ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Curiosity Stream Upcycling Home Made Lumber Into a Micro-House | Silly Sustainability
Hi there! I’m Andy from the YouTube channel “How to Make Everything.” In a recent project, I explored the idea of creating my own lumber using waste materials like plastic, cardboard, and sawdust. With the rising cost of wood, this seemed like a practical solution. Although I managed to produce a piece of lumber, the process was labor-intensive and the final product had some structural issues due to poor mixing. To scale up this process, I realized the need for industrial-grade tools, which led me to embark on a new journey of building my own equipment.
To tackle this challenge, I turned to Precious Plastic, an open-source project that provides plans for constructing recycling equipment. Their resources were invaluable as I adapted their designs for my needs. If you’re interested in trying this yourself, I highly recommend checking out their website.
The first piece of equipment I needed was a shredder. My previous attempts with a wood chipper, paper shredder, and blender were inconsistent, especially with tough materials like plastic. Plastic’s flexibility makes it difficult to cut, so a specialized shredder was necessary. This device uses high-torque spinning gears with teeth to chop and snap the material effectively. We decided to build a smaller version suitable for our needs.
With the help of Martin, a skilled machinist, we laser-cut the parts provided by Precious Plastic and assembled them. The laser-cut parts featured a tab-and-slot design, allowing for easy assembly. After some filing and welding, we bolted the shredder down for stability, ensuring it was ready for use.
Next, we needed an extruder to process the shredded material. This device uses a high-torque screw to compact and melt the plastic with the help of heaters. After wiring everything up, we faced some challenges with the coupler slipping, but welding it resolved the issue. With some adjustments, the extruder was finally operational.
We connected multiple heaters to controllers to create a temperature gradient, ensuring the plastic melted properly as it moved through the system. Although we initially aimed to produce larger plastic bars, we settled for smaller sizes due to persistent challenges.
Despite the hurdles, I successfully produced enough material to construct a small structure—a birdhouse made entirely from recycled materials. While the initial costs and time investment were significant, this project highlighted the potential of repurposing waste into new, useful products.
Scaling up a recycling process to an industrial level proved more challenging than anticipated. However, this seemingly “silly” project has real potential for promoting sustainability. Thank you for joining me on this journey! If you’re interested in more projects like this, subscribe to “How to Make Everything” and follow Curiosity Stream on social media. Feel free to share your ideas for improving this experiment in the comments below.
Using the principles discussed in the article, design your own piece of upcycled lumber. Consider the materials you would use, the process of mixing, and how you would address any structural issues. Present your design to the class, explaining your choices and the potential challenges you might face.
In small groups, create a scale model of a shredder using everyday materials. Focus on replicating the high-torque spinning gears with teeth. Once completed, demonstrate how your model would work and discuss the importance of each component in the shredding process.
Conduct research on the Precious Plastic project and its impact on recycling initiatives worldwide. Prepare a presentation that highlights key aspects of the project, including the types of equipment available and how they can be adapted for different recycling needs.
Develop a blueprint for a micro-house that utilizes recycled materials, similar to the birdhouse project in the article. Consider the types of materials you would use, the design of the structure, and how you would ensure its stability and durability.
Engage in a class debate on the viability of upcycling as a sustainable practice. Divide into two groups, with one arguing for the potential benefits and the other highlighting the challenges and limitations. Use examples from the article to support your arguments.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
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My name is Andy from the YouTube channel “How to Make Everything.” In my last video for Kios Stream, I explored making my own lumber in an era of expensive wood using various waste materials like plastic, cardboard, and sawdust. In the end, I achieved a decent piece of lumber, but it took a lot of work to grind everything up. There were some structural integrity issues because it wasn’t well mixed together. To mass-produce enough lumber to build something, I realized I would need industrial tools. I was limited by the small tools I had, so in this video, I’m going to take things to the next level and construct some industrial equipment to help with each step of this process.
To assist with these projects, I’m enlisting the help of the open-source project Precious Plastic, which provides plans and directions for constructing some of this equipment. I’m going to adapt their designs for my personal use. Be sure to check out their website if you’re curious about doing this yourself.
