Roofing screws are available in carbon steel and hardened steel. And, as they are most commonly used for outdoor applications, they have a coating that protects them from the elements and stops rusting. They’re available in gauge sizes ranging from 4 to 6.3mm and lengths ranging from 16 to 120mm. So, to continue our series of working with cardboard, in today’s post, I want to talk all about different ways you can connect and join pieces of cardboard together. You can either glue these folded tabs to the piece of cardboard you want to connect it to, or you can even cut out slots to create a space for the tabs to go through – we call those tab and slot joints and will explain those next! Grub screws: work using a pinning action that pushes two surfaces against each other, negating the need for a nut. They are often used in applications requiring a small, unobtrusive screw.

Coach screws: these are driven into materials using a spanner through a square or hexagonal head. They provide robust and heavy-duty fixing. This method is best for open frames, where two sides need to be spaced apart but still aligned and stable. Simply cut rectangular standoffs from cardboard, and glue them at evenly spaced intervals on each side. It can be helpful to establish a theme for the class to build creations within to help those students who might struggle to come up with an idea of what to build. General ideas like Jurassic Park in cardboard, Star Wars, Hogwarts, etc. allow for free iteration within the theme. Give students at least 30 minutes of building time, then regroup to share their designs, ideas, and challenges. Have students disassemble their creations at the end of the class period to reuse the materials, or better yet create a display to share with the rest of the school!

Woodscrews are available in a range of materials such as carbon steel, hardened steel, zinc, stainless steel and solid brass. Brass is usually chosen for its appearance when combined with brass ironmongery such as hinges and door handles. Stainless steel is ideal for areas exposed to moisture, and carbon and hardened steel can be fitted without needing pre-drilled holes. In addition, all wood screw materials have high levels of corrosion resistance. They are available in gauge sizes ranging from 3 to 8mm and lengths from 12 to 300mm. Masonry screws are available in zinc, carbon steel, hardened steel, and high tensile steel. They have an anti-corrosive coating and are tarnish-resistant, making them suitable for outdoor use. They’re available in gauge sizes ranging from 3 to 10mm and lengths ranging from 16 to 200mm. Self-tapping and drilling screws are available in steel, carbon steel, and stainless steel. Gauge sizes range from 3.5 to 6.3mm, and lengths range from 12 to 120mm.

Again, these aren’t exceptionally strong – I would definitely NOT use these for furniture or anything of that sort. However, they are definitely a great thing to have in your creative toolbox, especially if you have students or kids who are interested in building things.

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Any old glue will do" is not really a good philosophy for gluing cardboard. Here are some tips for gluing with different types of glue: Good for use when gluing cardboard to paper sheets or foil. Infuriating because it dries too fast on paper and too slow on foil, this glue is rarely used in my workshop, so I don't generally keep it on hand. Versatile Applications: Chipboard screws are ideal for a wide range of woodworking projects. Whether you're constructing furniture, cabinets, shelves, or working with chipboard-based structures, these screws provide the strength and stability you need. Before buying screws, consider the type of project you need them for. Although some are designed for multipurpose use, others are more specialised and are designed for specific applications. Using the right type for the job will ensure they can take the load and stay securely in place. Look for features such as shanks that reduce wood split, twin threads for a fast and accurate drive, and tips that don’t require pre-drilling.

Entering speech mode, clears throat, and begins in a deep, clear voice* (Just read the bold if you don't like speeches.) To make a flange tab joint, you simply make several small cuts around the base of a tube and then fold the pieces so that it creates flange. Flange tab joints are what you’ll definitely want to use when you are trying to connect cardboard tubes such as tissue paper rolls to a flat piece of cardboard. Tiny brushes are useless for most things cardboard, I only use them for watercolor (which I don't use on cardboard).Reliable Fastening: With their specially designed threads, chipboard screws offer reliable and long-lasting fastening for soft timbers, MDF, and chipboard. The screws bite into the material, creating a tight and secure grip that minimises the risk of loosening over time. When you need your cardboard to be structurally stable at all points, e.g. for a shelf, making an X-frame with cardboard strips through the center from each corner is often the best way to do it. See the pictures for an example. Best for small parts or areas that will need painting, but won't work for edge joints. I don't use this glue much, but I keep it just in case. I just made a few of these boxes/trays -- at these dimensions they end up being 6 x 3 x 1 1/4. Works pretty well, although they're nowhere near as neat as the ones in the photos where the OP used inside-corner tape... >;-)

Those listed above are the most popular types, but there are other more specialist and less popular screw types available, such as: When choosing masonry screws, consider the load it will bear, as different types are suitable for medium or heavy-duty loads. I won't go into much detail, as I have less experience in this area, but for really complex designs or nice cutouts, a laser cutter is the best choice. It can do everything you could do with any of the other tools I've mentioned a lot faster and a lot more accurately than you can by hand. The only thing to watch out for is not catching the cardboard on fire! While cardboard can’t replace wood for certain things (like outdoor furniture or kitchen cabinets for example) – it does bring a lot of new possibilities for smaller projects, especially because cardboard is so easy to get for free.

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This method is a bit whimsical, dangerous, and not really accepted as a practical method for cutting cardboard, but man, is it fun! If you have an old, useless soldering iron, or a pyrography kit, this is a great and entertaining way to cut cardboard. Simply heat up your iron, and use it to burn through the cardboard. This is best done outdoors or in a garage, because it will set off fire alarms if you are doing it for a longer period. Get yourself one of those cutting mats. I like my 11x17 but you can get a nice 8.5 x 14 and it can still do the job well. Demonstrating this activity is quite simple - I usually create something in advance of class to show off. A simple robot, hat, puppet, etc. Have a piece of cardboard and demonstrate that it is easiest to use the ends of the saw or poking tool to create a hole in the cardboard you are trying to attach a screw to. Then use a screw to attach two pieces together. There are screws in two lengths, the longer ones are better for attaching 3-4 pieces of cardboard together, the shorter ones 2-3 thin pieces together. This is a great way to add additional elements to whatever you are building – especially when making cardboard sculptures and models. I generally do not limit what students can build, though will note that encouraging freestanding pieces or buildings is a good challenge, otherwise they will just build a fort around a table without the challenge of designing it to be structurally sound enough to be freestanding.