. Here is the current map https://community.preciousplastic.com/map/ i also made a study, designing a plastic recycling workshop for primary schools, but i still haven't translated from greek to english https://plasticrecyclingforkids.weebly.com/deltaiotaalphabetaalphasigmatauepsilon-tauetanu-muepsilonlambdaepsilontaueta.html

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΤΗΝ ΜΕΛΕΤΗ

Εργαστήριο πλαστικού για παιδιά

Wow. Having already the adaptation for schools could be great (edited)

9:34 PM

My idea is to get a shredder machine and a press to make items kids would like so they can get them later

1

my idea ha sbeen that an oven and a small press, would be a great way for first demonstrations, and an easy way for kids to understand how the whole process works

9:50 PM

and afterwards and injection machine would be really good i think, for kids to be able to produce a lot of items relatively quickly, in order to use them, or sell them in their school bazaars...

Do you have any pics of the final result?

10:08 PM

With the press, what fo you produce?

10:12 PM

A guy just contacted me offering me to sell me machines So i might get to this sooner than expected (edited)

what do you mean with photos of the final result. My research/design has been theoritical thus far, so i only made some sketches which are included in the link of my thesis that i sent above. with a press and molds you can produce various thinks, such as bowls or sheet type objects. The disadvantage of this method, is the slow production rate.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Modify, change the name, use it, promote yourself and your business, get your workshop up and running. The vibe is more like "Here's all the information and graphics you need to get started, modify as you see fit but do maintain the Precious Plastic spirit." We all want each other to be successful, we all want to reduce plastic waste that's in the environment and if modifying a logo helps you to do so. I can't speak for Precious Plastic, but your question has come up before. so don't worry.

Awesome, thank you!

Lázaro G.

I have a very specific question regarding the design of the workspace calculator financial tool. One of the interested investors rose this question and I cannot figure out the answer.

Hi Lazaro, I also used the provided business spreadsheets. My dad and I weren't sure why the multiplier was in there, and wondered if maybe it had to do with taxation? At any rate, we removed it on the last page, which holds the master calculations. You will also find some other cells in which the calculations are actually incorrect. I wish I could remember the exact cells we ran into problems with, but we did have to modify it to make the math come out correctly.

Iñaki

Do you have any pics of the final result?

If you check the "Bazar" section of the web site, you can find many examples of plastic products made through compression, extrusion, and injection!

spiros nik

what do you mean with photos of the final result. My research/design has been theoritical thus far, so i only made some sketches which are included in the link of my thesis that i sent above. with a press and molds you can produce various thinks, such as bowls or sheet type objects. The disadvantage of this method, is the slow production rate.

Ok. I saw the sketches but I thought you had test it

How many kg of shredded plastics do you have to make a plastic fence having 2 meters length by only using HDPE plastic waste? @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Guys, any idea about using PP or HDPE for outdoor furniture? I'd like to gain insight on material properties concerning technical requirements (Europe/Germany). I need to prove that, because I'd love to bring Precious Plastic Furniture to our town, e. g. park benches. (Best would be scientific/approved information resources. I still take all you know about that topic.) (edited)

Asuna_NFT

How many kg of shredded plastics do you have to make a plastic fence having 2 meters length by only using HDPE plastic waste? @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

well, the math is (in centimeters) x * y * z * density (density being valued in grams per cm3) HDPE has a density range from 0.93 to 0.97g/cm3 So lets say you want a plank that's 2cm * 6cm * 200cm Find the volume first 2cm * 6cm * 200cm = 2,400cm3 2,400cm3 (2.4 liter) is our volume. Multiply this by the density of material. 2,4000cm3 * 0.95g = 2.28kg So for this size, you'd need 2.28kg. Results may vary due to air bubbles displacing plastic and different densities for HDPE

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

well, the math is (in centimeters) x * y * z * density (density being valued in grams per cm3) HDPE has a density range from 0.93 to 0.97g/cm3 So lets say you want a plank that's 2cm * 6cm * 200cm Find the volume first 2cm * 6cm * 200cm = 2,400cm3 2,400cm3 (2.4 liter) is our volume. Multiply this by the density of material. 2,4000cm3 * 0.95g = 2.28kg So for this size, you'd need 2.28kg. Results may vary due to air bubbles displacing plastic and different densities for HDPE

Great! Thank you. :)

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

Depends on the cross section, but probably you need a bigger extrusion then: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusionpro

Can I ask what's the maximum length of plastic fence can this extrusion machine make in rectangular form? using HDPE.

I'm based in Europe(France and moving soon to Portugal). I am looking for someone with a workspace to collaborate with on designs and build up and test some new recycled plastic prototypes. I am a welder and a machinist, with a background in bicycle repair and all forms of metal work. I am new to Europe, so my tool supply was reset cause I can't bring my workspace on the airplane :( I'm having trouble finding workspaces and people to reach out to. Any links or people who can point me in the direction?

Hello everyone quick question. For the sheetpress both Heating plates are 10mm aluminium. in my country i can only find 9mm or less. Does anyone know if it would work giving the thickness of the material and the heating needs for a uniform heating mechanism?

Asuna_NFT

Can I ask what's the maximum length of plastic fence can this extrusion machine make in rectangular form? using HDPE.

The limit is quite long if you keep your mould hot. For something that's 5cm x 9cm, I've extruded to somewhere around 1m, beyond that it gets really bad and the plastic at the end doesn't stay fused together

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

The limit is quite long if you keep your mould hot. For something that's 5cm x 9cm, I've extruded to somewhere around 1m, beyond that it gets really bad and the plastic at the end doesn't stay fused together

I see. Thank you. Then can I have some insights from you with regards to our design? Well, we are about to produce a 2 meters length plastic fence/beams, having same extrusion design https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusionpro is it possible to produce longer than 2 meters of fence/beams with this extrusion design? By the way, we are currently working with our thesis thru simulation.

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusionpro

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Asuna_NFT

I see. Thank you. Then can I have some insights from you with regards to our design? Well, we are about to produce a 2 meters length plastic fence/beams, having same extrusion design https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/extrusionpro is it possible to produce longer than 2 meters of fence/beams with this extrusion design? By the way, we are currently working with our thesis thru simulation.

Short answer: yes, you can do longer than 3m. Longer answer: HDPE has a bit of an annoying shrink rate and has issues when making pieces that are thick, in my experience. Your limitation on how long you can extrude will be a bit trial and error, but if you keep the temperature of your mould up, you can probably extrude 5m or more depending on your mould size, but again you'd have to keep your mould hot. If it's cold, you're going to run into problems. Without heating the mould, 2m might work with extrusion pro but I don't have experience with this.

1

What is the largest volume of plastic anyone has extruded into a mould with the Pro Extrusion. We want to do 40mm x 140mm (like a 2x6 in North American terms) but are wondering what length would be maximum.

would there be a maximum length?

Ok great. What is the best way to keep the mould hot?

I haven't used it before but I'd assume that after a certain length it just has to be supported

7:56 PM

it'll cool after some distance

7:56 PM

it would require testing for surface finishes and dimensionality of course but there is no theoretical limit on length (edited)

I would think so as cooling happens I just wonder about the roughness of the product. We will have to investigate and share.

8:00 PM

What are the best methods to keep the mould hot when extruding with the Pro Extrusion machine

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug I was just wondering with regards to the design of your motor in shredding & extrusion machine, what's the difference between having placed the motor vertically and horizontally?

is there a plastic drop off location in Massachusetts?

Rossland Refactory

Ok great. What is the best way to keep the mould hot?

Build an oven around the mould or use heating elements that are held onto the mould. You'd need Some temperature controllers to make sure they don't overheat. With heating elements directly on the mould, it'll be much quicker to heat up compared to using an oven.

Asuna_NFT

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug I was just wondering with regards to the design of your motor in shredding & extrusion machine, what's the difference between having placed the motor vertically and horizontally?

It doesn't really matter what orientation the motor is in. My reccomendation to everyone is to have your motor and gearbox bolted together like a mated pair. If you run a shaft to a gearbox and another shaft from gearbox to shredder box or extrusion screw, you're introducing weak points and it's too easy to misalign things....so parts will break.

1

Rossland Refactory

What is the largest volume of plastic anyone has extruded into a mould with the Pro Extrusion. We want to do 40mm x 140mm (like a 2x6 in North American terms) but are wondering what length would be maximum.

I've done 50mm x 150mm x 1.5m with smaller extrusion and some heating help on the mould. Would take almost 3.5 hours to extrude.

citizen-charming

The 4.33 is an estimate of how many weeks there are in a month

Thankyou very very much!

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I've done 50mm x 150mm x 1.5m with smaller extrusion and some heating help on the mould. Would take almost 3.5 hours to extrude.

So when you say smaller extrusion. Is that smaller than the Pro Extrusion.

Rossland Refactory

So when you say smaller extrusion. Is that smaller than the Pro Extrusion.

Yeah, the v3 extrusion with compression screw upgrade. If using the extrusion pro, output is much higher.

Hi! I´m an artist having made sculptures by the use of hot melt glue gun with gluesticks. I´m trying to find out if it is possible to use granules from discarded plastic products in an easy way instead of gluesticks. I know about the plastic extruder from Precious plastic, but i´m for a start looking for something smaller, hand held. Would it be possible to use a glue gun with a big melting chamber for temperatures up to 200 C (like the one on the photo which ) to melt plastic granules? Or does it require more pressure? Are there types of plastic that melt and flow more easily?

Jørund

Hi! I´m an artist having made sculptures by the use of hot melt glue gun with gluesticks. I´m trying to find out if it is possible to use granules from discarded plastic products in an easy way instead of gluesticks. I know about the plastic extruder from Precious plastic, but i´m for a start looking for something smaller, hand held. Would it be possible to use a glue gun with a big melting chamber for temperatures up to 200 C (like the one on the photo which ) to melt plastic granules? Or does it require more pressure? Are there types of plastic that melt and flow more easily?

To get an idea of the kind of sculptures i made with glue gun before, here is a photo.

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto Hi Sir Thomas, Can I ask in relation to your extrusion pro, what is the max running time (hr/day) in using HDPE?

Asuna_NFT

@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto Hi Sir Thomas, Can I ask in relation to your extrusion pro, what is the max running time (hr/day) in using HDPE?

I just use the injection, but V4 says this, maybe someone who extruded wit the extruder pro can say more?

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Yeah, the v3 extrusion with compression screw upgrade. If using the extrusion pro, output is much higher.

Great thanks. So we might be able to do 40mm x 140mm x 2 or 3m with the Pro Extrusion if we keep the mould hot. Will keep everyone posted on our success.

hello (edited)

Someone tested a few face masks? Like to do some injection tests next week. @Jerry de Vos, what would your scanner say?;)

PP

1

3:44 PM

I think at HQ they are test with such masks

I was just watching the video Hakkens posted in updates-community channel "PRECIOUS PLASTIC - Martin Tzununa". While watching Tzununa's rough tools and process, a previous question of mine came to my mind once more. I was experimenting, by melting chopped HDPE bottles in an oven in my garden the other day. I think i was melting at the correct temperatures, and still the area was really smelly for the whole afternoon, while the melting process was going on. I ve heard about the hazard that fumes from melted plastic may do to humans. Is these fumes, toxic for the environment as well though? (edited)

Hi everyone, is melting hdpe plastic and re moulding for furniture purposes a strong material say for a chair ?

I´m starting a business for WPC. I want to buy extruder from china provider. What do you think or recommend about this?

Hey everyone. I am a mushroom farmer, and want to get your ideas on recycling Polypropylene plastic bags. Please help. I am super concerned with creating a ton of waste while trying to address food security. I have seen bags melting to make re-usable grocery bags- but are there more ideas out there? (edited)

mxspxs91

Hey everyone. I am a mushroom farmer, and want to get your ideas on recycling Polypropylene plastic bags. Please help. I am super concerned with creating a ton of waste while trying to address food security. I have seen bags melting to make re-usable grocery bags- but are there more ideas out there? (edited)

pp is quite easy to recycle, the simplest and easiest is to simply clean and shred the bags into flakes which can then be recycled, another idea is to melt down the bags and make them into pellets which are usable on all plastic machines

1

8:58 AM

so depending on how much time,money and effort you want to put into it there are quite a lot of things you can do

2

What do people use for preventing plastic from sticking to metal surfaces?

3:48 PM

specifically PP in this case

3:49 PM

We've used silicone spray which works pretty well but it's not ideal to apply and aerosol cans aren't the best from a waste standpoint.

silicone or any other[non flammable] oil in a spray gun/mister/pump spray

Falcon

We've used silicone spray which works pretty well but it's not ideal to apply and aerosol cans aren't the best from a waste standpoint.

or a modified electric water sprayer with oil instead of water, arranged in the way of industrial press

4:10 PM

all of these work the difference being the effort/resources required to make them and their ease of use

4:12 PM

another thing you could try is an using an mini ultrasonic mister like the ones used for sanitizers and filling it with oil instead

sponsoons

another thing you could try is an using an mini ultrasonic mister like the ones used for sanitizers and filling it with oil instead

these are commonly sold for use as either sanitizers or as humidifiers/foggers

My harder problem is finding the oil

4:16 PM

probably easiest to order from germany

Falcon

My harder problem is finding the oil

most high temp oils would work

4:45 PM

ive actually seen people use old engine oil as a lubricant for plastic molds

are there any specific oils to avoid?

4:46 PM

that will leech into common plastics or something (edited)

ehh thats depends stuff like silicone is preffered cuz its mostly neutral and doesnt interfere with anything

4:49 PM

but something id like to see is people trying to use mold coatings meant for metal casting for plastic molds

4:49 PM

that would have some interesting and helpful results

as far as I remember "brothers make" use mold release for hdpe

4:50 PM

has anyone used teflon spray?

4:54 PM

I guess that's what a lot of mold release sprays are actually

Hi all. Im new to precious plastic. Can i crush hdpe with a paper crusher to start with?

Hi team! In case you haven't seen it we have released a new video recycling disposable facemasks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5pkleCwb_Y This video we talk about the process and choices made when recycling facemasks. We are very excited at the possibilities!

30 BILLION FACEMASKS - and what you could do with them

3

Hello all, I am new here. I have a question about building with recycled plastic bricks. I have looked online with little success. Does anyone know if an extension 1 or 2 stories hight made from extruded bricks (https://preciousplastic.com//starterkits/buy/bricks) would be legal, safe & pass building standards? I want my extension to be made as eco as possible. I think plastic is the solution. I also would like to be able to do it myself. Any advice or guidance would be much appreciated. I would love to see whole houses built from plastic waste. Thank you.

Buy a Brick Starterkit

Purchase a starterkit to make bricks from recycled plastic from Precious Plastic HQ.

@👮Moderator Anyone getting messages like this, it's spam! Ignore it and do not click the links. I'm not sure if they have been dealt with but mods here you go.

RochaMocha

@👮Moderator Anyone getting messages like this, it's spam! Ignore it and do not click the links. I'm not sure if they have been dealt with but mods here you go.

thank you, we are actively working on a solution.

@👮Moderator another scammer is @Deleted User

4:17 PM

please look into it

1

Hey everyone. Today we are Beta releasing our new research module for the community platform . Sharing research was one of the most valuable things from the forums. We always felt bad it was gone.   Now it's here and we need beta testers! People/workspaces that are doing or going to start interesting research related to plastic. Send me a DM if interested or if you know someone that is doing research. Here some additional information: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/guides/research

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40064613/ https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40064613/

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

1

2:00 AM

i just learned about injecting glassmicrospheres into injection molded plastic as a filler

2:00 AM

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1233016O/3m-glass-bubbles-compounding-and-injection-molding-guidelines.pdf

2:00 AM

what the.

llservicesdirect

Hello all, I am new here. I have a question about building with recycled plastic bricks. I have looked online with little success. Does anyone know if an extension 1 or 2 stories hight made from extruded bricks (https://preciousplastic.com//starterkits/buy/bricks) would be legal, safe & pass building standards? I want my extension to be made as eco as possible. I think plastic is the solution. I also would like to be able to do it myself. Any advice or guidance would be much appreciated. I would love to see whole houses built from plastic waste. Thank you.

So vinyl siding is often used as a facade. As for HDPE, I am not sure how it would hold up to sunlight over time as I think it usually tends to break down under extended UV exposure and become brittle. Other plastics may be more viable, or you could possibly look into additives or find ways to shield HDPE from direct sunlight if you want to only use it as a structural element.

pyro

So vinyl siding is often used as a facade. As for HDPE, I am not sure how it would hold up to sunlight over time as I think it usually tends to break down under extended UV exposure and become brittle. Other plastics may be more viable, or you could possibly look into additives or find ways to shield HDPE from direct sunlight if you want to only use it as a structural element.

Thank you for your reply. I would be using as structural instead of conventional bricks. There would be no UV exposure as I would be cladding in composite brick cladding. Do you know if this would be acceptable to Building Regulation?

What temperature should we start at in the plate press with pp?

1:44 PM

Well that was scary

llservicesdirect

Thank you for your reply. I would be using as structural instead of conventional bricks. There would be no UV exposure as I would be cladding in composite brick cladding. Do you know if this would be acceptable to Building Regulation?

What is the country/area? I’m not sure off the top of my head but I can help you find out.

Hey there! does anybody know someone who owns a Sheetpress in bavaria or southern germany and sells sheets? haven't found anyone yet in the bazaar. size should be min. 80/80 cm. Thank you!

pyro

What is the country/area? I’m not sure off the top of my head but I can help you find out.

Thank you for your interest & offer of help. I'm in the UK.

Hey friends and fam. I need some of the research used to get funding. How much of everything in figure form. Let's say, to start with, how much profit we turn per pound or tonne of plastic. In one example in the training material they use 10$ per tonne of plastic. I reakon I could clear 10 profit on 1 item let alone 1 tonne of material!

7:42 PM

Or is there a source for all those questions? I searched the discord but couldn't find the business chat.

Hi everyone, I am wondering if anyone has tried embedding plastics in epoxy? Do some plastics float in epoxy? Which would float and which would sink?

Joe Cubed

Hi everyone, I am wondering if anyone has tried embedding plastics in epoxy? Do some plastics float in epoxy? Which would float and which would sink?

I have some friends who buy plastic disc to insert in resin for orgonite. Fancy designs, themes and such. He has never voiced may concerns about the material combinations so I imagine it would work ok. I guess also depends on the weight of the plastic, whether it's suspended, the curing process of the epoxy... Etc etc

1:44 AM

Sorry to bother but I have potential 7 figure investors on stand by. I need some quick stats for business plans

1:48 AM

I am targeting the island of plastic!!!!

Actually yes. Is there someone I can speak to vocally?

2:08 AM

Because I think I just got the mother load but I don't have everything I need. I need info! Can I speak to the business guy from the videos? Obviously if this happens I will be very circular with my profits - NFP - so I may need to be investing a whole lot too!!!

What are the thinnest sheets people have had luck with making successfully? I'm trying to vacuum form recycled sheets and am hoping I could get sheets as thin as 1mm. Has anyone experimented with this?

cwakeman

What are the thinnest sheets people have had luck with making successfully? I'm trying to vacuum form recycled sheets and am hoping I could get sheets as thin as 1mm. Has anyone experimented with this?

I used plastic bags and a tshirt press to create thin sheets, but I haven’t got the temperature right. Good luck, and if you remember, please let me know about your progress because we have a large vacuum former. I was thinking about forming laptop covers with it

1

@Deleted User is posting spam in PM

1

7:28 PM

crypto currency spam crap

7:29 PM

#6751

mxspxs91

Hey everyone. I am a mushroom farmer, and want to get your ideas on recycling Polypropylene plastic bags. Please help. I am super concerned with creating a ton of waste while trying to address food security. I have seen bags melting to make re-usable grocery bags- but are there more ideas out there? (edited)

Hello, what type (exactly) of bags are you looking to recycle? i too have been saving PP bags from the landfills but the are not your typical grocery bags... they are giant tote bags used for shipping and manufacturing.

Hey guys, I have a quick question, is there anyway to remove PE coating from PET film?

Making a script for testing plastic color mixes

2:21 PM

5% red

2:23 PM

red and purple

2:24 PM

doesn't really account for mixing and smearing though (edited)

better

@Falcon sick!

6:39 PM

Would need to weight some colors heavily though. Black for example takes over even with a very small amount

yeah, definitely

6:42 PM

I plan to implement transparency so can maybe fit that in there somewhere

7:39 PM

I looked in to getting the smearing coded in as well but I may have to write a simulation algorithm for that

Im El Salvador, quiero iniciar con un proyecto de plastico triturado, alguna recomendación

can we find any incubation near kerala region? 509

Has anyone has a positive experience with plastic lamination similar to that of wood lamination with epoxy?

Butte (PP Philippines)

@Martim Caeiro polycarbonate is pretty safe to work with. I have used it extensively in 3D printing since 2013. The downsides are that it requires very high temps to work with. 280-305c It also can warp a lot. It would be interestingto try and experiment with it again in with the precious plastic machines. maybe adding carbon fiber to reduce warping.

@Butte (PP Philippines) Do you have any more lessons learned with working with Polycarbonate ? I have access to 1000s of signs that I need to recycle. Do you have any recommendations for the best product to make out of recycled material ?

@davehakkens Thanks for creating this community of like minded people. I have been working on a technique that utilizes plastic film and bags. By wrapping multiple layers around a form and covering with hot sand, I have been able to fuse them together into a solid structure. This technique uses low value feedstock, to create robust functional and sculptural products. I have been using a propane grill to heat the sand, and have recently moved to an electric version with mixed results. Anyhoo, just reaching out , Peace Pete www.plasticrete.net

Has anyone had issues with #1 plastic (polyethylene ld) being too brittle and cracking once you get it out of the injection mould? Does that happen when you get it too hot?

Looking for anyone who has had luck with creating large blocks of hdpe. Something around 2"x12"x24" (5x30x60cm). Any techniques are welcome such as extrusion, injection, and heat pressing. My end goal is to create something similar to lumber that is able to be milled on woodworking machines. I am new to one army, so its nice to meet all of you!

11:02 PM

Hello everyone ... Anybody can make this to me and i will pay for that please !

MystroPolymeric

Hello, what type (exactly) of bags are you looking to recycle? i too have been saving PP bags from the landfills but the are not your typical grocery bags... they are giant tote bags used for shipping and manufacturing.

Mushroom grow bags! But I think I found fully degradable double duty bags that I can use for my grow operation rather than pp bags. Elimination is always easier, especially as I don't have funds to set up a precious lab yet

smarterthantheaveragebear

@davehakkens Thanks for creating this community of like minded people. I have been working on a technique that utilizes plastic film and bags. By wrapping multiple layers around a form and covering with hot sand, I have been able to fuse them together into a solid structure. This technique uses low value feedstock, to create robust functional and sculptural products. I have been using a propane grill to heat the sand, and have recently moved to an electric version with mixed results. Anyhoo, just reaching out , Peace Pete www.plasticrete.net

cool! have you seen this message? https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/598888903994376201/844335141216452628 Want to give it a try? I'd be very curious to see where it goes

Hi. I need some help to get the blueprints and technical info for the extrusion machine building process. The links in precious plastic's youtube channel are not available to click.

ups. I wanted to ask for the shredder, not for extrusion machine. Anyways, I just find a project on community that includes a complete manual. Jamil, if you are reading this, Thank you!

Inspired Plastics

@Butte (PP Philippines) Do you have any more lessons learned with working with Polycarbonate ? I have access to 1000s of signs that I need to recycle. Do you have any recommendations for the best product to make out of recycled material ?

just need 300c temps.

@davehakkens Unable to open link

Jen—NM

Has anyone had issues with #1 plastic (polyethylene ld) being too brittle and cracking once you get it out of the injection mould? Does that happen when you get it too hot?

this occured to me recently when experimenting with PET. And i suspect the high temperature was the catalyst in my case...

1

smarterthantheaveragebear

@davehakkens Unable to open link

Link works for me. It's to a message Dave made in this channel dated May 19, try link again or scroll up. :)

davehakkens

Hey everyone. Today we are Beta releasing our new research module for the community platform . Sharing research was one of the most valuable things from the forums. We always felt bad it was gone.   Now it's here and we need beta testers! People/workspaces that are doing or going to start interesting research related to plastic. Send me a DM if interested or if you know someone that is doing research. Here some additional information: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/guides/research

It's this one here

3:08 AM

Does anyone have any experience in extruding plastic beams with hollow cavities in them like this photo? I've made solid beams that are about 15 * 4 * 150cm but a client is saying they're too heavy (it's about 7.5kg) Heres a pic of what I'm trying to describe for the hollow parts.

3:09 AM

Hey, does anyone have an idea of what to do with failed sheetpress sheets? That have either come out wonky or not properly fused, theyre too thick to go in the shredder I have it will most likely break it (happened before)

mikeymikes.

Hey, does anyone have an idea of what to do with failed sheetpress sheets? That have either come out wonky or not properly fused, theyre too thick to go in the shredder I have it will most likely break it (happened before)

Clean off oil residue, dry them, press again. If you want to shred again, personally, i'd use a bandsaw with a vacuum attachment and cut the sheet into more manageable sizes for shredding.

great- thank you! will give that a go

@mikeymikes. how's your sheetpress operating going? Are you having problems that are causing failed sheets? Pics?

Joseph

@mikeymikes. how's your sheetpress operating going? Are you having problems that are causing failed sheets? Pics?

Hey, so since we only need to make 200x300mm sheets as this is the size of our CNC for now, we built this mold from aluminium, and attatch a 1350W heating plate to the top and bottom, and heat whilst adding pressure using 6 G clamps, slowly weve managed to get some good results but achieving a perfectly flat sheet with a uniform thickness seems to be the final problem to be solved!

3:15 PM

3:16 PM

getting sheets which look like a triangle sometimes

@one_army Hi!! Very glad and happy that I found this place to connect with you people. Have been following you since few months and actually started looking at your content on YouTube since few days. Love what you guys do!! But,I have found a problem in downloading your starter kit from the website. I download and then the content doesn't show up in my files at all. Don't know what to do. Please help. Thank you in advance:)

mikeymikes.

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Oh my... Thanks for the inspiration. My mould for specific sheet sizes is rebar welded to whatever dimensions I need. For getting it level you have some options. You can put something in to limit how far down your top plate gets pressed down. I've had good results with this.

2:38 AM

2

How do people clean their grinders to prevent color contamination?

poisson's

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Oh my... Thanks for the inspiration. My mould for specific sheet sizes is rebar welded to whatever dimensions I need. For getting it level you have some options. You can put something in to limit how far down your top plate gets pressed down. I've had good results with this.

nice!! what do you use to limit how far the plate gets pressed down, struggling to picture what that would look like! also, did the remelt using old sheets and the result was amazing so thank you!

10:34 AM

mikeymikes.

nice!! what do you use to limit how far the plate gets pressed down, struggling to picture what that would look like! also, did the remelt using old sheets and the result was amazing so thank you!

Very Nice! So for the spacers, I cut maybe 1cm section of square hollow pipe, then again down the middle so i have two C shaped pieces. Grind them down to the height you're going after. This is not a perfect solution since the metal will get stuck in the plastic sheet. Place the spacers in each corner. Make a sheet. See what happens. do put the spacers near the ends. you're going to have some areas of the plastic sheet that you'll need to cut off, so yeah, not a perfect way to do this.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Very Nice! So for the spacers, I cut maybe 1cm section of square hollow pipe, then again down the middle so i have two C shaped pieces. Grind them down to the height you're going after. This is not a perfect solution since the metal will get stuck in the plastic sheet. Place the spacers in each corner. Make a sheet. See what happens. do put the spacers near the ends. you're going to have some areas of the plastic sheet that you'll need to cut off, so yeah, not a perfect way to do this.

nice! will give it a go

Maybe you can use a frame in frame system? Put a frame into your mould and it will limit minimum thickness of the sheet

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug nice! what are the dimensions for the rectangle one?

Joseph

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug nice! what are the dimensions for the rectangle one?

20cm x 40 cm. If i make these, i always go a couple cm over with mould dimensions so i do have to cut off the edges. it's a bit of a mess to make it this way though, i'd go with how mikeymikes is doing it

Hey Guys, I hope everyone is doing great So I made this dual Shaft machine and i needed someone's guidance to help me through a challenge I'm facing So I made a dual Shaft machine and it is assembled But when i turned it on there was a lot of friction and the motor was tur ing really hot Here are some details of the motor and gear box Ratio :- 25:1 2 hp single phase motor TORQUE of gear is 203 nm does hp of motor and TORQUE of gear have any relation? is 2 hp suitable for this gear? The machine looks like this

6:48 PM

Jay Somani 01

Hey Guys, I hope everyone is doing great So I made this dual Shaft machine and i needed someone's guidance to help me through a challenge I'm facing So I made a dual Shaft machine and it is assembled But when i turned it on there was a lot of friction and the motor was tur ing really hot Here are some details of the motor and gear box Ratio :- 25:1 2 hp single phase motor TORQUE of gear is 203 nm does hp of motor and TORQUE of gear have any relation? is 2 hp suitable for this gear? The machine looks like this

You need to troubleshoot a bit. Main cause for motors to get too hot is heavy load. Main causes for heavy load with the shredder are workload, machine friction between blade assembly, tolerance(s) are too tight between the shredder blade shaft gears (sorry don't know the proper name) or the gear reducer. You should be able to rotate the input side of the gearbox by hand. There should be some resistance but not a whole lot. If it's difficult, remove the gearbox from the shredder assembly and try spinning it again with it not being attached. If it's easier, then it's likely related to the gears on the blade shafts being too close or there's friction between the blades. With gearbox removed and if it seems OK, try rotating the blade shaft by hand. The blades should rotate without too much effort.

Thank you so so so much @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I can confirm what Ciledug said. Even a 2hp-motor should be capable to turn an empty shredder without overheating. But are you conscious that the motor is far from the specs of the pro-shredder? Anyway, it would stuck and overheat if you feed it with plastic. Another issue could be misalignement between gearbox and shredder.

Hey - need some advice from anyone with experience in injection molding/molds. Would something like this be able to be injection molded with say 4 cavities in the mold? Part weight is about 25g, smallest wall thickness is 1mm, but open to changing all the walls to be thicker. At the moment making sheets and CNCing the cavities, I'm wondering if switching to injection molding would be less time consuming/easier after the inital time investment in designing/getting the mold manufactured. I was leaning towards CNC as I can just leave it to run and doesn't take up too much of my time with minimal finishing/demolding etc - is injectoion molding a time consuming process?

11:41 AM

mikeymikes.

Hey - need some advice from anyone with experience in injection molding/molds. Would something like this be able to be injection molded with say 4 cavities in the mold? Part weight is about 25g, smallest wall thickness is 1mm, but open to changing all the walls to be thicker. At the moment making sheets and CNCing the cavities, I'm wondering if switching to injection molding would be less time consuming/easier after the inital time investment in designing/getting the mold manufactured. I was leaning towards CNC as I can just leave it to run and doesn't take up too much of my time with minimal finishing/demolding etc - is injectoion molding a time consuming process?

4 cavities as in molding 4 parts at once?

1

11:59 AM

So after two hours in the sheet press at 230 we still have unmelted plastic.

11:59 AM

Safe to say the heating elements have an issue?

11:59 AM

Or could anything else cause this?

mikeymikes.

Hey - need some advice from anyone with experience in injection molding/molds. Would something like this be able to be injection molded with say 4 cavities in the mold? Part weight is about 25g, smallest wall thickness is 1mm, but open to changing all the walls to be thicker. At the moment making sheets and CNCing the cavities, I'm wondering if switching to injection molding would be less time consuming/easier after the inital time investment in designing/getting the mold manufactured. I was leaning towards CNC as I can just leave it to run and doesn't take up too much of my time with minimal finishing/demolding etc - is injectoion molding a time consuming process?

Should be possible - with HDPE probably you will run into issues with the pressure of the v3 injection machine. Other arbor based ones may handle it better. Keep in mind that the pattern will look a lot different with injection moulding!

Falcon

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Could be the Melt Flow Index of the plastic as well or wired additives. Always a good idea to control the temperature with an external thermometer. Use black tape on metal parts with IR thermometers to get good readings.

mikeymikes.

Hey - need some advice from anyone with experience in injection molding/molds. Would something like this be able to be injection molded with say 4 cavities in the mold? Part weight is about 25g, smallest wall thickness is 1mm, but open to changing all the walls to be thicker. At the moment making sheets and CNCing the cavities, I'm wondering if switching to injection molding would be less time consuming/easier after the inital time investment in designing/getting the mold manufactured. I was leaning towards CNC as I can just leave it to run and doesn't take up too much of my time with minimal finishing/demolding etc - is injectoion molding a time consuming process?

Should work with a mould like this.

Just has to add demoulding angles and demoulding pockets. So your pockets can´t be staight, there has to be a angle 3-5° to prevent that your part doesn´t stuck in the mould... With 3mm minimum wall thickness you are on the safe side;) What kind of injection machine do you have? (edited)

2

Like this:

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

Should work with a mould like this.

Just has to add demoulding angles and demoulding pockets. So your pockets can´t be staight, there has to be a angle 3-5° to prevent that your part doesn´t stuck in the mould... With 3mm minimum wall thickness you are on the safe side;) What kind of injection machine do you have? (edited)

wow!!!! thats exactly what i was wondering, thanks so much

do you know where I can go to get a proper mold designed and manufactured, I don't think my CAD skills/ CNC table can facilitate making it on my own

12:49 PM

I'm yet to buy an injection, I'm weighing up if it would be worth it based on how much it would cost me to get molds manufactured and how time consuming it would be for me to operate - still making up my mind

If you like I can design it for you. If you know a milling factory you can send the data to them or use 3D-Hubs: (A lot milling time for this mould, thats why it´s so expensive(600+VAT), just the bottom part, but the cover will be cheap) (edited)

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

If you like I can design it for you. If you know a milling factory you can send the data to them or use 3D-Hubs: (A lot milling time for this mould, thats why it´s so expensive(600+VAT), just the bottom part, but the cover will be cheap) (edited)

great! i'm going to do some more research and will DM you

1

mikeymikes.

great! i'm going to do some more research and will DM you

ok

has anybody tried making a pipe/profile extruder? (edited)

can anyone direct me to what website i can purchase the starter kit?

2:56 PM

also the press machine?

Anyone now where and how to get grants for a start up for recyling business order my shredder should be here soon I got tons off plastic to shred

Jay Somani 01

Hey Guys, I hope everyone is doing great So I made this dual Shaft machine and i needed someone's guidance to help me through a challenge I'm facing So I made a dual Shaft machine and it is assembled But when i turned it on there was a lot of friction and the motor was tur ing really hot Here are some details of the motor and gear box Ratio :- 25:1 2 hp single phase motor TORQUE of gear is 203 nm does hp of motor and TORQUE of gear have any relation? is 2 hp suitable for this gear? The machine looks like this

Your worm gear reducer cannot withstand such a large shredder, it will be damaged

@heroZ88888 Thank you for the valuable information

Nadia ika

can anyone direct me to what website i can purchase the starter kit?

Where are you located? sometimes buying these things internationally is not feasible. Can buy here: https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/ Can look for machine builder here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/map Or drop a message in your specific region asking for machine builders in your area.

Precious Plastic Bazar

Plastice to sell products, machines, and plastic. Empowering our recycling ecosystem around the world.

https://preciousplastic.com/solutions/products.html

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Hello there! Newbie from Brasil (Curitiba) here. I intent to make the frames of a drone using the knowledge share from Precious Plastic. But I got sooo inspired by this chat that I now want to recycle all the plastic of the world haha

6

@Falcon nice. Is that 1x1 m? What plastic type and is it flat?

1.2x1.2

9:40 AM

Pp

9:40 AM

Flat other than the corner with disconnected heaters lol

Precious Plastic Products

Explore a world of opportunities with recycled plastic. Learn how to recycle plastic waste into amazing products.

Hi all, I have been experimenting with pressing small square HDPE tiles, but I can't seem to get them smooth all over. I have been experimenting with the pressure, temperature and flake sizes. Can anyone give me guidance to shortcut some of the experimentation ? I am including a tile with two circles pointing to the grey plastic which was commercial PCR HDPE resin, and the blue which came from a laundry bottle and was a flake. Both resin and flake seem to make these holes, and they are more accented when the two butt up on each other. (please ignore the other imperfections on the tile!) (edited)

Inspired Plastics

Hi all, I have been experimenting with pressing small square HDPE tiles, but I can't seem to get them smooth all over. I have been experimenting with the pressure, temperature and flake sizes. Can anyone give me guidance to shortcut some of the experimentation ? I am including a tile with two circles pointing to the grey plastic which was commercial PCR HDPE resin, and the blue which came from a laundry bottle and was a flake. Both resin and flake seem to make these holes, and they are more accented when the two butt up on each other. (please ignore the other imperfections on the tile!) (edited)

Hmm, when you make your tiles, do you heat both sides of this plastic (top and bottom)? Usually i get issues because i heat only from one side but i resolve this issue by flipping the plastic + mould upside down and heating for about 15 minutes. If your machine heats on both top and bottom and you're still getting this issue, it could be you're not applying enough pressure. I noticed some HDPE acts differently than others (HDPE bottles vs HDPE Bottlecaps)

@Inspired PlasticsDo you heat for long enough time? Do you have the same problem on the bottom side?

The bottom is better than the top, although it does still have small voids. I have taken the heat up to 400F (checked with a thermometer) for an hour, then I left the mold to cool under pressure for another hour. My 2 molds were 6x9 inches = 54 inches. I put > 150lbs on them (stacked) to apply >1,54 PSI. And then there were a few voids or more like dents in the surface. I am using a mixture of commercial PCR resin and shredded bottles. Some areas are seamless but others are pockmarked, or show the seam between the different plastic. (edited)

Inspired Plastics

The bottom is better than the top, although it does still have small voids. I have taken the heat up to 400F (checked with a thermometer) for an hour, then I left the mold to cool under pressure for another hour. My 2 molds were 6x9 inches = 54 inches. I put > 150lbs on them (stacked) to apply >1,54 PSI. And then there were a few voids or more like dents in the surface. I am using a mixture of commercial PCR resin and shredded bottles. Some areas are seamless but others are pockmarked, or show the seam between the different plastic. (edited)

Ah you can drop the PCR resin, we all use that anyways...i doubt anyone uses virgin plastic here, or if they do....tisk tisk...haha Pock marks...do you use a demolding spray? maybe silicone oil or something? How clean is your plastic? Are your flakes free of oil? So, what i've had happen is if my plastic isn't clean enough or i use too much silicone oil in my mould, it gets between the flakes a little bit and causes issues where the flakes dont bond together and can leave me with something similar to what you're experiencing. 400F is a bit high and you'll need to be careful as the HDPE will overheat and start discoloring, i think the top left quadrant has some discoloration in the blue.

2:24 AM

I am surprised that you're having issues running this for an hour with that much pressure on top...i mean, i'd assume it'd all get squished nice and flat and maybe some excess plastic will ooze out the edges of your mould.

I'm thinking about building a geodesic dome, the wood and connections are ready, what I am wondering is: is there as way to make and use transparent/ translucent pieces as tiling/ covering that are extremely uv resistent? In this scorching sun all plastic seems to disintegrate within a year or two.

1:47 PM

So instead of covering the entire dome with a plastic sheet, I would like to frame individual windows into the structure.

I ve seen a quite big geodome with transparent "tiles" on a youtube video at some point.. It was constructed by an architecture project in Northen European country, but i cannot remember more details..

1

Hi i would like to set up a shredder workspace in Spain but i dont have collection points near. The nearest one is around 200km from my place. What should i proceed?

Any suggestions?

Create one

1:10 PM

Spread awareness

@Yisus yes you could also collect plastic at your shredder workspace

1:12 PM

Make sure you have a market to sell your shredded plastic to though (a few PP workspaces in Spain looking to buy)

1

has anybody tried successfully making transparent plastic sheets?

Yes, Yes, what I meant was that it was commercially processed recycled resin, rather than scavenged plastic. OK thank you for your advice. I am going to experiment some more (100% clean mold, less silicone spray, lower heat etc) and get back to you DM. I appreciate your help. Now I see what you mean by the discoloration also. I also heard that the flakes might be too big - Since I am mixing the processed resin with the flakes.

Hi! Is it possible to make products of recycled plastic without sorting out the different types of plastic? I know it would be of lesser value, but, is it possible anyway?

Germán

Hi! Is it possible to make products of recycled plastic without sorting out the different types of plastic? I know it would be of lesser value, but, is it possible anyway?

Every type of plastic has a melting temperature

Jay Somani 01

Spread awareness

So what can i do after shredding plastic if nobody has asked to me

Joseph

Make sure you have a market to sell your shredded plastic to though (a few PP workspaces in Spain looking to buy)

Thanks @Joseph

Germán

Hi! Is it possible to make products of recycled plastic without sorting out the different types of plastic? I know it would be of lesser value, but, is it possible anyway?

to a degree, yes. But dont expect making things like sheets to work out. You'd have to use the extrusion machine so that everything gets mixed up. Also the flakes would have to be small. Melting temperatures are different from one to the next but i had some students mix in sand with HDPE to see what it would do. so what you need is a majority of plastic that melts that will hold everything together at a lower temperature like HDPE or PP (similar melting temperatures), and you can mix in some plastic that has a higher melting point like PET. You just need to make sure your flakes are small enough, otherwise you can jam up your machine.

2:14 AM

I've observed that the PET becomes stringy when used this way with a mix of other plastics (hdpe + pp). But then you've got some sort of composite material. It's not horrible, but it should have information on what mix it is should someone decide they want to recycle it again, likely nobody will be able to or want to recycle it again other than the creator of the product.

@Yisus That's what I said Sir Spread awareness And when you see there are a few people in agreement of your plastic recycling then you start the shedding business That's what we did We started with an instagram campaign, facebook campaign talked to people to spread awareness And it was a slow and steady process but now we got it done

1

Hi everyone i need 2 consult about the graphics . We want 2 increase awareness in Israel. So part of it is 2 translate the precious plastic documents 2 hebrew . So 1. Is it proper 2open an israeli facebook page 4 our emerging community ? 2. Becous hebrew is written 4m right 2 left the flag in the documents dosnt merges and look bad can we reflect it so it will look better?

1:52 PM

1:53 PM

Example

https://youtu.be/LbXQPKDBT9A

CBS This Morning

Innovative young Kenyan scientist is turning Nairobi's mountain of ...

NavaThunder

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Hey that looks good. I can't read Hebrew. I don't speak for the Precious Plastic team but i think it's fine, the main goal is to get out awareness and get the job done and not be so concerned over these things

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Hey that looks good. I can't read Hebrew. I don't speak for the Precious Plastic team but i think it's fine, the main goal is to get out awareness and get the job done and not be so concerned over these things

I agree and still becous i have such a big appreciation 4 the tem of precious plastic i want 2 make it in the best way posibel under there rules and vision .. that s why i asked a bout that.. Thank u 4 ur time and comment :)

Hi! I’m a graphic designer looking to make a career pivot towards working with plastic to create products and learn about the process. If anyone knows of any resources or mentorship opportunities, it would be greatly appreciated!

ggallo

Hi! I’m a graphic designer looking to make a career pivot towards working with plastic to create products and learn about the process. If anyone knows of any resources or mentorship opportunities, it would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Ggallo where are you located

SecondActPlasticLA

Hi Ggallo where are you located

Hi! I’m from the Bay Area, CA

Awesome! I’m from LA - I might be able to offer some insight - you can email me at hello@secondactplastic.com

ggallo

Hi! I’m from the Bay Area, CA

I wish i could help, im from Napa but have been located in indonesia for the past 10 years.

ggallo

Hi! I’m from the Bay Area, CA

https://guacamoleairplane.com/ you can try these guys, they're on the community map located in south san francisco

Guacamole Airplane

Guacamole Airplane is a design studio working on sustainable packaging.

Hey guys, any way to separate PET and PVC grinding?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

https://guacamoleairplane.com/ you can try these guys, they're on the community map located in south san francisco

Hi thanks! Yeah their studio does some amazing work, I reached out to them last month but I haven’t heard back unfortunately.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

to a degree, yes. But dont expect making things like sheets to work out. You'd have to use the extrusion machine so that everything gets mixed up. Also the flakes would have to be small. Melting temperatures are different from one to the next but i had some students mix in sand with HDPE to see what it would do. so what you need is a majority of plastic that melts that will hold everything together at a lower temperature like HDPE or PP (similar melting temperatures), and you can mix in some plastic that has a higher melting point like PET. You just need to make sure your flakes are small enough, otherwise you can jam up your machine.

Thank you very much!

Hey Everybody, a quick question, i am looking for someone who has experimented with thermodeforming the sheets from the sheetpress. I found the guide on how to make the chair. What i'd like to do though is to drape the hot sheet over a mold and still keep the edges staight or keep acces material to be cut later. My Idea is to produce a bathroomsink and counter out of one sloping pice. I am an architecture student from Karlsruhe Germany and our team will be competing in the solar decatlon 21/22 in Wuppertal in building a housing unit to the highest standards of sustainability and reusability. To be able to implement the circular economy into our building design we are searching for household items which are made from one single material. A sink out of a sheet from the sheetpress would be perfect. If you want to see a bit about the project you can visit roofkit.de.

vince

Hey Everybody, a quick question, i am looking for someone who has experimented with thermodeforming the sheets from the sheetpress. I found the guide on how to make the chair. What i'd like to do though is to drape the hot sheet over a mold and still keep the edges staight or keep acces material to be cut later. My Idea is to produce a bathroomsink and counter out of one sloping pice. I am an architecture student from Karlsruhe Germany and our team will be competing in the solar decatlon 21/22 in Wuppertal in building a housing unit to the highest standards of sustainability and reusability. To be able to implement the circular economy into our building design we are searching for household items which are made from one single material. A sink out of a sheet from the sheetpress would be perfect. If you want to see a bit about the project you can visit roofkit.de.

though i have not exprimented with this,i think you will need thinner sheets made with finer plastic chips/flakes if you want to thermoform the sheet

i would also suggest you initially expriment on a smaller prototype since all plastic differ and it would be optimal in that manner

alternatively i would suggest using the compression machine to make parts if price and output is what your are looking for since the compression will limit the size of the sink but will be much cheaper in both tooling and machinery and will have a higher

9:41 AM

meanwhile the thermoforming process will allow you to make bigger shapes and pieces with the added possibilty of making baths and bath tubs but will also limit the types of shapes and geometries you can make if you arent using a commercial vaccum based machine

9:46 AM

so now it will depend if you want a cheaper cost and are okay with smaller sizes you can try the compression,but if you want bigger and slightly more complicated shapes+geometries and the possibilty of making more objects but are okay with a higher cost you can go for a sheet based machine

thanks for your insight! i fear that the compression machine would not be big enough. The Sink would be a one off, so after some research i would look for a workspace with a speetpress to test it out. The sink would have only genlty sloping sides, so i would hope for it wo work without a vaccum machine

9:52 AM

something like this, concerning the shape (edited)

yes then you should be able to make it without the vaccum based system

vince

something like this, concerning the shape (edited)

also for thisw sink type it would be simpler to just make the sink in one piece and make the side panels/plates in another piece as it would be simpler and cheaper that way

sponsoons

also for thisw sink type it would be simpler to just make the sink in one piece and make the side panels/plates in another piece as it would be simpler and cheaper that way

that is true for sure, however then you have to deal with making the seams watertight. Which without using silikone calk is not so trivial

that aside if youre going for the highest amount of renewability/recycled material then it would also be possible to make the the taps and other fixtures out of recycled plastic

vince

that is true for sure, however then you have to deal with making the seams watertight. Which without using silikone calk is not so trivial

why not with plastic welding,with a heat gun attachment welding plastic is a decently simple process and is also done commercialy

sponsoons

why not with plastic welding,with a heat gun attachment welding plastic is a decently simple process and is also done commercialy

true, but this then disrupts the patern of the material

not really you could make it in the same style as the way normal tiles are joint ,so that it looks like a design element instead of intrusion or defect

sponsoons

that aside if youre going for the highest amount of renewability/recycled material then it would also be possible to make the the taps and other fixtures out of recycled plastic

thats a cool idea. Ive also seen the injection mold for electrical outlets, there the problem however is that it would need a CE certification to be able to have it installed in a public building.

but if all of this is for a one off/small scale prodcution then you could use that pizza oven type sheet press which would be perfect since here you need the length of the plastic sheet and not the width

sponsoons

not really you could make it in the same style as the way normal tiles are joint ,so that it looks like a design element instead of intrusion or defect

good point, some thing to think about

sponsoons

but if all of this is for a one off/small scale prodcution then you could use that pizza oven type sheet press which would be perfect since here you need the length of the plastic sheet and not the width

pizza oven type? i dont think ive seen that so far

vince

pizza oven type? i dont think ive seen that so far

i think somebody on precious plastic community had made plastic sheets with a pizza oven which gave them longer sheets

10:04 AM

this https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/turn-a-pizza-oven-into-a-sheet-oven-

https://www.ptonline.com/articles/solving-four-common-problems-in-pet-stretch-blow-molding

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

yeah, the size of the sheets should be enough. thanks for you expertise, lets see if this leads somewhere

vince

thats a cool idea. Ive also seen the injection mold for electrical outlets, there the problem however is that it would need a CE certification to be able to have it installed in a public building.

iirc there are a few foreign manufactures who make stuff with recylecd plastic who are ce certified, only thing is the products dont look very pretty since theyre meant to be the economy range (edited)

yeah, in the project we would like to show that recyled material can look good and have elegance in itself. kind of what precious plastic is also about ^^

vince

yeah, in the project we would like to show that recyled material can look good and have elegance in itself. kind of what precious plastic is also about ^^

ah ok

Hello from Spain! I would like to know how the logistics for this community works to set up an effective chain between several people from different places, preferably in Spain national level addition to Portugal or France that are closer to us.

4:55 PM

Im thinking about start by community/collecting in some points, then the plastic come to the workspace to be sorted and shredded and washed. After that if its possible to create products using injection sheet press or moulds and maybe create other products like 3d filament or specific parts and some art items.

hi every one from Mexico, I want to make filament for 3d printer, from recycled pvc, someone has done it, I want to know the costs and the opportunities. I already have a precious plastic extruder. thanks.

@vince @sponsoons I know someone in Bali who uses a pizza oven for making sheets and use a cnc machine to make designs. I'm not sure how large their sheets are but if say they're significantly sized, you can also build your own oven with bricks and electric heaters or gas (I prefer electricity, easier to insulate) Heres their Instagram account: https://instagram.com/ecollabo8?utm_medium=copy_link

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

@vince @sponsoons I know someone in Bali who uses a pizza oven for making sheets and use a cnc machine to make designs. I'm not sure how large their sheets are but if say they're significantly sized, you can also build your own oven with bricks and electric heaters or gas (I prefer electricity, easier to insulate) Heres their Instagram account: https://instagram.com/ecollabo8?utm_medium=copy_link

ah nice,thanks for the link

Larry Q

hi every one from Mexico, I want to make filament for 3d printer, from recycled pvc, someone has done it, I want to know the costs and the opportunities. I already have a precious plastic extruder. thanks.

I haven't heard many people working with pvc in the precious plastic community. Probably because of the toxic fumes it produces when heated..

Larry Q

hi every one from Mexico, I want to make filament for 3d printer, from recycled pvc, someone has done it, I want to know the costs and the opportunities. I already have a precious plastic extruder. thanks.

pvc cannot be printed on most 3d printers since it requires high temperatures,good ventillation and even then is very bhard to print,even when making pvc filament it is dangerous since it emits dangerous gasses when heated,needs a commercial type machine to prevent bubbles and breaks in the filament and is not good for the extruder,beacuse of this there is not much of a market for pvc filament,thus i would suggest staying away from pvc and instead trying other materials like abs and pet

6:50 AM

but even abs and pet need to be dried before extruding and printing

6:51 AM

but atleast for abs and pet there is a market and they can be printed on most printers without a big risk

6:57 AM

a few other materials materials you can make into filament for 3d printers is ABS,PET,HPDE,LDPE,PE,PP, Nylon, TPU,TPR and few other materials

6:58 AM

these plastics have been tested and can be printed without a lot of trouble

6:59 AM

most other pastics too can be 3d printed but you will need to test and calibrate setting for both printers and the precious plastic extruder

Hi guys - I am interested in knowing about the possibilities of recycling plastic without having to heat it. For instance, if we use plastic pellets as chips and mix them with concrete mixtures, that's a way to make terrazzo like objects. Anything else one can look at?

Has anyone ever tried using recycled plastic with an industrial injection moulding machine? Is it possible to get the same marble effects?

@kaesraNo marble effects with industrial machines, as they work with a sort of extrusion/injection screw.

1

rejahkhawar

Hi guys - I am interested in knowing about the possibilities of recycling plastic without having to heat it. For instance, if we use plastic pellets as chips and mix them with concrete mixtures, that's a way to make terrazzo like objects. Anything else one can look at?

I've mixed plastic with cement before, but aside from that...well, you need something to give it structure and keep it together. The only thing i've seen was plastic mixed in with epoxy. Epoxy is used for making terrazzo styles quite a bit too

kaesra

Has anyone ever tried using recycled plastic with an industrial injection moulding machine? Is it possible to get the same marble effects?

You can probably get the effect with the extrusion machine, however, you'd need two or more extrusion machines and each machine would have to extrude a different color. I'm not sure how well it would work but i assume you'd have to change the feed rate of the different machines so that the feed variance will cause the plastic to have more marbling, otherwise it'd probably come out as a stripe if the rates are equal.

Hello good people, I am a new member. would like to know anyone who can help me to know the price of some machines. ... I am happy to join the community

@fanleck_john bazar.preciousplastic.com

@fanleck_john the Bazar will give you a ballpark figure. But hopefully there's a local builder since shipping and customs fees can get silly depending on what country you're in.

Joseph

@fanleck_john bazar.preciousplastic.com

Thank you let me check it out

any pointers on refinishing surfaces on sheets that come out of the sheet press?

8:26 AM

we have some little bits of unmelted plastic and rough spots

8:26 AM

teh unmelted plastic can be melted with a heatgun but it tends to curl up

Falcon

teh unmelted plastic can be melted with a heatgun but it tends to curl up

You've got to be careful with heat guns, I've warped far too many thin sheets than I'd like to mention.

The thinner they are, the easier it is to mess them up. Its always best if it comes out of the mould just right, but that's not always the case. For me, I sand down the area that needs some touching up. You'll need to work from coarse sand paper to fine grit. Maybe 120, 220, 300, 400, 800. At this point you might be able to use a cloth and buff it to a nice shine. I have a small buffing wheel I sometimes use but you'll need to try and see how it works for yourself. Takes some time to do, but usually worth it in the end.

We just have the little defects to solve

Hi team, I'm looking to print decorative wall tiles via injection moulding machine... is there a suggestable maximum dimensions when working with injection moulding i.e. is 300mm x 300mm x 8mm possible or are there errors that come into play passed a certain area size...? thanks

spiros nik

I haven't heard many people working with pvc in the precious plastic community. Probably because of the toxic fumes it produces when heated..

Pvc is thermoset plastic it is NOT recyclable. Do not even try. It will only burn when re heated and release toxic gas plus make very carcinogenic residue. Same with vinyl.

Butte (PP Philippines)

Pvc is thermoset plastic it is NOT recyclable. Do not even try. It will only burn when re heated and release toxic gas plus make very carcinogenic residue. Same with vinyl.

It's a thermoplastic, not thermoset. A quick Google search shows this, plus I've seen my father in law melt a pvc pipe for repairing a broom

But yes, too toxic to work with. Likely not easy to work with as well.

Ofcourse PVC is recyclable! Just don't burn it like you wouldn't want to burn any kind of plastic. You think they would sell PVC Filament if it will only burn when heated?

sonik

Ofcourse PVC is recyclable! Just don't burn it like you wouldn't want to burn any kind of plastic. You think they would sell PVC Filament if it will only burn when heated?

We aren't talking about burning PVC, just simply heating up pvc till it reaches it's melting point will create hydrogen chloride gas emissions which are lethal if inhaled.

So 3d-printing PVC is lethal???

sonik

So 3d-printing PVC is lethal???

while that would depend on the specific pvc,yes 3d print is not a good idea since pvc almost always has additives,these cause changes in melting temps which can cause the plastic to off gas, apart from this pvc is very hard and difficult to print

3:23 PM

the central problem being the melt temps and other characteristics of the pvc plastic,since most pipes and products are made by different manufacturers and with different compositions and by the time they are recycled they are very hard to distinguish between apart from this most pvc products during their use/lifetime have been coated with a variety of coating which further affects its characteristics.Thus it is hard to sort and recycle pvc on a non commercial setup to due to the lack of many machines and the lack of information

This central problem concerns all plastics. So anyway, and this should be clear for everyone who actually melts any plastic, you want to work in safe conditions, which means open air or heavily ventilated/air-absorbing workspace and a filter-mask. I already extruded PVC (outside) just to see how it works. I didn't had fumes or excessive smell.

Hi all wanna ask what kind of gear motor should i pick for build a extrusion pro machine?? what is the minimum requirement or choosing the motor??thanks (edited)

Evening all - these mass manufactured 16" wheels are made from PP. I'm looking to make a similar injected version using recycled plastic, for light duty cycle trailers. Would I need more than one injection pipe to form something like this?

Jed

Evening all - these mass manufactured 16" wheels are made from PP. I'm looking to make a similar injected version using recycled plastic, for light duty cycle trailers. Would I need more than one injection pipe to form something like this?

Can be done with one but I'm not an expert on this. For the size, you might have issues depending on flow rate and mould temperature. Heating he mould can help with those issues.

1

Jed

Evening all - these mass manufactured 16" wheels are made from PP. I'm looking to make a similar injected version using recycled plastic, for light duty cycle trailers. Would I need more than one injection pipe to form something like this?

If you really need 16" you have to look if you are not under the maximum injection volume of the injection machine (max. 150cm^3, depends on the machine). The best sprue position for that part would be one sprue in the middle (nice symmetrical flow to the outside). If you need the rim like the one in your picture I see two options for a mould: 1.Parting plane vertical: After injection cutout of the triangles 2.Parting plane flat: You would need a separated ring you can lay in your mould and after demoulding get off of the rim. Or you turn the rim flange into the rim after the injection with a lathe: D

1

Hello! Can anyone tell me if there is a format/place on PP's Discord or Community Platform where people can make suggestions for moulds/products? It strikes me that prioritising products/ideas for which there is a) most demand, b) most perceived value and c) highest visibility to promote the idea of bespoke plastic recycling makes sense. For example - can someone make an Ipad/Ipad Pro case? That's a walking advert right there!

1

Thanks guys! Great advice. It's a little ambitious for my first project but nice to know it could be feasible. I've heard the polymers in plastic degrade during the recycling process, is this a considerable amount? I guess the thing to do is try make one and put it under some weight tests

1

does anyone have any resources on converting/optimizing CNC machined molds to laser-cut molds?

Has anyone tried drying pet using a professional dryer, and then injecting it?

Hi! I'm wondering if there's any type of transparent PET that you can melt and extrude without it turning white? We've had pet that's shredded from old plastic bottles, but when we've extruded it it has always turned white. I asked a local pet provider about this who said that it crystallizes which causes the loss of transparency. Is there a way to prevent this? Does anyone have experience of this?

Solve Four Common Problems in PET Stretch-Blow Molding

Here’s a quick guide to fixing four nettlesome problems in processing PET bottles.

1:51 PM

maybe you can get something from here

Hello from Chile! I would like to know how to print a design on my plasctic products. I was trying to do this with a laser engraver (1500mw) and didn't work, maybe it was too weak. Any advice is welcome

i'm using PP for my plastic products

Hi there, I need some help with temperature settings for the extruder. I'm currently working with PP, specifically those clear takeaway food containers. Initially, the plastic that is coming out of the extruder was liquified at 200C, so I figured to lower the temperature. I kept getting the same results until I set the temperature around 150-153C. At this point, the plastic coming out is more string-like but still not enough to hold its form. I tried lowering the temperature a bit more but now but the extruder shut down. So I tried increasing the temperature again, up to 155-190C. The extruder kept on turning but this time, no plastic is coming out at all. The temperature was eventually increased to 205C to get all the plastic out, although the plastic is still a bit more liquefied and can't hold its string-like form. What temperature setting would you recommend so that I'm able to produce a continuous line of plastic strings? Thanks in advance! (edited)

Hello! I'm trying to map initiatives that reuse fishing nets FISHING NETS around the world. I am conducting a systematic review in major search platforms, however I know there are lots of local initiatives that aren't listed in the search engines. Do you know of any initiative that reuses fishing nets? If you do, please answer with the name and local of this initiative or some sort of link if available. Thank you!

tin101

Hi there, I need some help with temperature settings for the extruder. I'm currently working with PP, specifically those clear takeaway food containers. Initially, the plastic that is coming out of the extruder was liquified at 200C, so I figured to lower the temperature. I kept getting the same results until I set the temperature around 150-153C. At this point, the plastic coming out is more string-like but still not enough to hold its form. I tried lowering the temperature a bit more but now but the extruder shut down. So I tried increasing the temperature again, up to 155-190C. The extruder kept on turning but this time, no plastic is coming out at all. The temperature was eventually increased to 205C to get all the plastic out, although the plastic is still a bit more liquefied and can't hold its string-like form. What temperature setting would you recommend so that I'm able to produce a continuous line of plastic strings? Thanks in advance! (edited)

What are you trying to make? If you're trying to make filament, you'll need to use fans to blow on the plastic to cool it off. If you're trying to extrude and make a shape like a lampshade or bowl, I haven't had much success with this. What i've done is extrude onto a form and then the plastic either keeps melting or slides off the form i use. But, I don't have much control over the flow for my machine, it's either on or off. So if you can control the rate it extrudes and also do something to help cool down the plastic that comes out, then you should be able to achieve what you're trying to do. You might have some other problem, if your flow is having issues it can be because either there's a problem with the screw/barrel design, could be you have something clogged inside, if you don't wait long enough for things to heat up, you'll have plastic get stuck to your screw for a while...it needs to warm up to flow.

Hello greetings from Venezuela, my name is Carmen Victoria my friends call me Vicky, I am the creator of @vida.verde.ve we want to join this great work of recycling someone can help me by sending me a guide to the shredder?

12:40 AM

https://instagram.com/vida.verde.ve?utm_medium=copy_link

Heyo. A question about masks. (Not corona masks

). Masks against plastic fumes with changeable activ coal filter. Do you use them? Which ones do you use / recommend?

Hey @Plasticwork.ch The ones PP Team used during V4 and the ones I provide to new workspaces are 3M's ABEK1

Okey thank you very much Rory :)

6059 is their number. And you need a P1 filter and housing to make them last longer

1:27 AM

When a new one should have zero odour

Do you wear them always?

when you use it. but after about 40 hrs or so they loose their effectiveness. if you can smell plastic through them its already too late

1:28 AM

Yeah I do, Though when im doing training. I cant talk through the mask and use an extraction fan where possible or do the workshop outside

Because so far we didn't use any. But since we want tot try out PS which creates more fumes we're thinking about buying one or two

Yeah PS is really bad

1:29 AM

I once used PS on an injector when i first started without a mask. For a day in a small space I injected jewellery for a workshop. The next day I had to go to hospital with the worst headache I have ever had in my life.

1:29 AM

However I have sat in a room of fumes with a good mask since and never had the problem

1:29 AM

PPE is important

Uff. I hope it had no lasting effects.

1:30 AM

I also experienced some sort of dizziness last time. But I'm not entirely sure how much was imagination and how much reality

The mask works really well, but its important to note, its best to always work in a well ventilated area where possible.

Outdoor whenever possible

Its summer. No excuses anymore not too!

The only problem is when it is cold and widy you need to set up the temoerature a loooot higher on the injector

is the barrel insulated?

Which creates more fumes again

1:32 AM

It is

1:33 AM

But still the differnece is huge

Yeah, well atleast now you can get the right masks. PS is a great material to work with. Get it right and its like injecting glass

And also for the jewellery we heat up a little more than for the hexagon for example. To make it more fluent

1:34 AM

Jep thank you! (And good night)

No problem

you will not be able to make 16 inch wheel with the present precious plastic machines. simply not possible. You could make a big sheet and machine it, which kinda defeats the purpose. Something that big requires a HUGE machine.

So I found someone who can cut sheet steel with a waterjet. The only sheet steel I can buy locally comes in 4x8 foot sheets. I’d like to have the whole sheet cut into molds and would love some assistance with mold designs. I’m interested in planter pots, and have designed a modular chair that uses a single curvaceous L multiple times. I have an extrusion pro coming (Thursday) any other ideas for molds while I’m cutting? I’d like to do brick molds, but I think I’ll do those in stainless and have someone else weld it. Thanks!

Is anyone aware about any supplier, supplying R-PET with REACH and EU compliance?

4:16 PM

Big sandwich

4

1

1

1

1

2

5:14 PM

For a 12mm mold

oh my gosh that’s huge

Plasticwork.ch

Because so far we didn't use any. But since we want tot try out PS which creates more fumes we're thinking about buying one or two

almost exclusive PS work, I second that, use a mask and I absolutely recommend investing in charcoal filters with blowers

5:28 PM

the kind that you see at greenhouses

that's for a 12mm sheet @Rai lol

5:31 PM

18kg of hdpe

5:31 PM

LDHDPE

wowwww

5:32 PM

how do you heat that whole thing evenly (edited)

time

5:33 PM

and hope

5:34 PM

when I left today it was around 1/3 of the thickness

ah, good luck!

hopefully it makes it the rest

yep

YO!!!! i need some business help!

12:33 AM

like, how or what specifically i can and cant use while seeking investment...

12:34 AM

i have a pretty good idea but i would love to talk to Dave and crew about what i am looking at... everyone is going to be interested

1

Pic only 1km from our shop in Antipolo City Rizal, Philippines The battle never ends. This stream directly feeds the Pasig river that contributes 6% of the worlds ocean plastic alone.

1

https://www.airfunding.net/project/382400?hl=en&utm_source=copy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=collaborate_shares&utm_content=project_id382400

Airfunding: Helping everyone, With everyone

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5:28 AM

We are working on raising funds to buy a plastic pelletizing machine to convert bags and packaging material into a usable pellet project. If you can help out or share it would be appreciated.

Hi everyone, new here - I am working on a bizplan for a start up in the motorsports industry to recycle plastics used into usable pellets and/or products

12:11 PM

Am checking things out here - any tips to accelerate learning much appreciated!

Hi everyone, new here - I am making a 5mm thick clipboard using plastic waste with the sheet press machine so I am having a few problems that I am hoping you guys can assist me with.... 1. which metal sheet can I use on the sheet press because we are currently using SA grade 430 Euronorm X6 CR 17 stainless steel that is 1.2mm thick. The problem with this it becomes warped when heated and if you use it continuously the plastic sticks on it.. Should we increase the thickness or should we increase it?

KMBC

Hi everyone, new here - I am making a 5mm thick clipboard using plastic waste with the sheet press machine so I am having a few problems that I am hoping you guys can assist me with.... 1. which metal sheet can I use on the sheet press because we are currently using SA grade 430 Euronorm X6 CR 17 stainless steel that is 1.2mm thick. The problem with this it becomes warped when heated and if you use it continuously the plastic sticks on it.. Should we increase the thickness or should we increase it?

Is this for the heating plate or to cover the frame?

I have a question about the durability of the products ? How long will they last and how many times they can be recycled again? And is there any degradation of the quality.

Abe

So I found someone who can cut sheet steel with a waterjet. The only sheet steel I can buy locally comes in 4x8 foot sheets. I’d like to have the whole sheet cut into molds and would love some assistance with mold designs. I’m interested in planter pots, and have designed a modular chair that uses a single curvaceous L multiple times. I have an extrusion pro coming (Thursday) any other ideas for molds while I’m cutting? I’d like to do brick molds, but I think I’ll do those in stainless and have someone else weld it. Thanks!

Just a note about stainless is that it can warp a lot when hot, so may not be a great repeatable material in sheets for molds.

CitSciWorkshop

Just a note about stainless is that it can warp a lot when hot, so may not be a great repeatable material in sheets for molds.

Thanks for the tip! I’m a quarter mile from the ocean, so now I decide whether to battle with rust or with warping

you should be able to coata carbon steel mold with lubricant or release for the inside, and the outside of a mold could be painted in high temp stuff, like for a grill. Alternatively, you could use thicker aluminum.

I am wondering if anyone has had any success with re-processing PET using the standard or pro machines.

Hi I’m selling a sheet press in Los Angeles (includes delivery) will be listing on the bazar if anyone’s interested- please DM me!

Hi, the company I work for uses a lot of acrylics and plastics on the manufacturing side (mainly acrylics) and I want to approach them with the idea of introducing a second lifecycle to these materials BUT I read that acrylics are very difficult/dangerous to recycle. Anyone have tips on recycling that material?

Hi guys I’m very green to this sector but I willing to learn as much as possible. I have a goal to open a business that converts plastics into fabric (I know there are a handful of companies out there that already to this). Then from that fabric I want to design things such as t-shirts, scarves, etc. I was wondering if anyone in here knows what my first steps should be, how I can start, etc. Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Hi all! This summer, I would love to do volunteer work at a recycling space/workshop. I've already contacted a start-up nearby (The Hague, NL). However, they are still setting up so I’m not sure I can work there this summer. So if you need a helping hand this summer (Europe only) or maybe in the summer of 2022 (Worldwide) don’t hesitate to send me a message! Depending on the location of your workspace I ask for a residence or shredded plastics in return. Kind regards, Cathelijne

Abe

Thanks for the tip! I’m a quarter mile from the ocean, so now I decide whether to battle with rust or with warping

I just saw a discussion thread earlier, I think it;s in showcase channel, about galv steel sheets for hot press - maybe those won't warp. I'm interested - moving up to a bigger heated press soon and everything I tried so far has been less than awesome.... haven't had budget for metal plates though, and if we get the money I want to make sure we make the right choice first time.

Hello Everyone Rookie here looking forward to chat with you all that are in the plastic recycling

I am concerned about how much plastic my city produce due to water bottle consuming. Is there any cost efficient way to repurpose water bottle plastic? sure we can create some furnitures or pots, but can we create fabric, fiberglass, or fiberfill? Only if we can create something that is that mainstream it will be affordable to recycle as local buisiness

1

3:31 PM

1

3:33 PM

we finally reached the sweetspot for tight tolerances for our recycled PP chairs. Problem is they are too brittle. We'll test HDPE next.

3:34 PM

the parts with tolerances need to be placed close to the edge of the mould, as the middle part of our sheets tend to be thinner

3:34 PM

does someone have any experience with this issue? :^)

how are you finding them to be too brittle?

3:37 PM

breaking at the joints under load?

Andres EOED

Is this for the heating plate or to cover the frame?

This is to cover the frame. what is the ideal steel to use because stainless steel becomes warped under heat pressure? or do we use a thicker stainless steel option?

KMBC

This is to cover the frame. what is the ideal steel to use because stainless steel becomes warped under heat pressure? or do we use a thicker stainless steel option?

We have aluminium sheets for that. They warp but also become flat under the addition pressure.

Falcon

how are you finding them to be too brittle?

when hammered to fit in, the legs crack. Joints are actually no problem

Interesting, how are you cutting the pieces?

@ındıgoındıgoYou could try to use a heatgun for the junction just to get the plastic a bit softer and then, instead to hammer it in, use a screw-clamp or even a hydraulic press.

7:55 PM

When i push bearings in a 3d printed piece, i use a vice to get them slowly and smoothly inside without breaking.

could also do some relief structure so the pieces snap in place without being overstrained

Falcon

Interesting, how are you cutting the pieces?

CNC, with a plastic-cutting tool

Hello, i have a question! What mold relaes is perfect for molds and plastic melting=-

4:01 PM

?*

I think most people here are using some form of silicone oil

alright, so only silicone oil?

some people have tried spray-on teflon coatings afaik

4:51 PM

haven't tried it personally though

4:52 PM

I've gotten a quote on an industrial teflon coating for our moulds but they are not cheap

the best solution would be to have an anti-adhesive material for the mould; if not, plastic will stick 100% of the time to the mould. downside of using additives (ie mould releasing silicone oil) is that it will go into your plastic product.. At the end of the day, the direction you'll take and decisions you'll make on that regard will depend on your values (concerning the fact of adding stuff to your product, postproduction work, rerecyclability etc..)

Hi we are a group of researchers that pitched a solar extruder project on a national research fair but didn't make it to the cut

6:35 PM

6:36 PM

6:37 PM

The We are unsuccessful since the energy needed for the lens to function as a heater is too damn high

It was theoretically possible but impractically impossible.

did you have variable extrusion rates by temperature?

7:18 PM

or what made it infeasable?

7:19 PM

just never got to temp?

Hi I am a groupmate of @partwenk . I would like to add on that our extrusion rates weren't varied and were only running at a constant speed

I've melted alu with one of those before

7:19 PM

that would complicate it

moreover the heat provided by the lens were hard to distribute within the extruder

I wonder if you could do something with heat pipes to transfer the heat into an insulated extruder setup

Vacuum heat pipes?

water heat pipes apparently have a maximum temperature of 270C

Would some sort of indirect solar thermal heating approach work?

Eric Lotze

Would some sort of indirect solar thermal heating approach work?

Did you mean transfering the heat remotely by having conducting, or convecting tubes that gathers heat from lens to a remote extruder?

some sort of heat transfer fluid i guess, i'm kind of armchair thinking here i guess

Falcon

water heat pipes apparently have a maximum temperature of 270C

Well try that out , I dont think it is practical to use solar anymore since eventhough we are in the equator, most of the time the humidity and cloud cover doesn't close it enough

Eric Lotze

some sort of heat transfer fluid i guess, i'm kind of armchair thinking here i guess

What heat transfer fluid could make it to the cut?,

Hello All! We have a sheet press machine, and we are using aluminum molds and putting silicon oil to make the boards. But we are having a hard time removing the boards once cooled down, and plastic is sticking on the sides and in the middle as in the picture. Is there any way to remove the plastic stains, and clean the mold?

12:10 PM

Hi guys. Just took this picture today. Near our shop

12:13 PM

We need to do a plastic cleanup.

12:14 PM

All this plastic is in the watershed of the Pasig river that makes 6% of the worlds ocean plastic.

Get shredder today if anyone interested in buying plastic shreds let Me know ty

Micro plastics from shredding. Or cutting. How do you manage that? Keep it separate with what was just cut?

Hi only just joined this is the problem i have what i think is great way of recycling a lot of our plastic waste but i think it depends one 1 thing . Is it possible to mix several plastics including the harder stuff and still a useful product even is its a lower grade . maybe where the look of the plastic is not important . Any help will be grateful ..

Mixing plastics makes a product much more difficult to re-recycle even if you can make an acceptable product from it.

Hi, I’ve just joined the group i have a question and it would be my appreciated if you could help me with that , which is we made a melting machine but it doesn’t work i mean we set elements and add plastic , plastic was melted in the tube but it didn’t injected to the frame do you know what the problem is

6:49 AM

This is our machine

6:49 AM

6:51 AM

Our problem is that melted plastic doesn’t inject to the frame although we push the piston

Hi, One Army Team, I am In Nairobi Kenya. We have been running an informal school in an Slums known as Githogoro. The school known as OSEC is now transforming to a fully pledged Plastic recycling and Incubation Centre. We hope to transfer skills and employment opportunities to hundreds of Youth. Our intention is to name it Precious Plastics Nairobi Academy. I am trusting One Army will join us in transforming Lives of many through the experience and replication of success stories worldwide. We shall alos seek collaboration with similar project in Kisii in Western Kenya. Thanks you all

3

Hi, I'm in Herefordshire in the UK. I'm looking at ways to recycle horticultural plastic waste! I'm looking at getting a shredder and and something to make bricks or fence posts. if anyone has anything suitable they could show me and or sell or could point me in the right direction I would be very grateful!

BitaBeinanadi

Our problem is that melted plastic doesn’t inject to the frame although we push the piston

There's a few reasons why this might be happening. Check to make sure that your machine is set to the correct temperatures. This is probably okay, sometimes the band heaters go bad, so it's good to check them to see if they're still working by using a thermometer. If you can push out all the plastic in the barrel with no mould, it should be functioning properly. Some people have issues with the nozzle getting too cold which blocks the hot plastic from being pushed out. I hope this is helpful.

3:34 PM

Hpde shreds

how are you shredding them so fine?

3:35 PM

what shredder do you have?

3:38 PM

though it looks like you have a lot of dustlike shreds

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

There's a few reasons why this might be happening. Check to make sure that your machine is set to the correct temperatures. This is probably okay, sometimes the band heaters go bad, so it's good to check them to see if they're still working by using a thermometer. If you can push out all the plastic in the barrel with no mould, it should be functioning properly. Some people have issues with the nozzle getting too cold which blocks the hot plastic from being pushed out. I hope this is helpful.

Thanks a million for your respond

️ we set the temperature up to 250 celsius and it became smoking around the barrel but nothing was injected to the mould you know it seems that there is air in the barrel that doesn’t let us to push the plastics, there is a resistance against pushing

nivine

Hello All! We have a sheet press machine, and we are using aluminum molds and putting silicon oil to make the boards. But we are having a hard time removing the boards once cooled down, and plastic is sticking on the sides and in the middle as in the picture. Is there any way to remove the plastic stains, and clean the mold?

What kind of plastic are you using ? (Pp,ps, HDPE)?

That plastic is hpde there

In general we've seen a lot of people have trouble with hdpe sticking to sheets

But I have other types off plastic I can shred

Hi there, any chance is someone here that was able to build a bigger sheet press than the 1,5x1,5 one that I found in the Precious Plastic site?

Akumu Oketch

Hi, One Army Team, I am In Nairobi Kenya. We have been running an informal school in an Slums known as Githogoro. The school known as OSEC is now transforming to a fully pledged Plastic recycling and Incubation Centre. We hope to transfer skills and employment opportunities to hundreds of Youth. Our intention is to name it Precious Plastics Nairobi Academy. I am trusting One Army will join us in transforming Lives of many through the experience and replication of success stories worldwide. We shall alos seek collaboration with similar project in Kisii in Western Kenya. Thanks you all

Thank you for the likes, in Honor of our Hero, we shall name the school DAVEHAKKENS ACADEMY. this we believe shall keep the ONE ARMY activities in Kenya alive, whats take of the team?

1

Has anyone had any experience of sterilising shredded waste plastic to make it food grade?

durack

Has anyone had any experience of sterilising shredded waste plastic to make it food grade?

the problem you will face are the additives present in the plastic used to make new products, the only PP i've heard of that managed to do it had a VERY strict process, maybe you can contact them formore info https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-26/nescafe-comes-calling-brad-scott-plastic-recycled-homewares/12380828 not sure what the name of the workshop is sorry (i can't stress more the fact that you need to be SUPER CAREFUL when thinking about making food-grade items)

1

100% it’s not something we’re considering lightly. We have been actually avoiding any regulated product category up until now but I’m keen to find out what the requirement is exactly as associated costs of testing batches for approval. Will check these guys out - thank you very much! Happy planet toys seem to be using recycled plastic that is good grade - albeit with an industrialised manufacturing process

durack

Has anyone had any experience of sterilising shredded waste plastic to make it food grade?

different countries have different regulations for doing this. The plastic would have to be sourced from other food grade plastics (so no harmful additives and such), they would have to be cleaned (likely with something like caustic soda/NaOH). And then your product has to not have any crevices or cracks that will make it difficult to clean later, and also it's gotta be a solid piece, not something that's thin and floppy and likely to break off into whatever food you're eating. But that's about as far as i dug into it. Better to avoid it. Otherwise, it's going to be difficult to do if you want to do it the correct and legal way. $$$

That’s really helpful! Thank you very much

really interesting to know what the rough pathway would look like. It’s definitely not territory I would want to take on without a more industrial setup but keen to bottom out what’s required/involved so that if we ever reach that point we can look into it further. In all honesty, we’d probably want to test it beyond the safety standards to be able to give the public total confidence that the products are safe to use

Hello everyone!

Howdy!

9:29 PM

I’m super excited y’all! I’ve been going through my closet and prescription pill bottles are PP and the lids are HDPE! All I have to do I clean off the labels and I’m on my way! (I haven’t recycled them for a while as it takes a while to sort and collect a bunch but hey silver lining of having chronic illnesses!)

Hello everyone! My names Matt and I am in the preliminary stages of setting up my own shredder pro workshop to sell back reprocessed plastic to the market. I am located in Charlotte, NC and I am having a lot of difficulty finding a viable business model on just selling shredded plastic. From what I have found, there really just doesn’t seem to be a market to sell back the plastic without having a very large volume. I would love to hear from those who have successfully been selling off their shredded plastic to get a better gauge of their end customer and the platforms that they have been reached on. Feel free to DM me or post within this thread. I appreciate any and all feedback to this issue. Thanks, Matt

Akumu Oketch

Thank you for the likes, in Honor of our Hero, we shall name the school DAVEHAKKENS ACADEMY. this we believe shall keep the ONE ARMY activities in Kenya alive, whats take of the team?

i am not official Precious Plastic but i think Dace would be over joyed to hear that! ❤️

12:48 AM

dave**

Hello, my name is Hazza from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Currently, I'm doing research on the application of Plastic Waste-Fly Ash composition. Is anyone here have experience mixing the plastic waste with fly ash (or any other additive filler) in the extruder machine? Will there be any clogging issues?

Has anyone tried using HMWPE? We tested some and it glued our mold shut

1

Falcon

Has anyone tried using HMWPE? We tested some and it glued our mold shut

note taken

Hi, my name is Marcus and I have lately found myself a new hobby, plastic of course. I finally feel ready to actually build my own shredder and am planning to go for the smaller one the first time trying to build one. I have contacted a guy in my small city who is ready to help me laser cut out the parts for the shredder but the problem is that I do not have any drawings of the parts nor any dimensions. I have tried several times to go through the whole precious plastic page but still do not manage to find the files with the drawings. I am therefore asking you guys if any of you could send me the links to the drawings, I would be greatly thankful. Thanks in beforehand

️ (edited)

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

Ocean plastic research - Dave Hakkens

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Thank you for the quick response!

9:31 AM

Is there a specific file that should be sent in?

Anyone on here buy plastic shreds

Hi everyone

3:13 PM

I am trying to learn if there is anybody in Brasil involved with PP

Hi Everyone, My Name is Ariya, and i lived in Sumenep, small city in indonesia. I started small group here to collect trash from the beach lately , and its kind of on the right track. and right now we do some collaboration with other people called 'leads foundation' , their activities usually based on profiding education on remote island, volunteering there. And because they're remote island, usually they didn't have proper way to process trash , they just throw it on the beach. My question is , maybe you guys have any idea how to solve this problem? For small scale island, that far away from the main island,but still pretty crowded, because you know indonesia has thousand of it. Thank you guys, i would be very grateful for your help

Hello guys I’m a new member I will love to anyone who can help me to know where I can get the machine Special the one (one Amy ) team have thank y’all

Marcusw

Is there a specific file that should be sent in?

Shredder/blueprints/laserfiles/00_laser files Send them those. you can also send the 02_shredding laser overview.pdf file. just make sure you have the right hex bar so the blades fit on them properly

Has anyone seen or found any examples of extruding Nylon?

people do it with 3d printers afaik

Marcusw

Is there a specific file that should be sent in?

@Falcon , @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Please share the updated version: https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/shredder-21

1

idk how we're supposed to find that normally

4:17 PM

you really need a link that always redirects to the most recent version

1

jasonknight

Has anyone seen or found any examples of extruding Nylon?

https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/ocean-plastic-research/ i was checking this out a week ago. some good work with nylon if i recall

Paul

@cymek and I are working in the Precious Plastic & Parley shipping container in the Maldives til May. While we’re here one of our focuses is learning about ocean plastic, particularly - Dave Hakkens

2:49 AM

1st in Tassie! WOOT!

SPOILER

2

2:50 AM

next... THE WORLDS PLASTIC!!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I want blue prints of shedder

PUNITH R GOWDA

I want blue prints of shedder

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/shredder-21

Good day! @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug can I ask do you have properties of HDPE plastic beam like yield, tensile, compressive strength etc.?

Asuna_NFT

Good day! @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug can I ask do you have properties of HDPE plastic beam like yield, tensile, compressive strength etc.?

i don't have those values. I think it's worth noting that when using the extrusion machine, your beam will have some bubbles inside that will cause values to be a bit different than a beam that is 100% plastic (no air bubbles) but here's some other info you can find on HDPE itself. https://polymerdatabase.com/Commercial%20Polymers/HDPE.html

HDPE

Thermophysical Properties of High Density Polyethylene

1

has anybody tried making molds out of refractory clay/mortar? (edited)

8:19 AM

or fire clay as its called

Hi guys i have a question for you

wich are the best materials to create molds for our injections molding plastics? I need a mold that could be reused a lot of times! i know aluminion is the best but is quite expensive, some Ideas?

Hello friends I'm looking for information about Lasso's home recycling machine Can you help? Thank you.

4:22 PM

xcrystalfairyx

Hi guys i have a question for you

wich are the best materials to create molds for our injections molding plastics? I need a mold that could be reused a lot of times! i know aluminion is the best but is quite expensive, some Ideas?

Lasercut moulds are cheaper, and you can 3D print moulds with PC if you have a decent 3D printer

I have someone who’s wanting to buy a VOC meter for me, but I need to figure out which one. Any ideas on how I can figure that out? I’ve emailed and phoned a half dozen distributors and manufacturers of these kinds of products and they haven’t been any help.

During the test of my shredder, I noticed that there is a lot of static electricity in the chips. At now I tested it on the wood bench, without a proper frame, and I'm using a PP box to collect the shredded material. It become electrically charged, enough to make the smaller flakes flying out from the box. Can this caused by the lack of a proper grounded frame? Or maybe is better to build the box for the material of another material (steel, aluminum, wood?).

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

During the test of my shredder, I noticed that there is a lot of static electricity in the chips. At now I tested it on the wood bench, without a proper frame, and I'm using a PP box to collect the shredded material. It become electrically charged, enough to make the smaller flakes flying out from the box. Can this caused by the lack of a proper grounded frame? Or maybe is better to build the box for the material of another material (steel, aluminum, wood?).

Good Morning, this is a common problem. You need to ground your shredder box. You are probably using a coupling with a non-conductive material and your frame cannot dissipate the static charge either? Simply lay a cable from earth (if you have earthed your motor (should be like this), you can simply run a cable from a bare part of the motor to the shredder box.

7:38 AM

1

7:39 AM

I had the same problem, after this cable it was gone.

2

1

Selling a hugely discounted sheet press in Los Angeles please contact me ASAP if interested

Has anyone tried to simulate cooling of molds in SW?

Hii just arriving

11:33 PM

Full of ideas and doubts where should i start

11:33 PM

Good evening from venezuels

Hi everyone where can I find the blueprint and cad of the extrusion pro? Thanks (edited)

Hello together, I'm running the stores at the Bauhaus building and Bauhaus Museum in Dessau, Germany. I would like to present and introduce the precious plastic project within the frame of the annual Bauhaus Festival end of August. Further I can imagine to install a collection point at our store, I would be interested in a shredder and I would love to sell products from the community. Specially plates. I tried to get in touch by email, but that didn't work. Somebody out there, who would be interested and can help with the first steps in the network?

1

jhfklmbt

Hello together, I'm running the stores at the Bauhaus building and Bauhaus Museum in Dessau, Germany. I would like to present and introduce the precious plastic project within the frame of the annual Bauhaus Festival end of August. Further I can imagine to install a collection point at our store, I would be interested in a shredder and I would love to sell products from the community. Specially plates. I tried to get in touch by email, but that didn't work. Somebody out there, who would be interested and can help with the first steps in the network?

Hi Joerg, for informations to present have a look in the complete download kit. https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download You would need a safe shredder where everyone can put plastic waste in, right? If you are looking for products from the community, check out the bazar: https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/products/ Best greets from Dresden!

Hi Thomas, great. Thank you for the fast feedback! Yes, for the Bauhaus Festival I'm looking for a partner, who could lend a shredder for the show. So the Bauhaus would be a collecting point and shredder site. I guess the other steps like a melting machine or sheet press are to complicate to install for such a short period. Basically I would love to exhibit the complete idea of precious plastic. So display materials and images are warmly welcome. Best from Berlin

Finally got my shredder have pp5 plastic hpde and pet plastic I can shred if anyone interested in anything thing let me know ty

Does anyone here have any experience with making plastic fire resistant? If you're making furniture or any sizable product with plastic, you might be concerned on what might happen if there's a fire (accidental or not). Using an extrusion machine can easily mix together additives for various things like color, uv protection, or some other desired characteristic. The purpose of making the plastic fire resistant is purely for safety reasons. Just curious if anyone out here has looked into this and has any idea how it's done. I see things on google, but so far nothing specific on what ratio and such. Any info is welcome.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Does anyone here have any experience with making plastic fire resistant? If you're making furniture or any sizable product with plastic, you might be concerned on what might happen if there's a fire (accidental or not). Using an extrusion machine can easily mix together additives for various things like color, uv protection, or some other desired characteristic. The purpose of making the plastic fire resistant is purely for safety reasons. Just curious if anyone out here has looked into this and has any idea how it's done. I see things on google, but so far nothing specific on what ratio and such. Any info is welcome.

hmmm i don't think there is any way you can make plastic fire resistant, i mean, plastic melts at quite low temps compared to a flame... at best you can make it flame retardant (you will gain 1 or 2 seconds before the fire actually takes). As far as i know, flame retardants (at least the brom based) are quite toxic ....(cancerous, endocrine disruptor etc...) (edited)

Ah, flame resistant vs flame retardant, two different things. Just looking to make things so it's not adding fuel to a fire or at least slow down things should it happen. Seems like there's several additives one could use. There's some other additives that can be used that dont use brominates, there's one that seems to be the same as a common antacid. Since i'm just an amateur at this, just hoping someone out there knows about this sort of thing and can share about it. https://polymer-additives.specialchem.com/selection-guide/flame-retardants-for-fire-proof-plastics

Flame Retardants for Fire Proof Plastics

Get detailed knowledge on fire retardants including their mechanism of action, chemistries, compatibility with different polymers and end market applications.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Ah, flame resistant vs flame retardant, two different things. Just looking to make things so it's not adding fuel to a fire or at least slow down things should it happen. Seems like there's several additives one could use. There's some other additives that can be used that dont use brominates, there's one that seems to be the same as a common antacid. Since i'm just an amateur at this, just hoping someone out there knows about this sort of thing and can share about it. https://polymer-additives.specialchem.com/selection-guide/flame-retardants-for-fire-proof-plastics

the main problem i see with this is that there is no way to thoroughly mix the additive and the plastic especially using the extruder as it has no mixing element, this means that you could have additive which is concentrated in certain areas causing further problems (edited)

9:48 AM

such as strength and other physical properties being overly different in spots and patches

sponsoons

such as strength and other physical properties being overly different in spots and patches

this part i was concerned with, however, in the past I have mixed in iron oxide pigments to change the color outcome successfully. I've turned blue into black. I've turned a mixed color input of plastic that would normally mix in the machine and output as green, into a brown. I don't know what your experiences have been, so I'm trying to draw on the wealth of knowledge here.

1:18 PM

But if nobody has done this, I'll still do some testing to see if i can find something that's safe and works. (edited)

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

this part i was concerned with, however, in the past I have mixed in iron oxide pigments to change the color outcome successfully. I've turned blue into black. I've turned a mixed color input of plastic that would normally mix in the machine and output as green, into a brown. I don't know what your experiences have been, so I'm trying to draw on the wealth of knowledge here.

what machine was this on?

1:37 PM

the standard P.P extrusion/extrusion pro?

sponsoons

the standard P.P extrusion/extrusion pro?

Standard PP extrusion with upgraded screw.

nice,do share the results you get with the flame additives

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

this part i was concerned with, however, in the past I have mixed in iron oxide pigments to change the color outcome successfully. I've turned blue into black. I've turned a mixed color input of plastic that would normally mix in the machine and output as green, into a brown. I don't know what your experiences have been, so I'm trying to draw on the wealth of knowledge here.

have you tried making foam plastic in the same way

1:57 PM

by adding baking soda or other blowing agents to the plastic?

What are you guys using for scraping the molds? We are using ordinary spatulas, but it's time consuming and leaves scratches. Can someone recommend any handtools or alternative methods that works better? Also... What kind of lubrication are you using? We're using something called UNICAN S-80 silicone free. It works fine for PP; but when it comes to PE it's not efficient. What is your go to brand for lube?

CharlieUldahl

What are you guys using for scraping the molds? We are using ordinary spatulas, but it's time consuming and leaves scratches. Can someone recommend any handtools or alternative methods that works better? Also... What kind of lubrication are you using? We're using something called UNICAN S-80 silicone free. It works fine for PP; but when it comes to PE it's not efficient. What is your go to brand for lube?

https://www.pmseurope.com/collections/brass-mould-tools (edited)

Brass Scrapers and Mould Tools

Brass Mould Tools prevent damage to mould Brass Rods Brass and steel Brushes Scrapers Chisels

1

sponsoons

by adding baking soda or other blowing agents to the plastic?

no. Closest i got to this was putting in wet plastic. I do not recommend doing this. I've seen some non-PP machines, one looked very similar to the PP extrusion pro machine but the nozzle end pointed down and had compressed air blowing in the middle of the nozzle somehow. They were making broom heads.

CharlieUldahl

What are you guys using for scraping the molds? We are using ordinary spatulas, but it's time consuming and leaves scratches. Can someone recommend any handtools or alternative methods that works better? Also... What kind of lubrication are you using? We're using something called UNICAN S-80 silicone free. It works fine for PP; but when it comes to PE it's not efficient. What is your go to brand for lube?

we are testing these two. one is a wax (the first) and the second is liquid. both are working fine. in time we will surely have definitive results. we are in Argentina, but maybe it serves as a reference for the composition. We also use steel spatula

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

no. Closest i got to this was putting in wet plastic. I do not recommend doing this. I've seen some non-PP machines, one looked very similar to the PP extrusion pro machine but the nozzle end pointed down and had compressed air blowing in the middle of the nozzle somehow. They were making broom heads.

do you have a link for the one where they were making broom heads?

sponsoons

do you have a link for the one where they were making broom heads?

here's a photo of their machine for blow moulding. i'm looking for an instagram link or something for the process....

sponsoons

do you have a link for the one where they were making broom heads?

Ah, i am struggling to find a link that shows specifically this machine in operation. but here's a media blip that briefly shows the broom heads being trimmed. These are made from HDPE. This workshop mostly collects, cleans, and shreds plastics and if im not mistaken, sells to China. So you will see lots of shredded PET. If you look at their other videos you might find some of their processes. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEsvVwDhNW3/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Since I don't have a shredder yet I been trying to come up with more low tech creative solutions. An experiment: Would it be possible to freeze plastic and then shatter it into tiny pieces?

Uplifted

Since I don't have a shredder yet I been trying to come up with more low tech creative solutions. An experiment: Would it be possible to freeze plastic and then shatter it into tiny pieces?

If I'm not mistaken, this method is used for making plastic powder but you'd have to get the plastic really really cold, maybe even have to use liquid nitrogen for this. Blender works. Modified planer too can work. They're a bit loud but will get the job done. Just don't expect to process much.

I think I'll try dry ice before I try Nitrogen.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Ah, i am struggling to find a link that shows specifically this machine in operation. but here's a media blip that briefly shows the broom heads being trimmed. These are made from HDPE. This workshop mostly collects, cleans, and shreds plastics and if im not mistaken, sells to China. So you will see lots of shredded PET. If you look at their other videos you might find some of their processes. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEsvVwDhNW3/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

thanks a ton

Hi guys i have a question for you

what can i do to make the plastic shredder less noisy? To design a quiet device,witch parts should i pay more attention to?

Has anyone used a moisture analyser( by loss of weight)

hello I am looking for a person who could make me mold of flower pot for the injection thank you

Hello guys, We are BE mechanical students and we have made a plastic recycling machine, I would like to share a photo and also I am looking forward to your guys opinions where we are taking pre orders of plastic recycling machine having a shredder and extruder. If you want to know more details you can mail me shreyas.ektate@gmail.com

12:02 PM

12:04 PM

Customers can demand according to their requirements, The plastic shreds HDPE,PET,LDPE and extrudes HDPE,PET plastics.

Do anyone have any experience on making bean?..the mould is connected to the extruder and the other side is close or open?...how we know that is full?

Tao

Do anyone have any experience on making bean?..the mould is connected to the extruder and the other side is close or open?...how we know that is full?

Our molds have a small vent hole that plugs when full.

2

hi guys i would like to ask if how can i make the HDPE plastic when turn in to sheet to have like a strong tensile strength or rigid

Hi, guys. This is my first time to use this place.Please let me know if this is the wrong place to post this.Can I use PP+PE mixed containers?Please tell me.

wintags

hi guys i would like to ask if how can i make the HDPE plastic when turn in to sheet to have like a strong tensile strength or rigid

The answer depends on what you're trying to do. You can make legs with sheets if you make them into a long hollow box and properly connect the sheets together. You could get several sheets and fasten them. Together, but it would be heavier. You can add support in areas that need more strength. It's difficult to answer your question, you need to be more specific with what you're trying to do.

exim

Hi, guys. This is my first time to use this place.Please let me know if this is the wrong place to post this.Can I use PP+PE mixed containers?Please tell me.

Easiest answer is no. You should keep plastics separated so that it will be easier to recycle in the future. Can you? Sure...extrusion machine does a fairly good job mixing things up. But I don't know what you'll end up as a product and what the characteristics of the plastic would be.

6:10 AM

If you do something like sheet press or injection, you might have issues with the flakes not fusing together and this creating a garbage product.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Easiest answer is no. You should keep plastics separated so that it will be easier to recycle in the future. Can you? Sure...extrusion machine does a fairly good job mixing things up. But I don't know what you'll end up as a product and what the characteristics of the plastic would be.

Thank you for your reply, Does this mean that containers that have already been processed with PP+PE cannot be reused?

good morning everybody, I'm still looking for somebody in Europe who could show the precious plastic project during the Bauhaus Festival 2021 in our places at the Bauhaus building and the Bauhaus Museum Dessau. My vision would be to transform these places in to temporary precious plastic workshops (collecting / shredding / selling objects). The annual Bauhaus Festival in Dessau is one of the major events of the year in this region. Any support and help warmly welcome!

exim

Thank you for your reply, Does this mean that containers that have already been processed with PP+PE cannot be reused?

If you're mixing different plastics together to make a product, it would then have to be classified as a #7 (other) on the recycling chart. Composite plastics are plastics that are mixed with either other plastics or something non-plastic. Simply put, if you produce a product that is made of mixed polymers, there's likely nobody that will accept it to be recycled again since nobody (that im aware of) recycles a composite mix of PE-PP.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you're mixing different plastics together to make a product, it would then have to be classified as a #7 (other) on the recycling chart. Composite plastics are plastics that are mixed with either other plastics or something non-plastic. Simply put, if you produce a product that is made of mixed polymers, there's likely nobody that will accept it to be recycled again since nobody (that im aware of) recycles a composite mix of PE-PP.

So mixed plastics have to be left to specialized companies in the first place. The only thing we can do is to use plastics made of a single material. I don't know about other countries, but many containers in Japan are mixed. In Japan, the law is fine as long as we separate PET from the rest. I don't even know what plastic material it is except PET. PET has a high recycling rate, but other thermoplastics that are not labeled are burned .If there is no NIR, etc., is there no other way but to try to burn it?

Hi, anybody have experiences on making beans?...which material is the best for the mold?...aluminium or other steel?..thanks

Hello, im new. I run an acrylic company and want to know best way to recycle it. 90% is clear but wouldn't mind adding colors. Please advise. My operation is in usa. Thanks.

exim

So mixed plastics have to be left to specialized companies in the first place. The only thing we can do is to use plastics made of a single material. I don't know about other countries, but many containers in Japan are mixed. In Japan, the law is fine as long as we separate PET from the rest. I don't even know what plastic material it is except PET. PET has a high recycling rate, but other thermoplastics that are not labeled are burned .If there is no NIR, etc., is there no other way but to try to burn it?

What im saying about mixed plastics is that you're not going to find anyone who processes them and will likely only be limited to doing it yourself. I'm fairly certain nobody is asking for a mixed HDPE+PP composite plastic. If you keep things pure HDPE and pure PP, then the market will be able to take in these plastics and recycle them. I don't know where your mixed plastics bin goes in Japan. Does it get sorted or does it go to a waste-to-energy plant? Or does it just get buried into a landfill and eventually turned into a park? I don't know. My assumption is that there might not be a market or it's simply too expensive to process all the plastics in the mixed bin so it ends up getting burned. In some countries, rubbish is sorted based on if it burns or not.

3:29 AM

you can recycle almost anything. It just takes time and money to come up with a way to process things. it doesn't always make economical sense, so that's why things end up in landfills or get burned.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

What im saying about mixed plastics is that you're not going to find anyone who processes them and will likely only be limited to doing it yourself. I'm fairly certain nobody is asking for a mixed HDPE+PP composite plastic. If you keep things pure HDPE and pure PP, then the market will be able to take in these plastics and recycle them. I don't know where your mixed plastics bin goes in Japan. Does it get sorted or does it go to a waste-to-energy plant? Or does it just get buried into a landfill and eventually turned into a park? I don't know. My assumption is that there might not be a market or it's simply too expensive to process all the plastics in the mixed bin so it ends up getting burned. In some countries, rubbish is sorted based on if it burns or not.

Thank you for your reply. We understand that we need to recycle single materials. However, there are many plastic containers whose material is unknown. Some of them are chemically recycled by experts, and the rest are incinerated or landfilled. Manufacturers must promote reduction by changing materials or developing new materials. Of course, we should not forget that composite materials can also be used to reduce... I think that the activity needs to be about single materials that are not recycled and become garbage, and also about objects that have a large volume and become an environmental problem. It is also important to clean up the coast and the city. And I think it is even more important to collect and work a little more upstream. I was thinking of collecting shampoo bottles, but I found some containers labeled PP+EVOH. I was surprised because I thought shampoo bottles were made of a single material. I'm not learning enough:( Where does everyone collect their single material?

Can anybody tell me where I might find the statistics for recycling plastic percentages in my area? (UK, England)

https://www.bpf.co.uk/sustainability/plastics_recycling.aspx#2.1

3:51 PM

this could maybe be a start

@Falcon amazing! Thanks again

I think I have the capability so source plastic to shred but the places I've found with pins on the community map haven't been active for upto a whole year. Who would I shred for

A New Design concept I have designed to produce a large HDPE board AND Flowerpot by compression machine. WILL IT WORK. PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If I'm not mistaken, this method is used for making plastic powder but you'd have to get the plastic really really cold, maybe even have to use liquid nitrogen for this. Blender works. Modified planer too can work. They're a bit loud but will get the job done. Just don't expect to process much.

with the price of liquid nitrogen, this is not remotely close to a viable method.

1

Abelhk1

A New Design concept I have designed to produce a large HDPE board AND Flowerpot by compression machine. WILL IT WORK. PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

see the precious plastic v2 oven compression molder. Yes it does work. It is painfully slow and only suitable for very very low quantities of items.

AcrylicDisplaySysyems

Hello, im new. I run an acrylic company and want to know best way to recycle it. 90% is clear but wouldn't mind adding colors. Please advise. My operation is in usa. Thanks.

yes you can recycle acrylic. it is supposed to melt in a extrusion machine, however in my experiments, i did not have much luck. there are others using compression molding and ovens to make a sort of stained glass looking material. so maybe possible to re-melt sheets. It will not be the crystal clear stuff as original as you will have dust and bubble contaminents. however you should be able to laser the sheets like the original material

Tao

Hi, anybody have experiences on making beans?...which material is the best for the mold?...aluminium or other steel?..thanks

steel tubing... thick wall. you can use stainless steel, but it is overkill. 3mm and above wall thickness. We tried thin wall square tube and ended up blowing out the tubes. You could also use schedule 40 or schedule 80 pipe. however issues may arise with the seam inside preventing de-mold. alternately, you can buy flat bar stock and weld your own tube with the weld seam to the outside, but that will take a skilled fabricator to prevent the tube from bending during welding

1

exim

So mixed plastics have to be left to specialized companies in the first place. The only thing we can do is to use plastics made of a single material. I don't know about other countries, but many containers in Japan are mixed. In Japan, the law is fine as long as we separate PET from the rest. I don't even know what plastic material it is except PET. PET has a high recycling rate, but other thermoplastics that are not labeled are burned .If there is no NIR, etc., is there no other way but to try to burn it?

We have done quite a bit of mixed alloy plastic. HDPE/PET alloys and HDPE/PP alloys. Alsol we have done the "everything alloy" and ran a mix of every packaging material together. It was shredded, then we pelletized it, then we extruded and molded it. Suitable for flower pots or related things. The myl;ar aluminum shows up as silver paint fleck in the finish product.

Tao

Do anyone have any experience on making bean?..the mould is connected to the extruder and the other side is close or open?...how we know that is full?

we use this to know when the mold is full

Butte (PP Philippines)

We have done quite a bit of mixed alloy plastic. HDPE/PET alloys and HDPE/PP alloys. Alsol we have done the "everything alloy" and ran a mix of every packaging material together. It was shredded, then we pelletized it, then we extruded and molded it. Suitable for flower pots or related things. The myl;ar aluminum shows up as silver paint fleck in the finish product.

Thanks! Is it alloy? Not a composite of plastics?Do you mean PP+AL etc? It doesn't seem to be harmful, but it will continue to be a composite material with metal, right? It may not emit harmful gases, but it will continue to be a composite material with metal, right? I believe that Precious Plastic encourages the repeated recycling of a single material. However, it is difficult to sort out the plastic from the trash, so many people recycle using composite materials. 1 Experts recycle waste plastic into single material pellets 2 I buy it 3 Use a valuable plastic machine to make recyclables. This way, even I, who cannot collect single materials, can recycle them. It does lead to the recycling of plastic. However, I am wondering if this is different from the idea of Precious plastic. Because even if I don't recycle the recycled pellets, someone else will use them for recycling. What do you guys think?

This plastic that we are using is NOT being recycled. It is commonly called "fluff" in the trade.

6:14 AM

It is destined for the landfill as there is no use for it in the conventional recycling business. Our research project is taking this normally thrown away material and finding uses for it. Yes of course it can not be sent to a recycler as whatever new we make is thrown away.

6:17 AM

However it would have been discarded already. As such people are willing to literally PAY us to take it and make new things with it. We have had 3 very large corporate inquiries to do this with their plastic films that are normally sent to the landfill. As soon as we can develop a reliable method that will scale, we potentially will be processing hundreds of tons per month of these plastics

plastic films are too light and do not feed into extrusion machines or pretty much any of our machines. However after pelletizing like here in our video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQEkqVo_Yhg&t=4s it can now be fed in the PP Pro extrusion machine and into beam molds.

Making plastic pellets from food waste packaging.

Butte (PP Philippines)

plastic films are too light and do not feed into extrusion machines or pretty much any of our machines. However after pelletizing like here in our video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQEkqVo_Yhg&t=4s it can now be fed in the PP Pro extrusion machine and into beam molds.

Thanks Butte! I found single material plastic around me! This is a packaging film. Packaging films have an affinity with my business. Your reply gave me some inspiration! I appreciate it:) The only material is LLDPE. What kind of material is suitable for this item? I would like to use a sheet press. Butte, you use film as pellets, but how do you shred the film?I will need to shred and pellet and then shred, correct?

I shred with high speed shredder and a industrial dust collector

12:34 PM

Then feed that into the pelletizer

Butte (PP Philippines)

I shred with high speed shredder and a industrial dust collector

More machines... Do I have to turn them into pellets to feed them into the shredder?

No, first shred the film

1:01 PM

Then pelletize

1:01 PM

But feed pellet machine are very fussy

1:02 PM

Still needs more experimentation

Butte (PP Philippines)

Then pelletize

If you can shred, do you still need to pelletize?

Yes.

1:23 PM

Shred films are too full of air, and will not feed into a machine

Butte (PP Philippines)

Shred films are too full of air, and will not feed into a machine

Does that mean it's easy to get air bubbles?

Its too fluffy

1:37 PM

It will not feed into a extrusion screw without constantly pushing it in with a stick

Butte (PP Philippines)

It will not feed into a extrusion screw without constantly pushing it in with a stick

I see. Is the pellet machine only for plastics? Is it possible to use it for wood, etc.?

Its a standard feed pelletizer

2:58 PM

Experimenting with modifications to make it work consistent with plastic

Butte (PP Philippines)

Experimenting with modifications to make it work consistent with plastic

Customize? Is it, for example, changing the blade, controlling the speed, or increasing the power?

There are no blades in feed pellet mills

3:01 PM

Only rollers and dies

3:02 PM

Plastic pressed thru the die, friction makes heat, fuses together

3:02 PM

Pellets drop out

3:02 PM

Thrown out of the machine by centrifugal force

3:03 PM

We are adjusting the feed rate of plastic into the machine and trying additives

Hello, I’m a eyewear maker in the US and trying to solve a problem. The process of making eyewear has an inordinate amount of waste plastic. I’m looking for a way to chop up this material into 3-5mm bits and then compression mold it back into a plate so we can make a frame from it. The concern I have been having is with air bubbles. Anybody else have a concern/solution to this? Also, does the PP shredder create just flake or is there a way to set it up to make larger pieces. Thank you for your help!

KC

Hello, I’m a eyewear maker in the US and trying to solve a problem. The process of making eyewear has an inordinate amount of waste plastic. I’m looking for a way to chop up this material into 3-5mm bits and then compression mold it back into a plate so we can make a frame from it. The concern I have been having is with air bubbles. Anybody else have a concern/solution to this? Also, does the PP shredder create just flake or is there a way to set it up to make larger pieces. Thank you for your help!

https://www.instagram.com/talleresferica/

1

7:22 PM

maybe have a look at this?

7:22 PM

they are making sunglasses, so it shouldn't be too hard to modify it for normal eyeware

They look to be using found material and injection moulding the frames. We already have a production like for making frames with a cnc mill and tumble polishing. Really don’t want to set up a new line for this project.

Butte (PP Philippines)

Only rollers and dies

Thanks for answering so many of my questions. I've looked into feed pellet mills and other pelletizers, but they are expensive. Is this a task that can never be done with a shredder from Precious Plastics? Can it be done by holding it down with a stick? Will plastic bags or film ever get tangled in the blades?

exim

Thanks for answering so many of my questions. I've looked into feed pellet mills and other pelletizers, but they are expensive. Is this a task that can never be done with a shredder from Precious Plastics? Can it be done by holding it down with a stick? Will plastic bags or film ever get tangled in the blades?

you could look at an agglomerator

12:10 PM

they are meant for powdering or clumping plastic film

12:11 PM

they are also not costly to buy and are fairly easy to make or get built should you want to

12:11 PM

since they are basically a drum with a spinning blade

sponsoons

they are also not costly to buy and are fairly easy to make or get built should you want to

Thanks for the reply. I don't have any technical knowledge and I also buy Precious Plastic machines from the bazaar. If I had the blueprints, I might be able to ask a friend for help. I am having trouble with transformers and electrical work that cost too much. It would be ideal to recycle the film without using the petalizer. Is it difficult to do?

exim

Thanks for the reply. I don't have any technical knowledge and I also buy Precious Plastic machines from the bazaar. If I had the blueprints, I might be able to ask a friend for help. I am having trouble with transformers and electrical work that cost too much. It would be ideal to recycle the film without using the petalizer. Is it difficult to do?

what do you plan on doing with the output of the pelletizer?

12:59 PM

if you plan on selling the pellets directly to plastic manufacturers than i would suggest against it as the output would be low quality and the cost would be high meaning it would be very hard to make a profit selling just pellets

1:00 PM

as the pellets are normally produced in large quantities on industrial machines which are costly and have a high output

1:01 PM

the main problem with those industrial machines being the high capital costs and requirements associated with the them

1:02 PM

if you want to pursue this as a full business you would have to go full in as the capital costs, input requirements and the labor required is quite high

1:05 PM

however should you be wanting the pellets just to use in other low end machines it is possible but it would be simpler to just shred or make the powder of the plastic as the costs and effort required are quite low

1:06 PM

the main problem is that getting a consistent source of clean and sorted plastic at a good price is quite hard espescially when you arent a big company

1:07 PM

which means that unless you have a consistent cheap source or cheap labor and electricity to depend upon it is quite hard to a succeed in making pellets or shredded plastic on a small scale

sponsoons

which means that unless you have a consistent cheap source or cheap labor and electricity to depend upon it is quite hard to a succeed in making pellets or shredded plastic on a small scale

The detailed explanation is very helpful. However, what I do is not to sell pellets. Please see my correspondence with Butte. What I want to do is to make recycled items from packing films. The film is too light to shred and is difficult to shred. So making it into pellets once is the solution. I learned this from Butte. But I can't afford the cost. So I am asking if it is possible to make flakes just by shredding.

exim

The detailed explanation is very helpful. However, what I do is not to sell pellets. Please see my correspondence with Butte. What I want to do is to make recycled items from packing films. The film is too light to shred and is difficult to shred. So making it into pellets once is the solution. I learned this from Butte. But I can't afford the cost. So I am asking if it is possible to make flakes just by shredding.

well then an agglomerator should work,it powders the plastic film or makes it into small clumps which can then be extruded

exim

The detailed explanation is very helpful. However, what I do is not to sell pellets. Please see my correspondence with Butte. What I want to do is to make recycled items from packing films. The film is too light to shred and is difficult to shred. So making it into pellets once is the solution. I learned this from Butte. But I can't afford the cost. So I am asking if it is possible to make flakes just by shredding.

depending on the width of your packaging film, the problem could also be that it could get blocked between the blades of your shredder, and at that point, you can just say bye-bye to your shredder. I have done a lot of testing through compression moulding (just make the film melt as it is) and it works fine

sponsoons

well then an agglomerator should work,it powders the plastic film or makes it into small clumps which can then be extruded

I understood that it is feasible with the Petalizer. The question is whether it can be done without it.