First up, we need to make a shredder. Previously, I’ve used a wood chipper, a paper shredder, and a blender with mixed results. Overall, it was inconsistent, and many of the tools couldn’t handle tougher materials like plastic. Plastic has a tendency to bend, making it hard for many devices to cut it up. So, we need a shredder, which is essentially a high-torque spinning gear with teeth that will chop and snap the material repeatedly as it goes through. These shredders come in various sizes; we’re going to make a smaller one to grind our plastic.
We’ll need to laser cut all the different pieces, courtesy of the Precious Plastic project, and then hook it up to a high-torque motor to run and pulverize the materials we want to shred. I’m here with Martin, a machinist, to help get everything working. We’ve ordered some laser-cut pieces, and after filing off a few burrs, we can start assembling it.
Now that we have everything assembled, we need to clean it up and get it ready for welding. If done correctly, the staggered design will allow for a more effective cutting action. The beauty of laser-cut parts is the tab-and-slot design, which allows everything to click together seamlessly.
After assembling, we realized we needed to bolt it down for stability. We’re almost there, just need to make a frame and ensure safety measures are in place. The shredder looks promising, and the next step is to create an extruder. The extruder will take the shredded material and compact it using a high-torque screw, applying pressure to melt the plastic with the help of heaters.
After wiring everything up, we tested the extruder. We encountered some issues with the coupler slipping, so we welded it for a more secure connection. After some adjustments, we managed to get the shredder working effectively.
A few days later, we received a replacement part and continued shredding our plastic. After a lot of wiring and reconfiguring, I believe I have everything set up correctly for the extruder. We have multiple heaters connected to controllers to create a temperature gradient, ensuring the plastic melts properly as it moves through the system.
After making some changes, we powered everything up and monitored the temperatures. The extruder is now functioning, and we can start producing smaller bars of plastic. Although we aimed to create larger sizes, the persistent challenges meant we had to stick to smaller, safer sizes for now.
Ultimately, I was able to produce enough material to build a small structure, a birdhouse made entirely of recyclable materials. While the upfront costs of building the equipment and the hours spent troubleshooting were significant, this project demonstrates the potential for repurposing recycled materials into new goods.
In conclusion, scaling up a process to an industrial level is more challenging than expected. While this project may seem silly at first, it has real potential for sustainability. Thanks for watching! My name is Andy from “How to Make Everything.” For more videos like this, be sure to subscribe to the channel and check out Curiosity Stream on social media. If you have any ideas on how to improve this experiment, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
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Upcycling – The process of transforming waste materials or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. – Upcycling old shipping containers into modern homes is a growing trend in sustainable construction.
Lumber – Wood that has been processed into beams and planks, a stage in the process of wood production. – The engineering team selected sustainably sourced lumber for the construction of the eco-friendly building.
Recycling – The process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects, a key component of modern waste reduction. – The university’s environmental studies department launched a new initiative to improve recycling rates on campus.
Equipment – The necessary items for a particular purpose, especially in engineering and construction contexts. – The laboratory was equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to conduct environmental impact assessments.
Extruder – A machine used to shape material by forcing it through a specially designed opening, commonly used in manufacturing and recycling processes. – The engineering students used an extruder to create prototypes from recycled plastic.
Shredder – A machine or device used for shredding materials, often used in recycling processes to break down materials into smaller pieces. – The recycling facility installed a new shredder to efficiently process large volumes of plastic waste.
Sustainability – The ability to maintain or improve standards without depleting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage. – The course on sustainability in engineering emphasized the importance of designing systems that minimize environmental impact.
Materials – The substances or components used in the production of goods, especially in construction and manufacturing. – The selection of materials for the project was guided by principles of durability and environmental sustainability.
Construction – The process of building or assembling infrastructure, often involving careful planning and resource management. – The construction of the new green building incorporated innovative techniques to reduce energy consumption.
Waste – Unwanted or unusable materials, substances, or by-products, often a focus in environmental management and engineering. – The engineering team developed a new system to convert organic waste into renewable energy.
