Paper Pulp Molding

Paper pulp molding is a packaging material, typically made from recycled paperboard and/or newspaper. Typical uses are food service trays, beverage carriers, plates and bowls

For many applications, molded pulp is less expensive than expanded polystyrene (EPS), vacuumed formed PET and PVC, corrugation, and foams.

With this instructable, the only things you need is glue & paper & some bowls etc. ;)

Step 1: Materials

What do you need to make paper pulp?

- Big bowl

- Old newspaper(s)

- Spoon

- Measuring cup

- Little bowl to mix the glue

- Prefax powder to make glue

- Cling film

- Mold

Optional:

- Paint
- Paint brush

Step 2: Paper in Hot Water

Start by taking a big bowl and some old newspapers.

Fill the bowl with hot water. Pull big pieces of the newpaper and put them in the bowl.

Let this soak for 1 hour.

Step 3: Pull to Pieces

After 1 hour you will notice that the paper is really soft.

Now it's easy to pull the paper to pieces.

When you did that you let this soak for another hour.

Step 4: Wring It Out!

Another hour has passed. Take your bowl, with the newspaper, to the sink and wring the water out of it.

Optional: To make this easier you can use a collander.

When you've wrung all the paper, pull it to little pieces.

After that, let it rest while you make the glue.

Step 5: Making Off the Glue

Mix 1 tablespoon of the Perfax powder with 250 ml of cold water.

Let it rest for 20 minutes. After this time the mix will be thick enough to use.

Step 6: Molding

When your glue is ready, we can prepare the mold.

We took a big bowl so we could make a fruitscale.

Start by putting some cling film in the bowl so the inside is covered. You can use some glue to attach it in the bowl.

Step 7: Paper Pulp

Now that you have everything you can start the last step to make paper pulp.

Don't mix all of the paper with the glue. You have more glue than you need!

Instead start by mixing 1 tabelspoon trough the paper. We don't want a really liquid structure. So when the mixture is getting to fluid stop adding glue.

When your mixture is done, take your mold.
Now you can start by putting the pulp in the mold. You can shape it with your hands.

When you think you don't have enough glue you add so much as you think you need.

Step 8: Wait

When your done molding, place your mold on a safe place and let it dry for a whole night.

Check the next day if it's dry enough. If it is (If it's not. Let it dry for another day.), you can start by taking the cling film & your paper mold out of the mold. After that you can take the cling film off your fruitscale.

You're done! Congratulations by making a fruitscale of paper pulp.

Optional!

When your fruitscale is fully dry you can also paint / decorate it like you wish.