Nick - PP France

depending on the width of your packaging film, the problem could also be that it could get blocked between the blades of your shredder, and at that point, you can just say bye-bye to your shredder. I have done a lot of testing through compression moulding (just make the film melt as it is) and it works fine

Nick, thanks for the reply! Say goodbye to the shredder, OMG: ( So you are having success with direct film compression? That's what I was thinking too, so I'm hopeful that it's successful. What size of film are you doing it with? About the size of a baseball? About the size of a basketball? Or do you have to break it down to the size of a golf ball?

exim

Nick, thanks for the reply! Say goodbye to the shredder, OMG: ( So you are having success with direct film compression? That's what I was thinking too, so I'm hopeful that it's successful. What size of film are you doing it with? About the size of a baseball? About the size of a basketball? Or do you have to break it down to the size of a golf ball?

i mainly used pallet films, which would wrap pallets, so quite big balls.. i would do them half at a time other wise the volume would be too big and wouldn't fit in the oven (touching the oven coils), you can check photos of what we did with plastic film on my instagram page https://www.instagram.com/recycle_et_moi/ (edited)

Nick - PP France

i mainly used pallet films, which would wrap pallets, so quite big balls.. i would do them half at a time other wise the volume would be too big and wouldn't fit in the oven (touching the oven coils), you can check photos of what we did with plastic film on my instagram page https://www.instagram.com/recycle_et_moi/ (edited)

I saw your Instagram:) you're doing exactly what I want to do! There are a few things I would like to know. My concern with direct heating is, will it heat the inside sufficiently? When the inside is sufficiently heated, won't the outside burn? Is the strength of the beam or plate weaker than that of other materials? Since it is a low-density PE (LLDPE), I think it may not be as strong as high-density PE (HDPE), PP, PS, etc. What do you think? Can I polish the surface? I would like to make a smooth surface. Some of the photos on Instagram have air bubbles in them. Are they not flakes and are they created by air remaining in the gaps? Is it difficult to get rid of them? I learned that when you melt the film, it becomes opaque and turns white. However, some of your works are translucent. Is it possible to control this? You said that you heat the film in chunks. How do you do the coloring? Sorry for so many questions. Best regards

1

exim

I saw your Instagram:) you're doing exactly what I want to do! There are a few things I would like to know. My concern with direct heating is, will it heat the inside sufficiently? When the inside is sufficiently heated, won't the outside burn? Is the strength of the beam or plate weaker than that of other materials? Since it is a low-density PE (LLDPE), I think it may not be as strong as high-density PE (HDPE), PP, PS, etc. What do you think? Can I polish the surface? I would like to make a smooth surface. Some of the photos on Instagram have air bubbles in them. Are they not flakes and are they created by air remaining in the gaps? Is it difficult to get rid of them? I learned that when you melt the film, it becomes opaque and turns white. However, some of your works are translucent. Is it possible to control this? You said that you heat the film in chunks. How do you do the coloring? Sorry for so many questions. Best regards

wooow hehe that's a lot of questions ! :D you want to see plastic as if it was an onion, in the way that each layer will transmit the temperature differential to one another until reaching the middle + plastic being a super efficient thermal insulator, if you melt a ball, you will want to open it at some point for everything to be melted properly. LDPE has quite a wide range of melting temperature, so as long as you play on mid to low range temperature, the burning (let's call it thermal degradation) won't occur. The strength of a beam.. hmm i haven't done any measurements, but if you compare different polymer densities, LDPE is lower than many others. The thickness of your output will have a big influence on the strength of your final product.

exim

I saw your Instagram:) you're doing exactly what I want to do! There are a few things I would like to know. My concern with direct heating is, will it heat the inside sufficiently? When the inside is sufficiently heated, won't the outside burn? Is the strength of the beam or plate weaker than that of other materials? Since it is a low-density PE (LLDPE), I think it may not be as strong as high-density PE (HDPE), PP, PS, etc. What do you think? Can I polish the surface? I would like to make a smooth surface. Some of the photos on Instagram have air bubbles in them. Are they not flakes and are they created by air remaining in the gaps? Is it difficult to get rid of them? I learned that when you melt the film, it becomes opaque and turns white. However, some of your works are translucent. Is it possible to control this? You said that you heat the film in chunks. How do you do the coloring? Sorry for so many questions. Best regards

You "could" polish the surface, but keep in mind that the material which is in contact with the plastic when solidifying (cooling down) has direct impact on the surface's texture (Plus, most of post-production techniques will create a lot of plastic micro & nano particles). Once again, keep in mind the metaphor of the onion, it applies for the texture too. Also, and i must emphasize this A LOT, the temperature of the mould also has a huge impact on the texture. In my case, my process was in 2 main steps : put plastic to melt in a teflon coated dish // put molten plastic in mould for compression. If the mould is too cold compared to the molten plastic, it will create a thermal choc and texture will be super wrinkled. If mould temperature is slightly lower then the molten plastic, the texture can be super super super smooth. It's all about calibration. Through my process, the air bubbles could be removed by malaxing a lot more the molten plastic before putting it into the mould. Transparent LLDPE film turns white / opaque, it's just a specification of the polymer. Transparent can be obtained with Crystal PS. The colouring is done using bottle caps (bottle caps are made out of PE -HD or LD- or PP, which are all part of the Polyolefine family, their properties are very similar). I just used the bottle caps so that the colouring additives present in them could be blended to the transparent LLDPE (ratio approx 95%LLDPE 5% -if not less- bottle caps). 私はあなたが日本人であるのを見ました、こんばんは！ (edited)

Nick - PP France

You "could" polish the surface, but keep in mind that the material which is in contact with the plastic when solidifying (cooling down) has direct impact on the surface's texture (Plus, most of post-production techniques will create a lot of plastic micro & nano particles). Once again, keep in mind the metaphor of the onion, it applies for the texture too. Also, and i must emphasize this A LOT, the temperature of the mould also has a huge impact on the texture. In my case, my process was in 2 main steps : put plastic to melt in a teflon coated dish // put molten plastic in mould for compression. If the mould is too cold compared to the molten plastic, it will create a thermal choc and texture will be super wrinkled. If mould temperature is slightly lower then the molten plastic, the texture can be super super super smooth. It's all about calibration. Through my process, the air bubbles could be removed by malaxing a lot more the molten plastic before putting it into the mould. Transparent LLDPE film turns white / opaque, it's just a specification of the polymer. Transparent can be obtained with Crystal PS. The colouring is done using bottle caps (bottle caps are made out of PE -HD or LD- or PP, which are all part of the Polyolefine family, their properties are very similar). I just used the bottle caps so that the colouring additives present in them could be blended to the transparent LLDPE (ratio approx 95%LLDPE 5% -if not less- bottle caps). 私はあなたが日本人であるのを見ました、こんばんは！ (edited)

Thanks for the clear example! There are so many things that a beginner needs to look up to understand. I'll look into the answers you gave me and understand them thoroughly before asking again. Merci ：D

Butte (PP Philippines)

we use this to know when the mold is full

Dear Butte...how about the block mold?...can be done in aluminium?. do is better?

Tao

Dear Butte...how about the block mold?...can be done in aluminium?. do is better?

No. Frankly the brick mold in steel needs reinfprce as we nearly blew it open when filling

https://youtu.be/uD-3r1L91jM

Plastic Sachet Extrusion

1

2:42 AM

first extrusion test of the pelletized film plastics. the pellets were a bit long, may need to run thru a v3 shredder to chop the length of the pellet down. however it did feed much much better than that loose fluffy flake. It looks perfect for beams and our compression mold plant pots. the center is bubbly, but likely from the extrusion process. We will have another v4 in the shop running in a few days so we can really pump these pipes full of plastic and see results. This one was a made on a v3 extrusion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_a48W6BcsE a little compression mold inspiration...

Roof Tiles From Recycled Plastic

Hi There, I have been mixing collected and shredded plastic with industrially collected PCR to keep the costs down on our products. I was just sent a sample of HOPP - I understand it is Polypropylene, I am guessing it is mixed somehow. Does anyone know what the HO stands for ? what the glass melting temperature would be ? what the properties would be ? Thanks in advance!

Homopolymer?

nivine

Hello All! We have a sheet press machine, and we are using aluminum molds and putting silicon oil to make the boards. But we are having a hard time removing the boards once cooled down, and plastic is sticking on the sides and in the middle as in the picture. Is there any way to remove the plastic stains, and clean the mold?

@nivine same! I use a metal conditioner, then silicone mold release, but lots of residue that needs to be stripped off somehow. How has no one figured that out yet? I can't find any other answers...

Hey everyone! Really cool community and awesome to find so much resource and information here

you guys are awesome!

I was wondering if some of you guys have been experimenting with different tools to use HDPE or PP that is not plain color but with a cover print (like a lot of consumer goods have)? For example: https://shop.billa.at/produkte/salakis-tzatziki/00-414002 Here you see a fine sheet of green PP from a Tzatziki package. Is there a way to remove the label / cover print of the company so that the sheet is only green color / plain? Thanks for your ideas guys!

I’m having trouble finding the download kit for the pro shredder. Can someone send me the link?

Florique

Hey everyone! Really cool community and awesome to find so much resource and information here

you guys are awesome!

I was wondering if some of you guys have been experimenting with different tools to use HDPE or PP that is not plain color but with a cover print (like a lot of consumer goods have)? For example: https://shop.billa.at/produkte/salakis-tzatziki/00-414002 Here you see a fine sheet of green PP from a Tzatziki package. Is there a way to remove the label / cover print of the company so that the sheet is only green color / plain? Thanks for your ideas guys!

That ink.... Ugh.. For smoothing out colors you can shred it, extrude it into lines, shred again. This way the ink gets mixed in with the plastic and shouldn't be noticeable. Expect some color change.

1

Inspired Plastics

Hi There, I have been mixing collected and shredded plastic with industrially collected PCR to keep the costs down on our products. I was just sent a sample of HOPP - I understand it is Polypropylene, I am guessing it is mixed somehow. Does anyone know what the HO stands for ? what the glass melting temperature would be ? what the properties would be ? Thanks in advance!

BOPP = Biaxially Oriented PP HOPP= Homopolymer PP You'll have to do some searching but here's some info I found on Google. https://www.emcoplastics.com/pp-homopolymer/

Polypropylene Homopolymer (PPH) | Emco Industrial Plastics

Polypropylene homopolymer offers a high strength to weight ratio, this combined with good chemical resistance and weldability allows PPH to be used in many corrosion resistant structures. Contact us today to discuss the best material for your application.

hey guys...how many degrees have to work the hot press machine?

Tried buoyancy test on some unknown pink plastic rings. The material is very flexible and seems to be much less dense (≈40-50% less) than HDPE but the float test says its HDPE. It also does not melt anything like HDPE. Any ideas? Also, when ground up it feels almost damp but isn't (edited)

4:56 AM

HDPE?

InspiredMechanic

Tried buoyancy test on some unknown pink plastic rings. The material is very flexible and seems to be much less dense (≈40-50% less) than HDPE but the float test says its HDPE. It also does not melt anything like HDPE. Any ideas? Also, when ground up it feels almost damp but isn't (edited)

Do you know application they'd be used in? Might be some documentation if they were sold commercially at some point

Aeterra Tech

Do you know application they'd be used in? Might be some documentation if they were sold commercially at some point

Good/important question. I got them from a company that made racing fuel. These are unused.

6:41 AM

No docs. I got them along with a mountain of new bottle tops and 30x 2.5 gallon square buckets also unused.

InspiredMechanic

Good/important question. I got them from a company that made racing fuel. These are unused.

My first guess would be it falls into some "other" category of synthetic rubber. Not sure what it's melting properties would be then

I’m going to hold off using it and just box it up until I can find someone who can more accurately test it.

Good idea. They might be a rubber or silicon hose gasket as well

InspiredMechanic

Tried buoyancy test on some unknown pink plastic rings. The material is very flexible and seems to be much less dense (≈40-50% less) than HDPE but the float test says its HDPE. It also does not melt anything like HDPE. Any ideas? Also, when ground up it feels almost damp but isn't (edited)

I found this. Could be PE-Foam(EPE) or PVC. https://kanisterverschluss.de/ (edited)

8:25 AM

So it should be PE if you say it float on water.

8:32 AM

Expanded PE, so thats why it doesn´t melt like "normal" PE. You have a lot little air bubbles in it like in EPS;)

8:36 AM

But sometimes you find also information of TPE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoplastic_elastomer

I have cross linking Polyethylene(XLPE) granules. The cross linking is done with silane process... I was wondering is their a way to reverse this cross linking and convert it Into regular PE

InfinityX

I have cross linking Polyethylene(XLPE) granules. The cross linking is done with silane process... I was wondering is their a way to reverse this cross linking and convert it Into regular PE

It´s a thermoset then, so not recyclable again...

Falcon

Homopolymer?

Yes, thanks- my daughter figured it out. I have been experimenting with it because I don’t understand the differences in practice between the different PPs though. Any input would be helpful!

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

BOPP = Biaxially Oriented PP HOPP= Homopolymer PP You'll have to do some searching but here's some info I found on Google. https://www.emcoplastics.com/pp-homopolymer/

Oh wow thanks! I just saw this.

hola

1:59 AM

los moldes para los plasticos donde se consiguen

i got some foam insulation flavor of PE and it is totally useless. I pelletized it and when extruding it, it came out of the extrusion machine as a foam again. hard rubbery, not moldable.

Hi team - was wondering if anyone has tried creating flat sheets of recycled plastic (intention is a speckled colour palette) but for an outdoor environment? I'm trying to understand how I might make it UV stable after pressing out the sheet, or if it is possible to stabilize during the pressing process? A sealant has also been suggested - would love to know if anyones had experience on such?

I'm also curious if anyone has tested the UV resistance of pressed sheets

10:17 AM

outdoor furniture is often made of PP or HDPE and they survive somehow (edited)

10:17 AM

I assume it's strongly thickness dependant

wouldn't the easiest way of doing it be to reclycle products which already have uv-resistance ? (outdoor chairs/tables for example?)

Nick - PP France

wouldn't the easiest way of doing it be to reclycle products which already have uv-resistance ? (outdoor chairs/tables for example?)

Yeah that would make sense, presuming UV stabilisation has already been applied into the material - if that survives after reheating or pressing, is something is be interested to know / how it works ??? Though it's hard to find feedstock that is separated like that, right?

10:28 AM

Is it possible to apply as a coating?

HIRΛNGA ━ NO PLΛNET B🌎🐝

Is it possible to apply as a coating?

"The UV resistance of plastics is obtained by the use of additives such as UV stabilizers, carbon black, or surface coatings (paint or metallization). The addition of carbon black is the most common, cheapest and still very effective." Carbon black will make your product super black though. It's used in HDPE Milk bottles, but it's actually between 2 layers of white HDPE (you might notice it if you cut or shred it)

10:32 AM

Applying a coating (paint or anything else) then brings up the question of the recyclability of your product :s

Nick - PP France

Applying a coating (paint or anything else) then brings up the question of the recyclability of your product :s

Ugh.. this IS something I was wondering about..

10:35 AM

I don't know what types of coating products may be suitable to begin with, let alone be Able to be recycled down afterwards.. (edited)

why do I find that HDPE has terrible UV resistance but also has great UV resistance?

Falcon

why do I find that HDPE has terrible UV resistance but also has great UV resistance?

I noticed that also on one article ... ??? Misinformation?

would love to read it if you have the source

it's supposed to crumble into dust and also have great UV resistance

well UV is what breaks down the polymer chains.. so all plastic get crumbly -> micro -> nanoplastic, it seems that PTFE has naturally good UV resistance though

https://protoplastics.com/uv-resistant-plastics/

Which UV Resistant Plastics Won't Degrade in the Sunlight?

UV radiation is one cause of plastic degradation in outdoor equipment. Luckily, there are a number of UV resistant plastics available on the market.

but talking aboutthe plastic sourcing, it is important to note that the more different products you use to make recycled products, the more additives you will have mixed up, if you manage to get a somehow controlled input of your plastic products, you can control how the output product will be, so the direction i would go with your idea is simply to use coloured outdoor products, in order to get the speckled aspect you are looking for and good uv resistance

Hmmmmmmm ... Chase the feedstock....

10:43 AM

Was hopeful of taking household rubbish!

a good example i can relate is the NGO "les bouchons d'amour" here in france; they collect bottle caps and sell them to a belgian recycler who makes transprt pallets out of them. Lately, that recycler had to limit the types of bottle caps they could accept because their clients were not satisfied with the quality (solidity) of those pallets. So even in bottle caps, there are different additives used (mainly for marketing reasons, but also because each product is patented by the producing industry...) The more you know.... xD

HIRΛNGA ━ NO PLΛNET B🌎🐝

Was hopeful of taking household rubbish!

Maybe you can find other applications for those household rubbish ;)

10:47 AM

Also, maybe i'm a bit extremist on the recycling/green aspect of all this, but why add "shit" in a product if there is another way you can do it :)

Nick - PP France

Also, maybe i'm a bit extremist on the recycling/green aspect of all this, but why add "shit" in a product if there is another way you can do it :)

No, I'm of the same sentiment (it may come inherent in the mission unfortunately!) . For my reference those bottle caps, from say, bottled water or milk bottle lids etc. would they be UV resistant?

12:29 PM

I'm wondering where/if particular household products are inherently designed with UV resistant materials. Our intent does not require tremendous structural capacity through the material. 4mm to 6mm is what we're considering..

HIRΛNGA ━ NO PLΛNET B🌎🐝

I'm wondering where/if particular household products are inherently designed with UV resistant materials. Our intent does not require tremendous structural capacity through the material. 4mm to 6mm is what we're considering..

hmmm i see, it's a detective mission you have there, what type of product would need UV resistance in the first place (household), for milk bottle, the uv resistance comes from the carbon black layer squished between the 2 HDPE layers, and then there is an aluminium lid between the bottle cap and the milk, so i don't hink those bottle caps would have uv resistance

Definitely. And yeah that's really interesting about the intermediate layer! Does that mean the outermost layer still deteriorates?

HIRΛNGA ━ NO PLΛNET B🌎🐝

Definitely. And yeah that's really interesting about the intermediate layer! Does that mean the outermost layer still deteriorates?

after a few hundred years yeah :p but the aim of the UV resistance there is to maintain the quality of the milk :)

okay i need to some rreal digging haha Must figure out the degrees of degradation that occur! Obviously we dont want to make a product that erodes into microplastics in the Australia outdoors... that would be bad

HIRΛNGA ━ NO PLΛNET B🌎🐝

okay i need to some rreal digging haha Must figure out the degrees of degradation that occur! Obviously we dont want to make a product that erodes into microplastics in the Australia outdoors... that would be bad

try reaching out to Brad Scott based in Australia; i know he has done a lot of research in food-grade additives, maybe he has some interesting information concerning your research ! https://www.transmutation.com.au/

1

Is it possible/safe to recycle PLA? (edited)

yes

2:35 PM

it's probably the most common 3d printing material

I see thanks

HIRΛNGA ━ NO PLΛNET B🌎🐝

Ugh.. this IS something I was wondering about..

I don't have any hardware (yet...), but that is something i want to test, adding carbon black (from proper commercial sources, methane pyrolysis etc), candle black (soot from candles), and charcoal powder to plastics and measuring material properties / time exposed to the outdoors

6:27 PM

Getting a "Universal Test Machine" and doing similar things to "CNC Kitchen" 's "Filaween" / various reviews could get some really good data, could even make a "citizen science" sort of group/paper!

Eric Lotze

I don't have any hardware (yet...), but that is something i want to test, adding carbon black (from proper commercial sources, methane pyrolysis etc), candle black (soot from candles), and charcoal powder to plastics and measuring material properties / time exposed to the outdoors

yeah this is super interesting.. i'm currently looking at the options for a surface finishing UV treatment, because household plastics seem/i feel to be the big/common pollutant. (?) My current question is about durability outdoors and any other effects to the product/product lifecycle (ie. would it make the end product a terrible mess to try and recycle at end of consumer-life? Keen for thoughts and any surface (UV) treatment experiences, or product recommendations.

Is this the best channel to discuss polymer science? Specifically recycling plastics? Does anyone know what additives can elastomerise polypropylene?

HIRΛNGA ━ NO PLΛNET B🌎🐝

yeah this is super interesting.. i'm currently looking at the options for a surface finishing UV treatment, because household plastics seem/i feel to be the big/common pollutant. (?) My current question is about durability outdoors and any other effects to the product/product lifecycle (ie. would it make the end product a terrible mess to try and recycle at end of consumer-life? Keen for thoughts and any surface (UV) treatment experiences, or product recommendations.

I left some plastic out in the sun to see what would happen. The plastic had been extruded with some iron oxide pigment to help change the color. The color faded over time, at a year all I noticed was fading, no crispy flaky surface. Also, it's worth noting that I had used iron oxide pigment to change the color, it seems that the iron oxide coloring remained and whatever coloring that was used in the plastic originally had faded.

1

You could attempt to use an additive like titanium dioxide or carbon black to your plastic by using the extrusion machine. You'd have to pelletize or shred whatever the output is. Now you'd likely have some UV protected plastics that you can use with your sheet press. It's a bit of a process and i have no idea what your outcome would be. I've tried titanium dioxide but never tested how well it works in the sun, but it does make the plastic a lighter color. I think the way it works is by reflecting off UV rays. And for Carbon black, i believe it works by absorbing the UV rays into itself (instead of it going into the plastic) Alternatives would be some sort of UV protected coating. I know we're supposed to be for sustainability and all that so it feels weird to suggest things that will make the plastic more difficult to recycle again in the future like some UV paint protection. Hope this helps.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

You could attempt to use an additive like titanium dioxide or carbon black to your plastic by using the extrusion machine. You'd have to pelletize or shred whatever the output is. Now you'd likely have some UV protected plastics that you can use with your sheet press. It's a bit of a process and i have no idea what your outcome would be. I've tried titanium dioxide but never tested how well it works in the sun, but it does make the plastic a lighter color. I think the way it works is by reflecting off UV rays. And for Carbon black, i believe it works by absorbing the UV rays into itself (instead of it going into the plastic) Alternatives would be some sort of UV protected coating. I know we're supposed to be for sustainability and all that so it feels weird to suggest things that will make the plastic more difficult to recycle again in the future like some UV paint protection. Hope this helps.

thanks -- i totally appreciate honesty, and this is the challenge. Any recommendations on products to test for applying as a durable surface UV protectant?

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has done a safety / hazard assessment on the precious plastic machines that I could take a look at? I am looking into a charity potentially making a mobile setup to do workshops in schools but hoping for more insights on the safety aspect with secondary students using the machines. If anyone has experience doing this in schools, would love to connect. Thanks!

2

HIRΛNGA ━ NO PLΛNET B🌎🐝

thanks -- i totally appreciate honesty, and this is the challenge. Any recommendations on products to test for applying as a durable surface UV protectant?

If you're using it for wall tiles or some sort of visual thing that doesnt see people walking on, sitting on, or putting plates on... then you might be able to use an acrylic UV paint. You can try this https://www.techsil.co.uk/krylon-uv-resistant-gloss-clear-11oz

Krylon® UV-Resistant Gloss Clear Coating 11oz Can

Krylon UV Resistant Gloss 11oz

the wild approach would be using a UV resistant epoxy as your coat for surfaces that might need more durability. But, again, beweare. this is almost like mixing thermoplastic with thermoset plastic. It will be more difficult to separate the two and you will be producing more plastic (since epoxy is considered a plastic). Ok beyond the disclaimer about how potentially bad and how you might want to reconsider doing this... Using epoxy on the plastic surface will make it look quite good and smooth. You might have some issues if your surface isnt perfectly flat but more than one coat could fix that. something like this could work. https://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Coating-Enhanced-Resistance-TableTops/dp/B07R66WKLF

Epoxy Resin Crystal Clear, Table Top & Bar Top Epoxy Coating UV PRO...

Epoxy Resin Crystal Clear, Table Top & Bar Top Epoxy Coating UV PRO FORMULA, Enhanced UV Resistance For TableTops & Resin Art, 1 Gallon Kit

Hi all, do anyone try to melt clear PET from bottle?...do you get the same clear result?

clear pet melts into milky brittle useless plastic. (edited)

7:59 AM

We have successfully used graphite, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, activated charcoal powder and milled carbon fiber powder to color our plastics in the extrusion machine. We also have used cheap red oxide paint primer that sticks to HDPE quite well for outdoor items.

2

mikebroadhead

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has done a safety / hazard assessment on the precious plastic machines that I could take a look at? I am looking into a charity potentially making a mobile setup to do workshops in schools but hoping for more insights on the safety aspect with secondary students using the machines. If anyone has experience doing this in schools, would love to connect. Thanks!

Check out Plasticpreneur they have CE rating on their PP machine range

Is there any online resource for info related to plastic working?

1:00 PM

all I find is sites with a bunch of articles

Hi! I am interested in getting involved! is there a New York City discord I could join?

Butte (PP Philippines)

We have successfully used graphite, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, activated charcoal powder and milled carbon fiber powder to color our plastics in the extrusion machine. We also have used cheap red oxide paint primer that sticks to HDPE quite well for outdoor items.

Thanks for your answer..so..i was wonder how (in one precious plastic video) they show a clear beam...look like glass..how can be?

very clean and very careful extrusion. For more details you can look up on youtube and the 3d printing forums about the challenges and fails of getting transparent 3D prints. It was a topic very well explored and experimented back in 2013-2015 when PETG and polycarbonate printing was being experimented with.

Butte (PP Philippines)

very clean and very careful extrusion. For more details you can look up on youtube and the 3d printing forums about the challenges and fails of getting transparent 3D prints. It was a topic very well explored and experimented back in 2013-2015 when PETG and polycarbonate printing was being experimented with.

i think they used clear PS which maintains it transparency quite nice :)

Butte (PP Philippines)

very clean and very careful extrusion. For more details you can look up on youtube and the 3d printing forums about the challenges and fails of getting transparent 3D prints. It was a topic very well explored and experimented back in 2013-2015 when PETG and polycarbonate printing was being experimented with.

do you have the link of youtube?

https://hoolaone.com/home/ found this cool project not PP but would be a great addition

Hello i am new who knows how to speak French here please ? I tried to speak to imuhable but I can't.

9:56 AM

Little correction : Who know to speak…

amin1

Hello i am new who knows how to speak French here please ? I tried to speak to imuhable but I can't.

There is a french discord for france, maybe @Nick - PP France can link you

Thank you Joseph nice to meet you imuhable it’s him in fact.

Joseph

There is a french discord for france, maybe @Nick - PP France can link you

Thank you Joseph nice to meet you imuhable it’s him in fact.

amin1

Thank you Joseph nice to meet you imuhable it’s him in fact.

https://discord.gg/Qa3wTrn

Invite to join a server

Precious Plastic Francophone

accueil

Julie

https://discord.gg/Qa3wTrn

Merci

FYI guys, we just made some beams today and the wet weather has made the HDPE absorb water. Wet plastic + bubble filled HDPE.

Oh, so is nothing you make safe for outdoors? I haven't gotten the chance to experiment with plastic yet

the plastic beams are safe outdoors

3:28 PM

it is just when you shred plastic and put in the extrusion machine the water makes steam, and makes bubbles in the plastic

3:29 PM

we are having 10 days straight rain, and the plastic can absorb water from the humid air.

Can you preheat the plastic to dry it out before putting it in the extrusion?

hikinghack

Can you preheat the plastic to dry it out before putting it in the extrusion?

kinda hard to heat and dry out 100 kilo barrel of plastic shred.

4:00 PM

We buy plastic 100-200 kilos at a time

Butte (PP Philippines)

kinda hard to heat and dry out 100 kilo barrel of plastic shred.

Hahahha sounds so! We are in the rainforest in Panama so gonna face plenty of this challenge. But i was thinking like a pre-hopper, attached to the machine that could dry it a bit:)

We got a barrel with a screen on the bottom and a blower, but with all this rain, nothing working

(again more specious wild thoughts-> ) i wonder if you could spin the barrel fast like a centrifuge to like juice it a bit hahaha

not really, HDPE will absorb moisture.

4:04 PM

like a sponge

Oh alright, makes sense.

5:35 PM

By the way, what do you call those... huge strips of plastic that people use to secure things to pallets?

straps?

Hi. Is there a manufacturing machine that could recycle the plastic cup to polypropylene sheet in the Philippines?

Deleted User

Hi. Is there a manufacturing machine that could recycle the plastic cup to polypropylene sheet in the Philippines?

we build the sheetpress pro at Precious Plastic Philippines. Located in Antipolo

Falcon

straps?

lol probably, I just hoping they'd have a more specific name

12:37 AM

It's a pain to try to explain what I mean every time "Straps- but these specific straps for this- no not that. Yes that-"

Hi , i´m Sergio i´m from Mexico i want buy a design to buil a machine shreder i want work with plastics PET Can someboy helpme

please how do i identify PS plastic with plastic scanne

Transmutation from South Australia are now recycling EPS into food safe bowls! https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-30/upcycle-expanded-polystyrene-into-food-safe-bowls-in-robe-sa/100314906

This plastic waste is notoriously hard to recycle — but a start-up ...

A possible world-first recycling method for expanded polystyrene — commonly used as packaging and in the building and construction industry — has been designed in a small shed in regional South Australia.

Oooooh

3:09 AM

They actually found a use for that cursed plastic the man is a genius.

I'm sure this has been discussed but maybe someone could point me to the feed that discusses the number of times different plastics can be remoulded and what types of degradation occurs.

Hi everyone! I want to know the price of this mould, did someone knows it? I find it in the page of precious plastics

Dear members. I want to ask for help with plastic recycling. machines for creating equipment in connection with the quality of materials. who can help me please contact me by email laackoo@hotmail.com. Hungary

Hi. friends want to produce plastic bricks would anyone help me?

Why would you want plastic bricks of all things?

3:58 AM

I imagine they'd be fairly easy to extrude though, just a rectangular nozzle and cut them off square.

3:58 AM

That said, you'll need a very large extruder for it.

Hello everyone, I'm in need of technical/thermal information about the recycled elements for construction. Is there any specific channel for that? I'm also in Italy, I'll engage in the European region. If someone can help I would appreciate.

1

hello

4:45 PM

ABS plastics is ok for sheetpress?

Xoey

I imagine they'd be fairly easy to extrude though, just a rectangular nozzle and cut them off square.

Unfortunately it is not that easy.

Tassics

Hello everyone, I'm in need of technical/thermal information about the recycled elements for construction. Is there any specific channel for that? I'm also in Italy, I'll engage in the European region. If someone can help I would appreciate.

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

https://youtu.be/anqKC0i0a7Y

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Hello all, quick questions someone may be able to advise on. I have an abundance of HDPE vinegar jugs I've been converting to plant pots and using a drill to make the drain holes but it's cumbersome and makes a lot of crumbs so was considering melting holes using a 40w soldering iron and looking into the toxicity of such stumbled across you guys here. From the website it seems the maybe 440 C temp of the iron may be overkill... You think it would go beyond melting and burn the HDPE making too much fumes? And would it get too sticky? It's a spare soldering iron I don't care for so no worries about mucking it up a bit.

Fattywompus

Hello all, quick questions someone may be able to advise on. I have an abundance of HDPE vinegar jugs I've been converting to plant pots and using a drill to make the drain holes but it's cumbersome and makes a lot of crumbs so was considering melting holes using a 40w soldering iron and looking into the toxicity of such stumbled across you guys here. From the website it seems the maybe 440 C temp of the iron may be overkill... You think it would go beyond melting and burn the HDPE making too much fumes? And would it get too sticky? It's a spare soldering iron I don't care for so no worries about mucking it up a bit.

I wouldn't worry about that too much. But, if you're that concerned, you could probably use a sharp nail and puncture the bottom several times.

1

Yeah wasn't horrible but plastic collects on the iron and smokes consistently. Not too bad outdoors but less than ideal. Gonna try to fabricate some kind of hole punch

Fattywompus

Yeah wasn't horrible but plastic collects on the iron and smokes consistently. Not too bad outdoors but less than ideal. Gonna try to fabricate some kind of hole punch

for the plastic collecting on the iron just wipe it whenever it starts to smoke with a metal scrubber or metal wool

8:12 AM

this should remove most of the residue plastic and reduce most of the smoke

8:12 AM

however some smoke while making the holes itself will stay

8:14 AM

but if you have a soldering iron on which you can adjust the temperature then you can get rid of the burning problem since you an adjust the temp of the iron to that of the plastics melt temp meaning the plastic wont overheat

8:15 AM

if youre trying to make it in scale all you have to do is add more soldering irons combined with a small jig

2

3:33 PM

Does anyone know what kind of plastic these bottle tops are made of? I think it's either HDPE or PP but I am not sure and there is no mark.

kasfex

Does anyone know what kind of plastic these bottle tops are made of? I think it's either HDPE or PP but I am not sure and there is no mark.

I think they're HDPE. At least in the US, most bottle caps are hdpe.

1

You know how hot glue guns work? How they've got a PTC heater? Would that work for a small plastic extruder?

kasfex

Does anyone know what kind of plastic these bottle tops are made of? I think it's either HDPE or PP but I am not sure and there is no mark.

Probably HDPE. Try squeezing a cap in your fingers to deform it. If it stays mostly deformed, it's highly likely to be HDPE. If it almost returns 100% back to original shape, it's probably PP.

1

3:46 AM

And by squeezing it i mean pinch in the sides really hard in your fingers so you'll have the cap touching itself on the open side.

3:52 AM

https://youtu.be/Tp2Rdx69SSo?t=145 Has anyone successfully extruded profiles? Would make most of our lives easier if it's possible. would be nice to have a continuous flow or production, not by individual batch.

Engineering219

Plastic Extrusion

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

https://youtu.be/Tp2Rdx69SSo?t=145 Has anyone successfully extruded profiles? Would make most of our lives easier if it's possible. would be nice to have a continuous flow or production, not by individual batch.

it has been discussed a lot but iirc nothing ever came out of it

7:13 AM

if you search for words like 'pipe,profile,profile extrusion etc on this server youll find lots of stuff, mainly resources and convos on how to do it and if it is possible on these machines

7:14 AM

by searching youll also find a good amount of files and designs for various extruders,extruder nozzles/extruder head etc

7:15 AM

unfortunately it is something that requires experimentation and effort so i dont think anybody has tried it or if they have then they havent shared any information or resources about it

this is one of the very few homemade/non-commercial machines for profile extrusion that works

7:25 AM

Bigelow Brook Farm (Web4Deb)

Homemade Plastic Extrusion System

7:27 AM

basically the problem with DIY/homemade/open-source plastic profile/pipe extrusion is that it requires time,effort expertise and money which mean not a lot of people look into the topic or pursue it further

7:28 AM

im personally waiting for somebody to try something so that i can have at least have a rough base to work up from

sponsoons

im personally waiting for somebody to try something so that i can have at least have a rough base to work up from

and this is what a lot of people are waiting for,somebody else to take the first step

7:30 AM

if you look above in some of the channels on this server a lot of things have been discussed about profile/pipe extrusion

7:31 AM

*the most common is wanting to extrude pipes,for this in those discussions i have shared both designs and 3d models for both plastic pipe extrusion machines and extruder nozzles/heads for extruding pipes

7:35 AM

*the second is extruding sheets on a small level as an alternative to the sheetpress, here i have discussed using using a scaled up or adapted version of the above video or using an precious plastic extruder in combination with a pasta roller or any other metal roller system for a way of extruding continuous small diameter plastic sheets,here too i have shared the 3d models and designs for sheet extrusion dies and their associated resources

7:37 AM

the third is the extrusion of fiber fill or nonwoven cloth,this has been discussed too,i have shared the designs and 3d models for the spray extrusion heads/spinnerets

7:38 AM

however nobody has till date gotten back to me about the success or working of any of the above methods on a DIY/homemade or non-commercial scale

7:42 AM

there is also another person who has videos on making extruder nozzles/die with a homemade EDM/ECM machine

7:42 AM

ill try to find it

7:44 AM

if you search for 'homemade ECM' on google you should find a lot of videos on making high quality and precision cavities using 3d printing and ECM

7:47 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvgnPaMDYvQ

ZURAD

DIY Extrusion Dies From 3DP Enabled ECM

7:47 AM

this video and this channel is one of them

sponsoons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvgnPaMDYvQ

this YouTube channel also has lots of info on the subject of diy plastic profile extrusion

7:48 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4m1RWWJElM

Morlock Engineering

3D Printer to CNC Conversion for 50 Dollars: Electrochemical Machin...

7:48 AM

this is another

as always if you do any further work into this or decide to build any of these machines please share and be sure to ping me

Woah thanks for the info @sponsoons

@sponsoons : there are ongoing efforts about profile extrusion but as for sheet extrusion, it doesn't look accessible on smaller scale. if want to make this beyond the one-off demo, it's at least a 7-11kW extruder and on the die side it needs very sophisticated manufacturing capabilities (CNC & EDM) - not to mention the time involved to actually develop the dies from scratch since there is little to nothing openly accessible. I am afraid that you will also have to add certain ingredients and virgin plastic to have the needed properties for this process (here a rather 'basic' PVC extrusion line : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU1bbXonMkY). ' PaulsonTraining' has good intro material about sheet dies : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjAwmzMjwjI

Institut für Kunststofftechnik, Universität Stuttgart

Extrusion eines Profils (DE) Profile Extrusion (EN)

PaulsonTraining

Sheet Extrusion - Controlling Plastic Flow in the Die

Deleted User

@sponsoons : there are ongoing efforts about profile extrusion but as for sheet extrusion, it doesn't look accessible on smaller scale. if want to make this beyond the one-off demo, it's at least a 7-11kW extruder and on the die side it needs very sophisticated manufacturing capabilities (CNC & EDM) - not to mention the time involved to actually develop the dies from scratch since there is little to nothing openly accessible. I am afraid that you will also have to add certain ingredients and virgin plastic to have the needed properties for this process (here a rather 'basic' PVC extrusion line : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU1bbXonMkY). ' PaulsonTraining' has good intro material about sheet dies : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjAwmzMjwjI

I'm not trying to compete with a industrial sheet extruder, I just want something faster and cheaper than a sheet press for making continuous small sheets, I realize that the dimensional accuracy on this will be no where close to an industrial machine, I do not plan on using a coat hanger die or a t die for extrusion for the very reasons you have mentioned above, instead i plan on using a simpler flat nozzle with maybe an adjustable height as this will not need anything sophisticated more than some basic metal equipment (edited)

4:13 PM

also i realise that profile extrusion at anywhere near industrial speeds would not be possible due to both the pressure and volume output required,i only aim to extruder small profiles

4:14 PM

for the die i would have used the designs and 3d models freely available on the internet as there are many of them

4:15 PM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-a-flat-nozzle-for-the-extrusion-machine

4:16 PM

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/onearmyworld.appspot.com/o/uploads%2FhowtosV1%2FWUFOLlUZa3zB14Ut7ll0%2F10%20(9).JPG?alt=media&token=8687997a-7462-41f3-b7d9-1b7db67f9313 the nozzle i planned on using for the sheet extrusion would be something like this in combination with a small set of adjustable rollers

4:17 PM

i believe it would be quite feasible and should work fairly well

sponsoons

https://youtu.be/anqKC0i0a7Y

i planned on using an adapted, scaled-up and modified version of this for the sheet extrusion

sponsoons

I'm not trying to compete with a industrial sheet extruder, I just want something faster and cheaper than a sheet press for making continuous small sheets, I realize that the dimensional accuracy on this will be no where close to an industrial machine, I do not plan on using a coat hanger die or a t die for extrusion for the very reasons you have mentioned above, instead i plan on using a simpler flat nozzle with maybe an adjustable height as this will not need anything sophisticated more than some basic metal equipment (edited)

gotcha

by small sheets I imagined around 50cm width and 10mm thickness. For extruding strips you should be fine with v3. Somebody did push it a little further : https://www.plasticatbay.org/2020/03/29/plasticbay-faceshield-design/?v=79cba1185463 (edited)

Plastic@Bay Faceshield design

We have designed a face shield from precious plastic concept so that everyone with an extruder can produce PPE in the world. Please see our tutorial and design sheet. Provide feedback if possible

Deleted User

gotcha

by small sheets I imagined around 50cm width and 10mm thickness. For extruding strips you should be fine with v3. Somebody did push it a little further : https://www.plasticatbay.org/2020/03/29/plasticbay-faceshield-design/?v=79cba1185463 (edited)

ah thanks for linking this

4:50 PM

i was actually aiming for dimensions like 30cm width and hopefully 5mm thickness

4:51 PM

so while the dimensions you've mentioned are a prospective goal, i just wanted something bigger then a strip but smaller than a sheet

4:53 PM

what originally inspired me to look for this was people who cnc/lasercut or punch small plastic parts out of sheets as this would mean it could be done faster, easier and mainly cheaper as the very average dimensions of these sheets meant the could hopefully be very versatile

4:59 PM

most of the idea was inspired by the large amount of 'lab sheet extruder' designs and videos on youtube

5:03 PM

theres a lot of them and they served as a proof of concept for me that it could be done with a smaller extruder

5:09 PM

5:11 PM

this is an example the whole thing has a 2.5 *1.1 meters footprint and can do film which is 200mm in width and 4mm thickness

Just testing this out, not sure this is set up properly

Hey!! been doing the recycled plastic bags technique with LDPE bags

I'm trying to make a bucket hat as my first project and was wondering if you guys would think bag sealers would work on the thicker sheets

9:13 AM

I was thinking of using it as a pin system since pins create holes and unlike fabric the hole prenment in the plastic and clips would melt under the iron

9:15 AM

and it can allso be used later in the process to keep seams together, but I'm unsure if that would be too thick or not

Just produced tea coasters from HDPE plastic recycled one. Getting good results.

3

Avoid pe500

Deleted User started a thread. 8/9/2021 9:35 PM

has anybody tried filters or degassers for their extruders? (edited)

Hi!! I’ve got a quick question , does anyone know if i can use recycled PP for making reusable food containers ?

car

Hi!! I’ve got a quick question , does anyone know if i can use recycled PP for making reusable food containers ?

In general recycled plastic isn't FDA approved as food safe (I think it's the FDA lol). If you're planning on selling it then probably not. In addition depending on your design it might not be possible because precious plastic designs are mostly thick, do you have a picture or something you were thinking of?

recycled plastic would require recertification as food safe which is not trivial

Hello! I have a question about plastic sheets. I was wondering how long a 10mm sheet 1x1m would take to cool down until it's ready to be removed from the mold? Anyone making sheets could help me? Thanks

hello, was wondering the max volume of molten plastic one can inject into a mold with the design on the site. wondering if ~ 500ml would be feasible

geoffrey

hello, was wondering the max volume of molten plastic one can inject into a mold with the design on the site. wondering if ~ 500ml would be feasible

I found this. It's a bit old info and i havent kept up on any Injection machine changes. Looks like 90cm3 or less from what someone says. https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/injection-machines-basic-specs-limitations/ You only get one shot with the injection machine. If you try to do another shot, likely the plastic in your mould will have already hardened and you wont be able to push more in. Extrusion machine can do some injecting too and it's continuous.

win

Injection Machines Basic Specs / Limitations - Dave Hakkens

Firstly Dave is a Legend, full credit. I think I’ve watched every video, read every page. Also full credit to all the good people helping Dave. In the interests of sharing, I’ve been - Dave Hakkens

1

Are we worried about the micro plastics from the shavings or dust from milling or cutting the plastic?

yes

3:43 PM

be sure to have good dust collection

3:43 PM

it gets everywhere

Hey Guys, I'm working towards getting licensed to produce Plastic construction material like blocks, bricks, roofing tiles, floor tiles etc.. Could someone tell me where could I find impact and weight/strength test results for these items. My country of Belize, licensing department is requiring this information from me prior to finalizing my construction and manufacturer license. I guess to compare to standard construction materials. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

DarwinB

Hey Guys, I'm working towards getting licensed to produce Plastic construction material like blocks, bricks, roofing tiles, floor tiles etc.. Could someone tell me where could I find impact and weight/strength test results for these items. My country of Belize, licensing department is requiring this information from me prior to finalizing my construction and manufacturer license. I guess to compare to standard construction materials. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

You're probably going to have to make samples of your product and send it to a lab for testing. Different shapes, sizes, and material types will have different results. Having a wrong setting or variable workshop conditions can alter your results for your end product as well. This is something I need to do eventually, but in Indonesia.

Hi, My family and I own a furniture manufacturing business, and we have over 100kilos of scrap flexible polyurethane foam (FPF). May I ask how we can recycle this? Thank you so much

10:42 AM

I am a furniture designer/manufacturer based in the Philippines, and am excited to work with this community.

polyurethane is a thermoset so it's not directly recyclable unfortunately

10:50 AM

you can shred it and use it to make more foam which requires use of more virgin material or you can chemically reduce it to it's original components. but neither methods are especially green as far as I know

Do anyone tried to make bean? I just try to make 2 beam by using the extruder...but I'm not really happy about it. First, after cold down, I take it out of the molds and with surprise !?!?! was not straight like the mold...( I know that they shrink..but I didnt know that they bend too

). Second, I was expecting that was easier than wood to work with other machinery...but the beam react exactly like wood...bending to the blade making very difficult to cut...ANY IDEA?

12:26 PM

I used HDPE, 5 cm x 5 cm but is not that stiff even....it look like a strong rubber!!

Hey Everyone hope you all well? We have a off cuts of pvc, polyester foam and fibre fabric materials used in the production of vehicle seats. The materials are mixed at the moment. Has anyone got any experience with dealing with this sort of material. Maybe an upcycling initiative? Looking at roughly 20 tons a month. Any input would be much appreciated.

10:58 PM

Falcon

polyurethane is a thermoset so it's not directly recyclable unfortunately

Thank you so much for your response.

biiancaco

Hi, My family and I own a furniture manufacturing business, and we have over 100kilos of scrap flexible polyurethane foam (FPF). May I ask how we can recycle this? Thank you so much

have you looked at rebonded foam? it should be very useful to you

1

Social Plastic Revolution

Hey Everyone hope you all well? We have a off cuts of pvc, polyester foam and fibre fabric materials used in the production of vehicle seats. The materials are mixed at the moment. Has anyone got any experience with dealing with this sort of material. Maybe an upcycling initiative? Looking at roughly 20 tons a month. Any input would be much appreciated.

I know pvc can be toxic to melt/burn because of the chemical process and so it isn't used much in precious plastic. Polyester foam and fibre isn't really either in precious plastic if you can find a way to use these without melting as either stuffing or anything like that would be cool. Maybe send some better pics so we can suggest more specific upcycling projects

Tao

Do anyone tried to make bean? I just try to make 2 beam by using the extruder...but I'm not really happy about it. First, after cold down, I take it out of the molds and with surprise !?!?! was not straight like the mold...( I know that they shrink..but I didnt know that they bend too

). Second, I was expecting that was easier than wood to work with other machinery...but the beam react exactly like wood...bending to the blade making very difficult to cut...ANY IDEA?

For cutting: Circular saw works well, router works well. Bandsaw does not work very well, it bends a bit too much. What plastic are you using? What do you want to make with the beams? The beams bending may or may not be an issue, it just depends on what you're making. You'll have to make a design that deals with this issue.

has anybody tried filters for their extruders?

7:40 AM

i was looking at a few commerical extruders for recycling and all of them seem to use one

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

For cutting: Circular saw works well, router works well. Bandsaw does not work very well, it bends a bit too much. What plastic are you using? What do you want to make with the beams? The beams bending may or may not be an issue, it just depends on what you're making. You'll have to make a design that deals with this issue.

Thanks for your answer. I start to make beams to use instead of wood or steel...I will like to try to use it as construction material

7:45 AM

I was wondering...if the HDPE shrink back quite a lot..how can make sheet with a consistent thickness?

7:47 AM

I mean, let's say we want to make a sheet 1 cm...so the mold is 1 cm...plastic been melt and press to 1 cm...when you open up how can still be 1 cm that shrink back?

Hi would it be advisable to use the plastic shredder as a foam shredder as well?

9:35 AM

PU foam from furniture upholstery, specifically.

Hi, I’m looking at getting a injection mould for pegs designed. Is there anyone here who would be able to advise? Or offers this service?

Tao

I mean, let's say we want to make a sheet 1 cm...so the mold is 1 cm...plastic been melt and press to 1 cm...when you open up how can still be 1 cm that shrink back?

You'll have different issues with shrinkage. I'm not an expert but in my experience, you should expect about a 3% shrinkage for HDPE. So if your mould is perfectly 1cm, it might shrink down to 0.97cm , which isn't worth mentioning. My problem is usually on the larger pieces. A 100cm beam mould will likely produce a 97cm beam. If you're making a thin sheet (1mm-2mm) and maybe 40cm x 40cm, you might experience some cracking in the sheet due to pressure from the sheet press while the plastic cools down. You need some pressure but not a whole lot when it's cooling down.

1

Hi all, I'm learning web dev and trying to help my friend set up a site to sell his recycled plastic items. We aren't able to use the Bazar because he wants a stand-alone site. Have any of you made a personal ecommerce site to sell your recycled products? Looking for something with low payment processing fees and ideally free to set up. What platforms or tools did you use? The requirements for him are only: 1). Put pictures of his products to sell and 2). Allow people to click on and an item and pay for it

BigRed

Hi, I’m looking at getting a injection mould for pegs designed. Is there anyone here who would be able to advise? Or offers this service?

Your cheapest bet might be to have the design lasercut into square pieces of steel and bolt them together then weld a nut or something that can let you screw it onto your nozzle. You'd wind up with a mold set like this: https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/moulds/injection-moulds/modular-mould-set-9-coat-hanger-mould/ In Vietnam, having custom molds lasercut was far cheaper than aluminum or CNC cut molds. We paid around $20 USD for a complete set with like 4 layers of steel. But you might wanna think about making the design not so thin-walled because in my experience, the pressure required to get the plastic to extrude into all the tiny paths for that design will be pretty huge (edited)

Moulds :: Injection Moulds :: Modular Mould Set #9 Coat Hanger Mould

bmbaron

Hi all, I'm learning web dev and trying to help my friend set up a site to sell his recycled plastic items. We aren't able to use the Bazar because he wants a stand-alone site. Have any of you made a personal ecommerce site to sell your recycled products? Looking for something with low payment processing fees and ideally free to set up. What platforms or tools did you use? The requirements for him are only: 1). Put pictures of his products to sell and 2). Allow people to click on and an item and pay for it

Maybe check out Shopify? It's not free but real simple to use. If you want to build something yourself you could use WooCommerce on top of Wordpress. A standalone site has the disadvantage that you won't get the free traffic though that the Bazar or Etsy give you. So you'll have to do some more SEO/Marketing.

2

bmbaron

Hi all, I'm learning web dev and trying to help my friend set up a site to sell his recycled plastic items. We aren't able to use the Bazar because he wants a stand-alone site. Have any of you made a personal ecommerce site to sell your recycled products? Looking for something with low payment processing fees and ideally free to set up. What platforms or tools did you use? The requirements for him are only: 1). Put pictures of his products to sell and 2). Allow people to click on and an item and pay for it

another thing you could do is have a duplicate marketplace on both the Bazar/etsy and whatever standalone site you choose with the first website have a link for the second and vice versa, this way youre getting the best of both worlds

1

@everyone I want to melt masks as they have done in the YOUTUBE video and form sheets out of that. I need a datasheet for the temperatures and which metal sheets should I use?? (edited)

4:39 PM

VERY URGENT

SIDDHARTH KASHYAP

@everyone I want to melt masks as they have done in the YOUTUBE video and form sheets out of that. I need a datasheet for the temperatures and which metal sheets should I use?? (edited)

please dont spam

SIDDHARTH KASHYAP

@everyone I want to melt masks as they have done in the YOUTUBE video and form sheets out of that. I need a datasheet for the temperatures and which metal sheets should I use?? (edited)

The V4-Team made this datasheet for the sheetpress. The normal facemasks are from PP, so it should be about 230°C.

4:45 PM

Sheetpress_-_Datasheet.pdf

109.95 KB

@everyone What alloy sheets should I be preferably be using?? So like it doesn't stick

SIDDHARTH KASHYAP

@everyone What alloy sheets should I be preferably be using?? So like it doesn't stick

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/sheetpressbuild

Thanks a lot. This was VERY helpful

SIDDHARTH KASHYAP

Thanks a lot. This was VERY helpful

But also use a release agent that it dont stick.

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

But also use a release agent that it dont stick.

Can you suggest something??

SIDDHARTH KASHYAP

Can you suggest something??

normally silicone oil

7:37 PM

also has anybody tried using a teflon non-stick coating on their molds?

7:38 PM

the kind that is used for cooking utensils etc

Hello, Brand new member here. I've been reading as much information as possible but still need help. I am trying to recycle PVC plastic. I am aware of issues with the fumes. I have already invested and got my shredding machine working. Now, I am looking into extrusion to be able to reuse the PVC shreds into new usable items. Any guidance is highly appreciated.

Bbasz

Hello, Brand new member here. I've been reading as much information as possible but still need help. I am trying to recycle PVC plastic. I am aware of issues with the fumes. I have already invested and got my shredding machine working. Now, I am looking into extrusion to be able to reuse the PVC shreds into new usable items. Any guidance is highly appreciated.

If you have access to a lot of PVC, you should think about making something without without melting it. You know about the dangers for the person melting it, but there is also the environmental damage to water and air that happens when it's heated. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-content/uploads/legacy/Global/usa/report/2009/4/pvc-the-poison-plastic.html#:~:text=Most%20common%20plastics%20pose%20serious%20threats%20to%20human%20health%20and%20the%20environment.&text=PVC%20is%20the%20most%20environmentally,water%2C%20air%20and%20food%20chain.

Good evening, excuse me, do any of you have the drawings of an extruder with measurements in PDF?

bmbaron

If you have access to a lot of PVC, you should think about making something without without melting it. You know about the dangers for the person melting it, but there is also the environmental damage to water and air that happens when it's heated. https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/wp-content/uploads/legacy/Global/usa/report/2009/4/pvc-the-poison-plastic.html#:~:text=Most%20common%20plastics%20pose%20serious%20threats%20to%20human%20health%20and%20the%20environment.&text=PVC%20is%20the%20most%20environmentally,water%2C%20air%20and%20food%20chain.

Thank you for the link and info. Any recommendations on a way to use the PVC waste in a way to to have it reused somehow?

Bbasz

Thank you for the link and info. Any recommendations on a way to use the PVC waste in a way to to have it reused somehow?

No problem, what kind of PVC do you have? If it's pipes, I think a lot could be made with them

Hello

Hi! I'm looking for someone with experience in making bricks/tiles by mixing sand and plastic! I'm trying to set up a formal facility

hamster

Hi! I'm looking for someone with experience in making bricks/tiles by mixing sand and plastic! I'm trying to set up a formal facility

I had some visitors that did this. There's a video of it too in this post. I wouldn't call it a lot of experience... https://www.instagram.com/p/BzsWSo4JHPv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Thank you! Ill check them out

Can you turn Polystyrene (PS) into High Density Polystyrene? (HIPS)

Uplifted

Can you turn Polystyrene (PS) into High Density Polystyrene? (HIPS)

High Impact Polystyrene is HIPS, close though. From what I just read, yes. You can take GPPS (homopolymer) and add 5-10% rubber or butadiene copolymer. But, I'm not familiar with what it takes to mix it together. If the process is simple like heating it up and mixing, the extrusion machine can do that to a degree but the screw design is not really designed for mixing things inside.

sponsoons

also has anybody tried using a teflon non-stick coating on their molds?

Yes we use teflon (PTFE) sheets as a liner for our sheet press. Makes it easy to remove the sheets

mechanic

Yes we use teflon (PTFE) sheets as a liner for our sheet press. Makes it easy to remove the sheets

ah thanks

Good evening friends! I am looking to buy an extruder to recycle plastics for my manufacturing process on site, but I want to verify that extruding my available PCR will work well. Would anyone be willing to extrude my shredded PCR material and send it back to me? I will pay you for time and shipping costs. Thank you! If you have a way to pelletize the extruded material, that would be amazing too!

(edited)

where are you located?

Hello all, after doing many trial with HDPE, my personal results are not that great.

1:27 PM

Beams like 5 cm x 5 cm, 5 cm x 10 cm are too flexible

1:27 PM

if HDPE is too flexible like this is impossible to use as constructing material

1:28 PM

So my question to all of you is: Do is possible to mix HDPE with other plastic in order to make it more stiff?

1:29 PM

What is your experience on this?

1:29 PM

Do someone ever done any trial like this?

has anybody tried using the extruder for coating of plastic on other materials?

2:19 PM

like how plastic coatings are applied to electrical wires

Tao

Do someone ever done any trial like this?

Have you checked the “how to’s” on the PP web? I think they use another material for beams..

TEglen

where are you located?

I am located in Central California. I would cover all the shipping costs

sponsoons

like how plastic coatings are applied to electrical wires

Not sure why you'd want to do this. But here's some gravel with HDPE. This can also be done with the extrusion machine but you'd have to heat up the gravel before attempting to extrude plastic through it. Again, not sure why you'd want to do this.

3:56 AM

This one was using a 15 x 15 x 15cm mould in an oven, not extrusion machine. I had some civil engineering students do some testing, so perhaps they were testing to see if its a viable material for construction or something like that

3:57 AM

There was another one done with extrusion machine and gravel but I don't have any photos of what the end results are...but its just like this photo except the plastic is more homogeneous in color.

rodrigolauret

Have you checked the “how to’s” on the PP web? I think they use another material for beams..

I haven't ..do you have any link?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Not sure why you'd want to do this. But here's some gravel with HDPE. This can also be done with the extrusion machine but you'd have to heat up the gravel before attempting to extrude plastic through it. Again, not sure why you'd want to do this.

i wanted to do it as a low cost and easier way of coating metal rods and rebar with plastic to stop corrosion on those metal bars

Ah i see! That would be interesting. I've only read about rebar being coated in epoxy. I havent done this but you could very likely get a piece of rebar and put it into a mould that you'd normally use for extruding whatever shape (square or round beams). You'd just need to make sure that the rebar is in a good fixed position in your beam mould. You'd need a way to fix it in position at the end closest to the nozzle, maybe set screws that go through the mould and physically pinch the rebar into position and again near the end of the mould. If you want a thin coat of plastic, it might be possible but you're going to really need to make sure the rebar is straight and not touching any of the mould walls. also check the product each time to make sure there's no exposed rebar on the sides.

5:48 AM

A note from experience: HDPE has a relatively large shrink rate and if it's cooling down and shrinking around something that has a vastly different shrink rate, the plastic might split. I've had this issue when extruding into my cup mould with a diameter of about 10cm. I dont think this will be as much of a problem for rebar since the diameter is much smaller than that.

sponsoons

i wanted to do it as a low cost and easier way of coating metal rods and rebar with plastic to stop corrosion on those metal bars

sorry, forgot to tag you

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Ah i see! That would be interesting. I've only read about rebar being coated in epoxy. I havent done this but you could very likely get a piece of rebar and put it into a mould that you'd normally use for extruding whatever shape (square or round beams). You'd just need to make sure that the rebar is in a good fixed position in your beam mould. You'd need a way to fix it in position at the end closest to the nozzle, maybe set screws that go through the mould and physically pinch the rebar into position and again near the end of the mould. If you want a thin coat of plastic, it might be possible but you're going to really need to make sure the rebar is straight and not touching any of the mould walls. also check the product each time to make sure there's no exposed rebar on the sides.

ah thanks

@everyone I need articles on using face masks for making plastic sheets like PRECIOUS PLASTIC does. This will be for a newspaper article. Need a little help here.

SIDDHARTH KASHYAP

@everyone I need articles on using face masks for making plastic sheets like PRECIOUS PLASTIC does. This will be for a newspaper article. Need a little help here.

Also I need cost estimates for making sheets to prove it is commercially viable. Does the PP website has that data??

I want to know if air bubbles are a problem with the injection molding or not really?

Hi All, I'm a total newbie, located in NSW Australia and researching for the not-for-profit org I work for. We support people with disabilities and want to set up a Precious Plastic facility at all 3 of our sites so we can offer employment to the people we support. We love the idea of reducing plastic waste, creating recycled items and also setting up a totally friendly and adapted workplace for the people we support. Offering opportunities to be part of a team that they may never experience other wise. So I am currently going through the mix starter kit and applying for community grants to help get set up. Unfortunately NSW is currently in a very strict covid lockdown so I am unable to go to any recycle centres to source machines or materials to build machines (having watched the videos though I think we will need to buy built machines, looks like quite a specialized skill to put them all together, that might be a down the track thing.) Also keen to hear if anyone has done a successful collaboration with another organisation. Looking forward to benefiting from the wisdom of the group. Thanks Amanda

1

Hi everyone! I’m trying to find out if it’s possible to turn recycled plastic into cord or rope but don’t seem to be able to find much online. I can see brands such as Econyl turn fishing nets into fabric like watch straps and swimwear, but I don’t see much on turning harder plastics into cord (similar to the cord used in fishing nets). I want it to be able to be used for macrame basically. Does anyone know if this is possible, or know if there’s a company already selling recycled plastic cords? Thanks!!

i’m the problem

Hi everyone! I’m trying to find out if it’s possible to turn recycled plastic into cord or rope but don’t seem to be able to find much online. I can see brands such as Econyl turn fishing nets into fabric like watch straps and swimwear, but I don’t see much on turning harder plastics into cord (similar to the cord used in fishing nets). I want it to be able to be used for macrame basically. Does anyone know if this is possible, or know if there’s a company already selling recycled plastic cords? Thanks!!

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-plastic-yarn-plarn-from-a-plastic-carry-bag

1:33 PM

maybe this is helpful to you?

1:34 PM

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DOINRkRf3aFs&psig=AOvVaw1yJso9W0yW1f3n2xE4pvSm&ust=1630064055448000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwjsopT5y87yAhXTeX0KHe2-DjQQr4kDegUIARDRAQ

1:34 PM

this is another way

1:35 PM

there are lots of variations in making rope from plastic bottles but this is one of them

i’m the problem

Hi everyone! I’m trying to find out if it’s possible to turn recycled plastic into cord or rope but don’t seem to be able to find much online. I can see brands such as Econyl turn fishing nets into fabric like watch straps and swimwear, but I don’t see much on turning harder plastics into cord (similar to the cord used in fishing nets). I want it to be able to be used for macrame basically. Does anyone know if this is possible, or know if there’s a company already selling recycled plastic cords? Thanks!!

however it is not possible to easily recycle plastic pieces into rope or cord at least on a DIY or non-industrial scale as it requires a lot of complicated,large and costly machinery to make

1:39 PM

the two methods i have linked above are what i believe to be the best and the only ways of making plastic rope or cord which are doable at home without a lot of machinery and tools

sponsoons

the two methods i have linked above are what i believe to be the best and the only ways of making plastic rope or cord which are doable at home without a lot of machinery and tools

Thank you so much!! Both super helpful. The bottle one is great - exactly the kind of thing I was after! THANK YOU!

i’m the problem

Thank you so much!! Both super helpful. The bottle one is great - exactly the kind of thing I was after! THANK YOU!

welcome,be sure to document and share pics off it when you make something

sponsoons

welcome,be sure to document and share pics off it when you make something

For sure!

i’m the problem

Thank you so much!! Both super helpful. The bottle one is great - exactly the kind of thing I was after! THANK YOU!

be careful when handling those PET strands, their edges are quite sharp & cut through skin + flesh easily

1

how do people handle the vastly different melt flow rates with PE?

9:36 AM

I'm seeing between 0.06 and 10 g/10m

some of our HDPE makes sheets easily, while other material barely even moves at 230c

Falcon

some of our HDPE makes sheets easily, while other material barely even moves at 230c

maybe this could be related to the presence of additives which add heat-resistance to the HDPE ? (tupperwares or food related products which are suitable for microwave is usually made out of PP though...)

1

Falcon

some of our HDPE makes sheets easily, while other material barely even moves at 230c

I've had issues with what's referred to as "blow HDPE". it doesnt press very well and i've had issues with attempting to extrude it. For extrusion, it's very viscous.

3:27 PM

it acts like it doesn't want to melt and when you heat it up higher it will discolor

what temperatures did you try?

3:27 PM

hmm

For pressing it, 200C. For extruding, 195C

we just did a test at 280 so hopefully I can open it before leaving for today

3:28 PM

200 for pressing?

(edited)

i dont own a typical sheet press. i use my body weight plus a lever. the results were not good and not worth doing, but hey maybe it'll be better where you are. 280C, expect it to discolor.

3:30 PM

this is after 230

280 was too warm lol

3:45 PM

all nice and stuck (edited)

3:45 PM

again

3:51 PM

3:55 PM

Amazing that it doesn't bind together even after half an hour at 280

3:55 PM

at least not well enough to be uniform

3:59 PM

I wonder if it just requires the pressure to bond?

Falcon

Click to see attachment 🖼️

This is exactly what happened to my plastic as well. I'm quite limited on how much pressure I can press down with how my system is but it appears to me that you need more pressure on the plastic. It's likely your mould/framing is stopping additional pressure from being applied to the plastic... Meaning you need to overfill your squares more so the plastic will flow and push together more.

yeah, that was the feeling I was getting as well

@everyone Does polypropylene (disposable masks) release any fumes when melted?? how harmful are these fumes?

@everyone Also what is the ideal temperature to melt the disposable masks??

does anyone know if it is allowed/possible to sell products on the bazar without having a business license.

@wiely (NL GLD) yes you can. I don't know how it's in NL but here you can earn up to 20k a year without being a registered business entity. Perhaps you can find a cooperative or association to enjoy certain business privileges (VAT & TAX wise). Those organizations provide also the needed paper work as well social insurance.

wiely (NL GLD)

does anyone know if it is allowed/possible to sell products on the bazar without having a business license.

@Joseph might be able to give you a definitive answer on seller rules and requirements for the Bazar.

has anybody tried vacuum forming the sheets made by the sheet press?

maybe this is a good place to ask, im working on an exam about sustenability and plastics, what are plastic objects that you wish wouldnt be single use? or at least compostable (plastic with direct contact to food waste cannot be recicled so the only alternative to a landfill is biodegradibility) bonus points if its usually made in polypropilene (PP) since i know of a feasible substitute, PHB any help is welcome, im mostly done research side but i have to provide some concept for products of such material and im indecided on what to do in particular thanks in advance

Hello here, Our crowdfunding campaign is running untill september the 6th. You would be so nice if you share it to help us. We need this funds to launch our workshop and create our first jobs. https://effervesens-centrevaldeloire.org/decouvrez-les-projets/detail/recyclage-de-plastique-citoyen

# Recyclage de plastique citoyen #

Un bon plastique est un plastique recyclé !

How are pieces made smaller and smaller with the shredder? Reload the plastic in the shredder or install a screen that will allow the shredder grind the pieces to smaller and smaller pieces?

Both ways work, yes. Ultimately you get the finest you can by a sieve.

minutemanred

How are pieces made smaller and smaller with the shredder? Reload the plastic in the shredder or install a screen that will allow the shredder grind the pieces to smaller and smaller pieces?

It takes about 5 passes to shred objects as bottle lids down to 2mm particles. A little tedious if you are after quantity. Re-shredding smaller particles however isn't exactly good for shredders using mild steel, stainless but also hardox, it acts like sand paper and adds significant more wear out. You may want to consider a classic grinder instead. These work great for to mill down flakes down to 1mm and can run unattended but can be pretty loud (90dB+).

The Unreal Precious Plastic

It takes about 5 passes to shred objects as bottle lids down to 2mm particles. A little tedious if you are after quantity. Re-shredding smaller particles however isn't exactly good for shredders using mild steel, stainless but also hardox, it acts like sand paper and adds significant more wear out. You may want to consider a classic grinder instead. These work great for to mill down flakes down to 1mm and can run unattended but can be pretty loud (90dB+).

Idk what to consider, there is no video content on different flakes sizes

1:51 AM

How to get them down to various sizes

1:51 AM

Even more how to find the right combination of motor and gear reducrr

minutemanred

Idk what to consider, there is no video content on different flakes sizes

if you want small pieces or powder then you should look into getting an agglomerator machine

6:15 AM

most of them have adjustable blades and allow sizes between 5mm and 100 micron

6:16 AM

with the addition of some water or binder,you can also use them to make pellets or plastic pieces

6:18 AM

they are quite good with quantity with most of them being able to process about 50-100kg a hour minimum

6:18 AM

the best thing is that they are quite cheap with costs comparable to a normal shredder

1

the only problem is that unlike a shredder they cannot shred very large objects, most of them are limited to the largest single object being the size of a plastic bottle

6:30 AM

otherwise they are perfect

hey PP guys (and girls ofc) .. did PP ever find a way to reuse MLP plastics like the "Mylar type" of MLPs?? (edited)

Hello ! I am a jewel designer using acrylic sheets, i would like to recycle the waste of the laser cut work, do you think this is possible with that kind of plastic ? I saw people that manage but some others told me it is not possible so i am lost

thanks for your help

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(methyl_methacrylate)

Poly(methyl methacrylate)

Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, perspex, or plexiglass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite, Astariglas, Lucite, Perclax, and Perspex, among several others (see below), is a transparent thermoplastic often used in sheet form as a lightweight or shatter-resistant alternati...

4:33 PM

I think that's the technical name

4:33 PM

https://www.creativemechanisms.com/blog/injection-mold-3d-print-cnc-acrylic-plastic-pmma#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20Characteristics%20of%20Acrylic%20(PMMA)%3F&text=PMMA%20is%20classified%20as%20a,in%20the%20case%20of%20Acrylic).

Everything You Need To Know About Acrylic (PMMA)

Acrylic is readily available, extremely clear, and a good alternative to Polycarbonate when material strength is not a decision factor.

4:34 PM

hope that helps! I have no experience with all this though as a disclaimer i guess (edited)

1

@minutemanred What are you trying to make after all, what materials, what input/output sizes and what quantities ? There are options though ...

Filament and big things like beams

4:35 PM

To make decking or outdoor furniture

Well, in this case shredding might be enough. For filament you want consistent flake sizes in the 3-5mm range, for bigger stuff you will be fine with 5mm too. And if it's for production, you want to have a bigger extruder than PP, you can get those relative cheap on the second hand market but those often come with surprises (screw rebuilds, etc... )

4:40 PM

For the big stuff, I'd rather ask nearby shredding facilities. They have clean, sorted and good quality flakes for increasingly cheap prices.

Eric Lotze

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly(methyl_methacrylate)

Thanks a lot Eric !!

can we do mass production of beams in extrusion pro??

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wr1PoqQkZ3vurnqH5MdzJR06IntKbMi4jimLTTU22Xw/edit#gid=822695839

Google Sheets - create and edit spreadsheets online, for free.

Create a new spreadsheet and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Sheets to edit Excel files. Free from Google.

does anyone have any material on how to re-purpose a paper shredder to be a plastic shredder?

1

Hello, my name is Lucas, from Argentina. I am starting a recycling project and we want to propose to politicians to recycle their billboards. These are made of polycarbonate. I want to know if the recycling method is the same as type 2 and 4 plastics? Thank you.

2

Hello can you please suggest me the design of hopper to be fixed on top of extruder, and what is the suitable material for hopper?

@Sarmila

this here is a widely used design

using thin metal sheets (stainless, to safe extra paint) for the hopper helps to evacuate the heat, especially with PP machines where you want to use much as possible of the barrel
such hopper mount is great to add active cooling (CPU cooler)
if possible, consider mounting possibilities at the top of the hopper, eg: to make it bigger
not obvious, you may want to tilt the hopper down for cleaning or emptying it

2

The Unreal Precious Plastic

@wiely (NL GLD) yes you can. I don't know how it's in NL but here you can earn up to 20k a year without being a registered business entity. Perhaps you can find a cooperative or association to enjoy certain business privileges (VAT & TAX wise). Those organizations provide also the needed paper work as well social insurance.

Thanks for the response i will take a look at that

Hello one army, I'm new here. i'm looking for a machine that can heat plastic with only solar energy ( when i say solar energy, only with with reflecting the light with mirror ). Currently, for cooking, i have a solar furnace that can up to 260 ° C with the best condition. I think, if it's possible, a mix of a machine of precious plastif community and a solar furnace can be awesome. Do you know if it already exist? ( Also my solar furnace come from here, it can be bought but they gived the open source plans ). https://www.solarbrother.com/en/ (edited)

Louis

Homepage - Solar Brother

Solar Brother est une jeune entreprise spécialisée dans la conception de solutions solaires écologiques. Briquets, fours, barbecues, adoptez le solaire !

Hi all! Does anyone happen to have some research/papers/well trusted websites that talk about the safety of safely melting hdpe? I'm just wanting to start out, and my family member is concerned about me melting hdpe outside when we have pets. I would be keeping my dogs inside while I'm working, but she is worried about possible toxic residue on the ground. For reference, I would be using a small george forman grill/panini press to melt the plastic. Any help would be appreciated, and thank you! (edited)

Hi @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug is it possible to make a plastic lumber in an open molder? The molder is about 12in only and at the end of that is a roller conveyor with cold water that is 20-60°C. If ever do you also have any related studies having that design? Thank youu

Asuna_NFT

Hi @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug is it possible to make a plastic lumber in an open molder? The molder is about 12in only and at the end of that is a roller conveyor with cold water that is 20-60°C. If ever do you also have any related studies having that design? Thank youu

Sorry, no. I've never tried this and don't know how that process works exactly.

Can someone tell me if we can extrude PET using the precious plastic Pro Extruder?

I can tell you that PET in a sheet press makes a mess

2

9:54 PM

though not in our first attempt

I understand that extruding PET using v4 pro extruder is not recommended

10:14 PM

even less on a continuous production circumstance

10:16 PM

it's for a bottle recycling project for textiles precisely

10:18 PM

do you think it will be better to look for an extruder built for PET material?

10:20 PM

@The Unreal Precious Plastic Finally I found how to mention people on this chat

10:23 PM

@The Unreal Precious Plastic Thank you for your help ❤️

Original message was deleted or could not be loaded.

this is not true. All PET pre-forms for bottles are injection moulded

PET is an engineering polymer, with very specific barrier properties that are of interest to bottle carbonated soft drinks

12:17 AM

the blow process is only possible because thousands of preforms were previously injection molded before

12:18 AM

you don't see more injection moulded PET because its main properties were not tailored to injection moulded applications

12:19 AM

PET was not developed to produce carabiners

Original message was deleted or could not be loaded.

PET is no amorphous, it's semicrystalline

Original message was deleted or could not be loaded.

sure

12:22 AM

it's just a matter of viscosity, not crystalline arrangement of the plastic

12:24 AM

when you reinforce PET with glass fibres, for instance, and under the proper temperature profile in a professional extruder, it extrudes perfectly

Original message was deleted or could not be loaded.

I am doctor in polymers science and technology since 2014, glad to help

12:27 AM

just the proper conditions and formulation

12:29 AM

and PP is one of the best plastics to recycle / work with

12:32 AM

even in industrial and scientific equipment, we must calibrate the sensors very often to have this strict temperature control

12:33 AM

I think I'm not acquainted to the abbreviations here , but PP is universal for polypropylene. btw, what is PID?

12:34 AM

wanna do something solid, nice and usefull out of recycled PET? check this out, 100% recycled PET https://rivesti.com.br/

Pastilhas Rivesti Revestimentos Ecológicos - As mais vendidas do Br...

Reforma sem quebra-quebra. Compre as pastilhas Rivesti na Loja Online de Fábrica. Receba as pastilhas em casa ou retire na loja física.

12:35 AM

ok

Guys I am not sure I understood all the debate

1:01 AM

But still everybody agree that extruding PET on a low cost extruder is kind of imprudent adventure?

1:07 AM

Well my budget to build the extruder is near 5000E.. for a production of 50Kg/h

1:11 AM

Basically I am machine builder.. I did machines for some other industries, it is my first time with recycling machines.. I try to build a recycling line to turn plastic bottles into small plastic grains

1:13 AM

I planned to build the line based on V4 plans

1:13 AM

After asking for your opinions I have tow choices

1:13 AM

To adapt the design for a PET extrusion

1:14 AM

or to go for an other type of plastic

1:14 AM

still doing some research to understand all the constraints..

I think I am not that skilled

1:38 AM

I will go for more easier plastics

1:39 AM

that is the safer way..

1:39 AM

thank you for your help.. ^_^

1:41 AM

I am from Morocco

1:42 AM

Ok

scestari

I think I'm not acquainted to the abbreviations here , but PP is universal for polypropylene. btw, what is PID?

PID = "proportional integral derivative". It is engineering shorthand for the software algorithm feedback loop that temperature controllers use to ramp into a specific temperature.

oualid-ouargui

Basically I am machine builder.. I did machines for some other industries, it is my first time with recycling machines.. I try to build a recycling line to turn plastic bottles into small plastic grains

if you do build it please share any photos/explanations or doccumentation and designs/dimesions of what you do as it would help others trying to achieve the same thing

1

5:10 AM

It would be very intresting if it is based on the V4/fits on the V4 as this has been a frequently asked thing and one of the few important things related to plastic recycling that does not have an open source/homemade alternative to the commercial machines

5:11 AM

i would personally be happy if it worked since it would be the big step in recycling plastic on a small scale

is there any information or resources on FDM 3d printed injection molds?

8:27 AM

as everything i can find on 3d printed molds is about SLA or powderjet

8:27 AM

both of which are very expensive either in material or in machine and sometimes both

I remember seeing a video or reading somewhere that shredding and washing plastic waste increases its value by 8(?) times. Not sure if it was 8 or what it was, but I really need this reference. Does anyone recognize this statement, and maybe can link me somewhere?

Hey everyone, what's the best way to paint HDPE and LDPE? We have found that sanding it helps alot however would love to hear other ideas and tips.

Hello friends

Hello everyone, I am a FabLab manager here in France and we are working on recycling plastics using the Sheet Press. We recently started testing the press and we are not able to produce sheets of uniform thickness. The sheets are always thinner in the middle, around 50% of the mould thickness. We are using 120x120cm moulds (10 or 20 mm in height) with 130x130 cm inox sheets of 3 mm thickness. After searching a lot online, I couldn't find any useful information, so I came here to ask if the community has any similar experiences. Any useful information would be greatly appreciated. (edited)

3:53 PM

Cheers

1

oualid-ouargui

Guys I am not sure I understood all the debate

Hi Oualid, I am interested in recycling PET in Agadir. Don't give up! We need this.

Zero Plastics Australia

Hey everyone, what's the best way to paint HDPE and LDPE? We have found that sanding it helps alot however would love to hear other ideas and tips.

Check this out https://youtu.be/6Rc4LKMHC74

TheCrafsMan SteadyCraftin

Make PAINT stick to PLASTIC! (Flame Treatment) How to paint tricky ...

Hello. New to the Discord , Has anyone had any luck colouring clear polypropylene either with dyes or masterbatch. I get lots of clear and shred it but I’ve not found a project for it yet but use colours a lot . Thoughts?

Piers

Check this out https://youtu.be/6Rc4LKMHC74

Thanks Piers, this keeps popping up in my YouTube feed strangely enough. Will give this a watch soon.

1

Hi i have the precious plastic V2 all cut out ready to put together, is there a video that shows how to do this including the welding 100% tutorial on the assembly of the shredder.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Sorry, no. I've never tried this and don't know how that process works exactly.

I see. Okay thanks :) how about the melting of HDPE, do you know how long it takes? We have about 2ft long of barrel with only 3 band heaters and the input temp of 229.26°C.

Hello everyone, I'm new here, we have a public sorting station in Kyiv and a recycling workshop was recently opened on its basis. Please advise, is it ok to melt together HDPE and LDPE bottle caps in a sheetpress? Will I get a visually good product that will also be resistant to use in changing outdoor weather? Is it ok for LPDE to be melt under the 180C? (edited)

obutvynnyk

Hello everyone, I'm new here, we have a public sorting station in Kyiv and a recycling workshop was recently opened on its basis. Please advise, is it ok to melt together HDPE and LDPE bottle caps in a sheetpress? Will I get a visually good product that will also be resistant to use in changing outdoor weather? Is it ok for LPDE to be melt under the 180C? (edited)

I wouldn't mix the two types

1

TomiM

Hello everyone, I am a FabLab manager here in France and we are working on recycling plastics using the Sheet Press. We recently started testing the press and we are not able to produce sheets of uniform thickness. The sheets are always thinner in the middle, around 50% of the mould thickness. We are using 120x120cm moulds (10 or 20 mm in height) with 130x130 cm inox sheets of 3 mm thickness. After searching a lot online, I couldn't find any useful information, so I came here to ask if the community has any similar experiences. Any useful information would be greatly appreciated. (edited)

hi, we have a similar problem. We work on a 120×76 cm sheetpress and with frames 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mm thick. Thickness differences are almost always, from 1 to 2 mm on thick sheets. My colleagues, who have long been involved in plastic recycling, say that it is normal for waste material. However, from my own observations, the thickness deviates in those places where most of the plastic flows out in the melting process. It seems to me that the reasons for this may be the uneven distribution of raw materials, the displacement of the frame and plates in the sheetpress or some deformation of the sheetpress. I'm guessing that if you replace the frames with a container like the one in this video, it might help: https://youtu.be/YyfputUXCD0?t=32 (edited)

Mark Bachrach

Plastic Plate Press Process - MMID Foundation - Mark Bachrach

There are old thicknessers for wood that can handle 60cm width. Maybe thats a fix

I'm not sure about how the blade wear is with plastic, I've noticed that my router bits get dull much faster with plastic over wood.

Carbide or hss

8:56 PM

Is plastic harder or softer than wood

8:56 PM

55-67 on hardness scale for hdpe

I've used a single flute HSS and a four flute TiAlN

8:58 PM

four flute was just because that was all I had in the size I needed

8:59 PM

both cut significantly worse after maybe 10 mins

8:59 PM

not getting too hot though

Hdpe is similar hardness as walnut

only vacuum as coolant

8:59 PM

this is "transparent" PP and HDPE

My first guess is that the plastic gets on the cutting edge due to heat

heavy cuts on the HDPE

9:00 PM

though the router speeds were too high even for the single flute

And pressing it to rollers?

9:00 PM

Like steel?

it became tight rolls

9:01 PM

but very thin

Hmm

this is with hand feed rates so that's a factor too

9:02 PM

CNC would be a lot better I assume

I was thinking of making plastic tyles of hdpe for garage, house entrance maybe bath room but it seems not a easy diy thing

9:03 PM

Oven sized with the pressure sandwich steel plates everything in old oven. Just no clue what quality i can expect

what size tiles?

Hey guys! I’m new in Discord. I want to start a recycling business in Mexico. Would love to get involved and learn as much possible! Anyone from Mexico in the chat?

Falcon

what size tiles?

What fits into a standard oven 40 by 40?

12:35 PM

2cm thick would be nice

12:36 PM

Think only hdpe, ldpe looks like much work and less quality due to ink on shopping bags?

12:36 PM

Or paint

doing a lot of tiles in an oven would take a loooong time

Yeah im already doubt Ing my plan

9:45 PM

Also the value goes up when the size increases

9:46 PM

Plates should have the same size as wood particle, mdf plates

I saw in the container video of Dave hakkens those huge plates

9:56 PM

Can be a perfect workbench top, butcher table top,

9:57 PM

2440 x 1220 x 25mm making such plates would be awesome

we make 1250x1250 sheets

9:59 PM

2500x1250 would be so heavy

10:00 PM

65+kg per sheet

True heavy is good

and the molds as we have them now would be like 100+kg

For homesteading, diy a rectangular is more usefull

10:02 PM

Actually wondering if I can find so much plastic hdpe

10:02 PM

I live quite far from civilisation and trash in the forest tends to be ldpe, ABS

10:03 PM

And ofc glass

10:08 PM

Also 15 kw isnt going to happen my max in theory is 400 volt x 20 amps = 8kw a

I actually thought of 2 normal kitchen ovens break out the sides so its one big one. Pressure the plastic with big diesel valve Springs

Hi Guys, what material do you suggest for insulation of extruder?.

Hello friends

hola

Asuna_NFT

I see. Okay thanks :) how about the melting of HDPE, do you know how long it takes? We have about 2ft long of barrel with only 3 band heaters and the input temp of 229.26°C.

You might need more heaters. I'm not sure what size your band heaters are though since they can be made in different sizes. If they're too small, you might need to install more. 3 feet of barrel is a bit long so you'll need to really spread out that heat.

Hello everyone! does somebody have the CAD files of the basic shredder (not the pro one)

PituGiaculli

Hello everyone! does somebody have the CAD files of the basic shredder (not the pro one)

They are in the download kit. You can find that here community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download - hit the main download button and in the folder Build you should find all the things relating to the shredder

Do you guys think it’s possible to make tiles with the sheetpress?

Certainly, you could make a tray for a batch at a time.

1

CitSciWorkshop

Certainly, you could make a tray for a batch at a time.

Awesome, thank you!

DarwinB started a thread. 9/17/2021 4:37 AM

Hi all

1

Hi I’m needing to filter and extract fumes from a injection machine. Probs be PP and hdpe. Can anyone give me details of what to buy? Any links appreciated! Thanks

Hi all ! First post on discord. I’ve been looking into the methods of recycling etc and then discovered the precious plastics site. I didn’t realise it was so huge community! I’m south east uk and looking into viable ways to have the whole process of collection to end product maybe.

12:02 PM

A random question, has anyone successfully made kayaks out of recycled plastic?

did someone try to recycle CD's and DVD? Or does anyone now how to do dis i have a injection machine and want to try to inject it into a coaster mould.

wiely (NL GLD)

did someone try to recycle CD's and DVD? Or does anyone now how to do dis i have a injection machine and want to try to inject it into a coaster mould.

I have but the disc labels cause issues with blocking & contamination. Also the melting point seems higher as I think the are polycarbonate / mixed plastics .

Tom - Redo Design

I have but the disc labels cause issues with blocking & contamination. Also the melting point seems higher as I think the are polycarbonate / mixed plastics .

Thanks for the replay. Do what temperatures did you try ? I want to eliminate the blocking by shredding it in small pieces and hope that de reflecting film on the discs will give a nice effect to the product.

wiely (NL GLD)

Thanks for the replay. Do what temperatures did you try ? I want to eliminate the blocking by shredding it in small pieces and hope that de reflecting film on the discs will give a nice effect to the product.

Around 195- 200 degrees and that was using shredded discs. My granulator moaned a bit chopping them up but it cut up much like hard polystyrene.

On what machine did you try to use the plastic ? Also, on an injection machine ?

wiely (NL GLD)

On what machine did you try to use the plastic ? Also, on an injection machine ?

A friends older PP injection machine . I’ve also tried my sheet press and in an oven in a mould (it got stuck in it). I’m not sure if you’d need some kind of filter on the machine . I know that some extrusion machines have filters but I’ve never really looked into it . I also haven’t looked into any fumes from it yet either. It’s definitely something to think about as I use mostly DVD cases in projects so end up with lots of discs

Tom - Redo Design

A friends older PP injection machine . I’ve also tried my sheet press and in an oven in a mould (it got stuck in it). I’m not sure if you’d need some kind of filter on the machine . I know that some extrusion machines have filters but I’ve never really looked into it . I also haven’t looked into any fumes from it yet either. It’s definitely something to think about as I use mostly DVD cases in projects so end up with lots of discs

It is possible to add a filter in the nozzle but that will clog even faster i have a fila extruder this com's with a steel wire mesh. For the fumes I'm working in a well ventilated space so I'm not that concerned of that. i'm also shredding DVD an CD cases so have the same problem with the CD's

wiely (NL GLD)

It is possible to add a filter in the nozzle but that will clog even faster i have a fila extruder this com's with a steel wire mesh. For the fumes I'm working in a well ventilated space so I'm not that concerned of that. i'm also shredding DVD an CD cases so have the same problem with the CD's

That’s how the sheets come out

Tom - Redo Design

That’s how the sheets come out

Wow

Tom - Redo Design

That’s how the sheets come out

It Looks nice i will try dis next week or so.

Let me know how you get on. I’m having another go next week with some Blu ray discs . My insta is re.dodesign , I’ll drop the results in here or on there .

Tom - Redo Design

Let me know how you get on. I’m having another go next week with some Blu ray discs . My insta is re.dodesign , I’ll drop the results in here or on there .

i will. hope that i cam make some sort of how-to wen i master it.

1

Hi everybody! I recently made my first cups

out of recycled bottle caps (hdpe). I realized that they smell somewhat burned in the beginning. For some cups the smell reappears when I stack the cups for some time. I am melting everything at 220-230°C. Has somebody experienced the same thing? I do not see how these cups cannot be foodsafe from how I processed them, but the smell sometimes tells me otherwise. What do you think?

Hi

PlowTrough

Hi everybody! I recently made my first cups

out of recycled bottle caps (hdpe). I realized that they smell somewhat burned in the beginning. For some cups the smell reappears when I stack the cups for some time. I am melting everything at 220-230°C. Has somebody experienced the same thing? I do not see how these cups cannot be foodsafe from how I processed them, but the smell sometimes tells me otherwise. What do you think?

I think you would need a SUPER precise process (mainly concerning the sourcing of your plastic) in order maintain a food grade recycled product. Have you tried contacting a lab to analyze one of your cups ? I know for sure that here in Europe the legislation concerning food grade products is very strict (mainly concerning the additives present in your product and their migration's treshold) and i wouldn't recommend going for such products with PP machines :s (edited)

Nick - PP France

I think you would need a SUPER precise process (mainly concerning the sourcing of your plastic) in order maintain a food grade recycled product. Have you tried contacting a lab to analyze one of your cups ? I know for sure that here in Europe the legislation concerning food grade products is very strict (mainly concerning the additives present in your product and their migration's treshold) and i wouldn't recommend going for such products with PP machines :s (edited)

I feared you would say that! At least they are somewhat nice flower pots... thank you anyway!

yeah, flower pots is a pretty good outcome for bottle caps' second lives. The issue with additives can be a real hassle (especially when you recycle many different products and want to maintain a certain output quality)

obutvynnyk

hi, we have a similar problem. We work on a 120×76 cm sheetpress and with frames 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mm thick. Thickness differences are almost always, from 1 to 2 mm on thick sheets. My colleagues, who have long been involved in plastic recycling, say that it is normal for waste material. However, from my own observations, the thickness deviates in those places where most of the plastic flows out in the melting process. It seems to me that the reasons for this may be the uneven distribution of raw materials, the displacement of the frame and plates in the sheetpress or some deformation of the sheetpress. I'm guessing that if you replace the frames with a container like the one in this video, it might help: https://youtu.be/YyfputUXCD0?t=32 (edited)

Hello, Thanks for your response. We already tried putting more raw material in the middle, so that when the material melts, it would stay in the middle. The results were the same, thickness in the middle was around 50% of the mould thickness... There is some material that flows out of the mould, but that doesn't affect much the thickness around the edge, 1 mm deviation is acceptable for us. Thanks for the video you shared. We saw that design before, but it is not adapted for the sheet press and it would not fit in our machine and our workflow. We are thinking of testing with aluminium sheets for the mould, since they are more flexible compared to inox steel. We think the inox sheets are deforming too much in the middle, which is causing the thickness problem. The press is not a problem, I think, it is very stiff and flat. I thought this sheet pressing would be more simple to use

(edited)

TomiM

Hello, Thanks for your response. We already tried putting more raw material in the middle, so that when the material melts, it would stay in the middle. The results were the same, thickness in the middle was around 50% of the mould thickness... There is some material that flows out of the mould, but that doesn't affect much the thickness around the edge, 1 mm deviation is acceptable for us. Thanks for the video you shared. We saw that design before, but it is not adapted for the sheet press and it would not fit in our machine and our workflow. We are thinking of testing with aluminium sheets for the mould, since they are more flexible compared to inox steel. We think the inox sheets are deforming too much in the middle, which is causing the thickness problem. The press is not a problem, I think, it is very stiff and flat. I thought this sheet pressing would be more simple to use

(edited)

is it possible that air is getting trapped between the soft plastic & the press/cover which is pushing on the molten material in the middle, causing your deviation (this assumes you are closing the press too fast for the air in between to escape before the mold is sealed) ? ~just a thought

Hello everyone I dont know if this is the place to ask this but what mould release agents can you suggest.

sponsoons

has anybody tried filters for their extruders?

hey i know im replying a month later but i just joined and im rewinding time

Im in Brussels and Ive bought two old extruders that were designed to regranulate blown LDPE film. They came without specs/operating manual/schematics of any kind, one of them is 30+ years old, so we had to figure everything out from the start. The oldest (±25kW motor) has a rudimentary filter system built-in. We use it on two purposes: granulation of LDPE packaging collected in partnership with local waste management, and colouration of HDPE to sell somewhat custom colours for our sheets (we get waste masterbatch from local industrials)

2:36 PM

( @sponsoons ) Filters we got with it are probably about 200 microns i'd guess. With our LDPE packaging wastes, they're pretty useful to limit paper labels from getting through, but honestly it ends up crashing through at some point. The issue i get is that my cooling system is old and blown-air based, so if i heat my plastic too much i get clogs (i think it doesnt happen with water). This means i can never get it hot and fluid enough to get a good compromise between right filtering and simply obstructing plastic. With HDPE its even more obvious, my filters get destroyed after a few days.

Bizko

hey i know im replying a month later but i just joined and im rewinding time

Im in Brussels and Ive bought two old extruders that were designed to regranulate blown LDPE film. They came without specs/operating manual/schematics of any kind, one of them is 30+ years old, so we had to figure everything out from the start. The oldest (±25kW motor) has a rudimentary filter system built-in. We use it on two purposes: granulation of LDPE packaging collected in partnership with local waste management, and colouration of HDPE to sell somewhat custom colours for our sheets (we get waste masterbatch from local industrials)

are the filters you aree using used on the frames from the oringal machines?

long story short, you need to have a consistent enough feeding to ensure your parameters are fine regarding viscosity and to heat above 200°, which means good cooling as well.

2:38 PM

ya i can send a private picture later

nice id be interested in seeing that pic whenever you feel like sending it

filter changing is much less of a trouble than i thought it would, though our machine is super bulky

also what does your system use for cooling? the normal water trough?

Bizko

filter changing is much less of a trouble than i thought it would, though our machine is super bulky

does the machine have an automated/mechanized filter changer?

2:41 PM

or does it have one of those semi-old manual lever type filter changers?

2:41 PM

if not how do you change the filters?

2:42 PM

and are the machines meant for continuous operation?

its the lever-type, yeah. They were operating continuously i guess since they both came with a custom regulated feeder unrolling coils of LDPE film. (edited)

3:22 PM

oh yeah most importantly, you absolutely need a pressure gauge if you have a filter

3:25 PM

otherwise you're going someday to end up playing with a very low melt index material, your screw is going to shear and heat your material up to 250°, pressure is going to rise up to 150 bar and something bad will happen. In our case, screws got ripped apart and the head went off

nice,the machine sounds quite interesting,hope to see some pics of it

3:34 PM

i hope no one was badly injured?

no theres a metal casing kind of in front of it, got hit badly, but yeah indeed, new safety measure: nobody walks in front of it while its running

Hi! I have a question! I'm wanting to build an injection machine and install it at my school as my project, but I'm struggling finding information of the toxins and fumes this machine will put out. Are these fumes illegal in TN? Does this machine need to be under a fume hood? Any advice would be very much appreciated, thank you!!

Hey potential BETA TESTERS Soo.. we are always developing our community platform (https://community.preciousplastic.com/) . We see this as an important tool for the future of our projects, more about the vision behind that here (https://platform.onearmy.earth/). At the moment we’re adding new features to Precious Plastic community like:

️ Comments

Research module. We could use some help now and in the future for testing new functionalities we develop. Be an early tester, try it out and give us feedback on what is wrong. Kindof exciting to test the newest features, kindof boring to analize and write down what went wrong. But overal, very useful! Anyone interested in joining this beta-tester group? Send me a DM if you are!

I'm looking for someone who can make plastic buckets in Houston, TX. Any size, color, or type of plastic. I just need buckets!

Hi everyone, I am all new and only starting getting my thoughts together on how to start and what to do. A very first question: Can I process the recycled plastic-sheets after the pressing with the same kind of equippment as I would for wood working?

Teresa

Hi everyone, I am all new and only starting getting my thoughts together on how to start and what to do. A very first question: Can I process the recycled plastic-sheets after the pressing with the same kind of equippment as I would for wood working?

yup you should be able to do most woodworking things on plastic

4:49 AM

a few thing to avoid would be- using glues or varnishes as they may contaminate the plastic and make it unrecyclable

4:50 AM

instead for joining pieces of plastic use plastic welding and for smoot surfaces uses only sanding/polishing or use heat for getting a smooth finish

4:51 AM

apart from those almost everything for wood can be done on plastic

11:54 AM

Can someone tell me what kind of plastic is this?

bodzale

Click to see attachment 🖼️

it's made out of Polyolefin... so it can be HDPE, LDPE or PP :p welcome to the plastic-sorting-brain-killer :p

Well, this much I already know, I was looking for a more exact answer....

well if it's not identified, there are very few options to actually know what it is; floating test; spectrometric analysis

Thanks, I guess I will send an email to the manufacturer.

bodzale

Click to see attachment 🖼️

HDPE

4

bodzale

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Polypropylene

4

bodzale

Click to see attachment 🖼️

I made this test like 1000 times, was never wrong for the bottle caps when I was checking the test with the plastic code on it.

very nice test there @Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto ! do you think concerning all the different possible additives present in plastics in general, that we could blindfoldedly use your technique for bottle caps ?

Nick - PP France

very nice test there @Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto ! do you think concerning all the different possible additives present in plastics in general, that we could blindfoldedly use your technique for bottle caps ?

Of course not. But it´s like 95% safe i would say.

3

sponsoons

apart from those almost everything for wood can be done on plastic

Great, thanks for the help!! Much appreciated!

great test !

Great video Thomas

Hello everybody, anyone that knows about the melting point of the polypropylene used in the facemasks and what material is made the elastic that is held by the ears? Thanks

bodzale

Well, this much I already know, I was looking for a more exact answer....

Buy some alcohol. Pour some water in a glass, about half glass, with two known parts one of PP and the other of PEHD. They float. Add slowly alcohol and stir it. At some point, the PEHD will sink, while the PP float. Then add the cap you didn't know the material. If it sinks, it is PEHD, if it float, it is PP.

David2001

Hello everybody, anyone that knows about the melting point of the polypropylene used in the facemasks and what material is made the elastic that is held by the ears? Thanks

If your going to use them I’d remove the elastic band and the metal nose ridge. I’ve melted them in my sheet press at 180 Degrees before . Their is a video on the PP / one army YT channel showing them being processed and made into things.

David2001

Hello everybody, anyone that knows about the melting point of the polypropylene used in the facemasks and what material is made the elastic that is held by the ears? Thanks

https://youtu.be/Y5pkleCwb_Y

How to RECYCLE FACEMASKS #coronavirus

1

Tom - Redo Design

https://youtu.be/Y5pkleCwb_Y

Nice! Thank you Tom

Hi, does anyone here know if there are someone selling moulds for chess pieces? :=)

I am getting a collection/ small shredder+injection molding workspace set up at me uni!! I talked with the school machine shop and the said they'll be able to make both machines!!!!

2

Has anyone tried shredding and pressing or melting vinyl records ? I get offered them a lot but pass them on to a charity. I’ve not as I’ve no idea of the fumes so stick to PP , HDPE & PS

HDPE from injection Vs. HDPE from blow

3:07 AM

Do anyone know what is the different between the 2?

3:08 AM

I tried to melt the hdpe from injection process..mean from bottle cap...it works out quite good

3:10 AM

Tried to melt the hdpe from mold process..mean from hdpe bottle...doesn't work at all...is crispy, it stick with the aluminium plate, it broken when i try to take the piece out and even don't melt properly

3:11 AM

For me is very strange result ....considering that are the same material but from different source ...logically it should not works like this

3:11 AM

i try to find some info on google about it...nothing

3:12 AM

So better ask to this community...I believe some of you has more know-how than google on this matters

3:12 AM

Thanks to all

3:12 AM

What is the best way to create a thermal fabric? Im trying to outfit my cars windows so I can go camping. I’ve seen chip packets, but Im concerned about fusing it to hose/ldpe bags. Also: how to incorporate the right amount of air bubbles to enhance heat? Thnx

Tom - Redo Design

Has anyone tried shredding and pressing or melting vinyl records ? I get offered them a lot but pass them on to a charity. I’ve not as I’ve no idea of the fumes so stick to PP , HDPE & PS

Vinyl record are made from PVC, so...not recommended.

Tao

For me is very strange result ....considering that are the same material but from different source ...logically it should not works like this

Since I'm working on my machine, I have a small experience about melting. I made just two single test on HDPE. I never had any problem, and I mixed material from caps and bottles without any problem. Maybe you cleaned the aluminum plate with something aggresive? At the moment I melted it in the oven with baking paper, but I haven't any problem like the ones you described.

1

I thought as much , thanks Davide. A shame but it seems the fumes are quite bad .

What is the best tool to remove the plastic sprue (knob of plastic left from the hole in the top plate of a 3 layer mould) from the moulded object.

@Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Tao

For me is very strange result ....considering that are the same material but from different source ...logically it should not works like this

I have the same problem. HDPE blow has a significantly different characteristic. It doesn't flow as liquid as HDPE from bottlecaps. I've tried to extrude it and it almost jammed up my machine, definitely overloading my motor. I've tried pressing it into a sheet, it doesn't melt down flat and requires a LOT of persuasion compared to other HDPE. Your options are to avoid it or to mix it with other HDPE but at low quantities so the other HDPE can fill any voids.

Rossland Refactory

What is the best tool to remove the plastic sprue (knob of plastic left from the hole in the top plate of a 3 layer mould) from the moulded object.

For my leftover fill line, I knock it with a hard too, like a wrench or body of a screwdriver. My fill line is about 8mm or so and it always knocks off just fine and usually leaves a small divit in the object which is acceptable. Dont be shy, give it a whack.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I have the same problem. HDPE blow has a significantly different characteristic. It doesn't flow as liquid as HDPE from bottlecaps. I've tried to extrude it and it almost jammed up my machine, definitely overloading my motor. I've tried pressing it into a sheet, it doesn't melt down flat and requires a LOT of persuasion compared to other HDPE. Your options are to avoid it or to mix it with other HDPE but at low quantities so the other HDPE can fill any voids.

Thank you for your feedback.

2:45 AM

I tried many different source of plastic. The real cap scrap and milk bottle scrap works similar, but I try to buy some plastic already recycled as pellet and re-color.

2:47 AM

The pellet one is a disaster!!!...stick very hard to the aluminium plate, is crispy and crack very easy!

2:47 AM

Considering that are both HDPE, I was wonder why one works and the other not

2:49 AM

Maybe when this other company transform the plastic into pellet add some additive..very possible

Hi guys , can someone tell why in the injection starter kit it's not raccomend the use of PS for this process? Ok, i know PP and PE works well for various reason but why not PS? Is It for the fumes? I recently made some compressione sheets and It looks more liquid when melted than hdpe

I have a question, is the collection point/shredder 4.0 workspace completed and if so, where can I find the information for the set up?

Neat Stuff I Stumbled Upon Today: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masterbatch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_additives

Masterbatch

Masterbatch (MB) is a solid additive for plastic used for coloring plastics (color masterbatch) or imparting other properties to plastics (additive masterbatch). A liquid dosage form is called liquid color. Masterbatch is a concentrated mixture of pigments and/or additives encapsulated during a heat process into a carrier resin which is then co...

Biodegradable additives

Biodegradable additives are additives that enhance the biodegradation of polymers by allowing microorganisms to utilize the carbon within the polymer chain as a source of energy. Biodegradable additives attract microorganisms to the polymer through quorum sensing after biofilm creation on the plastic product. Additives are generally in masterbat...

Just getting into injection molding and need to source some pellets for my initial testing

5:24 AM

not ready to recylce local plastics into pellets would like to get there

5:24 AM

Looking for some community recommendations on good places to source HDPE/LDPE

Wild_Inventor

I am getting a collection/ small shredder+injection molding workspace set up at me uni!! I talked with the school machine shop and the said they'll be able to make both machines!!!!

Hi! That's awesome! What advice do you have for someone wanting to do the same thing at their uni?

Andie

Hi! That's awesome! What advice do you have for someone wanting to do the same thing at their uni?

Find people that want to do the same thing. Don't be afraid to reach out and talk about what you want to do and see what their thoughts are on it. Once you find a group that's willing to work with you, start working together to really plan what needs to be done, find a faculty member to support you and form an actual club around the concept or goal. Then really get to networking to find ways to get the stuff you need on campus. Whether that's securing finds to purchase the equipment, or finding ways to use Campus resources to build your own. Also find ways to get the public interest earlier on. I'm not much of a planer, or a social person, so on their earlier days of this project, another member of my team had found the advisor, formed the club, and made public surveys to draw people in. My club isn't just working on a recycling center for the campus, but also a couple other community projects as well, such as a giving tree, a lecture series geared to assist graduate students, and aid for parents that are trying to attend uni as well. But this all started because I pushed my was out of my generally introverted shell to explain what I wanted to do to a friend of mine. So I suggest to he social, and network.

1

Eric Lotze

Neat Stuff I Stumbled Upon Today: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masterbatch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_additives

Wow this is a great find. Awesome work thank you.

Tom - Redo Design

https://youtu.be/Y5pkleCwb_Y

Are all the face masks like this blue or do some have different colors.

I've happened upon many black masks and masks of other colors how do you tell if they're plastic?

Hi I'm doing my masters degree work with focus on the recycling of plastics. But after doing some deeper research into the subject, I'm seriously starting to wonder if I should reconsider my approach. What I mean is that the way we use plastics for single-use is very much unsustainable and tbh kind of catastrophic. Besides that the whole recyclability of plastics is not a potential solution to that problem by far. Plastic recycling has been tried for many years now and it never seems to work that well on a larger scale. A very low percentage is actually recycled where as most ends up in landfills or incinerators. Of what is recycled, most is downgraded so it can only be recycled once. Just 2% is turned into something as good as before. Even the plastic producers deemed recycling as a non-viable option in internal documents many years back now. Although they love nothing more than keeping this misconception/myth/lie alive. That we can recycle our way out of this (Which is impossible) So that we can continue our insane consumption while still feeling okay, "Since it get's recycled". So to my question then: When I'm recycling plastics at home, yes I take care of these materials that would otherwise have been thrown away. Which is definitely a good thing! ...right? However, at the same time... By doing a project like that, I would build upon this misconception and more or less encourage these beliefs in others. Does not that weigh over in a bad way? Are we just fooling ourselves? I'd like to hear your thoughts about this The only way out of this is by legislation, and as long as recycling is the thing we focus on (instead of Reduce & Re-use) I don't think we'll get there. If you don't know what I refer to, there's a bunch of documentaries on youtube about the subject. A short video that sums up some of these issues can be found here https://youtu.be/PJnJ8mK3Q3g There are better ones but they're very long (and depressing)

Climate Town

Plastic Recycling is an Actual Scam | Climate Town

Here's my take i guess:

It's better to recycle than to just burn it all blobcatgooglyshrug

(edited)

10:50 PM

but ofc the entire precious plastic thing shouldn't HAVE to exist

10:50 PM

but it makes sense for it to in our imperfect world (edited)

( Part 1 of 3 (due to the damn charachter limit lol; need dIsCorD nItRo) ) Plastic will always have a niche. They are waterproof, humidity proof, can't decay (which is good in some applications! Park Benches that never rot!, food/medical seals that never leak!), and are often lightweight yet very strong (especially fiber reinforced plastics). Also the medical/scientific industry heavily relies on plastics, so unless we want to go to Dr. Frankenstien esque autoclavable glass syringes + bottles for IVs etc that will exist. Thus i think it is not a question of if plastics will exist, but how we use them + dispose of them I agree 100% that single use plastics are dumb (outside of maybe using an ultra bio-degradable material for things like recycling/compost bags ("trash" bags, but trash is essentially treasure if processed right!) ). I think that is kind of part of the Precious Plastic name, treat them like the precious material they are, not something to be used once and thrown away! Recycling of plastics is complex in that they loose properties over time, thus making direct remelting and reuse in the same application unlikely, at least if done more than twice or something (citation needed for specific numbers here), and if not used in a new+recycled blend. However recyling into a different application, such as low stress structural components/art etc makes a lot of sense! Also nearly all polyester is made from old PET bottled (citation needed but IIRC that is the main feedstock, idk about fresh plastic vs that buy i am digressing) Finally i think the main issue is the overall life cycle of plastics, most come from fossil fuels, and are either litered, effecting the environment directly, ESPECIALLY lost fishing gear ( "ghost nets" ) which can tangle wildlife, and single use bags which look like jellyfish and thus can impact endangered species like sea turtles. The issue of things like straws is a bit overstated (citation needed i guess). ... (edited)

1

(Part 2 of 3) Things like Bio-Crude / Syngas from (sustainable) biomass / refuse derived fuel (rdf) / biomethane (and thus hydrogen/syngas via reforming or pyrolysis), BASED petrochemical ecosystems, rather than fossil fuels negates that argument, and can actually be carbon negative if done right. (ie put the co2 into molecules into plastic products/building materials, heck even throw some bio-charcoal...carbon fiber in there too!). Also disposal processes + general culture are really the key; I think we need to treat a single use water bottle or bag like something as valuable as gold leaf or as dangerous as U^235 when it is thrown away, blows away, floats away, or is spotted as litter, not as a casual happening. Most of the pollution comes from ghost nets ( ~~which is also tied to the ecological hell that is overfishing~~ ), places with poor waste disposal ecosystems, or careless people that go unpunished (either by state authorities, or even just the people around them) ( citation needed here, but iirc this is quite accurate, i'll dig later, maybe for your paper too!, sounds neat) (edited)

1

I wouldn't mind a return to Frankenstein glass vials.

(Part 3 of 3) I think the main solutions are not banning plastics altogether / going after ( petrolium sourced paffarin wax coated paper alternatives, but rather: 1.) Reduce Existing Petrochemical Use as much as possible, as this makes the next steps way easier (somewhat easy given that most refinery products are gasoline (petrol) / kerosene (North America), or diesel fuel (Europe) (i need data on other regions, i think more gasoline + lpg?),) 2.) Convert All Refineries to Algae HTL Biocrude + Syngas Based Workflows as soon as possible, either ban or heavily tax fossil fuels 3.) Replace Refinery Based Stuff With Bio-Refinery (fermenters and whatnot) based stuff ASAP (such as PLA from lactic acid fermenters, mycelium or molded pulp for some packaging, ethanol/methanol for car fuel, not gasoline, etc) 4.) Develop Rep-Rap -able Recycling and Waste Disposal Ecosystems, and deploy them to areas of need 5.) Get a hold of ghost nets and other marine pollution / existing debris (those booms + river screeners may do this + the next step) 6.) Encourage a Precious Plastic (and also Dangerous Plastic ) Culture to prevent litter / overuse in the first place 7.) Back up #6 with State Policy (litter fees, refundable tax / "bounty" for recycling / collected litter respectively 8.) Develop more sustainable usage of plastic, using life cycle assessments (and maybe state enforced requirements/programs along these lines) from "feedstock to final use" (edited)

1

11:15 PM

hope that wasn't a bit too fancy sounding oof, also may be some typos, and i need some backing up for some claims i guess but yee, what do ya think?

doubletrouble

Hi I'm doing my masters degree work with focus on the recycling of plastics. But after doing some deeper research into the subject, I'm seriously starting to wonder if I should reconsider my approach. What I mean is that the way we use plastics for single-use is very much unsustainable and tbh kind of catastrophic. Besides that the whole recyclability of plastics is not a potential solution to that problem by far. Plastic recycling has been tried for many years now and it never seems to work that well on a larger scale. A very low percentage is actually recycled where as most ends up in landfills or incinerators. Of what is recycled, most is downgraded so it can only be recycled once. Just 2% is turned into something as good as before. Even the plastic producers deemed recycling as a non-viable option in internal documents many years back now. Although they love nothing more than keeping this misconception/myth/lie alive. That we can recycle our way out of this (Which is impossible) So that we can continue our insane consumption while still feeling okay, "Since it get's recycled". So to my question then: When I'm recycling plastics at home, yes I take care of these materials that would otherwise have been thrown away. Which is definitely a good thing! ...right? However, at the same time... By doing a project like that, I would build upon this misconception and more or less encourage these beliefs in others. Does not that weigh over in a bad way? Are we just fooling ourselves? I'd like to hear your thoughts about this The only way out of this is by legislation, and as long as recycling is the thing we focus on (instead of Reduce & Re-use) I don't think we'll get there. If you don't know what I refer to, there's a bunch of documentaries on youtube about the subject. A short video that sums up some of these issues can be found here https://youtu.be/PJnJ8mK3Q3g There are better ones but they're very long (and depressing)

Well I see your point, and you definitely know much more on the topic of actually plastic recyclablity, I say to look at the type of products that the precious plastics groups are trying to up cycle the old plastic into. Most of it is into larger, multi use, and reuse products such as furniture and useful house hold items. Even if we are recycling and degrading the strength of the plastic a a certain degree, isn't the fact that it's being repurposed from a single use onto a long term use item Not only that, but if needed you could introduce additives into the melting process of and recasting of plastics. This will restore some of the strength of the material. And while additives are still harmful for the environment as it is still a production if new plastic. It would be in greatly less amounts produced that currently if we had a primary based plastic recycling set up. As far as fooling ourselves, I do agree with you there. Part of precious plastics is to educate and help spread proper understanding of how Plastic is dangerous to the environment, and how people can properly help fix the issue. If we can create a public movement to show and educate people on just how dangerous and pointless the current Plastic situation is we will be able to force political changes. Lobbying government only works under one of two conditions, you have enough money to throw at the government to make things you want heard, which is what oil companies did, or you gather Enough people to join a single cause that there is no way possible for big business or government to ignore or cover things up. As that video mentioned before, the social movements for earth day and such did get the oil companies to take action. But the issue with those old movements is that they were very open ended. A movement that has a very singular and clear goal, to the point where it even has a draft bill of the law the people want passed Is what is really needed to change government. This requires extensive cooperation and communication to create such a situation among such a large group of people. So while we may be perpetuating the false claims of Plastic recycling, we are still treating a problem in the short run, while trying to change mindsets and plastic issues for the long run and more properly as well.

3

Wild_Inventor

Well I see your point, and you definitely know much more on the topic of actually plastic recyclablity, I say to look at the type of products that the precious plastics groups are trying to up cycle the old plastic into. Most of it is into larger, multi use, and reuse products such as furniture and useful house hold items. Even if we are recycling and degrading the strength of the plastic a a certain degree, isn't the fact that it's being repurposed from a single use onto a long term use item Not only that, but if needed you could introduce additives into the melting process of and recasting of plastics. This will restore some of the strength of the material. And while additives are still harmful for the environment as it is still a production if new plastic. It would be in greatly less amounts produced that currently if we had a primary based plastic recycling set up. As far as fooling ourselves, I do agree with you there. Part of precious plastics is to educate and help spread proper understanding of how Plastic is dangerous to the environment, and how people can properly help fix the issue. If we can create a public movement to show and educate people on just how dangerous and pointless the current Plastic situation is we will be able to force political changes. Lobbying government only works under one of two conditions, you have enough money to throw at the government to make things you want heard, which is what oil companies did, or you gather Enough people to join a single cause that there is no way possible for big business or government to ignore or cover things up. As that video mentioned before, the social movements for earth day and such did get the oil companies to take action. But the issue with those old movements is that they were very open ended. A movement that has a very singular and clear goal, to the point where it even has a draft bill of the law the people want passed Is what is really needed to change government. This requires extensive cooperation and communication to create such a situation among such a large group of people. So while we may be perpetuating the false claims of Plastic recycling, we are still treating a problem in the short run, while trying to change mindsets and plastic issues for the long run and more properly as well.

There are other outcomes of the small-scale recycling efforts

Technological innovations are increasingly adopted in small & medium-sized enterprises - as for Open-Source software, history seems now to repeat for hardware.

People around the globe started networking and learning from each other in an unseen manner.

The open-sourced technology and methodology are applicable - with minimal changes - for other materials as food or compound materials. Let's get ready for the next chapters!

That being said, it's not all about plastic recycling. To us, it's about paving the way to a more independent and less wasteful ecosystem. Other than that, we have seen and met quite a few producers who want to recycle and use recyclable materials, let's help them!

3

@Wild_Inventor - There is also the new regulation 'REACH' which eliminates a big chunk of non-recyclable plastic due to identification problems. As a matter of fact, producers already seeking out the community for solutions. https://echa.europa.eu/regulations/reach/understanding-reach

Understanding REACH - ECHA

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Thanks a lot @Eric Lotze @Wild_Inventor @baba yaga for your input and insights! I'll have to take some time to digest your thoughts so I'm sorry if my answer isn't that focused. I like your enthusiasm and hopeful attitude towards this, it's very much needed. Although they're hard to overlook, I might've focused a bit too much into the negatives lately. Which is why your input is very valuable to me personally as well. Replacing refinery-based plastic is a long way out probably since the oil-giants get enormous tax subsidies for building new plants. Just in the US there's 325 new/and/or expanded petrochemical facilities planned and in production between now and 2025. Not taking the rest of the world's production into account, this alone will produce waaaay more plastics than we could ever take care of responsibly. You make a bunch of great points @Eric Lotze I'll definitely look into them closer. I don't believe we can rely entirely on technology itself for solutions but there will definitely be a lot of positive progress in that field. Bio-based alternatives might definitely become a viable alternative in the future. I haven't researched algae HTL and pyrolysis a lot yet but I find those concepts sounding promising initially.

1:53 PM

The oil companies put inconceivable amounts of money into lobbying. Even into recycling campaigns (greenwashing) to shift the focus of the public. Versus that, I feel a bit skeptical about our ability to make a difference. David vs goliath is nothing new of course, but we have become so dependent on these materials that we have a hard time accepting alternative materials since they are unfortunately inferior in many aspects. I've worked with both mycelium and bio-plastics in earlier projects and I love them, especially mycelium. They're amazing materials but still they can't compete with plastics in a lot of uses. I guess because they are bio-degradable they are sensitive to moisture or microorganisms and so on. I completely get that I may sound like a hater of plastics, but that's not entirely true. They are amazing and has enabled a lot of advances in many fields. I completely agree that it's the mentality that is wrong here. The whole use once and dispose philosophy that has taken root in our cultures. The convenience we get out of it and have learned to rely on definitely has its cost. We just don't see it. We sort and throw our stuff in bins (hopefully) then it just magically disappears. The issue with that is that it's a very low value mix of waste that often ends up on the other side of the planet in countries that have no way to even take care of their waste. It's a corrupt system that's eating away at our ecological system.

1:53 PM

If nothing changes on a larger scale, plastics will just continue to become even cheaper to produce, especially because of the subsidies they get. Which will make it even less economically viable to either recycle or put resources into finding alternatives. I totally agree that we need a movement with a focused and clear goal if we are to make a difference. Personally I think Reduce & Re-use is the main way we must go and that the concept of Recycling itself has been enabling this behaviour. There are no definitive answers and viable solutions to this atm. The whole recycling business is something of a gray area. It has benefits for sure but also its downsides. It's very interesting to hear your thoughts about it.

1

https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2020/07/23/breaking-the-plastic-wave-top-findings Research findings on the worlds current linear economy

Breaking the Plastic Wave: Top Findings for Preventing Plastic Poll...

