Soil Block Tongs

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Summary Soil blocks are a revolutionary method of raising seedlings in compact, compressed soil blocks instead of traditional pots. The innovative idea is that the soil block can be seamlessly inserted into a larger soil block as the seedling grows, ultimately allowing the whole block to be planted in the garden with minimal disturbance to the plant's root system. The smallest soil blocks are 3/4" cubes, which can be easily handled by these specialized tongs designed to support them on all sides. Created using Tinkercad, this innovative tool is available for editing online at https://www.tinkercad.com/things/en9jhNmmKlW. Instructions I recommend using ABS as it provides superior strength and durability compared to PLA, which may be too brittle to withstand the flexing of the tongs. This print requires some finesse, but with proper technique, you can achieve a successful result. The handle part of the tongs is printed in two towers joined at the top, and supports were found to be unnecessary due to their height. However, the biggest challenge lies in preventing the print head from dragging on the towers, which act as levers on the base, causing the entire print to tear loose. A solid raft is essential for a successful print, and the two winglets on the outer corners provide added stability by preventing the towers from wobbling during construction. These can be removed once complete. Print at 100% fill, ensuring good layer adhesion, and consider using a print cooling fan to cool the print as it exceeds the paddles. Additionally, ensure that the ABS has cooled sufficiently between layers to prevent the handles from dragging on the print head.