I made some sturdy VFLATs for my studio from thick Styrofoam boards and 3d printed parts without using any tape – LOL. They came out great! Here is how I made them.

Equipment

2x white Styrofoam boards 2000x1000x30mm
Black matte, acrylic water-based paint
Paint roller
Wood screws d=4mm x 40mm
3D printed folding screen hinges
3D printed corner protectors
Pieces of 1.75mm filament as shaft

I had to order online some white thick Styrofoam boards 2000x1000x30mm because our home-improvement market has only small pieces for sale. Use a paint roller and acrylic water-based paint (matte black) and paint one side black. I designed and 3d printed a double-action/folding screen hinge from PETG based on the ones made from metal.

This unique hinge was invented in the 1920s and it’s a great idea. For the hinge shaft, I used some pieces of 1.75mm filament and assembled everything. Afterwards, I used some standard d=4x40mm wood screws and fixed the 3d parts to the Styrofoam boards. The screws hold pretty well in the Styrofoam. Check the video below to see how this unique hinge works.

 

These unique hinges are designed with multiple pivot points to allow for dual movement.

You can download the files for 3d printing here and here.

Editor’s Note: Don’t forget to check out these other DIY V-Flat articles, here, here and here!

About the Author

Daniel Schweinert is a Director of Photography, VFX artist & Tech geek based in Germaringen, Germany. You can see more of his work on his website, Instagram, Vimeo, and Youtube. This article was also published here and shared with permission.