Plastic has become ubiquitous on store shelves and in our homes. From wrapped food and disposable bottles to microbeads in body washes, it’s used widely as packaging or in products because it’s versatile, cheap, and convenient. But this convenience comes with a price.

1

4:45 PM

https://open.sap.com/courses/ce1 Free course that started this week 10/4/2021 “Helping Business Thrive in a Circular Economy”

Helping Business Thrive in a Circular Economy

Join this free online course to learn about the advantages of an inclusive circular economy. Discover how a circular economy can help us tackle the impact the linear economy is having on the planet, people, and modern businesses.

Mostly the blue ones but ones of that design are yes.

Hello everyone!! Does anybody knows how many revolutions the extrusion pro must work or can work at?? Thank you very much for your help!!

Anyone have a recommendation to aquire Pom Pelletes sustainably

Hi my name is Delight and am from Afrika, Zambia to be precise. Looking to learn more about recycling. We have a waste management system that I feel could be helped to stop plastic pollution and turn it into Precious Plastics. The worst part is that our system is mixed up, that is Bio Waste and Recyclable materials in one lot taken to a dump site with the hope of burying the rubble after the site fills up. Was really happy when I saw the video by Dave. Kudus and please help me learn more as we desperately need to do this here. Message #just-chatting

2

1

hi everyone! i’m new to the discord! i run a 3d printing farm in illinois, USA and i’m trying to figure out how to recycle our PLA scraps. has anyone been successful recycling PLA?

1

I believe the people at vedette makes might have. They are part of this community, and are based in valperaso Indiana. Maybe try reaching out to them

I have access to a lot of uhmw chips at work and was wondering if it was very useful for injection molding or such.

11:55 PM

Thought about making or buying an injection machine but not sure what i would do with it.

UHMW is not easy to work with

7:41 AM

especially with injection molding

Im having a hard time finding a place to source POM plastic in pellet form

9:07 AM

its cheap enough from china but ton of money to freight

9:07 AM

and the shippings going to take forever

9:07 AM

im probably going to see what Airsoft pellets work like, there abs

Kabael

im probably going to see what Airsoft pellets work like, there abs

try hdpe instead then?

10:52 AM

it very easily available in whatever form you want and is much closer to to POM than abs

10:55 AM

since delrin is quite hard to find at decent rates in pellet form,hdpe is the best alternative

10:55 AM

its cheap and can be found wherever you are and in whatever form

10:55 AM

cuz whatever you can do well POM you can half-ass with hdpe

10:56 AM

esp if you need it for cheap bushings and stuff

which of the PP machine good for melting PET

How to tell if it’s HDPE or LDPE? I have some unlabeled bags

I’ve been offered some cheap granulated PS that got some light paper contamination. Anyone know of a way to get this out ?

I believe the typical method is some form of air sorting? using the different densities in a fan to split them.

1

you could use cyclonic separation (mixed particle is pushed by air/water into a vessel where heavier particles settle & lighter ones continue on to an exit valve) ... basically a cone/cylinder shaped vessel where inlet is pointed at the wall & outlet is typically out the center at the top... https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/ae852734819923.56060d1627d53.png

2

Tom - Redo Design

I’ve been offered some cheap granulated PS that got some light paper contamination. Anyone know of a way to get this out ?

just try water?

1

sponsoons

just try water?

I’ll see if I can get a sample and try but there’s about 650kg of it

"husk aspirator"

8:40 AM

is one name for machines that do that

1

8:40 AM

I think?

8:41 AM

WINNOWING

8:41 AM

THAT'S THE WORD

doubletrouble

Hi I'm doing my masters degree work with focus on the recycling of plastics. But after doing some deeper research into the subject, I'm seriously starting to wonder if I should reconsider my approach. What I mean is that the way we use plastics for single-use is very much unsustainable and tbh kind of catastrophic. Besides that the whole recyclability of plastics is not a potential solution to that problem by far. Plastic recycling has been tried for many years now and it never seems to work that well on a larger scale. A very low percentage is actually recycled where as most ends up in landfills or incinerators. Of what is recycled, most is downgraded so it can only be recycled once. Just 2% is turned into something as good as before. Even the plastic producers deemed recycling as a non-viable option in internal documents many years back now. Although they love nothing more than keeping this misconception/myth/lie alive. That we can recycle our way out of this (Which is impossible) So that we can continue our insane consumption while still feeling okay, "Since it get's recycled". So to my question then: When I'm recycling plastics at home, yes I take care of these materials that would otherwise have been thrown away. Which is definitely a good thing! ...right? However, at the same time... By doing a project like that, I would build upon this misconception and more or less encourage these beliefs in others. Does not that weigh over in a bad way? Are we just fooling ourselves? I'd like to hear your thoughts about this The only way out of this is by legislation, and as long as recycling is the thing we focus on (instead of Reduce & Re-use) I don't think we'll get there. If you don't know what I refer to, there's a bunch of documentaries on youtube about the subject. A short video that sums up some of these issues can be found here https://youtu.be/PJnJ8mK3Q3g There are better ones but they're very long (and depressing)

I do not think that we are fooling ourselves by pushing recycling. Yes, recycling was a scam at the beginning to silence and hush people standing up to single use plastics, but challenges are being solved every year -- and these scams were a few decades ago. In the video he does applaud recyclers that are on the frontier of this technology. For example, I recently toured a plastic reprocessing facility that is employing robots and artificial intelligence to sort plastics by type very quickly. About ~10% of the incoming recyclables is tossed into the landfill -- that is very low amounts! (edited)

doubletrouble

Hi I'm doing my masters degree work with focus on the recycling of plastics. But after doing some deeper research into the subject, I'm seriously starting to wonder if I should reconsider my approach. What I mean is that the way we use plastics for single-use is very much unsustainable and tbh kind of catastrophic. Besides that the whole recyclability of plastics is not a potential solution to that problem by far. Plastic recycling has been tried for many years now and it never seems to work that well on a larger scale. A very low percentage is actually recycled where as most ends up in landfills or incinerators. Of what is recycled, most is downgraded so it can only be recycled once. Just 2% is turned into something as good as before. Even the plastic producers deemed recycling as a non-viable option in internal documents many years back now. Although they love nothing more than keeping this misconception/myth/lie alive. That we can recycle our way out of this (Which is impossible) So that we can continue our insane consumption while still feeling okay, "Since it get's recycled". So to my question then: When I'm recycling plastics at home, yes I take care of these materials that would otherwise have been thrown away. Which is definitely a good thing! ...right? However, at the same time... By doing a project like that, I would build upon this misconception and more or less encourage these beliefs in others. Does not that weigh over in a bad way? Are we just fooling ourselves? I'd like to hear your thoughts about this The only way out of this is by legislation, and as long as recycling is the thing we focus on (instead of Reduce & Re-use) I don't think we'll get there. If you don't know what I refer to, there's a bunch of documentaries on youtube about the subject. A short video that sums up some of these issues can be found here https://youtu.be/PJnJ8mK3Q3g There are better ones but they're very long (and depressing)

yall would also be surprised by the sheer amount of material that is recycled every day but not counted as recycled

7:13 PM

since those numbers never made it into the tally

7:14 PM

if you ever used the cheap plastic products theres a very good chance that they were recycled but not marked as such since most industries believe recycled to of lower quality

7:17 PM

the other thing is a lot of people wont say they use 'recycled' plastic, to them and others they wont have used recycled plastic, they'll have used 'scrap' plastic which while essentially being the same is thought of much differently

7:18 PM

and since using scrap or used materials in your products have such negative connotations, nobody will say they've used it or in a lot of cases they'll actively try to hide it

I can say that from a machining perspective I hate working with recycled plastic. It leaves a significantly worse finish.

on ground most 'recycling' is just individual guys picking up bits and trash and dropping them of at scrap sellers for a bit of beer change

Birdman3131

I can say that from a machining perspective I hate working with recycled plastic. It leaves a significantly worse finish.

yup,thats the thing most plastic is quite hard to recycle without losing quality

7:23 PM

esp when recycling products in most if not all cases you are losing a fair bit of quality, which means you need to put in more effort to achieve a similar quality,this is one of the main reasons you dont see affordable, quality products that use or claim to use recycled materials,esp plastic

I will say I wish 3D printing was as reliable as machined plastic but it's not. I waste a lot of plastic making timing screws.

Birdman3131

I will say I wish 3D printing was as reliable as machined plastic but it's not. I waste a lot of plastic making timing screws.

yup,screws is something i really want to make out of plastic too, but sadly it takes too much effort and resources to get them to accurately injection mold at home and its too wasteful to machine

7:25 PM

and if i cant make plastic screws and parts cheaply and quickly the cons start to highly out weigh the cons

I work at a machine shop that does handling parts for the bottling industry I don't do most of the machining but the timing screws is the one thing I do make.

7:27 PM

But all of ours are one offs so there would be no way you could injection mold them. In theory 3D printing could be made to work but we have to build a big enough 3D printer to do like a 36-48-in screw. And these are not being sold to small people but big corporations that are going to want to see a nice polished product. So layer lines are an issue as well as durability.

Birdman3131

But all of ours are one offs so there would be no way you could injection mold them. In theory 3D printing could be made to work but we have to build a big enough 3D printer to do like a 36-48-in screw. And these are not being sold to small people but big corporations that are going to want to see a nice polished product. So layer lines are an issue as well as durability.

also as far as 3d printing is concerned big, accurate, quick and remotely not costly are qualities which dont seem to be combining any time soon

7:31 PM

something which is really want to try is injection molding recycled hdpe bushings and bearings

7:32 PM

esp the 'igus linear' type

7:32 PM

since they are commonly made and well known as a good, functional and mainly durable design even when made out of other plastics

7:33 PM

but for me the main motivator for trying this would be the cost and ease

7:34 PM

because if i could make them even at slow speeds like a 10 or so an hour and make them not too costly its still a huge advantage

7:34 PM

the pipe dream for me is combing this with 3d printed injection molds

7:35 PM

since it would be literal dreams come true

sponsoons

on ground most 'recycling' is just individual guys picking up bits and trash and dropping them of at scrap sellers for a bit of beer change

or a few kids in slums walking though dumps and picking up trash on their way to school before dropping it of at a scrap merchant for a bit of snack or food money

7:37 PM

on ground the way most of the scrap and recycling industry operates is very ugly,

7:38 PM

but atleast some dent is better than nothing

7:40 PM

like the reason its so hard to include numbers and figures from scrap into recyling figures is that the whole scrap business is horrible to those in it and what it affects as well as the fact that most if not all scrapping is a very unofficial and of the books kind of business which is never going to tell you anything

7:42 PM

so regardless of how much plastic and materials are recycled and reused its hard to quantify and officialize it because there are no concrete or recognized sources and nobody plans on telling you anything you can write down either

7:44 PM

which means most recycled and reused materials are just quietly put into other products or used for making low end products, the kind most of us would never see let alone buy

7:45 PM

and while there's a slight bit of people convincing business owners to remarket their products as recycled instead of saying they use scrap, that number is minute and and it rarely makes a dent or even a scratch

7:47 PM

the other thing is there's still strong barriers to the recycling field as well as strong stigmas attached to it, which means that the educated and those who could actually do something rarely can go into it

7:50 PM

THE MAIN THING IS STILL THE SAME IN ALL RECYLING, i.e. ITS A CATCH-22 ,NOBODY STARTS A BUISNES OR GOES INTO THAT FEILD BECUASE THERES NO GOOD SOURCES FOR RAW MATERIALS AND NOBODY STARTS GOOD SOURCES FOR MATERIAL BECUSE THERES NOT MUCH DEMAND

7:52 PM

the other thing is the kind of people who'd like to go into sustainable recycling are also the ones who have morals and ethics which means it near impossible to go into that field even if your intentions and ideas are good

sponsoons

THE MAIN THING IS STILL THE SAME IN ALL RECYLING, i.e. ITS A CATCH-22 ,NOBODY STARTS A BUISNES OR GOES INTO THAT FEILD BECUASE THERES NO GOOD SOURCES FOR RAW MATERIALS AND NOBODY STARTS GOOD SOURCES FOR MATERIAL BECUSE THERES NOT MUCH DEMAND

and even with automation and the bar for entry into this field being lowered the problems still exist

7:53 PM

and sadly they dont look like theyre going away any time soon

doubletrouble

Hi I'm doing my masters degree work with focus on the recycling of plastics. But after doing some deeper research into the subject, I'm seriously starting to wonder if I should reconsider my approach. What I mean is that the way we use plastics for single-use is very much unsustainable and tbh kind of catastrophic. Besides that the whole recyclability of plastics is not a potential solution to that problem by far. Plastic recycling has been tried for many years now and it never seems to work that well on a larger scale. A very low percentage is actually recycled where as most ends up in landfills or incinerators. Of what is recycled, most is downgraded so it can only be recycled once. Just 2% is turned into something as good as before. Even the plastic producers deemed recycling as a non-viable option in internal documents many years back now. Although they love nothing more than keeping this misconception/myth/lie alive. That we can recycle our way out of this (Which is impossible) So that we can continue our insane consumption while still feeling okay, "Since it get's recycled". So to my question then: When I'm recycling plastics at home, yes I take care of these materials that would otherwise have been thrown away. Which is definitely a good thing! ...right? However, at the same time... By doing a project like that, I would build upon this misconception and more or less encourage these beliefs in others. Does not that weigh over in a bad way? Are we just fooling ourselves? I'd like to hear your thoughts about this The only way out of this is by legislation, and as long as recycling is the thing we focus on (instead of Reduce & Re-use) I don't think we'll get there. If you don't know what I refer to, there's a bunch of documentaries on youtube about the subject. A short video that sums up some of these issues can be found here https://youtu.be/PJnJ8mK3Q3g There are better ones but they're very long (and depressing)

the main and other thing is that 'single use' on ground doesn't actually mean single use it just mostly means you cant recycle it without losing quality and qualities of that material

7:59 PM

a shocking amount of single use materials actually make it back into the chain

and into products which are supposed to contain only virgin

8:09 PM

the other thing is that a lot of the alternatives that would even allow us to remotely move away or reduce are dependence on plastics are still locked away or hard to do any work on

8:10 PM

and its much simpler to recycle and reuse than it is to try and change legislation or to try and move against trillion dollar lobbies and industries as well as easier that trying to change social beliefs

8:11 PM

and even algae which is now accepted and actually getting funding and support still has a long way to go

8:12 PM

and there's also a incomprehensible amount of other reasons and problems im not qualified to discuss and/or explain

8:13 PM

but to answer the question asked,ethically and morally its better to recycle than it is to not do that

1

8:14 PM

most if not all of these (very few) movements along with their main casue are also developing and bringing attention to other problems and solutions resulting in a lot of good things

8:14 PM

in most cases outweighing the possible cons

8:14 PM

of it

8:16 PM

and even if most of these movements dont affect and help their main goal or cause they are still helping and inspiring many others

hey all

10:15 AM

talking of the plastic waste problem around the world, has anyone talked about the 46-50% of all plastic waste found, is actually found in the oceans from fishing nets?

1

10:16 AM

how come no-one is talking about the fishing net waste found in the ocean garbage patches??

10:17 AM

Quoted from: https://www.seashepherdglobal.org/latest-news/marine-debris-plastic-fishing-gear/ "Approximately 46% of the 79 thousand tons of ocean plastic in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is made up of fishing nets, some as large as football fields, according to the study published in March 2018 in Scientific Reports, which shocked the researchers themselves who expected the percentage to be closer to 20%. "

The Most Dangerous Single Source of Ocean Plastic No One Wants to T...

Despite what most people think, common consumer plastics like cotton ear buds, throwaway cutlery, and shampoo bottles aren’t actually the biggest culprits. The single biggest single source of plastic choking out the life in our oceans is made up of purposefully or accidentally lost, discarded, or abandoned fishing nets, ropes, FADs (fish aggrega...

10:19 AM

so to me i think we also need to tackle the problem of fishing industry and actually think about "bycatch" and over-fishing is the oceans is much more worse than anyone tells...

QuakerOates

talking of the plastic waste problem around the world, has anyone talked about the 46-50% of all plastic waste found, is actually found in the oceans from fishing nets?

it is mainly big companies shirking their responsibility and blaming it onto individuals

11:25 AM

https://direct.mit.edu/glep/article/1/3/31/14114/Individualization-Plant-a-Tree-Buy-a-Bike-Save-the

11:27 AM

heres the pdf for the paper (edited)

11:28 AM

shorturl.at/pDNS4

11:29 AM

https://envhumanities.sites.gettysburg.edu/es225b-spring19/individualization-of-responsibility/individualization-of-responsibility/#:~:text=Individualization%20of%20responsibility%20involves%20taking,putting%20in%20into%20individual%20consumers.&text=The%20first%20step%20in%20the,then%20citizens%20(Maniates%2034).

11:29 AM

another random article on the topic

@sponsoons all good sources of info, thanks for sharing!

if you want to look even deeper into it look up 'Individualization of Responsibility'

1

QuakerOates

@sponsoons all good sources of info, thanks for sharing!

https://bit.ly/3lsfUnZ

11:35 AM

sorry, here's the pdf for the paper, I couldn't get discord to recognize the link

sponsoons

https://bit.ly/3lsfUnZ

Your session has timed out. Please go back to the article page and click the PDF link again.

7:52 PM

was out for a while so missed the link

Hello

8:19 PM

What machine shreds plastic bottles well?

QuakerOates

Your session has timed out. Please go back to the article page and click the PDF link again.

https://direct.mit.edu/glep/article-pdf/1/3/31/1816763/152638001316881395.pdf

5:33 AM

this should work,otherwise go into this article and click on the pdf https://direct.mit.edu/glep/article/1/3/31/14114/Individualization-Plant-a-Tree-Buy-a-Bike-Save-the

doubletrouble

Hi I'm doing my masters degree work with focus on the recycling of plastics. But after doing some deeper research into the subject, I'm seriously starting to wonder if I should reconsider my approach. What I mean is that the way we use plastics for single-use is very much unsustainable and tbh kind of catastrophic. Besides that the whole recyclability of plastics is not a potential solution to that problem by far. Plastic recycling has been tried for many years now and it never seems to work that well on a larger scale. A very low percentage is actually recycled where as most ends up in landfills or incinerators. Of what is recycled, most is downgraded so it can only be recycled once. Just 2% is turned into something as good as before. Even the plastic producers deemed recycling as a non-viable option in internal documents many years back now. Although they love nothing more than keeping this misconception/myth/lie alive. That we can recycle our way out of this (Which is impossible) So that we can continue our insane consumption while still feeling okay, "Since it get's recycled". So to my question then: When I'm recycling plastics at home, yes I take care of these materials that would otherwise have been thrown away. Which is definitely a good thing! ...right? However, at the same time... By doing a project like that, I would build upon this misconception and more or less encourage these beliefs in others. Does not that weigh over in a bad way? Are we just fooling ourselves? I'd like to hear your thoughts about this The only way out of this is by legislation, and as long as recycling is the thing we focus on (instead of Reduce & Re-use) I don't think we'll get there. If you don't know what I refer to, there's a bunch of documentaries on youtube about the subject. A short video that sums up some of these issues can be found here https://youtu.be/PJnJ8mK3Q3g There are better ones but they're very long (and depressing)

If you go to a grocery store, look at everything packaged with plastic. It's such a huge industry. You're going to have to change the way everything is done by either not using material in the same way or replacing the material with something that's not an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Recycling plastic is crap. What we do is okay, but it's just a Band-Aid that helps us limp along. We already have some solutions to dealing with plastic waste, but so long as the plastic waste pile keeps growing, we haven't solved the problem. I like to joke and say, without humans there is no garbage. All we have done so far is treat the symptoms, not solve the problem.

3

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you go to a grocery store, look at everything packaged with plastic. It's such a huge industry. You're going to have to change the way everything is done by either not using material in the same way or replacing the material with something that's not an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Recycling plastic is crap. What we do is okay, but it's just a Band-Aid that helps us limp along. We already have some solutions to dealing with plastic waste, but so long as the plastic waste pile keeps growing, we haven't solved the problem. I like to joke and say, without humans there is no garbage. All we have done so far is treat the symptoms, not solve the problem.

I prefer to think that we're using or opting-in a 'new' material in abundance to make new things, instead of 'plastic recycling'. This helps better to focus on the outcome. I buy the guilt based arguments but it doesn't taste as good as the new craft created

Not "precious "per se, but some guy working with notoriously difficult to recycle plastic film and bags is hosting a workshop on creating structures and sculptures . https://www.facebook.com/events/1834517570067581/ next week

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1

taborn

What machine shreds plastic bottles well?

Plastic drinking bottles are usually made from PET which doesn't cooperate well with the precious plastic machines.

https://youtu.be/gT5Xld8j5Vw

mr3dprint

#4 Heat and motion control board - Details of free filament produc...

@everyone hey guys, has anyone tried manufacturing recycled roof tiles, if yes how was your experience and how did product perform

https://contest.techbriefs.com/2021/entries/sustainable-technologies-future-energy/11344

Self Destructing Plastics via Embedded Enzymes

The Create the Future Design Contest was launched in 2002 by the publishers of NASA Tech Briefs magazine to help stimulate and reward engineering innovation. The annual event has attracted more than 8,000 product design ideas from engineers, entrepreneurs, and students worldwide.

has anybody experimented with complaint mechanisms made out of recycled plastic?

Delight Chitangi

Hi my name is Delight and am from Afrika, Zambia to be precise. Looking to learn more about recycling. We have a waste management system that I feel could be helped to stop plastic pollution and turn it into Precious Plastics. The worst part is that our system is mixed up, that is Bio Waste and Recyclable materials in one lot taken to a dump site with the hope of burying the rubble after the site fills up. Was really happy when I saw the video by Dave. Kudus and please help me learn more as we desperately need to do this here. Message #just-chatting

That use case of a mixed waste workflow / just making a waste managment system in an area for everything in an area, not just plastics is really interesting to me! I don't have a pile of time due to being in school recently, but i'd love to discuss + plot on this!

sponsoons

try hdpe instead then?

I may have missed something, but what is the use case / reason for POM plastic, the low friction, or what? (edited)

PP Nigeria

which of the PP machine good for melting PET

I may be misunderstanding your question, so sorry in advance if i do that; i don't want to seem like a "know it all" or something missing the point, but I think the main thing to make PET work well in Precious Plastic machines is to make sure it is very dry, and the area in which it is stored + processed is also quite dry. I think i may have made a wiki page or something on this (although it doesn't have too much tested information in it, just thoughts of mine so it may be more valuable if someone else already has a workflow to use that than my "on paper" only one, and i'd love to hear about it (edited)

judiee

hi everyone! i’m new to the discord! i run a 3d printing farm in illinois, USA and i’m trying to figure out how to recycle our PLA scraps. has anyone been successful recycling PLA?

I guess if not many people have replied yet the answer is probably no, BUT IIRC, a large majority of municipal solid waste (MSW) (ie trash), or source seperated recycling is NOT PLA (I can grab the data, i think i made a wiki page on it, but yeah) So i guess if people are using "trash" and whatnot, as i think (i'd love to hear from people who are doing what i am rambling on about) they shouldn't encounter much PLA, and thus not have much data on how to deal with it? But yeah people doing 3d printing like you have it so it is definetly a huge use case there

2:34 AM

I would guess it would work well?

2:34 AM

If you mean specifically the FDM Filament Making aspect, that may be better suited for #archived-3d-printing , but it is doable

Falcon

is one name for machines that do that

I think "air classifier" might be the snobby term for Solid Waste sorting and whatnot (~~although now you have me wanting an open source winnower and/or combine harvester~~)

2:43 AM

i don't get how they work though?

2:45 AM

I've seen the demonstration with the ping pong ball floating in air, and a heavier thing in another speed and whatnot, and seen those cyclonic separators from wood shop sawdust in a central duct based sawdust collection system, but how they work for separating multiple solids is odd to me!

how much an object moves is a function of its weight and surface area, if you want to separate the small particulates from plastic , they have a much higher surface area:weight ratio so they get blown further away compared to the larger heavier pieces.

Eric Lotze

That use case of a mixed waste workflow / just making a waste managment system in an area for everything in an area, not just plastics is really interesting to me! I don't have a pile of time due to being in school recently, but i'd love to discuss + plot on this!

Hi Eric and thanks for the comment. Am open to discussion, thanks check your inbox shared some thoughts there.

Hi! I have a client that needs to shred pvc sails/sheets. What machine would work for this?

1:12 PM

hello good day. https://cutt.ly/starterkit-extrusion is this website already down? i cant access it

noAim

hello good day. https://cutt.ly/starterkit-extrusion is this website already down? i cant access it

i just clicked it and it launches the download for the extrusion kit in .rar format

Nick - PP France

i just clicked it and it launches the download for the extrusion kit in .rar format

It says that the server is down.

noAim

It says that the server is down.

hmmm weird; where are you located ?

Nick - PP France

hmmm weird; where are you located ?

Im from the philippines. I tried also using vpn but sadly i still cant access it

@Butte (PP Philippines) would you mind checking if the link works on your side ?

noAim

Im from the philippines. I tried also using vpn but sadly i still cant access it

does this one work ? https://github.com/ONEARMY/precious-plastic-starterkit-extrusion/releases/download/V1.1/starterkit-extrusion.zip

Nick - PP France

does this one work ? https://github.com/ONEARMY/precious-plastic-starterkit-extrusion/releases/download/V1.1/starterkit-extrusion.zip

thank you for the alternative link. i can already download it

1

Nick - PP France

@Butte (PP Philippines) would you mind checking if the link works on your side ?

That short url doesnt work for me too

Has anyone recycled rubber before?

Eric Lotze

I may have missed something, but what is the use case / reason for POM plastic, the low friction, or what? (edited)

low friction generally meaning it can me used for bushings and other things requiring low friction

George.PPSA

Hi! I have a client that needs to shred pvc sails/sheets. What machine would work for this?

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/897877404750606376

6:15 AM

look at this,if im not mistaken both of these materials are fairly similar

Uplifted

Has anyone recycled rubber before?

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/895865216955473960

6:17 AM

look at this

6:18 AM

rubber at home cant really be 'recycled' but it can definitely be reused

6:21 AM

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/895912772964065322

6:22 AM

scroll down on both these messages and thats pretty much all that is possible with rubber without huge machinery and investments

6:22 AM

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/898787599311863898

6:22 AM

also this

@sponsoons awesome thank you so much!

Hey @Butte (PP Philippines) good day. Im just wandering if certain parts of the extrusion machine available here in the philippines like the screw?

Also tires can make great soles for shoes/boots !

3:14 AM

Supposedly good roof shingles too, potentially with a fully waterproof under-layer made of a sheet of those "capri-sun" juice pouches?

3:15 AM

But yeah Latex (Natural Rubber) is a thermoset, and most use cases are also "vulcanized" (have sulfur added, which makes them stronger, but even more "set" if i remember correctly)

Some Helpful Link Spam: Basic Background Stuff (If you haven't found it already!) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latex / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rubber https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcanization https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_recycling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_technology (This section of the general category (which i would recommend reading as well) needs some more contributions ,as it is kind of barren, for now at least. ) (I think i had some links related to this somewhere, i can dig if need be)

3:25 AM

Some on-wiki Plotting of mine on that roofing material idea, feel free to contribute! : Waterproof Underlayer: https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Liquid_Packaging_Board_Scrap_Derived_Sheet Tire Derived Shingles: (need to make the specific page, see "Derivative Products" subsection of this page) https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Vulcanized_Rubber_Tires

Eric Lotze

But yeah Latex (Natural Rubber) is a thermoset, and most use cases are also "vulcanized" (have sulfur added, which makes them stronger, but even more "set" if i remember correctly)

yes,a big part of rubber recycling or reprocessing is desulfurization,or using a 'delinker compund' both of which do pretty much the same thing

7:21 AM

unfortunately i haven't been able to find a lot of info on the composition of either

7:22 AM

however if you have the time, a search for rubber reprocessing or rubber recycling will give you lots of information on the topic

7:22 AM

and theres even a few videos which explain the chemical reactions behind the two processes

7:23 AM

but the simplest,failry common and cheapest use of rubber is to granulate or shred it and then mix it with some binder

7:28 AM

this gives you this rubber paste or sludge that can be pressed into loose shapes, its often used in making things like rubber floor mats, bushings and 'chair bushing or protective bushing'-[the kind used to stop furniture from scratching and scuffing the floor] ,basically this mix of rubber powder/granulate is often used to make cheap low quality products

7:28 AM

@Uplifted this ^ too ^

also another very popular use for espescially inner tubes is puching out circles to be sold as tire/tube patches,they are also used for patching a huge amount of other leaks and are very in demand

7:46 AM

in fact that's what most of the smaller/cheaper tire places do with their inner tubes when they can no longer be repaired , they make it into patches

7:48 AM

since the machine to do that is very simple, in most cases its just a metal pipe with one end sharpened and using a hammer you can easily and quickly cut circles out of tubes, the better setups are a similar die attached to a arbor press or screw press as they give more consistent results, are faster and easier to use

sponsoons

also another very popular use for espescially inner tubes is puching out circles to be sold as tire/tube patches,they are also used for patching a huge amount of other leaks and are very in demand

a lot of the cycling and kayaking/boating(those who have inflatable boats) enthusiasts do this since they often need to patch things up and patches can get expensive quite quickly

7:51 AM

so the most common way of recycling rubber when it can no longer be repaired is to punch out shapes from it, these shapes will then become gaskets, seals bushing, patches etc.

7:52 AM

so if youre trying to make something out of tubes at home, get a couple leathers punches and cookie cutter and just use a hammer or jack to press/punch or cut out shapes and parts

7:54 AM

the Wikipedia pages gives much wider but more complicated uses for old tires https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_recycling

Can i use injection machine to build a beam?

sponsoons

but the simplest,failry common and cheapest use of rubber is to granulate or shred it and then mix it with some binder

I think "crumb rubber" was the term right, for those things at playgrounds or swimming pools? (That or the more boring application of adding it to asphalt concrete for rubberized asphalt)

sponsoons

yes,a big part of rubber recycling or reprocessing is desulfurization,or using a 'delinker compund' both of which do pretty much the same thing

I'll have to look into that! I thought it was irreversible, so that's good to hear at least! (edited)

Hey everyone, have we captured some good methods and temp settings for PET material melting? We are trying to build a corrugated tray for a Precious Plastic member and are currently using a form tool. We are forming warm and in a press using partial regring PETG purchase sheet 1.5mm thick to 3mm. The samples show that the process works but we want to use recycled PET bottles etc. What info can you assist with or point to in terms of captured info for making sheets from PET G shredded flakes? @Akil has a cool product for an organic bio box that he would like to use this tray for and we want to help him. Any suggestions/info is appreciated. (edited)

1

10:37 PM

10:41 PM

Here is the 3d printed sample and PETG corner, we since formed a full sheet it is pretty sturdy and very uniform in terms of shape, any suggestions are appreciated. (edited)

Eric Lotze

I think "crumb rubber" was the term right, for those things at playgrounds or swimming pools? (That or the more boring application of adding it to asphalt concrete for rubberized asphalt)

yes,crumb rubber is correct

4:15 AM

however this is a bit different,to be able to mold it and for it to work properly they make the rubber into a very fine powder and use a different binder from that used in crumb rubber

noAim

Hey @Butte (PP Philippines) good day. Im just wandering if certain parts of the extrusion machine available here in the philippines like the screw?

I have one v3 schrew in stock and the v4 pro extrusion screw takes me about 3 weeks

Not precious,per se. But we are working on a technique to fuse plastic film and bag waste into structures and sculptures with hot sand. pete abrams is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: October Plasticrete workshop Time: Oct 20, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4826998273?pwd=ZEFXTWxaUFVEN1ZzUXlGUUVNc1ovUT09 Meeting ID: 482 699 8273 Passcode: Enter 31 Church ave Brooklyn 11218 3-5 pm

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as ex...

I made an instructables entry to show how I powered my shredder using a 3 phase induction motor powered by a VFD from 120v residential power: https://www.instructables.com/Plastic-Shredder-Cart/

Plastic Shredder Cart

Plastic Shredder Cart : I made a plastic Shredder for PP (#5 on the following arrows) and HDPE (#2 on the following arrows)

hello friends does anyone here specifically specialized with making moulders?

Hi there, does anyone have any experience with recycling pvc? It says on the pp website to stay away from it, didn’t find much further info. We have a local library which exchanges all their member cards which is made from pvc and they asked us if we can recycle it. We‘re wondering if it’s possible using extraction hoods, ventilation and gas masks when melting it or if it is not worth it… (edited)

Nikolalelu

Hi there, does anyone have any experience with recycling pvc? It says on the pp website to stay away from it, didn’t find much further info. We have a local library which exchanges all their member cards which is made from pvc and they asked us if we can recycle it. We‘re wondering if it’s possible using extraction hoods, ventilation and gas masks when melting it or if it is not worth it… (edited)

just search 'pvc on this server,itll give you the 101 reason not to try melting pvc at home and maybe what to do instead

Nikolalelu

Hi there, does anyone have any experience with recycling pvc? It says on the pp website to stay away from it, didn’t find much further info. We have a local library which exchanges all their member cards which is made from pvc and they asked us if we can recycle it. We‘re wondering if it’s possible using extraction hoods, ventilation and gas masks when melting it or if it is not worth it… (edited)

as for using all that ppe and safety stuff it better not to risk it

2:14 PM

instead try punching out cute/userful things from those card

sponsoons

as for using all that ppe and safety stuff it better not to risk it

Ok, thank you

Nikolalelu

Ok, thank you

or lasercutting shapes and parts out of those cards

2:15 PM

while CNC'ing it is best as theres no chance of much fumes being released,lasercutting should reduce it to near nothing

2:17 PM

still cnc/punching it is best but laser cutting could be the only option since punching is difficult /costly and its quite hard/annoying to cnc those cards and other thin material

1

2:18 PM

if you want to try laser cutting things out of them thingiverse and other websites have tons of good free parts and trinkets you could make out of them

2:19 PM

i think you could also try laser cutting the 'card kits' as they are normally the same size and shape and it would be quite interesting and neat if you could

Nikolalelu

Hi there, does anyone have any experience with recycling pvc? It says on the pp website to stay away from it, didn’t find much further info. We have a local library which exchanges all their member cards which is made from pvc and they asked us if we can recycle it. We‘re wondering if it’s possible using extraction hoods, ventilation and gas masks when melting it or if it is not worth it… (edited)

also i forgot to ask,what size are the cards? the standard credit card/RFID card size?

2:21 PM

then i think you could also try making those 'covid keychains' 'no touch keychains' out of them as theyll be both functional and intresting

2:22 PM

if you want to make promotional items out of those cards all you have to do is remove the paint/ink by scraping it off and then laser/cnc cut those keychains out of them with your logo name on them

2:25 PM

this is the most common + popular type of those keys

2:28 PM

heres a file for making one courtesy of Mazak

COVID_Key.dxf

6.99 KB

sponsoons

also i forgot to ask,what size are the cards? the standard credit card/RFID card size?

They are normal credit card size.

sponsoons

still cnc/punching it is best but laser cutting could be the only option since punching is difficult /costly and its quite hard/annoying to cnc those cards and other thin material

Alright, thanks a lot for the input. We don’t have a Laser cutter or cnc machine but can get in contact with someone that has them.

Nikolalelu

They are normal credit card size.

yah,then all of what ive suggested above should work

sponsoons

yah,then all of what ive suggested above should work

Alrighty, thanks again

Nikolalelu

Alright, thanks a lot for the input. We don’t have a Laser cutter or cnc machine but can get in contact with someone that has them.

something random,which i dont know how well it would work is to get a old/cheap cookie cutter,sharpen it or not and then just hammer or press it onto the card to cut out shapes

2:34 PM

if it doesnt work the first time,try heating the cookie cutter

sponsoons

something random,which i dont know how well it would work is to get a old/cheap cookie cutter,sharpen it or not and then just hammer or press it onto the card to cut out shapes

That would be the low tech version, we could try that.

its also cheap and doesnt require much effort,and even if it fails its not a big thing to adjust and try again or even just give up

2:36 PM

also do let me know the results and share some pics if you try it, I'd be quite interested in seeing what you've done and how it went

sponsoons

or lasercutting shapes and parts out of those cards

FYI, you should never lasercut any vinyl/PVC, it releases chlorine gas when the laser burns it

3:16 PM

I'm pretty sure that's the same reason you shouldn't melt it.

Hi, sorry to interrupt but i'm in a project related to the circular economy with the fishing nets and i'm really interested in know if it is possible to melt this thiny material. The lobster fishing net is nylon and i would like to cut it and melt it but I don't know if it is possible

1

5:52 PM

Thank you all

hello! i’m new here and looking for some help on fusing plastic bags to form fabric. was wondering if anyone has information about identifying what type of material the plastic bags are made of and if it’s ok to fuse different materials tgt? appreciate any help

swankypants

hello! i’m new here and looking for some help on fusing plastic bags to form fabric. was wondering if anyone has information about identifying what type of material the plastic bags are made of and if it’s ok to fuse different materials tgt? appreciate any help

Plastic bags are usually made from ldpe, at least the ones that you get from shops and supermarkets.

swankypants

hello! i’m new here and looking for some help on fusing plastic bags to form fabric. was wondering if anyone has information about identifying what type of material the plastic bags are made of and if it’s ok to fuse different materials tgt? appreciate any help

There is a useful video from Precious plastic headquarters on this topic: https://youtu.be/Pp4vmfVlm2k

Make a durable tote bag from shitty plastic bags #preciousplastic

1

Hello, I'm quite new here, may I ask has anyone here tried using recycled HDPE plastic for outdoor use? How durable is it exposed to UV light? Will the colors fade away? Has anyone tried adding a uv stabilizer to prevent it from crumbling in direct exposure to sunlight? Thx

1

Curious Chap

Hello, I'm quite new here, may I ask has anyone here tried using recycled HDPE plastic for outdoor use? How durable is it exposed to UV light? Will the colors fade away? Has anyone tried adding a uv stabilizer to prevent it from crumbling in direct exposure to sunlight? Thx

I think that the color might fade, but if it's thick enough it will hold out. Temperatures are important, though. I will admit that I'm not an expert, i got this from the youtube channel Brothers Make.

2:23 PM

On a different note: any people from the Netherlands on the servers?

Does anyone know what the ‘+’ means in “PP+”? Not sure if I am using the discord search correctly so apologies if the answer is in here.

1

I would like to know if PET bottles can be used with precious plastic machines..? Thank you.

Pre-chopping bottles advice. We got a ton of bottles and have been trying out methods to snip them down before going into our shredder. Usually we use big tin snips. Tried razors but scary and dangerous for doing it fast. Tried Dremel but messy. Any other ideas?

hikinghack

Pre-chopping bottles advice. We got a ton of bottles and have been trying out methods to snip them down before going into our shredder. Usually we use big tin snips. Tried razors but scary and dangerous for doing it fast. Tried Dremel but messy. Any other ideas?

still quite dangerous and risky but- a hot knife/piece of metal-its cheap and works, a table saw or circular saw mounted on something,while it is possible to do it free hand mounted is safer and easier

7:06 PM

other ideas are a bigger/modified baler or 'can crusher'- theyre quite cheap and easy to make and use and should allow you to crush the cans meaning you probs shouldnt need to cut them

Yeah crushing would totally work too!

hikinghack

Yeah crushing would totally work too!

however the only possible concern with this is can your shredder handle it

7:25 PM

to test this before building/getting a press/baler id suggest just crushing the cans with a hammer or anything else

7:26 PM

and then trying

Yeah it works ok just stepping on it real hard with our feet, but would be nice to have some kind of jig or something where we could squish cleanly and into smaller sizes

then a homemade baler/can crusher should be the right thing for you

7:37 PM

ive found can crushers with slight modifications to work well for plastic bottles too

Hello hello! Does anybody know what is the size of the input plastic for the extrusion pro machine?

hikinghack

Pre-chopping bottles advice. We got a ton of bottles and have been trying out methods to snip them down before going into our shredder. Usually we use big tin snips. Tried razors but scary and dangerous for doing it fast. Tried Dremel but messy. Any other ideas?

Perhaps one of these paper guillotines https://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/391536526952-0-1/s-l1000.jpg

I am looking to start a plastic recycling factory in Columbus Mississippi. Does anyone have any advice?

Harrsh Kumar started a thread. 10/26/2021 1:06 PM

hikinghack

Pre-chopping bottles advice. We got a ton of bottles and have been trying out methods to snip them down before going into our shredder. Usually we use big tin snips. Tried razors but scary and dangerous for doing it fast. Tried Dremel but messy. Any other ideas?

I use a band saw on my plastic that struggles in my shredder.

Vinyl shears

Hiii, I read that I need to purchase a mask with an activated carbon filter when melting HDPE. I saw that 3M masks and the filter, "ABEK1 6059 3M organic vapor filters". are reccommended. I just don't know where to buy the activated carbon filter or if it's already included inside this filter??

its_liviOsa

Hiii, I read that I need to purchase a mask with an activated carbon filter when melting HDPE. I saw that 3M masks and the filter, "ABEK1 6059 3M organic vapor filters". are reccommended. I just don't know where to buy the activated carbon filter or if it's already included inside this filter??

We have used the 3M P100 Respirator Cartridge/Filter 60921 for organics vapors. Not sure how it compares to the 6059 filter... Anyone know?

its_liviOsa

Hiii, I read that I need to purchase a mask with an activated carbon filter when melting HDPE. I saw that 3M masks and the filter, "ABEK1 6059 3M organic vapor filters". are reccommended. I just don't know where to buy the activated carbon filter or if it's already included inside this filter??

The respirator is usually sold separate, then you need to buy the cartridges that connect to the bayonette connection.

Hi I'm looking at buying a shredder Pro and extrusion Pro also. The plan is to build beams. My question is what plastic can I not recycle?

littlenick

Hi I'm looking at buying a shredder Pro and extrusion Pro also. The plan is to build beams. My question is what plastic can I not recycle?

As a beginner as well, I've been advised to start with hdpe, since it's readily available and one of the easier plastics to work with apparently. Please correct me if I am mistaken! The website has a bunch of amazing info and great videos to poke through.

1

https://youtu.be/pXDx6DjNLDU

Mark Rober

This Robot Eats Trash (#TeamSeas)

10:31 PM

Please support Mark Rober and their fundraiser if you're able

and share if you would like!

Has anyone seen good results from extruding PET? and has URLs of examples?

HI, I am making a plastic shredder in an educational project, someone know which motor i can take around 300$ with a maximal torque ?

12:17 PM

Thx for your help

Hello everyone! Just wondering if anyone knows how to UV stabilise HDPE prior to heat molding?

Chicken (Micah)

Hi, person interested in recycling plastic here! I was wondering if anyone has ever tried making role playing game / D&D dice before. A quick internet search told me they're usually made from acrylic or resin, but I've found nothing about them being made from recycled plastic. The reason why I think dice would be such a good fit for recycled plastic is the infinite plastic blends, marbling and colour swirls I've seen on large sheets. Maybe that's also possible in a small dice mould?

Hi! Did you ever make any progress on making polyhedral dice with recycled plastic? I'd really like to do this too, and am wondering if anyone else has had any luck with this.

Hello guys does anybody know plating is good for shredder pro blades or not? Thank you if answer

jasonknight

Has anyone seen good results from extruding PET? and has URLs of examples?

I actually heard today that it’s good for 3d printing so could be good for extrusion

1

Coalday

Hello guys does anybody know plating is good for shredder pro blades or not? Thank you if answer

As far as I know, the designs call for high quality stainless steel and wouldn't require plating. Is there a reason you're considering it?

Does anyone have information about how much electricity the extruder and shredder use?

Great to see Boyan Slat's dream coming true of cleaning up the Oceans https://www.youtube.com/user/TheOceanCleanup

The Ocean Cleanup

The Ocean Cleanup's mission is to develop and scale technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. Every year, millions of tons of plastic enter the oceans primarily from rivers. The plastic afloat across the oceans – legacy plastic – isn’t going away by itself. Therefore, solving ocean plastic pollution requires a combination of stemming the inflo...

10:01 AM

funny how major vlogar celebrities like mrbeast and mark rober are trying to grab some of its lime light and make out their doing the hardwork of cleaning up the ocean plastic without mentioning "The Ocean Cleanup" teams

QuakerOates

Great to see Boyan Slat's dream coming true of cleaning up the Oceans https://www.youtube.com/user/TheOceanCleanup

I read an article that was kind of like, shrugging at what Boyan's team is doing. Like, what he's doing in the ocean is simply put, fishing. I went out into the Jakarta bay with some fishermen to check their traps and sure enough, mostly filled with garbage...but the traps are specifically there for fish, prawns, or whatever edible finds their way in there. Then i see them trawling....very hard to do that without catching fish i think. I'm curious what they're doing thats different from normal fishing.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug just watch all the recent videos on the youtube channel, explains alot...

Hi all, my name is Ganesha and I’ve been working on precious plastics projects for a while now. Im based in Jakarta, Indonesia, and I do work under the brand norm:al: living (https://www.instagram.com/tv/CVuC1IClmfZ/?utm_medium=share_sheet). I’ve just joined the discord and I’d love to work with many of you on new ideas and projects! (edited)

norm.al.living

A more sustainable way of living. Coming soon. Let's

Likes

134

1

The poster on this page https://onearmy.github.io/academy/plastic/basics has a column of temperatures. I think it confuses many Americans that always need to see the unit after a number when talking about temperature, especially if it's not Fahrenheit. I want to edit this page and maybe the image to improve it, but I have to ask... These temperatures are in Celcius, right?

The Basics of Plastic · Precious Plastic Toolbox

Actually... HDPE and LDPE are not on the poster. Nor the corresponding numbers. Wow. I think I should improve the poster, too.

Swamp Flux

The poster on this page https://onearmy.github.io/academy/plastic/basics has a column of temperatures. I think it confuses many Americans that always need to see the unit after a number when talking about temperature, especially if it's not Fahrenheit. I want to edit this page and maybe the image to improve it, but I have to ask... These temperatures are in Celcius, right?

yes, these temperatures are in Celcius (°C)

1

heres some random molds for yall

5:14 PM

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:31679 - a mold for a lego minifig

4 up brickman gets MOULDED by celticfable

We took the Mini-Fig and after slight adjustment made a development injection mould tool for the parts...mark II mould is underway with coring out to reduce sinkage!?

5:15 PM

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:13052 - a mold for a hockey bic pen cap

Hockey Bic by scorch

This is a hockey stick pen cap inspired by the other pen cap items on Thingiverse http://www.thingiverse.com/tag:bic Update 10/30/2011: After playing hockey on the kitchen counter for a day I decided the kids needed a proper hockey rink to play on. So I built a little play area for them on a piece of scrap wood. I added a picture to show how i...

5:15 PM

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:532000

Guitar Pick and Injection Mold by bbo

This was a quick and dirty proof of concept, but it was so simple it seemed like someone would enjoy it. The printable mold was cast in aluminum, allowing picks to be injection molded at great speed from recycled plastic bottles. Some picks are HPDE and some are PET. The printable pick is attached as well for those of you who simply want a pi...

Hello, my name is Jhonatan Pérez, I greet you from Venezuela. I am 28 years old, this November 28 I turn 29 years old, I was born on November 28, 1992. I am married, my wife is called Nohemí Glod and she is 25 years old, she is pregnant with two beautiful girls who with God's favor will be born this December, We are very excited about the birth of our girls but also very concerned. Here in Venezuela the social, economic, health and food situation is very complex because of the dictatorship that governs us and because of the false collaborationist opposition that keeps them in power, leaving us, the citizens, the people, to suffer more and more. every day for the mismanagement of our nation. The environmental problems of our nation are not the exception, our environment also suffers greatly from the lack of serious public policies against pollution, coupled with the fact that the government promotes mining in our Amazon rainforest and pollutes our rivers with mercury and other heavy metals. From our possibilities every day we fight to improve our environment doing everything we can, especially selecting our waste correctly, polluting as little as possible and recycling everything that can be done, however, the economic situation of my family does not help us, making our task It becomes increasingly difficult, especially now that our girls are going to be born and we honestly do not have all the resources to be able to maintain them. We work hard every day, all day, but right now I am going through bronchopneumonia that does not allow me to work and my wife has a very advanced pregnancy and she is at high risk, so she cannot work either. I have been resting for two weeks and undergoing treatment, thank God I am improving and I hope to be able to go back to work soon, so that I can continue to raise money for my girls who are about to be born.

2

3:34 AM

I would like to ask you if there is a possibility that you can help me financially to be able to make an EXTRUSION MACHINE PRO machine to be able to work making plastic profiles, since with this machine I could work independently and could support my family in a dignified way. I only ask for the PRO EXTRUSION MACHINE because here there are people who recycle and grind plastic from whom you can buy it, to be able to use it with the machine and make profiles that will be offered mainly to rural agricultural communities to replace the poles they use to their fences, thus preventing them from cutting down trees to make these wooden posts. That is one of the objectives, we also plan to use these wooden profiles to build "paved" roads and highways with these profiles, among other projects we have in mind. I remain at your entire disposal, grateful for any response you can give me. Jhonatan Perez jhpp1992@gmail.com +584121490300

Resin

3:10 AM

3:12 AM

Hi, I used ground up gold PP and mixed it into a slush with epoxy resin (AB plastic gel) it came out quite nice but the plastic floated and caused the Buddha to have an empty head (empty your mind)

3:13 AM

Managed a 3:2 ratio epoxy to plastic by weight

3:13 AM

Any ideas for keeping the plastic from floating?

JAWA

Hello everyone! Just wondering if anyone knows how to UV stabilise HDPE prior to heat molding?

I'm interested in this as well but I haven't found any answers. Would love if anyone had any ideas. Similarly, I'm wondering if anyone has ideas to improve fire retardancy

carolooney

I'm interested in this as well but I haven't found any answers. Would love if anyone had any ideas. Similarly, I'm wondering if anyone has ideas to improve fire retardancy

carbon black?

Joe Cubed

Hi, I used ground up gold PP and mixed it into a slush with epoxy resin (AB plastic gel) it came out quite nice but the plastic floated and caused the Buddha to have an empty head (empty your mind)

I’ve had the same issue with plastic bulking agent floating in concrete.

Tom - Redo Design

I’ve had the same issue with plastic bulking agent floating in concrete.

What kind of plastic were you using? Precious plastic has a float chart for plastics that float in water. Which I guess concrete is just muddy water untill the reaction happens

It was polypropylene

Tom - Redo Design

It was polypropylene

@Tom - Redo Design so thinking about that I checked density of plastics. Epoxy resin is about 1100kg per m3

7:47 AM

So it seems PET, ABS, PVC, nylon and acrylic will sink, and PP, HDPE, LDPE, an PS will float

7:49 AM

@Tom - Redo Design It should be about the same for concrete

Plastics density ABS1,052 Kg/m3, Acetal (Delrin)1,356 Kg/m3, Acrylic1,163 Kg/m3, Neoprene1,384Kg/m3, Polyamide (Nylon)1,100. Kg/m3, Polycarbonate1,190 Kg/m3, LD bePE (Low-Density Polyethylene)913 Kg/m3, HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)941 Kg/m3, PET 1370 kg/m3, Polypropylene913 Kg/m3, PVC1,467. Kg/m3, Teflon2,159 Kg/m3, (edited)

2

@Joe Cubed maybe mix denser and lighter plastics together. Maybe use high viscosity and/or faster curing resin to give less time for separation. Maybe rotate the mold constantly during curing.

I am going to try to mix dense and light plastics. The floating is not really a huge problem as most of the mould is filled except a small bit in the top area. I am actually glad it isn't floating it all out of the top.

I sell plastics shell for horse stable which are produced this way can i make some body happy with bad dimension board waste? Holland

If your product is worn out can you recycle again?

Looking at yr videos you guys use lot of heat for extrusion and the press but you say its cold in there cant you use the heat from the press for a cv heater run water trough the press and heat the rooms with it

carolooney

I'm interested in this as well but I haven't found any answers. Would love if anyone had any ideas. Similarly, I'm wondering if anyone has ideas to improve fire retardancy

Carbon Black (black) or titanium dioxide (white) for UV protection. And here's some info but I've never tried making it flame retardant. There's some quite toxic stuff you can use or an additive that's also used as antacid. This is about as far as I got with the flame retardant stuff. https://www.craftechind.com/this-plastics-on-fire-4-types-of-flame-retardant-plastic-additives/

Barbara Gerard

This Plastic’s On Fire! 4 Types of Flame Retardant Plastic Additive...

Like certain pop stars, plastics are generally flammable. Therefore it is often necessary to add flame retardant plastic additives to meet governmental and industry regulatory standards. Flame retardant plastic additives are compounds added to plastics and other materials to inhibit, suppress or delay combustion. These compounds are useful in im...

Hi everyone! I was wondering if someone has the sewing patterns to make this cap/hat out of plastic bags. I found a picture of dave wearing it on instagram ^^ Would be a huge help

Thank you!!

Hi form Croatia

great job all of you..........really enjoying seeing what you guys are making. I am pretty new in this community, but planning to start working soon

. there are few things I would like to share with you: we are starting a PP-like project in my home town and are looking for partner/partners. Have two questions connected to this: 1) At the moment we are writing project proposal for establishing recycling workplace and we are looking for PARTNER ON PROJECT

Anybody interested? If YES, please send me an email on marijana.plantaza@gmail.com and I send you all the details on project and everything else

2) Anybody made mobile mixed workplace( van/transport container ). If yes, PLEASE contact me on my mailmarijana.plantaza@gmail.com . I would have few questions about that? Looking forward on potential cooperations

Hi! I'm Michael I'm doing research on designing a plastic factory and I'm wondering where can I get the data of the size of the factory and its productivity for example, a xx m2 factory can recycle xx kg of waste per week

Michael

Hi! I'm Michael I'm doing research on designing a plastic factory and I'm wondering where can I get the data of the size of the factory and its productivity for example, a xx m2 factory can recycle xx kg of waste per week

I know precious plastic website has some downloadable resources that address these sorts of questions for their own machines and workspaces

Michael

Hi! I'm Michael I'm doing research on designing a plastic factory and I'm wondering where can I get the data of the size of the factory and its productivity for example, a xx m2 factory can recycle xx kg of waste per week

this would be quite iffy to do since my precious plastic open source setup which does 20-30kg/hr takes up a similar amount of space as a all-in-one recycler that does 500kg/hr

5:23 AM

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/598888879126478849/900614530911068170

5:24 AM

^also take a look at this short explanation

Michael

Hi! I'm Michael I'm doing research on designing a plastic factory and I'm wondering where can I get the data of the size of the factory and its productivity for example, a xx m2 factory can recycle xx kg of waste per week

Not sure what you mean by "recycling". You can throw tens of millions at such plant and still have very little amounts coming out - but quality products. Even with semi or full-automatic machines, that's an extremely depressing job - pushing buttons or loading hoppers all day long. Poor guy who has to do that.

Anyway. A shredding facility of 1200sqm can shred up to 60T a week. Most space goes to material handling, storage, silos, etc...

Material storage is the thing that gets you

10:56 AM

it adds up, be sure to have too much space

10:57 AM

if you are working with volumes at least

Yeah, a machine to produce films for instance can be 4 stories high and occupy also 500sqm, easily. And spits out only a few tons per week ...

Momo und die Zeitdiebe

Anyway. A shredding facility of 1200sqm can shred up to 60T a week. Most space goes to material handling, storage, silos, etc...

Thank you for the replies! I'm proposing a plastic recycling workshop/ factory that not only can shredding the plastic waste the but also producing some new products. I'm planning to recycling 10 tons of waste per week and I'm not sure how much space I need, and also for the storage (which is not easy because plastic waste is lightweight but requires a lot of space). Can I say I need 20sqm per ton of waste (per week)? (1200sqm/60T)

why this community didn't entered Africa

Michael

Thank you for the replies! I'm proposing a plastic recycling workshop/ factory that not only can shredding the plastic waste the but also producing some new products. I'm planning to recycling 10 tons of waste per week and I'm not sure how much space I need, and also for the storage (which is not easy because plastic waste is lightweight but requires a lot of space). Can I say I need 20sqm per ton of waste (per week)? (1200sqm/60T)

'Can I say I need 20sqm per ton of waste (per week)? ' : no, you can't

This may depend on the machines you get and on the processes involved. There are actually simple rules how to lay out a floor plan. Ideally, you want enough space between everything, accessible with a forklift, also to bring new machines in, ... In top, when you're done with the floor plan, have the double of space in reserve, for growth, or enter your space also with trucks, to unload machines, plus a thousand other reasons. I'd consult an engineer who's doing this sort of planning, once you're set on what you're trying to do

'Can I say I need 20sqm per ton of waste' : make it 400sqm, plus another 400sqm in reserve - still not knowing how you want to make it, but it's a ballpark, not per ton but more for all the stuff you need anyways. (edited)

I live in Hong Kong and square footage is a premium. Here you get the space you can afford and work around that! There is a recycler that I visit and the space they have is less than most American houses, and they recycle expanded polystyrene

1

Joe Cubed

So it seems PET, ABS, PVC, nylon and acrylic will sink, and PP, HDPE, LDPE, an PS will float

So I did another test with concrete this time in a mould and again the plastic floated no matter what I did

Michael

Thank you for the replies! I'm proposing a plastic recycling workshop/ factory that not only can shredding the plastic waste the but also producing some new products. I'm planning to recycling 10 tons of waste per week and I'm not sure how much space I need, and also for the storage (which is not easy because plastic waste is lightweight but requires a lot of space). Can I say I need 20sqm per ton of waste (per week)? (1200sqm/60T)

There are also non-obvious reasons to get much space as possible :

More space adds safety. There are lot accidents happening, because forklifts crash into shelfs and what not.
Having more space to do innovation and park projects somewhere is simply gold. Especially nowadays where small plastic related businesses go broke en mass.
In regard to plastic, more space reduces fume concerns.
Having more space allows you to have a reserve machine. It can be fatal to have your workhorse broke.

Tom - Redo Design

So I did another test with concrete this time in a mould and again the plastic floated no matter what I did

1

1:39 PM

this is my latest test it also floated and left a small space of clear but it is sandwiched between the gold and black

1:40 PM

I poured the gold first and let it harden then the black!

1:41 PM

This is the two large takeout bowls from TamJaiSamGor, a rice noodle soup restaurant!

Tom - Redo Design

So I did another test with concrete this time in a mould and again the plastic floated no matter what I did

Is it PP again?

Yes

Can concrete be poured in thin layers and stick to outer concrete?

Tom - Redo Design

Yes

Is it mixed with other aggregates? Like rocks or sand

Just concrete. I’m going to try resin Soon

heres a bunch of vids i found on recycling acrylic

3:18 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oik1swRp6eg

Luce Williams

Recycling sheets from acrylic waste : off cut studio

3:18 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kLUnlSEMa4

Leif_Maginnis

Recycling acrylic scrap using an oven and a hydraulic press

3:19 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmI77NqcGwU - I found this really interesting because what they appear to be doing is pressing the plastic without crushing or shredding it first

Recosolution

Reco HD Panels (Recycled Plastic Sheets) made out of plastic waste

3:19 PM

while most of these vids are for acrylic the techniques used in them would do great for other plastics

sponsoons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kLUnlSEMa4

i personally like the fact that hes using an arbor press to press out small plastic blocks

sponsoons

i personally like the fact that hes using an arbor press to press out small plastic blocks

Luce / offcut studio is worth a follow on Instagram if your into acrylic

Not sure where to shove this, but seems to be a good basic video on the State of Knowledge on MicroPlastics i guess? https://youtu.be/77htAHXZbG0

Anton Petrov

Turns Out, Plastics Have Strange Effects on Atmosphere and Life #Te...

Hi all, I am curious to learn what wash lines people are using? We are working on a pilot to address ag plastics, and obviously dirty and contaminated film and containers are some of the biggest challenges in this sector. (But our perspective is: things being difficult, or challenging, isn’t a valid a reason not to deal with them, it just means we’ll require complex problem solving approaches, unique ideas borrowed from different industries/specialties, and productive partnerships with end users in the industry to co-design possible solutions … ask me in a decade how I went getting all that to happen

)! But in all seriousness, I implore you, tell me your plastic washing stories of success, show me your beautiful systems, let me be the ardent admirer of your innovative efforts to get plastic clean and ready for processing! #agriculture #agplastics #dirtyproducts #archived-washing (edited)

Hey One-Army people

Doing great today? Just a quick question : has anybody done epoxy molds to make plastic injection with some Precious Plastic? (like this : https://www.instructables.com/Home-Plastic-Injection-Molding-with-an-Epoxy-Mold/). I see it as a good and cheap alternative to metal mold manufacturing. But maybe there are more Cons than Pros to use such a method. I would like to have your opinions

octaviusmagnus

Hey One-Army people

Doing great today? Just a quick question : has anybody done epoxy molds to make plastic injection with some Precious Plastic? (like this : https://www.instructables.com/Home-Plastic-Injection-Molding-with-an-Epoxy-Mold/). I see it as a good and cheap alternative to metal mold manufacturing. But maybe there are more Cons than Pros to use such a method. I would like to have your opinions

the only plastic material i have used is moulding silicone, which works pretty well in compression moulding (only type of moulding i tried with this system though), i think it's worth giving it a try !

Nick - PP France

the only plastic material i have used is moulding silicone, which works pretty well in compression moulding (only type of moulding i tried with this system though), i think it's worth giving it a try !

Thanks for your answer! I am not sure to really understand, the final molded piece was made out of silicone or it was the mold that was made of silicone ?

There are many materials that can be used to make molds. They will all vary by things like longevity (hardiness), detail, etc...

4:07 PM

I"ve seen people 3D print their molds for injection molding, but they're not as strong, nor as long lasting as something like Aluminum.

4:07 PM

Cheaper though

octaviusmagnus

Thanks for your answer! I am not sure to really understand, the final molded piece was made out of silicone or it was the mold that was made of silicone ?

the mould was made out of silicone :)

𝕃𝕆𝕂𝕀 (Colorado, USA)

I"ve seen people 3D print their molds for injection molding, but they're not as strong, nor as long lasting as something like Aluminum.

yeah you could also go with some 3D printing, but it's usually very specific polymers that can withstand the plastic's (what you are going to recycle) melting point :) (edited)

1

Thanks @𝕃𝕆𝕂𝕀 (Colorado, USA) and @Nick - PP France for the extra-explanations

Good to know! Yes basically I worry about these matters : details, strength (and of course temperature resistance). But I guess those can be handy tools for prototyping! (edited)

octaviusmagnus

Thanks @𝕃𝕆𝕂𝕀 (Colorado, USA) and @Nick - PP France for the extra-explanations

Good to know! Yes basically I worry about these matters : details, strength (and of course temperature resistance). But I guess those can be handy tools for prototyping! (edited)

If you are interested in 3d print injection proto, try reaching out to holimaker in France, i know they had good successes with that process

@Nick - PP France Cool, thanks a lot for the tip Nick

I will take a look at it!

Momo und die Zeitdiebe

'Can I say I need 20sqm per ton of waste (per week)? ' : no, you can't

This may depend on the machines you get and on the processes involved. There are actually simple rules how to lay out a floor plan. Ideally, you want enough space between everything, accessible with a forklift, also to bring new machines in, ... In top, when you're done with the floor plan, have the double of space in reserve, for growth, or enter your space also with trucks, to unload machines, plus a thousand other reasons. I'd consult an engineer who's doing this sort of planning, once you're set on what you're trying to do

'Can I say I need 20sqm per ton of waste' : make it 400sqm, plus another 400sqm in reserve - still not knowing how you want to make it, but it's a ballpark, not per ton but more for all the stuff you need anyways. (edited)

Thank you so much for the reply! It helps a lot! but since I'm working on a architecture studio project that won't be built, is there any easier estimation floor area for recycling 10 tons of waste per week like XXm2 for storage, XXm2 for factory it doesn't need to be accurate, but reasonable for the factory, it aims to provide one-stop support for recycling, with collection point of household plastic waste, shredder, extruder, sheetpress etc. and selling point of the products

Michael

Thank you so much for the reply! It helps a lot! but since I'm working on a architecture studio project that won't be built, is there any easier estimation floor area for recycling 10 tons of waste per week like XXm2 for storage, XXm2 for factory it doesn't need to be accurate, but reasonable for the factory, it aims to provide one-stop support for recycling, with collection point of household plastic waste, shredder, extruder, sheetpress etc. and selling point of the products

Turning 10 tons of consumer waste into products in one place sounds fun. Let me help you with that fiction. I just write down as it makes sense and may be no sense

entry/loading area - 2 vans or medium sized truck: 50 sqm
temporary storage : 200 sqm, before sorting
cleaning : 100 sqm / drying
final storage bins, 100 sqm

1 extruder, 5m long, 30 sqm - includes safety area around as for everything else
2 shredders, 2 grinders, 50 - 80 sqm, may be more when using conveyors
2 sheetpresses, 2 cooling presses, 50 - 80 sqm, incl. storage
packaging area, storage, 100 sqm

offices, toolroom, etc... not included. (edited)

1

Momo und die Zeitdiebe

Turning 10 tons of consumer waste into products in one place sounds fun. Let me help you with that fiction. I just write down as it makes sense and may be no sense

entry/loading area - 2 vans or medium sized truck: 50 sqm
temporary storage : 200 sqm, before sorting
cleaning : 100 sqm / drying
final storage bins, 100 sqm

1 extruder, 5m long, 30 sqm - includes safety area around as for everything else
2 shredders, 2 grinders, 50 - 80 sqm, may be more when using conveyors
2 sheetpresses, 2 cooling presses, 50 - 80 sqm, incl. storage
packaging area, storage, 100 sqm

offices, toolroom, etc... not included. (edited)

wow! that's amazing! Thanks a lot!!

Michael

wow! that's amazing! Thanks a lot!!

Yeah, no problem - don't forget, they build the machines around the job and product and things can get big pretty fast. Here a still medium sized extruder but with all the post processing system around. For extruding profiles for instance, it can get easily 20 meter long. (edited)

2

2

Christmas tree ornament, made using silicone mould.

3

Michael

Hi! I'm Michael I'm doing research on designing a plastic factory and I'm wondering where can I get the data of the size of the factory and its productivity for example, a xx m2 factory can recycle xx kg of waste per week

contact onearmy direct, and they will advise you best! I suspect best email for them is hello@onearmy.earth but others here will highlight better contact links if available. hello@onearmy.earth

1

Hi everyone,I am having problems with abs plastic,I am having tiny hole on the sheet,what can I do to avoid having holes on the sheet

so its bubbling

9:56 AM

sounds like airpockets are not been release during cooling, and best to shake/vibrate the bed when plastic is poured into mould/sheet-press

QuakerOates

sounds like airpockets are not been release during cooling, and best to shake/vibrate the bed when plastic is poured into mould/sheet-press

Okay,can you enlighten me more on it,

do a search in discord for this

masor

Okay,can you enlighten me more on it,

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/783351301009834015/903279964449804298

10:05 AM

"Bubbles can be simply trapped air or some form of contamination (water, oil, ink, sugar, anything not plastic) that releases gas when it heats up."

10:06 AM

also is your plastic dehydrated ?

10:07 AM

others here can comment, i said all i can!

tag

Bok @Marijana, @SeaMe, @Gallon, @CrisLeash 🐙, @mirko_lesko ! Where are you all in Croatia? I'm in Moslavina, looking to work on PP. The government is discussing a large-scale waste incinerator in one of the villages here, and I'd love to introduce PP to show an alternative for the area

Sam Butler

Bok @Marijana, @SeaMe, @Gallon, @CrisLeash 🐙, @mirko_lesko ! Where are you all in Croatia? I'm in Moslavina, looking to work on PP. The government is discussing a large-scale waste incinerator in one of the villages here, and I'd love to introduce PP to show an alternative for the area

Čakovec

Dubrovnik

Sibenik

Maybe we all could find some time to call and introduce?

3:29 PM

I also saw a group of students in Zagreb on the community map: https://community.preciousplastic.com/u/ivan-mazuranics-student-dormitory

Shadowbox

Hi all, I am curious to learn what wash lines people are using? We are working on a pilot to address ag plastics, and obviously dirty and contaminated film and containers are some of the biggest challenges in this sector. (But our perspective is: things being difficult, or challenging, isn’t a valid a reason not to deal with them, it just means we’ll require complex problem solving approaches, unique ideas borrowed from different industries/specialties, and productive partnerships with end users in the industry to co-design possible solutions … ask me in a decade how I went getting all that to happen

)! But in all seriousness, I implore you, tell me your plastic washing stories of success, show me your beautiful systems, let me be the ardent admirer of your innovative efforts to get plastic clean and ready for processing! #agriculture #agplastics #dirtyproducts #archived-washing (edited)

why not just a commercial wash line if youve got the budget?a lot of them are specifically meant for agricultural film

3:59 PM

if not my standard solution to 'i need a cheaper version of this' is to watch the process or a video of it being done and then

4:00 PM

find the cheapest or simplest machines to solve that

for example if you dont want/need to processes high volumes of plastic but just want to do a washing cum shredding setup, the simplest solution is to get a commercial shredder[they're quite cheap and good these days] and a 'plastic washer'[might also be called a pre-washer] -you can buy these but its also possible make it on your own as they are quite simple, mostly just a blade/paddle in a metal drum which has two outlets- a 'blast gate' type thing for the plastic and another smaller one for letting out the plastics and debris, and underneath this barrel there's a belt+pulley connected to a motor beside the barrel which spins the blades/paddles

4:14 PM

this is a quick and dirty setup

4:16 PM

how youd use is ] if you have sharpened blades in the washer you just toss in the unshreded plastic and let the blades chop plus wash the plastic but if your whaser has paddles youd first shred the plastic and then dump it in

then youd first add water in it a couple times and spin it until the water coming out isnt very dirty, then youd add soap/detergent/bleach or whatever cleaning solution youre using, this cleaning solution is what will help to get the plastic properly clean and will in combination with the water and friction help to remove any remaining dirt, grime and mainly grease/oil in and on the plastic-youd repeat this maybe twice or until the plastic looks clean then youd wash it one final type with plain water to remove the cleaning agents,youd then run the machine without adding any water to remove any water left in the plastic

4:37 PM

after this depending on how youre planning to dry the plastic you will either just pull out the plastic and spread it around to let it sun dry or if you have a machine run it through a spin dryer before pointing a torch at it to get rid of most of the moisture, if you want to go extra or you're manufacturing good products you'd put the plastic into an oven to dehumidify it

4:37 PM

this is pretty much how most of the commercial and industrial guys do it

4:38 PM

Heres a few videos

4:38 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DajSMfvtNDc -it has english captions (edited)

Ansari Machines Pvt Ltd

Scrap Washing Machine | Ansari Machines Private Limited

4:39 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo3Q5G5FCjs

البهلول لماكينات البلاستيك بلاست سيرفيس جروب PSG

ماكينة تخريز توريد البهلول بعد 5 سنوات من العمل.mp4

4:39 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHrH0Q3cv3s

RAJESH POTDAR

Plastic scrap washing & drying plant

4:39 PM

all of these show roughly the same process but with slightly differing ways of going about with it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qQFFiNS70E this video shows what a better one of those machines would look like while new

Saifi Right engg works

48"×48" inch washing machine-- ph:9650472706

4:57 PM

also the drier from these videos would be quite easy to replicate,tis basically just a basket made of mesh or net connected to the motor via a shaft and pulley and the mesh/net basket is sitting inside an outer drum with an outlet for the water.This whole motor and basket+barrel assembly is pivoting on a pair of small bearing so that it can be unloaded with ease

Sam Butler

Bok @Marijana, @SeaMe, @Gallon, @CrisLeash 🐙, @mirko_lesko ! Where are you all in Croatia? I'm in Moslavina, looking to work on PP. The government is discussing a large-scale waste incinerator in one of the villages here, and I'd love to introduce PP to show an alternative for the area

Osijek, lets show them proper way

Sam Butler

Bok @Marijana, @SeaMe, @Gallon, @CrisLeash 🐙, @mirko_lesko ! Where are you all in Croatia? I'm in Moslavina, looking to work on PP. The government is discussing a large-scale waste incinerator in one of the villages here, and I'd love to introduce PP to show an alternative for the area

Osijek

sponsoons

why not just a commercial wash line if youve got the budget?a lot of them are specifically meant for agricultural film

In an ideal world, I would love to do just that. But alas, no budget for it. But this pilot is to build a proof of concept of the ag plastics recycling process working, so that we can attract funding for a more industrial-sized processing plant to be constructed in a rural community (the goal of the pilot is to demonstrate a working rural circular economy model that any rural community, anywhere, can replicate - then scale as an economic stimulus strategy to combat rural contraction and decline). I really appreciate all your feedback and the links, THANK YOU! (edited)

Shadowbox

In an ideal world, I would love to do just that. But alas, no budget for it. But this pilot is to build a proof of concept of the ag plastics recycling process working, so that we can attract funding for a more industrial-sized processing plant to be constructed in a rural community (the goal of the pilot is to demonstrate a working rural circular economy model that any rural community, anywhere, can replicate - then scale as an economic stimulus strategy to combat rural contraction and decline). I really appreciate all your feedback and the links, THANK YOU! (edited)

also i forgot to add if you want to do a really tiny version of the blade type setup,a cheap blender/mixer grinder will work very well,cut the plastic so it fits in,add soap and water and spin until you get the desired size

3:44 AM

in my experience this is also a way to make plastic powder at home as the water/soap prevents the plastic from overheating/sticking while still letting it be cut

sponsoons

also i forgot to add if you want to do a really tiny version of the blade type setup,a cheap blender/mixer grinder will work very well,cut the plastic so it fits in,add soap and water and spin until you get the desired size

Very cool idea for prototyping

Marijana

Osijek, lets show them proper way

Maybe we could organize some day to meet in person and build stations for each of our towns together? @mirko_lesko, what do you think? @SeaMe, @Gallon, would you be interested in travelling to around Zagreb for something like that?

Hi everyone,how can test ps and abs plastic

I will not be able to commit for the project. Other non related projects are taking too much already...

Hi, I want to start a new workspace, and needs to understand if its possible to handle plastic drinking bottles?

8:05 AM

are they shredable?

tabakguy

Hi, I want to start a new workspace, and needs to understand if its possible to handle plastic drinking bottles?

yes but not easily,best to get a commercial shredder

8:06 AM

the main difference is the commercial versions have blades which can be removed and resharpened

1

8:07 AM

which is quite important if youre shredding plastic water bottles[the disposable transparent kind]

8:08 AM

but for most other plastic bottles and containers a precious plastic/homemade shredder should work

hmmm ok thanks! and a commercial version is something that you can supply?

8:10 AM

or do i need to look for a specific machine?

sponsoons

the main difference is the commercial versions have blades which can be removed and resharpened

Do you hvae some more info about the commercial version please?

most of not all of the available industrial shredders have these

8:15 AM

blades

8:16 AM

im not sure where you are,so i cant give you an exact version

8:18 AM

but basically going online and finding a seller near you/somewhere the shipping cost is ok and then finding their cheapest shredder with a decent capacity, IMO 100kg/hour for most workspaces is enough but if you are okay with paying a bit more definitely go for bigger version/something that has more capacity

✌️

sponsoons

but basically going online and finding a seller near you/somewhere the shipping cost is ok and then finding their cheapest shredder with a decent capacity, IMO 100kg/hour for most workspaces is enough but if you are okay with paying a bit more definitely go for bigger version/something that has more capacity

since having something with a higher capacity is always good, it means you can either store or sell of the excess granulate, also the bigger/higher your shredders capacity the faster and mainly cheaper it will be to process plastic

tabakguy

Do you hvae some more info about the commercial version please?

also something i forgot to add,if you want to start a worksapce or use any machine splease check the power requiremtns of the machines as a lot of machines are 3 phase and /or work on 400-450volts

8:30 AM

mostly the voltage will be between 410-420v

8:31 AM

heres one i found that seems to have a good capacity to price ratio

8:33 AM

https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/pet-bottle-shredder-machine-22156876473.html

8:34 AM

its also meant for plastic bottles so it should suit you

8:34 AM

heres some others that have a good ratio https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/pvc-plastic-scrap-grinder-machine-22891811448.html

8:34 AM

https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/plastic-scrap-grinding-machine-22662541155.html

8:34 AM

https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/16-inch-plastic-scrap-grinder-machine-22815466648.html

8:35 AM

https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/plastic-scrap-grinding-machine-21190945430.html

8:35 AM

this one is cheaper and has a 100kg capacity https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/plastic-waste-shredder-19530909812.html

8:36 AM

about 1000$

8:37 AM

https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/plastic-scrap-crusher-machine-22584296455.html

8:38 AM

heres some cheaper machines https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/plastic-scrap-grinder-15-inch-14378947033.html

8:42 AM

this is the cheapest just 500$ but has a capacity of 50kg/hr https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/scrap-grinding-machine-22085383755.html

Did actually anyone got lucky importing one of these machine from Indimart? My last attempt ended with a 3-4x higher price - after all taxes, etc... And that was only for a 200kg machine on one palette. Alibaba is a little cheaper and they're well organized. At least for the small stuff we've got from there.

@krishnadeo smallest DIYish pelletizer I've seen : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328785332_3-D_Printable_Polymer_Pelletizer_Chopper_for_Fused_Granular_Fabrication-Based_Additive_Manufacturing. That' using a Forstner bit, not sure how long this last. And making it in one pass requires quite some fiddling. And here the upper end : https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/PVC-Pelletizing-Machine-Production-Line-Plastic_60789943067.html, 22k, medium size. Not sure how they deal with replacements for heat-bands, extrusion screw, etc... (edited)

@Momo und die Zeitdiebe Thanks

Momo und die Zeitdiebe

Did actually anyone got lucky importing one of these machine from Indimart? My last attempt ended with a 3-4x higher price - after all taxes, etc... And that was only for a 200kg machine on one palette. Alibaba is a little cheaper and they're well organized. At least for the small stuff we've got from there.

for me it was okay in the two cases ive ordered, one was fairly easy as it didnt have to cross international borders, the other one which was foreign iirc the shipped it somehow to avoid/lessen tax so in both cases it worked out ok,the main thing for the second one was that the shipping made it slightly costlier by about 350ish dollars for 200kg machine costing 3000$

1:51 PM

as the second one didnt have any important deadlines to meet i let them ship it one their own which iirc got the cost down by more than half of the other shipping quotes id got

also @krishnadeo the average machines for making plastic pellets are about 100-300kg/hr and will cost you between 4000$ to 12000$[for a 450kg/hr machine]

2:02 PM

but as always the cost will differ based on location and other things

2:05 PM

also i had another thought if anybody has access to a chaff cutter could they try using it to chop plastic strands? To me the mechanism looks similar, the machines are easily available and cheaper and are easy to resharpen, also most plastic will be easier to cut then actual chaff or stalks on account of plastic being softer (edited)

sponsoons

also @krishnadeo the average machines for making plastic pellets are about 100-300kg/hr and will cost you between 4000$ to 12000$[for a 450kg/hr machine]

of course there will be cheaper options but these are the average

Momo und die Zeitdiebe

@krishnadeo smallest DIYish pelletizer I've seen : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328785332_3-D_Printable_Polymer_Pelletizer_Chopper_for_Fused_Granular_Fabrication-Based_Additive_Manufacturing. That' using a Forstner bit, not sure how long this last. And making it in one pass requires quite some fiddling. And here the upper end : https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/PVC-Pelletizing-Machine-Production-Line-Plastic_60789943067.html, 22k, medium size. Not sure how they deal with replacements for heat-bands, extrusion screw, etc... (edited)

also heres another mid range onehttps://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/PP-PE-EPS-Recycle-Plastic-Granules_60369345464.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.461a45e4wwmkri

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/PP-PE-EPS-Recycle-Plastic-Granules_60369345464.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.461a45e4wwmkri

Pp Pe Eps Recycle Plastic Granules Making Machine - Buy Plastic Gra...

Pp Pe Eps Recycle Plastic Granules Making Machine - Buy Plastic Granule Making Machine,Eps Foam Recycle Granulator,Recycle Plastic Granules Making Machine Price Product on Alibaba.com

1

3:08 PM

this one is cheaper but its a design i haven't seen anywhere before

Welp.. I am taking a dive soon and attempting to develop a bicycle powered shredder using pulleys and tensioners to give the shredders some torque. Hopefully I can pull this off…

TsaikaJen

Welp.. I am taking a dive soon and attempting to develop a bicycle powered shredder using pulleys and tensioners to give the shredders some torque. Hopefully I can pull this off…

I have a picture of one somewhere let me see if I can find it

5:40 AM

Joe Cubed

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Thank you!! This will help a ton!!

TsaikaJen

Thank you!! This will help a ton!!

If I see it again I'll try to get more photos

Momo und die Zeitdiebe

@krishnadeo smallest DIYish pelletizer I've seen : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328785332_3-D_Printable_Polymer_Pelletizer_Chopper_for_Fused_Granular_Fabrication-Based_Additive_Manufacturing. That' using a Forstner bit, not sure how long this last. And making it in one pass requires quite some fiddling. And here the upper end : https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/PVC-Pelletizing-Machine-Production-Line-Plastic_60789943067.html, 22k, medium size. Not sure how they deal with replacements for heat-bands, extrusion screw, etc... (edited)

also heres pretty much the only homemade version ive seen

11:23 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZWh7bn2mDc

Sumantec

Homemade plastic pelletizer

Sam Butler

Maybe we could organize some day to meet in person and build stations for each of our towns together? @mirko_lesko, what do you think? @SeaMe, @Gallon, would you be interested in travelling to around Zagreb for something like that?

A treba li kome shredder za kupiti? Imam ja jedan od PP-a koji sam htio pokusati spojiti na 12v motor za jedan projekt pa propalo povodom nedostatka inzinjeringa

Gallon

A treba li kome shredder za kupiti? Imam ja jedan od PP-a koji sam htio pokusati spojiti na 12v motor za jedan projekt pa propalo povodom nedostatka inzinjeringa

@Marijana @SeaMe @CrisLeash 🐙 @mirko_lesko (edited)

Hey, can someone help me come up with ways to reuse this polypropylene twine? #deleted-channel #just-chatting every bale of hay generates two 3 foot long strings of polypropylene twine. I can’t bring myself to throw it away, and so now i have amassed probably close to 50 pounds of the stuff. Any suggestions are appreciated

calibration

Hey, can someone help me come up with ways to reuse this polypropylene twine? #deleted-channel #just-chatting every bale of hay generates two 3 foot long strings of polypropylene twine. I can’t bring myself to throw it away, and so now i have amassed probably close to 50 pounds of the stuff. Any suggestions are appreciated

tye it back together and hope your baler takes it?

6:47 PM

ours use to work with tied back/knotted twine if the knots weren't too big/fat,so basically ours used twine as long as it wasn't too messy

6:48 PM

or just use it around the place

6:50 PM

i mean there lots of ways to recycle it,ive made small washers and things out of fishing twine by first ironing it between some butter paper to make a thin sheet and then using a hole punch or a piece of sharpened pipe to punch out the hole

6:50 PM

or you could try the oven method

6:50 PM

youtube has lots on that

6:52 PM

the oven method is basically just getting a bunch of plastic and putting it into a container that wont be used for food before putting it in an oven and heating it to whatever the internet says is the melting temp while occasionally taking it out and making sure it doesnt look burnt or unmelted

6:53 PM

if it looks unmelted/not fluid enough try turning up the heat and if it looks/smells burnt/singed then turn down the heat

6:53 PM

most youtube tutorials mention some timing

6:54 PM

but i just put it in at the plasitcs melting temp or a bit higher and just take it out to check and adjust

6:55 PM

the main thing is 50lb of plastic isnt a very big amount[comparatively],this means that it wont make sense for you to build machines for this purpose

6:56 PM

so you can either reuse it[i just make it into a ball like rubberbands] or recycle it by using simpler things like iron or ovens

Hi everyone, I am trying to find ways to recycle multi layer plastics / hard to recycle plastic into some kind of simple products like bricks, tiles, insulation etc. Anyone has ideas, thoughts or pointers for that direction?

(x-post from #deleted-channel ) Is there ever a use for compressed polystyrene / HIPS ? I collect a lot of offcut from Games Workshop minis, and apparently it's all high-quality HIPS. Is that a useful type?

wolfst

Hi everyone, I am trying to find ways to recycle multi layer plastics / hard to recycle plastic into some kind of simple products like bricks, tiles, insulation etc. Anyone has ideas, thoughts or pointers for that direction?

just shred/agglomerate it and then toss it into an extruder,then let the plastic ooze out into something heated and then transfer that plastic into a mold which you press

4:10 PM

im not sure about directly extruding into a closed mold as i havent tried that

https://youtu.be/ckxJkqyAhWY?t=28

Precious Plastic Philippines v3 Plastics Recycling

4:28 PM

like this

4:29 PM

you melt the plastic with the extruder,use something to keep the plastic hot and then use a press or anything to press the plastic into shape

4:31 PM

or you can use something like this

4:31 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQEkqVo_Yhg

Making plastic pellets from food waste packaging.

Thanks for answering! Very inspiring youtube channel! Can you share more info on your experience with the quality of the mixture? Especially when using chips bags, anything to look out for? Certain mix with more pure plastic? etc?

I'm new here, so don't yell at me if it's been brought up already, but has anyone looked into shredding those hard to recycle plastics to use as aggregate for concrete for items such as flowerpots and raised garden bed walls?

I asked the same yesterday

2:39 PM

(see above)

skolez

I'm new here, so don't yell at me if it's been brought up already, but has anyone looked into shredding those hard to recycle plastics to use as aggregate for concrete for items such as flowerpots and raised garden bed walls?

I talked about it around a week ago

the main issue is some plastics float and some sink in concrete.

3:48 PM

So you get areas that are starved of cement.

PLEASE HELP! I'm building the shredder pro and I need the full 3D model that is previewed here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/shredderpro

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/PC-400-Plastic-grind-machine-plastic_60788274953.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.244348cchHW4bG

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

MaksymK

PLEASE HELP! I'm building the shredder pro and I need the full 3D model that is previewed here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build/shredderpro

They're all included in the kit. You're in the right place, but scroll all the way to the bottom and choose '

Download' (right after 9. Universe)

I would like to start a mixed precious plastic workspace in my school, I have talked to it my teachers about it and they said that I need to compile the following information to take the idea into consideration. 1) How will the school benefit from it 2)How much money is required 3)How much space will be needed Could you please help me with this?

@Bananaman https://preciousplastic.com/starterkits/overview.html

Starterktis Overview

Starterkits are packages of information with everything you need to know to set up Precious Plastic recycling spaces and start tackling the plastic waste problem.

@Momo und die Zeitdiebe please, check the link.

10:58 PM

@Bananaman please, check it. Thz you

Bananaman

I would like to start a mixed precious plastic workspace in my school, I have talked to it my teachers about it and they said that I need to compile the following information to take the idea into consideration. 1) How will the school benefit from it 2)How much money is required 3)How much space will be needed Could you please help me with this?

1) How will the school benefit from it-in a short way the school get to grab environmental cred and look good, the students get some experience and info about recycling, students also get an opportunity to be creatives while also being environment friendly, students get to physically try out any ideas they might have

10:29 AM

these are the basic 'selling points' i could think of if you only machinery for plastic,

10:30 AM

but most people choose to or will need more tools,this means your students will get experince using a lot of tool in different ways

Hi everyone,what could be the cause of this hole on ps sheet

masor

Hi everyone,what could be the cause of this hole on ps sheet

seeing the size of the cavities i would say air

11:06 AM

see if you have extra gaps left in the material or the material is not properly shredded

11:06 AM

un-shredded material will results in large gaps and cavities in the sheet

sponsoons

im not sure about directly extruding into a closed mold as i havent tried that

@wolfst you can shred and then extrude multilayer plastics. My advice is to pay attention to what the MLP is made from, usually BOPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene) used as a film along with aluminium. I've used shredded MLP and mixed in extra PP as a precaution since the aluminum is not going to melt and has the potential of compressing/compacting and getting stuck inside the extrusion machine. It made some interesting tiles.

Dines

(x-post from #deleted-channel ) Is there ever a use for compressed polystyrene / HIPS ? I collect a lot of offcut from Games Workshop minis, and apparently it's all high-quality HIPS. Is that a useful type?

I've melted some on my sheet press. i was pleasantly surprised with how it melted aside from all the tiny bubbles that expanded in the plastic. I believe with PS you have to be more careful with offgassing and such, don't be breathing in the fumes from it. Also it is more glass-like so it will shatter. I don't recommend tossing this stuff in your shredder. What to make with it? Yeah... good question...

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I've melted some on my sheet press. i was pleasantly surprised with how it melted aside from all the tiny bubbles that expanded in the plastic. I believe with PS you have to be more careful with offgassing and such, don't be breathing in the fumes from it. Also it is more glass-like so it will shatter. I don't recommend tossing this stuff in your shredder. What to make with it? Yeah... good question...

Interesting. I do have idea of what to make with it, though how to get that done is another challenge...! I know what you mean about the shattering, too - I broke up 4kg of it (stupidly) by hand this weekend and my fingers are cut to shreds

12:20 PM

(Half the box)

Dines

(Half the box)

Ooofff, by hand! I had a few pieces of what looked like tube cutoffs or something. No need to break it down into little pieces if you have a sheet press or oven, it seems to melt down very nicely (aside from the bubbles, but still looks cool). So, it will melt, it will look great, hopefully its all clean. I havent used this material on extrusion or injection, so if you want to go that route....eh... let us know how it goes. hahaha

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Ooofff, by hand! I had a few pieces of what looked like tube cutoffs or something. No need to break it down into little pieces if you have a sheet press or oven, it seems to melt down very nicely (aside from the bubbles, but still looks cool). So, it will melt, it will look great, hopefully its all clean. I havent used this material on extrusion or injection, so if you want to go that route....eh... let us know how it goes. hahaha

I have no processing capabilities, so this breaking down was a) to save a bit of space (!), and b) to preprepare it for shredding... but the "shatterable" nature is making me think twice. Needs experimentation! This particular source of plastic could be very fruitful, so I'm determined to find a use for it :)

wolfst

Thanks for answering! Very inspiring youtube channel! Can you share more info on your experience with the quality of the mixture? Especially when using chips bags, anything to look out for? Certain mix with more pure plastic? etc?

hi sorry for the late reply, the best person to ask about that will be @Butte (PP Philippines) as it is his channel iirc

Dines

I have no processing capabilities, so this breaking down was a) to save a bit of space (!), and b) to preprepare it for shredding... but the "shatterable" nature is making me think twice. Needs experimentation! This particular source of plastic could be very fruitful, so I'm determined to find a use for it :)

if its shatterable or brittle wouldnt the fastest way of shredding be to just toss it in a bag and hit that bag onto the ground a couple times or toss it in a bag and hit it with a hammer

3:35 PM

it feels like a very fast way to do it

sponsoons

if its shatterable or brittle wouldnt the fastest way of shredding be to just toss it in a bag and hit that bag onto the ground a couple times or toss it in a bag and hit it with a hammer

Yes! That's quite a good idea. It will bend a bit; whether and where exactly it shatters is quite random. Its not brittle like glass - it's plastic after all! Its an odd material.

Hello everyone, my siblings would like to melt some clean pieces of HDPE and PP separately in silicon moulds. However, they insist on using the (mini) oven and air fryer which are usually used for food. I worry about the fumes from the plastic. Should I let them use the oven/fryer to melt or invest in the new ones that are dedicated only to melting plastics?? I know it sounds pretty absurd to ask but our parents wouldn't want us to get another oven/fryer since they think it would be a waste.

Hey Arnold, me and Do have been using a halogen oven, big glass bowl with a bright hot light and fan. I got it second hand for 7 euros. I use 215-225 degrees celsius when it's a bit cold outside and it works fine for siliconmolds. AMA

Arnold__

Hello everyone, my siblings would like to melt some clean pieces of HDPE and PP separately in silicon moulds. However, they insist on using the (mini) oven and air fryer which are usually used for food. I worry about the fumes from the plastic. Should I let them use the oven/fryer to melt or invest in the new ones that are dedicated only to melting plastics?? I know it sounds pretty absurd to ask but our parents wouldn't want us to get another oven/fryer since they think it would be a waste.

no idea about the safety aspect of it but ive melted plastic in my food oven plenty times and as long as you dont burn anything itll be pretty fine the next time round

6:46 PM

atleast for me if i use the normal plastic-PP,HD/LD PE,PET i havent had any problems,the oven and the food smells normal,theres to weird taste to the food the plastic is ok

6:49 PM

but something to remember esp when using machines meant for food is always start low and make you way up,so start at the plastics melting temp and work your way,also never depend on the temp the oven tells you-always check the plastics temp as IMO it differs also if possible add another thermometer or whatever and double check the ovens/heater temp as this will prevent burning

6:49 PM

and burning + off-gassing will be your main concern

6:51 PM

also stay away from heating these plastics in thins meant for food- PVC,ABS,PS,and all types of foam,these will release fumes and gasses none of which are good

6:51 PM

but as always its better to be safe and see if you can find a cheap used/second-hand oven to do the job

6:52 PM

in my case i used this old gas electric + gas oven we had but no longer used much

6:52 PM

so check around your house as most people will have something like that

Kzgr38

Hey Arnold, me and Do have been using a halogen oven, big glass bowl with a bright hot light and fan. I got it second hand for 7 euros. I use 215-225 degrees celsius when it's a bit cold outside and it works fine for siliconmolds. AMA

I will definitely check it out

sponsoons

no idea about the safety aspect of it but ive melted plastic in my food oven plenty times and as long as you dont burn anything itll be pretty fine the next time round

Thank you ^^

Hi my name is Manola I-m from Chile and I’m currently working on my thesis project. So I really need to get in touch with Dave Hakkens, does anyone know how can I reach him? PLEASE I COULD REALLY USE THE HELP.

What do you need help with? if it's Precious plastic stuff, it may be Joseph you want to talk to, if other stuff there may be also someone else you should contact (edited)

Thanks for replying! I’m currently working on my poyect tittle which consist of a persuasive campaign for the implementention of unconventional recycling technologies here in Chile. but I need a “client“ in this case Precious Plastic would be the ‘’client ’’ so I really neeed to make the connection with One Army or Precious Plastic, otherwise my university will not consider my project viable.

6:57 PM

Do you know anyone that could help me? I’m desperate

Arnold__

Hello everyone, my siblings would like to melt some clean pieces of HDPE and PP separately in silicon moulds. However, they insist on using the (mini) oven and air fryer which are usually used for food. I worry about the fumes from the plastic. Should I let them use the oven/fryer to melt or invest in the new ones that are dedicated only to melting plastics?? I know it sounds pretty absurd to ask but our parents wouldn't want us to get another oven/fryer since they think it would be a waste.

I was able to find a really decent toaster oven for ~$10 at a thrift store. I would recommend that instead of your food oven. It's better not to risk it. Also, that will allow you to move to a location with adequate ventilation.

I agree ^

10:37 PM

I did the same recently

Thanks for replying! I’m currently working on my poyect tittle which consist of a persuasive campaign for the implementention of unconventional recycling technologies here in Chile. but I need a “client“ in this case Precious Plastic would be the ‘’client ’’ so I really neeed to make the connection with One Army or Precious Plastic, otherwise my university will not consider my project viable.

@Manola @Hugh can you help ? Please

Has anyone used hard polystyrene like cd cases in a PP injection moulding machine ? Any advice over HDPE / polypropylene

Just wanted to share a picture of my shredder. I worked on it about 8 months.

3

4

12:20 PM

7

4

3

4

Has anyone heard of www.robotdigg.com? I have never heard of them but just found this website and I am in love

Joe Cubed

Has anyone heard of www.robotdigg.com? I have never heard of them but just found this website and I am in love

they have great stuff. They carry the PP screws and have barrels for DIY

question

9:48 AM

whould the shredder pro also work with big 110 mm pe pipes and pvc

9:48 AM

i am not looking to recyle so much as reduse the mountian of waste we make at our school

9:50 AM

we are posibly looking at making new pipes and stuff.

9:51 AM

but for now we just want it to take a little longer before we make a giant pile

Taire

whould the shredder pro also work with big 110 mm pe pipes and pvc

just get a commercial pipe shredder,theyre designed for that and are much cheaper and better (edited)

9:53 AM

esp if you mainly want to shred pipes

its not just pipes

9:57 AM

its also aluminium cans and electrical pipe gutter

9:57 AM

plus i need a school project

(edited)

Taire

its also aluminium cans and electrical pipe gutter

what material is the pipe gutter made of?

10:06 AM

i wouldn't recommend shredding aluminum cans at home, it simpler to just crush them

sponsoons

what material is the pipe gutter made of?

kinda soft pvp

10:07 AM

also a pipe uppenor

10:07 AM

that has a small amount of aluminium in it

10:08 AM

pretty much all sorts of plastic and very small amounts of aluminium

Taire

kinda soft pvp

Polyvinylpyrrolidone? (edited)

yes

Taire

also a pipe uppenor

pipe uppenor?whats that?

pipe for underfloor heating

10:18 AM

this stuff

10:18 AM

it wont see much of this stuff

10:21 AM

so most pipe shredders either look like this and are meant for things like pipes,bottles,channels and basically anything soft enoguh that can fit into that inlet

10:22 AM

the reason for their design is it allows you to put in a shred the pipe without having to shred it first

true

10:22 AM

however

Taire

pretty much all sorts of plastic and very small amounts of aluminium

maybe try a scrap/municipal shredder then?

we also get alot of pipes with bends

10:23 AM

and a pipe shredder cant rly fit pipes that are at any angle

10:23 AM

only straight

10:23 AM

and we dont have much straight pipe only the bends (edited)

Taire

we also get alot of pipes with bends

ay,thats the problem you see,to shred things with bend without cutting them first youll need a machine with a very long blade/width

10:25 AM

this means youll need to get something quite big

10:26 AM

unless you can manage to fit it sideways or something,youll need something with atleast a 24 inch size

i mean we mostly cut of the still somewat big and long parts

10:26 AM

and trow away the bends

10:26 AM

ill make a picture

10:26 AM

one sec

Pc-400 Plastic Grind Machine / Plastic Shredder / Plastic Crusher,P...

Pc-400 Plastic Grind Machine / Plastic Shredder / Plastic Crusher,Pe Pp Pvc Pet Waste Plastic Crusher Machine Prices - Buy Plastic Grind Machine,Plastic Shredder,Plastic Crusher Product on Alibaba.com

10:28 AM

something like this?

10:28 AM

its slamm stuff like this

Taire

Click to see attachment 🖼️

should work

10:30 AM

take a look at that machine

oke i will

10:33 AM

that whould indeed work

10:33 AM

however i need to make a shredder as a school project

10:34 AM

and seeing as theres alot of poeple in this comunity i thought id look here

ah ok

also another question

10:43 AM

whould it be posible to use a chain srive instead of direct drive

10:44 AM

we had a nother student try to make something like this before

10:44 AM

and he has kind of a big motor

10:44 AM

and i whould like to use a bit more of its power

Just a sample so far, this look like a good point of processing before setting up for molds?

That's fine

10:37 PM

Which shredder made that?

Im actually not using a shredder yet. I will be getting an electric version of this soon but I am using a mechanical nibbler right now.

This version is very slow but once I get the electric one I am sure it will be fast enough to handle my smaller scale stuff

10:56 PM

@TsaikaJen what are you making with such small shreds?

@Liri (They/He) This is my solution to the cost of shredders and granulators right now, I will be getting an electric nibbler soon that may make slightly bigger chunks but I am hoping to use this for setting into a crucible and molds. (I also hardly have a clue what I am doing but I am trying to form a business around it 0_o) My first project will most likely be creating panels to build other projects with.

TsaikaJen

@Liri (They/He) This is my solution to the cost of shredders and granulators right now, I will be getting an electric nibbler soon that may make slightly bigger chunks but I am hoping to use this for setting into a crucible and molds. (I also hardly have a clue what I am doing but I am trying to form a business around it 0_o) My first project will most likely be creating panels to build other projects with.

ah ok haha what plastic type is that? you might want to try scissors for bigger flakes

Liri (They/He)

ah ok haha what plastic type is that? you might want to try scissors for bigger flakes

Plastic PET bottles, but I understand where you are going! I am wanting small uniform pieces and the electric nibbler will be much faster than me at producing them, I used one frequently in my last job to cut aluminum so I know they can take a beating

TsaikaJen

Plastic PET bottles, but I understand where you are going! I am wanting small uniform pieces and the electric nibbler will be much faster than me at producing them, I used one frequently in my last job to cut aluminum so I know they can take a beating

PET has a very specific melting temprature so far Pecious Plastic hasn't really used it just fyi

Liri (They/He)

PET has a very specific melting temprature so far Pecious Plastic hasn't really used it just fyi

491 Fahrenheit right? I wonder why its not being utilized as often. The reason I am picking this material is because of its high heat resistance, the long term durability, and its availability. I have a hard time collecting decent amounts of other plastics so this one is the most promising. Im sure the nibbler will work well on all types of plastic as well but is there a specific issue with using PET that you are familiar with?

TsaikaJen

491 Fahrenheit right? I wonder why its not being utilized as often. The reason I am picking this material is because of its high heat resistance, the long term durability, and its availability. I have a hard time collecting decent amounts of other plastics so this one is the most promising. Im sure the nibbler will work well on all types of plastic as well but is there a specific issue with using PET that you are familiar with?

Small working window for temperature, if it overheats it will become dust, the plastic attracts water, it turns to a fragile glass like material

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Small working window for temperature, if it overheats it will become dust, the plastic attracts water, it turns to a fragile glass like material

I have seen the plastic turn to that form, but is there a possible additive or cooling method that would reduce the hardness factor? Perhaps slow heating and cooling to minimize the effect? Or even adding a substance into the mix during the heating process to retain a slight bit of elasticity? (Edit) I actually read up a bit and it seems that fast cooling could also be helpful with getting desired results. What are your thoughts on all this? (edited)

TsaikaJen

I have seen the plastic turn to that form, but is there a possible additive or cooling method that would reduce the hardness factor? Perhaps slow heating and cooling to minimize the effect? Or even adding a substance into the mix during the heating process to retain a slight bit of elasticity? (Edit) I actually read up a bit and it seems that fast cooling could also be helpful with getting desired results. What are your thoughts on all this? (edited)

well not to dismiss it but in small scale recycling it's just been less doable I guess... which why I thought it was weird you were using it... if this is your first time recycling plastic I might try out something easier first

Liri (They/He)

well not to dismiss it but in small scale recycling it's just been less doable I guess... which why I thought it was weird you were using it... if this is your first time recycling plastic I might try out something easier first

Thank you for the advice! I will hear you out but with the limitations on other materials I think I will be forced to go all in

TsaikaJen

Thank you for the advice! I will hear you out but with the limitations on other materials I think I will be forced to go all in

what are your limitations why is it hard to get HDPE or PP? I know there's definitely less but I think it's just the way it is...

4:49 AM

also check the map maybe there is someone around you collecting plastic or you can make a community point that collects plastic, I think since PET is very unreliable you might spend your time doing all this work without any product....

Liri (They/He)

also check the map maybe there is someone around you collecting plastic or you can make a community point that collects plastic, I think since PET is very unreliable you might spend your time doing all this work without any product....

Well I checked the map here around the area I live in Oklahoma and there was nothing 0_o but I am determined to make products out of this plastic. Besides I have collected quite a bit of plastic (about 5 32 gallon containers worth) and 80% of it is PET.

well good luck I guess!

Liri (They/He)

also check the map maybe there is someone around you collecting plastic or you can make a community point that collects plastic, I think since PET is very unreliable you might spend your time doing all this work without any product....

But now that I know its difficulty I do have access to another plastic come to think of it. LDPE 4, I havent researched the properties on this one as of yet though, would it be worth consideration?

TsaikaJen

But now that I know its difficulty I do have access to another plastic come to think of it. LDPE 4, I havent researched the properties on this one as of yet though, would it be worth consideration?

i think so more then PET yeah! I've done stuff with the LDPE bags :D

@Liri (They/He) 0_o no no… I dont just have bags of LDPE… I have entire dumpsters of it that my job throws away… I didnt even put together that it was the same material as plastic bags! I am going to speak to my plant manager soon about acquiring those for working with then!!! (edited)

TsaikaJen

@Liri (They/He) 0_o no no… I dont just have bags of LDPE… I have entire dumpsters of it that my job throws away… I didnt even put together that it was the same material as plastic bags! I am going to speak to my plant manager soon about acquiring those for working with then!!! (edited)

oh yeah I assumed I was just saying when I've worked with LDPE it's been bags but also not all bags are LDPE

@Liri (They/He) This is the material I am talking about, it is basically a plastic sheath for the products we make (oil industry ironically enough) it is used to protect threads of material and the profiles from abrasions during transportation. When we receive it back from processing it has new sheaths that are discarded, entire dumpsters full weekly or even more often depending on the frequency of orders.

oh yeah you should definitely try to recycle that!!! would be so cool!!!

Liri (They/He)

oh yeah you should definitely try to recycle that!!! would be so cool!!!

Sorry to keep bothering but how is this material to work with? Do you know any tricks? And is it easy to melt and form safely?

that might be a question for someone who's worked a bit more with LDPE then me

5:30 AM

but you could definitely experiment too!

5:31 AM

the bags I use seem to be way thinner then that stuff...

5:32 AM

overall PE does seem to have the least fumes according to the precious plastic tests

Liri (They/He)

that might be a question for someone who's worked a bit more with LDPE then me

I sure will, thank you so much for all your help today! I will be doing a lot of research on this before testing and give it a shot very soon. Also I know it seems stubborn but I wont be giving up on PET either, I am very determined!

And PE? Is that another way LDPE is referred to?

LDPE is Low Density PE and HDPE is High Density PE or Polyethylene

5:34 AM

I mean I guess experimenting won't hurt I just wanted to let you know...

I see! I will have to start brushing up on my understanding of all these varieties! And it is much appreciated that you informed me of the difficulties with PET, the struggle with it could have put me into a financial bind before I got more established. I will try to update with any breakthroughs soon but thank you again! Im going to pass out now lol

ooh yeah would be nice to hear about your progress @ if you wanna get my attention :D have a good night!! (edited)

hi

7:18 AM

does anyone know if precious plastics sells blank mold frames that are compatible with the machines they sell?

No idea

10:09 AM

Can anyone help me identify these panels? Just wondering how to set the temp and force

TsaikaJen

@Liri (They/He) This is the material I am talking about, it is basically a plastic sheath for the products we make (oil industry ironically enough) it is used to protect threads of material and the profiles from abrasions during transportation. When we receive it back from processing it has new sheaths that are discarded, entire dumpsters full weekly or even more often depending on the frequency of orders.

what is this thing called/

1:22 PM

?

Treats

Click to see attachment 🖼️

1st is the temperature controller of the nozzle (where plastic comes out of the extruder), 2nd and 3rd are the 2 other temperature controllers spread on your extruding barrel. I would setup the 1st a few degrees above 2nd and 3rd. The 4th button is obviously the safety stop button; And the 5th is the motor's speed controller, it will let you speed up or slow down the output of the melted plastic out of the extruder. What type of plastic are you planning to use ?

Deleted User

does anyone know if precious plastics sells blank mold frames that are compatible with the machines they sell?

well precious plastic themselves really doesn't sell anything. since the project is open source and it's basically other people that sell stuff you can find a seller that is a mold maker and either have them make a mould for you or maybe try to buy a blank one....

Question

1:53 PM

What kind of material are the axels of the shredder pro made from

1:54 PM

Is that normal mild steel or is it some kind of alloy

TsaikaJen

Sorry to keep bothering but how is this material to work with? Do you know any tricks? And is it easy to melt and form safely?

Trial and error. LDPE tends to be a bit tricky because it's often in the form of plastic bags which are not super friendly for the shredder. I have taken bags and let my extrusion machine pull it in and push it out. Mostly I work with HDPE, but I think it's fair to say that LDPE is more sticky. It can be more difficult to work with if you need to clean it since cleaning dirty plastic bags is near impossible (or extreme effort for very little material).

2:27 PM

Oh, I'm sure it'd work without much fuss with injection. Just shove the LDPE in the barrel till it's full and shoot your shot.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Oh, I'm sure it'd work without much fuss with injection. Just shove the LDPE in the barrel till it's full and shoot your shot.

Thanks for the feedback! Also since I will have to approach my Plant Manager about this to acquire all the plastics without any possible issue do you know of any tax incentives they could receive if I recycle for them? And do I have to be established as an LLC or other formal organization in order to get them incentive?

TsaikaJen

Thanks for the feedback! Also since I will have to approach my Plant Manager about this to acquire all the plastics without any possible issue do you know of any tax incentives they could receive if I recycle for them? And do I have to be established as an LLC or other formal organization in order to get them incentive?

Depends on the country. Depends on the company. It's quite likely that there's no tax incentives. As for you needing to be a formal organization, depends on the company and/or country. Usually it helps to have a formal organization, but in my experience it's not always needed. B2B seems far more formal than B2C from what I've done.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Depends on the country. Depends on the company. It's quite likely that there's no tax incentives. As for you needing to be a formal organization, depends on the company and/or country. Usually it helps to have a formal organization, but in my experience it's not always needed. B2B seems far more formal than B2C from what I've done.

Thanks! I do plan on forming an LLC soon to at least cover me for liability though, too many sue happy people out there these days.

Liri (They/He)

well precious plastic themselves really doesn't sell anything. since the project is open source and it's basically other people that sell stuff you can find a seller that is a mold maker and either have them make a mould for you or maybe try to buy a blank one....

Do you know if there are any blank molds that are compatible with the injection machines that are sold in the bazar? Apparently most of the machines need them to screw on

Deleted User

Do you know if there are any blank molds that are compatible with the injection machines that are sold in the bazar? Apparently most of the machines need them to screw on

well if you contact a mould maker that has a cnc machine they can make that hole for you and you can do whatever you wanted to do with it. or let them make you the mould with their machine. the details really come down to the communication between you and the mould maker.

7:12 PM

I know @plasticpreneur makes a lot of moulds and they do some custom stuff

I’m not sure if I want a custom mold since they are expensive

that's really for you to decide...

I also need some help figuring out how to set up the injection machine I have since I didn’t buy it but I don’t know what brand it is

7:16 PM

I have a photo of the machine if it helps identify it

i'm sure someone in #archived-machines might be able to help you but I think most know the precious plastic machines the best

Ok thank you

Deleted User

does anyone know if precious plastics sells blank mold frames that are compatible with the machines they sell?

@Rory - Sustainable Design Studio makes moulds for PP machines and is on the bazar

sponsoons

what is this thing called/

Sorry what thing? Are you referring to the plastic on the spool or the product we make?

Overmolding is probably too technical of a term of what I am trying to do, but have a technique question I can’t find an answer to. The hope is extrude hdpe around part of an already made hdpe part. When the hdpe extrusion cools will it pull apart from other hdpe part? Will they melt together? Anyone have any insights?

1

TsaikaJen

Sorry what thing? Are you referring to the plastic on the spool or the product we make?

the plastic on the spool?

sponsoons

the plastic on the spool?

The plastic on the spool is LDPE 4, it is in a sort of snakeskin netting design and it is disposed of often at my place of work.

TsaikaJen

The plastic on the spool is LDPE 4, it is in a sort of snakeskin netting design and it is disposed of often at my place of work.

ah ok

Nick - PP France

1st is the temperature controller of the nozzle (where plastic comes out of the extruder), 2nd and 3rd are the 2 other temperature controllers spread on your extruding barrel. I would setup the 1st a few degrees above 2nd and 3rd. The 4th button is obviously the safety stop button; And the 5th is the motor's speed controller, it will let you speed up or slow down the output of the melted plastic out of the extruder. What type of plastic are you planning to use ?

As of right now we are hoping to melt #5. But we have a ton of #1, hoping to experiment with it if it isn’t too hard on the machine. Any tips or recommendations would be appreciated:)

Treats

As of right now we are hoping to melt #5. But we have a ton of #1, hoping to experiment with it if it isn’t too hard on the machine. Any tips or recommendations would be appreciated:)

I think #5 is one of the best ideas for the most positive impact on the environment if that is your goal. It is everywhere, and it easily shatters into small pieces if stepped on or bashed around by rocks.

Hello everyone, I have some pvc and fume questions. Can someone help?

I will just leave my question with you guys and I hope to hear back from someone. I am using PVC sheets that are dull. I found a cool method where if I take a small creme brulee torch and quickly go over the surface back and forth quickly it gives this nice wet shiny look, exactly what I was hoping to achieve. I do wear a 3M Cartridge/Filter 60926 each time I am doing this maybe once a week and for maybe 10 minutes. It seems to be getting hot enough to where its starting to melt the surface and get shiny, but there isn't any discoloration or smoke. I work very carefully to not allow the surface to burn, smoke, melt through. However after doing this, within the ventilated garage, it does still kind of have that burnt pvc smell lingering. So my concern is, how harmful is this level of surface heating on the PVC? The fact that I can smell the burnt PVC in the garage, does that indicate that it is giving off its deadly dioxins?

I mean

12:41 PM

If you can smell it when you enter a room it's probably not healthy

12:42 PM

And I'm pretty sure the melting of pvc does give of some nasty fumes

Taire

And I'm pretty sure the melting of pvc does give of some nasty fumes

I guess I heard from some who bend PVC pipe that as long as it doesn't go over 170 degrees its not gassing off the deadly fumes just yet. However, I don't know how much truth there is to this.

Maybe

12:44 PM

I generally go. By if I can smell it entering a room

12:44 PM

It's probably not healthy

12:44 PM

I have no idea how unhealthy it is tho

Okay I will wait and see if someone else chimes in on my questions that might know for sure. Thanks though.

for me its as long as im not smelling anything horrible its good,i also wear a mask and have some ventilation; that ventilation could be just me standing under the kitchen hood/extractor, me being outside with a fan or me and a proper fume setup;however in all of these I am still wearing a mask

1:44 PM

and for most people the first two options will be the most feasible and safe

Has anyone worked with using a sheet press on #1? If so how does it turn out? I am interested in getting a sheet press up solely for this plastic at the moment.

PET is complicated to work with

2:51 PM

we did a test with it and ended up with a dusty mess

Joe Cubed

I think #5 is one of the best ideas for the most positive impact on the environment if that is your goal. It is everywhere, and it easily shatters into small pieces if stepped on or bashed around by rocks.

Polypropylene is also safe to work with and it flows well when melted. I started some tests with PP to use it (I have accumulated a lot!) in compression molding, it seems to give a better surface than HDPE.

Taire

Question

For the Canadian (North American) version of the shredder we use Stainless Steel.

Mirco (CANADA, ON)

For the Canadian (North American) version of the shredder we use Stainless Steel.

Oké I was thinking the same seeing as hardox is very hard to find

Stainless is expensive but it works great.

7:12 PM

Here is a picture of the North American Stainless shaft we designed. (edited)

Mirco (CANADA, ON)

Stainless is expensive but it works great.

The axels are going to be c45

7:17 PM

The blades I'm more worried about

Taire

The blades I'm more worried about

prehardened AR500 is a good HARDOX equivalent that should be pretty common for your local steel suppliers to carry.

would not overthink the blades if you are shredding plastic....make sure you are at least 56 RC hardness. Ardox 400/500 is good if you can find a flat sheet. (edited)

I was wondering if anyone has made rain barrels from recycled plastic using the extruder, or has any ideas for making them from repurposed plastic. Also is this the right place for this type of question? New to the ppverse!

Behold, my space age technology. The plastic width reduction incisor.

SPOILER

Original message was deleted or could not be loaded.

Wdym

2:57 AM

I'm confused

2:57 AM

C45 isn't hardness

2:58 AM

It's a number that indicates how well machinale it is

2:58 AM

And C45 is a tiny bit more expensive than mild steel here

2:59 AM

Also

2:59 AM

The reason why I asked about the hardod is because I have alot of plastic with small amounts of aluminum

Apologies @roscogamer tasi92 appears to be a well known troll.

And I wanted to make sure my blades don't wear to fast

CitSciWorkshop

Apologies @roscogamer tasi92 appears to be a well known troll.

Ahh

3:00 AM

Like I was just confused

Taire

Ahh

Also why don't the moderators remove him/her from the discord

3:01 AM

Trolls are rly annoying imo

I just did. He compulsively returns.

Hmm

3:02 AM

Well

3:03 AM

The rest has been restored

For steel type, C45 for axles is generally what I see people using in EU, @Landry @Rory - Sustainable Design Studio might have a better idea of steel specs there, but I think you're on the right track. (edited)

I'm probby also going to make them a tiny bit thicker

3:04 AM

Because my motor is on the high end of the torque

3:04 AM

And I want it to last

The 6.35mm blades we make are standing up well on 5HP ~1600nm output torque configs

Also because I will likely be using a chain drive

3:06 AM

My motor has like 2300nm of torque

3:07 AM

Our school got a big ass discount so they went for the bigger one

Very ambitious, just be careful!

