Empty battery shells...

Joined
May 25, 2017
Messages
548
What do you all do with your empty laptop battery shells? My recycler won't take them. They take individual cells, the battery electronics, but the shells are apparently no good without the cells. Sometimes I feel like I live in the land that progress forgot.

I hate to throw them in the landfill. I'm thinking I might melt them down and make knife handles or something out of them.
 
Well, by my local law they are considered waste and belong in the bin together with the rest of the usual household waste. They aren't product packaging either so they are not qualified to go into the recycling bin with the rest of the plastics. The system is a bit stupid and has been like this for years. Yours is probably not much better as it seems.
 
Melt them down and make something more useful from them. That is, if you have the time and tools/skills
 
Plastic goes to plastic bin. Electronic to electronic and battery to battery

My recycler is totally fine with that and he is happy to get them even better sorted when i come back
 
Interesting website!
I've been considering heating them up and molding them into new shells to fit the batteries I build. I've got a small oven and some other stuff I could adapt for the purpose. :)
 
Well, Precious Plastics machines are too complex for my DIY ability, but the ideas are great, and I'm interested in building a simplified version of their shredder and press. I've still got this in the back of my mind although I haven't made any progress. If it works, I could reuse all sorts of plastics besides just the battery shells.

This shredder design looks promising, although I think I'd leave out the fancy electronics.
 
That's kewl! I like the concept and how easy it was to build. By showing this, it can be easily scaled up in size and power at home.
Right off, I'd change the motor assembly to use a gear box to add far more torque to it. Also use Grade 8 washers for the cutters.
 
Same here. I haven't identified the plastic yet (though I also haven't put much effort into it) and there are no markings. I have a lot of projects to do, but this one is definitely on my short list. :)
 
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