Printing with Wood

Hello all. This is my first proper post to this forum and I thought it appropriate to share some of my polymer research.

I want to print with wood but can't find a ready, reliable, cheap source of suitable filament. True there's Laywood but I fancy making my own filament in my shed from recycled plastics, and that got me thinking.

So I had a bit of a dig about and found a number of academic papers on the subject of Wood Polymer Composites. Here I found a possible answer and it's not as difficult as I thought. So I wrote a short paper on the subject which I attach (if I've mastered the technology.)

I lay no claims to any of the contents and haven't tried any of it yet but it makes theoretical sense. If I'm right then we could all be making all sorts of polymer composites to suit different purposes. If any of you have a spare moment, perhaps you'd take a look and see if I'm completely barking or actually on to something. Or has it all been said and tried before?

Thanks

Meerdog

... look here: [grrf.de]

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

I may have misunderstood but I think the OP is well area of grrf.de (they mentioned Laywood), they're just wondering if they know enough to make it themselves. As I understand it there is a fair amount of interest in duplicating something like the German wood composite particularly since supplies are short, but no one has managed it yet at least not that they're willing to reveal publicly. The inventor of the German stuff isn't talking. To be honest, I'm not surprised, I think there's a fair chance once the process is reveal it won't be long before Chinese manufacturers are making and selling it in bulk if there's enough interest. Even if they could afford the money to file an effective patent (and such a patent is granted) I doubt it will help. Best for the German team to make as much money while they can.

... I've mentioned Tecnaro ( [tecnaro.de] ) sometimes in the past ...

They're extracting the 'natural thermoplast' lignin out from wood and selling pellets for injection-moulding (pretty expensive) wood-like objects from it.

I'm occasionally in contact with them since +10 years and got some lignin-powder for tests with SLS, but haven't tried this until now ... but it's on my schedule ...

The Laywood filament is a mixture of wood-dust and some thermoplast, so not really bio-degradable, what could be different with pure lignin.

But here we should do some more 'research' to the right parameters for FFF-printing with filament or DIY-SLS with powder and cheap highpower diodelasers ...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/03/2012 03:45AM by VDX.

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Viktor
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Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Biodegradability is obviously a useful thing and of fair interest in some cases. I think the interest in Laywood is more for the look of any products made with it though.

just curious, MDF is kinda made from powdered wood ... so i am guessing ... most screw thread type FFF can print wood if they can mix that powder with a bonding agent yes?

Thx for the info meerdog.

Have you succeeded in making your own wooden filament ? (or anyone)
About getting CA from China, I'm sure they will send you small quantity because that's how they can start doing business with foreigners.
Are you sure about the +2% CA rule ? I would think the % depends on the polymer/wood ratio. More wood means more CA.