Homes printed from wood waste

[begreen]

This is an interesting program being tested in Maine. I like the aesthetics more than 3D-printed cement homes. It's an interesting plan to turn waste into resource.

See what it's like living inside a 3D-printed 600-square-foot tiny home in Maine made of recyclable materials

The printing material was made with wood waste from local sawmills encapsulated in a bio-resin, creating a fully bio-based tiny home.

www.businessinsider.com

It took only half a day, a crane, bolts, and connectors to assemble the four modules into this home. The electrician had it connected and wired together in 2 hrs.

 

[Shank]

This is an interesting program being tested in Maine. I like the aesthetics more than 3D-printed cement homes. It's an interesting plan to turn waste into resource.

See what it's like living inside a 3D-printed 600-square-foot tiny home in Maine made of recyclable materials

The printing material was made with wood waste from local sawmills encapsulated in a bio-resin, creating a fully bio-based tiny home.

www.businessinsider.com

It took only half a day, a crane, bolts, and connectors to assemble the four modules into this home. The electrician had it connected and wired together in 2 hrs.

I could see a lot of potential for many other waste/recyclable materials to be used in a similar fashion. Quite interesting.

 

[Garbanzo62]

This looks promising for single floor slab houses. It would be interesting to see what the tensile strength of a 3d printed column is to allow multiple floors.

 

[blades]

Fire is an enemy of most resin based products just ask your fire department about laminated beams and such in newer homes. like fire resistant foam insulation seen some scary demos of what happens with those.

 

[peakbagger]

Not sure for Maine but home sprinkler systems are now code in many states. These are early response type systems with thermal heads that fire off quick and dont flood the house. The insurance companies usually waive deductables for water damage from sprinkler head releases as the losses are much higher for house burning down. The loss rate for homes with home sprinklers is incredibly low. The trade off is they are expensive to install so tough to do on "affordable housing"

 

[bholler]

Not sure for Maine but home sprinkler systems are now code in many states. These are early response type systems with thermal heads that fire off quick and dont flood the house. The insurance companies usually waive deductables for water damage from sprinkler head releases as the losses are much higher for house burning down. The loss rate for homes with home sprinklers is incredibly low. The trade off is they are expensive to install so tough to do on "affordable housing"

It was code in pa for a couple months. But a bunch of builders organizations fought it and got it removed because they simply didn't understand it

 

[GrumpyDad]

This is an interesting program being tested in Maine. I like the aesthetics more than 3D-printed cement homes. It's an interesting plan to turn waste into resource.

See what it's like living inside a 3D-printed 600-square-foot tiny home in Maine made of recyclable materials

The printing material was made with wood waste from local sawmills encapsulated in a bio-resin, creating a fully bio-based tiny home.

www.businessinsider.com

It took only half a day, a crane, bolts, and connectors to assemble the four modules into this home. The electrician had it connected and wired together in 2 hrs.

This is the way. I will own a 3d printed place one day.

 

[begreen]

This is the way. I will own a 3d printed place one day.

I like the interior curves that they are able to achieve. It's quite organic compared to the slab square box wall of a regular house. The quick assembly and lower costs could help a lot with first-time home buyers.

 

[begreen]

It looks like the project is expanding in the greater Bangor area with 9 homes planned in the next 4 yrs.

Senator King tours BioHome3D, looks to future 3D-printed neighborhood - Advanced Structures & Composites Center

composites.umaine.edu

 

[SpaceBus]

I wonder how this technique will compete with wood pellets, bio bricks, biomass energy plants, etc.

 

[begreen]

I wonder how this technique will compete with wood pellets, bio bricks, biomass energy plants, etc.

Yes, I was wondering the same thing. One option is to use clean construction wood waste for feedstock. There is a huge amount that goes into landfills in many areas.

 

[SpaceBus]

Yes, I was wondering the same thing. One option is to use clean construction wood waste for feedstock. There is a huge amount that goes into landfills in many areas.

I never considered untreated construction waste as being a significant residue stream for wood products. It would seem there should be a circular economy where the vendor for the lumber pays back a deposit for cutoffs, etc. which are then sent back to the mill or some place that can use it. However, this could probably be said about all products.

