Molded paper case

[jaredjennings]

This Youtube video talks about how you can 3d-print molds, which need to be quite sturdy (100% infill) and have occasional holes to let water out; then tear up cardboard and blend with water and a binder in a blender; put the slurry in half of the mold; and clamp the two halves mightily together. In this way you can mold things out of paper.

With the addition of some epoxy or plastic, this could be a super cheap and quick way to make a lot of keyboard cases - perhaps to build a keyswitch library, like on The Board Podcast, but ergonomic. Or the technique could be applied to the mockups I tried in the marshmallow branch that one time, with the sa-caps in their proper places, to make mockups in quantity much more easily than by means of origami (#61) .

The design for manufacturability of a cast paper case would be different from that of just FDM-printing a case. It may not be possible to cast the case in just one piece. Tenting and keywell curvature may necessitate some ingenuity to redirect clamping forces. Ribs or thick spots would need to be added. Jigs for cutting pieces to accurate sizes. The paper itself likely could not hold keyswitches. Hot glue would work even better to hold keyswitches in than it does on plastic though. Oo, and you could maybe make a design on it with tissue paper or something.