I will I like my hands (edited)

3:08 AM

Lol

3:09 AM

But I should be fine

3:09 AM

I mean its a engineering degree I'm going for, so the build should be fine

3:10 AM

Already have it all in cad

3:10 AM

I took the shredder box form the website and designed my own framework and stuff

Taire

I'm confused

If I may interject C45 seems to be equivalent to AISI 1045, ie. Steel with a 0.45% Carbon, very common in the USA and Canada. It is a medium Carbon steel, as it has Carbon it can be hardened easily to Rockwell C 55 available in round bar and plate.

That sounds about right

3:17 AM

I manly like it because of its machine ability

3:17 AM

It makes nice chips

Sure makes sense.

3:18 AM

#9 chips!

And seeing as it's pretty much the same price

3:18 AM

Why not

Mirco (CANADA, ON)

#9 chips!

Xd

3:21 AM

Anyway imma go sleep

3:21 AM

So cya

Have a good evening, good luck with your build.

Taire

It's a number that indicates how well machinale it is

No, C45 is the name of a simple carbon steel without (or better, with very low) alloy elements, that have a +/-0.45% carbon content. That carbon content give it some hardness, tensile strenght and tempering capabilities. Machinable properties comes also from hardness (during lathe machining for example it doesn't make long shavings), but not only from that.

Hmm I did not know that

11:26 AM

Here they just sell it as steel that machines easily and works very well for axels

Hey folks, does anyone know if theraformed plastics can be used in a sheet press?

MaeBme?

Hey folks, does anyone know if theraformed plastics can be used in a sheet press?

depending on the plastic type :D

Got a few more pieces made through our trial and error. We are going to be making a simple sheet press soon! These are all LDPE pieces, and I hope to make a clean looking piece soon!

12:55 AM

Started using an aluminum mold for my HDPE blanks and it's going very well. Need to modify the mold to minimize flashing still but for my mold about 85g of material makes one of these blocks. About 3x5x.25"

@TsaikaJen @Deleted User I'm not sure how you're making your sheets but here's my way...and also how i make clocks hahaha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XE9MWUHXtA

Clock making

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

@TsaikaJen @Deleted User I'm not sure how you're making your sheets but here's my way...and also how i make clocks hahaha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XE9MWUHXtA

Wow! Thank you!! Thats very interesting how the pressure is applied.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

@TsaikaJen @Deleted User I'm not sure how you're making your sheets but here's my way...and also how i make clocks hahaha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XE9MWUHXtA

1:33 AM

I'm using one of these because it allows me to make a consistent depth blank of a standard size. I'm prototyping sunglasses and other functional items right now so having uniform pieces really helps replicate what works. Then the scraps go back into the next block

1:33 AM

The block above is the 3rd casting of that material

Deleted User

Click to see attachment 🖼️

oh cool! that should work great for what you're after.

Just got a bottle press too, its going very well I've been in here before but never chatted much. With my set up HDPE/LDPE is the easiest to work with by far

1:46 AM

Subbed to your channel, this is a good video

Deleted User

Subbed to your channel, this is a good video

i plan on making more videos....some day... hahaha

GoodMoring ( From my end ) , I wanted to ask the members on this chat for help on the matter of PVC Recycling . I want to recycle PVC waste into new products, like flower pots , keychains, etc, and I wanted to ask if someone can direct me to some information source or if they have experience on the matter at hand. I understand it should not be burned ( or subjected to high heat levels ) , but I want to see if it is possible to recycle it into products similar to the ones displayed on Precious Plastics. (edited)

Deleted User

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Ty! I will definitely look more into that mold!

It can be pricey but as a ready to go option that leaves a decent finish its a good option. I plan on polishing mine as the cast surface isn't perfect, but it's good enough to have a usable finish for items like cutting boards etc that will take some wear anyway

8:53 AM

Plus I like that if it were to break somehow, the aluminum could be melted down and recast or otherwise recycled with a smelter you could set up at home

One tip, I preheat the mold to temp while I melt my material, that way you get a better casting flow and less contraction from the aluminum sucking heat from the plastic

I remember a while ago on the PP site there were tokens you could purchase to mark what type of plastic you're recycling, you'd heat them up and press them into the finished product. Does anyone know what they're called or if they're still available?

They're typically called stamps

Ty

Does anyone have experience making moulds out of high-temperature resin?

Hello everyone, i am student of furniture engineering in Brno (CZ), acutally i work on final project where i use precious plastic sheets.... Could you anyone write me something more about physical and mechanical features of this material?... Thans so much for the answer :)

This might be a silly question, but has anyone every attempted to shred PLA plastic with a wood chipper? I wonder if the friction/heat would melt the PLA in the process

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

@TsaikaJen @Deleted User I'm not sure how you're making your sheets but here's my way...and also how i make clocks hahaha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XE9MWUHXtA

nice and fast result! can i ask you how you heat up the bottom sheet?

just stumbled upon this Precious Plastics org when looking for DIY shredders. I'm looking to make a shredder for cardboard boxes, is there experience using the dual shafter shredder in that application. Also are the teeth hardened steel or just mild steel? From watching the video, I conclude there is approximately 2mm clearance between opposing teeth, is that correct?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

i plan on making more videos....some day... hahaha

You should, really good video

Till

Does anyone have experience making moulds out of high-temperature resin?

I’ve used casting silicone before and that works if you get the right high temperature one. But it does need support to stop it moving.

does melted hdpe stick to aluminum and brass

7:49 AM

and steel*

Deleted User

does melted hdpe stick to aluminum and brass

No it should not. It has a sticky quality when still hot but once cooled it's very easy to separate from a mold. I use both steel and aluminum and a couple taps with a hammer easily dislodge my pieces

7:55 AM

i need a steel adapter conencted to a brass adapter connected to my aluminum mold so i was wondering if it was easy to get it out

7:56 AM

This is out of a 1-1/8" steel pipe, had to sand the outside of the final piece because the tube had some rust inside

7:56 AM

The ease of removal is going to depend on if the plastic can grab onto any edges, rims, ledges, that sort of thing, that it could flow into and harden in

7:57 AM

If it's all smooth you'll be fine

7:57 AM

can i use mold release on metal just in case?

7:57 AM

i have some universal mold release

7:58 AM

No harm in using mold release if you want. HDPE has a very low reaction level so most chemicals don't affect it much if at all

7:58 AM

I would take a scrap of HDPE and apply some mold release as a test first

7:59 AM

what would i be looking for if i did that test

8:01 AM

You'd want to look for signs of bubbling, burning, melting, etc., signs or some chemical reaction. Basically if you see it do nothing it's likely not reacting with the plastic

8:01 AM

ok

Tom - Redo Design

I’ve used casting silicone before and that works if you get the right high temperature one. But it does need support to stop it moving.

Interesting! We started thinking about it because it is mentioned in the article here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/create/injection-moulds

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/892322132544065536/892331646861336586/20210928_094934.jpg?width=804&height=603 before

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

11:16 AM

If it is possible for small production series, that would save a lot of cost

Julie

nice and fast result! can i ask you how you heat up the bottom sheet?

The heater on the machine is a plate style heater. The size is about 50 x 50 cm, i'm not sure about the wattage. I can test it to find out but i think roughly 2kw or 3kw as a guess. It's controlled by a PID.

Taire

Here they just sell it as steel that machines easily and works very well for axels

For sure it is easily machinable, compared to low carbon steel (I don't know where are you from, in Italy we call it S235JR or, with the old UNI specs, Fe360, EN1.0038). But the machinability comes with the thermal treatment it has, this is what I want to say.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

The heater on the machine is a plate style heater. The size is about 50 x 50 cm, i'm not sure about the wattage. I can test it to find out but i think roughly 2kw or 3kw as a guess. It's controlled by a PID.

cool thank you for the information!

Does anyone know why I might be getting these flakey/ bobbly Delaminations on these polypropylene sheets. It’s all clean and melted at around 180. Thoughts ?

Tom - Redo Design

Does anyone know why I might be getting these flakey/ bobbly Delaminations on these polypropylene sheets. It’s all clean and melted at around 180. Thoughts ?

It's some sort of contamination. Could be ink, soap, or maybe the plastic was a little damp? Just a guess.

1

Tom - Redo Design

Does anyone know why I might be getting these flakey/ bobbly Delaminations on these polypropylene sheets. It’s all clean and melted at around 180. Thoughts ?

it could also be due to the silicone oil you are using ? @Marie.Pan had the same issue and managed to find a solution, would you care to share what you did Marie ?

1

Nick - PP France

it could also be due to the silicone oil you are using ? @Marie.Pan had the same issue and managed to find a solution, would you care to share what you did Marie ?

I’m using a spray on silicone mould release so could be . I don’t have that issue with ps / pc . It’s seems to be some polypropylene but not always.

Tom - Redo Design

I’m using a spray on silicone mould release so could be . I don’t have that issue with ps / pc . It’s seems to be some polypropylene but not always.

Marie.Pan — 25/10/2021 Le WD40 silicone fonctionne impec, j'essaie d'avoir le même résultat avec le silicone plus visqueux oui, mais il faut en mettre beaucoup :) je crois que je vais continuer à mettre un mini coup de WD40 silicone pour dire d'optimiser mes chances! translation : "The WD40 silicone works flawlessly, I try to have the same result with the more viscous silicone yes, but you have to put a lot of it :) I think that I will continue to put a mini blow of WD40 silicone to say to optimize my chances!"

10:46 AM

10:46 AM

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/892322132544065536/901192339710685265/IMG_20211020_092537_089.jpg?width=603&height=603 and after

That does look the same

Tom - Redo Design

That does look the same

same what ? :D same problem as you are facing , or the 2 photos seem to be the same? :p

The top photo does look similar to the Delaminations that I’m gettting on the polypropylene sheets. I’ll try changing to silicone WD40 and report back. The one I’m using is branded by ‘bond it’

10:54 AM

Thanks Nick

1

in my opinion, the 2 factors which could cause this are : 1) too high Temperature of the system 2) sticks to the mould -> having a teflon coating for the mould or trying out other silicone oils should solve the problem :)

1

Tom - Redo Design

Does anyone know why I might be getting these flakey/ bobbly Delaminations on these polypropylene sheets. It’s all clean and melted at around 180. Thoughts ?

Also just could be that material is not pure PP or has some weird additives in there

1

We've found that PP seems the most sensitive to material property variations causing splitting.

1

Joseph

Also just could be that material is not pure PP or has some weird additives in there

Thanks Joseph. It’s made from Dvd cases and for the most part I remove the clear covers even if they are also pp but sometimes they find there was in so could be that possibly or dirt on them

Is anyone here experienced in manufacturing toys and obtaining the safety certifications? In Europe that would be according to EN 71-3, a norm that defines limits for some chemical compounds, but I guess there are similar regulations all around the world.

leonheld

Is anyone here experienced in manufacturing toys and obtaining the safety certifications? In Europe that would be according to EN 71-3, a norm that defines limits for some chemical compounds, but I guess there are similar regulations all around the world.

Holypoly is working a lot in the toys field, I'm sure they could share some experiences!

Hello guys, seeking for advice. Anyone experienced with Basic Extruder V2.0. How thick and long, plastic profile, you were able to create ? im interested in maximum possible dimensions, with good surface quality. thanks !

Hi guys, it's amazing to meet you. This one is for partners: I created a concept of a catalog for plastic sheets a while ago in collab with a partner who ended up not using it. https://dribbble.com/shots/16447715-A-unique-recycled-plastic-brand-catalogue The use of a catalog also requires to have a method of fixed shredded plastic mixes, so it can be sold over and over again, with about the same textures. If anyone wants to use the catalog, I will gladly give it to you. DM me.. have a great weekend

A unique recycled-plastic brand catalogue

JasonW started a thread. 12/11/2021 7:59 AM

Anyone have any insigts as to whether or not HDPE could handle this kind of manipulation? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02pLHfMMRyw

Uniweld Products, Inc.

Expander Swage Tool Kit

janitordebris

Anyone have any insigts as to whether or not HDPE could handle this kind of manipulation? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02pLHfMMRyw

i dont think it would nicely unless heated

6:57 PM

imo unless heated most plastics are quite unpredictable (edited)

Has anyone ever used plastic from the interior of cars etc. most I’ve seen are marked abs or polypropylene but I’m unsure of any additives that could cause issues. A local car scrap yard has piles of the stuff.

Tom - Redo Design

Has anyone ever used plastic from the interior of cars etc. most I’ve seen are marked abs or polypropylene but I’m unsure of any additives that could cause issues. A local car scrap yard has piles of the stuff.

ive used pieces of bumpers and havent had much problems,

1

4:58 AM

however sometime the paint is quite annoying

4:58 AM

but for the interior where the paint is less/not there it shouldnt be a problem

4:59 AM

as always unless its smoking,burning, changing color, or smelling weird etc you're good

Tom - Redo Design

Has anyone ever used plastic from the interior of cars etc. most I’ve seen are marked abs or polypropylene but I’m unsure of any additives that could cause issues. A local car scrap yard has piles of the stuff.

Car interior pieces have additives for fire-prevention at the very least, so be extra careful with any fumes and make sure you're wearing protection and doing it in a well ventilated area.

1

I have alot it pcv flakes can those be recycled into anything

They come from pipes

Taire

I have alot it pcv flakes can those be recycled into anything

you could however theres the problem with fumes

6:52 PM

personally i find it simpler and easier to just find and give it to a pipe manufacturer,making pipes often uses a lot a scrap/recycled plastic and often youll get some small money for the plastic you give thm

Hmm

6:53 PM

I am making a shredder as school project and they asked if we chould use it for anything

sponsoons

personally i find it simpler and easier to just find and give it to a pipe manufacturer,making pipes often uses a lot a scrap/recycled plastic and often youll get some small money for the plastic you give thm

and if the pipe manufacturers near you wont buy directly,youll be able to find the right guys through them

And making my own pipes is rly hard I'm guessing

Taire

I am making a shredder as school project and they asked if we chould use it for anything

plastic packaging,thing detergent commodity bottles, as well as anything solid that is PE[HDPE,LDPE ETC] or similar category's is the best and simplest at a small scale

Or how bout the clips to hold set pipe against the wall

Taire

And making my own pipes is rly hard I'm guessing

making it is easy,making anything remotely good or cheap is not

Fair enough

sponsoons

making it is easy,making anything remotely good or cheap is not

mainly the process requires high pressure, consistent plastic and high precision dies, meaning it isn't very feasible both in terms of cost or complexity

Taire

Or how bout the clips to hold set pipe against the wall

should be easy to do that

A injection molding machine is kinda hard to make myself tho

you can either make a mold using the clay and casting method or using a cnc/other machine

We got a very nice 5 acces machine at work

would you be able to share pics of the pipe you are trying to recycle?

6:58 PM

This one and also blue and gray

6:58 PM

Pretty much the same stuff only blue is for compressed air

6:59 PM

And the gray one doesn't break

7:00 PM

And these are the clips

how you'd go about making clips without machines is cut rings from those pipe about a centimeter or so in length/width, then you'd cut a line in one piece after which your heat it and spread the two side apart, after that you'd flatten/bend the legs and drill holes into them

True

sponsoons

how you'd go about making clips without machines is cut rings from those pipe about a centimeter or so in length/width, then you'd cut a line in one piece after which your heat it and spread the two side apart, after that you'd flatten/bend the legs and drill holes into them

this is for making this type of clips

But if we whould make our own clips we likely whould like to mach the once we have

7:03 PM

We chould always dispose of the pvc

7:03 PM

But that whould mean it probably whould end up on the land fill

7:03 PM

And we whould like to prevent that

another way is to cut out 'rings'/slices from the pipe and cut a chunk/gap from them, and then drill a screw through that pipe to attach it to the wall

7:05 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L66am-zBPek

dennis ranck

Homemade PVC pipe clamp

And seeing as I whould need another machine project for next year

7:06 PM

I thought maybe I can make something to make use of the plastic that I shred before

TBH there are easier plastics to work with and more promising projects to make,an injection machine making something like covid 'no-touch keys' sounds much more prospective as a project

7:07 PM

if you want you could copper plate the keys so that they are better and self sanitising

I mean that whould just mean switching molds

Taire

I mean that whould just mean switching molds

do you already have a injection/extrusion

7:08 PM

?

No

7:09 PM

I whould also have to engineer that

then try making an injection,its easy to make on a budget and cheap

7:09 PM

most of them are literally a heat pipe with a rod acting as a plunger

True

some use actual analog temp controller which are cheap ones meant for ovens and heater

But if I were to make one it would be cool for it to work without me having to do things

others just use a flue/chimney thermometer along with a regulator from a ceiling fan

Cus it also needs to have x complexity for it to class as a master engineering class

PVC contains mostly phtalate so u need to use good ventilation and mask, ist can be mould at around 200c

Taire

Cus it also needs to have x complexity for it to class as a master engineering class

add safety covers and bells and whistles,thatll do it

That's not as high as I thought

but also if youve got the budget/time/resources then theres lots of prospective things you could try

sponsoons

add safety covers and bells and whistles,thatll do it

I'm currently redesigning the pp pro shredder and making it biggee

ah nice

Taire

That's not as high as I thought

make an extruder

7:12 PM

and combine it with an injection

7:13 PM

its what the big machines use,as it has the best of both worlds

I mean id like for it to make bages

7:14 PM

Aka 5 of the same part a a time for example

7:14 PM

Or 10

sponsoons

make an extruder

its complicated enough but also something quite interesting and would be something im really looking forward to seeing an open source/homemade/simpler version of

Taire

I mean id like for it to make bages

bages?

Batches

7:15 PM

Autocorect

7:15 PM

sponsoons

its complicated enough but also something quite interesting and would be something im really looking forward to seeing an open source/homemade/simpler version of

I'll look into it

7:16 PM

Maybe it's something that we chould make

7:16 PM

If I whould I'd obviously post it to here

Taire

Batches

should be doable then,with this system i feel it would work

Hmm

the problem as such is theres experimenting and finetuning to be done

True

7:18 PM

But company's here are for the most part very good with sharing information

7:18 PM

Aslong as you don't copy them

also heres a open source version of what i was talking about

7:19 PM

i cant remember where its from tho

7:20 PM

it does pretty exactly what i was talking about,so taking a look at it and the resizing and modding it to work for you should be doable

Taire

But company's here are for the most part very good with sharing information

thats something i like

7:21 PM

a lot of them are quite open once they know youre not from a competitor or trying to mess with them

7:22 PM

however mentioning that youre trying to diy can often have negative effects as you wont be taken seriously as a result

sponsoons

a lot of them are quite open once they know youre not from a competitor or trying to mess with them

Mentioning that here often opens doors

7:25 PM

Also mentioning your a student

Taire

Also mentioning your a student

that too,much more than mentioning anything else

sponsoons

also heres a open source version of what i was talking about

Also I wonder if you can get all of this in line

Taire

Also I wonder if you can get all of this in line

in line?

Aka dor having the extruder mounted on a 90 degree angle to the rest

sponsoons

should be doable then,with this system i feel it would work

if your product/part is small enough you can make multiple parts with any machine

True

dor?

7:28 PM

did you mean 'not'?

Yea

from what i understand its done so that when the injector ram goes downwards its will close of the inlet from the extruder,meaning that no stress/back-pressure will be put on the extruder mechanism

I see

7:30 PM

But the industry al one does not do so tho

that is the main reason for putting it in that configuration,but other design put it a similar angles-mostly with a downward flow

Taire

But the industry al one does not do so tho

which ones?

7:30 PM

as in connecting both machines?

Instead of having the ram seperate it's build into the screw

ya thats there,i remember seeing it on the blow molding machines

So it's more compact and the plastic stays hotter

but the separate ram design is something ive only seen in blow molding and making pallets out of waste/mixed plastic

Taire

So it's more compact and the plastic stays hotter

unfortunately it looks a bit too complicated to be done on a small scale

Probably because it has a giant volume

sponsoons

unfortunately it looks a bit too complicated to be done on a small scale

ill be amazed if somebody manages to replicate it

I have seen it some were before

7:34 PM

Didn't work the greatest

7:34 PM

But the principle was there

7:39 PM

I'll look for it

Hello: I’m looking at starting up a project but have one fundamental question. I see lots of various things being made of various plastic but P.E.T Dosent seem to be being used? What is the reason or am I wrong?

jacksnook

Hello: I’m looking at starting up a project but have one fundamental question. I see lots of various things being made of various plastic but P.E.T Dosent seem to be being used? What is the reason or am I wrong?

its not easy to shred on DIY shredders and if you dont make it perfectly dry before melting/heating then it will change

9:20 AM

simpler to do something like make bottles into strips and use those strips to make brushes

9:20 AM

^doing something like this will be cheaper,simpler and more useful

Is it common to use separate setups for different types of plastic when material purity is a factor? Say you want to machine HDPE parts with consistent results inside narrow tolerances. The shredder alone must be a bastard and a half to get perfectly clean?

Coxworth

Is it common to use separate setups for different types of plastic when material purity is a factor? Say you want to machine HDPE parts with consistent results inside narrow tolerances. The shredder alone must be a bastard and a half to get perfectly clean?

if you are big enough or specialized enough then yes, but for most others-nope, they just thoroughly clean it and if needed test it

10:32 AM

in cleaning shredders,an air jet/compressor is a blessing,it allows you to clean all the little places without the effort

10:33 AM

and most industrial ones have a ton of flaps and openings as well as removable parts,meaning it isnt too much of a problem

sponsoons

in cleaning shredders,an air jet/compressor is a blessing,it allows you to clean all the little places without the effort

Sounds like decent work planning, a backup unit in active use, and regular maintenance would make it a non-issue! Thanks!

Hello, I want to make my own bangles from recycled plastic and I was wondering if it is possible to have the same color composition like in this pictures? (This example is from resin art). If yes which plastic material would be the best to have this colour gradient or do you already have experiences/techniques how to make it? Thank you

Scaramanga

Hello, I want to make my own bangles from recycled plastic and I was wondering if it is possible to have the same color composition like in this pictures? (This example is from resin art). If yes which plastic material would be the best to have this colour gradient or do you already have experiences/techniques how to make it? Thank you

To get more translucent colours I mix larger pieces of colour with finer clear granules

1

3:03 PM

1

sponsoons

simpler to do something like make bottles into strips and use those strips to make brushes

Thank you for the advise.

Hi everyone, first of all sorry if I made some mistakes in English , I'm French.Don't want to bother you too much, I'm a new head on this discord and i would have wanted to talk to you about my engineering project and ask you for some advice. So as future engineers, me and my coworker had to do a project and we decided to use some of the precious plastic machine's. Our project was to make a precious plastic's machine in Algeria, in my friend's native town. We made everything up for this project to work and know we would have wanted to discuss a little bit with someone who could help us and also made us a check of what we did. It would be very cool if some of you could help me find someone i could talk to

Thanks for your attention and your help

1

Le petit Prince

Hi everyone, first of all sorry if I made some mistakes in English , I'm French.Don't want to bother you too much, I'm a new head on this discord and i would have wanted to talk to you about my engineering project and ask you for some advice. So as future engineers, me and my coworker had to do a project and we decided to use some of the precious plastic machine's. Our project was to make a precious plastic's machine in Algeria, in my friend's native town. We made everything up for this project to work and know we would have wanted to discuss a little bit with someone who could help us and also made us a check of what we did. It would be very cool if some of you could help me find someone i could talk to

Thanks for your attention and your help

Hello! So first thing I would definitely do is connect to "Precious Plastic Algeria" and to the team from "Precious Plastic Saharaui", they are at the Sahrawi Refugee Camps close to Tindouf. good to connect to the Precious Plastic people in your country and support each other

You can find them here: http://community.preciousplastic.com/map Otherwise, feel free to ask questions here on discord, there are many experienced people

Kat

Hello! So first thing I would definitely do is connect to "Precious Plastic Algeria" and to the team from "Precious Plastic Saharaui", they are at the Sahrawi Refugee Camps close to Tindouf. good to connect to the Precious Plastic people in your country and support each other

You can find them here: http://community.preciousplastic.com/map Otherwise, feel free to ask questions here on discord, there are many experienced people

Thank you for your answer, I'm from France and so I already connected with the french community but that's great to also have the Algerian's one. About questions I have, I hope not to bother you too much

Thanks in advance for your time One of the first question is probably about safety, In fact we've got a place to put both shredder and compression in it and we just wanted to know if there were no risk that maybe it was too hot ? As we put this project in Algeria, we also wanted to know if it would be hard to travel it from a country to another ? I mean like is there no regulations problems or anything like that ?

2:41 PM

And to finish with my questions we wanted to know if it would be ok if maybe we teach to someone how to use it and then he could teach to other people in the village how to use it as we saw it's no hard use ?

Le petit Prince

And to finish with my questions we wanted to know if it would be ok if maybe we teach to someone how to use it and then he could teach to other people in the village how to use it as we saw it's no hard use ?

it really depends, on a standard industrial shredder you cant reach the blades while working,but on a diy/homemade shredder it really depends

3:19 PM

but yes what you are asking about is very possible,even without a lot of modifications

sponsoons

it really depends, on a standard industrial shredder you cant reach the blades while working,but on a diy/homemade shredder it really depends

we would take the industrial shredder theoretically so would it be ok ? I mean there wouldn't be any problems ?

Le petit Prince

we would take the industrial shredder theoretically so would it be ok ? I mean there wouldn't be any problems ?

heres the thing,if youre dedicated enough nothing is safe,but a industrial machine makes it significantly harder

5:31 PM

most of those machines look like this,the entire white 'neck' half is the just a hopper and the transparent plastic sheet on the top are to keep plastic from flying out (edited)

5:45 PM

so if you add this 'neck' to even a normal machine itll make it much better and safer

oh nice, i really appreciate your advice, we will keep that in mind to improve our machine

Le petit Prince

oh nice, i really appreciate your advice, we will keep that in mind to improve our machine

add this one thing to your machine and for not a lot of cost and effort you've made your machine much safer

sponsoons

add this one thing to your machine and for not a lot of cost and effort you've made your machine much safer

yeah clearly that's important to us because it will be in a village you know and there can be children or even adults that could be hurt

Le petit Prince

yeah clearly that's important to us because it will be in a village you know and there can be children or even adults that could be hurt

ya i get that,also if you want to make it kid safe id advise making the neck adult height

Hiya, does anyone have some resources about casting 30/40/50 kilos of plastic at a time. I am building multiple 6 foot + structures

I want to feed it into a tubular mold

I was thinking about using PP and building a custom heated mold that could keep the plastic at high temperatures while it fills up

Whouldnt it stay molten

@Taire I'm worried that my planned mold would be too large. It would cool before reaching the correct shape. The extruder and extruder pro's flow is what I am nervous about

12:57 AM

I have done some thinking and I think I will build two molds that slot together, one a large pipe and a second smaller headpiece. That should simplify things.

@Mahalo Project During V4 one of the volunteers made a 30-40kg plastic beam. It was a beast. The way he did it was by creating a long oven made of aerated block and Nichrome wire. The makeshift oven kept the plastic flowing and as a result he was able to make a massive object that wouldnt normally have been possible. I think in the end he extruded for 2 hrs for the one object.

1

2:33 AM

Sorry I dont have any photos.

Hello

6:44 AM

How is everyone?

6:44 AM

I just discovered Precious Plastic today

6:44 AM

I'

6:44 AM

I'm new to Discord

6:45 AM

I'm interested in investing in a junk shop and recycling business to help the environment

6:45 AM

I already asked someone about how much land would cost to set up the facility

6:46 AM

Hello?

6:47 AM

Is anybody there?

Maricris

Hello?

hi

Hello!

Maricris

I already asked someone about how much land would cost to set up the facility

how much land depends,you could be the guy who goes through dumpsters and sells of the scrap at your local seller

6:50 AM

or you could be the guy get a truckload of waste a week[a comparatively small amount] and then sorts through it using his self made machine

6:51 AM

or you could be the guy with a huge plant who processes a few hundred tons a day

I must say I have a limited amount of savings to put into this

6:52 AM

The real estate relative I know told me that land here costs 4000-6000 pesos per sqm

exactly,so just collecting/salvaging things and either selling them for scrap or recycling them yourself is a decent option

I have savings

6:53 AM

I can sell one of my rice fields

@Maricris you could also get in touch with @Butte (PP Philippines) for stuff about your specific country

Maricris

I can sell one of my rice fields

generally not worth the risk

Is he or she from the Philippines?

6:54 AM

Thank you so much for helping me

Maricris

Is he or she from the Philippines?

yes if im not mistaken

I am very passionate about this

6:54 AM

I want to make a considerable contribution

6:55 AM

The problem is I don't know all that's needed to begin this and I don't know what the best path is

6:58 AM

I'm reading articles on the website

Is anybody there?

Hello???

Im in ph

8:23 AM

You can call 09218230439

@Rory - Sustainable Design Studio So my suspicion of cooling was correct. So If I rig my mold with special heating elements I can extrude much larger shapes. That is awesome. I will have to do a huge amount of work to get myself to the stage of producing these molds but It's good to know I am going in the right direction. Thank you for the advice Rory.

@Rory - Sustainable Design Studio Quick question. Looking at my local recycling plant it looks like I have the choices of "LDPE HDPE PP" Which would you recommend for doing large extrusions for a piece of vandal proof outdoor furniture?

"Vandal proof outdoor furniture"

12:20 PM

Lmao

Taire

Lmao

please keep the chat civilized :)

How is that not civilized

12:27 PM

I just find it a funny way of describing something that Ned's to be robust

Vandalism is always a concern, you should see what happened to my last one. I am planning on a rebar center, Recycled plastic with a fire proof coating. I haven't started to explore anything about fire proofing it, not sure if its really possible to be honest.

Mahalo Project

@Rory - Sustainable Design Studio So my suspicion of cooling was correct. So If I rig my mold with special heating elements I can extrude much larger shapes. That is awesome. I will have to do a huge amount of work to get myself to the stage of producing these molds but It's good to know I am going in the right direction. Thank you for the advice Rory.

Extrusion with a diy oven will work for the long jobs. You can build your own oven. I built this for about $100USD. The height of the oven is adjustable with scissor jacks.

1

1:53 PM

Ah I realize that I don't have a more up to date photo of it completed. If you're trying to use a large pipe as your mould to make your poles that weigh 30kg+, it's going to take a while to fill.

The tires look sick as f*ck

(edited)

yeah, is this an Earthship shop?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Extrusion with a diy oven will work for the long jobs. You can build your own oven. I built this for about $100USD. The height of the oven is adjustable with scissor jacks.

Thats really nice. So you have an extruder pro running into a mold that fits into an oven? The oven is sheet metal that extends over the mold and contains the heat from the original heating element Do I have that right? If so that could be a very good solution for me

6:53 PM

@Rory - Sustainable Design Studio Last question, Your friend who extruded the 30/40kgs beam. What extruder was he using? Extruder pro? or something stronger?

@Mahalo Project the frame for the oven was metal, with the block insulation to build thermal mass and make it energy efficient. It was temperature controlled with the same PID system as most of the PP machines. The extruder that he used was the extruder pro.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Extrusion with a diy oven will work for the long jobs. You can build your own oven. I built this for about $100USD. The height of the oven is adjustable with scissor jacks.

I love the earth ship tire walls

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Extrusion with a diy oven will work for the long jobs. You can build your own oven. I built this for about $100USD. The height of the oven is adjustable with scissor jacks.

Interesting!! would you be up for making a how-to about this? :) (edited)

Mahalo Project

Thats really nice. So you have an extruder pro running into a mold that fits into an oven? The oven is sheet metal that extends over the mold and contains the heat from the original heating element Do I have that right? If so that could be a very good solution for me

Mostly, yes. I used hollow steel tubing for the frame. The frame has an inside and outside sheet covering it, but it's also insulated with rockwool. The bottom of the oven is aerated cement bricks (lightweight bricks used for construction in Indonesia) and that's covered with sheet metal. The bricks rest on a steel frame. I haven't sorted out the heater elements just yet but I've discovered that there is a "good enough". Usually for electric ovens, a fan to circulate the air inside for even heating is super helpful, otherwise you'll get uneven heating... The uneven heating might not be a big deal depending on what you're doing, not such a big deal for extrusions.

6:09 AM

Control is easy, just PID + thermocouple + SSR. Use a heating element and have the thermocouple close to the heater element. Also use a thermometer on the oven itself that's not part of the control system since you'll find the temperature of the oven is quite different from that of the area closer to the heaters.

6:10 AM

Sorry I can go on and on about this, it's not too difficult. Just costs you time and a little money. Just don't be afraid to make mistakes along the way. If you're not comfortable with electricity, find someone who can sort that out for you.

Kat

Interesting!! would you be up for making a how-to about this? :) (edited)

@Kat sure! I'll need some time though, actually I built my oven in a bit of a rush... Mistakes were made, lessons were learned.

Hi everyone! New to the plastic community! Squished my first sheet of my own Acrylic scraps yesterday on my new little vulcanised heat press!!!

1

Hello everyone

Is anybody there?

11:31 AM

Welcome tattymoo I’m new too

1

Hello!

Hello everybody. We've just got our first injection machine and this in our first attempt with it

I would say there is a lot of room for improving...

1

5:39 PM

Plastic is HDPE... temperature was 200 C degrees

5:40 PM

Any suggestion for inproving next time?

Hello, does anyone offer a molding service for products?

dmdd#1979

Hello everybody. We've just got our first injection machine and this in our first attempt with it

I would say there is a lot of room for improving...

I feel like that's dirt in the barrel and or the plastic

Hey guys

Did someone try to make a "board" from plastic?

I want to say a quick but big thank you to @Rory - Sustainable Design Studio and @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug . You guys have helped me a lot in the last few days conceptulize solutions to my problems. My current understanding is outlined here if your interested. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cqdAfSkSVwAflcjMFlq1CRKCCAqrSte32oANPH-4YvA/edit?usp=sharing

Project Mahalo

Project Mahalo Explanation video( Feel free to add to this everything is saved anyway) —----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sections Overview Construction resourcesAdvice Given —---------------------------...

11:52 PM

My next goal is to understand the basics of mold making for large structures. Everyone says molds are so expensive, is there anyway around this

11:53 PM

and @Kat I would be particularly interested in a how to video. Failing that perhaps a .pdf step by step could suffice. Thanks all and I will be back soon enough with some more questions I am sure

@Mahalo Project Aluminium CNC moulds are expensive, but welded lasercut or tubing is cheaper. Also depends on final product quality and what you are actually trying to make

12:00 AM

Mainly concerned about the Core structure I will probably produce the peripherals separately and drill them on

12:01 AM

That is the approx scale

2

12:03 AM

...I could tube the center and get a mold for the top.....

12:04 AM

Hey that is quiet exciting.... @Rory - Sustainable Design Studio A decent tube could easily solve 50% of my problems....

Yeah laser cut that top bit and weld ribs to it to prevent bowing

12:13 AM

The stresses might be quite high on the tube, so it might need to be kinda thick, but no reason why it wouldnt work

Extruder + pipe + oven + 2 / 3 hours, = Finished pipe. Which do you recommend HDPE or PP? I don't quiet understand what you mean about laser cutting the top. Directly lasercut the plastic each time or create some sort of mold?

12:17 AM

I'm trying to do it all in house with the extruder pro if possible. It's a little out of my reach to get another machine.

Make a mould using lasercutting. How thick is the top leaf form?

Ok I get you. Its a solid 3 inches or less. 7.5 cm approx

12:46 AM

I have a cad file somewhere with that info

12:49 AM

Last time we trippled up some MDF To be honest I am happy enough I can pull off making Mahalo at home now. I am going to crack on and do it. Can't wait to get started. It will take many months but I will get it done. Will send some pics into the group as I go

Shredder. I am new on this site. I am looking for the design and fabrication details of a shredder. I would like to build a plastic shredder.

Go for it John, slow and steady. There is info on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+build+plastic+shredder and on the precious plastic academy https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy//intro.html You might be able to pay for one direcly from the bazaar if you have more cash than time

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Good for your first try dmdd

4:50 AM

Wow you guys are so knowledgeable

4:51 AM

I wish I could invest in machines but I’m my family’s breadwinner so I am more interested in starting my contribution by collecting recyclables and selling them to recycling plants but I have no idea where to begin

1

do you have the normal injection machine when you used that for hdpe?

8:11 AM

also looks very nice

This is my second attempts... still dirty or burned, but much better anyway

what kind of injection machine did you use for that?

It's "Elena" by Plastic-Hub

is it one of those hand press ones?

It's the Arbor model

8:14 AM

This time I set temperature at 210 C degrees

how long did it take for the hdpe to melt?

10 minutes

sounds pretty quick

dmdd#1979

10 minutes

quick question where did you get your hdpe

I shredded bottle tops collected from friends... for shredding, I used the manual HoliShred by HolyMakers

have you tried doing this with milk jugs or other containers with hdpe?

Not yet... I've just started

Awesome cup dmdd

5:04 AM

You’re getting there

5:04 AM

I’m sure with enough trials you will finally get what you want

5:05 AM

I wish someday I can do that too

Le petit Prince

Hi everyone, first of all sorry if I made some mistakes in English , I'm French.Don't want to bother you too much, I'm a new head on this discord and i would have wanted to talk to you about my engineering project and ask you for some advice. So as future engineers, me and my coworker had to do a project and we decided to use some of the precious plastic machine's. Our project was to make a precious plastic's machine in Algeria, in my friend's native town. We made everything up for this project to work and know we would have wanted to discuss a little bit with someone who could help us and also made us a check of what we did. It would be very cool if some of you could help me find someone i could talk to

Thanks for your attention and your help

i like the idea, i'm algeria too and see your friend's intention because unfortunately there is so much plastic rubbish in algeria. I'm also new here (the first day) but you have a comrade both because of the idea and because of the region, as if I can be of any help. get in touch. About me I'm a cutting machine operator and mechanical engineer, I know more about metals than thermoplastics, but as far as a technical understanding is concerned, I can say I'm not entirely incapable ^^

___lello___

i like the idea, i'm algeria too and see your friend's intention because unfortunately there is so much plastic rubbish in algeria. I'm also new here (the first day) but you have a comrade both because of the idea and because of the region, as if I can be of any help. get in touch. About me I'm a cutting machine operator and mechanical engineer, I know more about metals than thermoplastics, but as far as a technical understanding is concerned, I can say I'm not entirely incapable ^^

I'm a metalworker too. If you want to talk about my project, feel free to ask. I re-designed the shredder, making the shaft and blades from two solid bar of 39NiCrMo3 steel on the lathe (with live tooling) in the factory where I work. Now after some testing I nitrided the blades to make them harder (58~60HRC). I decided to follow this way trying to keep the blades as close as possible to avoid plastic to be kept in between. In next months I hope to have the shredder completed.

That's one rly expensive part

Taire

That's one rly expensive part

What, my blades, or better, the complete shredder? Yes, they can be very expensive, but if they work as expected I think they are ok. However, if made in small series instead than a prototype, they can cost a lot less than you can think. I have only to find a better way to make static blades, since on the prototype they are made from solid bar, wasting a lot of time and material (not sustainable for a series).

That's what I meant

12:02 AM

It's cheaper to make it like the original

12:02 AM

And use laser cut plates

12:02 AM

I whould love to see how your blades and stuff look

At the moment I can only give you the link of my instagram account. You can find some photos of the machines (between some other). @insta_ventu https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=kj1pi5ytqgmg&utm_content=u6lo29

Taire

It's cheaper to make it like the original

Cheaper means not precise. In my opinion lot of problems regarding the shredder comes from the low quality material and big distance between the blades. Try to cut with a pair of scissors with soft blades and loose fit between eachoter...

True

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

I'm a metalworker too. If you want to talk about my project, feel free to ask. I re-designed the shredder, making the shaft and blades from two solid bar of 39NiCrMo3 steel on the lathe (with live tooling) in the factory where I work. Now after some testing I nitrided the blades to make them harder (58~60HRC). I decided to follow this way trying to keep the blades as close as possible to avoid plastic to be kept in between. In next months I hope to have the shredder completed.

Bit of overkill for the v3 shredders. I have several that have processed many tons of plastic and foam and in service for 2-3 years with mild steel blades. My granulator uses ar500 and again only blade issues are when people shred stones, metal or plexiglass

8:14 AM

https://youtu.be/hfUGFVdLzX0 example 2x size

Foam plastic shredder crusher

Dear one army, I would really appreciate it if you could help me find this answer. If I put sand in the extruder, will it go boom? I have seen videos where people are making durable products with plastic and sand. Like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7oUk10rKjE Where can I find information about how to mix in the correct proportion? Is there any proper research? Any lead would help. Much appreciated. Thank you, Most Sincerely, Fawaz Rob.

Florence Blondel

ECO FRIENDLY Plastic & Sand Tiled Houses

Butte (PP Philippines)

Bit of overkill for the v3 shredders. I have several that have processed many tons of plastic and foam and in service for 2-3 years with mild steel blades. My granulator uses ar500 and again only blade issues are when people shred stones, metal or plexiglass

If you keep the blades at small distance (in my design they are at 0.03mm of distance between eachother) you need more precision and hardness. Small distance+positive cutting angle reduces a lot the power needed to run the machine. At now I have a 1.5kw motor with a 90:1 gearbox (3:1gear+30:1 worm gear) and it can easily shred thick HDPE, in the video I have on instagram it stops only when it catch two 5mm pieces coupled together, and the inverter is set to stop the motor when it reach the nominal current (no torque boost at all). The total blades lenght is 256mm, so it isn't so small, for that motor. I know that someone doesn't have issues with the original design, but some other has. I decided to follow my way, maybe I'm wrong, but I think it worth the try, expecially if you think that at now I spent zero euro for the machined parts and treatment. It is a R&D project, if it works as I want I'm happy.

Hi everyone ,i am having this issue with my hdpe Plastic,it is well sorted and wash but the surface is not smooth what could be the cause and how can I solve the problem..help me out

Hey guys, maybe a silly question, but is it possible to melt p.e.t bottles and make something from it?

Tribune

Hey guys, maybe a silly question, but is it possible to melt p.e.t bottles and make something from it?

is it possible-yes

3:38 PM

is it a good idea-no

3:38 PM

pet may have problems while shredding,is very sensitive to humidity and has a very small temperature range

I see, thanks a lot

Hi , what is the best recycled plastic to start with high quality jewelry? Any recommendation or advantages of a specific kind of plastic for this? Thank you very much

Scaramanga

Hi , what is the best recycled plastic to start with high quality jewelry? Any recommendation or advantages of a specific kind of plastic for this? Thank you very much

for jewelry iirc its acrylic as it'll give you pretty glass like textures and most people already have plenty of offcuts and pieces

1

6:30 PM

and in general its HDPE,PE and PP

6:31 PM

so basically any plastic you have at hand

1

This project to making beams Interested me very. I saw a video that melt plastic was pushed into the Metal tube. But I wonder how much kg is nessesary, so how to calculate it.

Hello there

3:51 AM

I am having a problem with my extruder. I don’t know where to post. Here?

3:55 AM

3:57 AM

I tried with HDPE and PP I cannot figure out what is the problem. Temperature ? Screw - Die Clearance ? Speed of rotation ? PLease help

3:58 AM

Nothing goes out except this little quantity

4:03 AM

@sponsoons ?

cmaicurly

I tried with HDPE and PP I cannot figure out what is the problem. Temperature ? Screw - Die Clearance ? Speed of rotation ? PLease help

what temp did you try?

4:49 AM

first try gradually increasing that

4:49 AM

then if that doesn't help, slowly increase the screw speed

I tried 180 180 180 250 250 220 180 200 250

5:32 AM

Now i try 190 200 200

5:33 AM

Could it be a problem with the screw tip? Because i feel the plastic is stuck before to reach the nozzle

5:34 AM

And another thing : the pellets go up and down in the hopper but i feel they are not absorbed by the screw

5:35 AM

Still the same amount since the beginning

5:37 AM

I even removed the filter as i though it could be the problem

5:39 AM

cmaicurly

Could it be a problem with the screw tip? Because i feel the plastic is stuck before to reach the nozzle

if you feel something is the problem try once while removing it,also remember that when you are testing something and theres no plastic coming out always try running it without the die

5:52 AM

that way youll be able to narrow down the problem

5:53 AM

also where/what is this plastic from?

I understand but thing is my die is weld on the barrel

ah ok,that could be a bit problematic

1

PP i mean

cmaicurly

I tried 180 180 180 250 250 220 180 200 250

this is in Celsius right?

Celcius yes

5:54 AM

Po pellets from a supplier

another thing to try would be gently pushing the pellets in the hopper

cmaicurly

Po pellets from a supplier

what temperatures has the supplier recommended?

I am on the way to unscrew the barrel, heat it, turn off. Then disconnect very fast the wires then remove completely the barrel while it is still hot

5:57 AM

The suplier recommended me to do 250 250 220

cmaicurly

The suplier recommended me to do 250 250 220

try that first

5:58 AM

also ask the supplier how viscous or thick the plastic is supposed to be when melted

I tried his settings

sponsoons

also ask the supplier how viscous or thick the plastic is supposed to be when melted

I will , ol

5:59 AM

Ok

sponsoons

also ask the supplier how viscous or thick the plastic is supposed to be when melted

because while some plastics have a honey/caramel like consistency at their melting temp,most will have a sludge like consistency,while some even when fully melted will still be clay-like

cmaicurly

I tried his settings

did it work?

Not work. I tried already since 3 f’days

another thing is have you tried checking if the temperature of the barrel is actually 200-250 or the temp you have set it too

6:04 AM

because for us one time we had set the temp to 180c but the heaters/barrel was actually just 150c

6:05 AM

so this is something to check

I have 6 heaters, 3 sensors and 3 different PiD for the 3 zones

sponsoons

because for us one time we had set the temp to 180c but the heaters/barrel was actually just 150c

Good to know, but actually i just rely on the sensors saddly i don’t have another way to check

6:06 AM

But when i use the gloves i see the temperature is very high

do you have like a thermometer or something?

No

id adivse you to get one if possible,as they arent very costly but are a huge help

Ok

also remove anything you think could be stopping or slowing the flow of the plastic

6:08 AM

like filters,distrubuters etc

6:08 AM

and have you tried increasing the motor speed yet?

Removed filter

6:09 AM

Increased speed, but the barrel start to move , scary

6:10 AM

Wait for me 20min i unscrewed barrel i will try to remove and see . I need to figure out inside

6:11 AM

Anyway thank you for your support, i feel better not alone

Maybe i have a clue: the tip seems to be unscrewed from the screw

7:29 AM

When i press with a small steel rod into the nozzle, a lot of plastic goes out

7:29 AM

But the barrel is stuck, i try to remove

7:30 AM

I removed the screws but it is stuck

7:30 AM

Too tight

Finally

9:31 AM

The tip was unscrewed

9:32 AM

I think the problem is the thread is wrong side so it unscrew itself

cmaicurly

I think the problem is the thread is wrong side so it unscrew itself

another thing,which direction was the screw turning in?

Hi Folks, I’m a newbie to recycling plastic but I’ve worked with fibreglass and silicone rubbers for the last 40 years. Question... is it possible to cast out of a fibreglass or a silicone rubber mould? I’m a bit uncertain about melting and forming temperatures of recyclable plastics.

@ukrobotman There are a few people in the community that use silicone moulds in the oven and place plastic in them like muffins to create an interesting effect. There there is this guy on YouTube. He made a silicone mould, but had the same problem I had in the past. It doesn't hold the plastic very well so he demonstrates resin printing instead. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMRSPXt48CI Sadly I know nothing about fiberglass moulds, but I'm sure someone else in the community might be able to help.

TheCrafsMan SteadyCraftin

3D Printed Injection Molds (actually work)!

ukrobotman

Hi Folks, I’m a newbie to recycling plastic but I’ve worked with fibreglass and silicone rubbers for the last 40 years. Question... is it possible to cast out of a fibreglass or a silicone rubber mould? I’m a bit uncertain about melting and forming temperatures of recyclable plastics.

Hey hey! silicone moulds? I use those quite a lot actually. My store page is filled with items that were made using silicone moulds: https://www.instagram.com/ppciledugstore/ There's also my main workspace account: https://www.instagram.com/preciousplasticciledug/ Silicone works ok but you really need to put your silicone moulds through a vacuum to pull out any sort of trapped air bubbles in the silicone mix. If you don't the mould will expand in the oven. Another issue is you need to keep your mould fairly thin. Try to keep your walls less than 1cm thick, if it's too thick it will just take ages to heat up. The moulds I used are bought from China likely in some factory using a good process. I've tried some locally sourced moulds but the product outcome isn't super great.

Thanks for the comments about silicone moulds. I make complex moulds in silicone rubber. I have vacuum chambers etc so that wouldn’t be a problem. Silicone expands a lot when it gets hot so they have to be freestanding ... if you fit them in a case then when they get hot and expands it won’t fit the case. What temp is you plastic melting at ?

ukrobotman

Thanks for the comments about silicone moulds. I make complex moulds in silicone rubber. I have vacuum chambers etc so that wouldn’t be a problem. Silicone expands a lot when it gets hot so they have to be freestanding ... if you fit them in a case then when they get hot and expands it won’t fit the case. What temp is you plastic melting at ?

From what i've read, silicone will start degrading above 200c. Usually I melt my HDPE at around 160-180c. If there's some stubborn plastic not melting i'll crank it up to 200c, usually there's no need to go beyond this for HDPE or PP. Also, worth noting that i've noticed that people who use electric ovens without a circulation fan inside have a longer job time and more uneven temperature issues. The few people who i've seen use gas ovens seem to have their temperatures a bit too high since the top surface of the plastic seems to always come out burned a bit. It's worth noting that if you try to make something large, you're going to have issues due to plastic shrinkage, moreso with HDPE. if you go beyond about 10cm diameter coaster/circle size or you have a shape that is not perfectly round (lets say oval instead of circle), there's going to be warping issues...your piece will come out with a curve in it. Complex and large might have some issues but i think if you motivated enough, it's worth a shot. Just make sure your plastic is clean and dry. make sure your silicone mould is nice and clean, then put a thin coat of silicone spray/oil on your mould. If you don't do this, the plastic will stick.

3:26 PM

sorry for writing an essay.. haha... But it's also worth noting that eventually the silicone mould will break down. I don't have a firm figure on how many cycles, but my guess is around 50. The mould will still be flexible but becomes easier to tear if you're not careful.

sponsoons

another thing,which direction was the screw turning in?

The screw turn clockwise when you see it from the nozzle. Finally i solved the problem. Thanks for your support

4:40 PM

4:43 PM

By the way i share with you my quick release nozzle design for molds. I am eager to use it

ukrobotman

Hi Folks, I’m a newbie to recycling plastic but I’ve worked with fibreglass and silicone rubbers for the last 40 years. Question... is it possible to cast out of a fibreglass or a silicone rubber mould? I’m a bit uncertain about melting and forming temperatures of recyclable plastics.

if you are using high temp resin yes

My preference would be to avoid silicone moulds and try moulding out of fibreglass moulds. I’ve used fibreglass for many years. It’s coping with the temperature I’m not sure about. I could make an aluminium rich gelcoat (polyester resin with aluminium powder) that would help, I need to check the spec of what temp polyester resin can go up to. If I cast using polypropylene it melts at 170 degrees ( is that centigrade farenhite )

sponsoons

if you are using high temp resin yes

most plastics will need a mold that will withstand about 150-200c

ukrobotman

My preference would be to avoid silicone moulds and try moulding out of fibreglass moulds. I’ve used fibreglass for many years. It’s coping with the temperature I’m not sure about. I could make an aluminium rich gelcoat (polyester resin with aluminium powder) that would help, I need to check the spec of what temp polyester resin can go up to. If I cast using polypropylene it melts at 170 degrees ( is that centigrade farenhite )

it is in Celsius/centigrade

5:20 PM

160c-200c is the temperature most PP will melt at

Hello , I am from Ethiopia. I have got initiations on producing plastic recycled bricks and tiles in Ethiopia . can you help me?

10:10 AM

And eventually I plan to extend this product to become prefabricated homes out of this!

Hi, If I want to make very large vases from recycled plastic, (around 150m height) is there any recommendation about the machine I should use and the technics? I do not want to use a large scale 3d printer, is there any injection method available ? Thank you all and Merry X-Mas

Scaramanga

Hi, If I want to make very large vases from recycled plastic, (around 150m height) is there any recommendation about the machine I should use and the technics? I do not want to use a large scale 3d printer, is there any injection method available ? Thank you all and Merry X-Mas

is it available-yes

12:12 PM

is it recommended-no

12:13 PM

esp if you are aiming for that marbled texture not only will you need custom/modded industrial machines,it will also be very costly and take up way too much time

12:14 PM

so its not advised

12:15 PM

the only possible way of making this that isnt near impossible is getting a wooden/metal form,heating up pieces of plastic and layering them onto the form

12:16 PM

similar to how you do with fiberglass

12:18 PM

so your options at this point are-3d printer(either normal or something like hangprinter) or layering plastic onto a form

12:19 PM

there are still other options but most of them will start in the 100000$ range and will still need skilled people to modify them into what you want

12:19 PM

this is leaving the cost of tooling aside

12:20 PM

and even with these machines and people you still cant guarantee the outcome

Scaramanga

Hi, If I want to make very large vases from recycled plastic, (around 150m height) is there any recommendation about the machine I should use and the technics? I do not want to use a large scale 3d printer, is there any injection method available ? Thank you all and Merry X-Mas

Sounds like you want to do this in an affordable manner. If you have access to a sheet press, you could make some thin sheets and then roll them into shape, but you'd have to be creative with how to fix the sheets in place so they dont unravel. Also this wouldnt be suitable if you needed a watertight vase.

not sure if anyone has tryed it but blowmolding might be a idea for this

1:49 PM

extrude a follow tube and use air pressure to force it into the shape you want

1:49 PM

im not sure if you whould get the same texture and how thick the walls whould be

Maiconengineeringsolutions

Hello , I am from Ethiopia. I have got initiations on producing plastic recycled bricks and tiles in Ethiopia . can you help me?

How can we help you?

Hello, I want to know about the specific properties that has the brick made of PP and HDPE...thanks

hey people! I´m just starting (I´m hoping I can do my first test during Christmas). Is there a table with the type of plastic and temperature to set the controller when using the injection machine? I'll do my test with PET, but I'm interested in knowing the temperature for the most common plastic types. Thanks!

jalfer

hey people! I´m just starting (I´m hoping I can do my first test during Christmas). Is there a table with the type of plastic and temperature to set the controller when using the injection machine? I'll do my test with PET, but I'm interested in knowing the temperature for the most common plastic types. Thanks!

Like this?

Taire

not sure if anyone has tryed it but blowmolding might be a idea for this

iirc the problem with blow-molding on this scale as always is the die

6:48 AM

while the rest is easy(as always) the die is tricky to make and at least till now i haven't seen any hints or info on its design

6:48 AM

so now like others it just waiting for somebody to pick it up

Erik72

Like this?

yes thamks. I totally missed it.

1

Scaramanga

Hi, If I want to make very large vases from recycled plastic, (around 150m height) is there any recommendation about the machine I should use and the technics? I do not want to use a large scale 3d printer, is there any injection method available ? Thank you all and Merry X-Mas

I think there are a lot of ways you could create large vases. For example you could try the weaving method: ttps://onearmy.github.io/academy/create/design#1-weaving-the-filament or layering the plastic like sponsoons recommended Rotational molding might also be a method that you could look into if you want to go big. It is significantly more expensive though.

I've been thinking about the manufacturing process of larger containers and am curious how well it would work for smaller ones, like maybe 5-25 gal tanks for storing rainwater or greywater. From what I've seen, they basically load and seal a cylinder (mold) and rotate it over a flame until all the plastic is melted to the edges. Then they cool it and pop it out to cut any openings for fill or valve installation. Has anyone tried this method?

Anyone use polystyrene? Any tips for getting less bubbles in clear PS.

1

@𝕃𝕆𝕂𝕀 (Colorado, USA) thz you

1

PPCapiSpain

@𝕃𝕆𝕂𝕀 (Colorado, USA) thz you

Nice work

Mfw trolls

1

Does anyone now the selling number's of raw materials on the bazar? and if possible around the Netherlands want to now if there is a market for shredder plastics.

Probably

11:46 AM

I know there's multiple companies in Gelderland that buy flakes

wiely (NL GLD)

Does anyone now the selling number's of raw materials on the bazar? and if possible around the Netherlands want to now if there is a market for shredder plastics.

I sell on there but I’m in the U.K and have only sold a few kg since I started a few months back.

i mean

1:58 PM

the problem is that comercial pellets are so increadbly cheap

1:58 PM

and they are always the same

1:59 PM

so if i needed alot of material i whould honestly buy those

1:59 PM

seeing as it whould make for a more consistent product

Tom - Redo Design

I sell on there but I’m in the U.K and have only sold a few kg since I started a few months back.

thanks for the reply !

Taire

the problem is that comercial pellets are so increadbly cheap

the hole point is not to be cheap but cleanup the local environment.

true

2:34 PM

true

2:34 PM

and i whould mix them

but the injection molding machine im making doesnt rly work wel with flakes

1

Taire

the problem is that comercial pellets are so increadbly cheap

Do you mean virgin plastic pellets or recycled ones? Going forward is like to get an extrusion machine and equipment to turn it into pellet form .

Tom - Redo Design

Do you mean virgin plastic pellets or recycled ones? Going forward is like to get an extrusion machine and equipment to turn it into pellet form .

recycled once

Tom - Redo Design

Do you mean virgin plastic pellets or recycled ones? Going forward is like to get an extrusion machine and equipment to turn it into pellet form .

Any regular and small shape and good setup should get you there. The degradation of plastic depends on your setup.

10:37 PM

So yes, processing filament down to pellets is usually the way to go.

davehakkens

Any regular and small shape and good setup should get you there. The degradation of plastic depends on your setup.

What my granulater produces are fine with all my machines currently. It’s not a precious plastic one but a three blade one much like what is used for copper wire granulation.

10:41 PM

I get a lot of clear polypropylene so would like a extrusion machine to mix in master batch to get coloured pp

That's looking good, really ! For injection, extrusion or sheets, having more regular and smaller sizes you could avoid lots of the usual trouble, warping, air voids, etc...

Not sure about about the proportions but having 3mm filament chopped off every 3mm should match most of the PP machinery's capabilities.

11:02 PM

To add colors, you could add another hopper somewhere at 2/3 of the extruder. That's common practice too.

Hello plastic people, I'm here to ask a few questions about potentially getting a new project up and running.

7:23 PM

For example I couldn't find any examples of community points that were at schools, so I didn't know if that was an issue of working with public schools in the US or an issue of whether or not kids could work with the plastic due to concerns over fumes.

7:25 PM

I couldn't find anything on the website to suggest a lack of fumes or that kids (15-19) could work on this project at their high school

7:26 PM

So I gotta get these issues sorted away to keep pushing the project

Will

I couldn't find anything on the website to suggest a lack of fumes or that kids (15-19) could work on this project at their high school

community points don't actually usually have machines, they mostly bring awareness to the issue... but as a highschool student I do think that fumes would definitely be an issue in a school full of students. there is a whole video sort of explaining fumes which plastic types have more fumes and how to deal with the fumes. But I think maybe setting up a community point/collection point at a school could work better maybe even a shredder and the other machines could be at a separate location where students can go to to make stuff....

Where might I be able to find such a video

7:49 PM

Maybe a collection point at the school with a community point if I can get an old Environmental Science teacher of mine to sign on

7:49 PM

I was thinking of having people drop off their plastic with their kids occasionally to save a trip

davehakkens

That's looking good, really ! For injection, extrusion or sheets, having more regular and smaller sizes you could avoid lots of the usual trouble, warping, air voids, etc...

Yes it great for sheets / boards but being polypropylene I do get warping issues. So I’m building a cold press to try and slowly cool the sheets

Will

Hello plastic people, I'm here to ask a few questions about potentially getting a new project up and running.

Hey Will, there definitely are a bunch of schools and universities which included Precious Plastic machines and activities in their curriculum

Just two examples off my head would be Precious Plastic Monash (Monash University in Australia) and Plastiki Rafiki (International School of Kenya). But there are a couple of others. Monash University also put together a lot of resources for educational purposes, worth checking out! (https://www.preciousplasticmonash.com/primary-school-resource-package)

i started messing around with some hdpe today. i need some better equipment though

Hi everybody, i am new in Precious Plastic Discord, My question is about plastic sheets made with the sheet press. Is it possible to use a stapler on these sheets without breaking it ? What kind of plastic do i have to use ? Thanks a lot ...

I have a question for anyone doing home melting. I understand the ideal temperature is around 180C 350F. Does anyone have a nice chart or breakdown for melting times at those temperatures?

4:06 PM

i feel like I wasted a ton of plastic(i know its not really wasted as i can remelt it) because I tried melting too much at a time and it never really seemed to fully melt

4:06 PM

Just wondering if anyone has a simple mass/time chart or anything

Mr. Kevin

Just wondering if anyone has a simple mass/time chart or anything

4:08 PM

You'll find it near the bottom of 'The Basics of Plastics' in section 2. https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

thank you

Happy to help!

Best of luck to you!

𝕃𝕆𝕂𝕀 (Colorado, USA)

You'll find it near the bottom of 'The Basics of Plastics' in section 2. https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics

this link seems to not work

Try going directly to the academy

4:33 PM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy

4:33 PM

it works for me

i just get a blank white page

4:36 PM

let me try opening it in a different browser

4:37 PM

ok. it works in chrome. just not in edge

1

@Kat Thank you! Appreciate the help, you can get lost in the websites sometimes

My kid did a science fair project about ecobricks. She's organizing an ecobrick production at her middle school

wiely (NL GLD)

Does anyone now the selling number's of raw materials on the bazar? and if possible around the Netherlands want to now if there is a market for shredder plastics.

yes..here we have PET and HDPE

Tom - Redo Design

Yes it great for sheets / boards but being polypropylene I do get warping issues. So I’m building a cold press to try and slowly cool the sheets

Hi Tom Your pigment options for PP without extrusion and MB are … Dry powder pigment available in craft stores mix with paraffin oil . Then mix with PP granulate you can then compression or vacuum sheet mould , will not be a uniform colour due to lack of shear in both processes but will give you some great effects The other option for sheet press is to use non woven polypropylene fabric in the colour you require even cut patterns this is on the outside see example vacuum sheet moulded tote bag on surface Need more message me have moulded PP sheets using PP fabric (film is a bit trickier) couple of examples of PP fabric from tote bag and woven HDPE tote bag

1

how long and at what temperature should i melt hdpe from jugs?

12:00 AM

like the hdpe from milk jugs and such

Deleted User

how long and at what temperature should i melt hdpe from jugs?

Depends what process do you use. For example with extrusion machine, You can try from 190deg Celcius. Preheating the barrel during 15min

i have the hand press injection machine

This is similar

1:28 AM

How many heaters on your barrel?

im not sure exactly but its just covered completely with insulation so i can't tell

Hahha. Ok let’s try with 190-200, let the barrel heat. You also have to keep in mind that if you have a big mold connected to the machine, you should preheat the mold in some old oven for example.

the mold is really small its only 1x2x4 in

Oh so just let it heat in the same time with the barrel it is fine. If after 15min of preheat the plastic doesnt go in. Try to increasr temperature

ok thank you

Send picture of the results

So guys I need some advice.

8:16 PM

I been trying to get into recycling plastic and making a business of it. My question is how do I start it?

you should start where you think is appropriate for you.

I meant where they think is appropriate for them financially. there are many ways to approach this not only one. we can't tell a person how to manage their life @davehakkens (edited)

would be new to us that there is an appropriate way to sustain this financially, unless, you know what you're talking about

look if you want to answer this person go ahead instead you are writing to me.

I just did.

Whether it makes sense financially really depends on where you are and your capabilities.

Exactly, it's a lot safer to opt this in on a trial base. To start from scratch, you'd need lots of prior experiences, and yet, a wide range of resources.

Helps to know what he means by a “business” too. Like are you talking about a little Etsy type shop where you make a handful of trinkets to sell or are you aiming for some sort of high volume type retail operation that will require a massive investment of time and money

11:41 PM

Looking to just collect and sell raw materials to more established companies or produce finished products yourself?

Mr. Kevin

Helps to know what he means by a “business” too. Like are you talking about a little Etsy type shop where you make a handful of trinkets to sell or are you aiming for some sort of high volume type retail operation that will require a massive investment of time and money

that's a good point, may be @Uplifted can introduce us a little more. As @Falcon pointed out, it's all up where you are, and how you are. There is no one-fits-all receipt. Some say, the money is sitting just in front of your nose, but still - you better make sure you can actually pick it up .. @Mr. Kevin - as I far I understood, this works better the other way around. You buy high quality waste from companies and process it into products..

It depends on the scale of your products

11:53 PM

Etsy jewelry is cheap to get started

11:53 PM

Full sheet press workspace needs at least one employee

11:53 PM

Less cheap

11:54 PM

Also waaay more material

I have my kids school collecting soda/water bottlecaps for me to use

11:55 PM

Like every week I pick up like a full garbage bag full

That would make 1/4 of a sheet in the sizes I worked with lol

11:56 PM

Makes a lot of trinkets though

Yeah it’s a process

11:56 PM

Right now I’m in a harvesting/collecting phase

11:57 PM

I have like 60 gallon milk jugs I need to shred

One of our sheets was 37kg

1

My plan is to make stuff to use around my house like shelves and chairs

12:00 AM

I also melt aluminum and make pipes at home

12:00 AM

So I’m making the frames of chairs/stools out of recycled cans and making the seats and backs out of plastic (edited)

nice nice, then you certainly know to get things done.

I wanted a creative hobby and this is it

well, you just got one, don't let the shiny $$ fool you and go ahead !

Helps that the raw materials are essentially free too.

So you're shredding, extruding and injecting ?

12:10 AM

Just asking because using AL cans in the back yard does have it's advantages. We don't hear much about here ...

Right now I’m in the shredding phase with the plastics. Collecting and sorting by colors

12:23 AM

I won’t get an extruded so I’m just going to be melting in some ovens and sandwich presses in my shed and then using homemade molds to form into planks and bricks

12:23 AM

Might get one of these flat t shirt press machines and see if I can use that to make like 15” x 15” sheets

12:24 AM

Very DIY low tech operation

12:25 AM

For the aluminum I bought a forge that I melt the cans with and then I pour to molten aluminum into greased iron pipes that have the Inner diameter I’m looking for thickness

@Mattia can you email me the updated logo and PP branding guide you sent me before? I misplaced it. Some of our local re-makers need guidance

Hi

6:39 PM

I am Rads from Malaysia

6:39 PM

I am thinking of producing plastic bricks

6:40 PM

but not 100% plastic, probably mixing it with sand or cement would be good

6:41 PM

I have a problem with melting the plastic (PET and HDPE), should I use fire for the process or an extrusion machine would be great because cost is the issue here. In order to sell in Malaysia, cost needs to be kept low because clay and cement bricks are already cheap here. We are still in R&D stage

6:42 PM

I am not someone with technical background. Purely a businessmen with environment in my heart

rads

I have a problem with melting the plastic (PET and HDPE), should I use fire for the process or an extrusion machine would be great because cost is the issue here. In order to sell in Malaysia, cost needs to be kept low because clay and cement bricks are already cheap here. We are still in R&D stage

if you are aiming for cost esp in malaysia then plastic cant be remotely cheap enough

6:44 PM

at best your costs are going to come close to the cost of expanded blocks/aac blocks

6:44 PM

but even that i doubt

rads

I have a problem with melting the plastic (PET and HDPE), should I use fire for the process or an extrusion machine would be great because cost is the issue here. In order to sell in Malaysia, cost needs to be kept low because clay and cement bricks are already cheap here. We are still in R&D stage

fire is actually the cheapest but it has the problem that the plastic will burn,

is there a reason for that

6:45 PM

is it cost on utilities?

6:46 PM

bcs I can obtain used plastic bottles for free. I am working with the government to get people to collect them from landfills

rads

is there a reason for that

cost of utilities,cost of material,cost of machinery and the speed at which you can make them

rads

bcs I can obtain used plastic bottles for free. I am working with the government to get people to collect them from landfills

plastic bottles esp the clear ones are a whole different topic

6:47 PM

its simplest and best to shred,wash and then sell them to companies

what do you mean. Is it harder to melt

6:47 PM

I am sorry for the many questions. I am still new with this

rads

I am sorry for the many questions. I am still new with this

no problem,

rads

what do you mean. Is it harder to melt

just give me a second,ill find and link the messages relevant to it

6:48 PM

basically PET is a plastic which is hard to work with in all ways

6:49 PM

if you search 'PET' or pet on this server youll see that various reasons for it

6:50 PM

if you want to do something with water bottles that you have you can take a look at making them into other products

6:50 PM

like brushes,brooms etc

so what type of plastic bottles do you suggest

6:51 PM

for use to use to turn into plastic bricks

Mixing sand or cement with plastic makes it un-recyclable and isn't recommended.

but we are thinking about using them to build houses. Malaysia is still developing, we are building new areas each day

why not look into making plastic sheets?

i dont think people demolish houses in Malaysia as much as they use plastic bottles

6:53 PM

I am not sure if you have seen a video on a social enterprise in Kenya that turns plastic into pavements

6:53 PM

Gjenge

sponsoons

why not look into making plastic sheets?

these will be usable for things like roofing and in houses,nowadays with how costly plywood has got recycled plastic sheets could be used

sponsoons

these will be usable for things like roofing and in houses,nowadays with how costly plywood has got recycled plastic sheets could be used

and should sell i feel

6:53 PM

if you can make them cheaper or of a similar price

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFcPqXxAUWM&t=4s

Business Insider

Young Inventor Makes Bricks From Plastic Trash | World Wide Waste

i know this video,the problem with putting sand in an extruder is that it will very quickly spoil and grind down or wear down the extruder and the parts inside it like the screw and the barrel which are quite costly and difficult to make or replace

sponsoons

just give me a second,ill find and link the messages relevant to it

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/598887270636060694/920570606083260437 here is one

6:56 PM

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/605686860324536320/920450756421746759

Thank you very much

also ill send you a bunch of like tomorrow

7:02 PM

the ones i feel are a bit more doable and feasible+ easier

https://smile.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Digital-Sublimation-Rhinestone-T-Shirt/dp/B0043H9FMU/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=sheet+pressing+machine&qid=1641237767&sprefix=sheet+press%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-8 in theory this should work for a small scale sheet press operation right?

Fancierstudio Power Heat press Digital Heat Press 15 x 15 Sublimati...

Brand new model by Fancier--15-by-15-inch industrial-quality digital heat press with improvements from the previous model, including included sheet and coating on the heat platen. The silicon rubber base is now glued down. This heat press is compact and is an upward-opening model, which saves spa...

Mr. Kevin

https://smile.amazon.com/Fancierstudio-Digital-Sublimation-Rhinestone-T-Shirt/dp/B0043H9FMU/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=sheet+pressing+machine&qid=1641237767&sprefix=sheet+press%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-8 in theory this should work for a small scale sheet press operation right?

it should,but though most of them have some non-stick coating,please use your own butter paper or non-stick solution

5:52 AM

but yeah those work decently

5:52 AM

a tad costly tho

I want to start making plastic lumber using plastic. Where can I buy an extruder machine from? I am based in Zambia and the nearest to here would be appropriate.

Hello, I would like to make some crates with recycled 10 liters water cans by exemple. I have understood so far, it would be possible if processing it with hot water bath and then press. Would it be easy to process? What would be the PET ideal température for pressing it?

PET has a very specific temperature range and is very hard to work with. I'm not sure what you mean by a hot water bath you want your plastic to be dry when melting or the result won't be the same as the sheets you see PP make.

Hi I am looking for a PET1 solution for our water bottles ? Any solutions ? I have a shredder, Sheet Press and Extruder in the lab. Also any solution for PS6 Styrofoam boxes ? Thank you.

Liri (They/He)

PET has a very specific temperature range and is very hard to work with. I'm not sure what you mean by a hot water bath you want your plastic to be dry when melting or the result won't be the same as the sheets you see PP make.

Hello @Liri (They/He), you for your answer. Maybe I can try to formulate more clearly what I would like. I am working on an organic treatment project on a port in Senegal. Waste treatment of this place is 2 big dumpsters filled up with wet and dry wastes. The rest of wet wastes (fish heads, offal, food wastes) are thrown at the sea (the dumpsters pickup is on a 2 or 3 days regularity and get full within 24h) I need crates for organic wastes treatment. Those crates are to be let outside and idealy would cost very few and not too sexy so that they don't get stolen. We are at the moment using old plastic buckets. As dumpsters are full of "plastics", maybe I could find inside what I would need to make some crates adapted to my needs and find an "easy" way to craft thoses crates. So I am looking for a solution to make some very basic crates (60x40x20) with whatever plastic I could easily find in the dumpsters at a very low cost process (even if it means medium quality crates and lots of human energy)

Liri (They/He)

PET has a very specific temperature range and is very hard to work with. I'm not sure what you mean by a hot water bath you want your plastic to be dry when melting or the result won't be the same as the sheets you see PP make.

But still, can I think about this technique even if result is not fantastic? or is it a total non sense? What would be the specific temperature of PET? I could access to a max 90 celcius degrees waterbath

Nicolas

But still, can I think about this technique even if result is not fantastic? or is it a total non sense? What would be the specific temperature of PET? I could access to a max 90 celcius degrees waterbath

PET is more around 260°C

10:28 AM

+ in order to melt it & recycle it properly, you need to dehydrate it and be very precise with the melting temp and how long it stays at said-melting point

Nick - PP France

PET is more around 260°C

well, looks like I have to think for another solution

Nicolas

well, looks like I have to think for another solution

maybe their are different plastic types (PE or PP) which you could easily find in the dumpsters and require lower temperature to recycle ?

10:31 AM

plastic bags is a first guess

Nick - PP France

PET is more around 260°C

PET 260°C ? I had about 120°C in mind?

Or what temperature are we talking about?

Nick - PP France

plastic bags is a first guess

ok, where can I find literature on this?

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

PET 260°C ? I had about 120°C in mind?

Or what temperature are we talking about?

from experience and research, yeah 260°C is the melting temp for PET

10:33 AM

Nicolas

ok, where can I find literature on this?

maybe this document (+sources at the end of the document) could be a good start https://matmatch.com/learn/material/ldpe-vs-hdpe

Nick - PP France

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Nick - PP France started a thread. 1/7/2022 10:43 AM

Nicolas

well, looks like I have to think for another solution

take a look at making pet into brooms,brushes etc as its a very simple process and doesnt need much tools

Nicolas

Hello @Liri (They/He), you for your answer. Maybe I can try to formulate more clearly what I would like. I am working on an organic treatment project on a port in Senegal. Waste treatment of this place is 2 big dumpsters filled up with wet and dry wastes. The rest of wet wastes (fish heads, offal, food wastes) are thrown at the sea (the dumpsters pickup is on a 2 or 3 days regularity and get full within 24h) I need crates for organic wastes treatment. Those crates are to be let outside and idealy would cost very few and not too sexy so that they don't get stolen. We are at the moment using old plastic buckets. As dumpsters are full of "plastics", maybe I could find inside what I would need to make some crates adapted to my needs and find an "easy" way to craft thoses crates. So I am looking for a solution to make some very basic crates (60x40x20) with whatever plastic I could easily find in the dumpsters at a very low cost process (even if it means medium quality crates and lots of human energy)

try finding non-transparent or milky looking bottles,these will be mostly made of hdpe/ldpe which is easier to recycle

12:27 PM

also if this is in a port then can you find old packing material and boxes?

12:27 PM

as they are quite cheap and are mostly dumped once used

Hello am from Sierra Leone and I want to make plastic brick. How do u go about this?

sponsoons

try finding non-transparent or milky looking bottles,these will be mostly made of hdpe/ldpe which is easier to recycle

At this stage, I can take every kind of plastic I can find, my problem is to identify a simple and low cost process. According to the easiest one I can find, then I shall concentrate on finding right materials.

Nicolas

At this stage, I can take every kind of plastic I can find, my problem is to identify a simple and low cost process. According to the easiest one I can find, then I shall concentrate on finding right materials.

one thing you could try is the iron method,using some butter paper and a clothes iron.You iron on layers of plastic onto one another

2:25 PM

this will require testing because im not sure it would work for thicker sheets

sponsoons

one thing you could try is the iron method,using some butter paper and a clothes iron.You iron on layers of plastic onto one another

Do you have a link for iron method you are talking about ? I can't find littérature on this method

erm ill try to find something

Hi all, I am new here. Ready to help in the plastic revolution.

cmaicurly

Send picture of the results

:D

Buda

I want to start making plastic lumber using plastic. Where can I buy an extruder machine from? I am based in Zambia and the nearest to here would be appropriate.

look at the bazar : https://bazar.preciousplastic.com/machines/

Precious Plastic Machines

Joekarb

Hello am from Sierra Leone and I want to make plastic brick. How do u go about this?

Hi ! Look at this link : https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-extruded-plastic-bricks

Deleted User

:D

Is it what you expected? Is it stuck in mold?

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/extrude-into-a-closed-mould

cmaicurly

Is it what you expected? Is it stuck in mold?

No it comes out really easily, I’ve made about 10

1

Hey folks .... I've got a plastic beam 25mm,25mm,1m that's stuck in a mild steel mould. Any tips on how to free the plastic ?

ujin140291

Hey folks .... I've got a plastic beam 25mm,25mm,1m that's stuck in a mild steel mould. Any tips on how to free the plastic ?

have you tried tapping it out with a hammer or mallet?

1:03 PM

if just that doesnt work then try slightly heating the mold and then tapping it out

sponsoons

have you tried tapping it out with a hammer or mallet?

Yeah .... I've tried tapping it out with a plastic dowel and a mallet .... I think the lubricant on the steel washed out after a couple of extrusions ....

sponsoons

if just that doesnt work then try slightly heating the mold and then tapping it out

Anyone can recommend a good way to lubricate the moulds to prevent plastic from sticking inside ? Something like a mould release agent ?

ujin140291

Yeah .... I've tried tapping it out with a plastic dowel and a mallet .... I think the lubricant on the steel washed out after a couple of extrusions ....

do you lubricate the mold after every extrusion?

sponsoons

do you lubricate the mold after every extrusion?

I don't .... Should I do it after every extrusion ? Ie, spray some silicon mould release ?

2:28 PM

It's my first few extrusions .... So do forgive my ignorance

ujin140291

I don't .... Should I do it after every extrusion ? Ie, spray some silicon mould release ?

yes...

2:30 PM

and did you try the heat method for getting it out of the mold?

sponsoons

erm ill try to find something

This would be very helpfull

https://youtu.be/RyXJQFfQGCo

Nutan Saini

Revolutionary idea to reuse polythene bags ! ( Save Mother Earth )

3:13 PM

like this but with thicker pieces of paper

3:14 PM

you dont need to be so meticulous in cutting and layering the bags

3:16 PM

i dont cut the bag as it takes too much time,i just layer them onto each other and fuse them ensuring that theres overlap,for most purposes two to three bags thick in any given place is good enough

sponsoons

and did you try the heat method for getting it out of the mold?

yeah i tried using a heat gun ..... went at it for 10mins, didnt work

ujin140291

yeah i tried using a heat gun ..... went at it for 10mins, didnt work

no youd need something bigger,try a gas stove

4:07 PM

cuz you need the whole thing to be heated

ahhhh .... understand ....

Please can some give me some precisions about how create this kind of semi hard plastic textile ? I already look around in google but I didn't find the technique. Thanks!\ https://www.instagram.com/p/B2KT56liEhW/ (edited)

plasticpreneur

Another great technique for processing plastic waste is to turn it into fabric. All you have to do is put the plastic bags on top of each other and connect them with a hot iron. This fabric can then be sewn like normal fabric.

• Empowering people, communities and nature through plastic recycling and entrepreneurial skills.

️

‍

• • We are b...

Likes

167

f4cu

Please can some give me some precisions about how create this kind of semi hard plastic textile ? I already look around in google but I didn't find the technique. Thanks!\ https://www.instagram.com/p/B2KT56liEhW/ (edited)

what do you mean by precisions?

f4cu

Please can some give me some precisions about how create this kind of semi hard plastic textile ? I already look around in google but I didn't find the technique. Thanks!\ https://www.instagram.com/p/B2KT56liEhW/ (edited)

You mean some more directions/tutorials? You can find some how-tos about it :) https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-a-durable-tote-bag-from-plastic-bags

Kat

You mean some more directions/tutorials? You can find some how-tos about it :) https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-a-durable-tote-bag-from-plastic-bags

Wowww is amazing is exactly what I looking for. I want to start noww do ittt. Thanks! (edited)

1

sponsoons

like this but with thicker pieces of paper

Wow! Very interresting! Thank you. But with putting more layers, do you think I can get someting solid? Because my idea is to make some crates

Nicolas

Wow! Very interresting! Thank you. But with putting more layers, do you think I can get someting solid? Because my idea is to make some crates

adding more layers to get a solid is what i was hoping, i kinow that the sheet wont be very thick but itll be good enough to support some little weight like ply

Nicolas

Wow! Very interresting! Thank you. But with putting more layers, do you think I can get someting solid? Because my idea is to make some crates

I think it would be cool to try and form something right over a mold to make a bag without sewing or cube shaped crate is a really cool idea! Please try and let us know!

Joe Cubed

I think it would be cool to try and form something right over a mold to make a bag without sewing or cube shaped crate is a really cool idea! Please try and let us know!

You mean do it with an iron? So just put some plastic bags layers and mold them in a wooden crate by example?

Nicolas

You mean do it with an iron? So just put some plastic bags layers and mold them in a wooden crate by example?

Yeah something like that

Ok I will try it. So is there any specific plastic bags? Or I can take all of what I can get?

Nicolas

Ok I will try it. So is there any specific plastic bags? Or I can take all of what I can get?

I don't know, I would assume that bags that feel the same would be best to go together. I think bags are usually #4 plastic but I might be wrong

Joe Cubed

I don't know, I would assume that bags that feel the same would be best to go together. I think bags are usually #4 plastic but I might be wrong

Ok. I am a total noob in plastics, so have to read a lot

Joe Cubed

I don't know, I would assume that bags that feel the same would be best to go together. I think bags are usually #4 plastic but I might be wrong

if they are regular plastic bags (single use types), they can be PP or PE; if you can push your thumb through it and make a whole, it's PE(LDPE). If not, it's PP

For speed imagine having a full roll of cooking paper and cutting plastic to fit under it and running it all through a laminator machine

Nick - PP France

if they are regular plastic bags (single use types), they can be PP or PE; if you can push your thumb through it and make a whole, it's PE(LDPE). If not, it's PP

And what would be the best one to use for what we want to try?

Nick - PP France

if they are regular plastic bags (single use types), they can be PP or PE; if you can push your thumb through it and make a whole, it's PE(LDPE). If not, it's PP

Is there a way to determine by feel as well. Some plastic bags are silky texture and some are a bit more rubbery

Nicolas

And what would be the best one to use for what we want to try?

i would go with PE(LDPE), easier to work with from my experience (edited)

Nicolas

And what would be the best one to use for what we want to try?

I would see which you can find more of

Joe Cubed

Is there a way to determine by feel as well. Some plastic bags are silky texture and some are a bit more rubbery

it helps indeed, but the more you'll test, and the more different "feels" you'll get, cuz of ... additives...

Joe Cubed

I would see which you can find more of

Pretty sure I can get all of them. Senegal is just a big plastic bag ocean...

Nick - PP France

it helps indeed, but the more you'll test, and the more different "feels" you'll get, cuz of ... additives...

Yes of course, so even in the one catagory of plastic you will have different textures

Nick - PP France

it helps indeed, but the more you'll test, and the more different "feels" you'll get, cuz of ... additives...

Nicolas

Pretty sure I can get all of them. Senegal is just a big plastic bag ocean...

many african countries use tiny plastic "bags" which replace plastic bottles; this would be the easiest to work with; or at least get a good base started (edited)

The world these days brother!

Joe Cubed

For speed imagine having a full roll of cooking paper and cutting plastic to fit under it and running it all through a laminator machine

if you were doing an industrial version you wouldnt have cooking paper,youd just have teflon coated belts

sponsoons

if you were doing an industrial version you wouldnt have cooking paper,youd just have teflon coated belts

Mmmmm Teflon belts !!!

in my experience the cooking paper rips more easily but also you wanna make sure your Teflon is thick because I bought one that isn't thick enough and the plastic went to the other side to the iron and I had to wait for it to fully cool to clean it etc.

I was plotting attempting to make those “Capri-Sun Pouch” Bags (or just in a reel of “fabric” kind of format a while back. I am not experienced with sowing machines yet, but i can grab the wiki link that had a bunch of youtube video links etc

1:33 PM

Also making some sort of plastic bag / film -> Textile Sheet Roll machine would be really neat

Eric Lotze

I was plotting attempting to make those “Capri-Sun Pouch” Bags (or just in a reel of “fabric” kind of format a while back. I am not experienced with sowing machines yet, but i can grab the wiki link that had a bunch of youtube video links etc

you have similar machines,but industrially its better to shred,regranulate and then extrude the pellets into either non-woven/meltblown

4:56 PM

or one of the hundred other fabric like plastic options

sponsoons

you have similar machines,but industrially its better to shred,regranulate and then extrude the pellets into either non-woven/meltblown

That makes sense for the plastic bags. Do we have any plans for a fabric making machine? (I guess a loom with extruded fibers (Similar to FDM Filament) could work too!) Also i think the "Capri-Sun Pouches" are unique in that they are hard to recycle, but also vapor proof + reflective (and thus maybe insulative?), so i think they are best used as is

5:02 PM

I am at a desktop now, so i will grab the related links i was mentioning earlier.

Eric Lotze

That makes sense for the plastic bags. Do we have any plans for a fabric making machine? (I guess a loom with extruded fibers (Similar to FDM Filament) could work too!) Also i think the "Capri-Sun Pouches" are unique in that they are hard to recycle, but also vapor proof + reflective (and thus maybe insulative?), so i think they are best used as is

iirc it has the same damn problem as a lot of the other industrial machines,the die which is the main is part is quite hard to make

5:03 PM

and in a lot of cases you cant even find much info on the die

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Liquid_Packaging_Board https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Liquid_Packaging_Board_Scrap_Derived_Sheet

Liquid Packaging Board

Liquid Packaging Board Scrap Derived Sheet

Eric Lotze

https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Liquid_Packaging_Board https://wiki.opensourceecology.org/wiki/Liquid_Packaging_Board_Scrap_Derived_Sheet

got you,i wish somebody came with a version of that board that didnt delaminate quickly and wasnt porous

5:07 PM

cuz thats been the problems ive seen with those boards

I think that term may have been wrong yeah, but that is where i put most of the information

5:08 PM

At least in the context i've seen, this is "Liquid Packaging Board" :

1

5:09 PM

so non-plastic, yet not wax paper-ey "Milk Cartons" (or sometimes fruit juice), etc

5:10 PM

and these are those "Capri-Sun Pouches" :

5:10 PM

(i need a better picture)

5:10 PM

but essentially plastic + metal multilayer film with a small hole, but otherwise almost a perfect sheet

5:11 PM

and those "edges" can be thermally / ultrasonically welded i bet!

5:11 PM

(and/or conventionally sown together)

Eric Lotze

Click to see attachment 🖼️

ist capri sun made of 'foil' but the liquid packaging board[tetrapack]

5:13 PM

the capri sun type packages can be either recycled with a pellet extruder that has a net/filter for catching the metal or by putting into into end of life products

5:13 PM

these are the two things ive seen done with them commercially

5:13 PM

but on our scale you can just make it into sheet,beams etc

5:13 PM

you can mold it too if you tolerances arent very tight

They were in the Liquid Packaging Board wiki page, but i'll post them here too, some neat projects that utilize a sort of textile made with them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3gMtdferak https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0CyYSmuSGs https://www.instructables.com/Welding-Capri-Sun-Pouches/ (edited)

CRAFTY AMY

DIY Caprisun Lunch Tote

LOLtapir

Capri Sun lunch bag TUTORIAL || craft sew DIY

Welding Capri Sun Pouches

Welding Capri Sun Pouches: I'm a little miffed at Kraft for heavily marketing these things because they aren't recyclable. So instead of doing something about it, they engaged in a distraction campaign with their Terracycle program. But at least you can ea…

Hello. Want to start a brick making with plastic waste. What are the full set machines to purchase and where to get them

(My older sister has a large bag made from them

Huh, those look cool too! I bet people will buy them

Joekarb

Hello. Want to start a brick making with plastic waste. What are the full set machines to purchase and where to get them

I think @Frederik C (ZA) has the most experience with those, although Plastic Bricks have some issues what are you planning to use them for?

𝕃𝕆𝕂𝕀 (Colorado, USA)

Huh, those look cool too! I bet people will buy them

My older sister has one (and i think it is commercially made) which is how i got the idea

Want to use them to build affordable homes @ eric lotze

Does anyone here have experience shredding recycled plastic containers with the Precious Plastic industrial equipment and then supplying commercial manufacturers with this material?

bryanmeador

Does anyone here have experience shredding recycled plastic containers with the Precious Plastic industrial equipment and then supplying commercial manufacturers with this material?

you could try but its not going to be profitable, an industrial shredder or scrapper will process a much higher amount of plastic at a much lower price with a higher quality in less time

2

6:48 PM

trying to supply commercial manufacturers is also hard because mostly anybody who could use recycled plastic in their products is pretty much already using it

6:49 PM

plus a lot of the big guys dont want shredded plastic but rather granules and those granules are something that need industrial machinery

6:50 PM

various people and groups have been trying to make homemade or opensource granule machine or pellet extruders for a long time but till now i haven't seen a single finished or successful version

1

I know a I progress project

6:58 PM

7:00 PM

It's not going to be comparable to a industrial machine

sponsoons

various people and groups have been trying to make homemade or opensource granule machine or pellet extruders for a long time but till now i haven't seen a single finished or successful version

i guess there is 2 options to go : Or we find a way to make a system with a fan and cutter directly at the end of the nozzle of extruder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pX9yKeSGxA ... or we follow the way to turn shredded plastic to calibrated filament first then cut it into pellets. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468067218300208

cmaicurly

i guess there is 2 options to go : Or we find a way to make a system with a fan and cutter directly at the end of the nozzle of extruder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pX9yKeSGxA ... or we follow the way to turn shredded plastic to calibrated filament first then cut it into pellets. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468067218300208

the concept is simple yes,but the problem is

3:28 PM

a.nobody has made a homemade systme

look at the last link

sponsoons

a.nobody has made a homemade systme

b. if they have they havent shared any info

3:29 PM

c.its isnt opensource or feasible enough

3:29 PM

the last one generally is the main thing

I think this is half of the solution

ah also i forgot one thing,the main problem in the homemade version of this is the 'pellet cutter'

3:31 PM

except for that things are simple

cmaicurly

i guess there is 2 options to go : Or we find a way to make a system with a fan and cutter directly at the end of the nozzle of extruder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pX9yKeSGxA ... or we follow the way to turn shredded plastic to calibrated filament first then cut it into pellets. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468067218300208

the first system either only works with high temp plastics or needs water cooling both of which is quite hard

3:32 PM

the die is tricky too when it needs to work with water

3:33 PM

but with the normal design the die is damn simple,it can be as simple as a piece of plate with a row of holes drilled into it

3:33 PM

or for a smaller extruder just multiple small holes drilled into a pipe endcap

1

Yes need to customize the die

3:35 PM

Have a look at this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGjAa8ds8_k

cmaicurly

Have a look at this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGjAa8ds8_k

this was deemed as too slow iirc

1

3:36 PM

are you familiar with the commercial systems for this?

i do not need to do pellets, i just wanted to help for the topic of pellets

no,as in do you know how pellets are made on the bigger machines?

3:39 PM

if youd like to see a bit of whats been discussed on this server about making pellets,search for 'pellets' on this server

3:39 PM

that will show you a lot of the stuff on it

1

3:40 PM

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/599284493525843984/911233980848824332 also this message

sponsoons

no,as in do you know how pellets are made on the bigger machines?

I guess like the first system i posted : A bigger die with cooling system then a big cutter turning around...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih4ZPZDeqpw

3:42 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvLXuLDgn2I

3:42 PM

this is the main way,as its fast,cheap and easy

1

3:42 PM

it will also work for most plastics

3:43 PM

the water bath is used instead of the fan as its much cheaper and faster

3:44 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxB4GdmizJE

Zf Engineering Works

Dana machine for high quality of LD PP HM PVC HDPP plastic recyclin...

1

3:45 PM

take a look at the die on this machine,like id said its just a strip of metal welded onto the front with a bunch of holes drilled into it

2

cmaicurly

i guess there is 2 options to go : Or we find a way to make a system with a fan and cutter directly at the end of the nozzle of extruder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pX9yKeSGxA ... or we follow the way to turn shredded plastic to calibrated filament first then cut it into pellets. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468067218300208

also, unlike making filament the diameter of plastic pellets does not have to be extremely precise, this means a simpler die which makes more strands at one time is used

1

OMG, my extruder looks ridiculous compared to their giant machine

Lol

3:50 PM

Size doesn't matter

3

3:50 PM

Along as it works

cmaicurly

OMG, my extruder looks ridiculous compared to their giant machine

heres the biggest

3

3:51 PM

human for scale

Taire

Size doesn't matter

in plastics it does,longer means better

3:51 PM

and faster

I mean

jesus does it work

We don't have to make a living of making plastic pellets

3:52 PM

It's a hobby

sponsoons

jesus does it work

the wastage on this thing would probably be more than what i extrude in a hour

1

Lol

Taire

We don't have to make a living of making plastic pellets

ik,but faster is better even though its a hobby

sponsoons

ik,but faster is better even though its a hobby

sadly faster means costlier

Faster also means more expensive

i really need to get working on making cast screws at home

3:55 PM

machined screws are too expensive (edited)

sponsoons

heres the biggest

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/worlds-largest-single-screw-extruder-texas-kai-u-bagdahn heres the link for the article

World's largest single screw extruder in Texas

Texas is not only known for large herds of cattle, cowboys and steaks, but also for being the largest industrial location in the US. The refinery sector and the chemical industry account for approximately half of the stateʼs industrial production.

Actually, i have a question. I am currently making plastic kind of cubes from an aluminium mold connected to my extruder. I have no problem with small objects under 5x5x5cm, but for bigger parts 10x10x10, i feel there is not enough pressure and the plastic start to "freeze" inside the mold before it fill all the mold. The result is a bubble style product, the faces are not smooth anymore. I tried to put the mold in the oven, and even use a gaz torch to warm the mold, the result is better But the amount of energy just to make one good product is too much. Any tips ???

have you tried insulation?

1

3:58 PM

what you mentioned is the main problem with trying to make these things with a smaller extruder

3:58 PM

it takes way too much energy and time

you mean insulation around the mold?

1

cmaicurly

you mean insulation around the mold?

yes

3:59 PM

that would help slightly

3:59 PM

but imo 5*5cm is the sensible limit

4:00 PM

after that size unless you really want or need to you shouldnt go to make anything bigger

sponsoons

yes

mmm. maybe.... i willl try tomorrow, but i really feel i could do better

sponsoons

after that size unless you really want or need to you shouldnt go to make anything bigger

I need to finish it for my customer. However i guess my mistake was to make a 10mm thick wall, maybe 5mm would be better...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=217DOoX4iUg this is the only other method

First Plant Pot of the Day

4:03 PM

ah ok,then insulation, constant heating and constant attention is the only way

1

4:04 PM

but its a tough job even then unless youve got a big extruder

4:05 PM

id also strongly advise you to make sure the conditions are 'perfect' before starting

4:06 PM

i.e. the plastic is completely dry and clean,the mold is heated and everything else is ready

4:06 PM

you could also try with preheating the plastic

4:06 PM

that way you might be able to extruder faster

4:09 PM

I think the problem is heating the mold enough

4:09 PM

As you see, the small parts on the last picture are very ok, but the 3rd picture shows the bubble effect

4:10 PM

on the second picture is my attempt to heat the mold in the oven then with a torch during the extrusion process

sponsoons

but its a tough job even then unless youve got a big extruder

I guess i reached the limits of my extruder. It is a version 4 precious plastic extruder with the small D25mm / 580mm screw. not the D30mm / 700mm

Over molding with extrusion machine? Has anyone ever tried it? Do the parts bond or do they seperate? Any insights are helpful. (edited)

Hi there. I’m wondering if there are any group members living in Sri Lanka

Hola , Menorcalab, es gestor de residuos de plásticos y valorizador de estos en materiales para ecoconstruccion, a partir de un modelo de maquinas de Precios Plastic en código abierto. Estamos preparando una red de microtalleres colaboradores para captar los plásticos (polipropileno) y procesarlos inicialmente, para luego hacer el proceso de inyección en mayor volumen. También compramos maquinas que se construyan en España.. Hablamos?: cs@menorcalab.org. Carlos Santamaria

Hi, without any estimation I agreed with the lathe person to make the shaft of my shredder pro in bright MS steel (yeild strength : 415mpa -(cold drawn) 215 -(TGP)). I'm worried about it's hardness, have anyone made the shafts from MS steel, and can share me the experience. Or I have made a very bad decisions, please help me (edited)

Hi, is it possible to use recycled plastic to produce transparent bangles like in the picture? Which material you are recommending? Does it look that clean? thank you

Scaramanga

Hi, is it possible to use recycled plastic to produce transparent bangles like in the picture? Which material you are recommending? Does it look that clean? thank you

with recycled plastic its quite hard to get transparent,at best you will get milky

I mean

2:06 PM

I should be possible

2:07 PM

But it will be a challenge

Taire

I should be possible

theoretically

2:52 PM

but the standard 'recycled' plastic look is possible in this shape

2:55 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY8sA-c3mJw

Giorggio Abrantes Pordeus Gari ecológico

Deveria ter em toda casa - vassouras ecológicas

1

2:55 PM

heres a video for everybody whos asked what do with PET plastic bottle

true

Hello. I am working on the fabrication of plastic pro shredder as my project. I wanted to inquire that can we use "aluminium 6061" in place of mild steel for the laser cut parts i.e. blades of the shredder. Also is this design suitable to shred polyethylene terephthalate?

Mubasher_Safdar

Hello. I am working on the fabrication of plastic pro shredder as my project. I wanted to inquire that can we use "aluminium 6061" in place of mild steel for the laser cut parts i.e. blades of the shredder. Also is this design suitable to shred polyethylene terephthalate?

NO,DO NOT USE ALUMINIUM FOR THE BLADES,and no you cant shred pet with this

11:29 AM

like you could but it would dull your blades quite fast and may damage your motor

Yea aluminum for the blades is a very bad idea

12:33 PM

Even just mild steel whould be better

12:34 PM

But no aluminium

thankyou for your help

Oké just so you know

1:35 PM

It will work but it will wear extremely fast

1:36 PM

So if you already have the blades cut use them and order new steel once

1:36 PM

If you haven't cus them cancel the order for the aluminum once and get a pair of steel

Hello friends! Im from Peru

Does somebody know why a HDPE plastic sheet pressed start bending when you remove it from the mould?

11:04 PM

nivine

Hello All! We have a sheet press machine, and we are using aluminum molds and putting silicon oil to make the boards. But we are having a hard time removing the boards once cooled down, and plastic is sticking on the sides and in the middle as in the picture. Is there any way to remove the plastic stains, and clean the mold?

Hello, I tried with a hot gun. How much time takes to cool down ? My boards start to bend when I remove them of the molds … sheet of 1cm 94x68cm

fiorella

Click to see attachment 🖼️

it is normal

1:21 AM

had it cooled down when you took it out?

marcelozp

had it cooled down when you took it out?

After 20 hrs … it seems to me too much …

yeah

1:46 AM

maybe you need to heat more

Hey yall, I was looking for solid works files of a simple/easy to do plastic shredder! (edited)

10:00 AM

Can someone help me out?

like this

Mubasher_Safdar

Hello. I am working on the fabrication of plastic pro shredder as my project. I wanted to inquire that can we use "aluminium 6061" in place of mild steel for the laser cut parts i.e. blades of the shredder. Also is this design suitable to shred polyethylene terephthalate?

A friend in Cambodia did this. The blades dull far too quickly to be of any use. Don't do it. :)

fiorella

Hello friends! Im from Peru

Does somebody know why a HDPE plastic sheet pressed start bending when you remove it from the mould?

Usually I have bending in my sheets when I take my sheets out of the press too soon. My sheet sizes are usually about 40cm x 40m x 2mm. Another issue arises when you use two different plastics or same type but with different additives. For example, I believe plastic caps for big water jugs has an additive to allow for the plastic to tear. This on its own will produce sheets that will crack fairly easily. It's labeled as HDPE but is not as sturdy as normal bottlecaps. But, when the two are mixed with the water jug caps on one side and then back filled with other, it seems the plastic (all HDPE) has different expansion/contraction qualities and causes bending/warping. Anyways, try and keep things pressed when cooling down and do not remove when things are uncomfortably warm.

1

2:32 PM

1

2:33 PM

Made my first brick today, but was very difficult to remove from the mould. The inside part of the mould was stuck in the plastic. I figure I might be able to put in some bolts and welded nuts to help press the two apart. But does anyone have this issue and a solution?

2:35 PM

Part of my mould wasn't welded very well so the welds broke and I had better access to pressing the two apart, but it's not a feasable solution. I'm all ears.

Hello I hope I'm in the right category. If someone needs products to expand their range. I could offer soap dishes/sponge tray. recycled polypropylene €0.99 per piece €0.89 for more than 100 pieces. €0.79 for more than 300 pieces.

5:09 PM

https://twitter.com/TheOceanCleanup/status/1483834414148857862

The Ocean Cleanup (@TheOceanCleanup)

Our crew has reached the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) and is getting ready to deploy Jenny at the marked location. We’ll then head for the red area – the hot spot where plastic density is expected to be high.

1

Hey guys, i recently had my own compression mold CNC’d to make a small cruiser skateboard.... heating the plastic in the oven and then transferring it to the mold isn’t quite doing the trick... would an extrusion machine help for this project? I’m hesitant to spend so much on something If idk that it will work

Hi beautiful people! I am looking for a plastic extrusion/injection small manufacturer for my first batch of our lamp , soon to be released throug Kickstarter. its a 90mm. long piece , black (we're thinking ABS or PLA) we need professional results, soft smooth finishes... I know its a far shot since this is a hobbyist community , but if you know of someone who could do the job (prefreably with recicled plastic and in Europe) , please refer them to sergimarcet@gmail.com and I can give further info from there. Thanks everyone!

I have a lot of plastic from washaterias near me

3:02 AM

3:04 AM

This much every day

Hi guy. I wanted to know if any of you have tried to make a long, thin ldpe webbing

dadda29993

Hi guy. I wanted to know if any of you have tried to make a long, thin ldpe webbing

you can make one by making ldpe/pe bags into string/rope and then tying it into a net/webbing

11:46 AM

if you mean extrude the webbing, then no its not possible on these machines

I try to iron a string of ldpe and the result it's good

12:52 PM

But I wanted to know if anyone had tried to use any other method

12:53 PM

I want to create a belt long 1 meter

dadda29993

I want to create a belt long 1 meter

what is the use of the belt?

Trouser belt

unless you want to do this on a big scale the iron method you did seems like the best

3:11 PM

you could use a t-shirt/sublimation heat press but i dont think it will be worth it

106 / 5.000 Risultati della traduzione I had thought of that too. Is it possible to extrude a 2 or 3 mm thick tape 1 meter long ??

6:06 PM

This is the first prototype yet to be finished

dadda29993

106 / 5.000 Risultati della traduzione I had thought of that too. Is it possible to extrude a 2 or 3 mm thick tape 1 meter long ??

I mean yes

6:07 PM

But I'm not sure if it is with the pp extruder

dadda29993

106 / 5.000 Risultati della traduzione I had thought of that too. Is it possible to extrude a 2 or 3 mm thick tape 1 meter long ??

È così. Ma è difficile mantenere il nastro dello spessore corretto e la macchina sarà costosa

6:11 PM

Questo è l'unico altro modo che conosco. https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-a-flat-nozzle-for-the-extrusion-machine

dadda29993

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Questo è il metodo migliore che conosco per farlo.

dadda29993

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Ma se vuoi puoi realizzare la fibbia con plastica riciclata

6:17 PM

È possibile

In quella foto la fibbia è fatta stirando strati di ldpe è molto flessibile e resistente

No, intendo questa parte di metallo

6:57 PM

puoi farlo di plastica

Si sto pensando anche a fare la fibbia di plastica riciclata ma il problema più grosso è fare la cinghia

8:25 PM

Per la fibbia devo trovare come unire l asta alla fibbia

dadda29993

Per la fibbia devo trovare come unire l asta alla fibbia

yes that is the main problem,i still cant find anybody showing how to do that,you can join the rod with heat but it wont be so strong and will break

4:55 AM

simplest would be to make only the rod from metal

Tsu

Hey yall, I was looking for solid works files of a simple/easy to do plastic shredder! (edited)

Download the .stp-file from here and import it into solidworks: https://machine-inventory.preciousplastic.com/

I made this ages ago using blue black pink and white does the colours look good

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Usually I have bending in my sheets when I take my sheets out of the press too soon. My sheet sizes are usually about 40cm x 40m x 2mm. Another issue arises when you use two different plastics or same type but with different additives. For example, I believe plastic caps for big water jugs has an additive to allow for the plastic to tear. This on its own will produce sheets that will crack fairly easily. It's labeled as HDPE but is not as sturdy as normal bottlecaps. But, when the two are mixed with the water jug caps on one side and then back filled with other, it seems the plastic (all HDPE) has different expansion/contraction qualities and causes bending/warping. Anyways, try and keep things pressed when cooling down and do not remove when things are uncomfortably warm.

Have you thought about removing and placing in a cold press ? I’m looking into that as the cool down on my sheet moulds takes hours and is the only was to get flat 2, 6 or 12mm sheets

Scaramanga

Hi, is it possible to use recycled plastic to produce transparent bangles like in the picture? Which material you are recommending? Does it look that clean? thank you

Clear Polystyrene works well but you do get bubbles

JJ coops

I made this ages ago using blue black pink and white does the colours look good

it looks great!

Has anyone tried to convert a champion juicer to shred thin plastic?

11:24 PM

I'd love a small / home / portable way to shred plastic like soda bottle thinkness. OK if I need to cut it up with snippers.

thomas

I'd love a small / home / portable way to shred plastic like soda bottle thinkness. OK if I need to cut it up with snippers.

I use a Chinese medicine grinder to do small amounts of PP. It doesn't work too well for HDPE

7:31 AM

It is like a blender but with a way overpowered motor and dull blades. HDPE works a bit but it gets to hot and melty from the friction heat

7:32 AM

PP gets smashed into gravel, then sand, then powder.

JJ coops

I made this ages ago using blue black pink and white does the colours look good

I love the bits of white webbing on the darker colours (edited)

Anyone has or know where I can find Solidworks blueprints of this shredder?

Hey, any good ideas for products made out of recycled PET?

️

‍

https://discord.com/channels/586676777334865928/598888903994376201/931909363386449992

6:38 AM

basically with PET what you are trying to do is everything that is possible with the least changes to pet,so you might make it into ribbon/rope and then weave it, you could make it into strips and make a brush, you could cut,flaten and thermoform the pet bottles

1

Has anyone done some plastic film bonding like the video posted here a while ago. I know bags are generally HDPE and ldpe, but can they be intermixed?

Joe Cubed

Has anyone done some plastic film bonding like the video posted here a while ago. I know bags are generally HDPE and ldpe, but can they be intermixed?

They can also be PP or even PLA or other "bio" material recently. Generally mixing is not the best idea for traceability (then you have a mixed plastic product), but I guess it depend what you are doing with it. With the classic iron or tee-shirt press method, you can bond LDPE, HDPE and PP together as the chemical structure is similar for these 3, but avoid PLA or other type.

1

1:17 PM

Of course, if you can sort them, the bond will be better as well as not creating a mixed plastic.

1

Yann

They can also be PP or even PLA or other "bio" material recently. Generally mixing is not the best idea for traceability (then you have a mixed plastic product), but I guess it depend what you are doing with it. With the classic iron or tee-shirt press method, you can bond LDPE, HDPE and PP together as the chemical structure is similar for these 3, but avoid PLA or other type.

Thanks, this was the type of info I was looking for

Hi guys! I'm doing my master thesis about the integration of precious plastics in my department and I can't find any articals in which they based their knowledge of the site on. Can anyone help me on that?

Hi everyone! On many diy videos I see people are able to handle the melted plastic out of the oven, as if it was molding clay. But in my experience the texture of melted plastic is more like "melted chewing gum". Im using PP heated at 220°C, is it too hot o is it something else Im not looking?

question: where on the machine pages are the download files? the only ones i could find are about workspaces, not the equipment specifically. is that it, or am i missing something?

Qrow

question: where on the machine pages are the download files? the only ones i could find are about workspaces, not the equipment specifically. is that it, or am i missing something?

Its inside the workspaces files. Download them and have a look around

https://www.cckw.us/item/thank-you-stools

Edition of 2 stools created for PlasticScene, an exhibition of designs made from post consumer waste, during London Design Festival 2018. Plastic bags are made from HDPE, a very easy to recycle plastic. However, in bag form, it clogs recycling machines and because there is so little material, the energy expended reclaims very little plastic.

1:08 PM

https://www.cckw.us/item/nugget-keychain

Chen Chen & Kai Williams is a design studio that explores materials and new ways to use them. The studio invents new techniques and materials or diverts common industrial supplies to off-label applications.

Hey @everyone! This is just a friendly reminder for everyone to keep their profiles on the community platform (https://community.preciousplastic.com) up to date. We direct people to the map daily (11,000 per week), so profiles that are up to date tend to have more success finding partners/clients, customers or volunteers/workers. Be sure to check over your: Photos Workspace type Description Links Thanks for doing what you’re doing! Hugh - Community Manager

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1:26 PM

5

looks cool

Does anyone know if there is a video on the making of the chair out of bended PS sheets? This one that is: https://youtu.be/yoidAZlYHLQ?t=390 I wonder about the amount of heat that is necessary for bending PS sheets. Someone with knowledge and/or experience with that?

Precious Plastic - Good design with recycled plastic (part 5.1)

Scrapemist

Does anyone know if there is a video on the making of the chair out of bended PS sheets? This one that is: https://youtu.be/yoidAZlYHLQ?t=390 I wonder about the amount of heat that is necessary for bending PS sheets. Someone with knowledge and/or experience with that?

No. There’s a webpage though

2:20 PM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-a-chair-with-bent-sheets

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/make-a-chair-with-bent-sheets

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

1

2:22 PM

The off-site link on how to bend plastic sheets is broken though cc @Hugh

Swamp Flux

Thnx! I thought I looked everywhere

I’d look into fixing the link myself but it’s been shortened. (This is a reason to NOT use URL shorteners)

Its this one i think: https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/bend-plastic-sheets

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Ah-ha. Okay then. Making a reminder on my phone to look into that later. Idk if the articles are in git or not but i’ll find out. Good luck with the chair! I read that how-to and it looked very challenging

Looking into making bike saddles using this technique.

Hi I wanna buld the machine in my countries senegal to start this project someone can help me for more information??

sheikh

Hi I wanna buld the machine in my countries senegal to start this project someone can help me for more information??

Good place to start here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/build

‘Everyone’s Looking for Plastic.’ As Waste Rises, So Does Recycling...

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Hugh

Hey @everyone! This is just a friendly reminder for everyone to keep their profiles on the community platform (https://community.preciousplastic.com) up to date. We direct people to the map daily (11,000 per week), so profiles that are up to date tend to have more success finding partners/clients, customers or volunteers/workers. Be sure to check over your: Photos Workspace type Description Links Thanks for doing what you’re doing! Hugh - Community Manager

Thanks Hugh. Question: I ran into a bug a while back where my attempt to create a profile for a community spot ended up being listed as my personal profile in the URL. There wasn't a way for me to change that. Is that something that can be fixed now?

DinkyBird

Thanks Hugh. Question: I ran into a bug a while back where my attempt to create a profile for a community spot ended up being listed as my personal profile in the URL. There wasn't a way for me to change that. Is that something that can be fixed now?

hey, you can update your profile usernames now but as URLs go those cant be changed

1

Good article to check out https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/world/africa/senegal-plastic-waste-recycling.html

By Ruth Maclean and Finbarr O’Reilly

Plagued by plastic pollution, Senegal wants to replace pickers at the garbage dump with a formal recycling system that takes advantage of the new market for plastics.

1

JJ coops

I made this ages ago using blue black pink and white does the colours look good

How can we make more of these, @JJ coops, from our base at the Willamette tribal gathering grounds (Portland, Oregon, USA) ?

ShizLAN

How can we make more of these, @JJ coops, from our base at the Willamette tribal gathering grounds (Portland, Oregon, USA) ?

Use alot of pink and black with bits of white and blue mixed in all of the plastic is in type 2

1

Hey guys, Today we mark the day of taking one step closer for creating a sustainable environment by launching DashLynk. DashLynk is a reliable way of creating and sharing digital business cards. With DashLynk, you can create, personalise and share your digital business card. Allowing scanning and saving business cards, all over the world and for free. Last but not the least it's completely eco-friendly. Please share with your friends and family as much as you can. Also, it would be great if you can your valuable feedback with us. http://onelink.to/23te34

Hi folks!

3:58 PM

I sifted through (almost) the whole website today, but didn't find any success storys for small businesses. Aren't there any?

3:59 PM

Also, I'm an IT-pro. And oc I noticed a few glitches. What would be the correct place to report them?

4:06 PM

Maybe this is a question for @Joseph ?

aDuke

Also, I'm an IT-pro. And oc I noticed a few glitches. What would be the correct place to report them?

the best place to report them would be here https://communityplatform.featureupvote.com - this is the bug fix and suggestion for the commnuity platform

1

leonheld started a thread. 2/1/2022 5:12 PM

@aDuke thankfully there are hundreds of organisations running successful business with big team. We just didn't have the time to showcase them on our website

Mattia

@aDuke thankfully there are hundreds of organisations running successful business with big team. We just didn't have the time to showcase them on our website

Imho success stories, business cases etc. are the most important things if you make this initiative into a global movement. I've been an OSS dev for more than 20 years. Yes, there is never enough time to do everything you would like to. So let your 'customers' do it!

3:18 PM

What about a dedicated channel here for business cases, a thread for each small(or big) company. There will be volunteers with good english that will transform those chats into articles, ready to be added to your website.

3:19 PM

The reason why I came here: I want to help a little YT-channel, this one:

3:19 PM

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXEq1v110PGMQ3fDqZpIqdg

Tropical Ocean Cleanup

Retired to the Philippines in 2006. I am an X-mountain bike racer turned bike touring lover, it is truly the best way to explore and enjoy the so many wonderful places here. Recently I have turned into the bottle Boom biker due to the increasing plastic pollution problems growing out of control. Until education and manufacturers change their pac...

3:25 PM

It's an american in the Phillippines, who constructed a low budget 'interceptor'. Veeerrry low budget. He operates four of them in four canals (at his own costs plus somepatreons) and thus collects quite a lot of plastic. He also organizes beach cleanups and also ventures into the garbage collection business.

3:31 PM

The wages there are ridiculously low, much unemployment, but nobody there could afford to buy the machines from the bazaar for a thousand bucks. So before I make any suggestions to this guy, I want to figure out the business case for a 3rd world solution of your concept.

Hey @aDuke I very much agree success stories as super important. How would you envision that channel working? What type of chats would go there?

I would make a call to all recyclers out there to tell their story. Separate threads. Give them some skeleton, like in how they collect, clean, shred, extrude and what products they make, how much they pay for each step and what they get for their products and how many they sell. That sounds like a good start for me. And we can ask individual questions in each thread. Maybe even give them pro advice to improve

(edited)

2

Hey plastic recyclers, I'm helping a public university explore a recycling program in the states. They're a little hesitant about the person time it would require to shred and sort plastics, as well as the storage space to hold large quantities of plastic. Any chance anyone can quick shed some light on how many people-hours it takes to shred and sort ~10kg of material, and how much space the raw, shredded material would take up?

5:58 PM

Specifically thinking for a shredder-pro setup, if we choose to make one.