 

[begreen]

Some local counties are doing that. They get sent to a paper or cardboard mill for pulping and/or for fuel.

 

[SpaceBus]

Fire is an enemy of most resin based products just ask your fire department about laminated beams and such in newer homes. like fire resistant foam insulation seen some scary demos of what happens with those.

Couldn't the same be said for wood framing, plywood, OSB, beadboard, etc?

 

[peakbagger]

Maine and New England in general has a major surplus of low grade wood to the point where loggers are leaving it in the woods. The pulp industry used to eat up thousands of tons of day of low grade logs and only two mills left doing so, In addition to the low grade pulp logs there are the tops and branches. It comes down to how far is it economic to ship, usually muhc more than 100 miles, the diesel used starts to make it uneconomic.

UMaine has or had one of the largest 3d printers in the US, they have 3d printed military boats out of plastic resins.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I like the interior curves that they are able to achieve. It's quite organic compared to the slab square box wall of a regular house. The quick assembly and lower costs could help a lot with first-time home buyers.

I love interesting and comfortable rooms. At my cabin, the main bath looks like something you would find in a 1950s cabin. I plan to make it look very sci-fi when I redo it.
I know that sounds odd but I love sci-fi and I thought it would draw a lot of wow factor. A simple flip of the switch or voice command and lights would be as you would expect for a bathroom but otherwise very much outlined lighting with the typical sci Fi room look.

 

[ABMax24]

I've been watching a lot of videos lately in regards to using desktop sized 3D printers to make RC model Airplanes. The detail achievable with a $400 printer is incredible, a printer in 100 hrs can print parts that couldn't be built by hand in 1000hrs. And with modern CAD software the model can be optimized with internal structures not easily constructible with traditional methods.

I think this could really open the door to new generation of house design and construction techniques that improve performance of the exterior envelope. Especially in terms of insulating performance, and structural integrity for severe weather events.

 

[Max W]

Maine and New England in general has a major surplus of low grade wood to the point where loggers are leaving it in the woods. The pulp industry used to eat up thousands of tons of day of low grade logs and only two mills left doing so, In addition to the low grade pulp logs there are the tops and branches. It comes down to how far is it economic to ship, usually muhc more than 100 miles, the diesel used starts to make it uneconomic.

UMaine has or had one of the largest 3d printers in the US, they have 3d printed military boats out of plastic resins.

Yes, as well mega sized wind blade molds and Bridge in a Backpack, very light inflated frp tube arches that once set in place get filled with concrete. University of Maine Advanced Structures and Composites Center is a true Maine gem that has been blazing new paths for some years now. Guessing you are pretty familiar with U Maine’s contributions.

 

[peakbagger]

I am a graduate of their engineering school years ago so I get the Alumni magazine plus read the Bangor Daily. U Maine has always had some smart professors that were given the latitude to do a lot of things like Dick Hill who invented and developed the "worlds most efficient" boiler around 45 years ago that really has not been matched. When I attended, the graduate programs were poorly funded and not many 4 year folks went on to graduate school (except the chemical engineers) as the school of engineering was regarded and funded as a feeder program to industry in Maine, particularly the pulp and paper industry. I caught the tail end of the long run of pulp and paper calling the shots and once their influence diminished, the graduate program got built up, attracting new professors and the state started funding some major R&D infrastructure. They also finally got around to building a new engineering school complex recently.

BTW when I attended UMaine was coming off years of being mostly a party school. Maine's drinking age had been 18 and pot laws were a misdemeanor in Maine, while it was criminal offense in Mass and NH (and a lot of other states. It got and lived up to its rep as party school for out of staters. Maine upped the drinking age and cracked down on partying and it slowly lost the party school rep.

I used to have to walk across the entire campus every day in the winter and would have to thaw out my LCD calculator when I got to class. UMaine is on an island in the Penobscot river and in the winter the cold air from Northern Maine drains down the Penobscot River and after a clear night its usually the coldest place around.

 

[GrumpyDad]

I've been watching a lot of videos lately in regards to using desktop sized 3D printers to make RC model Airplanes. The detail achievable with a $400 printer is incredible, a printer in 100 hrs can print parts that couldn't be built by hand in 1000hrs. And with modern CAD software the model can be optimized with internal structures not easily constructible with traditional methods.

