Precious Plastic USA - sheet-press-workspaces

@itsgeorge - didnt forget you

I am on Sheetpress stuff all next week. Would be great to add suppliers to the US/CA sources for ALU sheets.

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-- osr-support --

@itsgeorge - didnt forget you

I am on Sheetpress stuff all next week. Would be great to add suppliers to the US/CA sources for ALU sheets.

Sounds good I am not sure how much I can help for now, I'm still slogging along on the v3 shredder haha. I have a couple questions that I am putting together hopefully the community can help! Can't wait to see what you guys came up with.

Hey everyone, here a little sneak preview of a smaller sheetpress coming up soon. The universe has currently 1.0m, 1.2m & 1.5m. We've built quite a few and frankly, it's a pita to build without heavy duty equipment - even though, it's just a pita

This here is indented for labs, edu/workshops and SMEs, sheet size up to 65m, press plate 70 cm, Nema23-Servo (3000RPM), Gearbox 1:30 - 1:60, 220V, Opensource of course, as always

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGg690KfdP0&ab_channel=PlasticHub Essentially it's still the same as v4, just smaller but electronically pressed. I gonna still make another revision but just to speed up production but also for heat wires (CNC slotted/cut press plates). Source/Download/3D-Preview : https://plastic-hub.com/products/cassandra.html

Plastic Hub

Cassandra

Sheetpress ‘Cassandra’

Precious Plastic - Machine : Sheetpress ‘Cassandra’ by PlasticHub

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These presses are extraordinary, has anyone though of extruding I beams to connect and construct 100% recycled wall murals... Or did I just give one of my product ideas away...?????

MystroPolymeric

These presses are extraordinary, has anyone though of extruding I beams to connect and construct 100% recycled wall murals... Or did I just give one of my product ideas away...?????

I’ve heard and seen a company up here in the Midwest that produces “bale boards” produces from waste hay bale plastic wrap. They appear to be extruded beams, but I cannot confirm.

Has anyone used the electric oven + a simple mechanical press machine to make sheets yet? I have an old press machine and am thinking of just setting up an old oven to create a makeshift press station, wondering if anyone has seen or tried it.

The basic sheetpress is this..a pres machanical and a electrical over

Yea just wondering how they have worked out

Depends on the pressure though. There have been successes with making sheets in an oven, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euEpTkpO0yM&ab_channel=DevLabNRW. I´d give it a try.

DevLab NRW

DevLab Quicky - ABS Platten aus Industriepellets mit der Gen2 Form ...

Yeah Ive seen a couple of those videos. I'm thinking about going to see if I can use a shitty old oven I have

Hello everyone, I can't remember who it was ( @itsgeorge ?) but there was some talk a few weeks on how to get ordinary AL (5038) plates working. v4 suggests 'precision' plates but those as the normal ones doubled here recently in price (foundries closing en mass). For a 1.20m plate it's now near 300Euro..., a precision ground, 600e - for one! However, as long you use something 5038'ish - you can use also the cheap ones (not flat, just warped due to bad storage) if you mount them in 9 places ( at least - depends on the initial state), this will also keep flat over time. They tend to warp, not matter what. The process to flatten them isn't easy but it's same as you get stuff flat with a surface plate and blue (finding high spots and pull them down or up with bolts). If you're lucky you have a long straightedge (cost a fortune that long). I tried also laser with fog but that went nowhere but was fun

I think we're through with most issues in the v4 sheetpress - after having built a dozen now - and there is another compilation coming up sometime soon, adding another dozen of tips and tricks (https://library.precious-plastic.org/machines/sheetpress-cell.html#build). In particular I've seen through excessive measuring (https://github.com/plastic-hub/osr-analyzer) that it can work also with 10kW instead of the currently 15kW but that's better addressed in another revision sometime June. (The grid size for the cartridge heaters can be increased in the inner and partially outer zones). Another big thing I can recommend is to minimize the contact to the frame much as possible. That prevents lots of heat transfer into the frame (up to 50degc). Here some more numbers : https://github.com/plastic-hub/pp-next/blob/master/research/sheetpress/TriangleTest.md (edited)

9:39 PM

Ah, if you bring it nice wrapped up in a nice vise/clamp to your CNC shop, it's about 1$ per drill for the cartridge heaters (currently 11.95mm, reamed), perfect fit - otherwise you have to mess with that heat-putty - which is impossible to fill up the created clearance of a 12mm drill (ending in 12.25 mm - depends on how you drill) (edited)