ChrisKay

Hey plastic recyclers, I'm helping a public university explore a recycling program in the states. They're a little hesitant about the person time it would require to shred and sort plastics, as well as the storage space to hold large quantities of plastic. Any chance anyone can quick shed some light on how many people-hours it takes to shred and sort ~10kg of material, and how much space the raw, shredded material would take up?

realistically a shredder pro would do about 15-45kg/hr depending on the sieve size and the plastic types

1

6:01 PM

the sorting time i cant really say,for some objects sorting is quick and easy,for e.g PET bottles or milk jugs ,but for others you may have to check the individual object to find out the plastic type

So. Looks like a missed a lot!

Hello, I´m an architecture Student from Karlsruhe, Germany. I´m currently working on a Project where i try to Recycle and Reuse Beverage Packs like Tetrapak. I just found out about your Community some days ago and i´m super impressed and inspired.

3:31 PM

I´m looking for someone who wants to sheetpress some Tetrapaks. I already collected so many of them but i cannot find anyone to help me finish my studies properly because there is no infrastructure to experiment with this kind of material. I already know that the material wields together. I´m convinced it will work in a sheet press. If anyone wants to help me please contact me.

Bergmani

Hello, I´m an architecture Student from Karlsruhe, Germany. I´m currently working on a Project where i try to Recycle and Reuse Beverage Packs like Tetrapak. I just found out about your Community some days ago and i´m super impressed and inspired.

hey there; try reaching out to the german community here :) https://discord.gg/jeuyXAvv6W

Invite to join a server

Precious Plastic Germany

willkommen

Thank you very much!!

Need a better shredder

1

@Ibra what do you mean ?

@William Sakwah what do you want Know?

tamo junto !!

6:48 PM

This what I have need something bigger lol

Ibra

Click to see attachment 🖼️

just get a commercial one,youd hit about anywhere from 50% more to double the price but in terms of capacity itll be worth it

Sam Butler

Bok @Marijana, @SeaMe, @Gallon, @CrisLeash 🐙, @mirko_lesko ! Where are you all in Croatia? I'm in Moslavina, looking to work on PP. The government is discussing a large-scale waste incinerator in one of the villages here, and I'd love to introduce PP to show an alternative for the area

hey @Sam Butler I didn't get this notification. Pula.

Sam Butler

Maybe we could organize some day to meet in person and build stations for each of our towns together? @mirko_lesko, what do you think? @SeaMe, @Gallon, would you be interested in travelling to around Zagreb for something like that?

Did you guys meet?

Gallon

@Marijana @SeaMe @CrisLeash 🐙 @mirko_lesko (edited)

Yoo again, didn't get the notification

@Marijana @SeaMe @mirko_lesko @Sam Butler so we are all inside Croatia?

Hi I was wondering how you can make molds to shape melted plastic?

2:31 AM

What materials should I use to make the mold and will it stick to the mold?

HotChoclateCreme

What materials should I use to make the mold and will it stick to the mold?

just answered basically the same question in #just-chatting

3:01 AM

usually people put mold release etc. pretty sure it's usually aluminum molds sometimes wood depending on the scale, funding and type of prject

3:01 AM

you should checkout brothers make on youtube

3:02 AM

they show both their injection machines which use aluminum molds and their more diy projects that use wood molds

3:02 AM

depending on what you want to do and achieve you might choose a different path

HotChoclateCreme

Hi I was wondering how you can make molds to shape melted plastic?

you can make the molds using many materials, most common is aluminum

6:53 AM

for molds which are only going to make a small number of parts, you can use materials like mdf,composite,resin,wood, plaster etc

HotChoclateCreme

What materials should I use to make the mold and will it stick to the mold?

Depends on the type of machine and the size and shape. I made a mould like the one in this video for compression. Its made of steel since its cheaper and easier to weld and also more rigid (usually I have to apply force to take out the piece). Silicone oil is one of the best release agents for this. https://youtu.be/P_zCIXsHkVI

A lasercutted mould to make bowls from #preciousplastic

Hey, guys we have come out with a solution to replace plastic business cards with electronic ones for better and faster way to network, kindly let me know your views on the same http://onelink.to/23te34

Shalin Doshi

Hey, guys we have come out with a solution to replace plastic business cards with electronic ones for better and faster way to network, kindly let me know your views on the same http://onelink.to/23te34

I personally think using recycled paper and natural inks is just a better option you're recycling and making something that can compost but with the internet it'll always be there in some form and the form that bothers me is the computers that emit so much heat to keep data alive... if you have an explanation as to how you overcome that maybe that would be cool to hear

Liri (They/He)

I personally think using recycled paper and natural inks is just a better option you're recycling and making something that can compost but with the internet it'll always be there in some form and the form that bothers me is the computers that emit so much heat to keep data alive... if you have an explanation as to how you overcome that maybe that would be cool to hear

Using recycled paper and natural ink is a costly affair specially manufacturing the pigments and paper which again use machinery [Causing harm to the environment] to produce the same. Also, to recycle paper first you need paper which indirectly comes from trees, so you I assume you know how the current scenario is. Hence I feel using e-business cards is a better option for 3 reasons: 1. You will never loose a business card when you network as it is stored in your phone 2. Not effecting the environment 3. When you exchange business cards 30-40% of them are misplaced or end up in trash, hence having e-business card can resolve the issue. As you will have the persons contact with you at all times.

Shalin Doshi

Using recycled paper and natural ink is a costly affair specially manufacturing the pigments and paper which again use machinery [Causing harm to the environment] to produce the same. Also, to recycle paper first you need paper which indirectly comes from trees, so you I assume you know how the current scenario is. Hence I feel using e-business cards is a better option for 3 reasons: 1. You will never loose a business card when you network as it is stored in your phone 2. Not effecting the environment 3. When you exchange business cards 30-40% of them are misplaced or end up in trash, hence having e-business card can resolve the issue. As you will have the persons contact with you at all times.

i personally don't think it would be that costly you could be using paper that comes in trash mail boxes that you ordered stuff in etc. the machinery aspect isn't that big because you don't have to use a shredder and you don't have to use a blender. and you can use renewable energy. and if that's your view honestly I'm not sure what you're doing in this discord server besides marketing your website because this server started as a precious plastic server a community of people who recycle plastic using heavy machinery.

4:48 PM

when you are not using virgin materials you're not destroying trees, you're actually doing the opposite by using the already existing paper and not buying new paper. because for that new paper to be made you needed to cut down new trees.

4:50 PM

and lastly you didn't answer my question on how you overcome the tremendous affects that technology has on the environment. because your #2 is clearly backed by no research you will be affecting the environment you just won't see it which makes it feel all good. almost like out recycling system where we put things in a bin and it goes away.

Every way of making business cards will use some energy, so like everything, it is a trade off, where its necessary to figure out which solution is best for this situation. It certainly may be the case that recycled paper is the more sustainable option, but to really find that out, it will be necessary to dive into the numbers and figure out how much impact each way of doing things has, instead of assuming one's better. (not to mention itd be necessary to factor in practical limitations like where this person is and what materials and services they have access to!) (edited)

5:08 PM

(Don't mind me, just felt like puttin' in my 2 cents-worth

)

Shalin Doshi

Hey, guys we have come out with a solution to replace plastic business cards with electronic ones for better and faster way to network, kindly let me know your views on the same http://onelink.to/23te34

There are people who have plastic business cards? I've seen more metal and PCB business cards than plastic business cards, and I've been 3d printing business cards for me and colleagues for like a year now. Everybody else uses paper, most already use recycled materials etc And honestly, even if they all used brand new material, the amount of material that is used for business cards is small enough that one page fewer in a local weekly newspaper would save more energy/material/environment/whatever Also I checked with our sales people etc. and none of them would be willing to give up on business cards. We've transitioned to all of them having a QR code on the back that will read in the contact info into the phone. Add in them being 3d printed in our case and theres very little chance of people forgetting you. When I was the onlsy one at the company who had 3d printed business cards, people who received several of our cards in a meeting would ALWAYS call me, no matter who their contact was, because my card was the one card that they remembered. Doesn't matter that they had the number for their usual contact saved on their phone

sioux612

There are people who have plastic business cards? I've seen more metal and PCB business cards than plastic business cards, and I've been 3d printing business cards for me and colleagues for like a year now. Everybody else uses paper, most already use recycled materials etc And honestly, even if they all used brand new material, the amount of material that is used for business cards is small enough that one page fewer in a local weekly newspaper would save more energy/material/environment/whatever Also I checked with our sales people etc. and none of them would be willing to give up on business cards. We've transitioned to all of them having a QR code on the back that will read in the contact info into the phone. Add in them being 3d printed in our case and theres very little chance of people forgetting you. When I was the onlsy one at the company who had 3d printed business cards, people who received several of our cards in a meeting would ALWAYS call me, no matter who their contact was, because my card was the one card that they remembered. Doesn't matter that they had the number for their usual contact saved on their phone

How much does it take on an average to print 3D business card? Also what’s the pack size?

When I print them it takes about 20 minutes per card, with a card weighing about 3 grams, and I just print them in batches overnight, however many will fit the print bed

6:02 PM

No "pack size" because they aren't being sold, just for colleagues

Okay, but for instance in India we pay about Rs 1000 for a pack of 500, good quality material

sioux612

No "pack size" because they aren't being sold, just for colleagues

My reason to ask was how much does the RM cost to make 1 card in general

Shalin Doshi

Okay, but for instance in India we pay about Rs 1000 for a pack of 500, good quality material

ive got about ~₹20-30 or about 50 cents to a dollar per 3d printed card

11:35 AM

for me it takes about 5-10 minutes per 3d printed card

Rs 20 - 30 per card is high for an organisation

Shalin Doshi

Rs 20 - 30 per card is high for an organisation

yes think of this as similar to those cards you mainly show most people but you may give them to big people

11:37 AM

so for some big client you may give it to them but most of the time youll just show it to people

11:38 AM

some of my cards have a QR code on them that either goes to a link list or to some website/page

11:38 AM

so the other person can simply scan them

For me all clients are equal, so I would rather make one card [Digital card] and share it with them so they remember and have my details handy

sponsoons

yes think of this as similar to those cards you mainly show most people but you may give them to big people

but mostly 3d printed cards are only used by the big or high end companies

11:41 AM

so now even though i have a couple 3d printed cards, the paper cards are still the ones that get used the most

Most companies I deal with, none of them use 3D card for a good reason they are expensive

today im seeing the big companies having lasercut cards

They are economical + look good

but today business cards are not used often, most of them time ill just ask for somebody's contact and then ill send them either a website or a linktree

11:44 AM

now its common for most companies email signatures to have a link to their website in it

sponsoons

but today business cards are not used often, most of them time ill just ask for somebody's contact and then ill send them either a website or a linktree

I dont agree with that my friend

11:46 AM

For instance I want to speak to a sales manager, the company website wont show me the right contact, If I have his or her business card it's easier for me to contact. 2nd I can share business cards if available in app with other who require it.

sponsoons

for me it takes about 5-10 minutes per 3d printed card

Please tell me more about your setup, I really want to improve my print times For me the main time sink is having to print the backing of the business card at 0.25mm nozzle, that takes like 18 minutes and the letters are only 2 minutes or so

sioux612

Please tell me more about your setup, I really want to improve my print times For me the main time sink is having to print the backing of the business card at 0.25mm nozzle, that takes like 18 minutes and the letters are only 2 minutes or so

mine is pretty standard ender 3

2:16 PM

and why dont you get a bigger nozzle?

Because then I can't print the letters at the size I want

2:17 PM

Give me a second, I'll check what size my letters are

sponsoons

and why dont you get a bigger nozzle?

i use a 0.6 or 0.8, for simpler cards i use a 1

2:18 PM

honestly its often cheaper to lasercut a card

2.6mm tall (Y), with about 0.25mm letter width, so its just a single extrusion line

would making the letter size bigger be possible?

sponsoons

honestly its often cheaper to lasercut a card

totally, I only do it because plastics recycling/3d printing stuff is my job, and because they are neat

sponsoons

would making the letter size bigger be possible?

Yes and no, I really like the way they look at this size, and if I wanted to keep all the info on it thats on there right now the card would need to grow

otherwise you can try things like changing settings and stuff,but for me just a different nozzle helped

Give me a second and I'll create a version of my card that won't doxx me and you can see for yourself

2:25 PM

you can't even print that with a stock 0.25mm profile, you need to lower outer extrusion width to 0.21 or so

Visitenkarte_0.6_-_Max.stl

1.36 MB

2:26 PM

Screenshot from the stock prusa 0.25mm profile

sioux612

Click to see attachment 🖼️

youre printing these cards with recycled plastic?

Yes, but PET is tricky, I have to print at least 100mm/s or the PET crystalizes in the nozzle

Great do you have a picture of the final product?

I have a few of them at home but they are all my genuine cards, so I'd be heavily doxxing myself

2:34 PM

Also currently I'm still mixing rPET background with PETg letters because I haven't started coloring filament yet, and that certainly makes things more interesting regarding adhesion of letters. back when I printed it entirely in PETg (before I had an extrusion line) it was rather easy with the cards, and the adhesion was phenomenal, never lost a single letter

What extrusion line do you use?

noztek

2:36 PM

Posted a video in the showcase channel

ah great I own one too, but never managed to make it functionning

Noztek or filament line in general?

Noztek

2:37 PM

I have the Touch and the Filament spinner... but looks like the puller is required

ah okay Yeah the tolerance puller is something I can't work without

do you also use the Touch or the Excalibur?

xcalibur, I just bought their entire line

2:39 PM

So its xcalibur, water bath, tolerance puller and winder 2.0

good, I wished that I could get it competed, but then I switched to the 3d Evo instead

2:40 PM

If you get aware of puller available second hand, i'll be interested

In retrospect I would have bought a 3d evo, if their info online had included that its a closed loop puller, just like noztek uses Instead I though noztek were the only ones who offered that, and now I'm really happy I got the noztek because rPET is a PITA and has some stuff that its very peculiar about so a larger thing I can modify might be better than a nice small closed system like the 3devo

2:42 PM

Will do, also think about contacting steve, he tends to be very helpful, maybe they have one in stock or something?

Yeah at then end I kept it and I would like to get it complete, but at low expense... already much spent. but this is nice to learn about how platic melt and the impact of the different parameters, but to be successful the 3dEvo is much appropriate. I am grinding some PET to start extruding PET from bottle. have you done it already? which Steve are you mentioning?

steve from noztek, he has been my contact person there ever since I bought my line, and we are in more or less constant contact about whatever may be happening, about the modifications I've made to my line, I've sent them a file that allows you to use the winder with clear filament, stuff like that

2:56 PM

And yes, I've never extruded anything but bottle pet in my noztek

this only for you own use?

though I start with the pellets we produce in our company

Archireel

this only for you own use?

So far, yes

2:58 PM

Its for my bachelor thesis I will send out a bit of material to some people soon, but just for tests and nothing for sale, because I can't guarantee the quality

yeah this is hard to have a good quality grade, especially on PET

Very very curious how the 3devo will handle PET, or more specifically how the cooling works with it, because cooling is the single most important piece with PET

there is 2 fans dedicated for that

yes but too much cooling is bad as well, it took me months and help from fusion filaments to understand that I need to heat my water bath

3:00 PM

Thats why I'm curious

Yep i'll post back on the experiment

What about PP?

For me on the 3dEvo, my test was not a success. Even if 3dEvo propose a fact sheet for it, I only got oval filament as this is too viscous

You can try with PP MFI: 11

Greetings beautiful people. Just joined this family and im so excited about making connections to drive a better use of old plastic in my surround. Im writing from Mozambique and so far have motivation and willing to bright the mind and behavior of my brothers and sisters regarding the great things we can do reusing old plastic and help our income. Open to any suggestion and cooperation, thanking you in advance.

PP-AntiCorruptionCommando

Does anyone knows the process behind making these blocks ? https://www.byfusion.com/. We tried to contact them for more information about their machines but never received an answer. We would like in particular to know we could fuse different types of PE with this method and if not, what materials (glue) could be used. (edited)

I understood that their process is somewhat halfway between chemical recycling and mechanical recycling. It is based on the heat exchange properties of supercritical / superheated steam. I have been wondering for a while if their process could be replicated at small scale

They say they don't use adhesives, they likely just heat it up while in a mold and under pressure, maybe with added vacuum to remove bubbles Their throughput at 30-90 tons a month is not that massive, and with this you definitely remove the material from the recycling process permanently. Also you'll have to make sure to hit just the right temperature to fuse it all together otherwise you will either not have proper adhesion, or burn a material, neither of which is great for long term sustainability of the block. Add in fun stuff like some plastics cracking if parts of it become too large

12:22 PM

Also unlinke the concrete lego blocks they appear to market themselves against, they aren't fire proof

12:24 PM

Theres an initiative somewhere in I think africa, where a woman creates smaller building blocks from plastic waste. She has a very simple workshop, their product is easy to do logistics for and there is no other infrastructure for recycling the waste - that makes sense But this machine needs at least some established infrastructure at which point I'm not super sure that the function of the machine is the optimal recourse

12:25 PM

Though I might order a few blocks/some of their decor stuff, because that would probably fit well into our decor at our recycling company

Do you talk about this workspace ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKTgMogqBxs

United Nations

Plastic bricks in Kenya – Nzambi Matee - Young Champion of the Eart...

12:32 PM

It is a cool product indeed

sioux612

They say they don't use adhesives, they likely just heat it up while in a mold and under pressure, maybe with added vacuum to remove bubbles Their throughput at 30-90 tons a month is not that massive, and with this you definitely remove the material from the recycling process permanently. Also you'll have to make sure to hit just the right temperature to fuse it all together otherwise you will either not have proper adhesion, or burn a material, neither of which is great for long term sustainability of the block. Add in fun stuff like some plastics cracking if parts of it become too large

another thing i noticed is,they say they dont need to sort plastic,this means there is a good chance of plastic not fusing together

12:43 PM

which means different bricks will have differing strength with some entirely failing

Yann

Do you talk about this workspace ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKTgMogqBxs

thats the one, yes

sponsoons

another thing i noticed is,they say they dont need to sort plastic,this means there is a good chance of plastic not fusing together

Exactly what i meant with the temperature stuff, bonus points for when you accidentally burn something fun like PVC and that turns into Benzene, and then you use the blocks to build a structure or put them somewhere in your house

12:48 PM

If they sorted it first then okay, but at that point you can also do a better job of recycling Hell at the tonnage they quote one might even be able to chemically recycle the material

Got hpde shreds pet shred and pp if any one interested in

Hi guys ! I am new to the precious plastic community by buying a sheetpress and start recycling

Happy to be a member of this family ! I don't know if I am in the right channel to explain the issues I'm facing. When I am recycling with the sheetpress, the sheets after have bubbles concentrated in some places. and sometimes, the thickness of the seet is not equal (mainly thinner at the middle) . Did you face the same issues ? any idea to resolve it ?

Nicolas

Hi guys ! I am new to the precious plastic community by buying a sheetpress and start recycling

Happy to be a member of this family ! I don't know if I am in the right channel to explain the issues I'm facing. When I am recycling with the sheetpress, the sheets after have bubbles concentrated in some places. and sometimes, the thickness of the seet is not equal (mainly thinner at the middle) . Did you face the same issues ? any idea to resolve it ?

Do you observe that with all plastics, or a certain type ? Do you use batch from single source plastic or mixed source (still one single type, but different objects) ? Also what sheets do you use for the moulds (material and thickness) ?

Yann

Do you observe that with all plastics, or a certain type ? Do you use batch from single source plastic or mixed source (still one single type, but different objects) ? Also what sheets do you use for the moulds (material and thickness) ?

Hi ! thanks for your quick reply. I'm using PP and PEHD, I didn't try yet with PS. About the air bubbles, I have moreair with PEDH than PP. Large bubbles, not everywhere thoughts. Mainly on top (which is logical, hot gaz/air going up). It can be noticed I don't have any fan yet, as i'm a beginner (since one month) . About the thickness, it happens with PP and PS.

Yann

Do you observe that with all plastics, or a certain type ? Do you use batch from single source plastic or mixed source (still one single type, but different objects) ? Also what sheets do you use for the moulds (material and thickness) ?

About the molds, it's galvanized metal, with a tickness of 3mm. I feel the molds are bending. After removing the mold (letting the plastic to melt without the metal, directly into the press), it was less important but still happening

From what we observed, there is always a certain amount of bubbles in the sheets, but not much. They are generally small, spread though the sheet, and not on the surface (this is particularly visible on transparent PS sheet, that could have a "sparkling water" look.

3:58 PM

If you have big bubbles on the surface, my first guess would be humidity, that creates gas pockets that want to escape, we also have this problem more with HDPE. It could also be additive in the plastic that melt at a different temperature and create the same gas pockets. That is why if you can work with a specific plastic batch (yogurt pot from the same brand for example), it allow you to isolate the specific plastic that doesn't work.

4:00 PM

And for the thickness, it could be because of the steel sheet you used. When we used stainless steel sheet, we had more thickness variation, as the metal sheet bend with heat, and is too strong to come back in its initial position. We figured that aluminium (3mm) seems to work better, but they are also more easily scratchable, so they need to be manipulated with care.

About the thickness, I feel the same. The molds are bending. I did a test this morning without any mold (excepting with the framework) and it seems better. I'll keep you updated when I cut the sheets.

4:19 PM

Another idea I got is the gravity. The upper mold would naturally bend by itself. I don't know the name in english (maybe "spin"?) but in French, it's called "Flèche". It's a theory why, at the middle, it can bend) ? (edited)

4:19 PM

4:25 PM

Btw, I feel i have more airpocket when I want to do 20mm thick than 10mm. Did you fixed the issues ?

Hello recyclers, got this demand to process plastic waste in different locations -> Hope all is well with you! My name is Jasmin Druffner, and I work at TerraCycle as a sourcing and procurement manager. I am based in the US, but am sourcing for various projects globally. I found your contact via the Precious Plastic website. We are interested in working with manufacturers that can extrude plastic sheets, beams, and also manufacture products with our own recycled pellets (PP/PE blend). Our material SDS sheet is available upon request. We can also send you some of our material for initial testing - please note that we collect material in several countries (i.e. US, UK, France, Brazil, Australia, Thailand, Japan, etc). Please let me know if this is something you are interested in working on together. TerraCycle is a waste management company, and we specialize in recycling 'hard-to-recycle' products/packaging that the cities usually cannot recycle. We're big fans of Precious Plastic, and we'd really like to better understand how we could work together, what your production capacities are, as well as general pricing and lead times. As a next step, it would be super helpful to receive the following information from you: Capability of using our recycled material with your machines (it's a PP/PE blend) Portfolio / Catalog of products you could manufacture with our material Production capacities (for example min. and max. production per month for each product you offer) ,, currently looking for workspaces/recyclers in this areas :

7:42 PM

England Ireland Belgium France Spain Germany Netherlands Austria Switzerland Denmark Sweden Norway , you can contact her via :jasmin.druffner@terracycle.com or via my email: preciousplasticsk@gmail.com for more info

lets empower PP recycling community, and amount of plastic recycled PreciousPlastic

Moxxx

I understood that their process is somewhat halfway between chemical recycling and mechanical recycling. It is based on the heat exchange properties of supercritical / superheated steam. I have been wondering for a while if their process could be replicated at small scale

looks for me like superheated steam welding

sioux612

Exactly what i meant with the temperature stuff, bonus points for when you accidentally burn something fun like PVC and that turns into Benzene, and then you use the blocks to build a structure or put them somewhere in your house

Indeed fumes looks like one the big problem with this approach. I believe that might be the reason why they pivoted from housing blocks to only structural walls like retaining walls

Nicolas

Another idea I got is the gravity. The upper mold would naturally bend by itself. I don't know the name in english (maybe "spin"?) but in French, it's called "Flèche". It's a theory why, at the middle, it can bend) ? (edited)

It could be, but normally, unless a lot of plastic escape from your mould, there is no space for bending. Using aluminium sheet definitely improved the thickness regularity in our case.

10:22 AM

For the bubbles, try to isolate the plastic sources. The sheet-press is very sensible to plastic quality. You can create a moulds where you divide the frame in multiple squares, to test different plastic sources at once. Then you will find the one that work, and can concentrate on these. In a second time, you can identify the sources that doesn't work, and try to heat them up before to remove humidity. If it still doesn't work, that mean this plastic can probably not be recycled in the sheet-press.

Hey! I’ve had a lot of family members and friends concerned for my health with heating plastics. What masks and air purifiers does everyone use please ? And what other health measures can i take to ensure a safe environment?

@ife_so We did a whole research on this https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/safety

@Mattia Thank you!

I am wondering if a 12-ton shop press would be adequate for forming some HDPE into a tile of approximately 15cm x 15cm about 1.5 cm thick (edited)

6:09 PM

I'm planning to build a basic mold with some metal I have around and then press the top sheet to form... kind of like the Brothers Make recently did for a sheet, but on a smaller scale. They had a 20 ton press. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJnVAQqkdcQ Are there some well-established ratios for surface area to required pressure for forming?

Making a Coffee Table from Recycled Plastic | DIY HDPE Sheet Pressing

andy_iiiiv

I am wondering if a 12-ton shop press would be adequate for forming some HDPE into a tile of approximately 15cm x 15cm about 1.5 cm thick (edited)

if the plastic is heated then it should work

1

On the note pf welding, i recently bought the “Modern Welding” textbook for school, which also mentions plastic welding (not just metalwork) so I’ll be reading up on that.

8:30 PM

It does have a strict TOS Agreement sadly so I don’t know how much i can share / how to go about that on wikis etc without unleashing the Wrath of Textbook Publishing Conglomerates upon us mere mortals lol

1

sponsoons

if the plastic is heated then it should work

Well - I picked one up at a local shop, but they only had a 20-ton press... so I guess I'll be just fine!

Hi, I want to press some 30cm x 30cm P.P. sheets and then screw them together into planters. What thickness should I plan to make them to ensure they will not bend when filled with soil? Is there a known formula for measuring the weight of plastic needed for a sheet 30cm X 30cm X 1cm? (edited)

The density of (PP) is between 0.895 and 0.92 g/cm3. According to your measurement you have a 600cm^3 body. So you need something between 537g and 552g depending on the kind of PP.

12mm is pretty sturdy @Joe Cubed

v1el1

The density of (PP) is between 0.895 and 0.92 g/cm3. According to your measurement you have a 600cm^3 body. So you need something between 537g and 552g depending on the kind of PP.

That is great, thank you!

Falcon

12mm is pretty sturdy @Joe Cubed

Thanks good to know

Hey all you creators, collectors, builders and precious plastic family.

Are people actually buying raw materials on the Bazar?

The prices seem a bit steep

@sioux612 not too much, but some !

3:48 PM

we are releasing a full data breakdown from the Bazar in 2021 in the next few days. You'll be able to see it there

5

How does everyone feel about shredding/extruding plastic containers that hold things like motor oil, bleach, or pesticides?

It would take some extra effort for a washing system to clean and filter that stuff out in a way that was also efficient and eventually safe to dispose of. The plastic you'd get on the other hand generally has great color and is largely tossed away because of what it held.

bleach and pesticides are not great but can be dealt with, but motor oil would suck quite a bit

GoUpcycled

How does everyone feel about shredding/extruding plastic containers that hold things like motor oil, bleach, or pesticides?

bleach imo wont hurt the plastic its in much, for pesticides and chemicals it depends but generally you should be able to just wash it out

i personnally had very bad experience with jugs which had contained bleach; (process at the time was oven + compression). The plastic "burned" before being able to melt...

Hi i wanted to buy a v4 extruder to produce bricks. Can you tell me if they can be produced without too much difficulty or is it a difficult job with many problems?

Buen dia

hi guys im new here , nice comunity you build upblush sorry if im straight away but is it still a good idea to start a machine shopor are there already enough? thanks and big respect for what youre doingthumbsupmuscle

Hello! Here Adrian writing from Project Kamp looking for ideas for UV protection. We have built a recicled plastic roof using sheets, you can see the proccess in this video: https://youtu.be/_pQNSjr64zI The sheets are made of PP with 10mm thickness, color black with yellow/white dots. We want to use this roof as a research for the community to learn about the behaviour of the sheets in the long term being outside and exposed to the sun for these kind of projects. Our next step is to check the UV behaviour, for that we are thinking in applying different UV protections to different parts of the roof and see how each of them behaves with the time and share it later with the community. I want to open a topic for the plastic nerdies out there about which UV protection would you consider to use here?

Project Kamp

#40 We made a roof from RECYCLED PLASTIC sheets

Hugh started a thread. 2/16/2022 11:48 AM

acoira

Hello! Here Adrian writing from Project Kamp looking for ideas for UV protection. We have built a recicled plastic roof using sheets, you can see the proccess in this video: https://youtu.be/_pQNSjr64zI The sheets are made of PP with 10mm thickness, color black with yellow/white dots. We want to use this roof as a research for the community to learn about the behaviour of the sheets in the long term being outside and exposed to the sun for these kind of projects. Our next step is to check the UV behaviour, for that we are thinking in applying different UV protections to different parts of the roof and see how each of them behaves with the time and share it later with the community. I want to open a topic for the plastic nerdies out there about which UV protection would you consider to use here?

We have been using zinc oxide powder, powdered charcoal and titanium dioxide for uv. Zinc also is anti mold/mildew. Titanium is finest Brightest, powder but most expensive. Charcoal needs to be fine mill like fireworks grade. Ball mill.

11:57 AM

Graphite powder works but expensive. Good for bushing however

Andreas2000

Hello guys, is there any control (for example a manometer) for applied pressure by jack on the plastic sheet?

I have the same question!

Andreas2000

Hello guys, is there any control (for example a manometer) for applied pressure by jack on the plastic sheet?

Yes, by setting up a pressure gauge with a jack we can control the applied pressure.

Hi all, I'm currently looking for a workspace in the UK and have found a small unit that seems ideal, however the agent is concerned about the fumes from melting plastic and whether it poses a health hazard - I have watched the video on fumes but don't think it will put the agents mind at rest - has any body else had to make a case like this? It would be useful to be able to compare with other light industry processes that produce VOCs - has there been any analysis on the volume and the relative toxicity in comparison to other VOC producing businesses such as a car garage or paint shop?

Depending on the plastic you melt the neighbors might not be too happy about the general smell, maybe instead of trying to go the VOC route immediately, how about you meet with the agent in person and give him and sample of what it might smell like Depending on what you melt there is a chance that the agent will just wave you through, having expected way worse smells Or he'll tell you that it's a no go, either way you saved yourself the issue of the agent changing his mind after you moved in

sioux612

Depending on the plastic you melt the neighbors might not be too happy about the general smell, maybe instead of trying to go the VOC route immediately, how about you meet with the agent in person and give him and sample of what it might smell like Depending on what you melt there is a chance that the agent will just wave you through, having expected way worse smells Or he'll tell you that it's a no go, either way you saved yourself the issue of the agent changing his mind after you moved in

Thanks, I'm planning on sticking to PE / PP after watching the video. it would be good to be able to have a safety case as part of the pack based upon the volume of material processed - how much of toxic gases are produced per m3 and how this relates to acceptable limits - I dont expect to be processing more than 1m3 per month at least to start off

Though this guide is in french, it documents very well the COV (in french sry) produced by plastic recycling + french laws in regard of those for people working in such environnement. This document was produced by the french entity "M. & Mme Recyclage" https://m-mme-recyclage.com/assets/filtration-des-gaz-recyclage-plastique_rapport_v4.pdf (edited)

Nick - PP France

Though this guide is in french, it documents very well the COV (in french sry) produced by plastic recycling + french laws in regard of those for people working in such environnement. This document was produced by the french entity "M. & Mme Recyclage" https://m-mme-recyclage.com/assets/filtration-des-gaz-recyclage-plastique_rapport_v4.pdf (edited)

Thanks Nick, alors - time to practice my french!

1

Hello!! I can't find any plans for the mesh of the shredder. Does anybody have it, and can give me some advices for the size of the holes? Is 10mm diameter too much?

Leopoldo Zecca

Hello!! I can't find any plans for the mesh of the shredder. Does anybody have it, and can give me some advices for the size of the holes? Is 10mm diameter too much?

if you plan on using the shredded plastic in an injection machine/extrusion machine, i would suggest going for smaller diameter (smaller the better, at least for the extrustion). If it's for sheet press, my guess would be that 10mm diameter should be ok

Thank you!! Do you have a plan of the mesh?

Leopoldo Zecca

Thank you!! Do you have a plan of the mesh?

what version of the machine are you looking for ?

The 2.1 version

06_shredding_sieve.pdf

119.77 KB

Leopoldo Zecca

The 2.1 version

is that what you were looking for ?

I was looking for the mesh itself, the size, the diamater and distribution of the holes

i am afraid there isn't any blueprint for that; all required info is in the pdf i uploaded here; rest is for you to decide (diameter of holes + their distribution) edit : please someone correct me if i'm wrong (edited)

I will have to use my autocad abilities. Thank you for your advices!!

1

Just wondering if anyone has ever done a weight test to see how much weight is actually lost in the process of reforming? would this give an indication of the volumes of VOC's released?

Gillscorner

Hi all, I'm currently looking for a workspace in the UK and have found a small unit that seems ideal, however the agent is concerned about the fumes from melting plastic and whether it poses a health hazard - I have watched the video on fumes but don't think it will put the agents mind at rest - has any body else had to make a case like this? It would be useful to be able to compare with other light industry processes that produce VOCs - has there been any analysis on the volume and the relative toxicity in comparison to other VOC producing businesses such as a car garage or paint shop?

unless something is going wrong,the smell should be negligible

Gillscorner

Just wondering if anyone has ever done a weight test to see how much weight is actually lost in the process of reforming? would this give an indication of the volumes of VOC's released?

negligible, atleast for me the 'biggest' loss is in the cleaning and sorting as theres often waste and contaminants

5:53 PM

1-3% for 'clean' and 4-10 percent for unclean plastic are the approximate numbers ive got

5:54 PM

these numbers are from collected weight to final product or ready weight

sponsoons

1-3% for 'clean' and 4-10 percent for unclean plastic are the approximate numbers ive got

Thanks, I'm going to put together a 'fact' sheet based upon the information in Nicks guide that should put the agents mind at rest - for HDPE it certainly seems to be no worse than the stuff you'd be spraying in a car garage

Hello All! does anybody has any interesting articles about possible ways to recycle thermoharders ( not thermoplasts) ?

Leopoldo Zecca

Thank you!! Do you have a plan of the mesh?

There is no blueprint for the mesh. It is a standard screen used in agriculture, and titanium industry. We use 6mm screen as that size is perfect for feeding in the molders

Nick - PP France

Though this guide is in french, it documents very well the COV (in french sry) produced by plastic recycling + french laws in regard of those for people working in such environnement. This document was produced by the french entity "M. & Mme Recyclage" https://m-mme-recyclage.com/assets/filtration-des-gaz-recyclage-plastique_rapport_v4.pdf (edited)

Hi. Does anyone know of document in English similar to https://m-mme-recyclage.com/assets/filtration-des-gaz-recyclage-plastique_rapport_v4.pdf ? About fumes given off? We are doing very small scale home based machines (about 150g of material), so not much gas, but still would like some science back up

Hi. Does anyone has ideal on how to make wall tiles,ceiling tiles,floor tiles..and what type of plastic is best to make

Brett

Hi. Does anyone know of document in English similar to https://m-mme-recyclage.com/assets/filtration-des-gaz-recyclage-plastique_rapport_v4.pdf ? About fumes given off? We are doing very small scale home based machines (about 150g of material), so not much gas, but still would like some science back up

You can share this link with them https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/safety and / or the link at the bottom of this page!

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Hi, does anyone have the CAD files for the flowerpot?thanks

@D-Man https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/flowerpot-mould

Importing a STEP file into AutoCAD Products

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Many thanks

np

@D-Man I'm just thankful for @Fritz @easymoulds

Hii ! If the material got stock on a beam mold, what can I do ?

NataliaVG

Hii ! If the material got stock on a beam mold, what can I do ?

Use a mallet and rod that is smaller than the tube and hammer it out. I might suggest using a thin coat of a release agent in your molds.

Hi, I'm just wondering about melting bottle PET, do you have some experience with this? What is optimal temperature for it? (edited)

Carolina

You can share this link with them https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/safety and / or the link at the bottom of this page!

Thanks

1

Hello everyone, I am lobzang from Bhutan

. I am very much interested to start this project. Before in my country we don’t see plastic around but now a days it’s all over. I went through few videos of precious plastic and knew this would be the solution and my career as a recycle. want to help my community and environment. I would be thankful if anyone could give me information regarding machines and business plan. Thanks.

2

Nick - PP France

Though this guide is in french, it documents very well the COV (in french sry) produced by plastic recycling + french laws in regard of those for people working in such environnement. This document was produced by the french entity "M. & Mme Recyclage" https://m-mme-recyclage.com/assets/filtration-des-gaz-recyclage-plastique_rapport_v4.pdf (edited)

If there is enough demand/interest, I can translate the document (in Gleesh

) (edited)

FYI, today we tried mixing powdercoat powder with the shredded PP plastic we are injection molding. Powdercoat powder is a mix of color, powdered PET and a little bit of thermoset resin. It is extremely fine and mixes very well. A very tiny amount will go a long way.

Joseph

@D-Man https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/flowerpot-mould

Hi, I can't open the file with AUTOCAD.

The files is .step, it should be openable with autocad : https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Importing-a-STEP-file-into-AutoCAD.html

How to import a STEP file into AutoCAD products? Do the following from within AutoCAD: Type IMPORT in the command line. Locate the folder containing the STEP file. Select the file and click OK. A window might pop up indicating that the import process is working in the background. Click Close. In the lower right corner of AutoCAD, a notification ...

11:35 AM

I don't use Autocad, but I just downloaded it and open it with fusion 360, all good.

Has anyone tried using the plastic extrusion to recycle masks?

Jeff07

Has anyone tried using the plastic extrusion to recycle masks?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGc-Z7TtiVg&t=38s

We Turned Waste PPE into a Recycled Plastic BENCH

Thank you!

He is also experienced:@Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

Jeff07

Has anyone tried using the plastic extrusion to recycle masks?

If they are not pelletized like the ones Brother makes used, it might be hard to do it (not impossible) since, they get very fluffy and light when shredded, so the screw struggles a bit to catch them

Jeff07

Has anyone tried using the plastic extrusion to recycle masks?

Is it possible-yes but you would need to push the masks into the extruder or whatever machine

6:01 PM

however if you use a pellet mill then it may be possible

6:01 PM

but it isnt advisable due to contamination

Yann

The files is .step, it should be openable with autocad : https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Importing-a-STEP-file-into-AutoCAD.html

Many thanks,now i can open it

6:48 PM

Does anyone have or sell diagrams for the plug or button mold?

sponsoons

but it isnt advisable due to contamination

What do you think of this solution?They produce a kind of pyrolyse oil: https://www.sabic.com/en/news/29877-sabic-fraunhofer-and-procter-and-gamble-join-forces-in-closed-loop-recycling-pilot-project-for-single-use-facemasks

SABIC - FRAUNHOFER, SABIC, AND PROCTER & GAMBLE JOIN FORCES IN...

The pilot project with Fraunhofer, SABIC and Procter & Gamble serves to demonstrate the feasibility of closed-loop recycling for single-use facemasks

hey I was wondering if anyone has ever tried to calculate how much CO2 you recycling plastic saves

zdi-Minden-Lübbecke

What do you think of this solution?They produce a kind of pyrolyse oil: https://www.sabic.com/en/news/29877-sabic-fraunhofer-and-procter-and-gamble-join-forces-in-closed-loop-recycling-pilot-project-for-single-use-facemasks

the website is down for me

Hello, I know I havent been active around here for a year or so but I wanted to share something I just found out and this is the niche group that would appreciate it. The United Nations Environmental Assembly is meeting on the 28th to consider negotiations about a plastic pollution treaty! The World Wildlife Foundation & Plastic Free July produced a report which seems like one of the starting points that the UNEA will use, if I'm reading the email correctly (I just woke up and its 1 am lol). More info here for anyone interested https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/campaigns/un-plastic-treaty/

Josie

Read The Global Opinions Report | UNEA Plastic Treaty

Rising Tides — Global opinions on actions to stop plastic pollution. We're calling on world leaders for a leagally-binding plastic treaty

Hello, I'm new to the discord and the concept of Precious Plastic. I came across PP while looking for solutions to the plastic bag problem that comes with mushroom production and cultivation. We utilize polypropelyn bags in large quantities and have yet to find a scaleable way to repurpose this waste stream. The bags most cultivators use come from Unicorn Bags. https://unicornbags.com/mushroom-bags/ I wanted to know what kind of methods and outputs can be accomplished from recycling this type of plastic bage material. Your input is greatly appreciated!

Mushroom Bags | Unicorn Bags

1

FullCircleFungi

Hello, I'm new to the discord and the concept of Precious Plastic. I came across PP while looking for solutions to the plastic bag problem that comes with mushroom production and cultivation. We utilize polypropelyn bags in large quantities and have yet to find a scaleable way to repurpose this waste stream. The bags most cultivators use come from Unicorn Bags. https://unicornbags.com/mushroom-bags/ I wanted to know what kind of methods and outputs can be accomplished from recycling this type of plastic bage material. Your input is greatly appreciated!

try finding somebody near you who recycles ag-film or mulching film, its pretty similar id guess

Thank you, I'll do some research to see if this is in process already in my area of NM. ag-film/mulching film a capability with Precious Plastics?

FullCircleFungi

Thank you, I'll do some research to see if this is in process already in my area of NM. ag-film/mulching film a capability with Precious Plastics?

TLDR, recycling film is a bit iffy because it requires a bit of pre-processing, otherwise the film will be too fluffy

6:30 PM

now the thing is, while these machines are theoretically simple, nobody in PP has made them yet(+ cheaper to buy them if needed,but most guys just dont)

Thanks @sponsoons. So basically, its not as simple a process as other plastic recycling, hence why no one is really doing it yet.

sponsoons

now the thing is, while these machines are theoretically simple, nobody in PP has made them yet(+ cheaper to buy them if needed,but most guys just dont)

the problem is the film is too fluffy, however we have been able to do it. We shred in the granulator with a 3hp dust collector attached to move the plastic thru the machine. then we feed the fluff thru a feed mill pelletizer to make pellets.

2:49 AM

one could also use a large size extrusion screw and directly process the film plastics but you are looking at a very large machine, well over 10hp and 75mm+ diameter

2:51 AM

results using powdercoat paint powder as plastic color. client wanted this effect. We were having issues with the product looking dirty without added pigments. we use only a very tiny amount per shot .a kilo of powder will make thousands of parts.

Butte (PP Philippines)

the problem is the film is too fluffy, however we have been able to do it. We shred in the granulator with a 3hp dust collector attached to move the plastic thru the machine. then we feed the fluff thru a feed mill pelletizer to make pellets.

exactly what a meant by the machines, i was refering to the pellet mills and the agglomerators

Hey anyone know where I can sell plastic shredded or partner with a workshop to produce recyclable products

12:24 AM

New York

CITB-33

Hey anyone know where I can sell plastic shredded or partner with a workshop to produce recyclable products

Hey we have the bazar, a marketplace for Precious Plastic workspaces to sell everything to do with recycling (bazar.preciousplastic.com)

Hello dear plastic heroes!

I am a researcher at Cambridge University and just launched a research project to remanufacture plastic waste into housing products in Nepal. For this we are planning a global hybrid MAKEathon late March 2023 (yes in a month time, oops so soon!). In a nutshell, we are providing a context to utilise the precious plastic machines to channel plastic into a much-needed products in Nepal!!!!

Could you help how can I connect with local Precious Plastic communities that would provide access to the machines and the local enthusiasts? Please DM me for further information :))

Hello, I've been working lately on a way to sort small pieces of plastic. I maybe found a way to improve density separation by treating the plastic for wettability. and the using a froth separation technique... well, I'm still looking and searching. I'd love to know if other people of sorting shredded plastic since the ocean is full of it !!!

Hello there. Has anyone here tried to use fabric in the shredder pro? Does it work?

I have a doubt regarding recycling bottle to make 3D print filament. Anyone successfully made and printed with such bottle-to-filament?

Hello. I am from the Caribbean region that has few recyclers or product producers. I would like to set up a shredder workspace and need some help to chose a machine. Can I get some help here?

rajeshpachaikani

I have a doubt regarding recycling bottle to make 3D print filament. Anyone successfully made and printed with such bottle-to-filament?

Here's a step by step of the PET bottle -> 3DP filament: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Pjh18MmXY

mr3dp

#1 Multicolor printing -Details of free filament production from re...

AAaaAA

Hello there. Has anyone here tried to use fabric in the shredder pro? Does it work?

I’ve tried cloth masks and it’s was messy but that was in a three blade granulater not a pp pro

Hey Guys, I stumbled upon a project by the precious plastic community that led me here.. My family runs a flexible packaging manufacturing firm in the UAE and we deal with all types of flexible plastic PET, LDPE, BOPP, CPP etc. Now the issue with that is, We have a lot of waste generated. we are talking about 10-20tons of plastic waste a month. I was researching ways to utilise it by upcycling. maybe into pavement blocks or other materials. but i am very clueless as to how I can proceed and what I can do with all the waste here. If anybody here has any tips or suggestions for an industrial level recycling project.. I will be very thankful.

Ammar191

Hey Guys, I stumbled upon a project by the precious plastic community that led me here.. My family runs a flexible packaging manufacturing firm in the UAE and we deal with all types of flexible plastic PET, LDPE, BOPP, CPP etc. Now the issue with that is, We have a lot of waste generated. we are talking about 10-20tons of plastic waste a month. I was researching ways to utilise it by upcycling. maybe into pavement blocks or other materials. but i am very clueless as to how I can proceed and what I can do with all the waste here. If anybody here has any tips or suggestions for an industrial level recycling project.. I will be very thankful.

What you describe is heavy downcycling, recycling would be just reusing it for your own use again, and upcycling would be making it better than what you have If the material is relatively clean in regards to the plastic types then recycling or upcycling shouldn't be hard

Ammar191

Hey Guys, I stumbled upon a project by the precious plastic community that led me here.. My family runs a flexible packaging manufacturing firm in the UAE and we deal with all types of flexible plastic PET, LDPE, BOPP, CPP etc. Now the issue with that is, We have a lot of waste generated. we are talking about 10-20tons of plastic waste a month. I was researching ways to utilise it by upcycling. maybe into pavement blocks or other materials. but i am very clueless as to how I can proceed and what I can do with all the waste here. If anybody here has any tips or suggestions for an industrial level recycling project.. I will be very thankful.

do you make multilayer or single layer?

6:04 PM

ask your suppliers if they want scrap film,a lot of them run their own pelleting lines and/or have buyback programs for buy film

Hey Guys, is there any document, which shows what kind of plastics are possible to use in a precious plastic injection machine? Which temperatures are needed to melt? And which products are possible to make depending on the plastic-type?

sioux612

What you describe is heavy downcycling, recycling would be just reusing it for your own use again, and upcycling would be making it better than what you have If the material is relatively clean in regards to the plastic types then recycling or upcycling shouldn't be hard

My bad on mixing up the nomenclature.. Ideally I was wondering if it is possible to repurpose it into something like pavement blocks or bricks with the help of extrusion machines

sponsoons

do you make multilayer or single layer?

Both, for two or more layers we do adhesive based lamination and buybacks probably wont work because these films have printing on them and are laminated with other types of films.. for example, PET with LDPE or BOPP with MOPP

Oh, multilayer material That will be a PITA to do anything with and I'd recommend burning it for energy

Ammar191

Both, for two or more layers we do adhesive based lamination and buybacks probably wont work because these films have printing on them and are laminated with other types of films.. for example, PET with LDPE or BOPP with MOPP

ive seen companies here wholl buy single layer misprints aslong as theyr clean

3:00 PM

another good use for rolls of plastic film is liner

3:02 PM

esp in ponds and cosntruction,I was told by a friend that often they use scrap rolls of film(mostly misprints) as liner because its much cheaper

Hello, I was wondering if someone had already injected nylon through the simple injector ? (edited)

sponsoons

Is it possible-yes but you would need to push the masks into the extruder or whatever machine

I have a mask manufacturing unit. I am planning to use the waste generated for this. Pelletizing it and then using it in the extrusion is an additional step. I would prefer to directly use the mask wastes in the extruder. Just wondering if this will work?

Jeff07

I have a mask manufacturing unit. I am planning to use the waste generated for this. Pelletizing it and then using it in the extrusion is an additional step. I would prefer to directly use the mask wastes in the extruder. Just wondering if this will work?

honestly,it might work but the risk for messing up your extruder is quite high,and well,selling it off as scrap or giving it to a recycler is cheaper than having to repair you whole extruder

10:50 AM

and mainly im not sure you'd get permission for using recycled material to make masks,for simple nonwoven/meltblown for non-medical applications it shouldnt be a problem but otherwise it might be

10:50 AM

from which step in manufacturing of masks are you recycling the plastic?

10:51 AM

if its straight from the extruder(startup,misroll,calibration mistakes etc) then it might be possible but otherwise it depends

10:52 AM

because if you try to recycle it after the masks have been welded,youll need to separate the plastic before extruding

10:53 AM

the main thing with this is that meltblown is a bit annoying because you need somebody to continuously push it into the extruder,otherwise the plastic will just stay there and wont properly go into the screw

Has anyone purchased machines from Megatec.Center?

Hey anyone suggest what can I do with a bottle cap of an plastic pet bottle

Hello everyone, Quite some time ago the precious plastics discord community was visited by a university student that was writing a thesis of the issue of the Plastic recycling industry and reached out to us for our thoughts. Was this you @doubletrouble ? If so I would really like to talk with them (edited)

Hi there do you think I can get away with 237nm for my plastic shredder? I am running it off single phase power here in Australia .

rP

Hey anyone suggest what can I do with a bottle cap of an plastic pet bottle

its hdpe, very easy to recycle

4:46 PM

Hi all. This will be a frame for a plastic collection bag. Suggestions for better 3-way joints, pretty please.

Clare R

Hi all. This will be a frame for a plastic collection bag. Suggestions for better 3-way joints, pretty please.

wauw! feel free to share it in the #archived-collection looking forward to see it in use (edited)

Hey everyone, I am Doruk. We are a Startup from Istanbul. Right now we are making clipboards from HDPE sheets. We embedded magnets from one side and use them to hold the paper. We are having a problem with gluing the magnets in place though. We used super glue and sprays but they won't stick to the HDPE. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations on how to glue the magnets to the plastic? Or gluing hdpe in general?

1

2:01 PM

Also, we used UV printing on the sheets but they come out very easily, is there a printing technique that you guys can recommend?

1

Doruk Yıldırım

Hey everyone, I am Doruk. We are a Startup from Istanbul. Right now we are making clipboards from HDPE sheets. We embedded magnets from one side and use them to hold the paper. We are having a problem with gluing the magnets in place though. We used super glue and sprays but they won't stick to the HDPE. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations on how to glue the magnets to the plastic? Or gluing hdpe in general?

I've made fridge magnets with HDPE and small magnets. If you're having trouble with the glue not sticking, you'll need to rough up the surface so that the plastic has "hairs" that it can stick to, otherwise things can be a bit too slippery for good adhesion. For the coasters i make, i use rubber cement to glue cork onto the bottoms. It works well enough.

Hello! Does anyone have experience with plastic milling? Help to pick up a CNC milling machine to create artistic cutting. For example, cut a word or logo up to 50 cm wide from a recycled HDPE sheet. (edited)

Some experience here, but more experience with the repair of machines that cut plastic.

6:31 AM

As far as how to do it, the machinists handbook has everything you could possibly need to know, and so much more.

6:32 AM

As for what machine you should use, that depends greatly on how much you want to spend, and how automated you want it to be.

6:35 AM

If it were me, I would look at cnc wood routers available near you, they are going to be the best fit for the cost of the machine

1

Hi, does plastic bottles - PET, are suitable for the precious plastic solution?

TheGreatestOfAllGrapes

Hey Guys, is there any document, which shows what kind of plastics are possible to use in a precious plastic injection machine? Which temperatures are needed to melt? And which products are possible to make depending on the plastic-type?

Did you get answer or a source of information?

Barak

Did you get answer or a source of information?

Nope

Hey there @Barak & @TheGreatestOfAllGrapes here is what i found on the FAQ page of Precious Plastic https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/support/faq Can I use all plastic types in Precious Plastic machines? Nope. We usually recommend HDPE (#2), PP (#5), and PS (#6) as the plastic types that work best in the Precious Plastic machines. Ask around the community about other types.

3:17 PM

each plastic (polymer) has its own melting range; you can easily find the information through any search engine "[X] melting point"

Barak

Hi, does plastic bottles - PET, are suitable for the precious plastic solution?

"PET is a tricky one. Not recommended for the Precious Plastic machines. We've had some success with PET rope that you might want to try out."

Nick - PP France

Hey there @Barak & @TheGreatestOfAllGrapes here is what i found on the FAQ page of Precious Plastic https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/support/faq Can I use all plastic types in Precious Plastic machines? Nope. We usually recommend HDPE (#2), PP (#5), and PS (#6) as the plastic types that work best in the Precious Plastic machines. Ask around the community about other types.

Ty

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had made and recycled HDPE food ware? Is it safe to drink and eat off of recycled Hdpe if it’s been washed well?

Heating bands

12:59 PM

Anyone found a good (cheap) source for band heaters in the UK other than Alibaba. Also anyone tried soldering iron elements for heating. Thanks dai

Hi everyone Has anyone here recycled fishing nets with the shredder ? Or do you think it is possible ? Thanks !

Yo guys, where i can found a building planes for a plastic shredder machine?

Cris$G

Yo guys, where i can found a building planes for a plastic shredder machine?

In the download kit https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/download

https://www.instagram.com/nestonhighschoolmakerspace/?hl=en

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Thanks bro!

DOes anyone here know of a color masterbatch supplier that offers PET masterbatch in smaller volumes?

@sioux612 thank you.

What is the way to melt bottle cap made of HDPE, LTPL, HPPL. I tried a batch with toster and cooker. Is their a way to melt them electric way. Suggest me simple one.

Hi All, just wondering if anyone can tell me the melt temp and duration for roughly 4kg of PP or HDPE in a compression mold? Just ran my first try yesterday and it's not cooked properly. I am interested in knowing the temp setting and how long to heat before closing the mold. Molded object is about 300x300 wide by 50mm thick. Thanks.

maybe at a campfire (where you could vary in space & it's allowed to use that place), it's easier to heat it up for melting?

SagePlanet

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had made and recycled HDPE food ware? Is it safe to drink and eat off of recycled Hdpe if it’s been washed well?

I think it depends if you'd plan to use it in a deepfreezer, microwave, etc. or just for generally storing food in it. so far not tried but I could think of using it, if materials are melted in a smooth way (rather than using it to store juice or hot beverages in it, as I've heard for some milkdrinks will modify its layers even when they're made by machines ...it's about the type of milk in that case)

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to have found this discord. I’ve been working on melting HDPE for reuse at home for about a month now. I have a really low budget operation going out of my kitchen with a paper shredder, a panini press, and cookie cutters to cut out shapes for jewelry and key chains. If you don’t mind, I’d love some help refining my process! Questions below.

7:28 PM

1. Approximately how long should I be expecting to melt a 8” x 8” thin sheet of HDPE at 350 degrees? 2. I’ve been using cookie cutters to cut through thin sheets of hot HDPE, an idea I got from some jewelry makers on Instagram, with limited success. Has anyone else used this method? What are your recommendations for cutting shapes out of HDPE? 3. Is there any way to determine what type of plastic bottle caps I can’t identify are made of? 4. Yesterday I melted some pink bottle caps that I believed were HDPE, but they ended up getting very sticky rather than having the toffee consistency I’ve observed in my other plastic. They were hard to roll out into a flat service, and they ended up drying with a dull, almost dirty color to them. Is this a sign that they could have been PP? If not, what else might be going on here?

I’d love some more ideas for cutting too! I’ve been successful with plectrum punchers so I only have guitar picks so far!!

8:00 PM

tattymoo

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Oh that's a good idea! I wonder if we could try different hole punches for other small shapes? How are you rolling the plastic out to make sure it stays thin enough to punch?

I squished it twice in my heat press!

1

Hey guys, I have like 14 kg of PLA and PETG, sorted. Anywhere I can donate them, in the ottawa/montreal/toronto area?

8:52 PM

recycle, old printed prototypes

8:53 PM

or what else can I do with this stuff?

8:56 PM

it's taking up space, I gotta get rid of it.

We are a Uk School using Precious Plastic machine we self-built https://www.instagram.com/qr/?hl=en

NestonHighSchoolMakerspace

We are a Uk School using Precious Plastic machine we self-built https://www.instagram.com/qr/?hl=en

Not found

Daniel E.

Not found

NestonHighSchoolMakerspace

https://www.instagram.com/nestonhighschoolmakerspace/?hl=en

Thx. Followed :) (preciousplasticoberpfalz)

Daniel E.

Thx. Followed :) (preciousplasticoberpfalz)

Danke Schön

Hello hello, I am trying to do a bit of research to get my own precision plastics business going. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone interested could fill out a quick survey. https://forms.gle/LBBKixpmQ85ewDfB7

Promotional Products

There are times when we attend an event, or someone is trying to show off the latest new trends, and we get a little item as a reward for showing up. Sometimes it's a T-shirt, other times a little pen, or maybe even some drink wear. there are many items given away like that, and all of them have some kind of logo or slogan of the company giving ...

Hi everybody, i'm Tommaso. i stared a new Job in AmbienteParco, it is a museum of environmental problems. They have here a Precious Plastic estrusor and i would like to " Become a pro" on it for be a good office worker. I tried the machine and i ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE.

12:31 PM

i'm here to try to learn how to make more things and more cool object with that amazing machine

12:33 PM

estrusor is quite hard to use but we have no budget to buy a new machine (for now), what type of options i have for make new wonderfull object

12:33 PM

any advice ?

12:37 PM

"Basic extrusion" not the bigger one

tach wer da?

Ja

Ciao a tutti.. io ho bisogno di acquistare la rete da applicare sotto le lame del mio shereeder, dove la trovo?

Nick - PP France

"PET is a tricky one. Not recommended for the Precious Plastic machines. We've had some success with PET rope that you might want to try out."

I believe the reason the you can't is because you first have to "dry" the PET plastics. After that then I believe you can. However you will need another machine, that PP does not supply

1:03 AM

correct me if I am wrong! Please!

Wild_Inventor

Hello hello, I am trying to do a bit of research to get my own precision plastics business going. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone interested could fill out a quick survey. https://forms.gle/LBBKixpmQ85ewDfB7

I would take the survey, but it seems too long / complicated. I would make it a bit shorter!

1:06 AM

that's just my two cents

TKWithODI

I would take the survey, but it seems too long / complicated. I would make it a bit shorter!

The survey is only 5 questions?

Yeah, but I would have multiple choice

1:07 AM

idk it's fine...

It's supposed to be open ended to let you say your full mind

I see.

1:12 AM

I'm not trying to be a jerk, just helping!

hi, we are developing an educational plastic lab (with a shredder en injection) for children in the netherlands and i'm trying to find out if there any permit or legal issues with off gassing of melted plastic while working with children. anyone has experience with this? we are planning to install a proper ventilation system next to the machines.

Boaz

hi, we are developing an educational plastic lab (with a shredder en injection) for children in the netherlands and i'm trying to find out if there any permit or legal issues with off gassing of melted plastic while working with children. anyone has experience with this? we are planning to install a proper ventilation system next to the machines.

I think it depends on the legislation. We developed a lab in Portugal but before working with children, we had to go through a certification process. We actually had to do several changes in the machines to make them safer, according to our laws and the inspection that was done. My advice is to check the laws in your country and go from there.

ines

I think it depends on the legislation. We developed a lab in Portugal but before working with children, we had to go through a certification process. We actually had to do several changes in the machines to make them safer, according to our laws and the inspection that was done. My advice is to check the laws in your country and go from there.

great, thanks!

Kia ora from Aotearoa NZ I am currently in the process of collecting plastic bottle tops with my community & looking at Buying componants to build a shredder & Injection machine... any advice & guidance would be gratefully appreciated

Boaz

hi, we are developing an educational plastic lab (with a shredder en injection) for children in the netherlands and i'm trying to find out if there any permit or legal issues with off gassing of melted plastic while working with children. anyone has experience with this? we are planning to install a proper ventilation system next to the machines.

on this note; local legislation aside... how much do these operations smell like hot plastic?

Hello guys, I work in construcction and we have a lot of plastic waste, most of it is PVC. I know the shredders and extruders work mostly with PET or PP, but I was wondering if the machines work with PVC as well?

9:10 PM

I have an idea in mind: to replace the use of wood with recycled PVC in my construction proyects. (edited)

HARLEY DEIVISON

Hello guys, I work in construcction and we have a lot of plastic waste, most of it is PVC. I know the shredders and extruders work mostly with PET or PP, but I was wondering if the machines work with PVC as well?

yes

9:49 PM

if it will fit or not depends

9:49 PM

but it will be simpler for you to sell the pvc,some of the pipe suppliers here,offer a discount if you give them scrap

9:50 PM

or you can just sell it,but most people prefer returning it to suppliers as it works out better

We currently do that, but Im proposing a change to the company, also, Im in colombia, so the suppliers use different strategies and prices I imagine. At the end if we can use the PVC we produce, its better than selling it.

HARLEY DEIVISON

We currently do that, but Im proposing a change to the company, also, Im in colombia, so the suppliers use different strategies and prices I imagine. At the end if we can use the PVC we produce, its better than selling it.

Hi,basically the main problem is in extruding PVC.When heated it releases gasses which means that not only is special equipment required,you also need a lot of precautions as the gas is toxic

10:18 PM

the other thing is,i assume you mean making the pvc into profiles?

10:18 PM

similar to this?

10:20 PM

well for most machines that work with pvc and have similar capabilities,you are looking at a minimum cost of about 40k USD and these machines are huge and will need similar volumes of plastic to work

10:21 PM

this means that unless there is a large quantity of plastic and capital available easily,it doesnt make sense to produce it on your own

HARLEY DEIVISON

We currently do that, but Im proposing a change to the company, also, Im in colombia, so the suppliers use different strategies and prices I imagine. At the end if we can use the PVC we produce, its better than selling it.

and i would guess that the strategies in colombia would be fairly similar to that of asia

sponsoons

similar to this?

No, im not thinking on doing that, thats high quality. I need small beams for provisional instalations for workers, like sticks or just plain boards to separate wastes, etc.

11:04 PM

11:05 PM

We make and throw around 500 doors like that in each proyect and have 15 simultaneous proyects. The idea is to change wooden frames for plastic reusable frames, when the proyect is done we dont throw the plastic but either recycle it to a new proyect with diferente dimensions.

11:06 PM

So the machine does not need to be too high end

11:06 PM

Do small extruded beams

thats the main problem

11:52 PM

pvc needs a lot of pressure

11:52 PM

and its also a bit abrasive

11:53 PM

the simples for pvc ive found is to make it into sheets,but well the sheets sometimes have holes and almost always have porosity or bubble in it

11:53 PM

so the most youd get out of those sheet would either dividers or the best which is shuttering boards (edited)

11:54 PM

if you manage to make shuttering boards,that would solve two problems at once

Has anyone ever made pipe with an extruder?

letsjumpla

Has anyone ever made pipe with an extruder?

tried,failed,the main thing is you need the die

8:25 AM

said die is hard to make

8:26 AM

this is with the precious plastic and similar extruders

sponsoons

said die is hard to make

I’m trying to make large quantities of small tubes, that are 1” in length. Would a multi-cavity mold work for something this?

8:50 AM

With the injection machine

8:51 AM

Similar to this

letsjumpla

I’m trying to make large quantities of small tubes, that are 1” in length. Would a multi-cavity mold work for something this?

i feel rn unless theres something very special you need,it would be cheaper to buy piping/tubing and cut it to length

10:56 AM

by cutting 2-6 at a time on a chop saw or swing saw you can get things to go very fast

10:56 AM

and while the multicavity would work,it would need insert

10:57 AM

however your lenght needed is one of the few numbers which would work as 2-3 inches is the safe maximum for how long ill make a pipe in a mold

10:58 AM

but overall, it will be drastically cheaper to just chop tubing/piping to size than it will be to make a mold

Hi everyone from europe!

For a new project the customer would like to have purple polypropylene. Do any of you have purple polypropylene flakes?

Esiste uno strumento per capire il tipo di plastica? Avevo visto un link tempo fa ma l’ho perso

Hello guys, im new and just bought an i'jector and shredder. Ready for this journey. Anyone that knows someone near Belgium for making some good moulds?

jensdb

Hello guys, im new and just bought an i'jector and shredder. Ready for this journey. Anyone that knows someone near Belgium for making some good moulds?

https://easymoulds.de/

Work

The various services easymoulds offers to our customers

Ok thanks Julie, will be in contact

1

hey all, weird question, but does anyone have any links to resources revolving around the concept of sieves/sifts/sieving...etc ? I ask because I'm sort of stumped with how I want to shred my plastic, as my current shredding setup does not consistently shred to one size, so I have some particles the correct size, but then some huge pieces that weren't completely shred. it seems like a correctly engineered sieve would help my problem, as I'm not trying to re-shred many times especially when 80% of the shreds are correctly sized

I made these coasters using a mould I made with two sheets of 3mm wood that I laser cut the hexagon shapes in! Took a few goes in my heat press, refilling the mould and flipping it over, but they finally came out really well! Made using hand cut pieces of plastic lids!

7:03 PM

2

@tattymoo nice!!

At what temperature and time you guys are making sheet on sheet press.

1

12:18 AM

I converted my compression machine into a cold press

it was never really completed as a compression machine and I found a need for a smaller cold press

12:18 AM

12:20 AM

And then here's my sheet press, it's smaller that the precious plastic design but it's got upper and lower heaters. I think the cost for building this in materials in Indonesia is Rp4.500.000 or $313usd. Much more affordable than the large sheet press

1

12:21 AM

So far so good

Damn @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug! Looking great!

2

I'm working on a design to share too... Here's what I'm working on. https://youtu.be/DBgrZJLY4fo

50cm x 50cm sheet press design

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Looking awesome !! Is this just HDPE or what plastic are you using? We have done similar things, but now are trying to venture into different plastic types but haven't figured it out yet... We just trialed a mix of hdpe and pet (roughly 8:2 ratio) , and this was the result...

4:47 AM

the PET does not seem to mix well with the hdpe.... anyone have any suggestions?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Click to see attachment 🖼️

also, where are you getting this awesome pink coloured plastic from

CarlaKerstan

also, where are you getting this awesome pink coloured plastic from

The pink sheet is from PLA, but I must advise anyone who does this, the pink has a dye or something that will stick to silicone and steel moulds, so be careful with color contamination.

CarlaKerstan

the PET does not seem to mix well with the hdpe.... anyone have any suggestions?

Unfortunately the melting point for PET and HDPE are not close enough and the only way you'll get them to get "close enough" is by using a lower PET percentage or extruding it with other plastics.

5:08 AM

Here's PET with HDPE that's been extruded

5:09 AM

And here's a bowl that was pressed with a mix

5:09 AM

Oh, I cut the bowl in half to see what was going on inside

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

The pink sheet is from PLA, but I must advise anyone who does this, the pink has a dye or something that will stick to silicone and steel moulds, so be careful with color contamination.

What products were they (the PLA)? were both in Indonesia so i'm sure i'll know what your talking about

Our HDPE sheets so far have been limited in colours... and unfortunately most of the bottles we use here are the oil bottles from the bengkel and they are mainly grey, orange, red, blue, orange... really want to get a hold of some pink to play around with! Noted on the dye...

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Here's PET with HDPE that's been extruded

ah interesting... so even using an extruder it will still result like that...

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

And here's a bowl that was pressed with a mix

cant really see properly when i zoom in (too blurry) but doesnt look like there are any air pockets? all merged pretty well?

CarlaKerstan

What products were they (the PLA)? were both in Indonesia so i'm sure i'll know what your talking about

Our HDPE sheets so far have been limited in colours... and unfortunately most of the bottles we use here are the oil bottles from the bengkel and they are mainly grey, orange, red, blue, orange... really want to get a hold of some pink to play around with! Noted on the dye...

Oh! Stop by sometime then if you're in Tangerang or nearby. The PLA is sourced from 3d printing failures/scraps. PLA can also be sourced from cafes sometimes as PLA gets sold as #imnotplastic straws/sedotan but don't get your hopes up too high for finding the pink for a low price haha

CarlaKerstan

cant really see properly when i zoom in (too blurry) but doesnt look like there are any air pockets? all merged pretty well?

Have you tried making a 100% HDPE sheet? If you can successfully do that but always have bubbles with your hdpe/pet mix, then I think your PET is contaminated with something that's off gassing, or simply you can try using less PET. I think it works best when you have it shredded really small.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Oh! Stop by sometime then if you're in Tangerang or nearby. The PLA is sourced from 3d printing failures/scraps. PLA can also be sourced from cafes sometimes as PLA gets sold as #imnotplastic straws/sedotan but don't get your hopes up too high for finding the pink for a low price haha

ah I see

noted. well those pink slabs you made look really great ! I am located in Bali - will keep you in mind if i ever pass by Tangerang

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Have you tried making a 100% HDPE sheet? If you can successfully do that but always have bubbles with your hdpe/pet mix, then I think your PET is contaminated with something that's off gassing, or simply you can try using less PET. I think it works best when you have it shredded really small.

yes, previously we were only doing 100% HDPE (mainly from oil bottles) and they were turning out great (just limited in colour choice...) also, we only ever managed to get the same patterning like this picture. Is it possible to achieve different patterning such as the marble effect ? How is the marble effect achieved?

7:59 AM

hdpe sheets turned into office desk

5

4

jensdb

Hello guys, im new and just bought an i'jector and shredder. Ready for this journey. Anyone that knows someone near Belgium for making some good moulds?

Where in Belgium are you located?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Click to see attachment 🖼️

awesome outcome! great work

CarlaKerstan

yes, previously we were only doing 100% HDPE (mainly from oil bottles) and they were turning out great (just limited in colour choice...) also, we only ever managed to get the same patterning like this picture. Is it possible to achieve different patterning such as the marble effect ? How is the marble effect achieved?

super siiick

Is there a good shredder for at home set up? I’m looking to make some really small pellets

Sledfang

Is there a good shredder for at home set up? I’m looking to make some really small pellets

I was making pretty small flakes with my shredder v3 machine with no filter...but I'd have to run the plastic through 15 times or so. But with a filter, you'll get better output results. What sort of capacity are you looking for? I've seen people use blenders if it's just for super low capacity.

qusto

Where in Belgium are you located?

In Asse, Vlaams Brabant. Why?

jensdb

In Asse, Vlaams Brabant. Why?

@qusto

From Australia - at what point is plastic cleaned? before or after shredding or both?

MexicanDreamer

From Australia - at what point is plastic cleaned? before or after shredding or both?

both

2:43 AM

sometimes even while shredding

Thanks - how do you clean plastic after shredding? In mesh bags in the washing machine?

MexicanDreamer

Thanks - how do you clean plastic after shredding? In mesh bags in the washing machine?

ive got a washer

7:59 AM

which is a fancy name for a bucket with two paddles in it connected to a drill

hey all, I’m currently experimenting with recycled PE for my university project and I’m looking for ways to welt PE together. My first experiment looks like this thought and therefore I wanted to ask if anyone has experience in that. Very rough technique and obviously also too hot but the heat gun was too “unfocused”. Maybe you have some solutions for that problem Cheers, Jakob

jaccob

hey all, I’m currently experimenting with recycled PE for my university project and I’m looking for ways to welt PE together. My first experiment looks like this thought and therefore I wanted to ask if anyone has experience in that. Very rough technique and obviously also too hot but the heat gun was too “unfocused”. Maybe you have some solutions for that problem Cheers, Jakob

I made some test with a plastic welder, which is basically a heat gun with a "concentration" nozzle. https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/4000319272238.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2fra

18.02US $ 15% de réduction|Pistolet de soudage numérique en plastiq...

Achetez malin, vivez mieux! Aliexpress.com

12:09 PM

It was still a bit weak for any mechanical application, but is enough if you want to seal a joint.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I was making pretty small flakes with my shredder v3 machine with no filter...but I'd have to run the plastic through 15 times or so. But with a filter, you'll get better output results. What sort of capacity are you looking for? I've seen people use blenders if it's just for super low capacity.

I’m looking to make Cornhole bags at a relatively large scale. Resin suppliers are incredibly hard to come by so I’m trying to do it myself

Hello everyone! Nice to be part of the community ! I am a student in Toronto trying to cast HDPE plastic into a chair frame. I sourced the used HDPE from various places and have come to notice depending on the source the plastic doesn't melt the same at all. Is this normal? Does anybody know the different types of HDPE plastics ? And how to work with the type that doesn't liquify ? Thank you !

laylacherki

Hello everyone! Nice to be part of the community ! I am a student in Toronto trying to cast HDPE plastic into a chair frame. I sourced the used HDPE from various places and have come to notice depending on the source the plastic doesn't melt the same at all. Is this normal? Does anybody know the different types of HDPE plastics ? And how to work with the type that doesn't liquify ? Thank you !

yes thats very normal

5:22 PM

also plastic from different sources will when melted often have different viscosities

5:23 PM

so for eg plastic from bottles will even when fully melted be quite thick

5:23 PM

which can trick a lot of people into heating it more and thus burning it

So instead of turning the heat up, how can we get it to mix together well? Is shredding it enough ?

5:26 PM

Thank you in any case @sponsoons

laylacherki

So instead of turning the heat up, how can we get it to mix together well? Is shredding it enough ?

stirring i guess

5:48 PM

i just do my best to keep them separate cuz otherwise you might have problems

5:48 PM

shredding is one thing

5:49 PM

the other thing you can do is mixing it while hot

5:49 PM

so if you have a extruder,you get the plastic out and then but it back again

5:49 PM

preferably while mixing or turning it around a bit

Sounds good, thank you !

Hello. Could someone give me some advice on how to work with the injector and PLA? thz

Hi guys..I am working on a proposal for a mixed workshop for a community in London and was wondering what recommendation do you have for the ventilation and health and safety ? Has anyone designed a mixed workshop space before and if so how did they go about the required ventilation ? Many thanks in advance

Are there any plastics that could be extruded into basically an elastic/flexible rope?

Andrada Calin

Hi guys..I am working on a proposal for a mixed workshop for a community in London and was wondering what recommendation do you have for the ventilation and health and safety ? Has anyone designed a mixed workshop space before and if so how did they go about the required ventilation ? Many thanks in advance

There's this video on the One Army YouTube that covers the basics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsj6qHHLynk

Precious Plastic - Safety and plastic fumes (part 2.2)

1

laylacherki

So instead of turning the heat up, how can we get it to mix together well? Is shredding it enough ?

that's HDPE blow and HDPE injection. blow is thick and acts like it's not melting but it just needs some force. Injection is more fluid. If you have an extruder you can mix the two, but your machine might struggle depending on how it's set up. It's easier to just avoid hdpe blow, but in your case...seems like there's no escape.

Hi, does anyone know whether how to make that plastic bricks from single use plastic specially the precious plastic project_

jensdb

@qusto

@jensdb I'm from Antwerp. If you need plastics to shred, I can offer the waste plastics of my 3D printing (mostly PLA). I try to avoid throwing away the waste plastics of my 3D printing activities, so I save it, until I can offer it to someone who wants to recycle it. (edited)

2

NorthernJon

There's this video on the One Army YouTube that covers the basics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsj6qHHLynk

Thanks @NorthernJon I think this is great to tool me up with the basics. Thanks for that

NorthernJon

There's this video on the One Army YouTube that covers the basics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsj6qHHLynk

Part 1.2?

Hi, does anyone know whether how to make that plastic bricks from single use plastic specially the precious plastic project

Butte, would love to get more information regarding your use of powder coat plastic. I work for a company that generates a lot of powder coat waste that gets sent to the landfill. I would very much like to change that. Any insight would be much appreciated.

mattiabaky

Part 1.2?

Video 2.1 was on another subject, "The basics of plastic". There's some more on the subject here: https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/safety

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

If I wanted to create pellets like this, what sort of machines would I need and what would the process look like

Sledfang

If I wanted to create pellets like this, what sort of machines would I need and what would the process look like

this is created by underwater pelletization (edited)

sponsoons

this is created by underwater pelletization (edited)

Maybe we can open a deep sea workspace and use the pressure there to create HDPE (High Density PEllets)

sponsoons

this is created by underwater pelletization (edited)

Is that all done by one machine?

Sledfang

Is that all done by one machine?

yea

4:40 PM

its called water ring pelletisation

sponsoons

its called water ring pelletisation

Thanks a ton

Hello hello!!! I am on a team making a plastic shredder and injection molding machine. The injection molder will be done far sooner than the shredder so I am wondering if anyone has PETG shredded flakes for sale. It would be really helpful if they are in any of the following colors white, black, and yellow/gold

Wild_Inventor

Hello hello!!! I am on a team making a plastic shredder and injection molding machine. The injection molder will be done far sooner than the shredder so I am wondering if anyone has PETG shredded flakes for sale. It would be really helpful if they are in any of the following colors white, black, and yellow/gold

Hey Arthur check out the bazar, some community members sell shredded plastic on there to help get people like yourself started https://bazar.preciousplastic.com (edited)

Precious Plastic Bazar

Plastice to sell products, machines, and plastic. Empowering our recycling ecosystem around the world.

Hugh

Hey Arthur check out the bazar, some community members sell shredded plastic on there to help get people like yourself started https://bazar.preciousplastic.com (edited)

Yes I have checked but only found PET from Canada that was willing to sell to someone in the states.

Wild_Inventor

Yes I have checked but only found PET from Canada that was willing to sell to someone in the states.

What about contacting workspaces in your area and seeing if they can help you out - via the map https://community.preciousplastic.com/map

New process converts polyethylene into carbon fiber

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Hugh

What about contacting workspaces in your area and seeing if they can help you out - via the map https://community.preciousplastic.com/map

Huh, I haven't thought of that I am already working with one of them Videttemakes, and they told me how they got their material. But I haven't tried to reach out to others

Hi, is anyone working with recycled acrylic ? Are there any videos, articles or advises how to work with this matrial? Is it also working with the Injection Mold Machine? Thank you very much

@Scaramanga https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwFaiSAS8k4&ab_channel=OneArmyCommunity

One Army Community

How to recycle acrylic

1

Scaramanga

Hi, is anyone working with recycled acrylic ? Are there any videos, articles or advises how to work with this matrial? Is it also working with the Injection Mold Machine? Thank you very much

Off cut studio on Instagram does and makes some nice things.

1

Hello Precious Plastic Community. Let me start by congratulating each one of you for such a vibrant and active group of plastic waste conscious people. I am simply loving the learning I am gathering here. Now onto my requirement. I run an organisation in Lucknow (India) which educates and nudges people to segregate their municipal (household) plastic waste. I am looking for co-extrusion machine which can help me recycle maximum plastic waste types and convert them into plastic lumber made of recycled plastic. I aim to design useful products from these lumbers and sell in the market. Any help/pointers in this direction will be really really helpful.

2

Just curious, I have some amounts of Color Masterbatch and cleaning compound, way more than I'd need in the next few years - the color masterbatch gets mixed in at 2% rate and I noticed I don't change materails often enough to actualy use any purge compound Would there be interest in it being offered in consumer sized batches on the Bazar?

sioux612

Just curious, I have some amounts of Color Masterbatch and cleaning compound, way more than I'd need in the next few years - the color masterbatch gets mixed in at 2% rate and I noticed I don't change materails often enough to actualy use any purge compound Would there be interest in it being offered in consumer sized batches on the Bazar?

I’d be interested for testing, we’re are you based ?

Germany

Just planting a seed among all of you passionate STEM folk... New Zealand has a shortage of STEM high school teachers (among other things - we have crazy low unemployment rates and technical/ trades skills are also in demand). I have noticed there are quite a few teachers who get involved in PP! If you have a recognised teaching qual (easiest pathway is for those who studied in the UK or Ireland, but there is a qualification evaluation process for anyone interested to explore teaching opportunities in NZ) you could find opportunities for a life in New Zealand. Please reach out for immigration support - I'm an ex-STEM teacher, now a licensed immigration adviser with plastic recycling on the side. You all know how side hustles go

You can reach me through zealandia-immigration.nz

1

Hey guys! I need your help with pricing on some PP regrind (see photo) how much is the going rate for this material as I am getting pricing from £0.60p to £6.50 per kg?

Hi, everyone does anyone know where and can guide me how to make this plastic brick thing with a mixture of sand coal and shredder plastic through extruder

samcoggin

Hey guys! I need your help with pricing on some PP regrind (see photo) how much is the going rate for this material as I am getting pricing from £0.60p to £6.50 per kg?

It’s depends on the amount of contamination, colours and quantities. In bulk by the tonne, black with some contamination I can see prices around £0.60-£1 a kilo in the uk . But smaller amounts I normally do around the £1.50-2 a kilo . But colours or special mixes that have little to no contamination £3-4 a kilo. Where are you based ?

1

Tom - Redo Design

It’s depends on the amount of contamination, colours and quantities. In bulk by the tonne, black with some contamination I can see prices around £0.60-£1 a kilo in the uk . But smaller amounts I normally do around the £1.50-2 a kilo . But colours or special mixes that have little to no contamination £3-4 a kilo. Where are you based ?

Thanks Tom! We are based in the greater Preston area

samcoggin

Thanks Tom! We are based in the greater Preston area

Oh nice . I’m over near Nottingham. Drop me a DM if you like. I am in the market for coloured polypropylene or polystyrene. I’m up to my eyes in black and clear at the moment.

Tom - Redo Design

Oh nice . I’m over near Nottingham. Drop me a DM if you like. I am in the market for coloured polypropylene or polystyrene. I’m up to my eyes in black and clear at the moment.

Nice! Tried to send you a message but won’t send for some reason.. we have just purchased a granulator, just waiting for the electrics to be hooked up so we can start processing the material we are extracting from redundant office furniture

Guys there was a paper written back in 2013 about how we can convert plastic to carbon fibre, does anyone know about it???

hmm sounds REALLY cool!

9:31 PM

I have not

Has anyone had experience working with PVC in PP machines?

I thought about it as I get offered vinyl record all the time .

Tom - Redo Design

I thought about it as I get offered vinyl record all the time .

Yea I have the ability to get about a ton a month if I want and theyll pay me to take it. Wondering if anyone has any experience with it

Wumangklan

Has anyone had experience working with PVC in PP machines?

PVC is hard to work with

pmcd124

PVC is hard to work with

Can you elaborate? Hard how?

The fumes produced when melting can be bad so I’ve not touch it

1

Anyone know if we should be worrying about micro plastics in the workspace

10:59 AM

Is it bad for the environment as i use a blender to chop up plastic but there are a lot of micro plastics involved in the process

Jeevan

Anyone know if we should be worrying about micro plastics in the workspace

I don't think anyone will tell you to not worry about micro plastics. Make sure you have a tidy workspace. Make sure you dont have a bunch of dust from outside the workspace that mixes in with your microplastics. Make sure you have the means for vacuuming up all your microplastics. Make sure you wear a mask, you don't want to be inhaling micro (nano?) plastics. Hopefully you have a nice enclosed workspace. Things can get a bit difficult to contain once you scale up beyond using a blender for chopping up plastic.

YourDeadMan

Guys there was a paper written back in 2013 about how we can convert plastic to carbon fibre, does anyone know about it???

I'm not sure how useful this is since most of us just melt and shape. Here's a brief of what you described. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120327152903.htm And here's the patent application publication. This makes my brain hurt. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/aa/2b/59/2c191ac1edc9f1/US20150292119A1.pdf

Common material such as polyethylene used in plastic bags could be turned into something far more valuable through a new process.

Hey what is the best temp range for PP? I'm at 250ºc now any recommendations?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I don't think anyone will tell you to not worry about micro plastics. Make sure you have a tidy workspace. Make sure you dont have a bunch of dust from outside the workspace that mixes in with your microplastics. Make sure you have the means for vacuuming up all your microplastics. Make sure you wear a mask, you don't want to be inhaling micro (nano?) plastics. Hopefully you have a nice enclosed workspace. Things can get a bit difficult to contain once you scale up beyond using a blender for chopping up plastic.

Thank Ben, much appreciated. Do you have a method for vacuuming microplastics that still ensures it can be used again?

Jeevan

Thank Ben, much appreciated. Do you have a method for vacuuming microplastics that still ensures it can be used again?

Having a clean workspace helps and a shopvac that's been cleaned out and doesn't have a bunch of junk inside will significantly help.

PreciousPlastics-Liechtenstein

Hey what is the best temp range for PP? I'm at 250ºc now any recommendations?

In my oven, PP melts nicely at 180C. 250c is a bit excessive. What machine are you using?

Hello! I was wondering, does HDPE produce any strong odors when it melts? For example if I placed an injection machine in a shared workshop, would it cause any sort of inconvenience?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

In my oven, PP melts nicely at 180C. 250c is a bit excessive. What machine are you using?

Machine from PlasticPreneur, i'm going off the information from the precious plastics poster (melting points) I'm going to do some more tests with PP at a lower temp.

Hello, I would like to ask you about the mold of the 3D printer. I saw on the homepage that you can use Precious Plastic in the injection machine using molds made with 3D printers Should I make a shape with a 3D printer like other molds and use it as an injection machine? Or is it possible to use it without melting even if I use a 3d printer after processing? It's hard because I don't know the information I'd appreciate it if you leave an answer

PreciousPlastics-Liechtenstein

Machine from PlasticPreneur, i'm going off the information from the precious plastics poster (melting points) I'm going to do some more tests with PP at a lower temp.

Here's the temperatures I use according to plastic and machine: Oven: HDPE 165C PP 180C If it's not melting down and not looking burnt, I will increase up to 190c. HDPE BLOW won't melt down and play nicely at any temperature. Extrusion: HDPE 200 PP 200 *if there's lots of smoking, I reduce temperature

dogwire

Hello! I was wondering, does HDPE produce any strong odors when it melts? For example if I placed an injection machine in a shared workshop, would it cause any sort of inconvenience?

HDPE does not produce offensive smells, but you need to make sure you're not overheating the plastic. If it's overheated, it will smell more.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Having a clean workspace helps and a shopvac that's been cleaned out and doesn't have a bunch of junk inside will significantly help.

Thanks!

dogwire

Hello! I was wondering, does HDPE produce any strong odors when it melts? For example if I placed an injection machine in a shared workshop, would it cause any sort of inconvenience?

Actually I would say it does produce a bit of odour even at low melting temps, I wouldn't reccommend melting HDPE in an appartment block etc.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug @Timberstar Thanks for the help! It’s not an apartment block, but a shared workshop in our college. As long as the odor isn’t strong I think we should be fine.

Regarding the odor: HDPE and PP both will not smell strongly by themselves. However recycled materials have pigments, antioxidants, and plasticizers that can do generate noxious smell. So it will depend on what how virgin material was compounded more so than just being PE or PP. We boil our shredded polyolefins in sodium hydroxide prior to reprocessing and this helps a lot in reducing unwanted volatile organics.

1

Hi. I'm evaluating HDPE as a material for waterproof enclosures ( eg. on the surface or if feasible 2-4 bar ). Has anyone experience with "ruggedized" applications? I would be interested in cyclindrical shapes, not sure if it is feasible to roll a sheet into a cylinder. Ultimately I would use exclusively recycled material but in a first step I might rely on "virgin / industrial" for critical parts and recycled for noncritical. I assume both can be welded and cnc processed easily? Any thoughts / recommendations on my context? Disclosure: I do not know much about HDPE, plastic processing and was not aware about how well it can be recycled. I have been following precious plastic activities for a while but never used a machine myself, only saw a shredder / extruder at my local fablab

adrianibanez

Hi. I'm evaluating HDPE as a material for waterproof enclosures ( eg. on the surface or if feasible 2-4 bar ). Has anyone experience with "ruggedized" applications? I would be interested in cyclindrical shapes, not sure if it is feasible to roll a sheet into a cylinder. Ultimately I would use exclusively recycled material but in a first step I might rely on "virgin / industrial" for critical parts and recycled for noncritical. I assume both can be welded and cnc processed easily? Any thoughts / recommendations on my context? Disclosure: I do not know much about HDPE, plastic processing and was not aware about how well it can be recycled. I have been following precious plastic activities for a while but never used a machine myself, only saw a shredder / extruder at my local fablab

I have worked with HDPE but not in a 'ruggedized' context. It's waterproof definitely and can be welded with heat although it can be fiddly at times when doing this. It can be recycled over and over but over time loses its properties but that's only if you are recycling the same piece of plastic over and over(not something to worry about too much in your case) You can mold HDPE into just about anything including cylinders.

1:30 PM

. . . Hi, I'm currently manufacturing a product and need a light bulb. The most affordable ones are LED's but i understand these contain plastic and although small could present a problem. Does anyone have any ideas for making a battery-powered light bulb (or buying) that don't contain plastic and are affordable?

Does anyone know if that pilotproject workshop container in the maldives is still active? Who would I be able to talk to about plastic recycling ( in particular HDPE ) in the maldives?

Jeevan

I have worked with HDPE but not in a 'ruggedized' context. It's waterproof definitely and can be welded with heat although it can be fiddly at times when doing this. It can be recycled over and over but over time loses its properties but that's only if you are recycling the same piece of plastic over and over(not something to worry about too much in your case) You can mold HDPE into just about anything including cylinders.

Thanks. What was your application? Water / fluid tank? I understood that hdpe can be injected with great flexibility but assume that there are limitations to the size of the mould ( also costs of aluminium mold, ... ) and the amount and pressure of plastic available to a injection cycle? To be honest I was intrigued by the simplicity of the plastic sheet press and thinking about how to build a cylinder out of such recycled material ... but I may be overestimating the potential of hdpe welding. and I have no experience at all with injection molding

Are there any maker-style activities related to HDPE welding? What is the most reliable process? hotair? soldering iron? ultrasonic? I watched some videos where people welded using hotair guns with "handfeeded filament melting tips". also some fancy industrial robot with a motorized filament feeder. both of them not really suitable for tight spaces or weird angles.

adrianibanez

Are there any maker-style activities related to HDPE welding? What is the most reliable process? hotair? soldering iron? ultrasonic? I watched some videos where people welded using hotair guns with "handfeeded filament melting tips". also some fancy industrial robot with a motorized filament feeder. both of them not really suitable for tight spaces or weird angles.

You can do friction welding if you have filament and a rotary tool. You stick a small piece of filament into a rotary tool, turn it on, then run it on the joint. Or you can simply go to google and search for "plastic welding tool" and you'll find lots of tools that should be able to get the job done. Joints can be a bit annoying but with the right tools, you should be able to get a strong fixed joint if that's what you're going for.

adrianibanez

Thanks. What was your application? Water / fluid tank? I understood that hdpe can be injected with great flexibility but assume that there are limitations to the size of the mould ( also costs of aluminium mold, ... ) and the amount and pressure of plastic available to a injection cycle? To be honest I was intrigued by the simplicity of the plastic sheet press and thinking about how to build a cylinder out of such recycled material ... but I may be overestimating the potential of hdpe welding. and I have no experience at all with injection molding

Hdpe can be injection moulded, ive done alot of that and its worked well. You should experiment i think. The material is free and in milk bottles (and lids) also shampoo bottles, alot around the house. Look for the number 2. i used a metal mould costed about £60 0n bazar but not sure about aluminium or custom. You can do it with aluminium and sand ive seen a precious plastic video where they use this method. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LhHUBz9uL0&t=622s you should experiment definately and see what workes. Most of the time there isnt much to lose as you arent paying for the material.

Make recycled plastic wall grips with aluminum casted moulds #preci...

Thanks a lot for the information & suggestions. nice application with the climbing grips. I'll be heading to a local fablab soon. I learned that the have a shredder / injection setup and most probably gained different experiences

Hi I was wondering if it was possible to make molds from clay for melted plastic?

Hi, Does anyone sell the mold for a wine glass?

Hi there, I am a student at a university in Australia, we are doing an interview on activism with plastic, if anyone is able to answer some questions that would be great! 1) What happens to plastic that cannot be recycled? 2) what do you think is the biggest problem with plastic? 3) why is plastic controversial? is plastic evil? 4)does banning single-use plastic even make a bigger dent in the problem of climate change? 5) is there anything you think RMIT can do better with plastic waste, and what tools do you think will be needed? 6) when we ban plastic, doesn't that force us to use other materials that are more expensive, and energy-intensive? shouldn't we keep using it, but just get better at recycling? Thank you so much!

Dear chat, We are a group of student who want to start a sheetpress workshop. But we asked our self if the cold press is really necessary?

Hi @Joey , the cold press is for increasing production throughput . If you are not worried about producing a lot of sheets (which I assume as a school group you are not), then I would say that it's not neccessary.

1

Joseph

Hi @Joey , the cold press is for increasing production throughput . If you are not worried about producing a lot of sheets (which I assume as a school group you are not), then I would say that it's not neccessary.

Thanks for the feedback

Are there any plastics that could be extruded into basically a thin flexible rope/cord? Maybe HDPE or LDPE?

Hello please who can I contact for a guide?

Joey

Dear chat, We are a group of student who want to start a sheetpress workshop. But we asked our self if the cold press is really necessary?

its the difference between making 2 sheets per day and 8 sheets per day. For example, if you dont use the cold press, you'll need to let the sheet cool down in the sheet press. This might take 2-3 hours.

1

letsjumpla

Are there any plastics that could be extruded into basically a thin flexible rope/cord? Maybe HDPE or LDPE?

What are you trying to make exactly? Plenty of people have extruded hdpe into filament and have woven it into some crafts. Into a rope? I'm not sure how well that would work.

Mashasha

Hello please who can I contact for a guide?

what do you need help with?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug started a thread. 4/12/2022 3:45 AM

Hello! I'm looking for an online course as introduction to the word of plastic and plastic recycling. Do you have any good suggestion? It could also be about books.

@letizia nice! have you looked our academy? i would say its a good starting point to introduce yourself to the world of plastics

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/intro.html

letsjumpla

Are there any plastics that could be extruded into basically a thin flexible rope/cord? Maybe HDPE or LDPE?

yes,but none of them work well on a small scale

11:52 AM

iirc the smallest one ive seen needs 250kg/hr of plastic and isnt remotely cheap

letsjumpla

Are there any plastics that could be extruded into basically a thin flexible rope/cord? Maybe HDPE or LDPE?

Not sure on your application but have you considered something like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjSNJAIpG0I If you google on 'turning bottles into rope' you'll find lots of examples and instructions.

Insider

Device turns bottles into plastic rope

Not sure if this is the right forum, but what would the best set ups for schools be? Can the sheet plastic be cut by laser printers?

Aelin Archeron

Not sure if this is the right forum, but what would the best set ups for schools be? Can the sheet plastic be cut by laser printers?

You have two questions, let me rephrase them for clarity and answer them: 1. What's the best set up for a school? There's a lot of variables, but I would limit the machines to at least high school students. Also, there's some risks involved with temperature and other mishaps that can happen when running a workspace. So long as you are safe and take the appropriate precautions, it should be fairly safe, although the burns on my arm from some recent work means that it's very likely whoever uses these machines will get burned at some point or another. University level, i would have all the machines available. Each melting machine has it's own uniqueness to creating products. High school level? I'm not sure. If you've got a woodworking shop and metalworking shop, you can definitely have some collaboration between classrooms but I fear these classes are slowly fading away. 2. Can plastic sheets be laser cut? Not very well. Most of the plastic we work with will simply melt and then melt back together if you're trying to laser cut. The machine you'd need for making custom shames from a plastic sheet would be a CNC machine. It's similar to a laser cutter but uses a rotary tool/milling bit for removing material instead of radiation/heat.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

You have two questions, let me rephrase them for clarity and answer them: 1. What's the best set up for a school? There's a lot of variables, but I would limit the machines to at least high school students. Also, there's some risks involved with temperature and other mishaps that can happen when running a workspace. So long as you are safe and take the appropriate precautions, it should be fairly safe, although the burns on my arm from some recent work means that it's very likely whoever uses these machines will get burned at some point or another. University level, i would have all the machines available. Each melting machine has it's own uniqueness to creating products. High school level? I'm not sure. If you've got a woodworking shop and metalworking shop, you can definitely have some collaboration between classrooms but I fear these classes are slowly fading away. 2. Can plastic sheets be laser cut? Not very well. Most of the plastic we work with will simply melt and then melt back together if you're trying to laser cut. The machine you'd need for making custom shames from a plastic sheet would be a CNC machine. It's similar to a laser cutter but uses a rotary tool/milling bit for removing material instead of radiation/heat.

I'm in a high school, however it's a rural high school and we have a big woodworking program. Not sure about metalworking though.... Could be part of the furnishing certificate we offer I suppose. We are thinking about perhaps making keychains and other similar things with our plastic. Any advice?

Hi, was wondering if anyone has had any success with using shredded polystyrene in an extrusion device?

jacobf

Hi, was wondering if anyone has had any success with using shredded polystyrene in an extrusion device?

Hey. Every material after shredded I put through extruder twice. First to get the filament and the second time after I pelletize the filement to make more consistency on diameter. Second time the dia is much more consistent. Maybe it is because I use my own extrusion system I designed by myself. I also use a filament „puller” device that meqsures extruded filament dia by a mechanical sensor and by that readind pulls more or less the fipament with silicon pulleys to make the dia of filament more consistent.

Hey, What is better for pressing plastics, the extrusion Machine or the Injection machine?

Aelin Archeron

I'm in a high school, however it's a rural high school and we have a big woodworking program. Not sure about metalworking though.... Could be part of the furnishing certificate we offer I suppose. We are thinking about perhaps making keychains and other similar things with our plastic. Any advice?

I think for simplicity, it might be easier to go with a sheet press. With that you're able to make base materials for many many many other projects. Since you have woodworking, it can be a compliment to that and many of those tools can also be used for working with plastic. You have a few options with keychains. You can use injection + mould. This is good if you want to make many of the same product. If your class periods are only 1 hour, you might have enough time for 2 or 3 presses (likely 1 keychain per press). If you have an extrusion machine, you can extrude into a mould. The style isnt as cool looking as injection but it gets the job done quicker as there's a continuous flow of melted plastic. Just be sure to preheat your mould to avoid shrinkage issues. With sheet press + cnc machine, you can produce a sheet, cut it down to size, and do custom engraving. This will produce a lot of plastic dust but you'll have a very wide range of products you can make.

Maxel

Hey, What is better for pressing plastics, the extrusion Machine or the Injection machine?

I'd say extrusion since you can always add plastic and it will keep pushing out melted plastic. But injection machine is cheaper and has a much cooler motif with the plastic than extrusion. With extrusion you can create long pieces. With injection you're limited since you can only inject one time into a mould. It depends on what your goal is. Both are better in different areas.

Hey all, new here. I am a mentor for a high school robotics team. We use a ton of thermoplastic building robot parts, primarily polycarbonate but also HDPE. We have a project this summer to move to a sustainable engineering process and are looking at options to recycle our scrap metal and plastics as well as collect plastics from the community to turn into items that we use on the robots as well as things we use in our workshop, pit areas etc. We have an extensive machine shop with access to CNC routers, mills, lathes and fiber laser as well as 3D printers, welders and general shop tools. We also have motivated students trained and training to use all of that good stuff. We are blessed with lots of tools but short on money, can someone who has started a recycling program point me to the best place to start? I've been browsing the website and looking at videos but need details. We are in Austin TX.

Hi I would really like to start making these chairs from recycled plastic again. Is there anyone in the UK producing plastic sheets. I need 9mm thick 1000 x 600mm and 500 x 500mm 12mm thick. It would be great to hear from you.

fiorella

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Hola Fiorella! Estoy buscando a alguien que produzca las láminas en Perú,

fiorella

Hello friends! Im from Peru

Does somebody know why a HDPE plastic sheet pressed start bending when you remove it from the mould?

Hola Fiorella, soy de Perú también y estaba buscando a alguien que fabrique las láminas acá. Estoy en pruebas de materiales para un proyecto de mobiliario. Me puedes contactar al whatsapp +51 960 377 497

Hi everyone! Humasol vzw is looking for people with experience in plastic recycling who would be interested to support a plastic recycling project in Gambia. They have started bootstrapping a small workshop with a local ngo, but the team is quite small so we could use some additional advice/help/support from people who have practical experience with such installations. Feel free to DM me if you are interested, or if you know a person or organization that might be able to help us. https://www.humasol.be

gearmantx

Hey all, new here. I am a mentor for a high school robotics team. We use a ton of thermoplastic building robot parts, primarily polycarbonate but also HDPE. We have a project this summer to move to a sustainable engineering process and are looking at options to recycle our scrap metal and plastics as well as collect plastics from the community to turn into items that we use on the robots as well as things we use in our workshop, pit areas etc. We have an extensive machine shop with access to CNC routers, mills, lathes and fiber laser as well as 3D printers, welders and general shop tools. We also have motivated students trained and training to use all of that good stuff. We are blessed with lots of tools but short on money, can someone who has started a recycling program point me to the best place to start? I've been browsing the website and looking at videos but need details. We are in Austin TX.

Awesome! It sounds like you have a lot of options since you have access to so many machining tools. So then the question becomes, what do you want to produce exactly? If you're building robots, you might want to get yourself a shredder and a sheet press. Since you have so many other tools, you can use the sheets as a base material for creating things for your robots. Another option is to use injection for parts if you can make yourself moulds. Injection moulding can make some nice parts, but you might need a lot of moulds if you have a lot of different parts. I just checked the website and it seems like the webpage for downloading the files is having some problems. You can try this instead: https://github.com/ONEARMY/precious-plastic-kit

GitHub - ONEARMY/precious-plastic-kit: Precious Plastic Downloadpack

Precious Plastic Downloadpack. Contribute to ONEARMY/precious-plastic-kit development by creating an account on GitHub.

Hey community I wanted to know how you can keep your Arbour injection machine stable. Do you fix it to the ground with anchors?

Hi @dadda29993 , might want to ask that question in #archived-arbor-press-dev . That groups is working on developing an arbor press so they might have some insight

dadda29993

Hey community I wanted to know how you can keep your Arbour injection machine stable. Do you fix it to the ground with anchors?

thats what i do for most of my machines,its easy and cheap and solves a lot of problems that might otherwise\ appear

sponsoons

thats what i do for most of my machines,its easy and cheap and solves a lot of problems that might otherwise\ appear

What do you do to make the injection machine stable?

Hi ! im new here, where can i get the Blueprints for Extruder PRO? Thanks !

Hey guys, I'm new to the community and I would like to know more about recycling PMMA (plexyglass) and PC (polycarbonate). Do you have any reference that shows the process? Thank you in advance! Giorgio

@ginowave https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwFaiSAS8k4

One Army Community

How to recycle acrylic

1

Joseph

@ginowave https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwFaiSAS8k4

Thank you very much. In the video they don't show the shredding action, but they just melt and press pre-cut small parts. Is it ok to use a Precious Plastic Shredder with PMMA and PC?

I think that would be fine

Anyone know if these raschel mesh bags can be woven with reclaimed plastics? made with HDPE (high density polyethylene) https://bagsupplies.ca/products/tube-netting-rolls-hiperadobe-superadobe/ (edited)

sms-kristy

Tube Netting Rolls (Hiperadobe/Superadobe) - Bag Supplies Canada Lt...

Our Tube Netting Rolls are ideal for a building product, packing or vegetables, or anything that is on a continuous flow and needs to be contained. Raschel is a knitted fabric which resembles hand crocheted fabrics, lace fabrics, and nettings. Raschel warp knits contain inlaid connecting yarns in addition to columns of knit stitches. Our Tube N...

Hello

Please am in Africa Ghana , am interested in this recycling project, I've organize some plastic bottles, for about four months now, I want to really do something to help my community, to create jobs, but how to to build the machine's has become a problem, I have downloaded your videos alot, I've seen you went to Kenya, and I was really impressed, always wishing to start this project with you guy's. Hope to hear from you

I am wondering wether it’s possible to produce hdpe sheets with this textile press

I am not looking for perfect quality, just want to get started cheap. Is there someone who has experience with a similar setup?

Hey all! My name is Lau, and i'm working on a sustainable hanger made from recycled plastic out of Denmark! We're currently looking for manifacturing possibilities in Portugal. Do any of you guys know of/have experience with manufacturers in Portugal?

@Lau Falke check out vivalab in Porto

ginowave

Thank you very much. In the video they don't show the shredding action, but they just melt and press pre-cut small parts. Is it ok to use a Precious Plastic Shredder with PMMA and PC?

Just be careful with PMMA (acrylic) it breaks/shatters/cracks with a lot of energy so there might be a lot more pieces flying than normal

Larre

I am wondering wether it’s possible to produce hdpe sheets with this textile press

I am not looking for perfect quality, just want to get started cheap. Is there someone who has experience with a similar setup?

These work. I haven't personally used one like this but a friend has. They used brass plates as the top and bottom parts of their sheet mould. I reccomend a cold press to keep the sheets pressed as they cool. Otherwise you're going to take several hours to make one sheet. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ARttMg1kN/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

These work. I haven't personally used one like this but a friend has. They used brass plates as the top and bottom parts of their sheet mould. I reccomend a cold press to keep the sheets pressed as they cool. Otherwise you're going to take several hours to make one sheet. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ARttMg1kN/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Thank you!

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

its the difference between making 2 sheets per day and 8 sheets per day. For example, if you dont use the cold press, you'll need to let the sheet cool down in the sheet press. This might take 2-3 hours.

how you do to keep the sheet straight?....the plastic doesn't warp?

Hi can you guys recommend appropriate 3M cartridge for plastic melting?

1:26 PM

I've been using 6001 cartridge, not sure if its enough

1:26 PM

i mostly do PPs

Tao

how you do to keep the sheet straight?....the plastic doesn't warp?

There's a few contributing factors that cause sheets to warp. 1. If you overheat the sheet, it's going to stick. If it sticks, it'll likely cause things to warp and will cause other issues due to the plastic sticking, 2. Keep it under pressure when it's cooling down. Do not remove it when it's still hot. 3. When you press it, make sure what you're pressing with is level. You'll go through some trial and error. Just take notes and learn from your mistakes.

Hi there. Trying to set up a plastic sheet press machine in Karachi, Pakistan and would really like some technical help how to get the machine to not burn or warp the sheet.

Dabbyman

Hi there. Trying to set up a plastic sheet press machine in Karachi, Pakistan and would really like some technical help how to get the machine to not burn or warp the sheet.

I'll drop you a message. But for those reading... the obvious is that if its burning there's a problem. If your PID is seeing the correct temperature but you're still burning your plastic, you've got to check things. Make sure the thermocouple has a good connection, make sure the heaters are all connected well and functioning. Reduce your temperature. For warping, you need to get your plastic amount right and make sure it's pressed while it cools and also that what you're pressing it with is also level. I've never had good results when trying to rush things by using a fan. If you're overheating the plastic and overfilling, it's likely the plastic is going to grab on to the edges of your mould and all surfaces that have burned which will make your life difficult for removing the plastic and cleaning the plates.

Hello. I have ordered some machines but due to the war they cannot come in and my project start has been delayed. So I decided to start with what I can do. First I started a test to make boards and bowls using the oven. When I cut the melted and overflowed part, it becomes whitish and loses its luster. We want to make the cut edges as beautiful as your items. We have tried various methods for cutting, such as table saw, jigsaw, trimmer, polisher, sander, etc., but the results are not good. 1. What tools do you use to cut the overhang? 2. Do you have any recommendations for finishing the surface or cut surface?　And pictures if possible:)

Cut surfaces were cut with a jigsaw and table saw and finished with a sander. Other surfaces were untouched after being removed from the mold. I wonder if the cut surfaces are not beautiful because of the character of the maker

exim

Cut surfaces were cut with a jigsaw and table saw and finished with a sander. Other surfaces were untouched after being removed from the mold. I wonder if the cut surfaces are not beautiful because of the character of the maker

You're doing well. When plastic looks white like this what you're seeing are the light refracting from scratches. It means you need to sand it more and try to buff/polish it. At the stage you have it here, you can probably get away with using a buffing wheel or a buffing attachment for a rotary tool on the edge. Try it and see what happens

Hi All.. I was wondering if there any danger for school children (age 10-16 ish) to use a PP workshop? They will have protective equipment like the carbon fibre masks. Is there any literature / research that supports the use of the PP by any age group? Best, Andrada (edited)

redmanduck

Hi can you guys recommend appropriate 3M cartridge for plastic melting?

gas mask with ABEK1 filters

redmanduck

I've been using 6001 cartridge, not sure if its enough

If you use PP only 6001 should be enough (protection for organic vapour). If you start melting other plastic like PS or unknown plastic, I would recommend to upgrade for 6003 or 6059 with 3M.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

You're doing well. When plastic looks white like this what you're seeing are the light refracting from scratches. It means you need to sand it more and try to buff/polish it. At the stage you have it here, you can probably get away with using a buffing wheel or a buffing attachment for a rotary tool on the edge. Try it and see what happens

@exim also another method that might work is ironing,you get a iron,put some butter paper on it and then just slide the bowl over the iron

1:02 PM

this is something i used to use to smoothen cut edges on plastic sheets so it might work here too

Hey guys. I am looking to sell 20kg bags of PP that we granulate from redundant office chairs. I am looking for buyers or a place to sell if anyone can help? Sorry if this isn’t the right thread!

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

You're doing well. When plastic looks white like this what you're seeing are the light refracting from scratches. It means you need to sand it more and try to buff/polish it. At the stage you have it here, you can probably get away with using a buffing wheel or a buffing attachment for a rotary tool on the edge. Try it and see what happens

Thank you very much. I will try the buff：)

sponsoons

@exim also another method that might work is ironing,you get a iron,put some butter paper on it and then just slide the bowl over the iron

I see! So the point is to warm it up a little and let it dissolve? I'll give it a try:)

Since stretch film for packaging is discharged near us, we are thinking of reusing it as the main source. It is LLDPE, but what do you think of the act of mixing small amounts of LDPE and PP? If it is only LLDPE, there are few colored products and we are troubled with few variations. So we are thinking of using PET bottle caps to add accents, but this time we cannot distinguish between PE and PP. To begin with, I thought PET bottle caps were PP, but I recently learned that PE also exists. Is it only in my country? There are many people who use caps, but do they distinguish between PP and PE? Or is it practically difficult to completely single recycle and many people use a mixture of the two?

exim

Thank you very much. I will try the buff：)

I feel even whiter:( Is the wool buff not good enough?

exim

I see! So the point is to warm it up a little and let it dissolve? I'll give it a try:)

I think it melted and smoothed out a bit, but it didn't look as beautiful as a cutter cut:(

exim

I feel even whiter:( Is the wool buff not good enough?

depends on how good you are with the tool i guess? You can also sand it down and put a little heat with a heat gun so it melts all the fuzzy white plastics. Keep at it, youll get it.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

depends on how good you are with the tool i guess? You can also sand it down and put a little heat with a heat gun so it melts all the fuzzy white plastics. Keep at it, youll get it.

I'll try the heat gun! Thanks!

I have never really recycled bottle caps. I noticed a lot of them have this small layer inside them. Can someone tell me why and what material it is since there is no code on it? I guess it might be a pain when it comes to shredding caps since it has to be removed

Larre

I have never really recycled bottle caps. I noticed a lot of them have this small layer inside them. Can someone tell me why and what material it is since there is no code on it? I guess it might be a pain when it comes to shredding caps since it has to be removed

its a sort of rubber i think, its better if you remove it. Its pretty labour intense but otherwise you might get some burnt bits when melting, significantly reducing the quality of the product / outcome (edited)

1

Carolina

its a sort of rubber i think, its better if you remove it. Its pretty labour intense but otherwise you might get some burnt bits when melting, significantly reducing the quality of the product / outcome (edited)

Ok

thank you

1

Larre

I have never really recycled bottle caps. I noticed a lot of them have this small layer inside them. Can someone tell me why and what material it is since there is no code on it? I guess it might be a pain when it comes to shredding caps since it has to be removed

Some information can be found at: https://www.oberk.com/packaging-crash-course/liner-the-often-overlooked-element-between-your-cap-and-bottle

1

Afful Justicia

Please am in Africa Ghana , am interested in this recycling project, I've organize some plastic bottles, for about four months now, I want to really do something to help my community, to create jobs, but how to to build the machine's has become a problem, I have downloaded your videos alot, I've seen you went to Kenya, and I was really impressed, always wishing to start this project with you guy's. Hope to hear from you

Hey Justicia, starting from within Africa will be difficult, I am doing the same thing you are, except that I am in the U.S. Right now and will be traveling to Africa, which part of the continent are you in? I am going to Ghana.

Afful Justicia

Please am in Africa Ghana , am interested in this recycling project, I've organize some plastic bottles, for about four months now, I want to really do something to help my community, to create jobs, but how to to build the machine's has become a problem, I have downloaded your videos alot, I've seen you went to Kenya, and I was really impressed, always wishing to start this project with you guy's. Hope to hear from you

Just like you, I want to give people jobs and make a nicer place to live

Anyone up for a chat about how to setup a basic plastic processing centre and making plastic tiles in one’s backyard?

1

Afful Justicia

Please am in Africa Ghana , am interested in this recycling project, I've organize some plastic bottles, for about four months now, I want to really do something to help my community, to create jobs, but how to to build the machine's has become a problem, I have downloaded your videos alot, I've seen you went to Kenya, and I was really impressed, always wishing to start this project with you guy's. Hope to hear from you

Hey, where exactly are you in Ghana? Paul (https://instagram.com/belikeearthworm?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=) from our Precious Plastic Version 4 team is currently based there working with Precious Plastic machines (with textiles in this case, but same machines). He might be able to connect you to some more of the local Precious Plastic community or generally people that can help with building machines! :) I'm very sure it's possible to build them there, I would say start with finding some metal workers who can cut and weld metal and they might then also know where to get a lot of other things from :)

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Hello everyone! I work at a laboratory in Oregon where we use a good amount of 50mL PP sample tubes with caps. These are not accepted as recycling by our local company, they are too small and are only accepted as trash. We are committed to keeping the plastic we use in the lab out of the landfills. I have been using the Precious Plastic community map for a few years now to find local recyclers in the Portland, OR area with chippers and other Precious Plastic machines. We have had some luck connecting with people, but have not found a solution that is big enough to accommodate the volume of plastic we have on a regular basis. The plastic is all PP and is clean and de-labeled. It has been successfully chipped and turned into various plastic goods over the years. We are not looking to sell it, just want it to be recycled. We do have interest in finding someone who can make a product out of our plastic that we would pay for the product and production, but that is not absolutely necessary. Mostly we are just looking to be able to network with others who have a need for free, clean plastic that would put it to good use and keep it out of the dump. It is probably best to have a local option around Oregon, USA but if anyone has other methods of dispersing this plastic to those who need it, we are open to any and all suggestions. Thank you all in advance for any assistance in helping us give this plastic a second life! (edited)

CoreLabJason

Hello everyone! I work at a laboratory in Oregon where we use a good amount of 50mL PP sample tubes with caps. These are not accepted as recycling by our local company, they are too small and are only accepted as trash. We are committed to keeping the plastic we use in the lab out of the landfills. I have been using the Precious Plastic community map for a few years now to find local recyclers in the Portland, OR area with chippers and other Precious Plastic machines. We have had some luck connecting with people, but have not found a solution that is big enough to accommodate the volume of plastic we have on a regular basis. The plastic is all PP and is clean and de-labeled. It has been successfully chipped and turned into various plastic goods over the years. We are not looking to sell it, just want it to be recycled. We do have interest in finding someone who can make a product out of our plastic that we would pay for the product and production, but that is not absolutely necessary. Mostly we are just looking to be able to network with others who have a need for free, clean plastic that would put it to good use and keep it out of the dump. It is probably best to have a local option around Oregon, USA but if anyone has other methods of dispersing this plastic to those who need it, we are open to any and all suggestions. Thank you all in advance for any assistance in helping us give this plastic a second life! (edited)

https://discord.gg/FKnK5FnGmk

Invite to join a server

Precious Plastic USA

open

1

CoreLabJason

Hello everyone! I work at a laboratory in Oregon where we use a good amount of 50mL PP sample tubes with caps. These are not accepted as recycling by our local company, they are too small and are only accepted as trash. We are committed to keeping the plastic we use in the lab out of the landfills. I have been using the Precious Plastic community map for a few years now to find local recyclers in the Portland, OR area with chippers and other Precious Plastic machines. We have had some luck connecting with people, but have not found a solution that is big enough to accommodate the volume of plastic we have on a regular basis. The plastic is all PP and is clean and de-labeled. It has been successfully chipped and turned into various plastic goods over the years. We are not looking to sell it, just want it to be recycled. We do have interest in finding someone who can make a product out of our plastic that we would pay for the product and production, but that is not absolutely necessary. Mostly we are just looking to be able to network with others who have a need for free, clean plastic that would put it to good use and keep it out of the dump. It is probably best to have a local option around Oregon, USA but if anyone has other methods of dispersing this plastic to those who need it, we are open to any and all suggestions. Thank you all in advance for any assistance in helping us give this plastic a second life! (edited)

Nice @CoreLabJason ! Probably best to contact someone on the map nearby in Oregon community.preciousplastic.com/map

1

Hello:) What glove do you use to melt and mix around in the oven? Cowhide leather sticks to it and a heat resistant glove with a PU surface will tear. I am looking for a suitable heat resistant glove because I take out the melted plastic by hand and roll and knead it. I would like to buy them from an EC site, so if you could give me the URL and the name of the product, that would be great.

exim

Hello:) What glove do you use to melt and mix around in the oven? Cowhide leather sticks to it and a heat resistant glove with a PU surface will tear. I am looking for a suitable heat resistant glove because I take out the melted plastic by hand and roll and knead it. I would like to buy them from an EC site, so if you could give me the URL and the name of the product, that would be great.