I think this could really open the door to new generation of house design and construction techniques that improve performance of the exterior envelope. Especially in terms of insulating performance, and structural integrity for severe weather events.

My brother passed far too young, however I know for a fact that he would be using 3d printers right now to build model airplanes. I used to build but when he passed I couldnt do that anymore. And our local airfield is a PITA to join and maintain membership for an occasional flyer.

 

[blades]

More memories- when i was much younger , i used to belong to the AMA, and flew control line in competition. my first engine to drag a big stunt plane( apx 36" wingspan) around was a 2 stroke spark plug unit- magnito on the prop shaft,060 if i remember right, Conquistador i believe was the brand. I never got in to RC as I didn't have the green stamps for it. One of the guys built a model of a 4 engined US bomber- in RC. Remember when monocoat came out as well, never worked with it though. Had a couple combat units as well .049 cox powered.

 

[EbS-P]

I am a graduate of their engineering school years ago so I get the Alumni magazine plus read the Bangor Daily. U Maine has always had some smart professors that were given the latitude to do a lot of things like Dick Hill who invented and developed the "worlds most efficient" boiler around 45 years ago that really has not been matched. When I attended, the graduate programs were poorly funded and not many 4 year folks went on to graduate school (except the chemical engineers) as the school of engineering was regarded and funded as a feeder program to industry in Maine, particularly the pulp and paper industry. I caught the tail end of the long run of pulp and paper calling the shots and once their influence diminished, the graduate program got built up, attracting new professors and the state started funding some major R&D infrastructure. They also finally got around to building a new engineering school complex recently.

BTW when I attended UMaine was coming off years of being mostly a party school. Maine's drinking age had been 18 and pot laws were a misdemeanor in Maine, while it was criminal offense in Mass and NH (and a lot of other states. It got and lived up to its rep as party school for out of staters. Maine upped the drinking age and cracked down on partying and it slowly lost the party school rep.

I used to have to walk across the entire campus every day in the winter and would have to thaw out my LCD calculator when I got to class. UMaine is on an island in the Penobscot river and in the winter the cold air from Northern Maine drains down the Penobscot River and after a clear night its usually the coldest place around.

My wife tells the story that the wind caught her backpack one day and blew her right off the sidewalk into the snow drift. Then there was the time they had to cancel finals…..

Anyway I want to know how they insulate that house.

 

[GrumpyDad]

More memories- when i was much younger , i used to belong to the AMA, and flew control line in competition. my first engine to drag a big stunt plane( apx 36" wingspan) around was a 2 stroke spark plug unit- magnito on the prop shaft,060 if i remember right, Conquistador i believe was the brand. I never got in to RC as I didn't have the green stamps for it. One of the guys built a model of a 4 engined US bomber- in RC. Remember when monocoat came out as well, never worked with it though. Had a couple combat units as well .049 cox powered.

That monocoat stuff was fun to work with. Wrap a part, do the edges, then just run the iron on the surfaces and it shrunk nice and tight usually. Still holding up on my aircraft today, even the gas soaked parts. My first engine was an Enya. It made a horrible noise like it was constantly diving into the ground. That plane moved so fast for my liking, and would make me so nervous to fly it. One time I was literally shaking when I was flying it, had a few close calls trying to land it and when I finally got it down my hands were shaking tremendously. I got up the nerve to fly much more and got much more adjusted to flying that plane, and I did crash it a couple of times but nothing I couldnt repair in an evening.
When you build something, even from a kit, and it takes weeks to complete - the nerves come out. When you just buy something and throw it out there to fly, with electric - it doesnt feel the same. I had an RTF (ready to fly) electric glider that was fun to fly but I wasnt nearly as connected to it as I was something that I built piece by piece.

 

[begreen]

This sounds like a good idea for a new thread on Model Planes in the Inglenook!

 

[begreen]

I think this could really open the door to new generation of house design and construction techniques that improve performance of the exterior envelope. Especially in terms of insulating performance, and structural integrity for severe weather events.

Agreed. The potential is huge for cost reduction and speed of construction, but also for structural strength, and creative design.