Btw. for builders and eventually needless to say : to sell it for a competitive price, you're better off making 3 at least in one go. Currently I consume full 300sqm (I could need another 300sqm more

just to move stuff around and park it for the next stage. It's brutal hard and long job despite having a proper forklift and hoist - there is no way to turn a fully assembled press plate with hands btw. What helps a lot to is to get all pre-cut from the metal supplier. The more dangerous is when clients want to pick it themselves with an often too small van - worst : a kit and no platform (7.5t truck goes ok). Doing alone a one-off can keep you busy 3 weeks - depends on the desired quality though - a real pita but you build certainly muscles up

(edited)

-- osr-support --

Hey everyone, here a little sneak preview of a smaller sheetpress coming up soon. The universe has currently 1.0m, 1.2m & 1.5m. We've built quite a few and frankly, it's a pita to build without heavy duty equipment - even though, it's just a pita

This here is indented for labs, edu/workshops and SMEs, sheet size up to 65m, press plate 70 cm, Nema23-Servo (3000RPM), Gearbox 1:30 - 1:60, 220V, Opensource of course, as always

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGg690KfdP0&ab_channel=PlasticHub Essentially it's still the same as v4, just smaller but electronically pressed. I gonna still make another revision but just to speed up production but also for heat wires (CNC slotted/cut press plates). Source/Download/3D-Preview : https://plastic-hub.com/products/cassandra.html

Great work with Cassandra, my first plan was to build the sheetpress and just purchase a shredder but I am happy I went the shredder route. After reading your comments on the sheetpress build my little garage (20ish sq meter) is kinda lacking. I have something in the works that will provide a 100 sq meter space hopefully soon.

@itsgeorge - I've build the first also in a double garage (20sqm) with nothing but my hands - never again but it's doable - yet dangerous, you can quickly hurt - you need some extra hands to turn the plates - quite a few times, for sure.

Finally, our 8th Opensource machine leaves the lab, 220V Sheetpress, 60cm Sheets, full enclosed - electronic press. There is still an CE audition but I am optimistic

2 months development, we're getting better and faster with every new design

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are you working within the USA?

Plastic Paradigm

are you working within the USA?

thank you, USA: not yet, we're currently upgrading the company, I hope that we can continue with imperial conversions sometime in Sept -after we've upgraded all to sheet-metal, etc ... . We're still looking for a like minded and talented machine shop who can build these machines in the US, otherwise yes - we might build up a shop ourself over there

Amazing!

Has anyone been able to press plastic sheets of a larger thickness? I'm considering building a modified press to get sheets of around 40mm thick and 400mm x 600mm length and width. Would there be major issues with cooling the center?

ahadiguitars

Has anyone been able to press plastic sheets of a larger thickness? I'm considering building a modified press to get sheets of around 40mm thick and 400mm x 600mm length and width. Would there be major issues with cooling the center?

You'd need to be concerned with fully fusing the entire thickness, and shrinkage of exposed sides and edges when cooling. Maybe leave yourself some oversize on your mold, and finish the shape with bench tools?

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Greetings All. Has any one purchased a built sheet press recently (≈1m square) and can share or DM me where they got it and how to experience was. We (@peninsualpreciousplastics) need one but need to keep it under $10k USD (not including shipping). (edited)

Anyone selling thick HDPE sheets? I know the Bazar has some for sale but they are mostly in Asia and the shipping defeats the purpose of lowering emissions through recycled plastic!

cwakeman

Anyone selling thick HDPE sheets? I know the Bazar has some for sale but they are mostly in Asia and the shipping defeats the purpose of lowering emissions through recycled plastic!

What sheet thickness are you looking for and where are you located?

rbercich

What sheet thickness are you looking for and where are you located?

Do you need large sheets, or can you make do with 14x14 ?

Looking for large thick sheets. 25mm thickness and at least 30 in long. Located in NYC (edited)

cwakeman

Looking for large thick sheets. 25mm thickness and at least 30 in long. Located in NYC (edited)

Our workspace can do 35” x 35” but our thickest mold is only ~13mm

rbercich

Our workspace can do 35” x 35” but our thickest mold is only ~13mm

Hmm, how stiff is the 13mm? I'm trying to make a balance board for myself so it would need to withstand human weight. I'm assuming that would be too thin.

It makes good tabletops:

4:06 AM

But depending on how it’s supported and loaded I expect it could bend under the weight of a person

rbercich

Our workspace can do 35” x 35” but our thickest mold is only ~13mm

I could send you more risers if you want to try and make these.

CitSciWorkshop

I could send you more risers if you want to try and make these.

Thanks, Dave! I’ll send you an email. (edited)

rbercich

It makes good tabletops:

is that PP or HDPE ?

Alex_recycle_and_creates

is that PP or HDPE ?