Search for silicone oven gloves

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Search for silicone oven gloves

Thanks:)

Please i have a relatively urgent question. Is the sheetpress capable of producing 2mm sheets?

Afful Justicia

Please am in Africa Ghana , am interested in this recycling project, I've organize some plastic bottles, for about four months now, I want to really do something to help my community, to create jobs, but how to to build the machine's has become a problem, I have downloaded your videos alot, I've seen you went to Kenya, and I was really impressed, always wishing to start this project with you guy's. Hope to hear from you

Hello Justicia, I wonder if we could create a partnership, I am in need of someone who could live in Ghana full time and help me run my business. My website is almost done

3:29 PM

Hey Justicia, I will / am in need of a huge team of workers who are willing to pick up the plastic waste, for a small salary. Could you tell me how many bottles per hour it an average person could pick up? thanks #ghana

3:29 PM

#Ghana

Hi.PE exists as a raw material for plastic bottle lids in addition to PP, but are you correctly separating and protecting the single material? I think it is difficult to distinguish between these two types using simple identification methods. I think many people use a mix of the two, but is it necessary to stick to a single material? Not only plastic bottle lids, recycling in a single material is best, but if it is difficult to do so, I believe that reusing a mixed product is far better for the environment than incinerating or burying it after a one-time use. However, I think it is also necessary to clearly indicate that the product is a mixed product and that it should be collected and reused again by itself. Please let me know your thoughts:)

Hi everyone! We are trying to make wall hangers from HDPE. However the base, that should lay flat against the wall curls up a bit after cooling (maybe because of mould shrinkage). I hope you are familiar with this issue, and can help me. ........... Because this is my first ever post in the Precious Plastic community, I would like to say a little about me. I was asked to help to manage a plastic workshop in Győr, Hungary. Our project is still in its infancy, but I hope we can work trough some problems and take steps forward. We have one injection machine and one shredder (which is weak, and has gaps between the teeth :(( ). If anyone is interested and would like to help me with a little mentoring, it would be much appreciated too. Have a great day :), Benedek!

Bebe

Hi everyone! We are trying to make wall hangers from HDPE. However the base, that should lay flat against the wall curls up a bit after cooling (maybe because of mould shrinkage). I hope you are familiar with this issue, and can help me. ........... Because this is my first ever post in the Precious Plastic community, I would like to say a little about me. I was asked to help to manage a plastic workshop in Győr, Hungary. Our project is still in its infancy, but I hope we can work trough some problems and take steps forward. We have one injection machine and one shredder (which is weak, and has gaps between the teeth :(( ). If anyone is interested and would like to help me with a little mentoring, it would be much appreciated too. Have a great day :), Benedek!

hey bebe! welcome to Precious Plastic

you need to keep some pressure on the cooling plastic, otherwise it is bound to warp. Your mould should be built keeping that in mind

Hope this helps, also maybe more appropriate conversation for #archived-products-and-moulds

Thank you!, I'm gonna put it in "products-and-moulds" too just in case. Our problem is that we have basically 0 budget, and it would be really expensive to redesign, so we can't afford to make another mould :((. But I'm interested in what you said. So after pouring in the plastic, should I unscrew the mould while it's still hot and clamp it down to a flat surface or something? I can share a few pic to give you an idea. And thank you again for the kind help.

IMG_1695.HEIC

2.04 MB

IMG_1703.HEIC

1.21 MB

How do you recycle PP plastic number 5 ?

2:02 AM

Does it become liquid ?

Bebe

Thank you!, I'm gonna put it in "products-and-moulds" too just in case. Our problem is that we have basically 0 budget, and it would be really expensive to redesign, so we can't afford to make another mould :((. But I'm interested in what you said. So after pouring in the plastic, should I unscrew the mould while it's still hot and clamp it down to a flat surface or something? I can share a few pic to give you an idea. And thank you again for the kind help.

The hangar you made looks nice. The idea for injection molding is you want to use a silicone spray on the metal mold then pour in the plastic then wait for it to cool then inject the pin. A good idea is to measure the hangar so you know how much plastic you need to fill up one

Alex_recycles and creates

How do you recycle PP plastic number 5 ?

Most plastics (including PP) become more like a chewing gum texture when they are at their melting temperature. Going higher in temperature will only burn it, so there's no true liquid stage

Alex_recycles and creates

Does it become liquid ?

PP become a lot more fluid, for my experience, but not liquid. HDPE from blow molded parts is a lot more solid than HDPE from injection molding, during melting, but PP have the tendency to become more fluid.

does anyone know if you can melt HDPE and LDPE together ?? they have similar chemical structures ?

TechDaddyTomerts

Hey Justicia, I will / am in need of a huge team of workers who are willing to pick up the plastic waste, for a small salary. Could you tell me how many bottles per hour it an average person could pick up? thanks #ghana

I would love to work with you but I am in Nigeria

1

Hey guy :I am having some issues with my sheet,after removing it from the cool press and cut it for construction.I discovered that some part are thicker than other,the middle of sheet less thicker

Alex_recycles and creates

does anyone know if you can melt HDPE and LDPE together ?? they have similar chemical structures ?

Good question

12:18 AM

Does anybody know if it is possible to use PET / PETE instead of HDPE for the "brick"

TechDaddyTomerts

Does anybody know if it is possible to use PET / PETE instead of HDPE for the "brick"

PETE is not the best for that HDPE better for bricks. PETE can be used for filament but not HDPE

Thanks. I understand that, but is is possible?

12:24 AM

if it is possible to compress the PET enough, it should be "strong" enough for something like a shed, right?

12:28 AM

The problem is, HDPE is not very popular in Ghana. therefore, I need to find a way to use PET

12:29 AM

Unless I could buy HDPE from others...

12:32 AM

Could I 3D print bricks?

Alex_recycles and creates

PETE is not the best for that HDPE better for bricks. PETE can be used for filament but not HDPE

I know PET is less dense / strong. But if I compress it enough (somehow) can I make it stronger?

TechDaddyTomerts

I know PET is less dense / strong. But if I compress it enough (somehow) can I make it stronger?

try to melt layers and layers on it

ok

1:16 AM

so layers is better than molds

1:16 AM

?

1:16 AM

thanks

I'm considering building a shredder to deal with the ongoing recycling of ABS hard palstic computer casings. The website info suggests an electric motor of 2.2 kw capacity downgraded to 70rpm. Will this do the job, or is a bigger macine required?

WCMSplastic

I'm considering building a shredder to deal with the ongoing recycling of ABS hard palstic computer casings. The website info suggests an electric motor of 2.2 kw capacity downgraded to 70rpm. Will this do the job, or is a bigger macine required?

I do not know FORSURE, but my best guess would be to get at least a 4.4 - 6kw

Not exactly sure when this will actually become a product, or how good it actually works but: https://plasticscanner.com

Jerry

Plastic Scanner. | Plastic Scanner

7:04 PM

its pretty snazzy

7:05 PM

This could be a game changer for small scale recyclers

TechDaddyTomerts

I do not know FORSURE, but my best guess would be to get at least a 4.4 - 6kw

Thank you - appreciated

1

Can plastic be recycled into "food grade" plastic (ie. used in packaging)?

xeroblaze

Can plastic be recycled into "food grade" plastic (ie. used in packaging)?

not really, because no one can ensure the cleanliness of it

TechDaddyTomerts

Not exactly sure when this will actually become a product, or how good it actually works but: https://plasticscanner.com

Really cool. Thanks for sharing the plastic scanner link!

xeroblaze

Can plastic be recycled into "food grade" plastic (ie. used in packaging)?

I was wondering about this as well, a food grade recycled plastic would open to a lot of possibilities. Maybe it could be but with additional processes

Brothers Make have some videos on food safe plastic on YouTube. They made some cutting boards out of HDPE, and go through various cleaning methods. You should have a look at their stuff

1

4hr_kat_nap

Brothers Make have some videos on food safe plastic on YouTube. They made some cutting boards out of HDPE, and go through various cleaning methods. You should have a look at their stuff

careful, they dont say its food grade, but they make those product for themselves, which somehow means its done under "their own risk" since they are not selling them to other people saying its safe.

2

Carolina

careful, they dont say its food grade, but they make those product for themselves, which somehow means its done under "their own risk" since they are not selling them to other people saying its safe.

Precious Plastic Melbourne do food safe products that are graded to qualify as food safe

Hugh

Precious Plastic Melbourne do food safe products that are graded to qualify as food safe

with precious plastic machines?

3:44 PM

the regulations might change depending on the country but from what i know in Chile and in Europe they have very specific regulation regarding the use of recycled plastic in food grade products. I visited a company in Chile and they said that they can only use a percentage of recycled plastic (outer layer) for food grade containers. and im talking about industrial manufacturing methods that are mch more under control, nothing to do with the PP way of recycling (edited)

Carolina

the regulations might change depending on the country but from what i know in Chile and in Europe they have very specific regulation regarding the use of recycled plastic in food grade products. I visited a company in Chile and they said that they can only use a percentage of recycled plastic (outer layer) for food grade containers. and im talking about industrial manufacturing methods that are mch more under control, nothing to do with the PP way of recycling (edited)

they had it graded through a group in china that qualifies for aus regulations

Carolina

with precious plastic machines?

i believe ones they made - but also comes from unused plastic bottle caps

Hugh

i believe ones they made - but also comes from unused plastic bottle caps

so industrial rejects? so technically clean, not washed by hand

(edited)

3:46 PM

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/plastics-and-plastic-recycling @4hr_kat_nap @bobo_cost @xeroblaze (edited)

Plastics and plastic recycling

In the European Union, plastic is one of the most common food contact materials. The materials should be manufactured in compliance with EU regulations.

Carolina

so industrial rejects? so technically clean, not washed by hand

(edited)

yes hahah

how much weight can a 1/4 inch thick hdpe sheet hold?

does anyone mix HDPE and LDPE together ? even thou they are different plastics. They have similar chemical structure

Alex_recycles and creates

does anyone mix HDPE and LDPE together ? even thou they are different plastics. They have similar chemical structure

Look at the melting temp. If the temps are dramatically different it will be very difficult to re melt together.

7:42 PM

Does anybody know how much weaker recycled PET plastic is vs virgin (un-recycled) PET plastic is?

7:42 PM

thanks

from recycled plastic to fungible plastic.. same meaning cooler name without the toxic legacy of the term recycling.. @Joseph (edited)

nfps

s?

4:23 PM

well it is kinda fungible, over and over

Hi, I don't know what cartridges to buy for a half-face respiratory, I found the "3M 6003 Acid Gas & Organic Vapor Cartridge", it says: "provides respiratory protection against certain organic vapors or acid gases. NIOSH approved against not more than 500 ppm organic vapors, 5 ppm chlorine, 25 ppm hydrogen chloride and 25 ppm sulfur dioxide, and is recommended for Pharmaceutical, Petrochemical, Utilities, Aluminum Reduction, Chemical Manufacturing, Laboratories, Pulp and Paper" Is it good enough? It's says that is recommended for Petrochemical processes so I think it should be okay but i would appreciate some advice

Hey weird question normally I recycle milk lids into colorful flower pots but just got about 50 pounds of pez dispensers which are polystyrene best i can tell but im having trouble melting them in my mold after shredding. I've tried 325f in my oven which is what the ldpe melts and and raising it but i just got semi burnt plastic instead of melting. any advice would be appreciated whether how to test melting temp better or recommendations. Currently using a hand welded compression mold if that matters.

Recyclverse

Hey weird question normally I recycle milk lids into colorful flower pots but just got about 50 pounds of pez dispensers which are polystyrene best i can tell but im having trouble melting them in my mold after shredding. I've tried 325f in my oven which is what the ldpe melts and and raising it but i just got semi burnt plastic instead of melting. any advice would be appreciated whether how to test melting temp better or recommendations. Currently using a hand welded compression mold if that matters.

Aren't them painted?

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Aren't them painted?

hadn't thought of that but some of the faces are painted.

Problem found!

Recyclverse

Hey weird question normally I recycle milk lids into colorful flower pots but just got about 50 pounds of pez dispensers which are polystyrene best i can tell but im having trouble melting them in my mold after shredding. I've tried 325f in my oven which is what the ldpe melts and and raising it but i just got semi burnt plastic instead of melting. any advice would be appreciated whether how to test melting temp better or recommendations. Currently using a hand welded compression mold if that matters.

can you share a picture of the plastic you are talking about?

if youtube-vids refer to melting steel by sunrays, will it work like with a plasticbag filled with water (as magnifying glass) to focus light for heating water in a pot to melt sliced plasticbottles than their lids or even them, if degrees could mold them? as I'm trying to use nature than electricity when reshaping upcycled materials.

I know PLA comes up sometimes in the chat, so if you were wondering if you can use PLA to make sheets, the answer is yes. Only one issue: The coloring from the plastic will stick to your moulding material (be it metal or silicone). So just be aware you might find instances of color contamination for the next 2-3 sheets/products you make.

5

4

could i use plastic caps for the extruder

hobbit

could i use plastic caps for the extruder

Sure - if you shred then first obviously :)

Alex_recycles and creates

does anyone mix HDPE and LDPE together ? even thou they are different plastics. They have similar chemical structure

I have tried melting hdpe & ldpe together but it was not a success. The plastics didn't bond together so the finished product was brittle. The main problem is the melting temperatures are quite different. To get it hot enough to melt the hdpe, the ldpe starts to burn

I am looking for some information on washing plastic. We are able to collect but need to find a good way of washing and drying. Any idears?

YBG90

I am looking for some information on washing plastic. We are able to collect but need to find a good way of washing and drying. Any idears?

i use a second hand (clothes) washing machine. It's not perfect but it's far better than doing nothing. If cleanliness is super important, then we use a tooth brush and soap. All is dried outside in the sun or if weather is bad we do small batches in an oven to help speed things up. Cleaning is not an easy small scale thing, unfortunately.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

i use a second hand (clothes) washing machine. It's not perfect but it's far better than doing nothing. If cleanliness is super important, then we use a tooth brush and soap. All is dried outside in the sun or if weather is bad we do small batches in an oven to help speed things up. Cleaning is not an easy small scale thing, unfortunately.

Thank you, I was thinking the same but am a bit worried about the chemicals that may have been in some containers as well as the waste water.

YBG90

Thank you, I was thinking the same but am a bit worried about the chemicals that may have been in some containers as well as the waste water.

Welcome to the club.

Just pay attention to what's potentially problematic for working with and don't use it. You're under no obligation to accept ANY or ALL plastic. Some people prewash before shredding and then wash again after shredding. For HDPE you can use a detergent or go crazy with caustic soda (NaOH) but it's hazardous to work with. I think you should hop over to #archived-washing though and perhaps you'll find different solutions.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Welcome to the club.

Just pay attention to what's potentially problematic for working with and don't use it. You're under no obligation to accept ANY or ALL plastic. Some people prewash before shredding and then wash again after shredding. For HDPE you can use a detergent or go crazy with caustic soda (NaOH) but it's hazardous to work with. I think you should hop over to #archived-washing though and perhaps you'll find different solutions.

Awesome thank you

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I know PLA comes up sometimes in the chat, so if you were wondering if you can use PLA to make sheets, the answer is yes. Only one issue: The coloring from the plastic will stick to your moulding material (be it metal or silicone). So just be aware you might find instances of color contamination for the next 2-3 sheets/products you make.

spray the mold with a silicon spray

Alex_recycles and creates

spray the mold with a silicon spray

I do and that does not work. It still sticks to silicone moulds and also steel plate.

hello. I'm using a pneumatic extruder, but I'm having a problem. The comb is extruded with HDPE, but the plastic does not reach the tip of the comb. In this case, what can I try to solve the problem? (The pressure of the compressor is about 0.9Mpa. Its maxium i think. And i tried to raise the temperature of the mold and heater, but that was not enough. I am trying injection at 200-210 degrees, is it possible to raise the temperature further?)

Jaeman

hello. I'm using a pneumatic extruder, but I'm having a problem. The comb is extruded with HDPE, but the plastic does not reach the tip of the comb. In this case, what can I try to solve the problem? (The pressure of the compressor is about 0.9Mpa. Its maxium i think. And i tried to raise the temperature of the mold and heater, but that was not enough. I am trying injection at 200-210 degrees, is it possible to raise the temperature further?)

You can only go up to 180 C

Jaeman

hello. I'm using a pneumatic extruder, but I'm having a problem. The comb is extruded with HDPE, but the plastic does not reach the tip of the comb. In this case, what can I try to solve the problem? (The pressure of the compressor is about 0.9Mpa. Its maxium i think. And i tried to raise the temperature of the mold and heater, but that was not enough. I am trying injection at 200-210 degrees, is it possible to raise the temperature further?)

And HDPE shrinks by 2 precent

Alex_recycles and creates

You can only go up to 180 C

Yes. I'm going to lower the temperature. Can you give me some advice on how to send the extruded plastic further? I want to solve the problem that the mold is not completely filled with plastic.

Jaeman

Yes. I'm going to lower the temperature. Can you give me some advice on how to send the extruded plastic further? I want to solve the problem that the mold is not completely filled with plastic.

I am not so sure I understand what machine do you have. Is it a injector or a extruder ? The pneumatic system is pushing a plunger or rotating a screw ? There is different things you can try, first is to go faster (faster moving plunger or faster rotation of the screw), then you can try raising the temperature of the plastic (do it step by step, but you can go up to 250°C with HDPE), then you can try heating your mould (but that takes time & energy), and finally I would think about changing plastic type. Some HDPE can be very viscous, either switch to PP to try or find a source of HDPE with a lower viscosity (either by testing, or if you buying plastic to a recycler, sometime they gives MFI number : the higher the less viscous).

Yann

I am not so sure I understand what machine do you have. Is it a injector or a extruder ? The pneumatic system is pushing a plunger or rotating a screw ? There is different things you can try, first is to go faster (faster moving plunger or faster rotation of the screw), then you can try raising the temperature of the plastic (do it step by step, but you can go up to 250°C with HDPE), then you can try heating your mould (but that takes time & energy), and finally I would think about changing plastic type. Some HDPE can be very viscous, either switch to PP to try or find a source of HDPE with a lower viscosity (either by testing, or if you buying plastic to a recycler, sometime they gives MFI number : the higher the less viscous).

You can only go up to 180 C with HDPE other wise it will start to burn

Jaeman

Yes. I'm going to lower the temperature. Can you give me some advice on how to send the extruded plastic further? I want to solve the problem that the mold is not completely filled with plastic.

With the extruder you want to warm it up for a few minutes then run the motor

Jaeman

Yes. I'm going to lower the temperature. Can you give me some advice on how to send the extruded plastic further? I want to solve the problem that the mold is not completely filled with plastic.

With HDPE shrinks by 2 percent when heated and expands when cooled

Jaeman

hello. I'm using a pneumatic extruder, but I'm having a problem. The comb is extruded with HDPE, but the plastic does not reach the tip of the comb. In this case, what can I try to solve the problem? (The pressure of the compressor is about 0.9Mpa. Its maxium i think. And i tried to raise the temperature of the mold and heater, but that was not enough. I am trying injection at 200-210 degrees, is it possible to raise the temperature further?)

Does your mould have enough air filters? So the air inside the mould can scape when plastic comes in

1

can somebody help me with the extruder cooling process

what do you need help with?

Does anyone make anything from bottle PET?

███████

Does anyone make anything from bottle PET?

Some people make filament for 3D printers

Could we turn plastic into fuel?

TechDaddyTomerts

Could we turn plastic into fuel?

Plastic itself can be a fuel. But you're probably talking about pyrolysis to extract some sort of liquid fuel from the plastic. Yes, it can be done.

Is there already a Discord recyclers server for that type of recycling>

5:30 AM

?

5:30 AM

if not I'll make one

5:31 AM

https://discord.gg/gnzYDdYf

Has anyone found uses for this fibrous plastic padding in meal delivery packages?

Ruben

Does your mould have enough air filters? So the air inside the mould can scape when plastic comes in

I solved the problem by applying your advice and increasing the diameter of the nozzle at the same time. thank you

When I inject plastic products for a few hours, yellow, transparent beads with a diameter of 2-3mm are created inside the nozzle of the injection machine. It is clear that the crushed plastic is free of these beads. It is believed to be made by melting plastic. This problem does not occur with white and clear plastics, but it does occur when injecting colored plastics. Does anyone know the cause? (I think the cause may be the additives that go together with plastic products)

https://scrapo.com/product/product/search?name=PET&user_search=1&category=96&condition=20

Hi everyone! I have recently come across a big waste stream of little round acrylic cut offs. I am looking in to joining them as they are, with the shape they have now, to each-other in to a big sphere/ball, so they overlay slightly. (hope it makes sense) And i am deabting whether to use heat or glue. Therefor I have two questions: 1) How toxic is Acrylic plastic to work with? i can't find any thing on the precious plastic website (I currently work with the mask recommended by PP) 2) Is there a glue that i can use that still would make the acrylic recyclable as acrylic and not make the materail non-recyclable?

Dan

Has anyone found uses for this fibrous plastic padding in meal delivery packages?

I peel off the plastic and roll the cotton into a tube and then use it for a large debris water filter for my aquaponics. Prob not the answer you were looking for but it's how I recycle it .

Hi, I have been collecting plastic to recycle, and I have noticed that a lot of them are labeled as HM2 52 as shown in the image. I couldn't find much information about it and I can't tell what type of plastic that is. Does anyone have any idea? (Also the location in which these types of plastic trash were found in is Myanmar) (edited)

6:44 PM

nicole._.0

Hi, I have been collecting plastic to recycle, and I have noticed that a lot of them are labeled as HM2 52 as shown in the image. I couldn't find much information about it and I can't tell what type of plastic that is. Does anyone have any idea? (Also the location in which these types of plastic trash were found in is Myanmar) (edited)

To determine if it is HDPE cut some of it off and put it in vegetable oil if. If it sinks to the middle or bottom it’s HDPE. If it floats its PP

3

Tysm!

nicole._.0

Hi, I have been collecting plastic to recycle, and I have noticed that a lot of them are labeled as HM2 52 as shown in the image. I couldn't find much information about it and I can't tell what type of plastic that is. Does anyone have any idea? (Also the location in which these types of plastic trash were found in is Myanmar) (edited)

https://youtu.be/kU38CAm59kc Heres what I do if labels are non-existant

Identifying HDPE vs Polypropylene (PP)

Anyone have any luck machining PLA?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

https://youtu.be/kU38CAm59kc Heres what I do if labels are non-existant

ty!

nicole._.0

Hi, I have been collecting plastic to recycle, and I have noticed that a lot of them are labeled as HM2 52 as shown in the image. I couldn't find much information about it and I can't tell what type of plastic that is. Does anyone have any idea? (Also the location in which these types of plastic trash were found in is Myanmar) (edited)

For a common rule, caps for PET bottles without any gasket, but with that rib that enter in the bottle thread to seal it, are PEHD. Not sure for caps with a gasket. Caps with a flexible hinge are made of PP. A good way to determine what plastic is to sort them by density as described. First of all, put them in water. PP and PEHD floats. After that, you can use vegetable oil, but your plastic comes out greased, or a mix of alcohol and water. To make the mix put two known part in a jar, one PEHD and the other PP, add a half of the jar of alcohol, they both sink in it, then add slowly water while stirring until the PP starts floating. That mix is a lot less messy than oil, since water and alcohol evaporates quickly.

I have a bit of an issue with plastic contamination and was wondering if there is a good well known way to remove particulate from plastic that is embedded in the actual material (not on surface). I am going to alter my nozzle to accept Filabot mesh filters but those are said to be only for small particles and not heavily contaminated material. Of course the blame really comes down to how I handled my material but I would also like to be able to recycle parts that get really dirty and are exposed to harsh environments. I was thinking maybe a special nozzle with a massive surface area of mesh filtering to increase the holding capacity of particulate. But I am not sure if this would be a good idea nor where to source mesh disks that large.

Erosion

I have a bit of an issue with plastic contamination and was wondering if there is a good well known way to remove particulate from plastic that is embedded in the actual material (not on surface). I am going to alter my nozzle to accept Filabot mesh filters but those are said to be only for small particles and not heavily contaminated material. Of course the blame really comes down to how I handled my material but I would also like to be able to recycle parts that get really dirty and are exposed to harsh environments. I was thinking maybe a special nozzle with a massive surface area of mesh filtering to increase the holding capacity of particulate. But I am not sure if this would be a good idea nor where to source mesh disks that large.

Just want to make sure I understand this, has the plastic already been melted and the contamination has been incorporated into the plastic?

If I'm reading this right, it sounds like it's all mixed up. I think you're going to be stuck with things unless you want an overly complicated solution for a temporary(?) problem.

I have the expectation that parts I will be shredding will have bits of dirt embedded a little and it's unlikely that all of it could be washed out before entering the extrusion process

3:07 PM

I'm thinking of a device like a steel tube press with a mesh filter at the end. May be easy to create and can filter out the junk

3:07 PM

Wouldn't have to worry about screw extrusion issues. Just heat the chamber and you're done. Can have a large diameter output for maximum flow and then I can simply regrind it and extrude it from the filament machine

Pen Muni

Dear one army, I would really appreciate it if you could help me find this answer. If I put sand in the extruder, will it go boom? I have seen videos where people are making durable products with plastic and sand. Like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7oUk10rKjE Where can I find information about how to mix in the correct proportion? Is there any proper research? Any lead would help. Much appreciated. Thank you, Most Sincerely, Fawaz Rob.

Dear Fawaz, hello everybody,

2:23 PM

have you news about roof tiles with plastic+sand?

2:26 PM

did you wacth this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufyLuCWeNco

Anuj Ramatri

Give Them Your Waste Plastic Wrappers To Recycle

2:27 PM

a curiosity: plastic shredded doesn't need to be washed?

2:28 PM

and last thing... a special extrusion has requested for sand+plastic

Erosion

I have the expectation that parts I will be shredding will have bits of dirt embedded a little and it's unlikely that all of it could be washed out before entering the extrusion process

Prewash, shred, wash again. You can use detergents, citric acid, or something stronger like NA0H/Sodium hydroxide/caustic acid which will clean things up quite a bit but just be mindful of the chemicals since they might irritate or cause chemical burns if you're not careful.

Embedded in the plastic as in has been extruded with the contaminants already and cannot be physically removed with washing

Got it. I think it may be possible to screen some of the stuff out, but you're likely still going to have contamination flowing through so i think it's going to be far more trouble than its worth. Now, you could run things through an extruder and change the color to black, that way the contamination at least wont be so noticeable but usually people dont want black.

Maria Raffaela

did you wacth this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufyLuCWeNco

This is very interesting video, I will copy it to the #archived-brick-dev as we apparently cannot forward a message to another channel ?

5:59 PM

Sand in the extruder would definitely cause trouble in the long run, as sand is abrasive, there is a high chance of pre-mature wear of the component. But this can potentially be improved using special steel grades.

6:01 PM

About washing, I would say it depend what you want to do ! If your goal is to get high quality object, with nice colors, not fumes everywhere when you work with the machine etc... washing is mandatory, before shredding and / or after. But in that specific case of the bricks mixed with sand, it is probably that the impurities contained in the plastic doesn't matter much in that process (it would still create a lot of fumes, and would still be a big health hazard).

Yann

Sand in the extruder would definitely cause trouble in the long run, as sand is abrasive, there is a high chance of pre-mature wear of the component. But this can potentially be improved using special steel grades.

#brick-dev? sorry but I don't know too much this discord platform, what does it mean?

1:00 PM

of course another extrusion it need, special and bigger than other we use only for plastic. about fumes, I think plastic in general create fume and that process could done with safety equipment.

1:01 PM

I would like to know if somebody knows about it and have practice on this argue

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Got it. I think it may be possible to screen some of the stuff out, but you're likely still going to have contamination flowing through so i think it's going to be far more trouble than its worth. Now, you could run things through an extruder and change the color to black, that way the contamination at least wont be so noticeable but usually people dont want black.

I'm going to expirement with some mesh filters from filabot and they recommend using mesh sizes 75% the sizd of your smallest nozzle. Supposedly this means it won't let any large enough chunks through. And since I'm creating mechanical parts looks doesn't matter to me. I'll let you know my findings about how often I have to replace the filter, I'm assuming a lot for some but if I get better about my initial cleaning it should be fine. Most of my issue is that I've been using the same regrind as extrusion test material so it got pretty dirty. But now I want to use it for printing so I'm going to try and recover it into a usable spool.

6:28 PM

And I come from using a filastruder, it wasn't powerful enough to run petg through with a mesh filter at the same time. I also blame the nozzle diameter of it being too small so there was a lot of pressure required to push the plastic through. But now I've got an actual proper screw system and a really strong barrel so it should be absolutely rock solid in being able to at least survive the pressures and it also has a pretty beefy motor comparably. So I'm excited to find out what I can do.

Erosion

And I come from using a filastruder, it wasn't powerful enough to run petg through with a mesh filter at the same time. I also blame the nozzle diameter of it being too small so there was a lot of pressure required to push the plastic through. But now I've got an actual proper screw system and a really strong barrel so it should be absolutely rock solid in being able to at least survive the pressures and it also has a pretty beefy motor comparably. So I'm excited to find out what I can do.

Good luck! i'm curious what your results will be like. I'm afraid to even try but i know that plenty of extruders (not precious plastic design) use mesh filters, so i guess....why wouldn't it work?

I think it worked for me in the past when I was using that filastruder but like I said, it was destroying itself and getting iron filings in the mesh clogging it prematurely. Honesly excited to see what this new system can do, I just need to machine this nozzle to fit the filters.

4:15 AM

(I also discovered how insanely important it is to dry PETG super well before extrusion as ANY moisture becomes air pockets inside the machine causing flow stalls)

4:16 AM

at least thats my theory, after extensive drying it hasnt done it so im happy. That was a major issue before I knew

4:16 AM

that and material inflow

4:16 AM

here check this out:

4:17 AM

wow nice. Yeah PETG and PLA suck up moisture. I have to remind myself this sometimes when I have issues.

Yeah my hopper isnt in place right now but I need to work on a lid that serves as a seal, and maybe have a small basket that holds a desiccant bag

well

8:42 PM

I have to delay the ping pong paddle for some time

8:43 PM

but I will be working on a hopper made from recycled HDPE

1

8:43 PM

this is for my extruder

I like the idea to build your recycling machines with recycled material!! The circularity at its best

1

Hello ladies and gents, im starting a little business with my wife. We got a company that gave us used dvd cases (n°5 plastic). There is still some soft plastic attached to it. We can remove 99% of it but the last percent is glued to the case (see photo). Is this gonna effect the quality of our upcycled product? Do you guys recommend smt to remove it from the case or doesnt it matter all that much ? Thanks in advance !!

6:35 PM

If you look at the outer right of the case, you can see the plastic that is glued to the case itself

Hey there, Just trying to find some research on the effects of PVC leaching into soil. I'm design something that will contain soil and food plants and want to understand the half life of PVC and if there are any ways around it such as lining the vesel with another material or if that is necessary. any leads are much appreciated!

Erik72

I'm pretty sure that's the same reason you shouldn't melt it.

do you think ultrasonic welding would also release fumes?

PP Richmond NZ

do you think ultrasonic welding would also release fumes?

I know absolutely nothing about ultrasonic welding. But if the process relies on heating the plastic, I would assume so.

Nobody can give me tips ?

1

Hi everyone, I am manufacturing panels with a sheet press and I relized that the panels start to warp and bend overtime. Did anyone experience that?

@jensdb Depends on what you want to do. Compression is a rather forgiving technic when it comes to contamination. Extrusion or Injection of small pieces could be more of a problem.

jensdb

Hello ladies and gents, im starting a little business with my wife. We got a company that gave us used dvd cases (n°5 plastic). There is still some soft plastic attached to it. We can remove 99% of it but the last percent is glued to the case (see photo). Is this gonna effect the quality of our upcycled product? Do you guys recommend smt to remove it from the case or doesnt it matter all that much ? Thanks in advance !!

Hello! so the cases are PP (5) right? I dont quite understand what you mean by the soft plastic thats attached to it. Could you decribe that a bit more (or take another picture?) Do you know what type of plastic is the plastic you are trying to remove??

Doruk Yıldırım

Hi everyone, I am manufacturing panels with a sheet press and I relized that the panels start to warp and bend overtime. Did anyone experience that?

Yes. Since we work with themoplastic they tend to move and be affected by the different temperature (weather) changes. Thats why is important that you store them flat and ideally with weight on top of them. Basically happens something similar to what happens with plywood panels.

Hello everyone, I would like to know what are the negative points of whether PP and HDPE?

I say this because I still have the difficulty of separating each type of plastic at the time of the shredder

Thanks in advance

Density test is one way to separate them

1

jensdb

Hello ladies and gents, im starting a little business with my wife. We got a company that gave us used dvd cases (n°5 plastic). There is still some soft plastic attached to it. We can remove 99% of it but the last percent is glued to the case (see photo). Is this gonna effect the quality of our upcycled product? Do you guys recommend smt to remove it from the case or doesnt it matter all that much ? Thanks in advance !!

There's a lot of trial and error you have to do to figure out what works in your workspace. If you can remove the glue, great. If not, it's difficult to say what effect it will have on your product results. You need to try it and see what happens, but start with a small batch first.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

There's a lot of trial and error you have to do to figure out what works in your workspace. If you can remove the glue, great. If not, it's difficult to say what effect it will have on your product results. You need to try it and see what happens, but start with a small batch first.

Usually its best to try to remove as much glue off as you can you can have a little bit on it the heat will burn off the glue not harming you plastic

1

Precious Plastic Espírito Santo

I say this because I still have the difficulty of separating each type of plastic at the time of the shredder

What method are you using to create products? usually if a little bit mixes in, it will be unnoticeable. If you're trying to process the plastic with a CNC machine or router, it will likely have more issues with PP. For me, most of my PP comes in container caps. If you squeeze them by hand and the plastic does not return to it's original shape, it's probably PP. If you squeeze a cap and it remains deformed, it is likely HDPE.

Doruk Yıldırım

Hi everyone, I am manufacturing panels with a sheet press and I relized that the panels start to warp and bend overtime. Did anyone experience that?

Project Kamp experienced this with their roof panels. Where are your panels being used? Are they kept indoors and not exposed to the elements or are they being used outside and are exposed and are warping there? Heat changes cause the plastics to expand and contract and there's tension that's in the plastic during the moulding process so heat will release some tension causing things to shift and move around a bit.

PP Richmond NZ

Hey there, Just trying to find some research on the effects of PVC leaching into soil. I'm design something that will contain soil and food plants and want to understand the half life of PVC and if there are any ways around it such as lining the vesel with another material or if that is necessary. any leads are much appreciated!

I would avoid using PVC in a garden. https://themicrogardener.com/is-pvc-plastic-safe-to-use-in-an-organic-garden/#:~:text=Research%20reports%20have%20found%20PVC,when%20it%20is%20disposed%20of.

PP Richmond NZ

do you think ultrasonic welding would also release fumes?

I've only seen the tool, but i believe it releases far less fumes than what most of our precious plastic workshops produce since the plastic welding takes place over a very short period of time.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

What method are you using to create products? usually if a little bit mixes in, it will be unnoticeable. If you're trying to process the plastic with a CNC machine or router, it will likely have more issues with PP. For me, most of my PP comes in container caps. If you squeeze them by hand and the plastic does not return to it's original shape, it's probably PP. If you squeeze a cap and it remains deformed, it is likely HDPE.

I use the injection machine to make the products. Thank you for the tips

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug They are indoors. I haven't used them yet, just storing them. There is a large A/C in front of them though, could that be the reason? The temperature changes between 16 to 30 degree celcius throughout the day.

Doruk Yıldırım

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug They are indoors. I haven't used them yet, just storing them. There is a large A/C in front of them though, could that be the reason? The temperature changes between 16 to 30 degree celcius throughout the day.

I think what's happening is that the plastic gets put under stress when pressed into sheets and this stress will cause warpage. I don't think there is a way around the warpage but it's something you have to find a way to manage.

Hi!

I need some urgent help with getting contract of sale for the machines that I intent to buy on the bazar. I'm getting a grant and these papers are required. #archived-bazar-sellers isn't available for me as #deleted-channel to request access. I'm not sure if I should contact each seller directly. I have 5 machines in my business plan.

Hello, I’m new here so sorry if this is in the incorrect channel! But seeking help in terms of where material will be actually reused/useful to someone else. I work for a company in London and a current project is creating a fair bit of HDPE waste - we’ve been using black 25mm thick sheets on a CNC machine so have a mixture of chunks of plastic (the random offcuts from our shapes) and then the swarf/chips that are being created when routing. Ideally would love for it to be used locally, but elsewhere in UK could also work. Any advice or contacts, or for more specifics/details feel free to message me directly

hev

Hello, I’m new here so sorry if this is in the incorrect channel! But seeking help in terms of where material will be actually reused/useful to someone else. I work for a company in London and a current project is creating a fair bit of HDPE waste - we’ve been using black 25mm thick sheets on a CNC machine so have a mixture of chunks of plastic (the random offcuts from our shapes) and then the swarf/chips that are being created when routing. Ideally would love for it to be used locally, but elsewhere in UK could also work. Any advice or contacts, or for more specifics/details feel free to message me directly

are you trying to recycle the waste ?

hev

Hello, I’m new here so sorry if this is in the incorrect channel! But seeking help in terms of where material will be actually reused/useful to someone else. I work for a company in London and a current project is creating a fair bit of HDPE waste - we’ve been using black 25mm thick sheets on a CNC machine so have a mixture of chunks of plastic (the random offcuts from our shapes) and then the swarf/chips that are being created when routing. Ideally would love for it to be used locally, but elsewhere in UK could also work. Any advice or contacts, or for more specifics/details feel free to message me directly

There's Nurdle over in Reading, they might be interested? you can drop them a line https://nurdle.org.uk/

admin

Home - Nurdle

WHAT DO WE DO? REMOVAL AND UPCYCLING OF MARINE DEBRIS FROM THE COASTLINE Microplastics are extremely hard to remove from the environment en masse. We're one of the worlds first organisations relentlessly focused on removing them from the natural world. We have three tools; a Trommel, micro plastic vacuums, and a large machine

dari.cycle

Hi!

I need some urgent help with getting contract of sale for the machines that I intent to buy on the bazar. I'm getting a grant and these papers are required. #archived-bazar-sellers isn't available for me as #deleted-channel to request access. I'm not sure if I should contact each seller directly. I have 5 machines in my business plan.

Wenn you buy the machine you get a document with all Infos you can present your accountings and investors.

10:45 PM

I was looking at this Bope Bope mural and I was wondering how he glued the plastic to the wall. What kind of glue is recommended for PP/HDPE?

Hey brothers and sisters, I am new with the idea of recycling and I really would love to start my thing, but the problem is with knowing the perfect material and the perfect ratio of adding additives in creating the lumbers or the beams , advises are really appreciated for those areas of concerns: 1- what is the best polymer to use for creating durable outdoor furniture, I once read before that the polymer#2 (HDPE) or #5 PP are the best to be used but here While scrolling in the old messages I saw a guy saying that we must avoid HDPE. 2- leading companies producing recycled outdoor furniture wrote before that they add UV-inhibited pigment and foaming compound and additives to the mixture but I don’t understand specifically what are these things. 3- working with the resulting beams in forming a chair for example is the same as working with wood using the same kits like (saw, drillers, nail, …etc) or there is a different way to work with plastic beams to make furniture. 4- how to color the extruded beams and how to make them having smooth surfaces ? By sanding ??

Contemplating a small sailing boat build using the iconic wharram Tahiti wayfarer design https://www.wharram.com/shop/building-plans/ethnic-designs/tahiti-wayfarer There is someone nearby with a large sheet press and was hoping to get some sheets made and modify the downloadable build plans to stitch and weld instead of stitch and epoxy. Hoping to get some experienced opinions on types of construction methods that might work for this as well as thoughts on the durability of different plastics under heavy UV and salt water conditions. Only planning to build the hulls from plastic and use small trees for the rest of the crossbeams and spars. Looking forward to hearing some opinions

Tahiti Wayfarer 21 Self-Build Boat Plans | James Wharram Designs

The Tahiti Wayfarer hull shape is derived from traditional dug-out canoes from Tahiti and Samoa, but built in stitch & glue ply/epoxy. All other components of the boat are constructed from materials found in nature. Crossbeams and spars are made from small trees and saplings with natural forks for jaws, stripped of bark and sculpturally finished...

Abdelkader

Hey brothers and sisters, I am new with the idea of recycling and I really would love to start my thing, but the problem is with knowing the perfect material and the perfect ratio of adding additives in creating the lumbers or the beams , advises are really appreciated for those areas of concerns: 1- what is the best polymer to use for creating durable outdoor furniture, I once read before that the polymer#2 (HDPE) or #5 PP are the best to be used but here While scrolling in the old messages I saw a guy saying that we must avoid HDPE. 2- leading companies producing recycled outdoor furniture wrote before that they add UV-inhibited pigment and foaming compound and additives to the mixture but I don’t understand specifically what are these things. 3- working with the resulting beams in forming a chair for example is the same as working with wood using the same kits like (saw, drillers, nail, …etc) or there is a different way to work with plastic beams to make furniture. 4- how to color the extruded beams and how to make them having smooth surfaces ? By sanding ??

PP is good but you have to extrude it or injection mold

Has anyone ever used a plastic welding tool like this?

12:41 PM

12:42 PM

When i made my speakers out of PP, i used scrap to solder the sheets together. This worked quite well, but took ages. I'm very curious if a machine like this would work and how strong the bond will be

Paul Bogaers

When i made my speakers out of PP, i used scrap to solder the sheets together. This worked quite well, but took ages. I'm very curious if a machine like this would work and how strong the bond will be

I just bought an attachment for my heat gun like this but unfortunately it's too small for my heat gun.

I tried but the attachment wanted to fall off. Will have to fix that and try again....

Can you change the temperature of your heatgun? I assume thats a nessecary featuee

Paul Bogaers

Can you change the temperature of your heatgun? I assume thats a nessecary featuee

Yes, it has a dial for temperature and high/low settings for the blower.

1

Paul Bogaers

Has anyone ever used a plastic welding tool like this?

Yes, I used one of those. I found it difficult to use, and the join where not really strong. But I also didn't use proper filament.

Yann

Yes, I used one of those. I found it difficult to use, and the join where not really strong. But I also didn't use proper filament.

What did you use as filament?

Just some leftover from the extrusion (so also recycled, maybe the filament need to be virgin plastic ?).

Hmm i would expect that recycled material should do just fine

Paul Bogaers

Has anyone ever used a plastic welding tool like this?

we did this how to during V4 https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/weld-plastic-heat-gun (edited)

Weld plastic: Heat gun

With the heat gun you can weld two pieces of the same plastic type together. Here you’ll find some tips for this technique.

2

Carolina

we did this how to during V4 https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/weld-plastic-heat-gun (edited)

Wow, super! Thats really helpfull. Very smart to chamfer the edges to increase surface area!

1

7:36 PM

Thanks!

Hey guys- I did my first and second melts of Hdpe using a sandwich press- initial goal was to make a simple flat board that I can use as a cutting board and to cut shapes out of to make other things etc. i thought if I pressed it down in the sandwich press then locked it closed that would ensure it didn’t warp whilst cooling but that didn’t work- it shrunk and warped within that small space. So I figure best thing is to get two pieces of wood and clamp it between them but I need to know what type of wood won’t bend or break under the pressure of the clamps- any advice?

Any thoughts on how to ID some plastic that doesn't have a resin ID code? I think it is HDPE - its a small carry case for tools etc. Is there any foolproof way to ID HDPE?

excowboy83

Any thoughts on how to ID some plastic that doesn't have a resin ID code? I think it is HDPE - its a small carry case for tools etc. Is there any foolproof way to ID HDPE?

you can do a density test to separate HDPE from PP

1

7:03 PM

Use vegetable oil HDPE sinks while PP floats

Meg

Hey guys- I did my first and second melts of Hdpe using a sandwich press- initial goal was to make a simple flat board that I can use as a cutting board and to cut shapes out of to make other things etc. i thought if I pressed it down in the sandwich press then locked it closed that would ensure it didn’t warp whilst cooling but that didn’t work- it shrunk and warped within that small space. So I figure best thing is to get two pieces of wood and clamp it between them but I need to know what type of wood won’t bend or break under the pressure of the clamps- any advice?

Ah i think I know what the problem is. Your plastic is melting into the shape inside your mould, but your plastic shrinks to a smaller size than your mould. It's not likely that the sandwich press is providing any pressure on the plastic once the plastic cools down, so you need to use a different press for cooling it down. I use plywood in my cold press, but anything straight and sturdy would be good. Just be sure you can press down evenly.

excowboy83

Any thoughts on how to ID some plastic that doesn't have a resin ID code? I think it is HDPE - its a small carry case for tools etc. Is there any foolproof way to ID HDPE?

Bend it. When you bend HDPE, it will deform and not want to go back to the shape it once was. When you bend PP, it has a better property for returning to the shape it originally was. Compare a plastic coke bottlecap with a mosquito spray cap or air freshener cap and you'll see and feel the difference.

1

Hi! We are making PS melt on a oven and we are having to issues: First our molde is made of steel (20×20 cm) and we put 2 stop inside the mold do we could give the thickness we want (8mm). Since we use that the thickness is the same all ove the sheet, but the topper part get rough (I think it could be air bubbles) Secondly, every time we try to make a white with transparent its "burns" and what was white now is yellowidh and the trandparent brownish (we are controlling the tempeture so it is around 170 C)

Gusfring

Hi! We are making PS melt on a oven and we are having to issues: First our molde is made of steel (20×20 cm) and we put 2 stop inside the mold do we could give the thickness we want (8mm). Since we use that the thickness is the same all ove the sheet, but the topper part get rough (I think it could be air bubbles) Secondly, every time we try to make a white with transparent its "burns" and what was white now is yellowidh and the trandparent brownish (we are controlling the tempeture so it is around 170 C)

are you using Styrofoam ? and PS is hard to recycle

Just dense PS, mainly Yogurt and hangers

I've been attempting an alternative way of producing Precious Plastic bricks ... via compressing PLA into the mould, and while cooling, the bricks are cracking to varying degrees.

2:51 AM

This occurred even after removing the outer walls of the mould before the plastic had completely cooled.

2:51 AM

What other methods might there be to combat this?

2:51 AM

Should I be trying this with another type of plastic instead?

Gusfring

Hi! We are making PS melt on a oven and we are having to issues: First our molde is made of steel (20×20 cm) and we put 2 stop inside the mold do we could give the thickness we want (8mm). Since we use that the thickness is the same all ove the sheet, but the topper part get rough (I think it could be air bubbles) Secondly, every time we try to make a white with transparent its "burns" and what was white now is yellowidh and the trandparent brownish (we are controlling the tempeture so it is around 170 C)

Most plastic doesn't like to be exposed to air while it's melting/melted. If you're using an oven, try and keep the cover on your mould as much as you can, otherwise the top will become burned and look bad.

Mortar Art (Melb, AU)

Should I be trying this with another type of plastic instead?

I've had PLA crack while making sheets,but it may have been mixed with PETG which could also explain the cracks. I've also made pla sheets with no cracks and I know my sheets are are longer than any surface of the brick mould, so it could be PLA expands and contracts more when it heats/cools or the temperature isn't just right, or some other issue

How thick were the sheets that you were making?

11:50 AM

I had some contamination, which resulted in rough surfaces ... I think with ABS ... you could see a printed part that wasn't fully melted and bonded to the rest of the brick.

11:50 AM

But the cracks appeared elsewhere. I later found some air pockets, which is a bit of an issue.

11:51 AM

I think that was due to not putting enough plastic in.

11:51 AM

The bricks made out of PLA definitely feel a bit brittle.

3-5mm for my sheets.

Ah, the brick is 10+mm thick.

11:58 AM

And has quite large geometry.

11:58 AM

I think volume is playing a role, in the amount of stresses while cooling.

I've made sheets as large as 2.5cm thick, but nothing to stop it from contracting as it cools which is what you're dealing with. Even extruding HDPE into a pot mould can cause too much pressure on the plastic and it will crack, it's super important to pay attention to geometry when designing moulds.

Yeah. My issue is I've got a form around the plastic, and that's constricting the directions it's shrinking in.

1:22 PM

I wasn't using mould release. I'm going to give that a try tomorrow.

1:23 PM

But part of the reason for that is my first experiment gave me super flat surfaces, and sharp corners, and that's a desireable outcome for my project.

1:23 PM

This is my second full brick.

1:23 PM

@Rory - Sustainable Design Studio you might find this interesting.

1:24 PM

This end of the brick is nearly perfect for my applications but if you look closer you can see cracks, and chips.

1:25 PM

More obvious problems.

1:26 PM

The next plastic I'm going to try will be ABS, which is significantly less brittle, when compared to PLA, albeit with similarly low shrinkage rates.

1:29 PM

Partially demoulded.

1:29 PM

The tool.

Gusfring

Just dense PS, mainly Yogurt and hangers

okay cause their are 2 types of PS

Mortar Art (Melb, AU)

This is my second full brick.

what was the temperature in the mold ?

Alex_recycles and creates

what was the temperature in the mold ?

About 200c according to thermistors inside the steel parts.

Mortar Art (Melb, AU)

About 200c according to thermistors inside the steel parts.

200C is too hot lower the temp to 170C

Oh? I found the plastic was still pretty viscous at that temp.

Mortar Art (Melb, AU)

Oh? I found the plastic was still pretty viscous at that temp.

ABS is not PLA or HDPE

This was PLA.

12:40 AM

ABS will be for the next one.

12:40 AM

Are you suggesting 170c for ABS?

200C to 210C be carful

12:42 AM

ABS will release fumes when melted

12:43 AM

you need a respirator

Again ... I have not melted ABS yet for this.

Mortar Art (Melb, AU)

Again ... I have not melted ABS yet for this.

just a heads up

I thought the melt temp for ABS was more like 230c.

its more of 200

Mortar Art (Melb, AU)

I thought the melt temp for ABS was more like 230c.

for melting ABS you need a respirator cause its toxic at viscosity

Yes, I'm aware.

12:48 AM

That's why I'm doing early experiments with PLA.

okay

Hey all! I was wondering, have any of you tried extruding from less dense plastics (like shredded fishing ropes in my case)? How did it turn out with the Extruder Pro? I'm worried the process is gonna be very much longer. Thank you beautiful community!

Abdelkader

Hey brothers and sisters, I am new with the idea of recycling and I really would love to start my thing, but the problem is with knowing the perfect material and the perfect ratio of adding additives in creating the lumbers or the beams , advises are really appreciated for those areas of concerns: 1- what is the best polymer to use for creating durable outdoor furniture, I once read before that the polymer#2 (HDPE) or #5 PP are the best to be used but here While scrolling in the old messages I saw a guy saying that we must avoid HDPE. 2- leading companies producing recycled outdoor furniture wrote before that they add UV-inhibited pigment and foaming compound and additives to the mixture but I don’t understand specifically what are these things. 3- working with the resulting beams in forming a chair for example is the same as working with wood using the same kits like (saw, drillers, nail, …etc) or there is a different way to work with plastic beams to make furniture. 4- how to color the extruded beams and how to make them having smooth surfaces ? By sanding ??

Does anyone have the answer to his questions, they are interesting!

jensdb

Does anyone have the answer to his questions, they are interesting!

Go over to #just-chatting and you'll find my response to the questions.

@Mortar Art (Melb, AU) - We’ve had a request for a .stl to potentially print these bricks from recycled materials on larger-scaled 3D printers - any chance you’d be willing to post pictures of the mold with measurements in brick-dev so we can create a 3D printable file of the Precious Plastics Brick? I think it’d make a great proof of concept for many larger printers utilizing recycled pellets.

Smarterer

@Mortar Art (Melb, AU) - We’ve had a request for a .stl to potentially print these bricks from recycled materials on larger-scaled 3D printers - any chance you’d be willing to post pictures of the mold with measurements in brick-dev so we can create a 3D printable file of the Precious Plastics Brick? I think it’d make a great proof of concept for many larger printers utilizing recycled pellets.

Oh, I didn't see there was a brick-dev channel. I'll pop an STL in there for you in a moment.

if the preciousplastic-bazar's guidelines refer to "raw materials" being accepted, but no "offering service" ...and if I'd plan to manually deliver them than hiring trucks or using fuel, is there a way to get plastic upcycled first just within the own region too? as I'm into collaborating with the ones who use machines, to gather materials so they could shred them for themself or one's who plan to shape things with its melted plastic then.

Lucidarior

if the preciousplastic-bazar's guidelines refer to "raw materials" being accepted, but no "offering service" ...and if I'd plan to manually deliver them than hiring trucks or using fuel, is there a way to get plastic upcycled first just within the own region too? as I'm into collaborating with the ones who use machines, to gather materials so they could shred them for themself or one's who plan to shape things with its melted plastic then.

I thing the best to do that at the moment would be to look on the map and find the closest workspace from where you are located. As shipping plastic can quickly be very expensive.

there's one across some districts but I hope for neighbors maybe using machines too than just this one place in the whole city, where I'm not even sure if I could offer unshreddered plastic there instead?

Are there any pigments that can be added to Hdpe without messing with its ability to be recycled in future? I’m an artist so I have lots of different pigments (powder, alcohol, acrylic ink, mica etc). Also would they let off fumes or burn when melting Hdpe in a sandwich press?

I dont think it is possible to melt hdpe or other plastics and not release any fumes. It is recommended to wear a good mask while doing this. I dont have a question to your first question, i only know that the more pure you let it, the better for its recycling ability in the future

Meg

Are there any pigments that can be added to Hdpe without messing with its ability to be recycled in future? I’m an artist so I have lots of different pigments (powder, alcohol, acrylic ink, mica etc). Also would they let off fumes or burn when melting Hdpe in a sandwich press?

Most HDPE already has pigments added to it unless it's that sort of clear/watered down milk color. 3 materials you can add: Iron Oxide - pigment used for many things including cosmetics and soaps, comes in a variety of colors Titanium Dioxide - often used in whitening foods but has UV protection qualities, comes in white only, do not expect to turn colored plastics white but instead more of a pastel color Carbon Black - this is the stuff that makes tires black, it has good UV protection qualities, it's in Black only. I have not tried this one but the others I have. Every time plastic is recycled it is degraded. Many plastics have different additives added to them so saying something is HDPE is really not the full picture. So don't worry too much about it, you won't be hurting things. The pigments listed come in powder form. You need to mix them up with your plastic. I do this with my extrusion machine and have never tried to mix it by hand. How much pigment to add? If your plastic weighs 100 grams, you can add 3% of that (3 grams) of pigment. So total weight is now 103g.

7:11 AM

I wouldnt worry about off gassing with these, it's not making it worse than what you already get by melting the plastic. Just dont go into the burning plastic territory.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Most HDPE already has pigments added to it unless it's that sort of clear/watered down milk color. 3 materials you can add: Iron Oxide - pigment used for many things including cosmetics and soaps, comes in a variety of colors Titanium Dioxide - often used in whitening foods but has UV protection qualities, comes in white only, do not expect to turn colored plastics white but instead more of a pastel color Carbon Black - this is the stuff that makes tires black, it has good UV protection qualities, it's in Black only. I have not tried this one but the others I have. Every time plastic is recycled it is degraded. Many plastics have different additives added to them so saying something is HDPE is really not the full picture. So don't worry too much about it, you won't be hurting things. The pigments listed come in powder form. You need to mix them up with your plastic. I do this with my extrusion machine and have never tried to mix it by hand. How much pigment to add? If your plastic weighs 100 grams, you can add 3% of that (3 grams) of pigment. So total weight is now 103g.

Awesome thank you. My biggest source of Hdpe has been milk bottles and the only lids that are Hdpe are almost all blue so I don’t have much variety in colour- I’d love to use recycled plastic as a medium rather to replace polymer clay but having only white and blue isn’t meeting my creative dreams. I heard yesterday that for these sorts of projects I could also use ldpe though and I have found heaps of lids in a huge variety of colours in ldpe so that may be a better material for me to work with but knowing that about pigments is super helpful to make good use of both (separately of course)

Meg

Awesome thank you. My biggest source of Hdpe has been milk bottles and the only lids that are Hdpe are almost all blue so I don’t have much variety in colour- I’d love to use recycled plastic as a medium rather to replace polymer clay but having only white and blue isn’t meeting my creative dreams. I heard yesterday that for these sorts of projects I could also use ldpe though and I have found heaps of lids in a huge variety of colours in ldpe so that may be a better material for me to work with but knowing that about pigments is super helpful to make good use of both (separately of course)

I hear you! You can also try getting bottle caps from plastic bottles, there's usually a good mix of colors with those and they're HDPE if they're coming from water bottles or soda bottles...basically any drink that's in a plastic bottle.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I hear you! You can also try getting bottle caps from plastic bottles, there's usually a good mix of colors with those and they're HDPE if they're coming from water bottles or soda bottles...basically any drink that's in a plastic bottle.

I’ve found a lot are missing their resin codes and I know coke doesn’t use Hdpe, I’m trying to find liquids with the right density to seperate Hdpe and ldpe. I’ve heard people from other countries say all bottle lids are Hdpe but in australia it’s quite a mix- ldpe is at least as common as Hdpe and about 50% aren’t marked.

9:28 AM

Oh and many are apparently polypropylene

Meg

I’ve found a lot are missing their resin codes and I know coke doesn’t use Hdpe, I’m trying to find liquids with the right density to seperate Hdpe and ldpe. I’ve heard people from other countries say all bottle lids are Hdpe but in australia it’s quite a mix- ldpe is at least as common as Hdpe and about 50% aren’t marked.

Ah hello down there. Over here in Indonesia from my observations, if it's a PET bottle that's used for beverages, the plastic bottlecap is HDPE. This means all coke plastic bottlecaps are HDPE, not pp. I can feel the difference if it's HDPE or PP. PP is more used for other containers that might store food or spices. I have some doubts that Australia is going to be much different, but i suppose i could be wrong. Find some properly labeled bottlecaps and compare them with eachother. then compare HDPE with PP and you'll quickly be able to tell the difference (edited)

Meg

I’ve found a lot are missing their resin codes and I know coke doesn’t use Hdpe, I’m trying to find liquids with the right density to seperate Hdpe and ldpe. I’ve heard people from other countries say all bottle lids are Hdpe but in australia it’s quite a mix- ldpe is at least as common as Hdpe and about 50% aren’t marked.

To sort between PP and HDPE you need just some water and some alcohol (I suggest ethanol or isopropanol as they are less or no harmful than methanol). You need a known PP part and a known HDPE part. Just put the parts in a container, add half the container volume of ethanol (all the parts sinks in it), then start adding water slowly, and stir, and then stop for a while. Repeat until the PP part is floating. I'm using this method and it is precise, using the same water/ethanol mixture since last year. Maybe take note of wich part is made of wich plastic. Here in Italy something like 80/90% of the containers is marked, but sometime it is marked wrong (like PP part marked PP but with number 4, and so on). Since I decided to use only PP and HDPE i usually start with the flame test for the unknown parts. If it is smokeless i try with the density test.

1

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

To sort between PP and HDPE you need just some water and some alcohol (I suggest ethanol or isopropanol as they are less or no harmful than methanol). You need a known PP part and a known HDPE part. Just put the parts in a container, add half the container volume of ethanol (all the parts sinks in it), then start adding water slowly, and stir, and then stop for a while. Repeat until the PP part is floating. I'm using this method and it is precise, using the same water/ethanol mixture since last year. Maybe take note of wich part is made of wich plastic. Here in Italy something like 80/90% of the containers is marked, but sometime it is marked wrong (like PP part marked PP but with number 4, and so on). Since I decided to use only PP and HDPE i usually start with the flame test for the unknown parts. If it is smokeless i try with the density test.

Omg that’s so helpful- I tried a water density test to try and figure out what is what but water is too dense. I found vegetable oil is also just a tiny bit too dense too and was going to do some further research into less dense liquids so knowing alcohol will work is awesome. 99% isopropyl is really expensive and hard to source right now but 70% is easy to get. I don’t use pp but I can work with ldpe and Hdpe so sorting the 3 out is important as I hate throwing so many unmarked lids in the bin.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Ah hello down there. Over here in Indonesia from my observations, if it's a PET bottle that's used for beverages, the plastic bottlecap is HDPE. This means all coke plastic bottlecaps are HDPE, not pp. I can feel the difference if it's HDPE or PP. PP is more used for other containers that might store food or spices. I have some doubts that Australia is going to be much different, but i suppose i could be wrong. Find some properly labeled bottlecaps and compare them with eachother. then compare HDPE with PP and you'll quickly be able to tell the difference (edited)

I haven’t got to the point of being able to confidently tell the difference by touch yet- you must have been doing this for a while

Meg

I haven’t got to the point of being able to confidently tell the difference by touch yet- you must have been doing this for a while

I forgot I made a video about this. https://youtu.be/kU38CAm59kc

Identifying HDPE vs Polypropylene (PP)

Been doing this for about 4 years but I think within the first few week of doing this I caught on to the differences

I'm not a fan of the density test using liquids. I understand it's importance, but I think it eats up too much time depending on how much plastic you're sorting through. Do i misidentify? Sure, it happens but not very often. Is it a big deal? Not really so long as it mixes well and incorporates together. (some will grumble at this)

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I forgot I made a video about this. https://youtu.be/kU38CAm59kc

That video has helped me quite a bit. Production has been going well

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Been doing this for about 4 years but I think within the first few week of doing this I caught on to the differences

I'm not a fan of the density test using liquids. I understand it's importance, but I think it eats up too much time depending on how much plastic you're sorting through. Do i misidentify? Sure, it happens but not very often. Is it a big deal? Not really so long as it mixes well and incorporates together. (some will grumble at this)

Thanks for the video- I guess I’ll see how I go and maybe liquid tests when I’m unsure or to be certain about ones I get a lot of- then I only have to check once but great to be able to recognise them identifying more quickly

Should HDPE be any more difficult to work with compared to LDPE? We’re having some difficulty with HDPE sticking to moulds in a way we’re not seeing with LDPE.

dmdd#1979

Hello everybody. We've just got our first injection machine and this in our first attempt with it

I would say there is a lot of room for improving...

How’d you go with this?

PeterD

Should HDPE be any more difficult to work with compared to LDPE? We’re having some difficulty with HDPE sticking to moulds in a way we’re not seeing with LDPE.

I've found that there's really two main factors for sticking plastic. 1. Release agent - sticky without it 2. Temperature - too high will cause plastic to off gas and also cause the release agent to fail (edited)

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I've found that there's really two main factors for sticking plastic. 1. Release agent - sticky without it 2. Temperature - too high will cause plastic to off gas and also cause the release agent to fail (edited)

We’re using WD40 silicone mold release. Still experimenting though. Temperature was 150 for HDPE which I assumed wasn’t hot enough judging by the flow rate of it. Wondering if draft angles is the problem

PeterD

We’re using WD40 silicone mold release. Still experimenting though. Temperature was 150 for HDPE which I assumed wasn’t hot enough judging by the flow rate of it. Wondering if draft angles is the problem

Hmm, what machine are you using?

PP Richmond NZ

Contemplating a small sailing boat build using the iconic wharram Tahiti wayfarer design https://www.wharram.com/shop/building-plans/ethnic-designs/tahiti-wayfarer There is someone nearby with a large sheet press and was hoping to get some sheets made and modify the downloadable build plans to stitch and weld instead of stitch and epoxy. Hoping to get some experienced opinions on types of construction methods that might work for this as well as thoughts on the durability of different plastics under heavy UV and salt water conditions. Only planning to build the hulls from plastic and use small trees for the rest of the crossbeams and spars. Looking forward to hearing some opinions

Why not. You could make molds for the ribs with shs or rhs steel tube cut in half and flange fitted for easy dismantling to get the product out. If its hdpe just weld reclaimed blue drums to the ribs. check these guys out. this is the concept you are suggesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI6MERf4sHg&t=95s

Praboe Fishing

PERAHU DRUM PLASTIK MESIN MOTOR HONDA SUPRA 125CC (Boat Building, P...

just wondering if anyone has a chart/poster or info for identifying soft plastic types (eg. LDPE, HDPE and PP) plastic packaging that doesn't have type printed on it?

Meg

Awesome thank you. My biggest source of Hdpe has been milk bottles and the only lids that are Hdpe are almost all blue so I don’t have much variety in colour- I’d love to use recycled plastic as a medium rather to replace polymer clay but having only white and blue isn’t meeting my creative dreams. I heard yesterday that for these sorts of projects I could also use ldpe though and I have found heaps of lids in a huge variety of colours in ldpe so that may be a better material for me to work with but knowing that about pigments is super helpful to make good use of both (separately of course)

Hi Meg, In Australia I found all 2 Litre and 3 Litre milk bottles are HDPE and the lids are also HDPE. However, the 1 litre milk bottle lids are LDPE, as are all the 600ml flavoured milks. Just about all the soda pet bottle lids are HDPE with (i think) exception of the Lipton Ice teas (lovely yellow), i think these are PP. Some larger 2 and 3 litre juice bottles are not all HDPE some are PP.

Geoff (PBI NTB)

Hi Meg, In Australia I found all 2 Litre and 3 Litre milk bottles are HDPE and the lids are also HDPE. However, the 1 litre milk bottle lids are LDPE, as are all the 600ml flavoured milks. Just about all the soda pet bottle lids are HDPE with (i think) exception of the Lipton Ice teas (lovely yellow), i think these are PP. Some larger 2 and 3 litre juice bottles are not all HDPE some are PP.

Thank you for all this info- I’ve started to find these patterns too but still exceptions between brands. The 1litre soy milk bottles are PET but I can use the caps, found nice silver Hdpe on the Diet Coke bottles (assuming all coke bottles are the same, just haven’t come across any of those lids). Wish I knew where I could get fortisip bottles as I love the marbled effect they give, ironically I used to drink them when I was acutely sick and hated it but now I want those bottles! Anyway steadily building up my knowledge around these different plastics and where to find what.

Hello. Please tell me about the surface finish. The material is PP and we are using an oven and a mold to create the board. I would like to do a mirror polish, but I can't get it right. I am using an Orbit sander and working with #60-1200, #1500-10000 for water polishing, and #10000-12000 equivalent compound, each in turn, in small portions. The surface will be very smooth, but we cannot obtain luster. After consulting with a car dealer I know, I was told that some materials do not obtain luster no matter how much polishing is done. I would like to know if my method is wrong or if it is the material.

exim

Hello. Please tell me about the surface finish. The material is PP and we are using an oven and a mold to create the board. I would like to do a mirror polish, but I can't get it right. I am using an Orbit sander and working with #60-1200, #1500-10000 for water polishing, and #10000-12000 equivalent compound, each in turn, in small portions. The surface will be very smooth, but we cannot obtain luster. After consulting with a car dealer I know, I was told that some materials do not obtain luster no matter how much polishing is done. I would like to know if my method is wrong or if it is the material.

I'm not an expert, but I've been reading and watching a lot of videos about this and surface finish is very dependent on the type of plastic and the quality of the mold. The smoother your mold is the better finish on your final product -- but softer plastics like HDPE will never get as smooth and shiny as harder ones like PS. I'm not sure where PP is on that scale, but I think it may be on the softer side.

1

Graveheist

I'm not an expert, but I've been reading and watching a lot of videos about this and surface finish is very dependent on the type of plastic and the quality of the mold. The smoother your mold is the better finish on your final product -- but softer plastics like HDPE will never get as smooth and shiny as harder ones like PS. I'm not sure where PP is on that scale, but I think it may be on the softer side.

Thanks.I watched a YouTube video of Precious Plastic and thought it could produce a matte or mirror finish. Does the way the raw waste plastic is molded affect the polish as much as the ease of our processing? The molded state is somewhat shiny, but if we polish to remove crimps and irregularities, we can't restore that luster either. Heating the surface can restore the luster, but it is not possible because it will be uneven. Is this a problem at the molecular level? We are not considering clear coating or urethane coating. I am not thinking of clear coating or urethane coating, even if there are some differences depending on the type of plastic. Is it a mistake to think that all plastics can be made glossy? (edited)

exim

Thanks.I watched a YouTube video of Precious Plastic and thought it could produce a matte or mirror finish. Does the way the raw waste plastic is molded affect the polish as much as the ease of our processing? The molded state is somewhat shiny, but if we polish to remove crimps and irregularities, we can't restore that luster either. Heating the surface can restore the luster, but it is not possible because it will be uneven. Is this a problem at the molecular level? We are not considering clear coating or urethane coating. I am not thinking of clear coating or urethane coating, even if there are some differences depending on the type of plastic. Is it a mistake to think that all plastics can be made glossy? (edited)

Apologies if you've already seen this one, but in this video Dave talks about the different properties of soft vs. hard plastics and the results you can get from polishing. He confirms in this video that PP is a soft plastic, so it'll never be as mirror-smooth as a hard plastic like PS, but with a good smooth mold (or heat treatment like you mentioned) you can get it somewhat shiny. https://youtu.be/JwdlLelQWws

Precious Plastic - How to finish objects from recycled plastic (par...

Graveheist

Apologies if you've already seen this one, but in this video Dave talks about the different properties of soft vs. hard plastics and the results you can get from polishing. He confirms in this video that PP is a soft plastic, so it'll never be as mirror-smooth as a hard plastic like PS, but with a good smooth mold (or heat treatment like you mentioned) you can get it somewhat shiny. https://youtu.be/JwdlLelQWws

I was watching exactly this video! But since I don't speak English, I had subtitles but they didn't translate correctly so I couldn't understand what they were saying. Is the video telling us that the yellow blocks are soft and the orange are hard? I know this is a really embarrassing question, but please help me.

Certainly! The yellow block on the left is PP, a soft plastic; the middle white block is PS, and the right red block is ABS, which are both hard plastics. All three were finished with the same techniques (sanding, polishing, etc) to show the difference between finishing soft and hard plastics.

3:13 AM

After the block demonstration he talks about how it's best to invest in a really good mould if you're working with soft plastic, so that you can minimize the amount of finishing it needs. He then demonstrates how you can do some simple finishing with a sharp knife on soft plastic (with the green bowl) to avoid sanding.

3:13 AM

The knife creates just enough friction to heat the surface you're scraping to give a smoother finish.

Graveheist

After the block demonstration he talks about how it's best to invest in a really good mould if you're working with soft plastic, so that you can minimize the amount of finishing it needs. He then demonstrates how you can do some simple finishing with a sharp knife on soft plastic (with the green bowl) to avoid sanding.

I finally understand. I had been misinterpreting that video for a long time. If you want a glossy finish on a soft material, then the mold is important and polishing is not the way to go. Unless you prefer a matte finish. I understand very well. I actually flattened the surface with an automatic planer, but it left knife marks that I had to work over and over, thinking that polishing it hard would give me the best finish. I should have asked the question earlier.

Graveheist

The knife creates just enough friction to heat the surface you're scraping to give a smoother finish.

Please let me know if you can figure it out. I am using an oven and a die (sandwiched between a top plate, middle plate, and bottom plate) to make boards. I always get a nice finish on one side, but the other side has dents, crimps, and dings caused by air bubbles. What are possible causes for this?

I hope you're able to get the finish you're looking for! You might want to experiment scraping the surface with a razor blade (like he does with the green block) to see if that helps remove the knife marks. You can also "patch" any gouges with a little extra molten plastic of the same color, then scrape it smooth with a blade. I've seen this done in a Brothers Make video, but they weren't going for a super shiny surface.

exim

Please let me know if you can figure it out. I am using an oven and a die (sandwiched between a top plate, middle plate, and bottom plate) to make boards. I always get a nice finish on one side, but the other side has dents, crimps, and dings caused by air bubbles. What are possible causes for this?

This could be caused by the raw plastic being damp, if there's any condensation in the plastic chips/flakes it will evaporate during melting and cause bubbles.

3:22 AM

If it's very humid where you are you might want to look into methods of drying the plastic before melting.

3:23 AM

It could also maybe be a lack of pressure in the mould, though I feel like it's more likely to be a moisture issue.

Graveheist

I hope you're able to get the finish you're looking for! You might want to experiment scraping the surface with a razor blade (like he does with the green block) to see if that helps remove the knife marks. You can also "patch" any gouges with a little extra molten plastic of the same color, then scrape it smooth with a blade. I've seen this done in a Brothers Make video, but they weren't going for a super shiny surface.

Thanks! I will give it a try.

Graveheist

It could also maybe be a lack of pressure in the mould, though I feel like it's more likely to be a moisture issue.

I think the humidity is high as you say. I see. Very informative. Thank you very much

My pleasure! Best of luck with your experiments :D

exim

Thanks! I will give it a try.

One last thing you might try! In this video they're using HDPE, but by using what I think are automotive polishing tools they get a very shiny finish (for soft plastic, at least!) There's also a demonstration of how you can patch small holes with a bit of melted plastic. (Skip to around 5:18 for the patching and polishing) https://youtu.be/jx2B55YG4SY

Cutting Board made from Recycled HDPE Plastic

1

Graveheist

One last thing you might try! In this video they're using HDPE, but by using what I think are automotive polishing tools they get a very shiny finish (for soft plastic, at least!) There's also a demonstration of how you can patch small holes with a bit of melted plastic. (Skip to around 5:18 for the patching and polishing) https://youtu.be/jx2B55YG4SY

In fact, we had seen this video, and we thought we could get the luster. In my case, I have done the polishing more finely, but I could not get the luster like theirs. Another reference I used was the resin table polishing method. It is a very transparent finish. My polishing method is in line with theirs, so it is a finer process than usual. I was originally going to polish the LDPE board as well, but since it is a soft material, I don't think it would work. I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks.

Graveheist

One last thing you might try! In this video they're using HDPE, but by using what I think are automotive polishing tools they get a very shiny finish (for soft plastic, at least!) There's also a demonstration of how you can patch small holes with a bit of melted plastic. (Skip to around 5:18 for the patching and polishing) https://youtu.be/jx2B55YG4SY

We also tried with LDPE, but it is a softer material than PP, so the result goes without saying. In conclusion, "Nothing is the prettiest" except PP PE, which I am afraid to handle, so I give up mirror finishing. Thank you very much for your kind instruction. Now I'm moving forward again

Hi everyone! My name is Jorge, im barely starting in this recycling and plastic world but already have a social proyect that involves making plastic flooring, im thinking of making something very simple with hexagonal molds, but i have a couple cuestions that i hope maybe you guys could help me with... 1. First and most important... What can i use to "glue" the tiles to concrete floor, Could traditional mortar work? 2. Would you recomend any special treatment on the plastic for outdoor use? Im not sure if the constant sun exposure would damage the material

LARZ

Hi everyone! My name is Jorge, im barely starting in this recycling and plastic world but already have a social proyect that involves making plastic flooring, im thinking of making something very simple with hexagonal molds, but i have a couple cuestions that i hope maybe you guys could help me with... 1. First and most important... What can i use to "glue" the tiles to concrete floor, Could traditional mortar work? 2. Would you recomend any special treatment on the plastic for outdoor use? Im not sure if the constant sun exposure would damage the material

Hello Jorge! I'm still new to all this myself but I've been doing a lot of research so I'll try to answer what I can: 1. It depends on what kind of plastic you're planning to use, some of them are notoriously difficult to glue (HDPE, for example). What plastic are you using? 2) All plastics will degrade under UV light, and need additives to stabilize them if you're going to use them outdoors. Unfortunately this makes the manufacturing process more complex, and makes the plastic harder to recycle in the future. There are a number of different additives with various properties depending on the end use of the product.

Dang, thats exactly waht i plan on using, HDPE

LARZ

Dang, thats exactly waht i plan on using, HDPE

I haven't read it in full, but this article talks about the reason why HDPE is difficult to glue and some possible solutions and alternatives: https://resin-expert.com/en/guide/how-to-glue-hdpe

resin-expert

How to Glue HDPE - Finding and Using the Best HDPE Adhesive

A Look at Plastics and HDPE ✔ Bonding HDPE ✔ Our Top Three Products for the Best Glue for HDPE ✔ How to Glue HDPE ✔

11:07 PM

You can "weld" HDPE to itself with heat, so perhaps a system where an HDPE base plate was nailed/screwed down and the HDPE tiles welded to it would work (though that sounds needlessly complicated). (edited)

LARZ

Hi everyone! My name is Jorge, im barely starting in this recycling and plastic world but already have a social proyect that involves making plastic flooring, im thinking of making something very simple with hexagonal molds, but i have a couple cuestions that i hope maybe you guys could help me with... 1. First and most important... What can i use to "glue" the tiles to concrete floor, Could traditional mortar work? 2. Would you recomend any special treatment on the plastic for outdoor use? Im not sure if the constant sun exposure would damage the material

Hi Jorge, maybe look at a modular interlocking system instead of glue. Like laminate flooring systems.

I am curious if anyone here has used Rit dye to color HDPE plastic? What I am thinking is coloring flakes with Rit Dye and then using the colored flakes in a mold. Has anyone tried this or seen this work? Here is a great YouTube video on dying plastic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU_MUshPVUg

Team Panic

How to dye Hdpe (Tutorial)

FYI, DO NOT use powder coating powder as pigment in your extrusion machine. I tried it, It set and stuck to the extrusion screw, which then the screw would not move plastic. I had to pull the screw out of the barrel (while hot) and scrape all the powdercoat powder off. It was a sticky mess.

1

Graveheist

Hello Jorge! I'm still new to all this myself but I've been doing a lot of research so I'll try to answer what I can: 1. It depends on what kind of plastic you're planning to use, some of them are notoriously difficult to glue (HDPE, for example). What plastic are you using? 2) All plastics will degrade under UV light, and need additives to stabilize them if you're going to use them outdoors. Unfortunately this makes the manufacturing process more complex, and makes the plastic harder to recycle in the future. There are a number of different additives with various properties depending on the end use of the product.

finely powdered charcoal works, and graphite works even nicer.

Hi, does Someone knows how could I get the Plastic Scanner created by Jerry de Vos?

This scanner is under development, it is not a finished product nor close to it

Hello everyone, I'm new at extrusing and I started building bricks and beams. How do you do to take the beams out of the molds but in a smooth way, cause it take a lot of time and energy cause I have to use a hammer

I use HDPE and PP, and what speed you use at the screw ? Cause my extrution machine is quiet big and I just make beams of 2,5mt * 0.7cm*0.3cm in 40 minutes. I'm using a 36rpm speed at the screw.

@Oscar Cornejo have you tried coating the material with a release agent? There are simple oils with a smoke point above 450F that help the plastic to not stick to the interior of the mold. There are also professional release agents like boron nitride or ceramic wax that have far higher temperature tolerance.

1

Thank you

Oscar Cornejo

Hello everyone, I'm new at extrusing and I started building bricks and beams. How do you do to take the beams out of the molds but in a smooth way, cause it take a lot of time and energy cause I have to use a hammer

I use HDPE and PP, and what speed you use at the screw ? Cause my extrution machine is quiet big and I just make beams of 2,5mt * 0.7cm*0.3cm in 40 minutes. I'm using a 36rpm speed at the screw.

From what I learned... Extruding HDPE into a larger square hollow tube (9cm x 6cm x 1.5m), it seems that my machine would push in a lot of air which would cause the beam to deform significantly when it cooled off and it would get stuck inside the beam. PP doesn't seem to have this issue for me. I gave up on this size and went for a custom made 2 piece mould so i can open up the mould and remove the plank. It's more work but results are consistant and i don't deal with them being stuck. Some of the first planks i made were 7kg and took 3 hours to extrude. With the extrusion pro it now takes me 1 hour....still a long time for 7kg. For these long jobs you might need a heater for your mould to keep things moving.

1

Thank you Ben, what I will try tomorrow is to get another wider mould, I make a big bench of 12cm12cm 2mts and it took me 2hs, I will change the mould and hope it won't deform, I'll try 120rpm, 150-175-175 degrees, for the small beams 2,52,52mts I use oil inside the mould so it can get out very smooth and it works. So maybe it can help you, cause it was difficult to find silicon for high temperature here in the north of Peru

4:51 AM

Oscar Cornejo

Thank you Ben, what I will try tomorrow is to get another wider mould, I make a big bench of 12cm12cm 2mts and it took me 2hs, I will change the mould and hope it won't deform, I'll try 120rpm, 150-175-175 degrees, for the small beams 2,52,52mts I use oil inside the mould so it can get out very smooth and it works. So maybe it can help you, cause it was difficult to find silicon for high temperature here in the north of Peru

I have no problem finding silicone release agent here in Indonesia. Some oils work better than others for alternatives but fortunately that's not one of the problems i have to deal with

1

3:50 PM

this section here looks like it's deformed and pulling in. If it deforms too much, it can push out on the edges and not slide out as expected which is unfortunate.

3:52 PM

an alternative to this shape is to use steel pipe. I've found that round works well, but it's not always a shape people want. Your temperatures seem low to me. Usually i have mine set closer to 200 degrees. I'll even max out my RPM but i havent checked what my RPMs are.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

an alternative to this shape is to use steel pipe. I've found that round works well, but it's not always a shape people want. Your temperatures seem low to me. Usually i have mine set closer to 200 degrees. I'll even max out my RPM but i havent checked what my RPMs are.

Thanks a lot, yep, I'm using Just 36-37 rpm AND 165-175-170 degrees, with a Max of 180 degrees, could be a problem too?

Oscar Cornejo

Thanks a lot, yep, I'm using Just 36-37 rpm AND 165-175-170 degrees, with a Max of 180 degrees, could be a problem too?

i think higher temps allow for better flow unless you go too high. Sunken areas like this i think are caused by air bubbles inside. As the air bubble cools down, it creates a vacuum which pulls in the plastic. Let me take a photo of something i have that is a more extreme case of this....

1

3:25 AM

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

i think higher temps allow for better flow unless you go too high. Sunken areas like this i think are caused by air bubbles inside. As the air bubble cools down, it creates a vacuum which pulls in the plastic. Let me take a photo of something i have that is a more extreme case of this....

Thanks, could be def air, I will try to buy another gear box tomorrow, I have a 1750rpm motor, but I have a worm gear box now and it reduce 40/1, so the fastest I can get is 43rpm

3:27 AM

I had the same problem,.but I thought that It was because of the high temps

Oscar Cornejo

Thanks, could be def air, I will try to buy another gear box tomorrow, I have a 1750rpm motor, but I have a worm gear box now and it reduce 40/1, so the fastest I can get is 43rpm

what is your plastic source? is it plastic flakes or plastic pellets? I've had issues where my plastic flakes were too big which became an obstruction for feeding in plastic

3:28 AM

the air issue can be from contamination, high temps, or some mechanical issue like a blockage in the plastic feed

1

3:29 AM

Honestly, i think the screw design is not designed to deal with trapped air so there will always be air bubbles in our extrusions. But we can do things to help minimize it.

I collect HDPE from banano bags, we have 300 tones a year in my area, it was a big issue, so I decided to take action, thanks to you that inspired me (when you i ment PP), so I open a factory I shredded, wash,dry and aglutinade the plastic

3:30 AM

So finally I decided to start with extruding

3:32 AM

Oscar Cornejo

Click to see attachment 🖼️

wow that is impressive.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Honestly, i think the screw design is not designed to deal with trapped air so there will always be air bubbles in our extrusions. But we can do things to help minimize it.

When I use plastic like sand, with the aglutinator it gets better instead of when I have bigger particules

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

wow that is impressive.

Thanks you, that's up to precious plastic guys :),.but I'm having issues cause if I don't get 3 beams per hour, the project will drawn

3:35 AM

So I'm looking the way to get at list 45kg per hour from my extrution machine

that significantly helps. Plastic size is ok, so likely your flow issues are extrusion speed. This could be as simple as increasing RPM or more complicated like taking apart the screw and barrel and make sure the tolerance is still good between the screw and the barrel

Cause according to the theory it can be faster

sometimes people dont build the extrusion screws to proper specification, for example the feed zone might be too shallow/not deep enough so not enough plastic can enter the machine

1

I started with 13rpm, and it took me 4.and a half hours, now it takes 1 hour

i think i run mine around 60rpm

1

3:37 AM

maybe faster.... i need to make some planks today, i'll let you know what i have

Now I have 37, my screw has 52mm and 90cm of effective length

3:38 AM

So I will try 120 or 90 at list tomorrow

3:39 AM

Thanks a lot Ben, I will keep you updated if it works or not , the screw and barrel are ok.. so it may be just the rpm, buy I'm afraid that the screw will break down

that should help significantly. I might change out my gearbox to help improve my flow but i'm not sure if it'll help or cause issues with air entering the barrel.

3:42 AM

I think you should raise your temperatures a little, maybe add 10 degrees when you increase RPM. More plastic entering means more material needs to be heated up. There will be more friction in the machine which also will help with heat but it will put more stress on the screw and barrel

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

that should help significantly. I might change out my gearbox to help improve my flow but i'm not sure if it'll help or cause issues with air entering the barrel.

Air is a problem no? I will try it tomorrow with the HDPE almost like sand, and if it works I will let you know inmediately

on the plus side, you're not extruding into a closed mould so there's less pressure on the machine

1

3:43 AM

Awesome, good luck Oscar!

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I think you should raise your temperatures a little, maybe add 10 degrees when you increase RPM. More plastic entering means more material needs to be heated up. There will be more friction in the machine which also will help with heat but it will put more stress on the screw and barrel

A friend told me not to High the temperature because of the friction, cause when the temperature get higher smoke shows up, but when is cooler it gets out beautiful.

Hey, whatever works, right?

if it works don't mess with it

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Hey, whatever works, right?

if it works don't mess with it

Thank you again, and I didn't think about the stress of the screw and barrel related to the friction

Oscar Cornejo

Thank you again, and I didn't think about the stress of the screw and barrel related to the friction

My machine runs max at 350rpm

Hi guys, I hope everyone is well. I have just finished setting up my injection machine and I will be working mainly with PP and HDPE, I understand that to avoid toxic fumes I need to heat the materials up below their melting temperature but to a point where they plastic deformation can occur. Does anyone here have any details recommended by Precious Plastics or a working temperature that they have used and has been working for them? I found this file in the injection starter kit and although it has the info for PP and other plastics, it is missing HDPE and the image of flowing plastic is not very clear to me at what temperature I should work.

Melting-Temperatures_A1.pdf

2.55 MB

9:55 AM

I have also found this site which seems very informative: http://www.viewmold.com/sources/Plastic_resin_injection_molding_processing_condition/HDPE_injection_molding_processing_condition.html

HDPE injection molding processing condition

This topic describes HDPE material characteristics to consider befroe molding resin from Viewmold injection mold tooling company

iyD

Hi guys, I hope everyone is well. I have just finished setting up my injection machine and I will be working mainly with PP and HDPE, I understand that to avoid toxic fumes I need to heat the materials up below their melting temperature but to a point where they plastic deformation can occur. Does anyone here have any details recommended by Precious Plastics or a working temperature that they have used and has been working for them? I found this file in the injection starter kit and although it has the info for PP and other plastics, it is missing HDPE and the image of flowing plastic is not very clear to me at what temperature I should work.

1. Be safe. Don't burn yourself and do wear protective gear. Don't wear shorts and flip flops...things are hot and molten plastic on your skin is not fun. 2. Don't be afraid. A little fear is ok. It keeps you safe. 3. The people who i've seen use their injection machines successfully all seem to have their temperatures set high and the machines are smoking. Trial and error is your friend with temperatures, try low and then start increasing. 180c should be a very reasonable temperature for you to start with. HDPE and PP are similar with required temperatures. We can help guide you to the right numbers but every machine has different variables so it's hard to give a specific number. Just dont be afraid of failure and keep trying.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

1. Be safe. Don't burn yourself and do wear protective gear. Don't wear shorts and flip flops...things are hot and molten plastic on your skin is not fun. 2. Don't be afraid. A little fear is ok. It keeps you safe. 3. The people who i've seen use their injection machines successfully all seem to have their temperatures set high and the machines are smoking. Trial and error is your friend with temperatures, try low and then start increasing. 180c should be a very reasonable temperature for you to start with. HDPE and PP are similar with required temperatures. We can help guide you to the right numbers but every machine has different variables so it's hard to give a specific number. Just dont be afraid of failure and keep trying.

Hi Ben, thanks for the reply. I will test things out and then come and report back!

iyD

Hi Ben, thanks for the reply. I will test things out and then come and report back!

seriously, dont be afraid. your concerns are really good about fumes though and if you want to be super safe you need an exhaust system to draw out any fumes or push through an active carbon filter. Honestly, it's difficult to melt plastic without fumes or smoke so you might need to accept it as part of the process.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

My machine runs max at 350rpm

Really??? At 350? So it's increíble fast

12:43 AM

Mine at 37 that's why i extrude so Little

Someone has experience with PLA melting (injection/compression molding)? I just find a potential source for PLA water bottles, maybe I can make something with that polymer!

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

1. Be safe. Don't burn yourself and do wear protective gear. Don't wear shorts and flip flops...things are hot and molten plastic on your skin is not fun. 2. Don't be afraid. A little fear is ok. It keeps you safe. 3. The people who i've seen use their injection machines successfully all seem to have their temperatures set high and the machines are smoking. Trial and error is your friend with temperatures, try low and then start increasing. 180c should be a very reasonable temperature for you to start with. HDPE and PP are similar with required temperatures. We can help guide you to the right numbers but every machine has different variables so it's hard to give a specific number. Just dont be afraid of failure and keep trying.

Ben, I've tried with 81rpm, and it was great at the beginning but then the plastic got cold and deform the mould, so I had to turn the extruder off

1:17 AM

It supposed to be 2mt height but it got colder at 50cm

Oscar Cornejo

It supposed to be 2mt height but it got colder at 50cm

Have you tried to pre heat the mold a little bit ?

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Someone has experience with PLA melting (injection/compression molding)? I just find a potential source for PLA water bottles, maybe I can make something with that polymer!

Pla I mostly used for 3D printing but their is a type of PLA that is in liquid form it was made in 2005

Mm but how could I pre heat the mould?

Hello guys, second try

Getting closer!

1

hey guys just finished setting up my wall mounted injection molding machine and wanted advice on what temperature to start my PP to test everything. What temps are yall injecting at? for context i got this machine https://www.sustainabledesign.studio/wall-mounted-injection-machine-copy

Recycled Plastic Injection Machine — Sustainable Design Studio - Re...

The perfect low-cost solution to start recycling plastic into useful items at home! Find out more about the new machine from the Sustainable Design Studio.

Oscar Cornejo

Mm but how could I pre heat the mould?

Use a heat gun

Oscar Cornejo

Mm but how could I pre heat the mould?

Maybe a propane torch?

Oscar Cornejo

Mm but how could I pre heat the mould?

Hey getting better. Try increasing the heat of your machine to 200c. There's different types of heaters you can use for this so it depends on what you can get. I use strip heaters with a pid and ssr for my moulds that have temperature issues.

Try to increase your machine a bit more to compensate the fact your plastic travels for less time in the machine. Then you should also add a piece of wood, cut to the section of your beam, inside your beam. This will create some friction, slowing down the long "poop" that happen in your last picture.

Oscar Cornejo

Mm but how could I pre heat the mould?

i think if you want to extrude faster in such a big mould, you might need something that will keep the mould hot while you extrude. In V4 we made this beam and we had to make a sort of "oven" for it while extruding (edited)

1

12:20 PM

Yann

Try to increase your machine a bit more to compensate the fact your plastic travels for less time in the machine. Then you should also add a piece of wood, cut to the section of your beam, inside your beam. This will create some friction, slowing down the long "poop" that happen in your last picture.

The issue is that because the machine run faster now, the quantity of plastic is much more, so the temperature go down, ex. I set up at 160-170-190(the nose) and when I turn the machine on, they get to 150-160-160

Yes, as your plastic travel faster, it stays less in the extruder, then it doesn't have time to reach the set temperature. To compensate this, you can increase the temperature of your extruder, it seems that you are under the set temperature by 30°C, you could try 190-200-220.

1

I will try it, thanks also how many kw do your resistance have ? Mine are a mess 1,5kw, 0.4kw,0,5kw, 1kw, 0.6kw

Alex_recycles and creates

Pla I mostly used for 3D printing but their is a type of PLA that is in liquid form it was made in 2005

I know, but this is blow molded one, I don't know if and what additives it has to be worked in that way!

Guys!! I finally made it!!

3:46 AM

3:47 AM

It took an hour cause the granulated wasn't that good and at the end the workers didn't feed the extruder correctly

but Tarammm it's done

7

Congrats!

Thanks guy, I didn't need to heat the mould, so apparently it's not necessary, the rpm that I used were 83, temps 170-185-195 and HDPE plastic from banano bags

Oscar Cornejo

Thanks guy, I didn't need to heat the mould, so apparently it's not necessary, the rpm that I used were 83, temps 170-185-195 and HDPE plastic from banano bags

Looks awesome ! How do you feed the bags into the extruder? Do you have trouble with that since they are so light?

Yes, I had problems with the weight at the beginning so I had to build a aglomerator, the machines that works like a Giant Blender. Otherwise it took me 8 and half hours to build a beam like that. So it get faster and faster if I get better and heavier product from the "aglutinadora". I will show a picture of the evolution

1

1:33 PM

1

1:35 PM

First pic, small pieces of plastic bag, 2nd with the machine but wrong, 3rd finally like small stones.

Hi @Oscar Cornejo ! Very interesting. But I still don't understand how the "blender" works. Can you take a video?

For sure, otherwise I will take another one when I arrive to the factory

1:52 PM

1

1:55 PM

I can't upload videos here without Nitro, add me to WhatsApp if you want and I will kindly send you the videos +51967127618

Oscar Cornejo

I can't upload videos here without Nitro, add me to WhatsApp if you want and I will kindly send you the videos +51967127618

You can upload to youtube and share here. But I'll message you on whatsapp (edited)

Oscar Cornejo

I can't upload videos here without Nitro, add me to WhatsApp if you want and I will kindly send you the videos +51967127618

you can share gifs

(edited)

1

Guys, I asked this before but what is the best option to get the plastic out of the mould smooth? I used a bit of oil but doesn't work with the big moulds

Oscar Cornejo

Guys, I asked this before but what is the best option to get the plastic out of the mould smooth? I used a bit of oil but doesn't work with the big moulds

You would have to spray it with silicon release

4:30 AM

This would be before you put the plastic in

Nice! I read about it before, I will def do it, thanka

We just made our largest purchase of scrap HDPE yet. 2 metric tons. We are approaching 2 tons per month in plastic beams. Now we are running into a big problem of managing all the shredded plastic. We need to build storage tanks, and use a 2hp blower to move the material. But first we need a larger shop space. and we need to get a forklift.

1

2

HDPE with iron oxide powder. color test. Unfortunately the powder settles in the hopper so I need to figure out how to make a master batch color pellet.

Alex_recycles and creates

You would have to spray it with silicon release

you have to pre heat the mold. otherwise it will do that.

https://youtube.com/shorts/mU62WdDxtFo the powder was not sticking to the flake and it made the extrusion machine feed poorly. so now trying the addition of some palm oil to make the pigment powder stick, and then mixing that with the flake we are extruding.

homemade plastic coloring

managing the shred plastic is getting to be difficult. found this grain bin that will work awesome with our shred plastic. Working on moving to a larger space before the end of the year to have room for this.

4:46 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTbIW68sa-0

Sweet Pig Farm

$100 DYI homemade 1 ton feed hopper grain bin

https://youtu.be/RgqeVR7FreU

Alex recycles and creates

How to separate and identify HDPE from PP bottle caps

Alex_recycles and creates

https://youtu.be/RgqeVR7FreU

I was just wondering how to do this with my unmarked caps, thank you!

The "squeeze test" works for LDPE but not HDPE

Their is a density test with vegetable oil

5:15 AM

Or alcohol

If you bend a bottle cap and the bending line becomes white, its HDPE, if not, its PP.

or it just stays deformed

1:18 PM

then its HDPE if it does not stay deformed its PP

Apologies if I'm asking in the wrong channel - there are quite a few so I'm still finding my way around. Can PLA (from FDM 3d printing) be laser cut? I have more 3d printer waste than laser cutting waste, so it'd be interesting to turn that into laser cuttable sheets.

has anyone here extruded pvc?

Butte (PP Philippines)

has anyone here extruded pvc?

hey, wish not to see the question ; )

Ruben

hey, wish not to see the question ; )

why?

for the impact that it generates, but there is still more there : s

9:41 AM

In my region is very common for the automotive industry

Ruben

In my region is very common for the automotive industry

that does not anser my question. I have a large amount of waste pvc from a credit card printing company available. otherwise it goes to the landfill

Great material then, just extreme your security systems, and careful with high temps

Butte (PP Philippines)

that does not anser my question. I have a large amount of waste pvc from a credit card printing company available. otherwise it goes to the landfill

if testing go with 130°c and go up from there

9:55 AM

or even less, when it is as compact as ccs, if expandible or other common additives, it must go up

Also be careful with PVC heating, it emits very acid smokes that are dangerous for health and environment. And the acid smokes may damage your machine. Maybe there is a way to avoid these problems, I would be very interested if you come up with a solution!

Hi everyone! Has anybody here tried to dye PP plastic and what was your results? We can very easily get our hands on a lot of white PP plastic though for our intended purpose we need it to be colourful and thus I am looking into dyeing it.

Anyone have success turning shredded plastic into yarn like material for clothing/bathing suits? Is it possible to do on your own with a machine? Or would I need to find a textile production factory?

M0lnet

Hi everyone! Has anybody here tried to dye PP plastic and what was your results? We can very easily get our hands on a lot of white PP plastic though for our intended purpose we need it to be colourful and thus I am looking into dyeing it.

I sometimes (ok, frequently) extrude plastic with iron oxide pigment. This is to help produce desired colors and get away from the milky green or blue colors i get when i mix all colors together. I don't recommend adding this powder to PP pellets or flakes if you're using a sheet press/compression/injection as it wont incorporate the pigment very well. With white, you'll likely get pastel colors, just so you know.

Does anyone here have experience with using recycled polycarbonate in sheet pressing?

I have a garden chair made of PP but when I take a piece from it and test whether it can float it sinks to the bottom, can someone explain why. when PP should float on water

cabald

I have a garden chair made of PP but when I take a piece from it and test whether it can float it sinks to the bottom, can someone explain why. when PP should float on water

PP has a density of 0.9v/cm3 Water is 1g/cm3 Plastic is rarely pure and often has additives and/or fillers. This might be why it sinks.

Hi all! I hope this is the right place to ask. Just wondered if anyone has had success shredding plastic coat hangers in the PP shredders?

Ellie

Hi all! I hope this is the right place to ask. Just wondered if anyone has had success shredding plastic coat hangers in the PP shredders?

6:20 AM

These?

6:21 AM

They look pretty hard to shreed

Yeah any types of plastic coat hangers at all. There are some that are a a little flimsier/thinner than the one pictured too.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

PP has a density of 0.9v/cm3 Water is 1g/cm3 Plastic is rarely pure and often has additives and/or fillers. This might be why it sinks.

Is it still safe to melt?

nico-san

Is it still safe to melt?

Probably OK. Can't say I've done that before but I think it's not gonna be some other crap like ABS or other more toxic plastics you can find.

Hi everyone, Just wanted to share my first attempt making beam - its 100% recycled hdpe... Thanks for everyone i got much help here

️

8

4

Alex_recycles and creates

https://youtu.be/RgqeVR7FreU

Thank you!

aleksandarmasic92

Hi everyone, Just wanted to share my first attempt making beam - its 100% recycled hdpe... Thanks for everyone i got much help here

️

Are the beams PP or HDPE

Alex_recycles and creates

Are the beams PP or HDPE

full HDPE

Nice

Butte (PP Philippines)

has anyone here extruded pvc?

One of the biggest challenges is the fact that PVC contains chlorine, carbon, and hydrogen, which makes it problematic and potentially dangerous to work with.

11:28 PM

I just learned about precious plastic from watching Project Kamp, so I am new here. Are there any "research models" - as they have them on Project Kamp - to gather knowledge on things? I am looking for knowledge on identifying plastic types... there must be some kind of instructions somewhere or not?

Plastic bottle label films. Does anyone know what Coke and Pepsi bottle labels are made from? I have asked Coke but so far no one has gotten back to me. I have a metric ton of used labels coming in the shop this week diverted from the landfill.

Butte (PP Philippines)

Plastic bottle label films. Does anyone know what Coke and Pepsi bottle labels are made from? I have asked Coke but so far no one has gotten back to me. I have a metric ton of used labels coming in the shop this week diverted from the landfill.

Should be PP

Any idea if acrylic (pmma / plexiglass) will stick to aluminium when melted? I need to work out if I'll need to add a teflon sheet in my "acrylic sandwich" when pressing, but the teflon sheets I have aren't peerrrrfectly smooth

Teflon sheets don’t stick to a lot of things

Alex_recycles and creates

Teflon sheets don’t stick to a lot of things

It's more whether the acrylic will stick to the aluminium; I'd prefer not to use the teflon sheets if they're not needed as they're a bit textured, and I'd rather get a mirror smooth finish from the acrylic melting against the smooth aluminium - but then I don't want a stuck-together mess

thatcanadiangirl (Véro)

It's more whether the acrylic will stick to the aluminium; I'd prefer not to use the teflon sheets if they're not needed as they're a bit textured, and I'd rather get a mirror smooth finish from the acrylic melting against the smooth aluminium - but then I don't want a stuck-together mess

The acrylic would stick to the aluminum when heated but you can use silicone mold release spray to prevent the acrylic from sticking

4:15 PM

I do think I have some release spray somewhere, so I'll give that a go and see if we get the nice finish I'm hoping for!

thatcanadiangirl (Véro)

I do think I have some release spray somewhere, so I'll give that a go and see if we get the nice finish I'm hoping for!

And make sure to preheat the mold a bit aluminum conducts heat very well

Alex_recycles and creates

And make sure to preheat the mold a bit aluminum conducts heat very well

I'll be using thin 1-1.2mm sheets to make a sandwich with the acrylic in the middle so I'm not sure I'll have the opportunity to pre-heat the mold, but as you say, it conducts the heat very well so should start warming quite quickly once it's in the press

Hallo! I'm looking for some advice, do you all use carbon-filtered masks when melting plastics?

Joseph

Should be PP

Coke replied to my email, it is PP over here. Which is great cause I need to make a lot of lumber. Only downside is that I need a device called a crammer to feed the flake in the extrusion machine. As the films are so light they will not flow in the hopper, they have to be forced into the extrusion screw. I was told this is the industry method by someone who builds big commercial versions of these machines.

2

Butte (PP Philippines)

Coke replied to my email, it is PP over here. Which is great cause I need to make a lot of lumber. Only downside is that I need a device called a crammer to feed the flake in the extrusion machine. As the films are so light they will not flow in the hopper, they have to be forced into the extrusion screw. I was told this is the industry method by someone who builds big commercial versions of these machines.

Do they stick to the hopper

bulldung

Do they stick to the hopper

they stick to each other and kind of bridge together. I have a small motor and a stirring paddle in the hopper that works but not well enough for this stuff

thatcanadiangirl (Véro)

I'll be using thin 1-1.2mm sheets to make a sandwich with the acrylic in the middle so I'm not sure I'll have the opportunity to pre-heat the mold, but as you say, it conducts the heat very well so should start warming quite quickly once it's in the press

I suggest using thicker aluminum. Friends at normal living https://instagram.com/norm.al.living?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Use 5mm thick aluminum sheets. My fear is that your 1.2mm sheets will be a bit too flexible and might bend

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I suggest using thicker aluminum. Friends at normal living https://instagram.com/norm.al.living?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Use 5mm thick aluminum sheets. My fear is that your 1.2mm sheets will be a bit too flexible and might bend

Thanks for the tip! That’s what I said but my husband was saying to go thin

thatcanadiangirl (Véro)

Thanks for the tip! That’s what I said but my husband was saying to go thin

Here's a 1mm steel sheet

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Here's a 1mm steel sheet

1

1:19 AM

Nice toe’s

bulldung

Nice toe’s

I'll be sure to forward this compliment to the guy next time I see him

50 kilos of HDPE bottle caps and 75 kilos PP labels for processing today. Had to break down and buy another dust collector as someone bought my old one. Need a dust collector to granulate the films as they are light and will not flow thru the shredder otherwise. Heading to another MRF(materials recovery facility) to get another truckload.

https://youtube.com/shorts/_zyK4GPmYHQ

Granulation of HDPE bottles

1

7:17 AM

had several sacks of granulated HDPE but it had a lot of big chunks in it, from the client. Also the colors were different between each sack, so i cave it 2 passes thru the granulator and the granulator also mixed the material at the same time to get a homogenous color. it will be extruded into 1x2 inch HDPE boards and used as mirror frames at a chain of hair salons. the plastic is shredded hair product bottles from the salon.

Butte (PP Philippines)

Plastic bottle label films. Does anyone know what Coke and Pepsi bottle labels are made from? I have asked Coke but so far no one has gotten back to me. I have a metric ton of used labels coming in the shop this week diverted from the landfill.

I don't know precisely but it can vary. For example, in recent times here in Italy it is polypropylene, not only on coke bottles, but generally. Low or virtually no elasticity, very thin film (I use them sometime to made the zero point on the CNC lathe on single special parts, it is 0.03mm). Years ago they made them from I think LDPE. The difference is obvious, more elasticity, thermally retracted on the bottle instead of glued, etc.

Coke replied to my email. PP for the labels...

3

Dear people a few days ago I extruded my first beam and I must admit that I am more than satisfied with the result. My primary goal is to make benches that will be exposed to external conditions. My biggest concern is the stability of the benches, considering that the temperature in my area ranges from -5 in the winter to +50 degrees Celsius in the summer. My question is, is it better to use hdpe or pp or a mix of the two for benches? I know I have to add UV protection additive... Can anyone share with me some research or any literature where I can research all these things? Thank you!

titanium dioxide powder is a good UV protector, Zinc oxide too. Zinc Oxide will also bonus with giving some anti-bacterial/anti mold properties. Zinc oxide is quite cheap in bulk. It is used in skin cremes, foot powder, etc. Powdered milled charcoal is cheapest. Graphite will give you a awesome surface color and finish (my favorite) Carbon fiber powder works well, and iron oxide pigment works although it can be a bit of a pain to work with.

Good news in the world of plastic recycling! Scientist have developed a green(-ish) method to transform PE in PP . Check the fact here https://chbe.illinois.edu/news/stories/plastic-upcycling-JACS-2022 (edited)

Scientists crack upcycling plastics to reduce greenhouse gas emissi...

Scientists crack upcycling plastics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, advancing a recent Science study

1

9:32 AM

"“Our preliminary analysis suggests that if just 20% of the world’s PE could be recovered and converted via this route, it could represent a potential savings of GHG emissions comparable to taking 3 million cars off the road," said Garrett Strong, a graduate student associated with the project." Cit.

Butte (PP Philippines)

titanium dioxide powder is a good UV protector, Zinc oxide too. Zinc Oxide will also bonus with giving some anti-bacterial/anti mold properties. Zinc oxide is quite cheap in bulk. It is used in skin cremes, foot powder, etc. Powdered milled charcoal is cheapest. Graphite will give you a awesome surface color and finish (my favorite) Carbon fiber powder works well, and iron oxide pigment works although it can be a bit of a pain to work with.

thank you friend... And can you help me with testing machine?! is there machine that i can buy to test these external conditions?

extrusion

a friend with a lab helps for testing the outcomes

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

a friend with a lab helps for testing the outcomes

what do you mean?

aleksandarmasic92

what do you mean?

Your question isn't crystal clear. Test the machines or test the product with the different additives with some special machines/equipment?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Your question isn't crystal clear. Test the machines or test the product with the different additives with some special machines/equipment?

yep yep sorry about my english

to test products ... beams to be exact... i want to make shure they ll last on external conditions

Can you give me some cases, where I can use sheet of LDPE? I'm not experienced with this plastic, but my employer pays significant price for throwing it to waste

2 hours of plastic shredding so far today. we desperately need a storage tank for it all. our dust collector to handle all this stuff is still in shipping somewhere. delivery delay

4

3:55 AM

we have to dry it in the sun.

3:55 AM

it is not washed, we will make plastic lumber with the dirt in it.

Butte (PP Philippines)

it is not washed, we will make plastic lumber with the dirt in it.

What will happen if it’s not clean

bulldung

What will happen if it’s not clean

it will be black colored.

Oh

What is more valuable shredded plastic or granulated plastic like when you extrude it and you know

bulldung

What is more valuable shredded plastic or granulated plastic like when you extrude it and you know

My guess is.... Pelletized is more valuable. Shredded is ok but flakes work in a reduce feed rate for shredder due their flakeyness.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

My guess is.... Pelletized is more valuable. Shredded is ok but flakes work in a reduce feed rate for shredder due their flakeyness.

also depends on the granulator. when my machine is out of adjust or blades dull the flake is torn/jagged and will not feed as well as the plastic shredded with sharp clean cuts.

3:51 AM

moisture will also cause the plastic to bridge and not flow

Hi Friends - I am Priyank Mishra from India. I recently started extruding waste plastic using an extruder pro machine. I am facing some issues. 1) Extruding PP has been quite easy but I have struggled with HDPE. HDPE lumbers are getting stuck in mould and not coming out very easily. What is the way out? 2) Extruding LDPE has also been a tedious process. Extrusion tends to be slow. Can I actually extrude LDPE using Extruder pro. Alternatively, can I mix it with HDPE and extrude as they have similar melting temp. Hope you can help with your insights. Thanks in advance

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

My guess is.... Pelletized is more valuable. Shredded is ok but flakes work in a reduce feed rate for shredder due their flakeyness.

You and butte are pretty helpful

Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - I am Priyank Mishra from India. I recently started extruding waste plastic using an extruder pro machine. I am facing some issues. 1) Extruding PP has been quite easy but I have struggled with HDPE. HDPE lumbers are getting stuck in mould and not coming out very easily. What is the way out? 2) Extruding LDPE has also been a tedious process. Extrusion tends to be slow. Can I actually extrude LDPE using Extruder pro. Alternatively, can I mix it with HDPE and extrude as they have similar melting temp. Hope you can help with your insights. Thanks in advance

Did you use silicone release spray on the molds ?

1

bulldung

Click to see attachment 🖼️

safety first

Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - I am Priyank Mishra from India. I recently started extruding waste plastic using an extruder pro machine. I am facing some issues. 1) Extruding PP has been quite easy but I have struggled with HDPE. HDPE lumbers are getting stuck in mould and not coming out very easily. What is the way out? 2) Extruding LDPE has also been a tedious process. Extrusion tends to be slow. Can I actually extrude LDPE using Extruder pro. Alternatively, can I mix it with HDPE and extrude as they have similar melting temp. Hope you can help with your insights. Thanks in advance

actually, i would recommend you to clean properly insights of your mould, with some soft brush, with prolonged handle. Secondly, i would recommend you to you, NOT silicone spray, but PTFE Teflon based spray, its perfect for this purposes.

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Martin PP Slovakia

actually, i would recommend you to clean properly insights of your mould, with some soft brush, with prolonged handle. Secondly, i would recommend you to you, NOT silicone spray, but PTFE Teflon based spray, its perfect for this purposes.

I use Teflon baking sheets

1

Martin PP Slovakia

actually, i would recommend you to clean properly insights of your mould, with some soft brush, with prolonged handle. Secondly, i would recommend you to you, NOT silicone spray, but PTFE Teflon based spray, its perfect for this purposes.

For me, ptfe spray costs 6 times more than silicone mould release spray. It better work 6 times as well.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

For me, ptfe spray costs 6 times more than silicone mould release spray. It better work 6 times as well.

can you please share your silicone mould release spray, that you are using. Im curious to test it. Because if you are saying, its that much more expensive, and result is same of better, why not to use it. By the way, i realised, i made wrong assumption. Because i read just "silicone spray" not silicone mould release spray.

1

Martin PP Slovakia

actually, i would recommend you to clean properly insights of your mould, with some soft brush, with prolonged handle. Secondly, i would recommend you to you, NOT silicone spray, but PTFE Teflon based spray, its perfect for this purposes.

we just use veg oil and a brush. we tried silicone and the more exotic sprays but the costs for a production run meant we was sacrificing 10usd in a shift just for mold release.

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1:06 AM

when you start making parts in the hundreds or thousands, those mold release spray can mean the difference between making a profit or losing money.

1

1:07 AM

not to mention inhaling teflon and silicone spray is not a nice thing.

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Martin PP Slovakia

can you please share your silicone mould release spray, that you are using. Im curious to test it. Because if you are saying, its that much more expensive, and result is same of better, why not to use it. By the way, i realised, i made wrong assumption. Because i read just "silicone spray" not silicone mould release spray.

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2:39 AM

These are the two I use and I have a feeling that you might not have these exact products. The stuff in the bottle I use for making sheets, the spray is for other moulds that are more difficult to wipe. I should just put this stuff in a pump spray bottle....no need for aerosols.

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Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - I am Priyank Mishra from India. I recently started extruding waste plastic using an extruder pro machine. I am facing some issues. 1) Extruding PP has been quite easy but I have struggled with HDPE. HDPE lumbers are getting stuck in mould and not coming out very easily. What is the way out? 2) Extruding LDPE has also been a tedious process. Extrusion tends to be slow. Can I actually extrude LDPE using Extruder pro. Alternatively, can I mix it with HDPE and extrude as they have similar melting temp. Hope you can help with your insights. Thanks in advance

Thanks a ton friends. I am delighted to know that I can lubricate the mould and get my HDPE lumber out with ease. I will try out the options shared above and come back with my results soon.

Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - I am Priyank Mishra from India. I recently started extruding waste plastic using an extruder pro machine. I am facing some issues. 1) Extruding PP has been quite easy but I have struggled with HDPE. HDPE lumbers are getting stuck in mould and not coming out very easily. What is the way out? 2) Extruding LDPE has also been a tedious process. Extrusion tends to be slow. Can I actually extrude LDPE using Extruder pro. Alternatively, can I mix it with HDPE and extrude as they have similar melting temp. Hope you can help with your insights. Thanks in advance

Now request your attention on the 2nd point. How to extrude LDPE effectively using extruder pro machine? I have shredded these cleaned LDPE milk packets but they struggle to get through the extrusion process. Hoping to learn from you all.

Priyank Mishra

Now request your attention on the 2nd point. How to extrude LDPE effectively using extruder pro machine? I have shredded these cleaned LDPE milk packets but they struggle to get through the extrusion process. Hoping to learn from you all.

can you share a photo of the plastic? I'm struggling to understand what you're working with exactly.

Martin PP Slovakia

actually, i would recommend you to clean properly insights of your mould, with some soft brush, with prolonged handle. Secondly, i would recommend you to you, NOT silicone spray, but PTFE Teflon based spray, its perfect for this purposes.

Why no silicone spray?

Grosch

Why no silicone spray?

Hi, to be totally exact, we were testing these 3 sprays, 1. CX-80 Silicone spray (not silicone mould release!) and 2. Parkside PTFE spray (from Lidl ) teflon based and 3. CX-80 Teflon based spray. It seems that teflon based sprays, are perfect for our usage. We are manufacturing A4 clipboards, where we need to spray mould surfaces, in order to keep mould opening process smooth. Look, this is our personal experience. But our experience is clear. With using just silicone sprax (CX-80, in the picture,) mould opening, after pressing, was like 5-10 mins, very difficult, rough, but with using PTFE spray, or Teflon based CX-80 spray, its 30 secs process, mould is opening itself, no sticking, just perfect. (edited)

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Has anyone done research on the lifespan of a plastic beama in outdoor conditions? does anyone have any information?? tnx

There is few research done on how the plastic is handling outdoor condition, but it depends on much more variable than just "beams" or "sheets" for example : what plastic type ? was there additive added or in the waste material ?... Therefore it is a bit difficult to figure out the lifespan of a product appart for a specific production. A good go would be to get plastic from outdoor material waste as you have some chances there is already UV resistant additive added to the original plastic.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

can you share a photo of the plastic? I'm struggling to understand what you're working with exactly.

