Recycled Plastic Clipboard - Precious Plastic

For this project, I made a clipboard out of recycled plastic that was melted down and molded into a clipboard shape. I chose to do this project because I wanted to design something new with recycled plastic that our program could use and continue to make in the future. Throughout this project, I made it so that almost all of the components can be reused to allow us to produce multiple copies of this design. With this opportunity, my thought was that we could make copies to give to teachers or people around the school as a gift and to advertise or spread awareness about Precious Plastics, or we could also make some to sell at various events that our PP club goes to. My goal was to create something cool that would also be beneficial or helpful to our club and students in the coming years.

Materials:

1. 15" x 15" x .25" Metal Sheet
2. 12" x 15" x .5" Wood Board
3. 12" x 2" x .5" Wood Plank
4. Metal Clipboard Clips and Rivets - Link
5. Shredded HDPE Plastic - About 400g of plastic per clipboard
6. 6 Wood Screws
7. About 1.5 Feet of String (optional)

Tools:

1. AXYZ International CNC Router
2. 15" x 15" Heat Press Machine
3. Table Saw
4. Wireless Handheld Drill

After getting my metal sheet, making a CAD model, and preparing a toolpath, I started making the clipboard mold. I secured the metal sheet onto the CNC Router using double sided tape, and used the router to cut an outline of the clipboard that was the size and shape I wanted it to be. However, while running the program, the double sided tape caused some adhesive to get on the tool bit. Also, there was a sticky protective film over the top of the plate and I think that the tape and this caused the chips to get stuck in the toolpath as it was cutting, which resulted in the finish not being as clean.

Next, I took the metal sheet I had cut and put it on the heat press machine between two blank metal plates. First, it is important to use some sort of lubricant spray on the plates so that the plastic doesn't stick to the plates and the clipboard is easier to remove. I put one of the blank sheets on the bottom, under the mold, then filled the mold with a flat layer of shredded plastic that is slightly higher than the mold, then put the other blank sheet on top. After making some prototypes and doing some trials of using the heat press, I have found that using about 400 grams of shredded plastic and spreading it out evenly to each corner produces good results.

Then, using the wooden board, I used the CNC Router to cut out a jig for the blank plastic clipboard. I secured it to the router by putting screws in each corner, which are also used to secure it later when using it as a jig. Then, similar to the mold, I cut an outline of the clipboard with the router. But the dimensions of the outline had to be a little smaller because I found out that the plastic clipboard shrinks slightly after cooling. Specifically, I reduced both the length (13") and width (10") of the clipboard cutout by 3/16 of an inch (10" - 3/16" = 9.813"). I also made another support out of a small wooden plank that attaches to the top of the jig. I used a table saw to cut about halfway through the plank, about 1.5 inches in from each end. Then I drilled holes on both sides so that it could be screwed onto the sides of the jig going across the middle.

After that, I combined what I had made in the last two steps so I could make the details that are necessary for it to become a clipboard. I screwed my jig into the CNC Router, put my blank clipboard in the cutout, and then screwed the support plank into the jig and router to help hold the clipboard. Then I ran a program on the router that drilled holes for the clipboard clip, a slot at the bottom to hold pencils, and an extra hole in the corner to connect a pencil with some string. In my CAM, I used a drill function for the holes, and then for the slot I first did an adaptive clearing function and then finished with a 3D contour.

Once the router was done, I was able to take out the clipboard and start putting the last few things together. First, I did any finishing or cleaning up that needed to be done, such as sanding rough spots or edges, light trimming, and cleaning or clearing out the holes. Next, I got one of the clipboard clips and used a couple of rivets to attach it to the clipboard using the holes that the router made. Lastly, I got a piece of string that was about 1.5 feet long, threaded it through the hole in the corner of the clipboard, tied it, and then tied the other end to a pencil.

I then finally had a completed clipboard made out of recycled plastic, that I could gift to someone, give to a teacher, or even sell!