That tabletop is HDPE

rbercich

That tabletop is HDPE

Okay

12:59 PM

Do you sell them on bazar ?

Alex_recycle_and_creates

Do you sell them on bazar ?

We’ve never sold our sheets before, so no

I would buy one

Hey all, I know I made a post a while ago about thick plastic sheets for sale. Looking at making a different product now and am wondering if any US based makers are selling/willing to sell some thin plastic sheets. I'm looking around the 4-6mm range. I currently have an A4 sized compression mold but am looking for some bigger sheets. Thanks in advance!

cwakeman

Hey all, I know I made a post a while ago about thick plastic sheets for sale. Looking at making a different product now and am wondering if any US based makers are selling/willing to sell some thin plastic sheets. I'm looking around the 4-6mm range. I currently have an A4 sized compression mold but am looking for some bigger sheets. Thanks in advance!

If you are still looking: I can make 11.5 inSq or 14 inSq. I have a lot of experience making the 11.5s in your thickness range. I haven't tried making the 14 insq that thin, but I can try if you want. They are about 11-12mm thick. How many do you need ? Do you have special colors? I have about 20 of the small ones and 2 of the bigger ones in stock. (edited)

I was considering buying a 110V toaster oven and jack to make small 14 inch x 14 inch sheets. I wonder though, what is the max thickness of sheet that could be pressed?

Drew W

I was considering buying a 110V toaster oven and jack to make small 14 inch x 14 inch sheets. I wonder though, what is the max thickness of sheet that could be pressed?

buy a tshirt press instead

I am succesfully working with a t shirt press as well.

wait really??

9:54 PM

well for lower pressure stuff I suppose, I’m developing a relatively low pressure record press using a shop press and some heaters

It's advisable to replace the lower heat press platen with another heating element, this way you get heat from the top and the bottom. You will get a better result.

ah yea

9:57 PM

it’s only one side

I use a steel plate on the top and bottom and just flip the mold half way through

9:58 PM

the extra heating element would be a nicer setup though

9:58 PM

https://community.preciousplastic.com/how-to/zero-plastic-australias-sheet-machine

Zero Plastic Australia's Sheet Machine

A Simple, Cheap and Easy way to make sheets of recycled plastic (30cm x 25cm x 1cm) After having a Heart attack i realised that if i don't share this knowledge it wont help anyone, all i ask is that you help spread the word and to give Zero Plastics Australia a like and to #zeroplasticsaustralia with any work you make from these sheets.

That's great, how thick are these pieces?

looks like 1 cm

it depends on the space in between. I am making 1/4" sheets this way

is 1cm the max?

it will probably be hard to get enough heat to make anything thicker than that with this setup

10:01 PM

so probably, yes

1 cm is pretty thick for a flat sheet

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What would be great is getting a pottery kiln, you can control the temp for different plastics with precision. This way, you could make blocks.

or something like this; https://www.preciousplastic-usa.com/product-page/compression-oven

Compression Oven | preciousplastic-usa

Compression oven is used to melt plastic in forms that are then transferred to the compression platform below. The compression platform is raided by a hand crank to compress the two halves of a form and allowed to cool under pressure. Once cooled, the form is removed and opend to reveal the finished part. (molds can be found in the "molds" sect...

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10:04 PM

This is what I do with all the waste plastic.

Cool art!!

10:51 PM

Going back to my original thought, I wonder if an oven and jack can make sheets thicker than a t-shirt press, and if so, if it could get up to 1-1.5 inches

Am sure you could provided it's hot enough.

yogijogi

Click to see attachment 🖼️

side question, does your plastic drop shatter like a Prince Rupert's Drop when you snap the tail, or do you make them in a different way?

Not familiar with the drop you mentioned. I reinforced the top half with a metal rod..it's 26"×12"×12" better pics on Instagram and Facebook.

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Oh nice! but yea, defiantly do a youtube search of a Prince Rupert's Drop. It is a similarly shaped thing made from glass, but I wonder if the fluid dynamics would be the same with plastic

Will check it out

Drew W

Cool art!!

Of course, it ain't just heat: the burn point isn't far from the melt point. I reckon a good place to start dialing in pressure needs would be to use the V3 Sheet Press as a base line volume to force ratio. Keep in mind that the thicker the part, the longer the required annealing time to achieve stress uniformity. Also, take note of how blocks of plastic melted int David's matrix poster: typically, from the inside out; this suggests the material is shedding heat significantly, with higher temperatures accumulating at the core. It is critical for thicker sheet quality to maintain pressure through each stage- for surface finish, to mitigate warping and impacts of shrinkage, and to confront voids. (edited)

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hey