Sharing the pics as requested. First pic is of shredded LDPE packing material (mostly amazon) and second pic is of shredded LDPE milk pouches. My query is on how to effectively extrude them using extruder pro machine. I tried doing at a temp range of 220-230 degree C but the process was slow and extrusion did not happen. Hoping for some help here.

Priyank Mishra

Sharing the pics as requested. First pic is of shredded LDPE packing material (mostly amazon) and second pic is of shredded LDPE milk pouches. My query is on how to effectively extrude them using extruder pro machine. I tried doing at a temp range of 220-230 degree C but the process was slow and extrusion did not happen. Hoping for some help here.

LDLE has a melting range of 110c to 180c

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12:31 PM

The melting point is 110 C

Alex_recycles and creates

LDLE has a melting range of 110c to 180c

Thanks a ton. Can you please also share the suggested melting point for HDPE, PP and PS while using extrusion pro machine?

Priyank Mishra

Thanks a ton. Can you please also share the suggested melting point for HDPE, PP and PS while using extrusion pro machine?

The melting point of HDPE is 130C PP is 160C

Priyank Mishra

Sharing the pics as requested. First pic is of shredded LDPE packing material (mostly amazon) and second pic is of shredded LDPE milk pouches. My query is on how to effectively extrude them using extruder pro machine. I tried doing at a temp range of 220-230 degree C but the process was slow and extrusion did not happen. Hoping for some help here.

Milk pouches?

Alex_recycles and creates

The melting point of HDPE is 130C PP is 160C

Are these numbers you found online or are they numbers you use when working with the plastic? Your numbers are far lower than what anyone I know uses for melting plastic.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Are these numbers you found online or are they numbers you use when working with the plastic? Your numbers are far lower than what anyone I know uses for melting plastic.

They what I found online

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Are these numbers you found online or are they numbers you use when working with the plastic? Your numbers are far lower than what anyone I know uses for melting plastic.

And I’ve worked with HDPE many times before

Alex_recycles and creates

And I’ve worked with HDPE many times before

If you're using any of the machines it's unlikely you're going to set things to 130C for melting HDPE. It's kind of a funny question... What is the melting point vs what is a more functional temperature to set for melting plastic? I've had PP just sit there for well over an hour not melting at 160C, cranked up to 185c and voila, it melted.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you're using any of the machines it's unlikely you're going to set things to 130C for melting HDPE. It's kind of a funny question... What is the melting point vs what is a more functional temperature to set for melting plastic? I've had PP just sit there for well over an hour not melting at 160C, cranked up to 185c and voila, it melted.

HDPE is like 140 for function and keep it away from 200 C

HDPE at 140c is like setting your stove to 100c and expecting your pot of water to boil. People might ask for melting points, but really what they want is a good working temperature.

I made this mistake when I first got started. I'd google up all the different melting points and would wonder why things weren't melting or taking far too long.

What are Coca Cola caps made of and can you put them into extruder after shredding? A bit confused about “rubber feeling” of the inner side of the cap which can be detached. Is it the same material as the cap?

Yann

There is few research done on how the plastic is handling outdoor condition, but it depends on much more variable than just "beams" or "sheets" for example : what plastic type ? was there additive added or in the waste material ?... Therefore it is a bit difficult to figure out the lifespan of a product appart for a specific production. A good go would be to get plastic from outdoor material waste as you have some chances there is already UV resistant additive added to the original plastic.

Thank you. I intend to use HDPE and PP as well as a mixture of them. I will also add 2-3% UV stabilizer additive, however the man who sells me masterbach says that it is impossible to expect a life of 30 years in external conditions. Wherever I have seen that they make a board, they say that they even give a guarantee for 30 or even 50 years. I live in a country that has about 250 sunny days and temperatures in the summer are up to +40 degrees and in the winter -10 degrees Celsius. What do you think, is it realistic to expect such a life expectancy and what would you suggest? Thanks again

marjanzitnik

What are Coca Cola caps made of and can you put them into extruder after shredding? A bit confused about “rubber feeling” of the inner side of the cap which can be detached. Is it the same material as the cap?

i think they are PP. And that inside part i think its TPU... however i saw someone allready asked them about labels via email and they responded so i can propose that to you too

marjanzitnik

What are Coca Cola caps made of and can you put them into extruder after shredding? A bit confused about “rubber feeling” of the inner side of the cap which can be detached. Is it the same material as the cap?

I never recycle bottle caps like that one

marjanzitnik

What are Coca Cola caps made of and can you put them into extruder after shredding? A bit confused about “rubber feeling” of the inner side of the cap which can be detached. Is it the same material as the cap?

A lot of bottle caps are made of HDPE

aleksandarmasic92

i think they are PP. And that inside part i think its TPU... however i saw someone allready asked them about labels via email and they responded so i can propose that to you too

Thanks for the reply, will try! Most of the co2 drinks in Croatia have that layer inside of the cap (probably to prevent from leaking co2 out) and its a big problem to separate them before shredding. I have sent them an inquiry on the website and will update you on this.

marjanzitnik

Thanks for the reply, will try! Most of the co2 drinks in Croatia have that layer inside of the cap (probably to prevent from leaking co2 out) and its a big problem to separate them before shredding. I have sent them an inquiry on the website and will update you on this.

do you want a collection point ?

Greetings people In the last couple of days, I have been trying to get a UV additive for the beams I produce, but from the people I need to get the additive from, I get answers that it is impossible to expect a lifetime of 30 years for recycled HDPE and PP plastics. I also see that a couple of people here have gotten 20+ year plastic ratings so I would like to ask you to tell me what the secret is? I want to make wooden benches and tables from beams that will be exposed to external conditions, so I need it to be as long-lasting as possible. What life expectancy do you think I can expect? thanks p.s additives they offer are: UV PEL-956 CC00042747BG and POLYBATCH® UVK 90 Thanks in forward!

Alex_recycles and creates

do you want a collection point ?

what do you mean?

in precocious plastics

1:00 PM

you can have a collection point on the map

I will add all machines and everything else on the map next week!

marjanzitnik

I will add all machines and everything else on the map next week!

do you have instagram ?

instagram.com/maritimorecycling

bulldung

Milk pouches?

Yes...white ones.....the greyish shade is amazon packaging.

marjanzitnik

What are Coca Cola caps made of and can you put them into extruder after shredding? A bit confused about “rubber feeling” of the inner side of the cap which can be detached. Is it the same material as the cap?

The white stuff is a silicon seal, which will NOT melt. If you want to extrude them, you need to take the joints off.

aleksandarmasic92

Greetings people In the last couple of days, I have been trying to get a UV additive for the beams I produce, but from the people I need to get the additive from, I get answers that it is impossible to expect a lifetime of 30 years for recycled HDPE and PP plastics. I also see that a couple of people here have gotten 20+ year plastic ratings so I would like to ask you to tell me what the secret is? I want to make wooden benches and tables from beams that will be exposed to external conditions, so I need it to be as long-lasting as possible. What life expectancy do you think I can expect? thanks p.s additives they offer are: UV PEL-956 CC00042747BG and POLYBATCH® UVK 90 Thanks in forward!

I don't have any exact answer to give you there. The people you contacted are probably right, but they also use industry related mindset, where plastic is used in shape as thin as possible. If you do benches with PP type beams, they should last quiet a long time. For sure after a bit, colors will fade, surface might become brittle etc... but as you "over design" the bench, using big solid beams, the global integrity should be fine. On another note, these additive are generally very expensive, and from what I heard it is recommended to add 10 to 15% of your plastic weight to be efficient. To use outside, painting your beams might be a cheaper option.

Yann

I don't have any exact answer to give you there. The people you contacted are probably right, but they also use industry related mindset, where plastic is used in shape as thin as possible. If you do benches with PP type beams, they should last quiet a long time. For sure after a bit, colors will fade, surface might become brittle etc... but as you "over design" the bench, using big solid beams, the global integrity should be fine. On another note, these additive are generally very expensive, and from what I heard it is recommended to add 10 to 15% of your plastic weight to be efficient. To use outside, painting your beams might be a cheaper option.

I understand, thank you. Is the same case with HDPE material? If I understood you correctly, you think that adding carbon black pigment will be enough to preserve the mechanical properties of the bench? board dimensions are 80 x 40 mm

I don't know specifically about carbon black, but yes, in principle it would work. Generally the problem don't come from the UV alone : UV will brittle your plastic, but only a couple mm in depth. But then weather, like wind or rain, or people touching (sitting on your bench) will remove the damaged layer. UV stabilizer will only slow down this UV brittling + abrasion process, but as your beam are quiet thick it might still last long until it would really break. The advantage of paint it that you can observe this process on your paint, and repair as time do its effect.

Priyank Mishra

Yes...white ones.....the greyish shade is amazon packaging.

So the milk is in the bag

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1:49 PM

That’s so weird

Hello Friends - so my struggle with mould release continues. I tried extruding shredded curd containers (PS) but the lumber is stuck in the mould and not coming out. I tried using vegetable oil for greasing the mould from inside but it seems to not have workded. Any suggestions friends?

bulldung

So the milk is in the bag

In India, milk also come in these LDPE packets apart from HDPE containers and glass bottles. Infact, LDPE packets are far more in use.

Priyank Mishra

Hello Friends - so my struggle with mould release continues. I tried extruding shredded curd containers (PS) but the lumber is stuck in the mould and not coming out. I tried using vegetable oil for greasing the mould from inside but it seems to not have workded. Any suggestions friends?

I am using iron moulds. Is that a problem?

Priyank Mishra

I am using iron moulds. Is that a problem?

Not a problem for this

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Priyank Mishra

Hello Friends - so my struggle with mould release continues. I tried extruding shredded curd containers (PS) but the lumber is stuck in the mould and not coming out. I tried using vegetable oil for greasing the mould from inside but it seems to not have workded. Any suggestions friends?

I've never extruded PS and I can't say I reccomend doing this unless you're wearing proper protective gear, the fumes that it releases are really not good for you.

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Priyank Mishra

Hello Friends - so my struggle with mould release continues. I tried extruding shredded curd containers (PS) but the lumber is stuck in the mould and not coming out. I tried using vegetable oil for greasing the mould from inside but it seems to not have workded. Any suggestions friends?

What are you using for a mould? My suggestion is to start with something easy. Try extruding into a pipe so you can make a rod. Because the shape is round and not flat on the sides, you won't have issues with sides deforming and getting stuck inside.

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1:24 PM

If you can make rods easily, then you're on the right path. I suggest using seemless pipe for this. Less stuff for the plastic to hang up on

Alex_recycles and creates

HDPE is like 140 for function and keep it away from 200 C

im running 220-240c for HDPE bottle caps in my extrusion machine. anything less than that it is too thick to flow in the molds. My shop is producing well over 1 ton a month with no issues.

^-- it should be noted that machine temperatures are not the same as material temperatures. Material temperatures could be higher or lower. Just a FYI for those reading this.

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Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you can make rods easily, then you're on the right path. I suggest using seemless pipe for this. Less stuff for the plastic to hang up on

Pipes have seems

5:40 PM

?

bulldung

Pipes have seems

bulldung

Pipes have seems

There are seamless pipes and there are welded pipes. Welded pipes will have a weld going through the length of the pipe, most of our hollow tubing we use for moulds has seems. But, you can find pipes that are seamless and as such, they are better....nothing for the plastic to catch on and there's no texture that will be pressed into the plastic.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

There are seamless pipes and there are welded pipes. Welded pipes will have a weld going through the length of the pipe, most of our hollow tubing we use for moulds has seems. But, you can find pipes that are seamless and as such, they are better....nothing for the plastic to catch on and there's no texture that will be pressed into the plastic.

Alright

I’m looking for suggestions on getting this blue layer out. They are not separating at all by pulling or slicing under them. I tried boiling the caps and that did nothing either. With soda bottle caps I can extract the lining but these are different. These caps came from protein drink bottles.

AmandaErickson

I’m looking for suggestions on getting this blue layer out. They are not separating at all by pulling or slicing under them. I tried boiling the caps and that did nothing either. With soda bottle caps I can extract the lining but these are different. These caps came from protein drink bottles.

The blue layer is some other resin they put in I don’t recycle bottle caps with that in

Hi, I would like to know is there is any publication about the chemical compositions, and molecues of the 7 plastic types we use the most, someone could give a hand to that?

Lixeiro

Hi, I would like to know is there is any publication about the chemical compositions, and molecues of the 7 plastic types we use the most, someone could give a hand to that?

Their is more than 7 types of plastics

AmandaErickson

I’m looking for suggestions on getting this blue layer out. They are not separating at all by pulling or slicing under them. I tried boiling the caps and that did nothing either. With soda bottle caps I can extract the lining but these are different. These caps came from protein drink bottles.

Google says... PVC Plastisol

Alex_recycles and creates

Their is more than 7 types of plastics

I m fine with the 7 most common used and indicated in te plastics

Lixeiro

Hi, I would like to know is there is any publication about the chemical compositions, and molecues of the 7 plastic types we use the most, someone could give a hand to that?

I'm sure there is some publication somewhere. I think most of us here typically stick do HDPE, LDPE, and PP. Perhaps a few others. What are you trying to learn about the different plastics? There's a lot of information available on different plastics, but most of the time it's not super useful for what we need to know and how we are using the plastic. Usually we just need to know melting temperature and if the plastic is harmful to health while it's heated up to its melting point.

More about chemicals, the molecule structure and so sort. Why is one less harmful than other for exanple.

Lixeiro

More about chemicals, the molecule structure and so sort. Why is one less harmful than other for exanple.

Usually harmfull components are aromatic parts (like in polystyrene and PET) or toxic elements like chlorine in PVC. Linear organic with just carbon and hydrogen are usually safe to work with. Unfortunatelly I have books and docs in Czech language, which is probably not useful to you. But I can only recomend visit of university library, if that university have material engineering or similar field of study.

Lixeiro

More about chemicals, the molecule structure and so sort. Why is one less harmful than other for exanple.

My lame suggestion is to check out wikipedia. There's a lot of information posted online and it covers quite a lot of information that goes far beyond what most of us need to know for using the plastic the way we do.

marjanzitnik

What are Coca Cola caps made of and can you put them into extruder after shredding? A bit confused about “rubber feeling” of the inner side of the cap which can be detached. Is it the same material as the cap?

I got the phone call from Coca Cola Croatia and they said this material inside cap is PP. @aleksandarmasic92 @Alex_recycles and creates @sonik

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@marjanzitnik Just put a bottle cap in the oven at 180-200° C , if the white thing stays in form and does not melt, its not PP. Personally i doubt its PP.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

What are you using for a mould? My suggestion is to start with something easy. Try extruding into a pipe so you can make a rod. Because the shape is round and not flat on the sides, you won't have issues with sides deforming and getting stuck inside.

Thanks Ben. Trying a shorter beam worked. Aslo steel moulds with bit vegetable oil giving better results.

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8:12 AM

Friends- My trials with extrusion continue. I shared earlier in the group about our collection program bringing lots of soft LDPE milk packets which are hard to extrude as they are very soft. Has anyone tried mixing some hard plastic (HDPE) to improve the flow? Is that advisable? Similarly, lots of Multi layered plastic is also reaching us from households. Can that also be extruded in small proportion with say PP?

Priyank Mishra

Friends- My trials with extrusion continue. I shared earlier in the group about our collection program bringing lots of soft LDPE milk packets which are hard to extrude as they are very soft. Has anyone tried mixing some hard plastic (HDPE) to improve the flow? Is that advisable? Similarly, lots of Multi layered plastic is also reaching us from households. Can that also be extruded in small proportion with say PP?

LDPE flows better than HDPE from what I've seen/done. Problems with LDPE tend to be more to do with the form... Plastic bags are not easy to shred and if you do, it is difficult to feed into the extrusion machine. For LDPE I use the plastic caps used on water jugs, it's much more manageable as it can be shredded and fed as flakes without much issue.

1

I dont think any plastic we use is pure. There's always something added, could be a filler like calcium carbonate or talcum or something for color or something for a specific characteristic. Can you mix multilayer plastic and extrude it? Yes. Even with the aluminium layer? Yes. Can you mix different plastics and extrude successfully? Yes. Should you?

1

Lixeiro

More about chemicals, the molecule structure and so sort. Why is one less harmful than other for exanple.

Chemically, it's much more complicated than "7 types of plastic". For example, I have an industrial guide to HDPE that has 14 chapters on additives for different purposes. HDPE on its own is a harmless molecule, but it's hardly ever on its own: maybe opaque milk jugs? Plastics also tend to absorb whatever chemicals they're in contact with. Sounds like you're after the details, so apologies for complicating the matter, but in practical terms, it means I avoid any HDPE that might have fire retardants in it and anything with a poison symbol on the label (those are the hazards I find in my collection rounds), and always use a ventilator anyhow.

FullCycle_Jeff (BC)

Chemically, it's much more complicated than "7 types of plastic". For example, I have an industrial guide to HDPE that has 14 chapters on additives for different purposes. HDPE on its own is a harmless molecule, but it's hardly ever on its own: maybe opaque milk jugs? Plastics also tend to absorb whatever chemicals they're in contact with. Sounds like you're after the details, so apologies for complicating the matter, but in practical terms, it means I avoid any HDPE that might have fire retardants in it and anything with a poison symbol on the label (those are the hazards I find in my collection rounds), and always use a ventilator anyhow.

HDPE is very chemical resistant

Alex_recycles and creates

HDPE is very chemical resistant

It is, but that only means HDPE dont chemically reacts with lot of chemical substances. But it can be contaminated with chemical, that was bottled inside HDPE container. And if chemical exposure was long enough, it can be nearly imposible to get rid of that contamination.

FullCycle_Jeff (BC)

Chemically, it's much more complicated than "7 types of plastic". For example, I have an industrial guide to HDPE that has 14 chapters on additives for different purposes. HDPE on its own is a harmless molecule, but it's hardly ever on its own: maybe opaque milk jugs? Plastics also tend to absorb whatever chemicals they're in contact with. Sounds like you're after the details, so apologies for complicating the matter, but in practical terms, it means I avoid any HDPE that might have fire retardants in it and anything with a poison symbol on the label (those are the hazards I find in my collection rounds), and always use a ventilator anyhow.

can you share this guide?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

My lame suggestion is to check out wikipedia. There's a lot of information posted online and it covers quite a lot of information that goes far beyond what most of us need to know for using the plastic the way we do.

Thank you, this way always works well! I m seeing more people from different areas, mainly old academical people, who have lots of stupid questions and try to put PP methods and technic down once unknown to them. Perhaps I will compile it in a kind of publication, in order to show a bit more of our skills and real interest.

███████

Usually harmfull components are aromatic parts (like in polystyrene and PET) or toxic elements like chlorine in PVC. Linear organic with just carbon and hydrogen are usually safe to work with. Unfortunatelly I have books and docs in Czech language, which is probably not useful to you. But I can only recomend visit of university library, if that university have material engineering or similar field of study.

Thank you, the points you mention are good to keep in the mind and expose in any opportunity. I start to meet some old close minds which react pretty bad to the idea of PP. But if your docs are digital, even in Czech, I would like to take a look if possible to share. in any case I gonna take more close look in the library.

Lixeiro

Thank you, the points you mention are good to keep in the mind and expose in any opportunity. I start to meet some old close minds which react pretty bad to the idea of PP. But if your docs are digital, even in Czech, I would like to take a look if possible to share. in any case I gonna take more close look in the library.

Unfortunatelly all books I use are old-school paper ones. But I can check old HDD if there is something useful.

███████

Unfortunatelly all books I use are old-school paper ones. But I can check old HDD if there is something useful.

thanks a lot!

hello does any one know why the extrusion pro can not use pet or petg thanks

CJI-Eng

hello does any one know why the extrusion pro can not use pet or petg thanks

Bc PET needs a more complex prepping process before melting, just shredding isn’t enough (edited)

Hi quick question Can we recycle acrylic into new acrylic or will it become another product which then can't be recycled anymore? It's regarding something like this https://www.cewe.de/wandbilder/acrylglas-direktdruck.html (edited)

Carolina

Bc PET needs a more complex prepping process before melting, just shredding isn’t enough (edited)

Hi, what more should be done to melt PET?

Lixeiro

Hi, what more should be done to melt PET?

I have not met a single person who uses precious plastic machines that makes PET products. The closest thing you might find is Plastic Beach Party who has made sheets from PET. https://www.instagram.com/plasticbeachparty/

Lixeiro

Hi, what more should be done to melt PET?

I tried once, but it became hard and brittle, but for small scale recycling, I saw transforming to 3D printer filament and printing products

███████

I tried once, but it became hard and brittle, but for small scale recycling, I saw transforming to 3D printer filament and printing products

thanks to your feedback, yeah for 3D filament I saw too, but with pure PET, high quality pellets, not domestic waste.

Lixeiro

thanks to your feedback, yeah for 3D filament I saw too, but with pure PET, high quality pellets, not domestic waste.

On maker faire in Czech Republic was exhibit of small line, where bottles was cut to strips, pulled through hot end to make filament and then fed onto spool or directly to 3D printer

███████

On maker faire in Czech Republic was exhibit of small line, where bottles was cut to strips, pulled through hot end to make filament and then fed onto spool or directly to 3D printer

that one I know also, but works only with bottles, there are many PET stuffs out there, in germany many PET bottles better to bring to supermarket, but true that some are not taked

Lixeiro

that one I know also, but works only with bottles, there are many PET stuffs out there, in germany many PET bottles better to bring to supermarket, but true that some are not taked

Czech Republic dont have return system on plastic waste like Germany (yet), but if you find some new way, how to deal with non bottle PET, notify me please

███████

Czech Republic dont have return system on plastic waste like Germany (yet), but if you find some new way, how to deal with non bottle PET, notify me please

right above Ben from Ciledug has commented about https://www.instagram.com/plasticbeachparty/ I saw the pictures and seems pretty a good alternative to recycle PET. Lets get in touch with them and know more about the process.

@███████ @Lixeiro Paoletta is super cool and will totally walk you through the steps for producing PET sheets. The nice thing about PET in this sheet form is that it's far more transparent than most of the plastic we all work with. This allows us to do more fun things with lighting and such.

Hi everyone. New to the discord channel. After watching the safety video from the PP academy I wanted to ask whether fume hoods and masks are needed for melting PE and PP (which are the safest plastics to melt)

The Asiatic mouflon

Hi everyone. New to the discord channel. After watching the safety video from the PP academy I wanted to ask whether fume hoods and masks are needed for melting PE and PP (which are the safest plastics to melt)

PLA is saftest of all

The Asiatic mouflon

Hi everyone. New to the discord channel. After watching the safety video from the PP academy I wanted to ask whether fume hoods and masks are needed for melting PE and PP (which are the safest plastics to melt)

HDPE is the second safest along with LDPE

Thanks good to know

Is it possible to melt PP with a T-shirt press ? and make coasters from it

3:56 PM

?

Yes it is

The Asiatic mouflon

Hi everyone. New to the discord channel. After watching the safety video from the PP academy I wanted to ask whether fume hoods and masks are needed for melting PE and PP (which are the safest plastics to melt)

Realistically people stick with PE and PP. Do you need a fume hood? Well, it's not a bad idea just like how wearing a seatbelt when driving is not a bad idea. At least make sure you have good air circulation so you're not breathing in all the bad stuff while hovering over the machines as the plastic is melting.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Realistically people stick with PE and PP. Do you need a fume hood? Well, it's not a bad idea just like how wearing a seatbelt when driving is not a bad idea. At least make sure you have good air circulation so you're not breathing in all the bad stuff while hovering over the machines as the plastic is melting.

Ahah thank you Ben

extruding PP at 180c mostly failed

marjanzitnik

extruding PP at 180c mostly failed

Was the mold pre heated ?

Alex_recycles and creates

Was the mold pre heated ?

Nope.

marjanzitnik

Nope.

Pre heat the mold then try again

1

8:03 PM

Use a heat gun

marjanzitnik

extruding PP at 180c mostly failed

With a heated mould and it being closed off at the end, you can get some really good results. Just be careful not to extrude too much as it will deform your mould and has the potential for getting stuck inside.

1

Is it practice to pre heat PP beam molds? Because its not needed for HDPE

███████

Usually harmfull components are aromatic parts (like in polystyrene and PET) or toxic elements like chlorine in PVC. Linear organic with just carbon and hydrogen are usually safe to work with. Unfortunatelly I have books and docs in Czech language, which is probably not useful to you. But I can only recomend visit of university library, if that university have material engineering or similar field of study.

agree. the plastics without chlorine or fire retardant, or thermoset is what we use. I have first hand experience with gasification of plastics. PET, PP, and PE gasify and burn with no odor, very complete combustion. PVC and vinyl are awful and the odor is unbearable even in small amounts.

marjanzitnik

extruding PP at 180c mostly failed

I run at 220c but there is also the issue that your extrusion machine may be too slow to fill before the plastic freezes

3:41 AM

fyi for injection mold, monoblock chairs, is awesome material to work with.

Thx all.

hi guys, i would like to know if i can add sand in the plastic extruder design here to make the recycled plastic more durable? cause im worried that the extruder might break if i add sand to it. or is there another filler i can add to make it durable?

lem

hi guys, i would like to know if i can add sand in the plastic extruder design here to make the recycled plastic more durable? cause im worried that the extruder might break if i add sand to it. or is there another filler i can add to make it durable?

please. no. just stop

4

2

1

How do you guys remove those tabs as clean as possible without ruining your piece?

I use a wood chisel, but my "blob" is much smaller than yours. Still leaves a mark which i sand off.

2

sonik

I use a wood chisel, but my "blob" is much smaller than yours. Still leaves a mark which i sand off.

Yea a chisel doesng work on mine or my chisel arent sharp enough, i saw them off but that leaves a nasty mark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8cgi9iRLQ0

Alex recycles and creates

How to recycle HDPE and make sheets #recycling #diy #preciousplastic

can anyone tell me if I can do something with petg? from what I've found pla won't be an issue but I haven't seen anything that mentions petg only mentions of pet which I understand are similar.. but I am really keen on being able to recycle failed 3d prints etc.. and a number of people I know are printing with petg

Hi Friends - which is the best way of cleaning the barrel of my extrusion pro machine? is WD-40 spray a good enough option?

Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - which is the best way of cleaning the barrel of my extrusion pro machine? is WD-40 spray a good enough option?

Why are you cleaning it? For me it's always been just a matter of running enough material through the machine to change color/material.

Does anyone know if it's worth trying to recycle PET bottle LABELS? For instance is there a standard / are they always PVC, or is contamination by other plastics a strong possibility. If not are any commercial recyclers bothering to do so that anyone knows of?

I'm trying to make boards from plastic bottle caps with the compression technique. I can't find a way to get rid of peelings on the surface of the sheet... Do any of you guys know the reason?

3:27 AM

The temperatures were to high apparently, the feeding wasn’t constant or the Extrution machine is to small for@the beams

okapi

I'm trying to make boards from plastic bottle caps with the compression technique. I can't find a way to get rid of peelings on the surface of the sheet... Do any of you guys know the reason?

Have you try with a grinder + a sanding disc?

Slightquills

Does anyone know if it's worth trying to recycle PET bottle LABELS? For instance is there a standard / are they always PVC, or is contamination by other plastics a strong possibility. If not are any commercial recyclers bothering to do so that anyone knows of?

PVC and PET G, are you washing and struding them? I wanted to pelletezed them but I’m focus in another project

lem

hi guys, i would like to know if i can add sand in the plastic extruder design here to make the recycled plastic more durable? cause im worried that the extruder might break if i add sand to it. or is there another filler i can add to make it durable?

I had the same question before but it destroyed the screw, you can do it, for sure but the life of your screw will be very short, just 2 or 3 months if the machine works 10hs a day, also what motor are you using cause you need more power.

1

marjanzitnik

Is it practice to pre heat PP beam molds? Because its not needed for HDPE

Not need to preheat the mold bro

Lixeiro

Hi, what more should be done to melt PET?

I have melt pet into a extrusion machine but o had some issues with the gas and pressure, so becareful, the material should be very clean and dry, otherwise you will have problems with the pressure and could be extremely dangerous

Martin PP Slovakia

can you please share your silicone mould release spray, that you are using. Im curious to test it. Because if you are saying, its that much more expensive, and result is same of better, why not to use it. By the way, i realised, i made wrong assumption. Because i read just "silicone spray" not silicone mould release spray.

I’Ve tried everything and the silicone mould release was the solution

1

Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - I am Priyank Mishra from India. I recently started extruding waste plastic using an extruder pro machine. I am facing some issues. 1) Extruding PP has been quite easy but I have struggled with HDPE. HDPE lumbers are getting stuck in mould and not coming out very easily. What is the way out? 2) Extruding LDPE has also been a tedious process. Extrusion tends to be slow. Can I actually extrude LDPE using Extruder pro. Alternatively, can I mix it with HDPE and extrude as they have similar melting temp. Hope you can help with your insights. Thanks in advance

You can mix HDPE with PP and LDPE

Oscar Cornejo

Have you try with a grinder + a sanding disc?

Some peelings are to deep to be sanded. And I want the surface to be as smooth as it doesn't need any finishing

Oscar Cornejo

You can mix HDPE with PP and LDPE

never mix different plastics together because it will make future recycling very hard

Alex_recycles and creates

never mix different plastics together because it will make future recycling very hard

Unless you will reuse for your own product, for example: I’m making Dragon Fruit Post, the average use is 50 years, those has 50% HDPE, 30PP and 20% Fiber, but yep, what you said is right cause is easier to reuse one type of polymer

okapi

Some peelings are to deep to be sanded. And I want the surface to be as smooth as it doesn't need any finishing

Have you tried melting a bit of plastic and fill the holes ? There is a tip on the webpage of PP where they do that

Joey

How do you guys remove those tabs as clean as possible without ruining your piece?

i would highly recommend you to add a plate between the coaster shaped plate and the nozzle plate, this one has to have the same dimensions and hole positioning that the others. Use the nozzle plate as a guide to find the center point of injection and make a 4 mm hole so then when you inject, the injection point will be only 4 mm making it much easier to cut without leaving such a big mark on the product (it can be cut with a wire cutter or simply a normal cutter)

1

okapi

I'm trying to make boards from plastic bottle caps with the compression technique. I can't find a way to get rid of peelings on the surface of the sheet... Do any of you guys know the reason?

it can be for many different reasons, temperature, plastic quality, dirt etc. But i've seen people using planers to solve this issue, so you remove the first layer of the sheet

1

Joey

How do you guys remove those tabs as clean as possible without ruining your piece?

I think, better question could be -> Am I using best possible diameter for injection hole, for my hexagon coaster ? We in PPSK, are using 8 mm injection holes for, and we are removing it with this kind of pliers

2

Oscar Cornejo

I had the same question before but it destroyed the screw, you can do it, for sure but the life of your screw will be very short, just 2 or 3 months if the machine works 10hs a day, also what motor are you using cause you need more power.

thank you, im still in the process of making the machine but how about adding cement in the plastic extruder design here? has anyone tried or have an idea if it would break the machine?

lem

thank you, im still in the process of making the machine but how about adding cement in the plastic extruder design here? has anyone tried or have an idea if it would break the machine?

Yep, the cement will deteriorate the screw very fast

PET, What is the best thing recycle it into?

10:04 AM

Also what are the terms and conditions on recycling it

N.V.I New Vision Implements

PET, What is the best thing recycle it into?

send it to normal recycling chains and it gets recycled back into bottles or clothing. I'd avoid trying to recycle these with precious plastic machines, you'll have nothing but problems.

I am really liking this plastic from the monoblock furniture we just chopped it up with a hatchet, and its shredding really nice, 35+ kilo per hour. I ran a couple test pieces of 1x2 lumber and it came out awesome. and the best part is it is cheaper than some of the other plastics like the bottle caps

8:19 AM

Butte (PP Philippines)

I am really liking this plastic from the monoblock furniture we just chopped it up with a hatchet, and its shredding really nice, 35+ kilo per hour. I ran a couple test pieces of 1x2 lumber and it came out awesome. and the best part is it is cheaper than some of the other plastics like the bottle caps

Cool! Good to know, I didn't think that would re-mold very well. Is the lumber brittle (more breakable)?

its more brittle but not too bad. I added in a bit of titanium dioxide powder to increase UV resistance also.

Thanks for the info

Butte (PP Philippines)

its more brittle but not too bad. I added in a bit of titanium dioxide powder to increase UV resistance also.

good idea

I wanted to touch on a conversation that I saw from a couple of months ago. Anyone have experience using HDPE or PET with the injector? We had lots of trouble getting a good mold with PET and then switched to Polypropylene (PP) and it made a world of difference. Should we give up on PET/HDPE?

Alberto

I wanted to touch on a conversation that I saw from a couple of months ago. Anyone have experience using HDPE or PET with the injector? We had lots of trouble getting a good mold with PET and then switched to Polypropylene (PP) and it made a world of difference. Should we give up on PET/HDPE?

did you preheat the mold or put release spray in the mold ?

We did preheat the mold but we still had trouble getting enough plastic into the mold, we were melting at 260ºC not sure if the temperature was high enough

7:40 PM

And we’re unaware there was such a thing as release spray

PET is a terrible material for injection and extrusion. Stick with the PP and HDPE/LDPE stuff

We are working on using iron oxide pigments for our plastic lumber. Iron oxide pigments are characterized as non-hazardous inorganic color pigments with superb weather and lightfastness. They are being used for coloration of numerous materials in a broad variety of industries, the most important being construction, paints and coatings, plastics and paper.

5:42 AM

So far we have used about 8 kilos in our HDPE boards. It works pretty good, roughly 1 kilo will color about 50 kilos of plastic to a red/brown, the raw plastic is dark grey when extruded without coloring, so this is a acceptable color change to get a dark brown/red (edited)

1

Hello im new to Precious Plastic. Im a 3D printer with a small home buisiness. And im looking for a way to recycle bottles and plastic into fillament i can use to 3D print. Im looking for a small scale fillament extruder for DIY. If anyone knows of a good tutorial please send it my way. Looking forward to making friends and joining in new conversations

Regards to all. A month ago, I produced the first beams and benches from recycled HDPE and PP, as well as from a mix of the two. I'm from Montenegro and people saw this as something revolutionary. I already have over 50 orders for recycled benches, but I run into a big problem when they ask me how long the bench will last considering the weather conditions in our country, which range from -10 degrees in the winter to 40 degrees in the summer. Does anyone have any longevity experiences to share with me? Thank you

Butte (PP Philippines)

I am really liking this plastic from the monoblock furniture we just chopped it up with a hatchet, and its shredding really nice, 35+ kilo per hour. I ran a couple test pieces of 1x2 lumber and it came out awesome. and the best part is it is cheaper than some of the other plastics like the bottle caps

Good to know! We have some furniture like that, which we are intending to shred up. What kind of shredding machine are you using?

JohnNephew

Good to know! We have some furniture like that, which we are intending to shred up. What kind of shredding machine are you using?

this granulator shredder we designed and built. We had a Dutch engineer visit and he spent 2 months designing and working out the manufacturing process.

1

1:18 AM

5hp, runs around 600 rpm. uses ar500 blades.

With its relatively low melting temperature, we've found that HDPE is pretty forgiving of "composite" applications where for example we just shred bottles with labels on, or sweep up plastic shavings and sawdust and melt them together for new blanks for machining or whatnot. Paper and sawdust don't burn at the the temps where the polyethylene is malleable. But we have been hesitant about trying this with polypropylene, given its higher temperature requirement. For example, we have lots of the inside caps of medicine bottles where there was a cardboard circle glued to the PP inside cap. We can tear off the cardboard, but a residue of adhesive and paper remains. Maybe that just winds up as contaminated waste that needs to go in the trash, but I am wondering about anyone's practical experience in using PP with wood/paper mixed in.

Coucou ! Je suis Plastic Avenue... Tourneuse de stylo (pour l'instant).

1

hello everyone! The question of flotation. What solution, preferably without a strong smell, would you recommend for flotation of PP from HDPE?

Поля

hello everyone! The question of flotation. What solution, preferably without a strong smell, would you recommend for flotation of PP from HDPE?

clean water

1:34 PM

are you trying to separate HDPE and PP by floating them?

Hello, I am planning on buying a PID detector to detect the fumes produced in my workspace and consider buying a fume extractor or not. Do you have any recommendation on how to choose this PID detector ?

JohnNephew started a thread. 1/22/2023 12:32 AM

Question: Found that dishwashers are made of polypropelyne. Problem, it has calcium or talc infill. Is there a way to separate the calcium or talc filling from the polypropelyne?

2:58 AM

Or, would the calcium or talc interfere with shredding or melting process?

Uplifted

Question: Found that dishwashers are made of polypropelyne. Problem, it has calcium or talc infill. Is there a way to separate the calcium or talc filling from the polypropelyne?

It's also in other plastics, like LDPE and HDPE. There's no way for you to separate it. So, what's the deal? What does talc and calcium carbonate do? It is a filler and causes the plastic to be more thick when it's melted. The flow of the plastic has much more resistance to being pressed and forced into place so you might need to use higher pressures.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Ah that's good to hear. I wasn't sure if that was something that made the plastic unserviceable or if it were something that made the plastic dangerous like PVC. Very helpful, thank you.

Hello, I have a question related to the plastic types for the sheet press machine. I am having difficulty melting granulated HDPE plastic with my sheet press machine, even when increasing the heat to 185 degrees Celsius. I previously had success using shredded HDPE, which I melted at 170 degrees Celsius. Are there specific properties in the plastic that I should be aware of or am I missing something in the process? I am sending the pictures and results of both plastic and the result

Doruk Yıldırım

Hello, I have a question related to the plastic types for the sheet press machine. I am having difficulty melting granulated HDPE plastic with my sheet press machine, even when increasing the heat to 185 degrees Celsius. I previously had success using shredded HDPE, which I melted at 170 degrees Celsius. Are there specific properties in the plastic that I should be aware of or am I missing something in the process? I am sending the pictures and results of both plastic and the result

This is the previous shredded plastic

1

Doruk Yıldırım

Hello, I have a question related to the plastic types for the sheet press machine. I am having difficulty melting granulated HDPE plastic with my sheet press machine, even when increasing the heat to 185 degrees Celsius. I previously had success using shredded HDPE, which I melted at 170 degrees Celsius. Are there specific properties in the plastic that I should be aware of or am I missing something in the process? I am sending the pictures and results of both plastic and the result

This is the new one with problems

Doruk Yıldırım

This is the new one with problems

This is probably oversimplified but there's basically two types of HDPE: Injection Blow Injection tends to melt nicely and flows well. Blow is more thick and requires more pressure to force it into shape. Blow is more thick because of the way it is used for producing products with blow moulding. The plastic has to be thick enough to allow air to be blown inside and also not have the plastic fall apart when it does this. Injection needs to flow nicely since moulds can flow in all sorts of different ways, any resistance in the material itself can cause an incomplete injection. I hope this helps!

3:40 PM

And yes, not all #2 plastic is the same.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

are you trying to separate HDPE and PP by floating them?

No, we want to separate crushed PP from HDPE

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

This is probably oversimplified but there's basically two types of HDPE: Injection Blow Injection tends to melt nicely and flows well. Blow is more thick and requires more pressure to force it into shape. Blow is more thick because of the way it is used for producing products with blow moulding. The plastic has to be thick enough to allow air to be blown inside and also not have the plastic fall apart when it does this. Injection needs to flow nicely since moulds can flow in all sorts of different ways, any resistance in the material itself can cause an incomplete injection. I hope this helps!

Yes, I had the same problem monday, trying to inject plant pots with blow molding HDPE. Only with ~500bar injection pressure (I made an hydraulic machine) and rising temperatures from 180°C on the barrel and 190 at the nozzle to 200/225 I had a good result, but with al that pressure the part comes out hardly from the mold, since I made only 2° taper on the internal. With a better material I had a lot less problems, probably injection molding one is softer also after cooling. So I decided to modify the mold to a 3°taper. (edited)

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

This is probably oversimplified but there's basically two types of HDPE: Injection Blow Injection tends to melt nicely and flows well. Blow is more thick and requires more pressure to force it into shape. Blow is more thick because of the way it is used for producing products with blow moulding. The plastic has to be thick enough to allow air to be blown inside and also not have the plastic fall apart when it does this. Injection needs to flow nicely since moulds can flow in all sorts of different ways, any resistance in the material itself can cause an incomplete injection. I hope this helps!

Thanks for the explanation. The second plastic is being used for making plastic bags. Is that categorized as Blow?

Doruk Yıldırım

Thanks for the explanation. The second plastic is being used for making plastic bags. Is that categorized as Blow?

Plastic bags tend to be LDPE. It's a little different than blow moulding with how they are formed, although it is still blown into shape. Usually those are a bit less fussy but the industries do put in their fair amount of filler into these plastic bags.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Plastic bags tend to be LDPE. It's a little different than blow moulding with how they are formed, although it is still blown into shape. Usually those are a bit less fussy but the industries do put in their fair amount of filler into these plastic bags.

Got it, thanks!! Is there the same difference for PP? I mean the blow and injection. Because I experienced a similar thing with the PP plastic

Doruk Yıldırım

Got it, thanks!! Is there the same difference for PP? I mean the blow and injection. Because I experienced a similar thing with the PP plastic

I have heard of this, but i have not seen this (yet)

Doruk Yıldırım

This is the new one with problems

Also, if you are having issues closer to the edge, it might be because you are having other issues with heating. In windy/breezy conditions your machine might struggle heating up the edges and thus the plastic doesn't quite melt all the way. I've had this issue and have seen others deal with the same issue.

Anyone ever tried injecting polycarbonate? I have a small but constant supply of it, not fancy colour (transparent greyish), but since it is so tough maybe it can come useful for structural parts...

So I have not found a better place to ask this question. is there a good way to get additives out of scrap plastic? also tangentially related, extracting trace elements from carbon dust.

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Anyone ever tried injecting polycarbonate? I have a small but constant supply of it, not fancy colour (transparent greyish), but since it is so tough maybe it can come useful for structural parts...

My impression is that polycarbonate is one of those plastics that is best to avoid, along with PVC, due to the nasty chemicals it releases, FWIW.

JohnNephew

My impression is that polycarbonate is one of those plastics that is best to avoid, along with PVC, due to the nasty chemicals it releases, FWIW.

Ok. I read about bisphenol in non food containers, and the one I can collect aren't food ones, there is a metalworking tooling maker (Sandvik) that switched from PS to PC in last years, and I was wondering if they are good to use. I let them in the plastic recycling bin! (edited)

Hello everyone, I’ve made some post for Dragon Fruit of HDPE, PP, LDPE + rice husk, the results for the compression went amazing and we are selling the product but we have a big question, if the post will be strong enough to don’t destroyed when the plant grows and give them some traction ?

3:02 AM

3:03 AM

Hi everyone. I’m planning on setting up a PP workspace with shredder and extruder. Can the extruder be used for PET plastic as well? If not, are there any Precious Plastic machines that can be used to recycle PET?

aisharapaut

Hi everyone. I’m planning on setting up a PP workspace with shredder and extruder. Can the extruder be used for PET plastic as well? If not, are there any Precious Plastic machines that can be used to recycle PET?

Unfortunately nope

Carolina

Unfortunately nope

Okay. Do you know of any other small scale machines that we can build ourselves to recycle PET?

aisharapaut

Okay. Do you know of any other small scale machines that we can build ourselves to recycle PET?

Not made by us, but you can search in the bazar to see if you can find alternatives https://bazar.preciousplastic.com (edited)

Carolina

Not made by us, but you can search in the bazar to see if you can find alternatives https://bazar.preciousplastic.com (edited)

Thank you!

1

I do wish much more PET were recycled, especially the non-bottle containers. I have an idea to shred some up and use it as filler in an epoxy pour for a 3D mountain for our game Dice Miner.

JohnNephew

I do wish much more PET were recycled, especially the non-bottle containers. I have an idea to shred some up and use it as filler in an epoxy pour for a 3D mountain for our game Dice Miner.

Ah, i struggle with my feelings on this sort of thing (mixing thermoplastic with thermoset) Can the PET be recycled or is it now residual waste? Is it worth making a new (thermoset) plastic to mix in other waste with? Is what I'm doing overall reducing the amount of new plastic in the world or am I adding to it? Just things to consider. I have seen people mix epoxy with plastic and the results were neat, but at the end of the day....it made no sense because the plastic could have been easily melt down and shaped into the object they were making and now the results were something that will be incredibly difficult to recycle when someone decides it's no longer worth having.

2

1

JohnNephew

I do wish much more PET were recycled, especially the non-bottle containers. I have an idea to shred some up and use it as filler in an epoxy pour for a 3D mountain for our game Dice Miner.

But Pet is very Comercial, a lot of big companies buy compressed Pet bottles also clamshells and others. AJE, Coca Cola, Pamolsa, etc or Even China.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Ah, i struggle with my feelings on this sort of thing (mixing thermoplastic with thermoset) Can the PET be recycled or is it now residual waste? Is it worth making a new (thermoset) plastic to mix in other waste with? Is what I'm doing overall reducing the amount of new plastic in the world or am I adding to it? Just things to consider. I have seen people mix epoxy with plastic and the results were neat, but at the end of the day....it made no sense because the plastic could have been easily melt down and shaped into the object they were making and now the results were something that will be incredibly difficult to recycle when someone decides it's no longer worth having.

Yeah, I wrestle with exactly this. And epoxy is SOOOOO expensive. So I am thinking about this more in terms of a unique artistic project and less as anything to be produced at scale.

Oscar Cornejo

But Pet is very Comercial, a lot of big companies buy compressed Pet bottles also clamshells and others. AJE, Coca Cola, Pamolsa, etc or Even China.

PET bottles seem to have very good recycling in the USA, relatively speaking. PET packaging...not so much. And colored PET... also not so much. I believe that around here, while a lot of us wishcycle the PET packaging, it winds up going to landfill at the Material Recovery Center where they separate the single-stream curbside plastic. So my suspicion is that, for example, the lovely transparent blue PET tray bottoms of take-out sushi are doomed to landfill or perhaps an incinerator for the time being.

At work we often see green plastic strapping that I believe is rPET. We also use rPET ourselves for some clamshell packaging. If anyone has experience with small scale PET recycling, I'm certainly curious to hear about it. I kinda feel like I'm grabbing plastics on the way to the landfill. "No, wait, don't toss that!" I shout, grabbing at things. But I have to let go the things I am not likely to put to use soon, or we will be overwhelmed with trash (and then not have room for things we CAN use right now).

1

JohnNephew

PET bottles seem to have very good recycling in the USA, relatively speaking. PET packaging...not so much. And colored PET... also not so much. I believe that around here, while a lot of us wishcycle the PET packaging, it winds up going to landfill at the Material Recovery Center where they separate the single-stream curbside plastic. So my suspicion is that, for example, the lovely transparent blue PET tray bottoms of take-out sushi are doomed to landfill or perhaps an incinerator for the time being.

At work we often see green plastic strapping that I believe is rPET. We also use rPET ourselves for some clamshell packaging. If anyone has experience with small scale PET recycling, I'm certainly curious to hear about it. I kinda feel like I'm grabbing plastics on the way to the landfill. "No, wait, don't toss that!" I shout, grabbing at things. But I have to let go the things I am not likely to put to use soon, or we will be overwhelmed with trash (and then not have room for things we CAN use right now).

Plastic Beach Party had some good success making PET sheets. Have a look. https://instagram.com/plasticbeachparty?igshid=Yzg5MTU1MDY=

1

Hey, I am wondering about acrylic/plexiglass/PMMA. Why isn't it recycled more? What are the issues that complicate it? I did some very limited grinding and injecting molding with some acrylic scrap and it seems like there is potential to work with it. What experience and knowledge (and warnings) might anyone have to share?

JohnNephew

Hey, I am wondering about acrylic/plexiglass/PMMA. Why isn't it recycled more? What are the issues that complicate it? I did some very limited grinding and injecting molding with some acrylic scrap and it seems like there is potential to work with it. What experience and knowledge (and warnings) might anyone have to share?

It is very hard, rather dramatic to break down, and poses more risk to people and machines. It creates lots of fine dust when grinding that sticks around and contaminates other plastics that you want to process and presents a inhalation hazards. It's flammable, and releases some nasty gasses at temps near to other common operating temperatures of plastics.

5:44 PM

Folks still try it, but in general it is best to approach it with heightened precaution.

1

CitSciWorkshop

It is very hard, rather dramatic to break down, and poses more risk to people and machines. It creates lots of fine dust when grinding that sticks around and contaminates other plastics that you want to process and presents a inhalation hazards. It's flammable, and releases some nasty gasses at temps near to other common operating temperatures of plastics.

There's a very good CAUTION! summary! Good to know. Seems like a lot of folks like using acrylic sheets for CNC and laser, and that would make for potential good markets for recycled sheets. And there are plenty of sources among offcuts, and places like hardware stores (window replacement offcuts), framing shops, etc. (edited)

hi everyone, i wonder for PP's sheetpress machine that they say this in their website. Why is it differ from 3 to 10 sheet production from full system?

Arrttt

hi everyone, i wonder for PP's sheetpress machine that they say this in their website. Why is it differ from 3 to 10 sheet production from full system?

If you are using just the sheet press (hot press) and not cold press, you waste a lot of time waiting for sheets to cool down in the hot press. For 10 sheets, you need to move your sheets from hot press to cold press, this way you're not wasting machine time and also energy with the hot press. I'm calling the sheet press a hot press because it has heaters that melt the plastic. The cold press has no heaters and is only used for maintaining pressure on sheets that have already been melted and require no more heating...just time for cooling off.

Just for example, let's say you make a 1m x 1m x 1cm sheet. Expect 1 hour for melting, 2-3 hours for cooling (maybe more). Let's say 4 hours per sheet. You'll spend 16 hours for making 4 sheets. It's not very time efficient.

alright, that's very clear of your explanation. Thank you! @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

1

Hi, we use an injection molding machine to make recycled plastic key rings but sometimes (especially in the middle) some places in the mold don't fill evenly with the plastic, we think among other things an air pocket in the middle but this is only a theory, anyone would be why this happens?

Hmm, just three things come to mind. Rate of fill. Pressure. Plastic cleanliness. Failures happen but if you are consistent with your process, it's easier to find the problem

Thanks !

Hey

1

Uplifted

Question: Found that dishwashers are made of polypropelyne. Problem, it has calcium or talc infill. Is there a way to separate the calcium or talc filling from the polypropelyne?

talc is inert. Dishwashers and washing machines have very little calcium or talc filler compared to monoblock chairs I have found. This is also reflected in the buying prices for scrap plastic with PP plastic in appliances fetches the highest price and monoblock furniture fetches a much lower price. I shredded a batch of monoblock last week and it was so full of calcium carbonate i ended up with several large handfulls of calcium powder at the bottom of the machine. I had to add in a large amount of clear PP microwave food container plastic to improve the quality of the material for plastic lumber. (edited)

2:58 AM

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug suggested this awhile back . It is working out very well to color my plastic lumber a nice brown. However still running into issues with getting a consistent color shade. It looks like from my research into the Indian recycling shops, that they are putting the plastic shred into a cement mixer with the pigment and using a gas flame to dry the plastic. It also appears to slightly melt the surface of each flake making the pigment powder stick to the plastic flake which makes for a even distribution of the pigment. Currently trying to sell my pellet mill to raise funds to buy a tumbler type cement mixer for this shop upgrade.

3:02 AM

the cost for 10 kilos with delivery over here was less than 9usd. I have tried the rust red color, green and ochre amber color. The green is more coarse and does not color the plastic well, ochre did not make a nice result, I have also tried using powdercoat pigment, but because the powdercoat is thermoset, it sticks to the extrusion screw. Maybe if I first set the powdercoat in the cement mixer drier before extrusion I could get a better result. I also have used zinc oxide and titanium dioxide powders to good effect although the white pigments are very expensive. one kilo of white is the same price as 10 kilos of red.

Iron oxide pigment is color fast so it doesn't fade as quickly as other plastic pigment. So if you use this and it doesn't mix super well, you might see the plastic flow

im doing brown because my competitor across town only does black and clients keep asking brown. pictured is their lumber.

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

talc is inert. Dishwashers and washing machines have very little calcium or talc filler compared to monoblock chairs I have found. This is also reflected in the buying prices for scrap plastic with PP plastic in appliances fetches the highest price and monoblock furniture fetches a much lower price. I shredded a batch of monoblock last week and it was so full of calcium carbonate i ended up with several large handfulls of calcium powder at the bottom of the machine. I had to add in a large amount of clear PP microwave food container plastic to improve the quality of the material for plastic lumber. (edited)

This kind of experiential info is so valuable. Thank yoU!

Does anyone have any idea on what can be used to remove dyes from LDPE without damaging the plastic? How is it possible to make the LDPE, like just flakes or pieces, clear after it’s been dyed or has ink printed on it or is just colored, would solvents be the most effective way or something else? (edited)

adrianna

Does anyone have any idea on what can be used to remove dyes from LDPE without damaging the plastic? How is it possible to make the LDPE, like just flakes or pieces, clear after it’s been dyed or has ink printed on it or is just colored, would solvents be the most effective way or something else? (edited)

If the plastic is colored, you're stuck with the color. You can do things to change the color but not to remove the color.

Butte (PP Philippines)

talc is inert. Dishwashers and washing machines have very little calcium or talc filler compared to monoblock chairs I have found. This is also reflected in the buying prices for scrap plastic with PP plastic in appliances fetches the highest price and monoblock furniture fetches a much lower price. I shredded a batch of monoblock last week and it was so full of calcium carbonate i ended up with several large handfulls of calcium powder at the bottom of the machine. I had to add in a large amount of clear PP microwave food container plastic to improve the quality of the material for plastic lumber. (edited)

Butte, your beams are great, what temperature are you using to get that smooth surface ?

2:47 AM

I’m doing almost the same but in Peru

2:48 AM

fast extrusion to get a smoother surface, but for really nice finish you will have to wood plane it.

Can someone explain to me why you can’t to the injector for beams or the extruder for high precision objects?

MIfoodie

Can someone explain to me why you can’t to the injector for beams or the extruder for high precision objects?

The injector has a limited maximum shot of how much plastic can be injected at a time. If you had a big enough one you could certain make beams or any other object, but you are very quickly moving into the territory of large factory machines. The pressure that gives you precision in a mold is missing from the extruder, since it is continuously melting and pushing a stream of molten plastic. Without the high level of pressure, the plastic shrinks as it cools, leaving an irregular textured surface. (edited)

JohnNephew

The injector has a limited maximum shot of how much plastic can be injected at a time. If you had a big enough one you could certain make beams or any other object, but you are very quickly moving into the territory of large factory machines. The pressure that gives you precision in a mold is missing from the extruder, since it is continuously melting and pushing a stream of molten plastic. Without the high level of pressure, the plastic shrinks as it cools, leaving an irregular textured surface. (edited)

re extruder pressure, it's not too bad, managed to pull 10 M8 bolts out of the mould, the seedtray in the pic (PP) could be a about 1.5 times bigger - that's the edge of the 30mm extruder, you can still go higher with heated moulds tho, but hard to imagine someone want's to run such parts 9/5, perhaps with automatic clamping ...

2

1

Thomas Peterberns | Johannplasto

Good Morning, this is a common problem. You need to ground your shredder box. You are probably using a coupling with a non-conductive material and your frame cannot dissipate the static charge either? Simply lay a cable from earth (if you have earthed your motor (should be like this), you can simply run a cable from a bare part of the motor to the shredder box.

I am having a similar issue. Is the yellow wire between the motor and the shredder all that is needed to ground it? Or is there also a ground wire running away from the machine as well?

AmandaErickson

I am having a similar issue. Is the yellow wire between the motor and the shredder all that is needed to ground it? Or is there also a ground wire running away from the machine as well?

The two are wired together to make sure they are connected, sometimes paint isolates things and bolts/nuts/washers dont always make the best electrical connections. But you need to connect this wire to earth/ground, otherwise it's not doing anything. You have a couple options, one is to have a look where your machine plugs in. Is the cable using two wires or three wires? Is the ground wire connected to the plug that you use for the wall outlet? If yes, you can have a look at your electrical wiring on your shredder and see where that wire goes...just follow the cable that goes into your electrical box. In there you should be able to see where the ground wire goes (or doesn't go). Often times i see this wire connected to a terminal that has nothing else attached, this is where you can connect your motor and shredder box to. I hope this makes sense

Hi everyone, I have got a project on recycling PA12 fishing nets. I have a sheetpress workspace. Anyone have any experience with PA and sheet panels? What would be the best way to recylce it?

Doruk Yıldırım

Hi everyone, I have got a project on recycling PA12 fishing nets. I have a sheetpress workspace. Anyone have any experience with PA and sheet panels? What would be the best way to recylce it?

I also have access to a shredder and extruder

our fastest production batch to date. https://youtube.com/shorts/WlCQL6LyLwk 400 kilos in 3 days. Client wanted grey so we had to buy recycled HDPE white pellet, and mix in some black shred to get the grey color. has a nice pattern too. will be used in a store that sells canteens at a mall here in the philippines

making recycled precious plastic lumber #plasticrecycling

1

well shit, i just screwed up big time

4:42 AM

more than 200 dollar mistake

4:43 AM

I thought I was ordering the 710mm extrusion screw barrel and i got a 600mm barrel by mistake

3

2

Maybe you can use it to build a machine for someone else? but that sucks

Butte (PP Philippines)

our fastest production batch to date. https://youtube.com/shorts/WlCQL6LyLwk 400 kilos in 3 days. Client wanted grey so we had to buy recycled HDPE white pellet, and mix in some black shred to get the grey color. has a nice pattern too. will be used in a store that sells canteens at a mall here in the philippines

I suggest you use proper mask when sawing, there are tons of nano plastic particles in the air that you inhale directly to your lungs and you dont even feel/see it

+connect industrial vacuum if you can. Awesome work by the way!! ❤️

1

would a wooden mold work for making plastic/sand bricks. has anybody tried?

It will get stuck/impossible to separate. Tested wood several times and its not really good, not for the brick mould but even simpler things.

Butte (PP Philippines)

our fastest production batch to date. https://youtube.com/shorts/WlCQL6LyLwk 400 kilos in 3 days. Client wanted grey so we had to buy recycled HDPE white pellet, and mix in some black shred to get the grey color. has a nice pattern too. will be used in a store that sells canteens at a mall here in the philippines

How many workers were you to process at this speed?

Im trying to build an injection machine and Im trying to find a good starting place for the band heater temp can anyone help me.

Caveman1977

Im trying to build an injection machine and Im trying to find a good starting place for the band heater temp can anyone help me.

It depends on the plastic and also your machine. Try 200c and see what happens. I just used a friend's injection and the settings were 220c and 240c for making caribiners from HDPE.

Hey Friends - I have been using PP to extrude beams at 240-250 degree centrigrade for last 3 months now. Recently, we got a batch of black pp grind from a chair factory for some trials. But this lot is burning at that temp. Tried bringing down the temp to 180 degree but still the same issue. Should I try to lower the temp further?

Priyank Mishra

Hey Friends - I have been using PP to extrude beams at 240-250 degree centrigrade for last 3 months now. Recently, we got a batch of black pp grind from a chair factory for some trials. But this lot is burning at that temp. Tried bringing down the temp to 180 degree but still the same issue. Should I try to lower the temp further?

Some more trials tell us that this lot of plastic is not melting below 160 degree. Is it problem of moisture in the grind? One can see the grind and burnt output in the pictures.

i recieved what was claimed to be HDPE recently and it came out looking the same as your photo. I do not think it is PP or it is contaminated with other materials. I ended up sending the garbage plastic back to the supplier as it was useless.

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

i recieved what was claimed to be HDPE recently and it came out looking the same as your photo. I do not think it is PP or it is contaminated with other materials. I ended up sending the garbage plastic back to the supplier as it was useless.

Thanks Butte - have you ever faced a situation where moisture causes burning of extruded plastic? Btw I also tried doing water test and most of these pieces are sinking in water. I have two thoughts now - one, may be there is moisture which is causing the problem as I see bubbles bursting when the plastic flows out of machine. Second, it could be mixed material and hence I am not getting the desired results.

Priyank Mishra

Thanks Butte - have you ever faced a situation where moisture causes burning of extruded plastic? Btw I also tried doing water test and most of these pieces are sinking in water. I have two thoughts now - one, may be there is moisture which is causing the problem as I see bubbles bursting when the plastic flows out of machine. Second, it could be mixed material and hence I am not getting the desired results.

If that is sinking in water, it's definitely not PP/HDPE/LDPE! Or maybe it is a composite of some kind? I would be super leery about working with it.

1

4:17 PM

Hey, let's talk about PLA! There apparently are a lot of people with home 3D printers nowadays (and some commercial occupations, as well as the local makerspace) who are accumulating their PLA scrap and failed prints, because they know it is only in theory compostable in the right (industrial, managed) conditions. I also know some local restaurants that use PLA takeout containers & cutlery. I am interested in hearing peoples' experience with PLA itself (working characteristics? safety issues?) and using it in Precious Plastics machinery, as it seems like a promising potential source of clean and pre-sorted material to grind and work with.

So far I did not experience any issues when working with PLA. But I mainly made sheets with it yet. Not sure if shrinking might be an issue when you want to use it for moulds with fine details. Apart from that I don't see any problem to work with PLA

1

JohnNephew

Hey, let's talk about PLA! There apparently are a lot of people with home 3D printers nowadays (and some commercial occupations, as well as the local makerspace) who are accumulating their PLA scrap and failed prints, because they know it is only in theory compostable in the right (industrial, managed) conditions. I also know some local restaurants that use PLA takeout containers & cutlery. I am interested in hearing peoples' experience with PLA itself (working characteristics? safety issues?) and using it in Precious Plastics machinery, as it seems like a promising potential source of clean and pre-sorted material to grind and work with.

I've made some sheets of PLA. It's cool and looks nice, but I haven't been able to cut it just yet. It seems like it just shatters instead of cutting. but honestly I havent given it a big try just yet. All I know is my cnc machine didn't like it.

Anyways, my other issue was the source was slightly mixed with PETG so there was a few times my sheets just came out cracked. I assume it was PETG contamination but could be wrong. The plastic sources tried to separate the plastics but didn't do a very good job. Shredding definitely has issues. PLA appears to melt a bit in my shredder after about 10-20 minutes. I use a 9mm filter and it mostly goes down. I give things a break and let a fan cool things down. I have not tried extruding or injecting it yet.

1

Priyank Mishra

Thanks Butte - have you ever faced a situation where moisture causes burning of extruded plastic? Btw I also tried doing water test and most of these pieces are sinking in water. I have two thoughts now - one, may be there is moisture which is causing the problem as I see bubbles bursting when the plastic flows out of machine. Second, it could be mixed material and hence I am not getting the desired results.

If there's water mixed in with the plastic, you'll know. The water turns to steam and increases the pressure by a lot. If you were to try and extrude it, it will come out much faster than normal and also be a bit expanded with bubbles. Depending on the plastic source, it might be blended with some filler material. This is common and....commonly causes us problems. Some additives can also modify the density of the material causing it to sink when it is PP or HDPE. Using iron oxide pigment will cause the plastic to become ferrous and magnetic and heavier. Blending plastics can work, even if you have PET mixed in with PP and HDPE. Some additives can modify the density so the float test isn't always accurate.

1

Priyank Mishra

Thanks Butte - have you ever faced a situation where moisture causes burning of extruded plastic? Btw I also tried doing water test and most of these pieces are sinking in water. I have two thoughts now - one, may be there is moisture which is causing the problem as I see bubbles bursting when the plastic flows out of machine. Second, it could be mixed material and hence I am not getting the desired results.

i get steam from moisture and steam bubbles, sometimes even pockets of water in the lumber.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If there's water mixed in with the plastic, you'll know. The water turns to steam and increases the pressure by a lot. If you were to try and extrude it, it will come out much faster than normal and also be a bit expanded with bubbles. Depending on the plastic source, it might be blended with some filler material. This is common and....commonly causes us problems. Some additives can also modify the density of the material causing it to sink when it is PP or HDPE. Using iron oxide pigment will cause the plastic to become ferrous and magnetic and heavier. Blending plastics can work, even if you have PET mixed in with PP and HDPE. Some additives can modify the density so the float test isn't always accurate.

agree... there is a company in the UK making a 50/50 alloy of PET and PE plastic and molding shipping pallets from it.

Thanks a lot fellow people for sharing your thoughts. I suspect its definitely some mixing done with PP as my extruded beam is shrinking just like PP but is burnt on the surface and distorted on the edges (as seen in the picture). Water is also dripping few times and more white smoke is coming out from the extrusion machine. I am trying to sun dry the plastic and using heat gun to dry up the plastic, Any suggestions on how to remove mositure effectively? Some one suggesting using demoisturising powder for the same.

that is actually not half bad

6:39 AM

that is more likely steam not smoke. for a smoother extrude you need a faster machine. you need to fill the mold before the plastic cools and sets basically. we sun dry our plastic. we spread it out on sunny days.

Butte (PP Philippines)

agree... there is a company in the UK making a 50/50 alloy of PET and PE plastic and molding shipping pallets from it.

Compression molded or injected?

Is it good idea to mix and extrude PP and HDPE together? Temperature around 200 celsius. In Croatia we mostly have HDPE and PP bottle caps and its not quite easy to separate them.

marjanzitnik

Is it good idea to mix and extrude PP and HDPE together? Temperature around 200 celsius. In Croatia we mostly have HDPE and PP bottle caps and its not quite easy to separate them.

Isn't too difficult. If you start to know the different kind of parts, you find it easy. Start with the number or symbol printed, if present. If not, a windproof lighter helps you to do a fast fire test. If it burns without smoke, you are sure that it is PE or PP. Then try to bend it. If it stays bent, HDPE. If it tend to keep its shape, PP. Any flip flop cap (like the shampoo ones, with the flexible hinge) is PP. Virtually 100% of beverage caps for PET bottles are HDPE (around the world seems that there are also PP caps, but there like here in Italy I never found one). If you aren't sure, there's the floating technique, you need just a jar, some alcohol and water. Mixing PP with PE isn't a good idea. They don't melt together perfectly, and the products you made aren't recyclable. After a while you discover that it is easy.

Priyank Mishra

Thanks a lot fellow people for sharing your thoughts. I suspect its definitely some mixing done with PP as my extruded beam is shrinking just like PP but is burnt on the surface and distorted on the edges (as seen in the picture). Water is also dripping few times and more white smoke is coming out from the extrusion machine. I am trying to sun dry the plastic and using heat gun to dry up the plastic, Any suggestions on how to remove mositure effectively? Some one suggesting using demoisturising powder for the same.

Hey! these don't look bad at all. Smoke can be either steam or actual smoke from things being too hot. It can be difficult to tell the difference, however, if you have moisture in your plastic you will know. It will add a bunch of bubbles into the plastic and cause it to come out weird/not smooth.

1

marjanzitnik

Is it good idea to mix and extrude PP and HDPE together? Temperature around 200 celsius. In Croatia we mostly have HDPE and PP bottle caps and its not quite easy to separate them.

If you mix PP and HDPE and try to make a sheet, it wont come out very well. I'm not sure about injection. With extrusion it will mix fairly well and depending on what you're making, you might not be able to tell the difference. If making plastic lumber, it's no problem. I've had nothing but problems when trying to extrude large pure HDPE beams, but when mixed with PP and even PET they tend to come out much better. I know that you should not mix plastics, but in some cases it makes sense to do so and more so when you know the plastic is going to be used in a way that will last a long time and not be thrown away or have to be recycled again.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you mix PP and HDPE and try to make a sheet, it wont come out very well. I'm not sure about injection. With extrusion it will mix fairly well and depending on what you're making, you might not be able to tell the difference. If making plastic lumber, it's no problem. I've had nothing but problems when trying to extrude large pure HDPE beams, but when mixed with PP and even PET they tend to come out much better. I know that you should not mix plastics, but in some cases it makes sense to do so and more so when you know the plastic is going to be used in a way that will last a long time and not be thrown away or have to be recycled again.

agree, my experience is the same. also, at least in the Philippines, ZERO places will accept plastic lumber for scrap anyways. I can not sell my large scrap blobs of HDPE to anyone. Not even the cutoff pieces of lumber

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Isn't too difficult. If you start to know the different kind of parts, you find it easy. Start with the number or symbol printed, if present. If not, a windproof lighter helps you to do a fast fire test. If it burns without smoke, you are sure that it is PE or PP. Then try to bend it. If it stays bent, HDPE. If it tend to keep its shape, PP. Any flip flop cap (like the shampoo ones, with the flexible hinge) is PP. Virtually 100% of beverage caps for PET bottles are HDPE (around the world seems that there are also PP caps, but there like here in Italy I never found one). If you aren't sure, there's the floating technique, you need just a jar, some alcohol and water. Mixing PP with PE isn't a good idea. They don't melt together perfectly, and the products you made aren't recyclable. After a while you discover that it is easy.

Thanks @Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna ! It is not easy since we have around 1million bottle caps that are HDPE & PP so the process would be endless. But i understand other things you said and thanks for the advices!

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you mix PP and HDPE and try to make a sheet, it wont come out very well. I'm not sure about injection. With extrusion it will mix fairly well and depending on what you're making, you might not be able to tell the difference. If making plastic lumber, it's no problem. I've had nothing but problems when trying to extrude large pure HDPE beams, but when mixed with PP and even PET they tend to come out much better. I know that you should not mix plastics, but in some cases it makes sense to do so and more so when you know the plastic is going to be used in a way that will last a long time and not be thrown away or have to be recycled again.

Yeah, we are only doing lumbers with mixed hdpe & pp and they seem to be really good. I also tried hdpe & pp mixture with my arbour injector and it also looks really good and consistent.

Butte (PP Philippines)

agree, my experience is the same. also, at least in the Philippines, ZERO places will accept plastic lumber for scrap anyways. I can not sell my large scrap blobs of HDPE to anyone. Not even the cutoff pieces of lumber

These blobs can be shredded with high speed shredder and extruded again!

marjanzitnik

Thanks @Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna ! It is not easy since we have around 1million bottle caps that are HDPE & PP so the process would be endless. But i understand other things you said and thanks for the advices!

Yes, the process is annoying and it takes time, that's why they send the plastic in landfills. The advice is to avoid mixing them to allow further recycling by industries, but at now the system is made in a way that if (when) someone throw away one of our product there isn't anyone in the industry that put it in the recycling process, since they aren't standard products.

7:22 PM

Hope we can met in the future, this summer we planned to go in britanny for vacation, but as I said to you Croatia is one of my favourite country for vacation, and last august we was in Dubrovnik!

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Yes, the process is annoying and it takes time, that's why they send the plastic in landfills. The advice is to avoid mixing them to allow further recycling by industries, but at now the system is made in a way that if (when) someone throw away one of our product there isn't anyone in the industry that put it in the recycling process, since they aren't standard products.

I understand completely. Its not easy to separate hdpe & pp automatically. Still, we are developing arduino bottle caps color sorter (and most of the colors are same material!) so will try to do that before mixing it all together.

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Hope we can met in the future, this summer we planned to go in britanny for vacation, but as I said to you Croatia is one of my favourite country for vacation, and last august we was in Dubrovnik!

Haha, maybe we even met and did not know!

Anyway, if you ever come again I am happy to be your host/guide and also show you our new PP workspace!

marjanzitnik

I understand completely. Its not easy to separate hdpe & pp automatically. Still, we are developing arduino bottle caps color sorter (and most of the colors are same material!) so will try to do that before mixing it all together.

Yes, definitely. Fortunately I'm able to do it because I collect plastic from known source and for now I'm doing it as a hobby, then I have known parts and not too much of it.

marjanzitnik

Haha, maybe we even met and did not know!

Anyway, if you ever come again I am happy to be your host/guide and also show you our new PP workspace!

Maybe yes, who know. We stayed at camping Kate in Mlini, since the big and old Kupari was closed. The same for you if you come to Italy! Sea here isn't comparable to Croatian, but there are lots of things to see!

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

Maybe yes, who know. We stayed at camping Kate in Mlini, since the big and old Kupari was closed. The same for you if you come to Italy! Sea here isn't comparable to Croatian, but there are lots of things to see!

Sure, thanks!

1

I'm wondering do you guys use a sleeve or wrap to keep your heat in on your injection machines

marjanzitnik

These blobs can be shredded with high speed shredder and extruded again!

my shredder is 5hp and it will not even come close to shredding a blob in a golf ball size and larger.

Caveman1977

I'm wondering do you guys use a sleeve or wrap to keep your heat in on your injection machines

yes. I posted a instruction on the precious plastic universe on how to do it.

1

1:03 AM

the simplest method is to wrap in muffler wrap and then kapton tape. then cover with a steel tube.

1

Caveman1977

I'm wondering do you guys use a sleeve or wrap to keep your heat in on your injection machines

Yes, I wrapped mine with ceramic wool, the one you can find as replacement for motorcycle silencers, then I put a 90mm aluminium pipe with two flanges to close it. I also put a piece of wood stove gasket on the nozzle side to avoid the aluminium touching on it.

1:51 AM

This allow the injector to heat up from ~10°C to 230°C on the injector tip in less than 10minutes, and with 995W total of heaters it have an average consumption around 300Wh when the temperature is reached.

1:52 AM

1:54 AM

Photos taken during the fitting tests, there's no ceramic wool inside, I put it later and I haven't photos.

Hello! Does anyone here know of a great way that I can get my hands on colourful HDPE plastic? For example from some kind of business who frequently might use a lot of it.

M0lnet

Hello! Does anyone here know of a great way that I can get my hands on colourful HDPE plastic? For example from some kind of business who frequently might use a lot of it.

Where are you from?

M0lnet

Hello! Does anyone here know of a great way that I can get my hands on colourful HDPE plastic? For example from some kind of business who frequently might use a lot of it.

Fairly easy to get in Indonesia. But I think you might be in Sweden?

M0lnet

Hello! Does anyone here know of a great way that I can get my hands on colourful HDPE plastic? For example from some kind of business who frequently might use a lot of it.

companies who use hard hats. i just picked up 1,000 pounds of HDPE hard hats in 8 colors

8:58 PM

meat backing, cold storage, construction

GamingFedora

Where are you from?

We're from Sweden

Chad_LawtonLighthouse

companies who use hard hats. i just picked up 1,000 pounds of HDPE hard hats in 8 colors

Oh okay interesting. We'll definitely look into that! Thanks

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Fairly easy to get in Indonesia. But I think you might be in Sweden?

That's correct

Any idea what plastic this is? At first I thought it was PS, but now maybe it's acrylic.

1:00 AM

I've been able to make them into sheets.

1:01 AM

And even laser cut into a product.

1:04 AM

The one providing me these beads say it's acrylic. I'm shocked because i've never been able to melt down acrylic sheet scraps in the past, but these sort of do. My sheet mould is for 3mm but i dont have enough pressure to force it down to 3mm, so it hits about 5-6mm. When the beads heat up, they sort of bubble up and i hear popping sounds from air escaping the beads for a while, eventually it stops. I tend to leave my workspace for a while when I'm making these because of the smell. Definitely need good ventilation if you're working with this material, whatever it is.

Sounds like the acrylic I have experimented with. Very limited experiments, in light of the smell and dubious fumes, but there's a whole lotta unrecycled acrylic out there and it has some appealing properties.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Any idea what plastic this is? At first I thought it was PS, but now maybe it's acrylic.

if you want you could send samples of such sheets to Delft and let them scan it, then maybe we can compare it to the other common plastic types and check what looks similar

Which is easier to machine HDPE or PP ?

Alex_recycles and creates

Which is easier to machine HDPE or PP ?

HDPE works well. PP I have issues with, but I think you need adequate cooling for the material, otherwise it sticks to your tooling and just melts everything instead of cutting.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

HDPE works well. PP I have issues with, but I think you need adequate cooling for the material, otherwise it sticks to your tooling and just melts everything instead of cutting.

PP needs less cutting speed and good feed, and coolant.

the cooling tank we made from metal barrels started falling apart. We use a big tank of water to cool the plastic lumber molds. we had a few sales this month which enables us to afford to build a new improved cooling tank

2

I want to break down these big plastic bins. Is there other tools I can use other than a circular saw? Like a heated tool?

Uplifted

I want to break down these big plastic bins. Is there other tools I can use other than a circular saw? Like a heated tool?

It depends on what the plastic is made of. If it's PP, you should be able to break it down with a hammer as @Butte (PP Philippines) likes to remind us all

If it's HDPE, then you're kind of limited. A jigsaw would work, i'm sort of afraid of using a circular saw for stuff like this as things can quickly get out of hand. I don't recommend melting it to cut. It'll just make a big mess and it will fight you the whole time.

Uplifted

I want to break down these big plastic bins. Is there other tools I can use other than a circular saw? Like a heated tool?

I would try a sawzall/reciprocating saw.

we use a vertical bandsaw to cut larger parts down but we have a large saw

PP bins is best just a hammer. I tried everything. reciprocating saw, axe, hammer, circular saw, circular saw blade on a angle grinder, mitre saw.

1

4:00 AM

HDPE large jugs i actually had best results just using a machete to hack it down to sizes to fit in the granulator.

Hi there! I want to try this circular mold to compress LDPE in a large oven. Dimensions of this tube: 70cm long by 13cm of diameter. By experience, what would you recommend as heating time and temperature? Thanks a lot in advance!

we've been heating HDPE in a convection oven, 18 ounces of plastic took about an hour at 170*C

1

classicFRPL10

Hi there! I want to try this circular mold to compress LDPE in a large oven. Dimensions of this tube: 70cm long by 13cm of diameter. By experience, what would you recommend as heating time and temperature? Thanks a lot in advance!

I'd start with what waterppl says. I've done a 15x15x15cm cube of hdpe but i did it sort of in layers because i didnt want the plastic to insulate itself from the heat and cause weird bubble/air pocket problems. It might take a long time for the heat to touch the core, so thinner layers will help melt things down more evenly but it might take more time to do. If you plan on doing several of these, you're going to have to do some testing to figure out what works best.

1

https://youtu.be/e9gntanPcRE our plastic lumber cooling tank in operation. We are streamlining the process

making recycled plastic lumber

4

Hello Friends - My workspace generates decent quantity of these plastic lumps, mostly generated when we try to check the flow of a plastic type before starting extrusion or when we have to clear the barrel of a particular colour of plastic. (see the pic below). I have been collecting them, with the wish of reusing them after shredding but fear shredding using my V3 shredder machine. Has any body tried shredding these lumps and how has been the experience? Would be keen to know.

Priyank Mishra

Hello Friends - My workspace generates decent quantity of these plastic lumps, mostly generated when we try to check the flow of a plastic type before starting extrusion or when we have to clear the barrel of a particular colour of plastic. (see the pic below). I have been collecting them, with the wish of reusing them after shredding but fear shredding using my V3 shredder machine. Has any body tried shredding these lumps and how has been the experience? Would be keen to know.

I use a bandsaw and cut them down to more manageable sizes. Alternatively can be pressed into a sheet press without cutting but you of course need to wait for it to melt down.

2

Alberto

I wanted to touch on a conversation that I saw from a couple of months ago. Anyone have experience using HDPE or PET with the injector? We had lots of trouble getting a good mold with PET and then switched to Polypropylene (PP) and it made a world of difference. Should we give up on PET/HDPE?

pet has to be dried first

Butte (PP Philippines)

PP bins is best just a hammer. I tried everything. reciprocating saw, axe, hammer, circular saw, circular saw blade on a angle grinder, mitre saw.

Everything? But have you used a length (1metre) of 2mm nichrome wire hooked up to an arc welder? That works too. (edited)

Hello! I wanted to ask and see if anyone had any experience with alternative types of plastic with the injection machine. We saw some people in Colombia use food wrappers like candy PLA and it seemed to work nicely. I wanted to see if this was real, is anyone here had similar experiences or if the injection machine ONLY works with PP (5) and HDPE (2). Thanks!

Coming soon to the bazar! My custom stainless steel recycling symbol stamps, they fit into a soldering iron and have a thread for a k-type thermocouple to control the soldering iron temperature

6

2

1

Does anyone have experience with plastic bumpers? Cause i have 2 shops that would give me lots of them

Car bumpers? ABS, or do you know?

Could be PC or PP

Looks like they’re high density PP

My main concern is the paint and possible body filler, i can remove any metal parts as clips/bolts/rivets

Interesting. If it's painted and not solid color, they probably use a different coating than the car body. Might be a good material for making lumber. I hope you get some to experiment and report back!

JohnNephew

Interesting. If it's painted and not solid color, they probably use a different coating than the car body. Might be a good material for making lumber. I hope you get some to experiment and report back!

Reminds me of those old Saturn cars. Plastic doors and everything, they used a few different plastics.

JohnNephew

Interesting. If it's painted and not solid color, they probably use a different coating than the car body. Might be a good material for making lumber. I hope you get some to experiment and report back!

I already have 2 bumpers from a couple cars i fixed, would shred them and save the materials to do some testings, if anyone want some shredded bumpers to do some tests just let me know, i would ask just for the shipping

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Reminds me of those old Saturn cars. Plastic doors and everything, they used a few different plastics.

A big part of car manufacturers used ABS to make the parts, you can still find brand new ABS parts, but nowadays most of it seems to be PP, high density PP or some reinforced PP, i worked on a plastic recycling facility that also produced pellets from virgin plastic, and under a car parts manufacturer order they started producing fiberglass reinforced PP, which needed a slightly higher temperature and was way stronger

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

https://youtu.be/e9gntanPcRE our plastic lumber cooling tank in operation. We are streamlining the process

How is your cooking tank going Butte? I have some issues with mine but I’m producing 18 beams of 15kg each + the mould that weight 60kg, so it takes me like an hour to cool them down, and that’s time lost

Oscar Cornejo

How is your cooking tank going Butte? I have some issues with mine but I’m producing 18 beams of 15kg each + the mould that weight 60kg, so it takes me like an hour to cool them down, and that’s time lost

my 1x2inch x 6 foot molds cool in about 10 min. i use a aquarium pump to swirl the water around to maximize heat transfer. even still the water gets overheated after a few hours use

6:48 AM

you may need to get a car radiator, fan and pump to cool your water tank... and some sort of screen to catch all the dirt that ends up in the tank

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

you may need to get a car radiator, fan and pump to cool your water tank... and some sort of screen to catch all the dirt that ends up in the tank

That’s what I did

6:51 AM

that works too

But I will add the aquarium pump or 1hp motor with a propeller to swirl the water

Butte (PP Philippines)

that works too

Butte, I follow your channel :), and I have a big shredder what are you using for the sharp of the blades, I have a chinise ones and also have a citodur 600 + citodur 1000 hand made

4:20 PM

But the edge just long 8-12hs but it shreds 1 tn or 700kg

Oscar Cornejo

Butte, I follow your channel :), and I have a big shredder what are you using for the sharp of the blades, I have a chinise ones and also have a citodur 600 + citodur 1000 hand made

ar500 armor plate waterjet cut on 5 axus machine, then a dedicated machine for sharpening. even still 1 ton or so (or less if metal or stones) and it needs re-adjusting and sharpening. this is why I am looking for a dual shaft machine or something different to pre shred and keep the high speed machine for the final 6mm granulation.

1

2:34 AM

also i find the water gets dirty fast, so I need to put in a screen after the pump to constantly remove the garbage that gets in my cooling tank. i have a large mango tree shading the shop so that does not help matters. mango trees are always dropping bugs, leaves, or other garbage

1

Oscar Cornejo

Butte, I follow your channel :), and I have a big shredder what are you using for the sharp of the blades, I have a chinise ones and also have a citodur 600 + citodur 1000 hand made

im also looking for a hammer mill to process my PP plastic as it is brittle enough to be processed in that way.

Is there an easy way to tell appart LDPE bags from PP bags? Here in spain theres lots of both, but most of tem are not marked at all

PP is usually more brittle than LDPE

5:04 PM

LDPE bags are soft and they can stretch without ripping

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

im also looking for a hammer mill to process my PP plastic as it is brittle enough to be processed in that way.

I have two hammer mills, but they weren’t efficient with plastic, let me know if it works for you

I think with PP it would work well. As my guy just uses a claw hammer to smash up the big PP items to fit in the granulator

7:43 AM

I saw some YT videos of Indians using a hammer mill to process PP also

Hii Does this happen to anyone? happens to me every like 5-7 beams

aleksandarmasic92

Hii Does this happen to anyone? happens to me every like 5-7 beams

Interesting. Usually I get this on long beams, the plastic starts cooling down a bit too much and does this. If you used a heater on your mould, it would resolve this.

Butte (PP Philippines)

I think with PP it would work well. As my guy just uses a claw hammer to smash up the big PP items to fit in the granulator

Indians are amazing bro, I always get excited by them, their mills, extruder and everything are a amazing

aleksandarmasic92

Hii Does this happen to anyone? happens to me every like 5-7 beams

In my experience it happens when the Extrution machine don’t get enough material for certain amount of time, could be 10 seconds so you get that incomplete look, it happened to me several times with my 4inches x 1,9 mts beams

Thank you guys My beams are 1.5m. I just added one motor with like fan on the input of screw, for now its going well, hope its gonna resolve it input on screw is to small like 4x8cm and my recyclate is like 8 to 12mm @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug I've seen some tape heaters that wrap around the mold. I have two outputs for 2 heaters on the extruder i could use them - do you have experience with these strip heaters? also a very important thing for me is the time for which I can pull out one beam, do you think that heating the mold will slow down my production, given that it now takes me about 23 minutes to pull out one beam measuring 7 x 3 x 150cm? I also find it very strange that, according to the factory, the extruder should eject 20 kg of plastic per hour (the screw is fi 35mm) and I barely get more than 10, I know that I am not using granulate but directly recycled, but is it really realistic that it slows down my output? because of that by 50%?

I'm betting the factory quoted output (20kg/hour) is unrestricted - just dumping hot plastic out the end, as soon as you add backpressure with a long mould it's probably what slows down the output

hi im using the standing injection machine and I am doing a two and two heater band for each of the two PID's what would the recomended temp settings should I use.

What plastic are you trying to inject?

aleksandarmasic92

Thank you guys My beams are 1.5m. I just added one motor with like fan on the input of screw, for now its going well, hope its gonna resolve it input on screw is to small like 4x8cm and my recyclate is like 8 to 12mm @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug I've seen some tape heaters that wrap around the mold. I have two outputs for 2 heaters on the extruder i could use them - do you have experience with these strip heaters? also a very important thing for me is the time for which I can pull out one beam, do you think that heating the mold will slow down my production, given that it now takes me about 23 minutes to pull out one beam measuring 7 x 3 x 150cm? I also find it very strange that, according to the factory, the extruder should eject 20 kg of plastic per hour (the screw is fi 35mm) and I barely get more than 10, I know that I am not using granulate but directly recycled, but is it really realistic that it slows down my output? because of that by 50%?

back pressure, moisture and pellet size are all issues that slow it down. I can get 20 kilos pe rhour with 5hp and a 30mm screw but it goes down to 5 with wet plastic or poor quality shred that is torn and not cut.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Interesting. Usually I get this on long beams, the plastic starts cooling down a bit too much and does this. If you used a heater on your mould, it would resolve this.

also if they had moisture the screw will vapor lock and then resume or blow big bubbles of steam into the mold. In my experience this is almost always moisture issues

3:04 AM

you can kinda get around it with a hot mold but it can be problematic because of feed rate issues.

aleksandarmasic92

Thank you guys My beams are 1.5m. I just added one motor with like fan on the input of screw, for now its going well, hope its gonna resolve it input on screw is to small like 4x8cm and my recyclate is like 8 to 12mm @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug I've seen some tape heaters that wrap around the mold. I have two outputs for 2 heaters on the extruder i could use them - do you have experience with these strip heaters? also a very important thing for me is the time for which I can pull out one beam, do you think that heating the mold will slow down my production, given that it now takes me about 23 minutes to pull out one beam measuring 7 x 3 x 150cm? I also find it very strange that, according to the factory, the extruder should eject 20 kg of plastic per hour (the screw is fi 35mm) and I barely get more than 10, I know that I am not using granulate but directly recycled, but is it really realistic that it slows down my output? because of that by 50%?

Good morning, Do you have a photo bro?

waterppk

I'm betting the factory quoted output (20kg/hour) is unrestricted - just dumping hot plastic out the end, as soon as you add backpressure with a long mould it's probably what slows down the output

What about the RPM? Motor Size? Torque of the gear box and reduction? Are you using poles? The relation between them? I have a 55mm screw and 130mm screw now (large scale), the main issues I used to have with the 55 screw were the speed that has a direct relation with gear box and poles,I used to have a 40:1 reduction with a total of 17 rpm,, then I change to 34 but I was able to make a beam in 110minutes, then I got a beam in 40min but that wasn’t enough so I’d changed the gear

️ box to 1:17 (a cubic one) and had to change 5hp motor to 15hp and I finally got a 17kg beam in just 20-25 minutes

also the size of flakes are very important

1:25 PM

In case you want me to show you with a video or a video all feel free to ask

1:25 PM

I had those issues and I know that the only way to survive with the business it’s trying to do large scale

Oscar Cornejo

In case you want me to show you with a video or a video all feel free to ask

video would be great. we need to get this inside the industry information spread around. much is just not documented

1

3:07 PM

bigger scale I agree, one either has to do bespoke stuff that is hard to sell or we go big. Bigger=more waste plastic diverted and greater more efficient results.

1

Exactly, much more plastic waste is re converted in pieces of art, we don’t have to cut trees

for quite a while

Guys, thank you. Now that I have installed a small motor with a small attachment that pushes the plastic into the screw, it works well, that is, I no longer experience twisting, as you said, probably because the flow of plastic was not constant and then that part cooled faster while the hot plastic was just passing over it. Now I have another "problem". Namely, I would like to produce a profile of 8x2 cm, but I cannot find a steel profile thicker than 2 mm in my country, and now what happens is that the 2mm one simply bulges at the entrance (the pressure is too high and it cannot withstand it). I tried to put longitudinal and transverse reinforcements, but the same thing happens (see picture below). Do you perhaps have an idea how I could make such a mold - because if I weld it myself from 4mm sheet metal, I will have a problem on the inside because it won't be welded, i.e. there will be a hole? Thank you. (edited)

11:10 AM

I am thinking of making something like this (referring to the pictures below). What do you think about it? Do you think it is technically feasible and will it work? I would use a 4 or 6 mm sheet metal depending on whether I can find someone who can bend it for me. P.S. If anyone needs 3D CAD modeling, feel free to contact me

12:07 PM

aleksandarmasic92

I am thinking of making something like this (referring to the pictures below). What do you think about it? Do you think it is technically feasible and will it work? I would use a 4 or 6 mm sheet metal depending on whether I can find someone who can bend it for me. P.S. If anyone needs 3D CAD modeling, feel free to contact me

Why not C-profile and side plates with thru bolts.

2:27 PM

1

2:28 PM

Pardon the bad sketch

HAL_9000

Click to see attachment 🖼️

no its not bad! i get it. no need for bending + i can make it adjustable to produce more profiles with same mold! great idea thank youu!!!

Thank You. Watch the seals C-Profile often has a twist to it... maybe a sliver of soft brass or aluminum. Or just make the bolts stout and bend it to your will... muahahhahaba (edited)

1

aleksandarmasic92

Guys, thank you. Now that I have installed a small motor with a small attachment that pushes the plastic into the screw, it works well, that is, I no longer experience twisting, as you said, probably because the flow of plastic was not constant and then that part cooled faster while the hot plastic was just passing over it. Now I have another "problem". Namely, I would like to produce a profile of 8x2 cm, but I cannot find a steel profile thicker than 2 mm in my country, and now what happens is that the 2mm one simply bulges at the entrance (the pressure is too high and it cannot withstand it). I tried to put longitudinal and transverse reinforcements, but the same thing happens (see picture below). Do you perhaps have an idea how I could make such a mold - because if I weld it myself from 4mm sheet metal, I will have a problem on the inside because it won't be welded, i.e. there will be a hole? Thank you. (edited)

i use 1.5mm tubing and then put 6mm flat bar on the outside, spot weld together, not too much weld or it will warp.

aleksandarmasic92

Guys, thank you. Now that I have installed a small motor with a small attachment that pushes the plastic into the screw, it works well, that is, I no longer experience twisting, as you said, probably because the flow of plastic was not constant and then that part cooled faster while the hot plastic was just passing over it. Now I have another "problem". Namely, I would like to produce a profile of 8x2 cm, but I cannot find a steel profile thicker than 2 mm in my country, and now what happens is that the 2mm one simply bulges at the entrance (the pressure is too high and it cannot withstand it). I tried to put longitudinal and transverse reinforcements, but the same thing happens (see picture below). Do you perhaps have an idea how I could make such a mold - because if I weld it myself from 4mm sheet metal, I will have a problem on the inside because it won't be welded, i.e. there will be a hole? Thank you. (edited)

you built what in the industry is known as a crammer. ie it crams the material into the extrusion machine. I put a auger on mine a couple weeks ago to more reliably force the plastic into the screw with a 25 watt gear motor and the auger is a hole digging auger like used to dig small holes in the ground. it works okay but it needs some refinement. maybe on a machine re-design.

2

3:33 AM

i also thought about making a piston that just moves up and down, as i was having a guy sit there with a stick doing just that, pushing plastic into the screw, but there were issues as the guy would get bored and start chatting on his cell phone when i was not looking.

1

aleksandarmasic92

Click to see attachment 🖼️

i've done something like this but with plate bending. The mould consists of a lower part that is bent into shape and the cover is a flat plate. I've had buldging issues even with 5mm steel. I think this C channel might be the way to go. Thanks for sharing @HAL_9000

1

aleksandarmasic92

Guys, thank you. Now that I have installed a small motor with a small attachment that pushes the plastic into the screw, it works well, that is, I no longer experience twisting, as you said, probably because the flow of plastic was not constant and then that part cooled faster while the hot plastic was just passing over it. Now I have another "problem". Namely, I would like to produce a profile of 8x2 cm, but I cannot find a steel profile thicker than 2 mm in my country, and now what happens is that the 2mm one simply bulges at the entrance (the pressure is too high and it cannot withstand it). I tried to put longitudinal and transverse reinforcements, but the same thing happens (see picture below). Do you perhaps have an idea how I could make such a mold - because if I weld it myself from 4mm sheet metal, I will have a problem on the inside because it won't be welded, i.e. there will be a hole? Thank you. (edited)

I hade the same issues in the pass 4mm and 4,5mm are good enough otherwise the pressure will destroy the mold, I’d found mould here in Peru but before that I made a mold with 2 angles ( 2 ángulos de 4mm) I welded one and I put some screws in the other one. Hope it will help

2:22 AM

aleksandarmasic92

I am thinking of making something like this (referring to the pictures below). What do you think about it? Do you think it is technically feasible and will it work? I would use a 4 or 6 mm sheet metal depending on whether I can find someone who can bend it for me. P.S. If anyone needs 3D CAD modeling, feel free to contact me

Take a look of the picture I’ve upload, also I will put a small video of the factory I will upload some videos on you tube so I can show you some details cause the videos are too large to post them here

2:27 AM

1

HAL_9000

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Yep, I did exactly that before I found correct molds, 4mm are enough if you get 4,5mm awesome

Butte (PP Philippines)

i also thought about making a piston that just moves up and down, as i was having a guy sit there with a stick doing just that, pushing plastic into the screw, but there were issues as the guy would get bored and start chatting on his cell phone when i was not looking.

Hahaha it happened to me too, the worker was using his phone haha now He runs like hell cause the machine it’s much bigger but the crammer it’s. Great idea

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

i've done something like this but with plate bending. The mould consists of a lower part that is bent into shape and the cover is a flat plate. I've had buldging issues even with 5mm steel. I think this C channel might be the way to go. Thanks for sharing @HAL_9000

Ben, 4,5 mm it’s more than enough, could be the time the plastic stay into the mold before it get into the bath

2

10:29 AM

first profile

it loooks great, without any weight - 8x2 cm. I intend to use these for fenceing and also to put some profiles on right and left and to use it as a floring (decking) cause i have manybreqests for these from my costumers, also for waste bins

aleksandarmasic92

Click to see attachment 🖼️

It looks great! Send a picture of the Crammer you built

Oscar Cornejo

It looks great! Send a picture of the Crammer you built

thank u oscar

️ i will, tomorow morning as soon as i come in workshoo. Basically I added just one stepper motor with threaded rod and i 3D printed like bigger thread and mount it on top of rod

9:20 PM

aleksandarmasic92

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Thank you! Hope you won’t forget the photos

Have a problem, I'm looking for a site that sells research papers. Can't remember the name of the site, this site had a paper that had information on how to recycle PET plastic into a resin or polyester using specific chemicals. If this might happen to jog anyone's memory of a site that sounds similar, please drop a link I would most appreciate it for my research. Thank you.

Uplifted

Have a problem, I'm looking for a site that sells research papers. Can't remember the name of the site, this site had a paper that had information on how to recycle PET plastic into a resin or polyester using specific chemicals. If this might happen to jog anyone's memory of a site that sounds similar, please drop a link I would most appreciate it for my research. Thank you.

Bro, what would you like to know about pet? How to clean it? The industry normally use sodium hydroxide

4:53 PM

There are plenty of information in Google scholar

Oscar Cornejo

Bro, what would you like to know about pet? How to clean it? The industry normally use sodium hydroxide

What would I like to know? Pretty much everything. All about waste materials and all the ways to clean, recycle and manufacture them. (edited)

Oscar Cornejo

There are plenty of information in Google scholar

Never heard of it until right now I'm sorry to say.

Google scholar is full of thesis, papers, metanalisis, et. Et

Hey beautiful people, does anyone knows about this Plastic Scanner device? https://matoha.com/plastics-identification

Plastics identification device - PlasTell | Matoha

Lixeiro

Hey beautiful people, does anyone knows about this Plastic Scanner device? https://matoha.com/plastics-identification

I have seen it before

4:19 PM

Brothers make uses it

Does anyone have recommendations to remove these imperfections? Grinder, sand paper, cutter or scissors? We’re afraid of damaging the legs of our glasses

4:47 PM

Maybe try with a test print with imperfections?

drag a razor blade backwards along the flashing

None

Hi, I'm doing research on using recycled plastic to cast small stuffs in silicone mold. May I ask which plastic type is best suited for melting and pouring into mold?

7:33 AM

Is HDPE a good choice? I'd prefer not too high temperature and melt into liquid

Gogetto

Is HDPE a good choice? I'd prefer not too high temperature and melt into liquid

when HDPE is melted it acts like a slime more than a liquid

Alex_recycles and creates

when HDPE is melted it acts like a slime more than a liquid

How about PP?

Gogetto

How about PP?

Depending on the specific sample and its additives, PP can range from super liquid to very viscous when melted. I'm dubious about pouring it into silicone molds the way you would epoxy or even tin/pewter with just gravity and no additional pressure.

JohnNephew

Depending on the specific sample and its additives, PP can range from super liquid to very viscous when melted. I'm dubious about pouring it into silicone molds the way you would epoxy or even tin/pewter with just gravity and no additional pressure.

That's sad to hear. I was hoping either of them could be poured like epoxy. Do you have any suggestions? For my thesis topic, I plan to purchase plastic in the form of recycled plastic particles from a supplier rather than collecting and shredding them myself so I guess there are no additives. Thanks for the reply btw

Gogetto

How about PP?

PP is more liquid than HDPE

Alex_recycles and creates

PP is more liquid than HDPE

And has higher melting temperature (around 50°C more). My main concern is whether silicone can withstand such heat until the plastic cools down.

Gogetto

And has higher melting temperature (around 50°C more). My main concern is whether silicone can withstand such heat until the plastic cools down.

Yes, silicone can handle melted PP, HDPE and PLA for certain. The usual method is too make it inside a metal frame (so that it can withstand injection pressure) as in this video: https://youtu.be/78bM615koOo

TheCrafsMan SteadyCraftin

DIY Injection Molds (Inject plastic into silicone!) - "This changes...

Hey floks, keep your fingers crossed

2

aleksandarmasic92

Hey floks, keep your fingers crossed

Fingers are crossed

aleksandarmasic92

Hey floks, keep your fingers crossed

How did it go?

aleksandarmasic92

Hey floks, keep your fingers crossed

Be carefully with the pressure because those kind of screws can break easily, hope it will work out

1

didnt try it yet, i ll in few hours, i LL share resoult, positive i hope

1

Hello all ! what is the correct température range for sheet press / PP ? wondering, since the melting point of PP is 175°C, should we go higher ? Thanks!

Guys

it bended the U profile

6mm thick U profile... i cant beleive this...

show us the picture

lukhe

Hello all ! what is the correct température range for sheet press / PP ? wondering, since the melting point of PP is 175°C, should we go higher ? Thanks!

Hi. I've found that 185-190°C works best for PP in the sheetpress. You can go a little higher as well. Upto 200°C. Beyond that the plastic starts to degrade.

aleksandarmasic92

Guys

it bended the U profile

6mm thick U profile... i cant beleive this...

Told you, the pressure is too high, what temperature are you using ?

Oscar Cornejo

Told you, the pressure is too high, what temperature are you using ?

god damn... i cant beleive this...you can lift a truck with this profile

im using higest my extruder can - like 230 on last heater, first 150, second 175

Mmm and what about the speed ?

2:11 PM

Cause if the speed is too high the material it’s not too melt and the pressure to push the material inside the mould will be extremely high so it will bend the mould, I use 4,5mm as a mould and no problem but I had that issues before

yep, but i think the problem is inside dimension of 15x80mm .. but anyway i dont understand how the presure is not released on the end of the beam because i dont use any kind of weight - its free to flow...

Would you have any photos available of how this thing failed

yep, ill send it as soon as i ccan

3:15 PM

1

Possibility A

1:39 AM

Possibility B

1:44 AM

Possible solution

1:46 AM

@Oscar Cornejo seams like you have vast experience on this one. Are either of these close to the failures you have seen? I am thinking more "A" is the type of failure but it is hard to tell from the photo's.

aleksandarmasic92

Click to see attachment 🖼️

The board in this post seams about same profile, what was this made with?

Anybody have a cooling/annealing schedule indexed to thickness for HDPE parts? I want aim to mold large (circa 25 kilos) blocks for machining.

HAL_9000

Possibility B

this is what happened

HAL_9000

The board in this post seams about same profile, what was this made with?

no no, i made it with factory made profile 8x2cm but it was only 2mm thick - i succseeded to remove beams somehow but it was bended after that one attempt...

aleksandarmasic92

Click to see attachment 🖼️

In the photos it seems that the screws caught the pressure but from my point of view nothing else happen to the mould

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

Anybody have a cooling/annealing schedule indexed to thickness for HDPE parts? I want aim to mold large (circa 25 kilos) blocks for machining.

I do, I’ve used to make 23kg beams

aleksandarmasic92

god damn... i cant beleive this...you can lift a truck with this profile

im using higest my extruder can - like 230 on last heater, first 150, second 175

Try 180-200-230 temperatures and then let my now

Oscar Cornejo

I do, I’ve used to make 23kg beams

Could you elaborate? What is the dimension of you 23 kilo part? Do you cool in under pressure? At what temperatures, for how long? (edited)

Mmm nop, I use a big mold, after it gets full I don’t stop the process cause I have a by pass, after that I put the mold into a Cooling tub , and after 20 minutes I take it out of the tub and TARAM, beam ready (edited)

Hey guys, can I melt plastic in a soldering pot like this? I'm planning to melt HDPE and PP

4:51 PM

Gogetto

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Nooo

7:23 PM

HDPE is best melted in a panini press

7:25 PM

Cause the temperature in the panini press won’t go past 200C

But will hdpe be melted enough to be poured into mold if it is melted in a panini press ?

7:38 PM

Maybe I’d just keep the temperature of solder pot at 200C. Btw solder pot is much cheaper and more portable than a panini press

Gogetto

But will hdpe be melted enough to be poured into mold if it is melted in a panini press ?

Your can’t melt HDPE to a liquid. When HDPE is melted it appears as a blob like clay

Gogetto

Maybe I’d just keep the temperature of solder pot at 200C. Btw solder pot is much cheaper and more portable than a panini press

The soldering pot will burn the HDPE (edited)

7:44 PM

You can also use a heat gun to melt HDPE but make sure you don’t burn it

Alex_recycles and creates

Your can’t melt HDPE to a liquid. When HDPE is melted it appears as a blob like clay

Which means I can’t pour it in my silicone mold like normal. I need to find a way to stuff it in the mold

Gogetto

Which means I can’t pour it in my silicone mold like normal. I need to find a way to stuff it in the mold

HPDE is usually blow molded but you can also use compression or sheet press molding along with injection molding

Gogetto

Which means I can’t pour it in my silicone mold like normal. I need to find a way to stuff it in the mold

The plastics that people work with in here are usually HDPE and PP and maybe PET and maybe acrylic. Im sure no one here works with PVC

Alex_recycles and creates

The plastics that people work with in here are usually HDPE and PP and maybe PET and maybe acrylic. Im sure no one here works with PVC

I’m working with HDPE too

8:05 PM

For more context, my research is recycling plastic with silicone mold. So now I have to find a way to put melted plastic in silicone mold (I’ve already made the mold)

8:06 PM

Since it’s just a college thesis I don’t want to invest too much

8:07 PM

Now I’m planning to use meat injector xD

Gogetto

For more context, my research is recycling plastic with silicone mold. So now I have to find a way to put melted plastic in silicone mold (I’ve already made the mold)

yeah HDPE is not really good with silicone molds

8:07 PM

wooden molds are good to start with

8:08 PM

and you can use a clamps to compress the top plate to the mold

8:08 PM

I used to use clamps but I switched to a bottle jack press

If I had gone with wooden molds, I definitely would have used a clamp

Yeah just make sure the wooden molds have teflon baking sheets at the bottom of them so they dont stick

Should you use panini press or heat gun to melt pp? As I know, PP is more liquid than HDPE

Gogetto

Should you use panini press or heat gun to melt pp? As I know, PP is more liquid than HDPE

PP needs to me melted in an extruder or an injection molding machine (edited)

9:55 PM

PP is some what more liquid than HDPE

Could you back the silicone mold with something rigid and still use it as a press mold? Like plaster of paris or resin or sometihng? Then you could stuff a gob of the hdpe in there and use a plunger or the mating part to squeeze it in to fill the mold.

Hi Friends - we run a plastic waste collection programme in Lucknow, India and get most grades of plastic (PVC-grade 3 is not present in municipal plastic waste). With the help of an Extruder Pro machine, we are able to get satisfactory to good results for HDPE (grade 2 ), PP (grade 5) and PS (grade 6) extrusion. I want to know from you all - 1) Can I use PET bottle chips for recycling in Extruder Pro machine? 2) If not extrusion, what's the best way of recycling PET into something meaningful 3) We have tried extruding LDPE and MLP but got very bad results. What's the best way of extruding them into something useful? Look forward to hear back. (edited)

primordialgrue

Could you back the silicone mold with something rigid and still use it as a press mold? Like plaster of paris or resin or sometihng? Then you could stuff a gob of the hdpe in there and use a plunger or the mating part to squeeze it in to fill the mold.

I'm fairly certain you can, just make sure there are no air bubbles. Many of the "super easy" materials to make moulds with can be a bit fragile. If you're using plastic of Paris you will need a super solid and sturdy casing to support it, otherwise a very small bend in the casing from the pressure will cause it to break. At least silicone is flexible and fairly easy to separate so long as you use demoulding spray.

Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - we run a plastic waste collection programme in Lucknow, India and get most grades of plastic (PVC-grade 3 is not present in municipal plastic waste). With the help of an Extruder Pro machine, we are able to get satisfactory to good results for HDPE (grade 2 ), PP (grade 5) and PS (grade 6) extrusion. I want to know from you all - 1) Can I use PET bottle chips for recycling in Extruder Pro machine? 2) If not extrusion, what's the best way of recycling PET into something meaningful 3) We have tried extruding LDPE and MLP but got very bad results. What's the best way of extruding them into something useful? Look forward to hear back. (edited)

I'm not a fan of PET but I know it's tempting to use because it's everywhere. It's much more tricky to work with and I would advise finding another workspace to sell the material. But if you want to recycle it, it's a bit more tricky. @Butte (PP Philippines) has had some success with extruding it and making filler material (similar to cotton). With LDPE and MLP you can still extrude them. In the past I have used them with extrusion machine into a closed mould for making tiles. MLP is tricky though because you can't do 100% MLP, it needs to be mixed with other plastic. As far as I know, the MLP where I am consists of BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) and aluminum. I shredded the material and mixed in some extra PP and was able to make items without problems. Too much MLP can cause jams.

1

Interesting info on the MLP. I've been meaning to experiment with some of that stuff, like the metallic (aluminized?) inner bags of some cracker packages.

JohnNephew

Interesting info on the MLP. I've been meaning to experiment with some of that stuff, like the metallic (aluminized?) inner bags of some cracker packages.

I hate the stuff but the food industry loves it. I've seen some other oddities, like tetrapak (plastic/paper/aluminum layers) pressed into roofing material. No idea how well it works but I figure with all the different layers they stuck together, it'll last quite a while.

What are some possible additives I could add to a sand and plastic mixture to make it less viscious during the mixing and molding process?

mystic

What are some possible additives I could add to a sand and plastic mixture to make it less viscious during the mixing and molding process?

More plastic less sand.

What you can also do is pay attention to your plastic source as some plastics are less viscous than others.

I'm doing 66% sand 33% plastic. Plastic is mostly hdpe/pp with possibly some pet

9:13 AM

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

9:13 AM

I will try with just 100% hdpe first

9:14 AM

What ratio would you recommend a good ratio to get this to mix right?

mystic

What ratio would you recommend a good ratio to get this to mix right?

what are you making?

Sand plastic bricks that I will put into my mold. It looks similar to a bread loaf pan

Are you mixing the plastic and sand when the plastic has melted?

If I do that I think it will stick to the sides of the machine more. Did you see my message in the machines channel where I show the jacketed mixer?

9:25 AM

It's better I think to have the sand and plastic already combined first and then turn on the machine. If too much sand it won't turn. If it's all plastic it will stick to the sides and won't properly bind with the sand if the sand isn't hot

If you extrude the mix, it will come out melted and more uniform.

9:27 AM

im not a big fan of putting sand in my extrusion machine though

Yes but extrusion machine for what I need is much more expensive.

9:29 AM

Later on I can get one once I get enough capital but now I just need a mixer for starting up

You might find it difficult as the sand is much heavier than the plastic. Usually plastic settles at the bottom. If you want to make something sturdy, you really need to have melted plastic mixed up nicely, otherwise it invites problems if your flakes dont fuse together.

9:33 AM

But you're on track if you start with 100% HDPE first. Just know there's injection and blow type plastics. Injection plastic has lower viscosities than blow plastics.

Which plastics are injection plastics and blow plastics?

9:34 AM

https://vimeo.com/822117076

9:34 AM

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug here is a video of the machine in action

9:35 AM

Ok based on what your saying I should probably get the temperate close to when the plastic just barely starts to melt, 250 C I believe for hdpe and then slowly incorporate the sand?

woahhh

Is that a good woahh or a bad woahh?

250c is gonna burn your PP or HDPE

What temp then for those?

9:36 AM

And what about PET?

i'd go for maximum 200c. 180c is more safe

What about pet? I know it has a higher melting point

i believe 260c or so

That's a big difference

Yep. You could view the PET as sand in your case

How could I mix them both? Maybe my my order should be.. hdpe/pe ---> mix sand in --> pet?

9:38 AM

I see ok

mystic

https://vimeo.com/822117076

Is this also a heater?

Yes!

9:40 AM

It heats to 300C with heat transfer oil in the jacket. It's a double boiler

9:40 AM

So the heat is not direct

Oh cool! But damn... you're going to have a hard time with this for a few reasons.

How so?

1. The mixer is going to have a LOT of resistance from the plastic mix. Make sure it can handle it. I am afraid this isn't designed to handle that sort of material. 2. It looks difficult to remove the material from the mixer.

Right so I need to make 2 modifications. Change the blender shape to S shape, upgrade the gear motor to the max I can find(400 w), and for number 2 yeah I somehow need to open it up more to make it more accessible

9:47 AM

I think the gear ratio needs to be high so the rpm is low and the torque is high

9:48 AM

How can I make the mixture less viscous?

9:49 AM

Could I add a small amount of water or oil?

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Another option is to get a handheld cement mixer and just have me manually mix it. Much cheaper and practical option lol. Those things are like $20 (edited)

mystic

Could I add a small amount of water or oil?

Don't add water, that's silly. It boils at 100c. Oil? I have no experience in mixing oil with plastic. It'll do something but I don't know what.

mystic

Another option is to get a handheld cement mixer and just have me manually mix it. Much cheaper and practical option lol. Those things are like $20 (edited)

Probably won't work. I mean, you might be better off trying to mix it with a stick. Usually when people mix plastics and sand and everything using a fire and barrel they'll mix things more manual and also have a lot of smoke (not a good thing). Use 100% HDPE first and go from there. Good luck with the mess it'll make

Right I did that before and the smoke was killing me even though I had a gas mask!

1:56 PM

I have to investigate adding some sort of additive to make it less viscious

And a smoke capture part too

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Thanks so much for your advice by the way, super and greatly appreciated

1

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug would grinding the sand into a powder before putting it into an extruder reduce its resistance and impact on the screw? I'm trying to see if I can get away using a smaller scale, cheaper extruder

mystic

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug would grinding the sand into a powder before putting it into an extruder reduce its resistance and impact on the screw? I'm trying to see if I can get away using a smaller scale, cheaper extruder

Well, my advice is to not use sand. I'm not sure why you want to mix in sand. Usually fillers only decrease the quality of the plastic and make it less desirable. What problem does adding sand help solve? Sand mining can be a rather large environmental issue on it's own so it seems a bit counter-productive. Start with 100% HDPE and go from there. If you're doing this for science, you better be taking notes. When you are making whatever it is you are, you'll need to know what the density is of the plastic you're using and also whatever additive you are using. You can't say it's a 50%/50% mix if it's 100g HDPE and 100g Sand. By weight this might be true but for volume it is not the case. HDPE density is around 0.96g/cc and sand is between 1.4-2.2g/cc, so it's possible to have up to twice as much plastic by volume compared to the sand.

12:36 PM

Will it extrude? yes. ive extruded plastic and sand. The outcome is a heavier material but I don't believe it makes the brick stronger, but maybe less likely to float away if it floods.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Thanks for your response, but I think I need to provide some context so you can better understand what I'm trying to do. For the sand-plastic bricks, the plastic is only there to act as a binder and to increase the tensile strength of the brick (normally its all compressive and no tensile). There's also a good amount of research literature already I can use as a baseline for it.

1:38 PM

Sand is of course not perfect but cement is much more environmentally costly. Also where I am, its very economical since there's plenty of quarries

1:38 PM

My idea is to grind the sand into a powder so I'm able to use it in a cheaper and less powerful extruder so it doesn't jam or damage the screw

mystic

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Thanks for your response, but I think I need to provide some context so you can better understand what I'm trying to do. For the sand-plastic bricks, the plastic is only there to act as a binder and to increase the tensile strength of the brick (normally its all compressive and no tensile). There's also a good amount of research literature already I can use as a baseline for it.

Ah I see. That would explain what the civil engineering students were up to that I had a few years ago. https://www.instagram.com/p/BzsWSo4JHPv/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== I hope this link works. If you were to stick to precious plastic machines, I think you should go with the extrusion machine that does not use a compression screw. I believe it is the v3 design. The extrusion screw design that has the same depth for material should be adequate for handling the sand and other materials as it does not compress materials into a smaller space between the barrel and extrusion screw.

preciousplasticciledug

Productive day for some students. Testing out different mixes for making construction bricks.

4:01 PM

This IG post has a couple videos to it, so take a look. For bricks you can simply extrude the material out and into a mould and then compress it down with a piece of wood or something you have around.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug That's our current line of thinking. Instead of the compression screw, we can use a drill bit instead with no compression

4:03 PM

Right, so the plan is to compress with a hydraulic press after the extruded material comes out.

4:03 PM

Right now I dont care about extruding out any shape, just only that it can extrude out the paste and I can use that hot "playdough" to stick into a press (edited)

I saw the instagram video. The second one where they put it into the mold is very similar to what I will do. Do you have the full version of that video by any chance?

mystic

I saw the instagram video. The second one where they put it into the mold is very similar to what I will do. Do you have the full version of that video by any chance?

5:25 AM

5:26 AM

I don't have any other useful videos or photos for this that i can see.

