Silicone Kitchen Tongs Mold and Handle

thingiverse

This is a printable mold for silicone tongs and its handle, designed to make it a useful cooking tool that can withstand high heat by using silicone tongs instead of printing the entire thing. Like regular kitchen tongs, it has a lock at the end so you can lock them in place after use. The silicone tongs will snap into the handle and lock securely. To assemble this project, you'll need some additional hardware: - An M3-16 screw (at least 16mm long, but 18mm works too) - An M3-Hex nut to hold it all together - A Torsion spring to make the tongs open properly For the Torsion spring, you have a few options: - These cheap triggers on Amazon will do the trick: https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Buttons-Springs-Version-Controller/dp/B075WT2JY6 (use 2 or 3 together for best results) - You can find plenty of affordable options on eBay or Ali Express - If you're a maker, consider making your own Torsion spring using this design: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:88569 - This wire is perfect for the job: https://www.amazon.com/Hillman-Group-123106-Galvanized-Steel/dp/B000BPEQAE The Torsion spring maker and the wire are super handy for many other projects, so keep that in mind! Make sure the inner diameter of the spring is at least 3mm (0.12") to fit on the M3 screw. You can print both parts of the mold without supports, and it has room for silicone spill over - just snip the excess. Use some rubber bands to hold the two mold parts together while the silicone cures. For this project, use food-grade silicone like this: https://www.amazon.com/Smooth-Sil-Grade-Making-Silicone-Rubber/dp/B00EOA25X2 (plenty of quantities for lower prices). A quick note about Silicone Mold mix: there are different hardness levels measured as "Shore A Hardness". For this application, a hardness level from A40 to A60 will do the job! Check out my other Silicone Mold projects here: - Silicone Ice Cubes Tray Mold - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3190694 - Silicone Ice Balls Tray Mold - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3204617 - Silicone Oven Mitts Mold - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3190512 - Silicone Trivet Mold - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3192029 - Silicone Spatula Mold and Handle - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3198168