Recycled cardboard pot mold

Model originally uploaded to Thingiverse at https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4268061.

This project is inspired from XYZAidan project.

XYZAidan profile : XYZAidan

Original project "Recycled Cardboard Molding" : Recycled Cardboard Molding

How to print this ?

20% infill seems to be OK. To print a little bit faster you can print in 0.3 or more. The mold don't specially need to be beautiful.

How to use this ?

You need some water, a bucket, cardboard or/and paper. You also need your 3D printing parts (no joke). You don't need glue.

Here cardboard = cardboard or/and paper

1 - You need to cut cardboard, it doesn't need to be ultra small pieces.

2 - Then, you need to put your pieces of cardboard in a bucket. Then add some water. Here is a super important, not too much water. The cardboard just need to be fully immerged not more.

3 - Mix, press, shred with your hands and wait (you can do this multiple times). After some hours, big pieces are still here. If you do this time to time, after 3 days it's more a paste. Nevertheless, you can still make a pot if you wait 1 hour or 3 day, it's just how "liquid" is the paste and the final visual aspect.

4 - When you are ready put the "paste" in the mold. Try to already create the shape in the mold, it would be easier. I recommend to not put to much paste in the beginning, press the mold than add and repeat again.The mold should be almost closed

5 - When you are satisfied with the quantity of "paste" you can press firmly and add weight on it to let it dry. (I recommend 24h but I successfully unmold just after, I think it depends of the "paste" )

6 - Then unmold it carefully. You can press gently from the bottom, and let it dry 24h outside the mold (it can be outside with the sun or inside next to a radiator).

7 - Congratulation you have a pot

Pro tips ( I guess )

1 - Please if you do this project use cardboard/paper not dangerous for the environment

2 - If you have cardboard with glossy paper on it, be careful. Glossy paper doesn't seems to be biodegradable (or at least not really compatible to molding).

3 - If you have cardboard with glossy paper on it, you can remove it when it stays immerged into water. Your water will contain a little bit of glue. It can help to maintain the cardboard pot but I'm not sure if it's good for the environment.

Good questions

Why ? Due to COVID-19 I can't buy pot to my mini-greenhouse.

Can I water my plants ? Yes but not to much. Paper and cardboard will act like a sponge. When wet, try to not move, it will be fragile.

Can it resists the rain ? This was primarily design to use in mini-greenhouse. I suppose it resists light rain.

How long pot will be usable ? Don't know yet.

Can I reuse it ? I suppose but I don't know yet. Or you can plant all the pot if you use safe cardboard.

Thanks to

"XYZAidan" for his project and his ideas. XYZAidan Recycled Cardboard Molding

"Les Frères Poulain" to show me this kind of things. RECYCLAGE de tous les CARTONS !!! Ça redevient dur comme du bois avec cette technique DIY !