Concrete Phone Stands, 3D-Printed Mold
by laxap in Workshop > Molds & Casting
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Concrete Phone Stands, 3D-Printed Mold
![20200914_201636.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FI3/KQAO/KF2JE7TC/FI3KQAOKF2JE7TC.jpg&filename=20200914_201636.jpg)
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This is the 3rd version of the concrete phone stand.
The previous version involved a PVC pipe, wood inserts, and complex cuts into a PVC pipe. The first version used a Tupperware box.
The quality of the concrete surface is always directly dependent on the mold surface.
This version still involves a PVC pipe, and uses 3D-printed inserts, enabling easy production of molds, for example for workshops. It has a swappable logo plate.
With a mold, one phone stand can be produced in ca. one noon break, at your office!
Mold Concept
![Screenshot at 2020-09-13 19-28-44.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FXJ/2KQX/KF13YWDU/FXJ2KQXKF13YWDU.png&filename=Screenshot at 2020-09-13 19-28-44.png)
The mold consists of the following pieces:
- PVC pipe for the outer shell.
- Skewed plate, forming the plane on which the phone will rest.
A small piece is attached with a screw, to close the "nose". - Cavity mold, creating the cable cavity, and cable roll storage. It has arms to form a cross, in order to make a precise positioning into the PVC tube.
A closing lid adds rigidity, and is inserted into a grove of the cavity mold. When the lid is removed, the cavity shape can be squeezed for easier demolding.
Make the Parts
![Screenshot at 2020-09-13 22-05-39.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FJ6/C9CW/KF13Z6RY/FJ6C9CWKF13Z6RY.png&filename=Screenshot at 2020-09-13 22-05-39.png)
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![Screenshot at 2020-09-13 22-14-56.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F17/R442/KF13Z8TP/F17R442KF13Z8TP.png&filename=Screenshot at 2020-09-13 22-14-56.png)
![Screenshot at 2020-09-13 18-47-51.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FMC/Q8ZR/KF13YWDX/FMCQ8ZRKF13YWDX.png&filename=Screenshot at 2020-09-13 18-47-51.png)
![Screenshot at 2020-09-13 18-53-39.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F3V/ZFI4/KF13YWDV/F3VZFI4KF13YWDV.png&filename=Screenshot at 2020-09-13 18-53-39.png)
3D printed parts:
Print each of the 4 STL files embedded in this step. They match a PVC pipe with 10 cm inner diameter.
- 1-top.stl -- skewed plat
- 2-top-rest.stl -- to be attached to 1, using a screw
- 3-top-label.stl -- logo to be snapped into 1
- 4-bottom.stl -- cavity mold, with its lid
For source files in OpenSCAD format, see my GitHup repository.
PVC pipe:
Take a PVC pipe of 10 cm inner diameter, and cut it to a height of precisely 13.5 cm.
Carefully make a vertical cut, to ease later demolding.
Gathering Parts for a Kit
![71.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FBP/F9M9/KF13YWCZ/FBPF9M9KF13YWCZ.jpg&filename=71.jpg)
Kit:
Able to fit in one box:
- A soup spoon, for concrete powder
- A spatula, to mix the concrete
- A brush, to apply grease
- A rubber bowl, to mix the concrete
- A bowl for water
- A small jar of grease
- A small jar of concrete sealant
- Masking tape
Concrete:
Another box with fine (sieved, if needed) concrete.
Additionally you can use concrete pigment in powder form, to give it a desired tint.
Assembling the Parts
![75.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FVK/1Q5R/KF13YWDE/FVK1Q5RKF13YWDE.jpg&filename=75.jpg)
![79.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F9T/E8JX/KF13YWDO/F9TE8JXKF13YWDO.jpg&filename=79.jpg)
![77.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FL6/7885/KF13YWDL/FL67885KF13YWDL.jpg&filename=77.jpg)
- Tape the PVC pipe.
- Apply the logo inside the top part (skewed plate). Mind the orientation!
- Fit the top part into the pipe. Note: the mold is upside-down, so the top part is now at the bottom.
Applying Grease
![87.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F2J/HHH1/KF13YWD2/F2JHHH1KF13YWD2.jpg&filename=87.jpg)
![90.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F20/JCGU/KF13YWDS/F20JCGUKF13YWDS.jpg&filename=90.jpg)
![84.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F0O/XB7C/KF13YWDJ/F0OXB7CKF13YWDJ.jpg&filename=84.jpg)
![81.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F13/LQID/KF13YWDR/F13LQIDKF13YWDR.jpg&filename=81.jpg)
- Apply grease on the inner side of the PVC Tube and on the inner side of the skewed plate.
ADVICE: To make what will become the top edge less sharp and breakable, fill the bottom with some grease, and carefully spread to form a nicely rounded fillet. - Assemble the two parts of the cavity mold together, and liberally spread grease on its surface.
- Position the cavity mold on the PVC pipe. Carefully align it to the "nose" of the skewed plate.
- Tape the cavity mold to the PVC pipe.
Mixing and Pouring the Concrete
![93.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FFG/VDTG/KF13YWDM/FFGVDTGKF13YWDM.jpg&filename=93.jpg)
![95.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FP9/RXOB/KF13YWDQ/FP9RXOBKF13YWDQ.jpg&filename=95.jpg)
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- Pour concrete into the rubber bowl, and progressively add water while mixing. Not the other way round!
- Obtain a smooth and creamy mixture.
- Pour into the mold. The concrete surface should just not touch the arms of the mold.
- Shake/vibrate to remove bubbles.
Waiting...
After 3 to 4 days, check if the concrete is cured and dry. But to be absolutely safe, wait one week.
Demolding and Priming
![IMG_1817.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FZW/SCPR/IX0PW4C3/FZWSCPRIX0PW4C3.jpg&filename=IMG_1817.jpg)
- Carefully demold.
- Rectify edges and bottom side with sand paper (wet). Let dry.
- Apply concrete sealant to glue the sand grains together and keep the surface smooth while aging.
Optional: Make a Protective Pad
![IMG_1802b.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FPD/BV45/IX0PW3W5/FPDBV45IX0PW3W5.jpg&filename=IMG_1802b.jpg)
![20200914_201846.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FJ9/LLWB/KF2JE7U7/FJ9LLWBKF2JE7U7.jpg&filename=20200914_201846.jpg)
This optional step will ensure protection of the surfaces, and avoid wiggling.
- Wet-sand the bottom side of the stand.
- Cut out a protective pad in a 3-5 mm thick MDF sheet, and glue it on the bottom.
SVG file for laser cutting will be added here.
Finished Product
![20200914_201825.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FG3/XJ00/KF2JE7U1/FG3XJ00KF2JE7U1.jpg&filename=20200914_201825.jpg)
![20200914_201604.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FWD/613A/KF2JE7T7/FWD613AKF2JE7T7.jpg&filename=20200914_201604.jpg)
![20200914_201647.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F7V/BB6C/KF2JE7TI/F7VBB6CKF2JE7TI.jpg&filename=20200914_201647.jpg)
![20200914_201658.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FK2/XNVK/KF2JE7TW/FK2XNVKKF2JE7TW.jpg&filename=20200914_201658.jpg)
This is the finished product.
You can optionally spray-paint it, or leave it natural.
For the one on the photo, a fair amount of pigments for concrete was added in step 6.
Love it? or still unsatisfied with the results? Make more!