How Used Chopsticks Are Turned Into Tables, Tiles, And Other Furniture in Canada
- Thread starter ChuckM
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The look is cool. It certainly raises a lot of questions that you get in the whole lifecycle discussion. What is the cost of the processing of used chopstix and is there a new cost of making the re-use aesthetic vs say turning them into pulp and transforming them to paper. In other words what's the shortest least expensive in terms of resources way to re-use this product. Making a durable good like a table could be it when you consider everything, but its a good question to ask.
I totally love the idea of making 2 top and 4 top tables for restaurants. Perhaps a veneer approach would give you some options on careful layout of the stix into interesting patterns vs the tile they have now.
I like that they are doing this kind of thing and hope they continue to make creative solutions.
I totally love the idea of making 2 top and 4 top tables for restaurants. Perhaps a veneer approach would give you some options on careful layout of the stix into interesting patterns vs the tile they have now.
I like that they are doing this kind of thing and hope they continue to make creative solutions.
squall_line
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I didn't read it all the way through, but I wonder if the franchise agreement requires Festool sanders in the shop setup. 
Fun video!
Fun video!
rmhinden said:
For sure. Honestly, it would not cost a lot to do high speed sorting. I'm a software engineer for 60% of my time. This is basic parts sorting that can be done with an inexpensive computer and camera system.
At a high level there are probably two types of stix. Bamboo and not bamboo. I'm guessing this company is only picking up from restaurants that use the material they want and they are not mixing. Then you have the pull apart type and the type that's already separated. The former being a problem with consistent stick end from the unpredictability of the separation process. So I see wanting to sort out the sticks with the hanging chad on them for further processing. I could then see an opportunity to sort and align by taper direction so you can potentially alternate the alignment when laying them out and layering them for the maximum density. You could also remove the taper mechanically by pressing through a cutter vs using using a spinning cutter etc. This would probably reduce the quantity of resin needed. Maybe their compression method solves this completely but that method also dictates the size limitation.
I feel like moisture and sanitation should be handled upfront rather than what they are doing post resin dip. Perhaps the sticks aren't picking up too much moisture from use or transport. I'd think through a longer bake at a lower temp to kill everything under vacuum followed by a resin bath to get the best penetration.
I feel like they could also carbonize the bamboo chopsticks to make more interesting combinations with variation in stick colors.
luvmytoolz
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I finally got around to watching the video and some parts of it didn't make complete sense to me.
Firstly I don't know what the restaurants are like there, but most of the ones I've been to the chopsticks end up pretty much covered with sauce and food. I've rarely seen used chopsticks looking like they're new with no globs of food or waste thrown in with them. I wonder if the restaurants are cleaning them before they bag them?
The process seems strange though as others have commented, coating them with resin and then roasting them to kill germs, then they break them all apart laying them in a tray where a press applies pressure to compress them into blocks. If they were roasted after the resin treatment, and then broken apart, how do they stay in a block instead of just falling apart? They aren't fused at the cellular level, and the resin should be cured by the earlier processes, so I think there must be some steps missing.
I do really love the idea of recycling though as I really can't stand waste of any kind, so I think it's great companies like this are doing that, it is getting increasingly important. Although I must admit from the short video this company is extremely labour intensive.
Firstly I don't know what the restaurants are like there, but most of the ones I've been to the chopsticks end up pretty much covered with sauce and food. I've rarely seen used chopsticks looking like they're new with no globs of food or waste thrown in with them. I wonder if the restaurants are cleaning them before they bag them?
The process seems strange though as others have commented, coating them with resin and then roasting them to kill germs, then they break them all apart laying them in a tray where a press applies pressure to compress them into blocks. If they were roasted after the resin treatment, and then broken apart, how do they stay in a block instead of just falling apart? They aren't fused at the cellular level, and the resin should be cured by the earlier processes, so I think there must be some steps missing.
I do really love the idea of recycling though as I really can't stand waste of any kind, so I think it's great companies like this are doing that, it is getting increasingly important. Although I must admit from the short video this company is extremely labour intensive.
I like the look but I have always been a sucker for the bamboo look. At some point one has to wonder why not just learn to use a fork. Eating soup like in the video two handed with chop sticks in one and a spoon in the other just seems inefficient at best. I dont know if silverware is an option there and people just prefer the sticks. I will say they are probably better renewable wise than all the plastic silverware the US uses and plastic garbage but compared to some stainless flatware that will last generations seems much more environmentally friendly long term.
