Create a bowl by pressing melted plastic into kitchen molds to form items such as vases, fruit bowls, or organizers.
Table of Contents
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Gather the following materials to begin:
- 2 stainless steel bowls (same size or one smaller than the other)
- Pair of gloves
- Scale
- Oven at 374°F (190°C)
- Plastic PP5
- Bucket with water
- Weigh the plastic to about half the height of the larger bowl, then set aside.
- Add 3.5 oz (100 g) of plastic to the larger bowl and place in the oven at 374°F (190°C).
- Wait for the plastic to melt, approximately 5 minutes.
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To prevent burning the plastic, add layers by incrementally adding 0.22 lbs (100 g) to your mold.
Once the required amount is used, place the additional bowl on top and return to the oven for the final 5 to 10 minutes.
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Instructions for Making a Plastic Bowl
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Melt the Plastic: After melting the plastic in the oven, remove it carefully.
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Press the Plastic: Use the kit bowls by pressing them together to ensure the plastic fills the space evenly.
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Balance and Cool: Balance the bowls to create an even shape, then place them directly into a bucket of water.
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Cooling and Finishing: Allow the plastic bowl to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the mold and finish as necessary. Your bowl is now complete.
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- 4Use it
Enjoy your piece however you like.
You can use it as a fruit bowl, plant pot, or organizer.
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Tools
- 2 stainless steel bowls (same size, or one smaller)
- Bucket with water
- Kitchen molds
Hardware
- Oven (supports 190°C / 374°F)
Materials
- Plastic PP5 pellets or scraps
Safety Gear
- Heat-resistant gloves
Here are the references grouped by category without comments:
Articles
- https://www.plasticstoday.com/injection-molding/predicting-shrinkage-for-polypropylene
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injection_moulding
- https://vivonomicon.com/2018/09/06/recycling-hdpe-what-doesnt-work/
- https://www.instructables.com/Recycled-Chopping-Board/
Books
Papers
- https://nisshausa.com/pim-pulp-injection-molding/
- http://www.ijstr.org/final-print/oct2019/Xu-Solar-Furnace-For-Recycled-Plastic-Lumbers.pdf
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10489002/
YouTube
Opensource Designs
- https://community.preciousplastic.com/library/make-a-bowl-with-kitchen-molds
- https://builds.openbuilds.com/projectresources/pecious-plastics-open-source-machines-for-molding-and-extruding-recycled-plastics.226/