… For a year, 2 engineers, 2 development workers, an environmental group and several consulting experts from Austria have been experimenting with a simple way to recycle plastic.
We have found a way to recycle plastic waste with simple means and develop it further. From PE, PP and PET you can make sticks that are versatile on site. They hold in tropical climate with humid salty sea air longer than iron, wood, are resistant to bending, can be screwed etc. demarcations, roofs, frames for dog houses and rabbitcages, shelves, on boat structures, etc. sticks can be used versatile in agricultural Cultures . Instead of Teflon tools we use wet wood, the shape is also made of wood, which is soaked with oil or grease, we produce pressure with screw clamps and / or jacks. An extruder is not necessary. Instead of imitating an industrial process, we turn plastic recycling into a craft for everyone. Warehouse storage and transport and presentation until the final purchase and use of a new product are eliminated. Take the factory to the beach.
Really interesting, looks very practical. Thanks for sharing your work and knowledge.
One of the things that impacts a lot of the precious plastic work is the potential for toxin release from melting the plastic.
On the video there seems to be a fair amount of steam coming off that. Did you notice any smell or have thoughts on the toxin release from this open air approach?
The electric griddles have the temperature control issue described earlier. On the plus side, if you can get them cheap enough, they do provide a large aluminum plate, some non-stick surface, and a high power heater loop embedded in the plate. With the temperature control upgrade already mentioned, this could form part of a compression oven or form heater.
I have one of those low cost electric griddles. It has the temperature probe loosely in contact with the edge where the control is. The rest of the surface has a heater loop under it. It basically has no temperature control. Using an IR themometer, the surface temperature varied greatly. Before using it with plastic I would drill a mount hole in the center for a thermocouple and use the typical PID controller. As is, there is a high probability you are burning the plastic somewhere on the surface. I would be very cautious. I have not used mine yet for that reason.