5:29 AM

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vovpUzzL5eKC5riPA For this photo, i think these were all mixed by hand with the plastic after it was extruded or heated in an oven. You get much better results when using extrusion.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Thanks a lot for that, my mould is pretty big. Do you think it would be prudent to increase the temperature of the heating element so it would buy me time until I have enough of the material to fill the mould?

5:17 PM

Increasing the temperature should also make it more fluid too

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug By the way, also going back to my previous question if you could help me answer: would grinding the sand into a powder before putting it into an extruder reduce its resistance and impact on the screw? I'm trying to see if I can get away using a smaller scale, cheaper extruder (edited)

mystic

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug By the way, also going back to my previous question if you could help me answer: would grinding the sand into a powder before putting it into an extruder reduce its resistance and impact on the screw? I'm trying to see if I can get away using a smaller scale, cheaper extruder (edited)

I can't imagine what you'd use to grind sand into a finer powder? This would be interesting to do.

mystic

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Thanks a lot for that, my mould is pretty big. Do you think it would be prudent to increase the temperature of the heating element so it would buy me time until I have enough of the material to fill the mould?

You're going to have to experiment with the settings. You can run the extrusion machine at full speed and adjust the temperature but do be aware, if its too hot there's a potential for weakening the plastic. You'll also have a lot of off gassing and such, so just find the right temperature so everything comes out nicely.

mystic

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug By the way, also going back to my previous question if you could help me answer: would grinding the sand into a powder before putting it into an extruder reduce its resistance and impact on the screw? I'm trying to see if I can get away using a smaller scale, cheaper extruder (edited)

I wouldn't bother with this. Sand is rated in different meshes but I know construction sand is a bit mixed up depending on where you are in the world. Just make sure you filter your sand to keep out pebbles, rocks, and things that are too big to go through the machine.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug All right, well it was worth a try. I would think grinding it into a soft powder would help but I guess not hehe

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug I have some sand with melted plastic stuck at the bottom of my pan and on my trowel, and its almost impossible to take out. What would you suggest to easily remove it? Maybe soak it in strong sodium hydroxide for a few hours?

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug By the way, I noticed that PET transitions to a liquid within a small temperature range (I forget the exact temperature again, 290 C or something?) and the viscosity (while I was mixing it with the sand) was definitely less than that of HDPE. Smoother and easier to mix, although it demanded a higher temperature to properly melt. Would you think that that jacketed mixer I showed you before has some hope for PET?

Mystic, I’ve did you what you just done a year ago, mmm if you want to mix pet with sand it’s an excelent idea but sadly it’s not a good way to make money to, it has to be massive, over 2000 bricks a day so you can complete with regular bricks

(edited)

11:59 PM

12:00 AM

And that’s a full plastic brick

12:00 AM

1

12:01 AM

That was the Oven that I used

12:02 AM

mystic

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug I have some sand with melted plastic stuck at the bottom of my pan and on my trowel, and its almost impossible to take out. What would you suggest to easily remove it? Maybe soak it in strong sodium hydroxide for a few hours?

you need to heat it up. you can use a heatgun and melt it off.

1

mystic

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug By the way, I noticed that PET transitions to a liquid within a small temperature range (I forget the exact temperature again, 290 C or something?) and the viscosity (while I was mixing it with the sand) was definitely less than that of HDPE. Smoother and easier to mix, although it demanded a higher temperature to properly melt. Would you think that that jacketed mixer I showed you before has some hope for PET?

i think it's about 260C - 270C for PET, but the issue is that if you heat up HDPE or PP to that temperature you're going to burn it. The workable temperature has a small window. Too hot and you're going to destroy the plastic, too cold and it's not melted. PET bottles are created with a blow moulding method and the plastic is stressed, it's possible to release this stess with heat lower than 260C but it won't exactly be mellted.

Oscar Cornejo

Mystic, I’ve did you what you just done a year ago, mmm if you want to mix pet with sand it’s an excelent idea but sadly it’s not a good way to make money to, it has to be massive, over 2000 bricks a day so you can complete with regular bricks

(edited)

You hit the nail on the head because that's exactly my plan

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

i think it's about 260C - 270C for PET, but the issue is that if you heat up HDPE or PP to that temperature you're going to burn it. The workable temperature has a small window. Too hot and you're going to destroy the plastic, too cold and it's not melted. PET bottles are created with a blow moulding method and the plastic is stressed, it's possible to release this stess with heat lower than 260C but it won't exactly be mellted.

I would do 100% pet because apparently that's what's available here in the most Supply. Hdpe is hard to get, there is PP but not to the same large quantity as PET. So that's why I mentioned that. It is a small window indeed but since that machine has a temperature regulator, that would help a bit. In this case, I would think adding the PET first, then melting it and slowly adding in the sand might work

Here you have other way to make bricks with Pet

5:14 PM

https://youtu.be/E6lMHeR7_cc

Fabian Saieg

Así FABRICAMOS los LADRILLOS ECOLOGICOS con Plástico Pet RECICLADO!

@Oscar Cornejo Yes that's mixing it with cement, by the way I PM'ed you

Great bro

Does anyone have any experience mixing PP + PETG for pellet extrusion? We have had success with HDPE + PETG and want to try another combination.

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Just curious if you've ever experimented with geopolymer blocks?

I have a general question about the strength of plastic boards, would this be the spot to ask that? I'm so new into the concept of plastic recycling I'm still trying to get a grasp on the difference between the types

Imma go ahead and ask my question here lol, I forgot that a majority of the community probably isn't in my time zone Long story short, I'm trying to make a tiny house on wheels, and trying to do it in a sustainable way, or at least as sustainable as I can. I saw a design from U-Build which uses CNC cut plywood that you form into boxes that link together to create the framing of a house and I liked that a lot due to the fact that plywood is usually more sustainable then normal lumber, plus the fact that if you are earthquake proofing your home, making a ton of tiny boxes is a sound tactic, and a tiny house going down a highway is essentially experiencing an earthquake (and hurricane if raining). But then I found Precious Plastic and general plastic recycling techniques, and it got me thinking: if I can make a basic joinery style box made of recycled plastic, then theoretically I could build a tiny home like U-Build. Issue is I have no idea what I'm talking about, Im going to do some further research of my own, I'm already a good part of the way through the PP academy, and have a few rough plans on how I can create molds or designs, but essentially I'm at square one. So I guess my ultimate question is, is this a realistic option that I should pursue? Or is there some critical aspect I'm not thinking about, like chemical toxicity of living in a plastic house, or tensile strength of PP or HDPE not being able to support a tiny home, or that there is a perfectly attainable option underneath my nose I'm not thinking about, I don't know.

Daedalus

Imma go ahead and ask my question here lol, I forgot that a majority of the community probably isn't in my time zone Long story short, I'm trying to make a tiny house on wheels, and trying to do it in a sustainable way, or at least as sustainable as I can. I saw a design from U-Build which uses CNC cut plywood that you form into boxes that link together to create the framing of a house and I liked that a lot due to the fact that plywood is usually more sustainable then normal lumber, plus the fact that if you are earthquake proofing your home, making a ton of tiny boxes is a sound tactic, and a tiny house going down a highway is essentially experiencing an earthquake (and hurricane if raining). But then I found Precious Plastic and general plastic recycling techniques, and it got me thinking: if I can make a basic joinery style box made of recycled plastic, then theoretically I could build a tiny home like U-Build. Issue is I have no idea what I'm talking about, Im going to do some further research of my own, I'm already a good part of the way through the PP academy, and have a few rough plans on how I can create molds or designs, but essentially I'm at square one. So I guess my ultimate question is, is this a realistic option that I should pursue? Or is there some critical aspect I'm not thinking about, like chemical toxicity of living in a plastic house, or tensile strength of PP or HDPE not being able to support a tiny home, or that there is a perfectly attainable option underneath my nose I'm not thinking about, I don't know.

Plastic suffers from creep stress, so it's generally not a good constant load/unsupported span material. This also is why using the plastic bricks for structures is problematic without rammed earth/concrete/etc fill/reinforcement. Realistically depends a lot depends on your goal set - are you building housing to live in the housing? Then pursue the shortest possible path to get there so you can accomplish your goal (AKA: go buy normal materials and build what you need). If your goal is to build up a Precious Plastic machine and make material with the side benefit/longterm goal being to make a tiny house then that seems more realistic. I often advise people that DIYing anything will cost substantially more than just buying a product, assuming such a product exists and is in semi-mass production. The effort/energy/knowledge/cost that went into mass producing it is more difficult to re-create than you assume it will be. Time - Money - Knowledge form the points of a triangle. Your project can existing anywhere inside the triangle but you'll never escape those boundaries. You can trade Knowledge for Time and Money, or Money for Time and Knowledge - etc but you'll always be bounded with in

Hmm, didn't think about stress creep, but I think I can get around that. When it comes to the different types of plastic, does HDPE or PP have a better resistance to stress creep or is it something that all plastics suffer from equally? Is there a generally accepted way to avoid it, like with steel framing supports or some sort of fiberglass mesh? And to your point about buying regular materials and time v money v knowledge; no matter what this is going to be a lot of brand new DIY for me, I get the idea of "do what's easier to save _", but for now the only hard limitation I have is money, there's no time crunch so I'm willing to test out a million methods or plans until I find something that's reproducable for my goals. If it's not plastic, and it's not plywood, then I'll find something else, but for now I'm willing to go in as far as I need

Daedalus

Imma go ahead and ask my question here lol, I forgot that a majority of the community probably isn't in my time zone Long story short, I'm trying to make a tiny house on wheels, and trying to do it in a sustainable way, or at least as sustainable as I can. I saw a design from U-Build which uses CNC cut plywood that you form into boxes that link together to create the framing of a house and I liked that a lot due to the fact that plywood is usually more sustainable then normal lumber, plus the fact that if you are earthquake proofing your home, making a ton of tiny boxes is a sound tactic, and a tiny house going down a highway is essentially experiencing an earthquake (and hurricane if raining). But then I found Precious Plastic and general plastic recycling techniques, and it got me thinking: if I can make a basic joinery style box made of recycled plastic, then theoretically I could build a tiny home like U-Build. Issue is I have no idea what I'm talking about, Im going to do some further research of my own, I'm already a good part of the way through the PP academy, and have a few rough plans on how I can create molds or designs, but essentially I'm at square one. So I guess my ultimate question is, is this a realistic option that I should pursue? Or is there some critical aspect I'm not thinking about, like chemical toxicity of living in a plastic house, or tensile strength of PP or HDPE not being able to support a tiny home, or that there is a perfectly attainable option underneath my nose I'm not thinking about, I don't know.

There are more healthy materials than plastic for that matter.

When you say healthy materials, do you mean individually or environmentally?

Both, you could incorporate plastic for junctions, joinery, etc but we not quite there yet.

Hmmmm, very fair

9:28 PM

Are there any specific health concerns for someone living in a plastic (or primarily plastic) structure?

Strictly scientifically not (Long term exposure studies remain outstanding ) but you feel the difference between concrete walls, PVC panels and a good old country house within months.

mystic

@Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug Just curious if you've ever experimented with geopolymer blocks?

I have not. But I have mixed cement and plastic together.

https://youtube.com/shorts/NekExRlZVzQ?feature=share

#preciousplastic pet soda bottles mixed with hdpe

1

I'm playing with some ideas on a low cost set up, has anyone tried using a traditional household iron (maybe 2 or 3) welded/connected to an aluminum sheet to melt the plastic down similar to the sheet press machine? The other option is a panini press and oven, then putting it in a mold once formed, but I'm thinking that if I can get the iron method to work then I could melt the plastic in the same area that the mold would be pressed in. Dunno if I'm explaining myself right tbh, hope this makes sense

Daedalus

I'm playing with some ideas on a low cost set up, has anyone tried using a traditional household iron (maybe 2 or 3) welded/connected to an aluminum sheet to melt the plastic down similar to the sheet press machine? The other option is a panini press and oven, then putting it in a mold once formed, but I'm thinking that if I can get the iron method to work then I could melt the plastic in the same area that the mold would be pressed in. Dunno if I'm explaining myself right tbh, hope this makes sense

The most I've see done with irons is them being used to fuse plastic bags together, but the resulting material was always quite thin. There's a few ways of going cheap. If your goal is to produce sheets then you might want to consider a second hand oven (small electric one will do), tshirt press, or panini press. You need to melt the plastic and then you need to press the plastic. Panini press and tshirt press do this, but you might want to have something else around to help press the plastic into shape while it's melted. Could be a press, could be a heavy weight, could be you standing on it.

Ya I'm definitely thinking I'm going to go the panini press and oven route, using a cloth iron was kinda a "wait, I wonder if this would work" kinda thing

Daedalus

I'm playing with some ideas on a low cost set up, has anyone tried using a traditional household iron (maybe 2 or 3) welded/connected to an aluminum sheet to melt the plastic down similar to the sheet press machine? The other option is a panini press and oven, then putting it in a mold once formed, but I'm thinking that if I can get the iron method to work then I could melt the plastic in the same area that the mold would be pressed in. Dunno if I'm explaining myself right tbh, hope this makes sense

Maybe better than welding irons to an aluminum sheet, you could use one of these Electric Griddles? you can probably pick one up used pretty cheap!

Ooh, thats a good option

You've got me thinking... Maybe could even get two and make a press by turning one upside down on top if the other.

1

Didn't think about griddles, would give me more space than a panini press, tho I'd imagine it would cool off faster, would need something to cover it while it's "cooking" I think

Another problem with them (in my experience) is that the heat isn't distributed very evenly. Tends to get hotter near the plug.

Hmm

Daedalus

Didn't think about griddles, would give me more space than a panini press, tho I'd imagine it would cool off faster, would need something to cover it while it's "cooking" I think

Maybe make a heat resistant insulated box to cover it.

Could off set it with a heat gun on the opposite side of the plug maybe

NJ90210

Maybe make a heat resistant insulated box to cover it.

Ya that sounds like a good idea!

Then you can get a cheap digital thermometer to mount outside, or even a cheap PID to control the temperature inside.

5:44 PM

wait.. I think we just designed an Oven...

3

Ah frick, you right

Butte (PP Philippines)

https://youtube.com/shorts/NekExRlZVzQ?feature=share

Butte, did you have any issue trying to take the beams (HDPE + pet) out of the molds?

Oscar Cornejo

Butte, did you have any issue trying to take the beams (HDPE + pet) out of the molds?

only when i use pure blow mold grade HDPE. it does not shrink and it over fills the molds, sometimes bursting them

2

Oscar Cornejo

Butte, did you have any issue trying to take the beams (HDPE + pet) out of the molds?

Theres another issue. If your extrusion machine is pushing in too much air, the beam walls will collapse and deform. Deformations cause the material to stress and pull in and then press really hard against the mould.

1

Friday I had 2 of my guys spend all afternoon mixing pigment into shredded plastic, and blending it using the granulator. I must say it is a extremely dirty process. The two boys and I looked like we had painted ourselves with ochre paint. We use iron oxide natural pigments to get the brown color of our l umber. We will soon switch over to using a cement mixer for this task and I have the idea of putting a bunch of cheap speaker magnets on the inside of the cement mixer to catch any steel that gets in the mix while the same time mixing in pigments. It will also be faster to process because we can dump the plastic from the mixer into 50kg size bags vs the present process of scooping it with a shovel. Our cheap dust collector died a few months ago and we are stuck back to wasting a lot of time moving shredded plastic by hand. We have a building at the new shop we have dedicated to shredding plastic, buying from the street pickers, wood planing the lumber and storage of shredded plastic.

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

Friday I had 2 of my guys spend all afternoon mixing pigment into shredded plastic, and blending it using the granulator. I must say it is a extremely dirty process. The two boys and I looked like we had painted ourselves with ochre paint. We use iron oxide natural pigments to get the brown color of our l umber. We will soon switch over to using a cement mixer for this task and I have the idea of putting a bunch of cheap speaker magnets on the inside of the cement mixer to catch any steel that gets in the mix while the same time mixing in pigments. It will also be faster to process because we can dump the plastic from the mixer into 50kg size bags vs the present process of scooping it with a shovel. Our cheap dust collector died a few months ago and we are stuck back to wasting a lot of time moving shredded plastic by hand. We have a building at the new shop we have dedicated to shredding plastic, buying from the street pickers, wood planing the lumber and storage of shredded plastic.

The magnets will also pull out the pigment as it is iron.

(edited)

only the black magnetite mixed in. usually its larger shards the magnet gets as i got magnets in the extrusion hopper also

Hey! What is the best technique to clean off the dirt off these caps before processing and shredding? I could just run them through a washing machine in a cold setting, right?

Alberto

Hey! What is the best technique to clean off the dirt off these caps before processing and shredding? I could just run them through a washing machine in a cold setting, right?

That should work! I sometimes put caps in my silverware basket when I run a load of dishes. Good for getting oil out of salad dressing bottle caps for example.

In Croatia they are voting the eu law for the bottle caps to be like this. What do you think how it will impact Precious Plastic universe and our main resource - plastic caps?

8:39 PM

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_19_2631

Press corner

Highlights, press releases and speeches

marjanzitnik

In Croatia they are voting the eu law for the bottle caps to be like this. What do you think how it will impact Precious Plastic universe and our main resource - plastic caps?

Prople are lazy, I think it'll make sourcing bottlecaps more difficult for Precious Plastic workspaces. But it's better for keeping them out of the environment. Id be curious to know where the bottlecaps go that are collected.

2

marjanzitnik

In Croatia they are voting the eu law for the bottle caps to be like this. What do you think how it will impact Precious Plastic universe and our main resource - plastic caps?

There are plenty sources of pp and HDPE and to be honest the bottle caps are Just 3-5 grams

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Prople are lazy, I think it'll make sourcing bottlecaps more difficult for Precious Plastic workspaces. But it's better for keeping them out of the environment. Id be curious to know where the bottlecaps go that are collected.

I assume they want to keep caps and bottles together until they reach the shredding facility, where they are shredded all together and then separated by water/density (the HDPE floats and is skimmed off and recycled separately from the PET).

1

2:03 PM

I love caps but to be honest it is better for the environment if they are kept and recycled en masse, while we focus on the things that don't fit well in the mass recycling system, IMHO

1

Speaking of the plastics left behind... I have been cultivating relationships with nearby businesses (and the regional waste management facility) to let them know that we are looking for oddball items that the formal recycling system won't take. I especially want #2, #4 and #5 items that are homogenous/single plastic and relatively clean. Recent acquisitions include:

Magazine holders from the public library...they were culling their back issues and disposing of these, and the recycler would not take them, so they were ecstatic when I found they were PP and said sure, we can just take them all (rather than them having to pay for another dumpster to pick them up and haul them to landfill). We have them stacked up in a block that is about 1m x 1m x 2m, waiting their turn in the shredder.

Got a call over the weekend from an estate sale business I'd visited last year, and taken away all their broken tubs/totes/lids/lawn furniture. With the warm spring weather, estate sale season is in full swing right now and they are cleaning/purging, so yesterday I went and completely filled my car with plastic storage bins, lids (sometimes mismatched), garbage can lids, and other miscellany. We will use most of it for plastics sorting and operations, and otherwise shred it up for recycling.

The hardware store down the street had a stack of paint can trays in storage, which they just hadn't gotten around to throwing away. These were made for keeping neat stacks of paint cans on top of each other in sets of four. Solid white HDPE.

As much as I like bottle caps, the mass recycling system CAN recycle them just fine if they are kept with the bottles -- but these things above (a) would otherwise go to landfill, and (b) provide a much larger and cleaner volume of plastic for our uses with far less effort.

1

JohnNephew

Speaking of the plastics left behind... I have been cultivating relationships with nearby businesses (and the regional waste management facility) to let them know that we are looking for oddball items that the formal recycling system won't take. I especially want #2, #4 and #5 items that are homogenous/single plastic and relatively clean. Recent acquisitions include:

Magazine holders from the public library...they were culling their back issues and disposing of these, and the recycler would not take them, so they were ecstatic when I found they were PP and said sure, we can just take them all (rather than them having to pay for another dumpster to pick them up and haul them to landfill). We have them stacked up in a block that is about 1m x 1m x 2m, waiting their turn in the shredder.

Got a call over the weekend from an estate sale business I'd visited last year, and taken away all their broken tubs/totes/lids/lawn furniture. With the warm spring weather, estate sale season is in full swing right now and they are cleaning/purging, so yesterday I went and completely filled my car with plastic storage bins, lids (sometimes mismatched), garbage can lids, and other miscellany. We will use most of it for plastics sorting and operations, and otherwise shred it up for recycling.

The hardware store down the street had a stack of paint can trays in storage, which they just hadn't gotten around to throwing away. These were made for keeping neat stacks of paint cans on top of each other in sets of four. Solid white HDPE.

As much as I like bottle caps, the mass recycling system CAN recycle them just fine if they are kept with the bottles -- but these things above (a) would otherwise go to landfill, and (b) provide a much larger and cleaner volume of plastic for our uses with far less effort.

Could we get this moved over to collection, this is super and along the lines of some of what I am trying to do in Missouri :). Nice job!

7:41 PM

@here does anyone have a few good links to help with PET1 oxidation ( turning white) tempurature ( cooling schedule?). I have clear pet, it melted clear then slowly turned white as is cooled. I have read here hot water ( 200F? ) shock then cold?

HAL_9000

@here does anyone have a few good links to help with PET1 oxidation ( turning white) tempurature ( cooling schedule?). I have clear pet, it melted clear then slowly turned white as is cooled. I have read here hot water ( 200F? ) shock then cold?

Search PET Crystalization, you may ind what you are looking for

HAL_9000

@here does anyone have a few good links to help with PET1 oxidation ( turning white) tempurature ( cooling schedule?). I have clear pet, it melted clear then slowly turned white as is cooled. I have read here hot water ( 200F? ) shock then cold?

Plastic beach party are the people you wanna look up on Instagram. https://instagram.com/plasticbeachparty

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6:40 AM

They do fairly well from the samples I've seen. They do shock the plastic in water which I think helps with clarity/oxidation

think this is what is happening!

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

They do fairly well from the samples I've seen. They do shock the plastic in water which I think helps with clarity/oxidation

This is making more sense now. Forgive me, I am slow

HAL_9000

This is making more sense now. Forgive me, I am slow

You're good! We're all here to share experiences and knowledge. I think to expand a little on oxidation, I've observed that when using lpg/gas ovens there tends to be a lot more oxidation/discoloration/crusty stuff on top of the plastic as it is exposed to the air in the oven. I have not seen this with electric ovens. So just be aware, different heating methods might cause some problems as well.

HAL_9000

This is making more sense now. Forgive me, I am slow

2

10:33 AM

I got these PET samples from Plastic Beach Party, cool stuff (edited)

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Beautiful!

I am planning to recycle pet to filament for 3d printing. I hope it works ,I am still building my machines.

I can’t figure out if this has been asked before, so excuse me if it is

I have worked a lot with HDPE granulate and an extruder in the last two years. I have never had problems with a molten bit of plastic directly from the extruder (180 C) sticking to a room temp piece of plastic (25 C) The bond is quite good and I can’t pull them apart. In the last few weeks I have tried working with big pieces of HDPE that is not granulated, and I am having such a hard time making a cold and hot piece of plastic sticking together. Instead of running them through my extruder (they are too big) I am heating them up in an oven (at 230 C) and pressing them together right when I take them out. I have even tried pressing two hot pieces together. But the bond is not really good and I can pull them apart. Do anyone have any experience in this and can help me troubleshoot?

1

gokudo21

I am planning to recycle pet to filament for 3d printing. I hope it works ,I am still building my machines.

Remember you have to dry it before you can use if for anything usefull

1

9:31 AM

Slowly making progress

Trying to get a number on the amount of Co2 emitted averted using precious plastic recycling methods other burning plastic per KG

2:34 AM

i got a number of 2.9 CO2e emitter per Kg from no-burn.org

2:35 AM

and wondering if anyone has done any research into the CO2 amount the d/ averted using precious plastic style method?

Lachlan Aus

Click to see attachment 🖼️

What did you use to make the metal top for the mold ? i been using resin molds but was going directly into the resin mold and they keep breaking under the pressure

JarvisSan

What did you use to make the metal top for the mold ? i been using resin molds but was going directly into the resin mold and they keep breaking under the pressure

CNC router. I'm not skilled enough with hand tools haha I noticed the same thing when trying the resin molds. My the tip of nozzle would burn the mold (edited)

1

i have come up with a possible solution to 2 issues regarding the plastic sheets and the plastic lumber finishing. At the moment we run the lumber thru the thickness planer which gives us plastic shavings that are collected via the dust collector and we end up with large sacks of plastic flakes. But the flakes are too thin and even when granulated do not flow well into the extrusion machine. despite being a very dry and homogenous plastic flake. So I have come up with the idea of putting the shavings in the sheet press. we start with a dry flake about fingernail sized and about half mm thick. I have mixed this flake with the other material and fed back to the machine but at more than a couple percentage points, I can not get the material to feed in the hopper well back to the extrusion machine.

2

3:52 AM

So if we do not manage to turn it into sheets via the press, I will be forced to modify my old v3 extrusion machine to be a plastic densifier, which adds a lot of work just to recover what is essentially maybe 30 kilos of material every week.

Quick question folks! Are many people making sheets in the 0.5mm to 1.5mm range? Is the sheet press suitable for making sheets that thin? We just got a vacuum thermoform machine and I figured we could use Precious Plastics sheets for it, but most of what I'm seeing on the bazaar is a lot thicker

Mx Remy

Quick question folks! Are many people making sheets in the 0.5mm to 1.5mm range? Is the sheet press suitable for making sheets that thin? We just got a vacuum thermoform machine and I figured we could use Precious Plastics sheets for it, but most of what I'm seeing on the bazaar is a lot thicker

Thermoforming is extremely sensitive to material consistency, both thickness as well as extrusion direction. You'll likely have difficulty running pressed sheets but you should totally try it. We've made a sheet ~2mm thick but again the flakes cause a lot of inconsistency in properties, I think it'll stretch and open holes

2

Ah that does makes sense! I wondered if that would be a problem, totally new to thermoforming here. I'm definitely willing to try it anyway if I can get the sheets though!

waterppk

Thermoforming is extremely sensitive to material consistency, both thickness as well as extrusion direction. You'll likely have difficulty running pressed sheets but you should totally try it. We've made a sheet ~2mm thick but again the flakes cause a lot of inconsistency in properties, I think it'll stretch and open holes

Maybe using thicker sheets can compensate for that a bit? Ours claims to be able to handle up to ~3mm. Definitely worth a shot at least. Or, am I overlooking a more obvious way to recycle plastic into sheets?

thermoforming material is normally extruded as a sheet, it's a very difficult mould to manufacture/tune so I think the sheetpress will be the way to go to make sheets

1

Hopefully we can find a way to get it working then, fingers crossed!

5:46 PM

If it works I'll post about it. Thermoforming is relatively easy and affordable to DIY, so it might be another entry level avenue people will like, if it works

waterppk

Thermoforming is extremely sensitive to material consistency, both thickness as well as extrusion direction. You'll likely have difficulty running pressed sheets but you should totally try it. We've made a sheet ~2mm thick but again the flakes cause a lot of inconsistency in properties, I think it'll stretch and open holes

@Mx Remy it might be possible to get away from the flake issue if you use an extrusion machine an extrude the material you need for making the sheet. A 1m x 1m x 2mm sheet weighs how much? My guess is close to 3kg. Worth a shot if you have the equipment.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

@Mx Remy it might be possible to get away from the flake issue if you use an extrusion machine an extrude the material you need for making the sheet. A 1m x 1m x 2mm sheet weighs how much? My guess is close to 3kg. Worth a shot if you have the equipment.

I don't have the equipment (yet!) but if anyone else does and is willing to sell me such a sheet, I'd love to try it

We have a Vaquform but the one time I tried making a sheet early on it was not a success. However, as we have refined our sheet-making (albeit on a t-shirt press still), I need to give it another try.

Will someone please advise on what HDPE is best for the 1m x1m sheet press. When it comes to HDPE containers we do get a lot in and currently have a contract to supply it in 18mm regrind form. I also have thousands of HDPE bottle caps in all the colours

Can injection grade and blow moulding grade HDPE be used together in the sheet press or must it be kept separate? I plan on manufacturing sheets soon and will appreciate some feed back. (edited)

Ivan_PlastikiZA

Will someone please advise on what HDPE is best for the 1m x1m sheet press. When it comes to HDPE containers we do get a lot in and currently have a contract to supply it in 18mm regrind form. I also have thousands of HDPE bottle caps in all the colours

Can injection grade and blow moulding grade HDPE be used together in the sheet press or must it be kept separate? I plan on manufacturing sheets soon and will appreciate some feed back. (edited)

Based on my experience with making sheets on t-shirt press, I think you'll find it very tolerant of mixing different varieties of HDPE. The different viscosity/MFI will enhance the formation of unique patterns as they melt and flow differently. I think the edge Precious Plastics has over traditional mass production is the unique visual designs you can get with relative ease.

@JohnNephew thank you.

Ivan_PlastikiZA

Will someone please advise on what HDPE is best for the 1m x1m sheet press. When it comes to HDPE containers we do get a lot in and currently have a contract to supply it in 18mm regrind form. I also have thousands of HDPE bottle caps in all the colours

Can injection grade and blow moulding grade HDPE be used together in the sheet press or must it be kept separate? I plan on manufacturing sheets soon and will appreciate some feed back. (edited)

18mm regrind is a bit large. The smaller the better. I use 9mm with good results, sometimes I wish it was slightly smaller but it'll do. Why smaller? Takes up less space, less plastic insulating itself, less air between flakes. I have a preference for injection plastic. But mostly you want to be consistent, otherwise your quality will vary a bit too much from sheet to sheet. I've known some workspaces that have sent back plastic that was blow. It's a bit viscous and if you're not expecting it, you can have unexpected results.

Thank you for your reply ! @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug The buyer prefer it to be 18mm as it goes trough a wash plant. We recycle pesticide containers, so yes… just to be sure these things must be properly washed! Smaller flakes result in more material loss during the washing process. I also have a 10mm and a 8mm screen for my granulator. The container caps are quite big (mostly 50mm) and we do not get a good price on them so that will be the perfect material to make sheets from! These caps have beautiful vivid colours!

6:39 AM

6:41 AM

The prep work on them will be a mammoth task as they still have pesticide residue on them! (edited)

Those caps are nice! Fun colors to work with on pressing sheets.

JohnNephew

Speaking of the plastics left behind... I have been cultivating relationships with nearby businesses (and the regional waste management facility) to let them know that we are looking for oddball items that the formal recycling system won't take. I especially want #2, #4 and #5 items that are homogenous/single plastic and relatively clean. Recent acquisitions include:

Magazine holders from the public library...they were culling their back issues and disposing of these, and the recycler would not take them, so they were ecstatic when I found they were PP and said sure, we can just take them all (rather than them having to pay for another dumpster to pick them up and haul them to landfill). We have them stacked up in a block that is about 1m x 1m x 2m, waiting their turn in the shredder.

Got a call over the weekend from an estate sale business I'd visited last year, and taken away all their broken tubs/totes/lids/lawn furniture. With the warm spring weather, estate sale season is in full swing right now and they are cleaning/purging, so yesterday I went and completely filled my car with plastic storage bins, lids (sometimes mismatched), garbage can lids, and other miscellany. We will use most of it for plastics sorting and operations, and otherwise shred it up for recycling.

The hardware store down the street had a stack of paint can trays in storage, which they just hadn't gotten around to throwing away. These were made for keeping neat stacks of paint cans on top of each other in sets of four. Solid white HDPE.

As much as I like bottle caps, the mass recycling system CAN recycle them just fine if they are kept with the bottles -- but these things above (a) would otherwise go to landfill, and (b) provide a much larger and cleaner volume of plastic for our uses with far less effort.

Another idea is to work with printers. We have a few printers in our area. Their canvas roll ends are made of either PP or HDPE. They are clean and easy to sort and no one wants them! They also give me cast offs - like boxes of plastic drinks cups covers that came in wrong for some reason.

Just a friendly reminder that in any questions regarding the recycling of PET bottles and things related to it (like HDPE caps and why they are now permanently afixed to the bottle purely for recycling reasons), feel free to ask me. My family runs one of the largest pet recycling companies in europe

Hey! Has anyone tried using High Impact Polystyrene with the PP Manual Injection machine?

4:42 PM

We recently got an offer to work with this material and it says only that it is good for injection and extrusion, but we wanted to see if anyone had experience using this material with the machine we have

Alberto

We recently got an offer to work with this material and it says only that it is good for injection and extrusion, but we wanted to see if anyone had experience using this material with the machine we have

I’ve used HIP but I have problems to take the piece out of the mold, also it releases toxic fumes

Hello everyone , does anyone has experience making pallets out plastic?

@Oscar Cornejo Brother make have a video on that https://youtu.be/bZKtfT6y0v8

We made a PALLET out of 100% Recycled DVD Cases

1

2:50 AM

There a few injection mold companies in Japan i knon about that make recyled pallets but also use massive injection machines

Thanks, i also follow them

6:19 PM

And here is my pallet

6:20 PM

2

Oscar Cornejo

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Did you use like half wood half HDPE ?

Oscar Cornejo

Click to see attachment 🖼️

Nice

how heavy is it compared to a wooden pallet ?

JarvisSan

Nice

how heavy is it compared to a wooden pallet ?

Pinewood is 0.65g/cm3 HDPE is 0.96g/cm3 If using the same volume of material, it's about 50% heavier. 10kg pallet from Pinewood would be about 15kg in HDPE

10:39 AM

It's worth noting there are several pallet types. If you make a pallet, make sure it suits your needs with dimensions and utility. Might need to be forklifted from all sides or need to have a full deck without spacing between boards.

1

Alex_recycles and creates

Did you use like half wood half HDPE ?

I use 30% wood

but actually what I uses is rice husk

JarvisSan

Nice

how heavy is it compared to a wooden pallet ?

The weight is 29kg, the bench of the bases is 7cm7cm 110cm and on the top I finally set 9 benches of 2,75”x1,75” x 105cm long

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

It's worth noting there are several pallet types. If you make a pallet, make sure it suits your needs with dimensions and utility. Might need to be forklifted from all sides or need to have a full deck without spacing between boards.

Well, I built it for a client who has issues with wooden pallets.

7:08 PM

Oscar Cornejo

Click to see attachment 🖼️

5:07 AM

I'm curious how big the larger pieces of wood are. I'm sure it's similar to this.

The pallets I built are 7*7cm * 105cm

sioux612

Just a friendly reminder that in any questions regarding the recycling of PET bottles and things related to it (like HDPE caps and why they are now permanently afixed to the bottle purely for recycling reasons), feel free to ask me. My family runs one of the largest pet recycling companies in europe

How hard to recycle PET into filament for 3d printers?

Talking about actual extrusion of molten material, not the strip forming style: For an amateur very hard, for a professional it should be no problem. The main issue is with cooling of the filament. To quickly and it deforms, too slowly and it crystallizes and becomes brittle You need at least a water bath, preferably a water bath and an air cooling setup Also it needs very short distance between the nozzle and the cooling, or has to be vertical, since most pet is rather low viscosity when molten. Our pellets undergo a technical process that increases the viscosity of the material by quite a lot

sioux612

Talking about actual extrusion of molten material, not the strip forming style: For an amateur very hard, for a professional it should be no problem. The main issue is with cooling of the filament. To quickly and it deforms, too slowly and it crystallizes and becomes brittle You need at least a water bath, preferably a water bath and an air cooling setup Also it needs very short distance between the nozzle and the cooling, or has to be vertical, since most pet is rather low viscosity when molten. Our pellets undergo a technical process that increases the viscosity of the material by quite a lot

Will thicker extrusion(3mm) be easier than 1.75mm?

No, it would need more cooling. 1mm would be less of an issue than 1.75mm

Thanks for the info

I will machine large billets of HDPE, with a rough starting dimension of 8" x 12" x 20" (inches). I'd like to control the layering of color and plan to use press molds- filling with shred, heating in an oven, pressing and heating repeatedly to eliminate bubbles, then annealing. What say you? Is this plan realistic? From your experience, what special concerns must be addressed for success? Thanks for your time and consideration.

Im sure curious to hear how that goes and how long it takes!

Hello everyone, I was wondering how do you clean the plastic before storing / shredding it? Do you use special machines, methods? Thank you

TOTOM

Hello everyone, I was wondering how do you clean the plastic before storing / shredding it? Do you use special machines, methods? Thank you

There are diverse schemes for washing. Some employ a conventional domestic washing machine in conjunction with additional soak and agitation vessels AND filtration for reusing water. Here are a few resources from the Precious Plastic Community pages: https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/wash-plastic-washing-machine https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/wash-plastic-sand-filter- https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/wash-plastic-pre-wash https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/low-cost-washing-machine-with-water-filter-system Often folks neglect to show washing when sharing their plastic production process- and that even includes core actors within the PP Community documenting success stories around the world! I often ask folks to share details of their washing system; though promises are, no one has come through yet!

Wash Plastic: Washing Machine

Different steps are necessary to make plastic clean. First is the prewashing after the plastic can be shredded, but it will still contain some oils, glue remains or even paper. To get rid of this we need water, soap, heat, and friction. Building a machine, which can do all of this takes time and costs a lot of money. So instead we are going to u...

Wash plastic: Sand filter

Washing plastics is a pretty dirty process. We’re dealing with organic contaminants, chemical waste but also lots of micro plastics. Being able to filter this water is very important. There are many different filters, but a pressurised sand filter (Rapid Sand Filter) proved to be the most effective and accessible choice. Here we will explain how...

Wash plastic: Pre-wash

Plastic needs to be clean before shredding to make the maintenance of the machine easier. Here we are going to explain how to build an easy pre-washing machine to get rid of the rough dirt. This machine integrates into a system with a sand filter and a washing machine.

Low cost Washing Machine with water filter system

Learn how to modify any laundry machine to enable it for plastic washing without wasting any water drop. This guide will show you how to modify the electric system and add a water tank with a custom 3d printed sand filter.

3

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

There are diverse schemes for washing. Some employ a conventional domestic washing machine in conjunction with additional soak and agitation vessels AND filtration for reusing water. Here are a few resources from the Precious Plastic Community pages: https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/wash-plastic-washing-machine https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/wash-plastic-sand-filter- https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/wash-plastic-pre-wash https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/low-cost-washing-machine-with-water-filter-system Often folks neglect to show washing when sharing their plastic production process- and that even includes core actors within the PP Community documenting success stories around the world! I often ask folks to share details of their washing system; though promises are, no one has come through yet!

Thanks you for the documents !!

TOTOM

Thanks you for the documents !!

One more: https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/ws---10/ Check out the "washing" room on this venue- lot's of chat on these topics.

1

After all the HDPE, I start shredding PP. I found that some is hard& crunchy, and some other is a lot softer, not like HDPE but definitely not crunchy. Not related to thickness or making process, I'm speaking of injected parts, some of the "crunchiest" are very thin, and some of the softer are thick. Someone noticed the same thing, and if yes, are the two types melting together well?

My experience is that they melt together just fine

1

8:49 AM

the surface of sheets often be like this when I try to make sheets with my t-shirt press... does anyone know why? any ideas how to avoid this?

okapi

the surface of sheets often be like this when I try to make sheets with my t-shirt press... does anyone know why? any ideas how to avoid this?

Yeahhh not fun. Check your temperatures. Usually plastic sticking is due to temperatures too high or lack of demoulding agent. Too much demoulding agent can cause problems too, if there's too much it can get between the plastic flakes and cause them to not fuse together. So check your temperature, press time, and how much demoulding agent you're using. Your plastic does look quite clean otherwise.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Yeahhh not fun. Check your temperatures. Usually plastic sticking is due to temperatures too high or lack of demoulding agent. Too much demoulding agent can cause problems too, if there's too much it can get between the plastic flakes and cause them to not fuse together. So check your temperature, press time, and how much demoulding agent you're using. Your plastic does look quite clean otherwise.

OK I'll try lowering the temperature. Thank you

I have been recording my plastic production for plastic lumber and the results are in. Production of 1x2 4 foot long boards is the fastest at 15 kilo per hour. Unrestricted extrusion is 18 kilo per hour.

2:06 AM

If I go to the 2x4 6 foot boards my production goes down to about 10 kilo per hour.

2:08 AM

The bigger boards result in lower production. This is likely due to the plastic cooling, and greater viscosity which increases back pressure. increasing the heat on the other hand results in more wrinkles as the plastic is expanded and then shrinks more than it would have at lower temp. because it expanded less in the first place.

2:09 AM

interestingly enough, going from a 4 foot to 6 foot mold in the 1x2 size resulted in a change of 4 mi to 7 min to fill the mold.

2:10 AM

extrusion machine is 1.2 meter x30mm screw 5hp with 4kw heaters

2:11 AM

electricity cost goes up exponentially with bigger boards as the machine is using the same power but taking longer, this also increases overhead, and labor costs.

2:13 AM

I calculated the plastic cost, with recycled pellet as the baseline. This is because the pellet extrudes the fastest. the offset in street sourced plastic vs processed recycled pellet comes out to be nearly equal cost. because of the lowered production rate of the flake, the labor and electric to collect and shred,

2:14 AM

basically my net profit in a 8 hour production run goes from 229usd for the 4 foot 1x2 to 122usd to produce 2x4

Fascinating and useful info!

Hi Any idea where I can find information on what plastic type can be recycled and how the process is? Currently looking for thermal recycling a blowup water animal. I think its pvc foil but actually not sure..

1

sioux612

No, it would need more cooling. 1mm would be less of an issue than 1.75mm

Sent u a dm

Sleien

Hi Any idea where I can find information on what plastic type can be recycled and how the process is? Currently looking for thermal recycling a blowup water animal. I think its pvc foil but actually not sure..

I'm sure you can find it here somewhere, searching the channels . I think if I wanted to inflate into a mold, I'd start with investigating the possibility of PET blow molding. (that's how they make soda bottles (among many other things)). I suspect you won't find much positive about recycling PVC.

1

Davide->PreciousPlasticRomagna

After all the HDPE, I start shredding PP. I found that some is hard& crunchy, and some other is a lot softer, not like HDPE but definitely not crunchy. Not related to thickness or making process, I'm speaking of injected parts, some of the "crunchiest" are very thin, and some of the softer are thick. Someone noticed the same thing, and if yes, are the two types melting together well?

Same for me, they mixed very well depending on the time and temperature you use

1

Can PP be molded into a simple block the same way HDPE can be? Shredded, melted and formed. (edited)

Oscar Cornejo

Same for me, they mixed very well depending on the time and temperature you use

Are you using PP and HDPE together?

SunCat

Can PP be molded into a simple block the same way HDPE can be? Shredded, melted and formed. (edited)

Yes and yes, I mixed PP and HDPE and it runs great

I need to visualize my storage needs, and hope you can contribute by indicating the volume of a kilo of shred at a specified shred size. Ultimately, a volume percentage multiplier is what I'm looking for, so I can say '100 kilos of shred will require X cubic meters of space'. Your feedback appreciated.

Oscar Cornejo

Yes and yes, I mixed PP and HDPE and it runs great

Is there a temperature that works best for you. I did 350 F last night and it looked great on the bottom. I'm using a roaster oven. The top was unmelted so I'm going to flip it like an omelet today.

SunCat

Is there a temperature that works best for you. I did 350 F last night and it looked great on the bottom. I'm using a roaster oven. The top was unmelted so I'm going to flip it like an omelet today.

Yeah the plastic is a terrible conductor so you either need to flip a few times or get heat on both sides. We have the same issue with a t shirt press

waterppk

Yeah the plastic is a terrible conductor so you either need to flip a few times or get heat on both sides. We have the same issue with a t shirt press

We have access to a large dry mount press that is no longer in use. 15x18". I'll have to see if it has heat on both side.

Oscar Cornejo

Yes and yes, I mixed PP and HDPE and it runs great

why would you mix more than 2 diffrent types of plastic ? That makes it harder to recycle in the future

Alex_recycles and creates

why would you mix more than 2 diffrent types of plastic ? That makes it harder to recycle in the future

@Alex_recycles and creates many good reasons, such as: material is already intermixed such that the cost of separating HDPE/LDPE/PP is prohibitive, and the alternative would be landfill or incineration

2

1

JohnNephew

@Alex_recycles and creates many good reasons, such as: material is already intermixed such that the cost of separating HDPE/LDPE/PP is prohibitive, and the alternative would be landfill or incineration

usally its not mixed with other plastics

JohnNephew

@Alex_recycles and creates many good reasons, such as: material is already intermixed such that the cost of separating HDPE/LDPE/PP is prohibitive, and the alternative would be landfill or incineration

they make a device that can separate HDPE from PP and LDPE using a laser and it only cost like 2,000 dollars

You can also grind everything and set up a floatation separation system with blended alcohol and water to divide them based on specific gravity, or test individual samples by hand.

1

9:57 PM

Or you can set up a system using magnetic density separation fir mixed polyolefins https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23763786_Upgrading_Mixed_Polyolefin_Waste_With_Magnetic_Density_Separation

Upgrading Mixed Polyolefin Waste With Magnetic Density Separation |...

Request PDF | Upgrading Mixed Polyolefin Waste With Magnetic Density Separation | Polyolefin fractions are often end fractions resulting from the recycling of end-of-life consumer products. Polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

1

9:58 PM

Of course, if the recycling system has widely adopted technology for separating polyolefins like that, it can be used to recycle the mixed plastics we can divert from landfill or incineration today.

Alex_recycles and creates

they make a device that can separate HDPE from PP and LDPE using a laser and it only cost like 2,000 dollars

"...and it only costs like 2000 dollars"

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

"...and it only costs like 2000 dollars"

most are like 10,000 or more

Alex_recycles and creates

most are like 10,000 or more

I corresponded with the company: they based their price on the cost of alternatives- kinda like medical care pricing in the US: the pill to prevent disease R&D+marketing+production+distribution may cost $12 per unit, but they'll charge $1,200 for a weekly pill based on the cost of paying out a life insurance policy if you died. The price is egregious- this is something we need to open source develop.

Been using a roaster oven to try to mold HDPE. The shape would be perfect to create plastic sheets except for 2 issues: 1. Roaster ovens seems to only heat from the sides so the sheet is not melting in the middle, 2. It will only heat the bottom sides, not the top so you would have to flip. So the roaster oven is a no go. Next we will try a mount press with a 1 inch form.

SunCat

Been using a roaster oven to try to mold HDPE. The shape would be perfect to create plastic sheets except for 2 issues: 1. Roaster ovens seems to only heat from the sides so the sheet is not melting in the middle, 2. It will only heat the bottom sides, not the top so you would have to flip. So the roaster oven is a no go. Next we will try a mount press with a 1 inch form.

I found a large convection oven left at the curb- the glass range top was cracked, and the touch pad returned an error message. After detaching the display ribbon cable and cleaning it with a pencil eraser, it was all good. Despite only having one top element in the oven, a fan circulate air around the load, providing the nominal "convection"; you might could introduce a fan to your oven.

I am curious...does anyone here have experience recycling thermoplastic elastomers?

JohnNephew

I am curious...does anyone here have experience recycling thermoplastic elastomers?

Not me- but you made me do some research. Thus far, the only instance I found is nominated in the industry as "in-process recycling", where material is reground and then added as filler (no re-melt). The max achievable blend was said to be 15%- and only after progressive testing for failure modes.

SunCat

Is there a temperature that works best for you. I did 350 F last night and it looked great on the bottom. I'm using a roaster oven. The top was unmelted so I'm going to flip it like an omelet today.

I use (in Celsius) feeding area 70 degrees and then 200-250-280-280 at 80rpm and the long of my extrution is 4,5 mts

Alex_recycles and creates

why would you mix more than 2 diffrent types of plastic ? That makes it harder to recycle in the future

Because I build lumbers that replace Post for grapes, Dragon Fruit and Passion fruit, so we recycling and avoid the trees to be cut for at least 50 years.

JohnNephew

You can also grind everything and set up a floatation separation system with blended alcohol and water to divide them based on specific gravity, or test individual samples by hand.

I used to do that when I sell scrap to other factories to Lima, but the raw material I have here is mainly HDPE from

banana’s bags and mixed plastic (7 simbol) so I decided to produce lumbers, fences or posts with that

instead of ended up on the landfill

Oscar Cornejo

I used to do that when I sell scrap to other factories to Lima, but the raw material I have here is mainly HDPE from

banana’s bags and mixed plastic (7 simbol) so I decided to produce lumbers, fences or posts with that

instead of ended up on the landfill

Can’t you just make lumber from HDPE bags and no additives ? Just keep it plain

Oscar Cornejo

Because I build lumbers that replace Post for grapes, Dragon Fruit and Passion fruit, so we recycling and avoid the trees to be cut for at least 50 years.

HDPE on its own can last like 400 years outside and probably much longer inside

Alex_recycles and creates

Can’t you just make lumber from HDPE bags and no additives ? Just keep it plain

Well, I tried just full HDPE but the lumbers were bending so I had to mixed it

1

4:31 AM

Oscar Cornejo

Well, I tried just full HDPE but the lumbers were bending so I had to mixed it

I think I actually have research documents on mixing HDPE and PP (edited)

Oscar Cornejo

Well, I tried just full HDPE but the lumbers were bending so I had to mixed it

Well HDPE is a soft polymer. PP is more brittle

1

Oscar Cornejo

Well, I tried just full HDPE but the lumbers were bending so I had to mixed it

"HDPE on its own can last like 400 years outside"- that ain't my understanding. Rather, HDPE is highly subject to degradation by exposure to ultraviolet light, resulting in "powdering" and cracking of the surface layer. Were you to construct a HDPE version of Stonehenge, endless cycles of exposure would erode away the monoliths- how fast depending on the color of your plastic mix and environment. For UV stability, pigments and other additives are critical, with carbon black said to be particularly effective. Blocking UV penetration is critical for HDPE to survive a hand full of years, let alone hundreds.

1

I'm exploring annealing schedules for releasing stress in blocks intended for machining, & thought it would be useful to share what I've garnered here. I'll tag @JohnNephew , as they expressed interest. First, an overview of my understanding of the plastics we are primarily concerned with. Corrections are welcome: Plastic polymers include 3 general categories: Amorphous, not organizing into crystals; Crystalline, or crystal organizing; and Semi-Crystalline, featuring a degree of organization. Some plastics may be formulated to be in more than one group! (ex: PET, or Schedule 1 plastic, may be formulated as either amorphous or semi-crystalline!) 2 additional important categories of plastic are Thermoforming & Thermosetting plastics. Of primary importance to us are the thermforming or "thermoplastics", as they have the ability to be melted down and reformed. Heating thermoplastics to the temperature specific to its unique formulation crosses a threshold knows as the Glass Transition, where crystalline structures, if present, are liquefied/become disorganized, with associated change in quality from relatively impliable and brittle to soft and viscus. When crystalline and semi-crystalline plastics are cooled below their specific glass transition temperature, crystalline structures organize; the size of the crystals & character of the structures are influenced by how long the plastic remains at a given temperature, how uniform that temperature across the part, and stresses applied when cooling. The size and character of the crystal structures impact the qualities of the part, such as how relatively flexible or brittle, as well as the degree stresses are trapped within the part like a spring, leading to deformation when machining or demolding. "Annealing" is concerned with managing the transition from hot to cold- cooling from the (near)melted state -to allow for relatively even-sized crystal development with minimal included stress. More to come. (edited)

1

Alex_recycles and creates

Well HDPE is a soft polymer. PP is more brittle

I use Pp, Hdpe, 7 simbol plastics + rice husk

Oscar Cornejo

I use Pp, Hdpe, 7 simbol plastics + rice husk

Number 7s are like unknown polymers

Hi, does someone ever heard of Bio Based EVA? I found one on internet called I'm Green bio based EVA by Braskem (Brazil) but try to reached and no feedback.

8:53 AM

If someone have information please let me know, really thanks!

For those of you who care about such things as shrinkage and warpage of parts, there are many process dependent factors; setting those aside, keep in mind that plastics, such as HDPE, when at room temperature are neither melted nor "frozen" (below the glass transition temperature), having both amorphous and crystalline constituents with some degree of molecular movement; eventually these constituents reach an equilibrium, where the amorphous and crystalline content percentage is stable. Injected, cast, pressed, or extruded parts- any that have been formed by heating above the melt point -on cooling will continue to shrink or warp to some degree until reaching that equilibrium point. How long does that take? In the case of HDPE, the last 2% of shrinkage may require up to 3 months to occur! HDPE may demonstrate 85% of shrinkage within 24 hours, 98% within a week, and that last 2% by 3 months. What does that practically amount to? Say you injected a meter long beam, with a gross shrinkage of 3%, or 3 cm. A day after de-molding, shrinkage might be measured at 2.55 cm; at a week, 2.94 cm, and at 3 months 3 cm. (Yes, that last bit is just 0.6 mm change!) This is just an abstract example- many factors will impact the actual shrinkage rate, such as pressure, mold temperature, and annealing. Other plastics shrink far less, or stabilize over a shorter period, or in the presence of moisture. The take-away for me is 1) know your plastic, 2) know the purpose of your plastic, 3) build in plastic "set" time, as appropriate. (edited)

Hi Friends - I am using HDPE flakes to extrude thin beams at around 230-240 degree centigrade. But the output is not very great in terms of shine and finish. I suspect I am using higher temp than required. While I am going for my next try at 190-200 degree, can anyone share their exp of temp range for HSPE extrusion?

Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - I am using HDPE flakes to extrude thin beams at around 230-240 degree centigrade. But the output is not very great in terms of shine and finish. I suspect I am using higher temp than required. While I am going for my next try at 190-200 degree, can anyone share their exp of temp range for HSPE extrusion?

A photo might tell much of the story.

I know some people also heat the mold itself as the plastic makes its way thru to help with the finish if your goal is something more 'perfect' but definitely wait for someone with experience with the machine and the plastic to give you a fuller answer!

Liri (They/He)

I know some people also heat the mold itself as the plastic makes its way thru to help with the finish if your goal is something more 'perfect' but definitely wait for someone with experience with the machine and the plastic to give you a fuller answer!

Disclaimer: I haven't produced any beams. On the topic of mold heating, be aware this impacts more than the surface finish quality: a relatively cool mold promotes more rapid crystallization of the surface plastic, and development of stress patterns that can increase the tensile strength of the part! For those with this concern, the mold is cooled (especially when rapidly reused), the extrusion temperature and pressure increased. We've all seen the surface reticulation produced by a relatively cool mold when insufficiently heated and pressurized melt is introduced. Aside from a larger auger/screw on the extruder, what options are there for increasing pressure? Making a smaller part? Pressing the part in the mold once filled? Heating the mold comes with its own challenges, including shrinkage and longer demolding times... though shrinkage can aid part removal. The community has a lot experience producing beams- I'll watch for solutions with interest. (edited)

sorry I was actually talking to priyanka, trying to avoid you pls don't @ me next time

Liri (They/He)

sorry I was actually talking to priyanka, trying to avoid you pls don't @ me next time

You weren't "@'ed". This is a public space; your expressions of contempt are best reserved for direct messaging- or, better yet, keep them to yourself.

by replying you @ people you can prevent it by turning it off when you write the reply and here you do it again. Don't assume my feelings I was simply answering a question about the shine and finish of the end product of extruding. my answer didn't address you. if you wanted to ask whatever questions you had it didn't have to be a reply to me.

@Liri (They/He) <---- that's an "@". I assumed nothing, responding only to what you demonstrated. You are not in a position here to dictate who participates: if you want a private conversation, have at it.

here is the explanation on how to turn off @ on reply you'd think after one bad situation you'd also try to avoid a person but I do understand why you do this it's the same reason you're in these servers for. Please stop bothering me.

Liri (They/He)

here is the explanation on how to turn off @ on reply you'd think after one bad situation you'd also try to avoid a person but I do understand why you do this it's the same reason you're in these servers for. Please stop bothering me.

Whatever "reason" you imagine, you are victim only of your own choices. If you don't want to engage, then don't- the "block" feature is your recourse. Throwing mud then saying 'dont' respond to me' ain't honest. (edited)

3

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

Disclaimer: I haven't produced any beams. On the topic of mold heating, be aware this impacts more than the surface finish quality: a relatively cool mold promotes more rapid crystallization of the surface plastic, and development of stress patterns that can increase the tensile strength of the part! For those with this concern, the mold is cooled (especially when rapidly reused), the extrusion temperature and pressure increased. We've all seen the surface reticulation produced by a relatively cool mold when insufficiently heated and pressurized melt is introduced. Aside from a larger auger/screw on the extruder, what options are there for increasing pressure? Making a smaller part? Pressing the part in the mold once filled? Heating the mold comes with its own challenges, including shrinkage and longer demolding times... though shrinkage can aid part removal. The community has a lot experience producing beams- I'll watch for solutions with interest. (edited)

there is also the matter of speed of filling the mold. faster fill, less time for it to get the swirls. i see it especially in the 2x4inch molds. I also see it the worst in molds filled almost exclusive with PP plastic in the extrusion flow m old process.

1

I was simply saying I do not want to interact further not everyone on this server has to interact. That is a fair ask. I will not message channels you recently messaged on in order to avoid you so i hope you can respect that instead of shoving words in my mouth.

6:05 PM

I would actually like to stay on this server so i hope you can respect that too

Priyank Mishra

Hi Friends - I am using HDPE flakes to extrude thin beams at around 230-240 degree centigrade. But the output is not very great in terms of shine and finish. I suspect I am using higher temp than required. While I am going for my next try at 190-200 degree, can anyone share their exp of temp range for HSPE extrusion?

Back to plastic talk... Like what Butte was saying, speed makes a big difference. From what I've read, different RPMs and temperature settings can also have an effect on the results. If you have a slow extrusion machine, you'll need to keep your mould hot to fill a mould. If you want a smooth surface finish from the mould, you'll need to heat the mould. I've produced planks that are 10cm x 2cm x 150cm and used a heater on only one side. The results were good, the heater side of the mould was smooth and the opposite side had some visible texturing similar to wood grain. If you're heating your mould you might need to pay extra attention to any gaps you might have in your mould. The heat allows the plastic to flow better and as such it flows much easier out of gaps. Higher temperatures can cause problems. I might go as high as 200 or 210 for my nozzle and 180 for my feeder zone. Just don't be afraid to adjust your settings, this will help you tune in to the appropriate setting.

1

So, compressing HDPE when forming can do some good things for us- increasing density, for example. Annealing does good things for part stability. But what about in-mold cooling from annealing temperatures? I just checked the thermal expansion of my mild carbon steel mold- calculated to be around 2.5 mm across the longest dimension (23") at the compression stage temperature, reducing to a paltry 1.135 mm during the annealing soak. So, a little bonus compression when cooling- but maybe stress, too. New considerations to me- but doubtlessly familiar concerns for those troubleshooting injection molding complications. Anyway, here's a web calculator for thermal expansion: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/linear-thermal-expansion-d_1379.html

Linear Thermal Expansion

Online linear temperature expansion calculator.

I learned something new today.

1:32 AM

Was going to post here and ask for advice/experience, but ended up doing the research myself.

NJ90210

I learned something new today.

Looks like our daily business

What did you learn from this?!

DataWorm (PP Berlin)

Looks like our daily business

What did you learn from this?!

oh just all the things. I didn't know this blend was so ubiquitous.

When we take apart the electronic devices (computers, disc drives, printers, scanners, radios...) we often stumble on abs, abs+pc and hips often combined with GF and FR

5:00 PM

but don't worry, even with fire resistance it seems to melt just fine

1

What kind of fibers are in FR?

HAL_9000

What kind of fibers are in FR?

I think it's typically brominated? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brominated_flame_retardant

Brominated flame retardant

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are organobromine compounds that have an inhibitory effect on combustion chemistry and tend to reduce the flammability of products containing them. The brominated variety of commercialized chemical flame retardants comprise approximately 19.7% of the market. They are effective in plastics and textile applicatio...

Data I have aquired doing plastic lumber production: Machine is 5hp with the pro 30mm extrusion screw free flowing based on PP recycled pellet no back pressure is 18kg per hour. 4 foot 1x2 mold the plastic flow is reduced to 15 kg per hour or one board every 4 min 6 foot 1x2 mold the time increases to 7 min for 1.5kg plastic

8:42 AM

2x2 inch x 6 foot mold the mold time is 16 min

8:42 AM

2x4 foot mold the mold time increases all the way up to 35min.

8:43 AM

times based on HDPE shredded flake at 6mm, and tests with recycled pellet at 3mm were very close.

8:44 AM

Back pressure appears to be a issue due to the molds cooling the plastic restricting flow.

8:45 AM

heating the mold with a torch does nothing to shorten mold time and it was found to make the mold warp and bend.

8:45 AM

mold material is 1.5mm wall tubing with 6mm flat steel bar MIG welded to the outside

8:47 AM

exception is the 2x4 mold which is a 2x4 inch c channel steel 6mm thick with 1/4 inch flat bar welded to fully enclose the mold . Mold was polished with flapdisc and wire brush before closing.

2

1

2

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

Data I have aquired doing plastic lumber production: Machine is 5hp with the pro 30mm extrusion screw free flowing based on PP recycled pellet no back pressure is 18kg per hour. 4 foot 1x2 mold the plastic flow is reduced to 15 kg per hour or one board every 4 min 6 foot 1x2 mold the time increases to 7 min for 1.5kg plastic

Which type of screw tip you using? & How many rpm for motor?

no tip on it cause the tip kept coming off.

9:42 AM

its running around 80rpm the screw

Butte (PP Philippines)

its running around 80rpm the screw

That's a great result, I recently found this chart

9:47 AM

The smaller diámeter, the faster It can get It blow my mind, when we aré using 70-120rpm with 30 mm D I had build 38mm but not getting past 10 Kg/hr

9:48 AM

Also found this one, of course Is for industrial results

9:51 AM

Another data Is that screws aré clasified by diámeter, Let say 30mm & 790 mm long It would be a 30D26. 26 being called a 'factor' Which only means how many times the diámeter Is at the lenght distance, not sure if i explained clear

1

9:52 AM

Another example would be 38.1D 20.7 for the ones Im bulding currently 38.1 D AND 790 mm long

i cant go any faster RPM with mine as it will not impart enough heat to melt the plastic.

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

i cant go any faster RPM with mine as it will not impart enough heat to melt the plastic.

Yeah, those data i dont know the 'minumum' lenght for plástic to melt, as we use 79 CM long ~

next machine however has a 50mm x 1650mm screw and a 90mm OD barrel so I can really put some heat into it. unfortunately I need to re-wire the shop all the way to the meter and put in some really heavy cable too

9:55 AM

i did not see much improvment in flow going from a 790mm pro to the 1200mm screw that robot digg had

Butte (PP Philippines)

next machine however has a 50mm x 1650mm screw and a 90mm OD barrel so I can really put some heat into it. unfortunately I need to re-wire the shop all the way to the meter and put in some really heavy cable too

That would be a very nice upgrade for the struder & capabilities of your shop! Best of luck

I now get to play with magnetic contact switches for my next machine as it is 10hp single phase.

9:57 AM

Im building 4 units, sold 3, keeping one for me

Butte (PP Philippines)

Im building 4 units, sold 3, keeping one for me

That one left, that probably would be sold before you get to use It

1

the way the phone is ringing about the starter kits now, likely it very may well get sold

Butte (PP Philippines)

I now get to play with magnetic contact switches for my next machine as it is 10hp single phase.

Ok ok, 10hp single phase... That would have to be documented

Doing a complete bundle package starter kit locally. includes everything to do plastic lumber. shredder, extrusion, cutting station, cooling tank, cooling racks, molds, and PPE

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

Doing a complete bundle package starter kit locally. includes everything to do plastic lumber. shredder, extrusion, cutting station, cooling tank, cooling racks, molds, and PPE

Yeah, i saw your insta post, very well done!

tnx

10:03 AM

took us forever to earn enough to be able to move into this new shop and not look sketchy

10:03 AM

lol

Butte (PP Philippines)

took us forever to earn enough to be able to move into this new shop and not look sketchy

Time to not stop, and getting momemtum

Butte (PP Philippines)

next machine however has a 50mm x 1650mm screw and a 90mm OD barrel so I can really put some heat into it. unfortunately I need to re-wire the shop all the way to the meter and put in some really heavy cable too

How many kWh are you pulling a month now?

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

How many kWh are you pulling a month now?

around 1100 last month. with the welding, extrusion and office AC its not bad.

1

Has anyone done ASTM tests for plastic?

Andrés Romero

Has anyone done ASTM tests for plastic?

Yes, I paid a lab to do some testing.

5:11 AM

I forget which tests they were exactly but I think tensile strength and a pull test. If you look around for specific data on different plastics you'll find that they all have had testings done. The reason why I had the testing done was because the product was made from mixed plastics.

1

Hi everyone

I am just starting out in an area that does not have other Precious Plastic work spaces yet, so my best guess would be to start a small shredder and collection point and then help others develop production ventures. Have any of you had a similar starting out experience like that?

6:34 PM

Also, the reason I am posting in the #Plastic thread is to ask if I should start by focusing on one specific plastic like Type 2 or Type 5, or alternatively, collect/clean/shread all types of plastic to offer a wide variety?

Drew W

Also, the reason I am posting in the #Plastic thread is to ask if I should start by focusing on one specific plastic like Type 2 or Type 5, or alternatively, collect/clean/shread all types of plastic to offer a wide variety?

From type 2 or 5 both depend of desired final product, some times when collecting, there Is More Pet, It can ve used as currency to get funds or adquire More materials 2 & 5 (edited)

1

is abs good plastic to work with?

Eltsu19

is abs good plastic to work with?

Short answer: too toxic

but possible work with precious plastic machines?

sure, it's similar in working temperature to PLA

10:31 PM

ABS / PVC / etc are all fine except for the health aspects. In the US we still use PVC pipe as the standard for house plumbing even though internationally it's pretty uncommon

Oh okei. I asked becouse i wanted to tackle ewaste as small scale

7:58 AM

I definitely intend to research and plan to arrange or construct a ventilation system.

Butte (PP Philippines)

mold material is 1.5mm wall tubing with 6mm flat steel bar MIG welded to the outside

Butte, do you have photos of the 1,5mm wall ?

Ruben

Also found this one, of course Is for industrial results

Ruben, that info is great but that’s for virgin plastic, i have 55mm screw and a 130mm screw extrution machines and I don’t get to those numbers, Max in my 55mm I’ve processed 80kg - 100kg

Oscar Cornejo

Ruben, that info is great but that’s for virgin plastic, i have 55mm screw and a 130mm screw extrution machines and I don’t get to those numbers, Max in my 55mm I’ve processed 80kg - 100kg

Yes, that's the standards for new material, as calculations for ideal aré For recycled there aré also some 'helpers' ayudas de proceso, for a faster melting, getting into that reasearch lately ( : ( in my insta from ppleon we are sharing our findings ) I dont remember your rpm, could you remind me for those screw sizes, please

Yep, I have a 55mm (diameter) screw and 1,5 mts long (effective), rpm: 92, processing granulated HDPE + vegetal fiber the max we could melt was 100kg

3:26 AM

Using 2mts long and 10,5*10,5cm posts/ fences

Oscar Cornejo

Yep, I have a 55mm (diameter) screw and 1,5 mts long (effective), rpm: 92, processing granulated HDPE + vegetal fiber the max we could melt was 100kg

"....processing granulated HDPE + vegetal fiber..." Seems like there is an important detail in there.

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

"....processing granulated HDPE + vegetal fiber..." Seems like there is an important detail in there.

Yes, super interesting Oscars project (edited)

Oscar Cornejo

Yep, I have a 55mm (diameter) screw and 1,5 mts long (effective), rpm: 92, processing granulated HDPE + vegetal fiber the max we could melt was 100kg

Yeah, that difference in rpm might afect as well. For the 60mm clóser to your 55mm, theorical rpm aré 220 With your parámeters getting 100 Kg / hour still seems good (edited)

1

Ruben

Yeah, that difference in rpm might afect as well. For the 60mm clóser to your 55mm, theorical rpm aré 220 With your parámeters getting 100 Kg / hour still seems good (edited)

Indeed

Does anyone has experienced changing the heating electric system to gas ? Cause the bill of the electricity is killing me

Oscar Cornejo

Does anyone has experienced changing the heating electric system to gas ? Cause the bill of the electricity is killing me

For what system? Not to jack your thread, but- The subject of transitioning to other sources of power for operational heating is very much on point for the PP ethos- particularly for high volume operations. I'm excited about integrating solar operational heating into production- either through direct heating of elements, or banked and circulated heat.

Oscar Cornejo

Does anyone has experienced changing the heating electric system to gas ? Cause the bill of the electricity is killing me

no, but you should go chat with Sumpah Sampah. They've built gas powered extrusion and sheet press machines. https://www.instagram.com/sumpahsampah.id/

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1

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

For what system? Not to jack your thread, but- The subject of transitioning to other sources of power for operational heating is very much on point for the PP ethos- particularly for high volume operations. I'm excited about integrating solar operational heating into production- either through direct heating of elements, or banked and circulated heat.

Biogas is another one to consider.

Yep, biogas will be implemented in the future, cause I’m paying 2500usd of electricity

Oscar Cornejo

Yep, biogas will be implemented in the future, cause I’m paying 2500usd of electricity

For long sheets we aré electric,ñ now, and building currently a double large-sheet machine with gas... Lets see how It goes , ill update

1

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I've searched this discord about this and can't find anything on this (which I find strange tbh) Do we have any good sources that talk about the degradation of polymer chains/how long HDPE and PP scraps can be shredded and (re)pressed into sheets?

daphne23

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I've searched this discord about this and can't find anything on this (which I find strange tbh) Do we have any good sources that talk about the degradation of polymer chains/how long HDPE and PP scraps can be shredded and (re)pressed into sheets?

UV protection strategies: https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/effects-of-carbon-black-and-titanium-dioxide-on-ultraviolet-weathering-of-wood-flour-hdpelumber-composites-using-multi-phase-co-extrusion-technology/

Olivia Lenahan

Effects of carbon black and titanium dioxide on ultraviolet weather...

Oooo

5:46 PM

Thank you

There's definitely polymer degradation each time it's reused, for most of the applications here strength isn't really that critical so I'm not sure how many industry papers are really aimed at what we're doing (taking an engineered polymer that's often used for single use food products and reusing it a lot of times in a non-structural application). A lot of the degradation comes from outside wear (UV/exposure) and overheating the material during reprocessing.

Hello, is anyone familiar with the regulations for building a precious plastic workspace in EU in my case its Bulgaria?

Hi, to anyone who has made or used HDPE timber beams: how bendy are they? Obviously it depends on beam thickness, but is it comparable to wood or more stiff? Do they crack or snap easily? Thanks

Jack

Hi, to anyone who has made or used HDPE timber beams: how bendy are they? Obviously it depends on beam thickness, but is it comparable to wood or more stiff? Do they crack or snap easily? Thanks

HDPE does not splinter like traditional wood does

5:52 PM

It’s is also UV and chemical resistant

Alex_recycles and creates

HDPE does not splinter like traditional wood does

Hi, thanks. Yes this is why I'm interested in HDPE. Do you know how bendy it is? Similar to wood?

Jack

Hi, thanks. Yes this is why I'm interested in HDPE. Do you know how bendy it is? Similar to wood?

Pure HDPE beams can be bendy and not as stiff

PP is more brittle

Brill, thanks

Steve D

does anyone have resources or info about corrugated plastic? here in the US, election season means yard signs - sometimes made from corrugated plastic that get thrown away after the election. Instead of shredding/melting it down, I've been thinking about way to use the plastic - cut it into new products. (edited)

I was just about to ask the same question here, but thought I'd search first. It's been a while since you asked, so maybe there are some updates? I've seen Corrugated plastic signs used to make Kayaks, but most of them being made of PP, I'd think they wouldn't last long before becoming brittle. So I'll ask... Is anyone manufacturing Corrugated plastic boards from recycled plastic? or repurposing Corrugated plastic boards in other projects?

Steve D

I'm especially curious of the strength of the corrugated plastic vs corrugated card board.

Made from campaign signs... then entered in a race: https://youtu.be/afFZxEE6qs0

mavigogun

HMS Soggy Bottom High

4:57 AM

Another view. Campaign signs, zip ties, and a broom handle- and I wasn't last. (edited)

1

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

Made from campaign signs... then entered in a race: https://youtu.be/afFZxEE6qs0

LoL! that was you!?! no wonder I reached out.

voc

Someone mentioned there were issues with running UV resistant plastic through a machine, but I am not sure.. Is that true? Are there risks to the machine and/or health?

has anyone found the ideal HDPE temp for injection?

10:25 AM

i read a lot mentioning 230 to 250 others say thats too hot.

10:26 AM

celcius

YBG90

has anyone found the ideal HDPE temp for injection?

It depends also on the RPM and the size of the screw, could be 160 -180 at 41 or less rpm, 170-190 at 70

Oscar Cornejo

It depends also on the RPM and the size of the screw, could be 160 -180 at 41 or less rpm, 170-190 at 70

Sorry didn’t mention it’s V2 manual

1

Hey all Does anyone have experience with laser engraving on PP objects? (a simple shape engraved on flat PP object) I've been researching but can't seem to get specific results. Any recommendations of where to look? TIA Ps: sorry if this isn't the right place to ask the question!

engraving should be fine, HDPE tends to remelt so low power couple of passes will be better than one high power engrave attempt. PP/PLA should work too same issue

1

hello! I'm working right now for the first time with a finished precious plastic sheet which i got on a maker fair. I was asking myself, what are your main ways how 1) to join precious plastic sheets (do you use normal wood joints or any ways of welding it together with heat?) and 2) to clean the edges? Do you grind the edges, use a cutter or a hot air gun? Or other ways? Thank you very much in advance

(edited)

Jakite

Hey all Does anyone have experience with laser engraving on PP objects? (a simple shape engraved on flat PP object) I've been researching but can't seem to get specific results. Any recommendations of where to look? TIA Ps: sorry if this isn't the right place to ask the question!

I have a 100w c02 laser and have played around with some PP. PP does different things with different settings. If you go lighter with the power, it will create a raised surface. It looks petty nice but your letters or whatever has to be fairly thin. You can do engraving to a degree, air assist will blow out/move the plastic out of the way and cool it at the same time. But results will vary depending on the material (color matters too) and the image/text you want put on the material.

Jakite

Hey all Does anyone have experience with laser engraving on PP objects? (a simple shape engraved on flat PP object) I've been researching but can't seem to get specific results. Any recommendations of where to look? TIA Ps: sorry if this isn't the right place to ask the question!

Here's some photos. I don't recall the settings but it was higher which melts the plastic and then the air assist blows it out.

1

5:37 AM

More laser on PP.

5:37 AM

Eh, last one there is a PP + Coffee mix.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

More laser on PP.

+ coffee! so cool

I'll pass this on to the rest of the team, thank you so much for sharing @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug! Something like this would help us greatly as we'd really want to engrave a small and simple shape on the PP pieces.

1

I saw two different types of carabine designs, is that an upgrade?

Lixeiro

I saw two different types of carabine designs, is that an upgrade?

If you look through the "how to" section of the precious plastic website you'll find a couple different carabiner designs. The cheapest is a 3 piece laser cut design. The carabiner specific part is the steel mould that's sandwiched between two steel plates. The nicer mould is a two piece mould usually made from aluminium. With the two piece mould you have to have it CNC machined, which allows you to have nice rounded edges and overall better quality. But, it costs more.

2:05 AM

What I like about the laser cut design is that you can simply swap out the insert/mould for a different mould. So long as your shapes are simple (2d shapes, no variable depth) you might be OK. Keep an eye on volume, injection machines have a limited shot!

hey is there any info about the legal process of setting up a precious plastic workspace in europe? Any regulations or registrations required?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you look through the "how to" section of the precious plastic website you'll find a couple different carabiner designs. The cheapest is a 3 piece laser cut design. The carabiner specific part is the steel mould that's sandwiched between two steel plates. The nicer mould is a two piece mould usually made from aluminium. With the two piece mould you have to have it CNC machined, which allows you to have nice rounded edges and overall better quality. But, it costs more.

ah I see, will look forward for the CNC files and find a CNC service around. Thanks for the info. But, once I have the first version of injection, which has huge shot, could I make 6 in a aluminum mound, rounded and fine as you describe?, which last longer I supouse.

Lixeiro

ah I see, will look forward for the CNC files and find a CNC service around. Thanks for the info. But, once I have the first version of injection, which has huge shot, could I make 6 in a aluminum mound, rounded and fine as you describe?, which last longer I supouse.

Yeah, 6 in one shot is doable. The manual method for pressing with the lever can be a little inconsistent at times. Usually I'd get 6 good ones but every once in a while one or two might be defective. You have to have your temperatures swt right and also have your timing right.

hi! Has anyone made a machine (or have some proposal) for a quick plastic drying machine? I have a big problem cause my suppliers supply me with plastic containing metal flakes (even if he runs it through a magnetic machine) so my only solution for this is to wash plastic first so the metal goes to the bottom - but it is drying for too long. Thank you!

aleksandarmasic92

hi! Has anyone made a machine (or have some proposal) for a quick plastic drying machine? I have a big problem cause my suppliers supply me with plastic containing metal flakes (even if he runs it through a magnetic machine) so my only solution for this is to wash plastic first so the metal goes to the bottom - but it is drying for too long. Thank you!

I used to have a washing plastic line pm Alek

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Yeah, 6 in one shot is doable. The manual method for pressing with the lever can be a little inconsistent at times. Usually I'd get 6 good ones but every once in a while one or two might be defective. You have to have your temperatures swt right and also have your timing right.

bit this design has a bad output carabine, easily breakable.

Lixeiro

bit this design has a bad output carabine, easily breakable.

Complete failure at 10-12kg. If you're only putting max 2kg of weight it's fine. If you're using PP, failure is a complete break. If you're using HDPE, it doesn't break but it will bend out of shape.

12:42 AM

I think the carabiner would be better if it had a notch for the arms to grab on to eachother. This way the weight applied to the carabiner wouldn't be pulling on only one side.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I think the carabiner would be better if it had a notch for the arms to grab on to eachother. This way the weight applied to the carabiner wouldn't be pulling on only one side.

I'm working on that...

1

Anybody have suggested temperature for flattening PETG soda bottle stems on a sheet press? We tried the convection oven under pressure and got to one of the transition temperatures (changed to opaque) but didn't get any further. The PP rings started smoking so if anyone else tries this you should cut those off first

waterppk

Anybody have suggested temperature for flattening PETG soda bottle stems on a sheet press? We tried the convection oven under pressure and got to one of the transition temperatures (changed to opaque) but didn't get any further. The PP rings started smoking so if anyone else tries this you should cut those off first

INteresting Idea!! if what I've studied is correct? >280F and cool it fast so it doesn't crystalize (unless you want it opaque, hard/brittle, and more heat resistant)

260*C was minimum to get it to melt (which makes sense, that's about the official "melting temp"), unfortunately we had no provision to rapidly cool so we dropped into very brittle/opaque material (edited)

5:14 AM

press is a pneumatic heat press and a second t-shirt press flipped upside down underneath to get a double sided heating system

waterppk

260*C was minimum to get it to melt (which makes sense, that's about the official "melting temp"), unfortunately we had no provision to rapidly cool so we dropped into very brittle/opaque material (edited)

Folks at plastic Beach party made some really nice PET sheets. They dunked the material into a water bath and it stayed transparent.

2

waterppk

260*C was minimum to get it to melt (which makes sense, that's about the official "melting temp"), unfortunately we had no provision to rapidly cool so we dropped into very brittle/opaque material (edited)

Ok, I get F and C mixed up. Memory has holes... so yeah, take it to at least 280C and cool it quick...

Hi there, I want to make thin (around 3mm) plastic sheets (maybe using a heat press machine for clothes) and then laser cut them Is there a plastic type which is better for the laser to obtain a clean cut?

davidrdguez

Hi there, I want to make thin (around 3mm) plastic sheets (maybe using a heat press machine for clothes) and then laser cut them Is there a plastic type which is better for the laser to obtain a clean cut?

Not a lot of options for laser cutting, if you have adequate ventilation then probably reprocessing acrylic scraps (shred, press) into sheets would be the best thing to use

3:44 PM

I think PLA can be laser cut, not sure about what thickness of sheet can be laser cut

3:44 PM

You definitely can't laser cut HDPE or any polyethylenes they remelt together as the laser passes and smoke a lot

umm, I see then I'll try CNC

davidrdguez

Hi there, I want to make thin (around 3mm) plastic sheets (maybe using a heat press machine for clothes) and then laser cut them Is there a plastic type which is better for the laser to obtain a clean cut?

@DataWorm (PP Berlin) my experience is that PP laser cuts ok but PE makes a mess

JohnNephew

@DataWorm (PP Berlin) my experience is that PP laser cuts ok but PE makes a mess

The opposite happens when milling or saw PP, HDPE works perfectly, PP tend to melt and stick to the tool and to the milled surface

1

8:32 PM

Question: From what I read, PET (1) isn't good for injection, but I saw a video from Hello Waste (france) in wich they made a comb from it, at least it seems to be PET... Also th3 temperature shown on the injector's temperature contollers is too high for PP/HDPE. someone have experience? I tried contacting them this summer (I was on vacation in northern France and I tried also going there since we was in St.Brieuc, but there's no one in the workshop). Maybe they're not watching IG messages.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Folks at plastic Beach party made some really nice PET sheets. They dunked the material into a water bath and it stayed transparent.

can this be done with hdpe sheets? to put it into water to cool it down instead of cold press?

aleksandarmasic92

can this be done with hdpe sheets? to put it into water to cool it down instead of cold press?

Depends on the results you want. If you do this with HDPE, it will warp quite a bit.

1

aleksandarmasic92

can this be done with hdpe sheets? to put it into water to cool it down instead of cold press?

you can put it in water but you need to keep the pressure on. meaning if you extrude an HDPE beam you can put the mold with the HDPE still inside under water and cool it off their (edited)

Alex_recycles and creates

you can put it in water but you need to keep the pressure on. meaning if you extrude an HDPE beam you can put the mold with the HDPE still inside under water and cool it off their (edited)

i know about beams, i put beams but im asking for sheets... its a bit different but i taught about to make cold press with water tank... Thanks!

️ to u 2 @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

️

We have cracked the wrinkled plastic lumber problem. If you enclose the far end of the mold with a cap and have a small hole in that cap to release gas bubbles. you can increase the mold pressure and eliminate a lot of the sinkage

2

1

Hey guys, is PET suitable for a brick to be used in construction? Seems PET is not used a lot, why?

Filamin

Hey guys, is PET suitable for a brick to be used in construction? Seems PET is not used a lot, why?

PETG needs to be cooled quickly or it becomes very brittle. It's used often as bottles for skylights or sideways in walls as intact bottles but it's not reprocessed by Precious Plastic people very often compared to PP, HDPE, PLA

If done appropriately, can it be used for melting and repurposing? Maybe someone here has experience with PET. I would like to find a solution to use it for extrusion into moulds

Filamin

If done appropriately, can it be used for melting and repurposing? Maybe someone here has experience with PET. I would like to find a solution to use it for extrusion into moulds

Usually it's injected into preforms and then later used for blow moulding. You're going to be fighting a lot of different perameters to get good results. I won't say it can't be done. What sort of products are you thinking about producing with PET? That's another angle to approach this.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Usually it's injected into preforms and then later used for blow moulding. You're going to be fighting a lot of different perameters to get good results. I won't say it can't be done. What sort of products are you thinking about producing with PET? That's another angle to approach this.

I am just trying to find suitable products for recycled plastic bottles mainly from PET bottles. This will be the main source of plastic in the area I am planning to set up. Initially I wanted to produce building blocks, but I am very open to ideas. Plastic bins, septic tanks and plastic bottles would be alternative products - thanks a lot for the feedback

(edited)

Filamin

I am just trying to find suitable products for recycled plastic bottles mainly from PET bottles. This will be the main source of plastic in the area I am planning to set up. Initially I wanted to produce building blocks, but I am very open to ideas. Plastic bins, septic tanks and plastic bottles would be alternative products - thanks a lot for the feedback

(edited)

If you have PET recycling already in your area, I highly suggest sending it the conventional recycling route. Depending where you are in the world, it may be easier to collect and sell PET rather than try to produce something with it. Butte from Precious Plastic Manilla has made PET filler (think of a stringy mess that goes in pillows) and others have produced sheets. If I'm not mistaken, the sheets tend to be more like glass in that they are more rigid and will crack instead of bend (unless you're heating and bending). Theres a few ways to make septic tanks or just tanks in general but the type of blow moulding that is typically done for tanks is different than PET bottles, so I don't think it's possible. You could try rotomoulding but I have my doubts that this would work with PET. Sorry, not trying to be a negative Nancy. Just trying to tell you that what you're trying to do hasn't been done and there is a reason for that.

1

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you have PET recycling already in your area, I highly suggest sending it the conventional recycling route. Depending where you are in the world, it may be easier to collect and sell PET rather than try to produce something with it. Butte from Precious Plastic Manilla has made PET filler (think of a stringy mess that goes in pillows) and others have produced sheets. If I'm not mistaken, the sheets tend to be more like glass in that they are more rigid and will crack instead of bend (unless you're heating and bending). Theres a few ways to make septic tanks or just tanks in general but the type of blow moulding that is typically done for tanks is different than PET bottles, so I don't think it's possible. You could try rotomoulding but I have my doubts that this would work with PET. Sorry, not trying to be a negative Nancy. Just trying to tell you that what you're trying to do hasn't been done and there is a reason for that.

Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it a lot. I am trying to up my margin to get profitable. That's close to impossible with the low margin on just selling it on as scraps. I looked into recycling it into 3D printable filament, do you think there is an Avenue to make that work? (edited)

Filamin

Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it a lot. I am trying to up my margin to get profitable. That's close to impossible with the low margin on just selling it on as scraps. I looked into recycling it into 3D printable filament, do you think there is an Avenue to make that work? (edited)

I havent been following the #archived-3d-printing conversations. From my understanding, I wou;d say that it's possible but it has it's own challenges. Recycling anything into a filament requires some precision. There are machines that are built specifically for this and i suggest looking into these machines if this is the route you want to take. Just be sure to have no contamination mixed in with your plastic. There's the other method of cutting bottles into long strips and then fusing the ends together to make a really long filament length...but...i think there might be higher failure rates and some drawbacks, but again this is not from personal experience but just from observations of watching a bunch of youtube videos and having my own 3d printing failures.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I havent been following the #archived-3d-printing conversations. From my understanding, I wou;d say that it's possible but it has it's own challenges. Recycling anything into a filament requires some precision. There are machines that are built specifically for this and i suggest looking into these machines if this is the route you want to take. Just be sure to have no contamination mixed in with your plastic. There's the other method of cutting bottles into long strips and then fusing the ends together to make a really long filament length...but...i think there might be higher failure rates and some drawbacks, but again this is not from personal experience but just from observations of watching a bunch of youtube videos and having my own 3d printing failures.

I will research some more in detail then, thanks a lot

1

Filamin

Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it a lot. I am trying to up my margin to get profitable. That's close to impossible with the low margin on just selling it on as scraps. I looked into recycling it into 3D printable filament, do you think there is an Avenue to make that work? (edited)

Check out Recreator3D. Josh has been very active working on making PET bottles into profitable filament. There are a few other projects too, like Polyformer and Petamentor, but Recreator3D is my favorite. (edited)

NJ90210

Check out Recreator3D. Josh has been very active working on making PET bottles into profitable filament. There are a few other projects too, like Polyformer and Petamentor, but Recreator3D is my favorite. (edited)

I will check It out, thanks a lot

1

i have not had good luck with PET except as an alloy.

6:46 AM

fyi resin print mold I saw on FB

Can someone explain the story behind this picture? How were these cubes created? Should I aim for the least grainy/fluid cube? What about ballpark temp for hdpe/ldpe, here is only pe. https://onearmy.github.io/academy/assets/plastic/melting-temperatures.jpg

wues

Can someone explain the story behind this picture? How were these cubes created? Should I aim for the least grainy/fluid cube? What about ballpark temp for hdpe/ldpe, here is only pe. https://onearmy.github.io/academy/assets/plastic/melting-temperatures.jpg

Go back to the source- there is both an associated article and video on this topic. Temperature appropriateness is context dependent. (edited)

An update posted today on the open-source plastic scanner project- see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byhIONXtFgI

Jerry de Vos

Plastic Scanner update - From development board to handheld

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I havent been following the #archived-3d-printing conversations. From my understanding, I wou;d say that it's possible but it has it's own challenges. Recycling anything into a filament requires some precision. There are machines that are built specifically for this and i suggest looking into these machines if this is the route you want to take. Just be sure to have no contamination mixed in with your plastic. There's the other method of cutting bottles into long strips and then fusing the ends together to make a really long filament length...but...i think there might be higher failure rates and some drawbacks, but again this is not from personal experience but just from observations of watching a bunch of youtube videos and having my own 3d printing failures.

I did try pulltrusion to make filament ,it takes a lot of work to produce a small amount of filament. That's what made me build a shredder and the soon to finish extruder. I hope I can extrude a good filament out of PET.

Hello Im a small time limited Funds ( $0 funds ) person who wants to recycle plastic around his area mostly Bottle tops and also 3d print PLA scrap.. I recently purchased ( for a rather good price ) a good sized toaster oven and was wondering if anyone else had any first hand knowledge to answer a few questions >> I follow the yt videos a lot and I just want to mostly know what kind of teflon sheet to get and also what are the best kinds of oven type gloves to get .

Des804

Hello Im a small time limited Funds ( $0 funds ) person who wants to recycle plastic around his area mostly Bottle tops and also 3d print PLA scrap.. I recently purchased ( for a rather good price ) a good sized toaster oven and was wondering if anyone else had any first hand knowledge to answer a few questions >> I follow the yt videos a lot and I just want to mostly know what kind of teflon sheet to get and also what are the best kinds of oven type gloves to get .

I use leather welding gloves. Careful, there's some really cheap ones and they're just not thick enough to handle the heat. Not sure where you're located but try them on first and make sure they feel they have some thickness. If not, read reviews. Teflon sheet... For.... What? There's a woven Teflon baking sheet you can use but it has a texture you may or may not want. If you can find a Teflon sheet that doesn't have the texture, it might be better for you

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

I use leather welding gloves. Careful, there's some really cheap ones and they're just not thick enough to handle the heat. Not sure where you're located but try them on first and make sure they feel they have some thickness. If not, read reviews. Teflon sheet... For.... What? There's a woven Teflon baking sheet you can use but it has a texture you may or may not want. If you can find a Teflon sheet that doesn't have the texture, it might be better for you

well the video I saw they had black flexable Teflon Baking Sheets so they can fold the plastic over and all of that good stuff

Des804

well the video I saw they had black flexable Teflon Baking Sheets so they can fold the plastic over and all of that good stuff

Nice! I normally use a piece of steel as my mould and a putty knife for mixing things up if I have to. Just gotta be careful to not let the plastic stick too much to the tools. Teflon is nice and you can find full (non-woven) sheets. Usually Teflon is white so the black throws me off.

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Nice! I normally use a piece of steel as my mould and a putty knife for mixing things up if I have to. Just gotta be careful to not let the plastic stick too much to the tools. Teflon is nice and you can find full (non-woven) sheets. Usually Teflon is white so the black throws me off.

am I allowed to post the link to the video in here to show you ?

Des804

am I allowed to post the link to the video in here to show you ?

Please do!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpsXvO5LsTY&t=518s

3 Easy Recycled Plastic Projects | Recycling for Beginners

6:07 AM

I have a toaster oven not a pannini press sadly but earlier episodes they've done they've used a toaster oven

The direct heat of a sandwich press or similar works better than a toaster oven. We have George Foreman grills, typically $5 each from a garage sale or thrift store.

2:29 PM

Cheap silicone oven mitts work fine. Good leather welding gloves will certainly last longer.

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

Go back to the source- there is both an associated article and video on this topic. Temperature appropriateness is context dependent. (edited)

I'll be using heatpress, https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics there's only the jpg and "You can find more about specific melting temperatures in the CREATE section (head to Design)" . When you check https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/create there's also nothing about ldpe/hdpe. I'll start with 180'C for hdpe, but I'm wondering about ldpe

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

Melting temperature tests - Dave Hakkens

A series of tools for the Precious Plastic community to collaborate around the world. Connect, share and meet each other to tackle plastic waste.

wues

I'll be using heatpress, https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics there's only the jpg and "You can find more about specific melting temperatures in the CREATE section (head to Design)" . When you check https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/create there's also nothing about ldpe/hdpe. I'll start with 180'C for hdpe, but I'm wondering about ldpe

" I'll start with 180'C for hdpe, but I'm wondering about ldpe"- it really is context dependent. And not just process dependent- the exit temperature from an injector, or oven before manual manipulation, or in a heat press -but also the formulation of the plastic itself, regardless of type, varies from source to source. Often when listing the specifications for plastics, industrial suppliers indicate a range of temperatures. That photo matrix wasn't unique to David's efforts- makers have been testing their materials in a similar way pretty much forever. Big industrial manufacturers have people that are dedicated to testing stock. Potters with clay bodies and glazes. Painters with pigments and binders. I would take that image more as an example of methodology than recipe. When looking for an authoritative "at what temperature" for HDPE, I found radically different indicators *within this PP community for the same or similar tasks! * Why? Variations in plastic, sure- but also variations in equipment, application, experience, design intent, and methods of measurement. When performing internet searches for plastic temperatures, including a few common industrial terms, such as "glass transition temperature", "melt point", "annealing", and "crystallization", changes the character of what is returned. What temperature for how long has implications beyond smoking, burning, and viscosity that may factor into your choices, eventually. (edited)

wues

I'll be using heatpress, https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/basics there's only the jpg and "You can find more about specific melting temperatures in the CREATE section (head to Design)" . When you check https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/create there's also nothing about ldpe/hdpe. I'll start with 180'C for hdpe, but I'm wondering about ldpe

Back in the day, there was a really useful tool for discussing topics like this- a more-or-less conventional forum where information could be aggregated on topics... such as melting temperature. Here's a link to the archive thread of David Hakkins' work that produced that poster (this stuff really should be included where that poster is presently distributed!)- worthwhile viewing: https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/melting-temperature-test/index.html

There are different types of plastic and each plastic has its own melting temperature. You can easily find this online. However there is a big difference between the melting range Read more...

this is cool!

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Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

If you have PET recycling already in your area, I highly suggest sending it the conventional recycling route. Depending where you are in the world, it may be easier to collect and sell PET rather than try to produce something with it. Butte from Precious Plastic Manilla has made PET filler (think of a stringy mess that goes in pillows) and others have produced sheets. If I'm not mistaken, the sheets tend to be more like glass in that they are more rigid and will crack instead of bend (unless you're heating and bending). Theres a few ways to make septic tanks or just tanks in general but the type of blow moulding that is typically done for tanks is different than PET bottles, so I don't think it's possible. You could try rotomoulding but I have my doubts that this would work with PET. Sorry, not trying to be a negative Nancy. Just trying to tell you that what you're trying to do hasn't been done and there is a reason for that.

Would like to know more about the PET sheets. Can you please send some reference material?

Ezaan_MuSo

Would like to know more about the PET sheets. Can you please send some reference material?

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpdul__rHMg/

plasticbeachparty

How we make PET sheets. Instructions made by @paotzm who was an Erasmus exchange with us last year. Step 3 which isn't visible on these pics is hairspray. We use it as a quick release. PET is by far the most common plastic we get. It's used for most beverage bottles and a lot of fruit packaging. It sinks in the ocean and photodegrades in the...

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

Back in the day, there was a really useful tool for discussing topics like this- a more-or-less conventional forum where information could be aggregated on topics... such as melting temperature. Here's a link to the archive thread of David Hakkins' work that produced that poster (this stuff really should be included where that poster is presently distributed!)- worthwhile viewing: https://davehakkens.nl/community/forums/topic/melting-temperature-test/index.html

thanks! That shed some light into how these cubes were made. As to testing - I know the drill, I always test new material on my laser cutter, different speed/power

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i have a question, i want to make pet fiber but idk how to melt pet or plastic bags witout fumes

4:31 AM

i need a oven or something like that? to pre heat the plate where the plastic will go? if that is a yes.... how much time to not burn it?

4:38 AM

i want to use it in an rotative head candy fluss -modified-

4:38 AM

but is dificult to see how not make the melting risky

DeepFriedCats

but is dificult to see how not make the melting risky

I recently got a cotton candy machine at a yardsale for the purposes of trying to make polyester fibre from sredded PET. I'm not overly optimistic. Sugar melts at about 185C? PET melts at about 280C? So I'm not confident it'll get hot enough.

is not like i will melt in the cotton candy machine

5:15 AM

i will melt in a oven or something to but in the rotative disk of the cotton candy

5:15 AM

like is like a plate of holes

DeepFriedCats

like is like a plate of holes

I think if you try to pre-heat PET in the oven then spin it in the Candy spinner, you'll struggle with Chrystilazation of the PET. That happens when PET cools too slowly. That's something else to research.

hooo

5:18 AM

i didnt know that

5:22 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlTRTgQ1eT0&t=51s is something like this? -is a video i see some time ago-

MÁQUINA JES

Máquina para hacer fibra de PET

5:23 AM

i will do a spinning plate like this, -is similar like the melt spinning or the head of the cotton candy-

5:24 AM

so the crystilazation is the pet stick in the corners?

5:26 AM

is something similar to polyfloos?

5:26 AM

but is fumes are worry for me

5:27 AM

the textil have like a chamber with a melt spinning and have cooling in the way of making wools

DeepFriedCats

i have a question, i want to make pet fiber but idk how to melt pet or plastic bags witout fumes

You can't melt it without having fumes.

12:42 AM

Precious Plastic Phillipines was extruding and then using a strong blower to make it into a stringy fabric filler sort of material at some point. I have a feeling it won't work for you with the cotton candy machine but hey, maybe it will?

Interesting

12:46 AM

Thanks for the information I will check it up

12:46 AM

In just a proyect of diy experiment of very small scale

12:51 AM

But first I will try to understand the bioplastic cooking book some part have fabric so the cotton candy is still one of my possibilities to used it

12:51 AM

12:52 AM

(My English drop a little

)

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Hey Fellas, does anyone is making or tried to make PET sheets? are the fumes to dangerous ? Thanks in advance

Oscar Cornejo

Hey Fellas, does anyone is making or tried to make PET sheets? are the fumes to dangerous ? Thanks in advance

PET is really sensitive to heat. But you can make it into 3D filament using pulltrudion methods (edited)

i have many tons of this available every week. what do i do with it? it will extrude, but lumber is brittle, polyester fabric scraps, the type used in sports jersey. need a project to make with this that will make our shop more financially sustainable (edited)

9:22 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn8WXxLRlmM i need to do something like this maybe

Joyce Li

Polyester fabric scrap recycling and pelletizing

Butte (PP Philippines)

i have many tons of this available every week. what do i do with it? it will extrude, but lumber is brittle, polyester fabric scraps, the type used in sports jersey. need a project to make with this that will make our shop more financially sustainable (edited)

Do you do any compression moulding? Might be interesting in a blend of plastic types?

1

waterppk

Do you do any compression moulding? Might be interesting in a blend of plastic types?

does not work well. been there done that

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

does not work well. been there done that

Do you have a Pelletizer that can get up to 280C+? Drop the pellets into water to avoid crystalization?

my extrusion machine does not do degasification so extruding PET is bubbly and the filament does not flow

1

4:15 AM

every video I have seen of companies pelletizing pure polyester fabric have very extensive degassing systems on the extrusion barrel. they typically are connected to a vacuum pump. very tricky to use. i have seen a local recycling shop here with that on their extrusion machine and it was plumb full of solid plastic, and the workers never cleared it. so it was pretty much pointless

I wonder if the pultrusion methods used by PET Bottle to filament makers could work

4:16 AM

Take it up to just below melting by pulling it through a heat block? Might be tedious until you fiure out an efficient way to do it?

the scraps are all different sizes

and?

4:17 AM

I guess that'd be the tedious part.

it would not be worth the labor cost

4:17 AM

even when paying 11 bucks a day

4:18 AM

i tried injection molding it yesterday.

4:18 AM

didnt work

4:18 AM

it melted but then stuck inthe nozzle

did it fill the mold?

4:18 AM

or just clog?

fine line in PET between solid and a thin liquid and burning

No doubt!

if it was not such a hassle with permits I should just payrolyze it

4:19 AM

pyrolyze it

iirc, PET doesn't give much return. (from pyrolysis) (edited)

pet has a great buy price here

4:20 AM

if i can get it into granules i am looking at easily 0.35usd per kilo

4:21 AM

im just wondering if i can extrude it into my cooling tank, get big chunks, then run thru my granulator

I have many ideas, but no practical factory type settin experience.

prob could even use a hammer mill at that point cause it is so brittle

1

I just know you have to heat it and cool it quick. and you can deform it without melting. and once you deform it into a dense enough shape, I'm guessin you wouldn't have as much trouble flaking it.

the scraps are too small to be sewn together and used, and polyester does not absorb water

4:23 AM

i got extrusion to melt it

4:23 AM

which gives me brittle boards

Ok. so brittle boards, then hammer mill... Voila! you ahve flakes.

ohhhhh i got a idea

4:24 AM

ooh

I love it!!

gonna need to experiment

4:24 AM

polyester is hydrophobic

Let me know! I"ll accept your DM if you want to bounce more ideas.

BUT it absorbs oils

4:24 AM

so a oil absorbing material for oil spills

oh! like make a floss?

gonna grab my jug of used motor oil and try it

4:25 AM

back in awhile

LoL. Have fun!

Butte (PP Philippines)

polyester is hydrophobic

You might want to double check that. I'm pretty sure PET is Hygroscopic.

it works!

4:33 AM

it wiped up motor oil i dumped on the table like it was a sponge

OK. so now what? SHred it, sew it up in a net and market it as a disposable oil absorber?

sew it up like the way they sew up the rags they sell here made from scrap cloth

1

the cloth is water repellent. it is used in sports jersey. like underarmor.

hey guys, so i don't have the money for proper machines but i was trying to melt HDPE with my heat gun + extraction system (no respirator sadly just a dust mask) + was unable to regulate temp due to lack of thermometer with proper range. During the process, I smelt repeated weird fumes (Heat gun was at full power, 600C) and I don't think it burned as it was just barely becoming molten, although it lost its colour and slooowly dripped into my homemade mold...lol. Do I need to worry about hazchem exposure at this point? Approx 2 to 3 hrs exposure (edited)

Hello, Currently, I am doing sheetpress tests with my team. We are struggeling with the long cycle time and looking for smart/innovative ways to cool the sheets down. Is it important to cool the sheets down slowly? just by air temprature? Or can it be done by external cooling? for example water. As is done in industrial injection moulds. Online we read this; Annealing (slow cooling) – Reduces production rate, promotes crystallinity and reduces transparency. In case of PVC, unlike other plastics, fusion is an additional step that takes place only during processing.

Robin

Hello, Currently, I am doing sheetpress tests with my team. We are struggeling with the long cycle time and looking for smart/innovative ways to cool the sheets down. Is it important to cool the sheets down slowly? just by air temprature? Or can it be done by external cooling? for example water. As is done in industrial injection moulds. Online we read this; Annealing (slow cooling) – Reduces production rate, promotes crystallinity and reduces transparency. In case of PVC, unlike other plastics, fusion is an additional step that takes place only during processing.

Well, I've done things too fast and yielded super bad warped sheets. Lesson learned. I'd say you can use a fan, but maybe don't have too big of a fan? You Want things to cool down evenly but of course the edges are going to cool down the quickest, so just keep this in mind. Use more than one cold press. If cooling time = 2x heating time, then this works out. Make thinner sheets. Less material to heat/cool.

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12:39 PM

Ah, interesting idea though. One could install cooling blocks on a cold press to help remove the heat that's transferred to the cold press and this could be more effective than using just a fan....

No idea how well that would work because again, you don't want to cool things down too quickly.....but they maybe it'll work?

Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug

Ah, interesting idea though. One could install cooling blocks on a cold press to help remove the heat that's transferred to the cold press and this could be more effective than using just a fan....

No idea how well that would work because again, you don't want to cool things down too quickly.....but they maybe it'll work?

This is an interesting idea. You could build this using heatsinks and radiators, from, say, a PC cooling system, but upscaled/modified. It's the same principle, essentially (heatsink, radiator, fluid tank) . Or get one designed for vehicles, that will probably work. You can probably use an Arduino or similar as a thermostat to kick the radiators in and out to regulate temps, I imagine. On the other hand, phase change systems are very good for regulating a defined temperature curve as well, in a larger industrial setting.

Thanks for the awsome answers @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug @ダン . To give some more context, we (Flipflopi project) are located in Lamu, Kenya. This might not be the right place in the dicord but I hope I can respond here anyway. We are researching posibilities to make big sheets 1.5mx1.5+m with the resouces that are available around kenya. This was the current idea for the water cooling. Indeed using ribs that double as cooling fins and strengthen the bottom of the bucket of water. This bucket could be connected to an external tank to make it movable!? Hereby a rough drawing of the full layout. We are keen to hear all kinds of feedback/challenges/problems etc.! (edited)

Robin

Thanks for the awsome answers @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug @ダン . To give some more context, we (Flipflopi project) are located in Lamu, Kenya. This might not be the right place in the dicord but I hope I can respond here anyway. We are researching posibilities to make big sheets 1.5mx1.5+m with the resouces that are available around kenya. This was the current idea for the water cooling. Indeed using ribs that double as cooling fins and strengthen the bottom of the bucket of water. This bucket could be connected to an external tank to make it movable!? Hereby a rough drawing of the full layout. We are keen to hear all kinds of feedback/challenges/problems etc.! (edited)

I think this is quite good. One way you could regulate the temperature could be via running current through an element in the middle of each rib to heat it slightly so as to control how quickly the cooling water can have an effect.

1

ダン

hey guys, so i don't have the money for proper machines but i was trying to melt HDPE with my heat gun + extraction system (no respirator sadly just a dust mask) + was unable to regulate temp due to lack of thermometer with proper range. During the process, I smelt repeated weird fumes (Heat gun was at full power, 600C) and I don't think it burned as it was just barely becoming molten, although it lost its colour and slooowly dripped into my homemade mold...lol. Do I need to worry about hazchem exposure at this point? Approx 2 to 3 hrs exposure (edited)

Exposure impacts are cumulative- and compelling.

Robin

Thanks for the awsome answers @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug @ダン . To give some more context, we (Flipflopi project) are located in Lamu, Kenya. This might not be the right place in the dicord but I hope I can respond here anyway. We are researching posibilities to make big sheets 1.5mx1.5+m with the resouces that are available around kenya. This was the current idea for the water cooling. Indeed using ribs that double as cooling fins and strengthen the bottom of the bucket of water. This bucket could be connected to an external tank to make it movable!? Hereby a rough drawing of the full layout. We are keen to hear all kinds of feedback/challenges/problems etc.! (edited)

Slow cooling of thick/large cast parts is essential to limit warping- and not just out of the press, but latter, when machined. The thicker the part, the longer the cooling- to the extent that annealing heat, or, at the least, insulated cooling is employed for thicker stock. Of course, if your design intent is not impacted by temperature induced stresses, then this may not be a concern.

2

ダン

hey guys, so i don't have the money for proper machines but i was trying to melt HDPE with my heat gun + extraction system (no respirator sadly just a dust mask) + was unable to regulate temp due to lack of thermometer with proper range. During the process, I smelt repeated weird fumes (Heat gun was at full power, 600C) and I don't think it burned as it was just barely becoming molten, although it lost its colour and slooowly dripped into my homemade mold...lol. Do I need to worry about hazchem exposure at this point? Approx 2 to 3 hrs exposure (edited)

https://community.preciousplastic.com/academy/plastic/safety

1

Butte (PP Philippines)

my extrusion machine does not do degasification so extruding PET is bubbly and the filament does not flow

I did it without degasification system, but i put it into a agglomerator first to eliminate every particle of water.

Butte (PP Philippines)

i have many tons of this available every week. what do i do with it? it will extrude, but lumber is brittle, polyester fabric scraps, the type used in sports jersey. need a project to make with this that will make our shop more financially sustainable (edited)

Did you get a solution to this?

HAL_9000

Did you get a solution to this?

I think it was to make oil absorbing rags since it repels water but grabs oil

HAL_9000

Did you get a solution to this?

well sadly there is no market for oil absorb mat in the Philippines. people just do not care (edited)

1

someone could give me any recommendation about the kind of silicon oil for PE, PP, ABS and PS? can I just use any silicon oil no matter which type of plastic? WD 40 is also ok? machine or motor oil could work as well?

Robin

Thanks for the awsome answers @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug @ダン . To give some more context, we (Flipflopi project) are located in Lamu, Kenya. This might not be the right place in the dicord but I hope I can respond here anyway. We are researching posibilities to make big sheets 1.5mx1.5+m with the resouces that are available around kenya. This was the current idea for the water cooling. Indeed using ribs that double as cooling fins and strengthen the bottom of the bucket of water. This bucket could be connected to an external tank to make it movable!? Hereby a rough drawing of the full layout. We are keen to hear all kinds of feedback/challenges/problems etc.! (edited)

And what about if i use a cooling tank with water, because a client asks if i can make a lot of plastic sheets so I’m looking to manage to cool them extremely fast.

Robin

Thanks for the awsome answers @Ben - Precious Plastic Ciledug @ダン . To give some more context, we (Flipflopi project) are located in Lamu, Kenya. This might not be the right place in the dicord but I hope I can respond here anyway. We are researching posibilities to make big sheets 1.5mx1.5+m with the resouces that are available around kenya. This was the current idea for the water cooling. Indeed using ribs that double as cooling fins and strengthen the bottom of the bucket of water. This bucket could be connected to an external tank to make it movable!? Hereby a rough drawing of the full layout. We are keen to hear all kinds of feedback/challenges/problems etc.! (edited)

Robin, have you seen the way Ecollab8 do? They use the extrusion machine + an oven and then they cool the sheets down

Oscar Cornejo

Robin, have you seen the way Ecollab8 do? They use the extrusion machine + an oven and then they cool the sheets down

If you were set up to fill the mold efficiently using the extruder, could save much time, I reckon. Rapid cooling WILL impact the part quality- whether to your design intent or not is the question. (edited)

Oscar Cornejo

Robin, have you seen the way Ecollab8 do? They use the extrusion machine + an oven and then they cool the sheets down

I do something similar, but my extrusion machine extrudes too slow. But for smaller 10 x 20 x 1cm samples it's fine. I'll extrude onto the mould and then press in the hot press for maybe 5 to 10 minutes and then move to cold press. Because of the size, I can remove from. The cold press after about 15 minutes.

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Oscar Cornejo

Robin, have you seen the way Ecollab8 do? They use the extrusion machine + an oven and then they cool the sheets down

For those following, a clip of the Ecollab8 process: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtJaqj2g9iL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

ecollabo8

It’s not just about what we turn out of trash, it’s also about how we do it. The process of recycling plastic itself is an art!

️

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40246

Using a pizza oven to heat the sheets is clever, it's the right size

is Social Plastic a company tied in with PP?

This this is really odd. I can't find anything about the "feedstock" facilities. Lots of donation with not mention of production.

someone mold abs slurry?

9:21 PM

i know that can be glue/slurry/juice of abs with acetone

9:22 PM

but idk if that slurry can be mold

9:26 PM

like i will using silicone molds but idk if it will be damage with the acetone in the abs slurry

DeepFriedCats

like i will using silicone molds but idk if it will be damage with the acetone in the abs slurry

The thing to think about is where the solvent goes - it needs to evaporate from the mould and silicone won't allow it to evaporate so all of the slurry would have to solidify through the back/top of the mould. You should give it a shot but I'm not sure how well it'll work - one way to find out

ty

Hi, how can I learn more about PE fumes? I'm searching for more information about it, but the only thing that I see is that "if you do it outdoors with an iron, it's fine".

vinicius

Hi, how can I learn more about PE fumes? I'm searching for more information about it, but the only thing that I see is that "if you do it outdoors with an iron, it's fine".

https://www.google.com/search?q=polyethylene+fumes&client=firefox-b-1-d&sca_esv=575810318&sxsrf=AM9HkKmvZG61dvzwb4d-z3-RxwJTU7DSag%3A1698075051359&ei=q5E2ZdXAFeOqqtsPt9-VmA4&ved=0ahUKEwiVwvPBvoyCAxVjlWoFHbdvBeMQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=polyethylene+fumes&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiEnBvbHlldGh5bGVuZSBmdW1lczIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIIEAAYigUYhgMyCBAAGIoFGIYDMggQABiKBRiGAzIIEAAYigUYhgNI0nVQkxBY9HBwC3gBkAEAmAGcAaABxxGqAQQyMC42uAEDyAEA-AEBwgIKEAAYRxjWBBiwA8ICFBAuGIoFGLEDGIMBGMcBGNEDGJECwgIOEAAYigUYsQMYgwEYkQLCAgsQLhiKBRixAxiDAcICERAuGIAEGLEDGIMBGMcBGNEDwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAgsQABiKBRixAxiDAcICIxAuGIoFGLEDGIMBGMcBGNEDGJECGJcFGNwEGN4EGOAE2AEBwgIHEAAYigUYQ8ICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgIIEAAYigUYkQLCAgcQLhiKBRhDwgIREC4YgwEYxwEYsQMY0QMYgATCAgsQABiKBRixAxiRAsICDRAuGIoFGMcBGNEDGEPCAg0QABiKBRixAxiDARhDwgIKEAAYigUYsQMYQ8ICDRAuGIoFGLEDGOUEGEPCAgoQABiABBixAxgKwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYCsICBxAAGIAEGArCAggQABgWGB4YD-IDBBgAIEGIBgGQBgi6BgYIARABGBQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

polyethylene fumes - Google Search

Christopher - Unmake Plastic

https://www.google.com/search?q=polyethylene+fumes&client=firefox-b-1-d&sca_esv=575810318&sxsrf=AM9HkKmvZG61dvzwb4d-z3-RxwJTU7DSag%3A1698075051359&ei=q5E2ZdXAFeOqqtsPt9-VmA4&ved=0ahUKEwiVwvPBvoyCAxVjlWoFHbdvBeMQ4dUDCA8&uact=5&oq=polyethylene+fumes&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiEnBvbHlldGh5bGVuZSBmdW1lczIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIIEAAYigUYhgMyCBAAGIoFGIYDMggQABiKBRiGAzIIEAAYigUYhgNI0nVQkxBY9HBwC3gBkAEAmAGcAaABxxGqAQQyMC42uAEDyAEA-AEBwgIKEAAYRxjWBBiwA8ICFBAuGIoFGLEDGIMBGMcBGNEDGJECwgIOEAAYigUYsQMYgwEYkQLCAgsQLhiKBRixAxiDAcICERAuGIAEGLEDGIMBGMcBGNEDwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAgsQABiKBRixAxiDAcICIxAuGIoFGLEDGIMBGMcBGNEDGJECGJcFGNwEGN4EGOAE2AEBwgIHEAAYigUYQ8ICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgIIEAAYigUYkQLCAgcQLhiKBRhDwgIREC4YgwEYxwEYsQMY0QMYgATCAgsQABiKBRixAxiRAsICDRAuGIoFGMcBGNEDGEPCAg0QABiKBRixAxiDARhDwgIKEAAYigUYsQMYQ8ICDRAuGIoFGLEDGOUEGEPCAgoQABiABBixAxgKwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYCsICBxAAGIAEGArCAggQABgWGB4YD-IDBBgAIEGIBgGQBgi6BgYIARABGBQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Hey! Has anyone tried PP filament extrusion? What temperature have you used? Thanks!

Maxi - Rewind

Hey! Has anyone tried PP filament extrusion? What temperature have you used? Thanks!

With extrusion pro from feed to nozzle: 180 190 195 But there's some variables to this and you might need to adjust a little.

OK here's something interesting for everyone and it is something I'll be working more on in the near future and I will be more than happy to share results with the community. A common question we are all asked is how plastic performs in fire. Of course it's not good and plastic can be quite flammable. I might have a solution and will be doing much more testing on this because of it being the only non-toxic additive I'm aware of. Aluminium Hydroxide or Aluminum Hydroxide for Americans or Aluminium Hidroksida for Indonesia is a chemical usually used as an anacid, but can also be used to help with fire resistance in plastic. It is a white powder and I plan on doing more testing by mixing it with plastic through my extrusion machine. So here's some videos of me testing. It's not perfect but I think there's a big difference between with and without the additive.

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https://youtube.com/shorts/wD_91OHq8bo?si=zkME_tp-P3hIr5zC

https://youtu.be/vFoqeIDi4-U?si=a2EDn-v0h_HGgP2h

Polypropylene burn test

1

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