Adhering/binding cardboard without adhesive.?

Question

I need to create a structure out of cardboard (I've got some strawboard) without using any glue/adhesives. Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm not allowed to use corrugated cardboard either. Oh and my structure has to be able to withstand the weight of a 5-litre bucket filled with water. Any suggestions of how I can bind or basically put the cardboard together would be great. I'm cutting slits into it and building on the idea of a cross-axis house-of-cards kinda thing...but there are areas which I need to bind together. Thanks

Answer 1

I assume you are allowed string or wire.
The most stable structure you can possibly make is if you roll cardboard strips of equal width up. The tighter you roll them (less space between the layers) the more stable they will be. Once you are done tie up with string. Drawback, you are going to need a lot of cardboard to achieve any diameter, though you can get a lot of cardboard boxes free from most stores. Or if you are allowed to substitute newspaper that would work as well. If it is more or less solid paper/cardboard, you should be able to even sit on it without any problem.
Generally a cylindrical shape will be most stable, and you could also make a couple of round rings of different sizes but equal height. bind each with string. Put a couple inside each other and put flat piece of cardboard on top. That also should be able to carry some weight.

Answer 2

If you are willing to make up a mechanical press, 2 pieces of paper/cardboard that get placed together, then deformed a lot while under pressure will stick together very well. Take a look at the seam on a paper wrapper for a soda straw. That's made without glue. If you place two sheets of cardboard on a bed of nails, then press or hammer on top of a piece of wood that has clearance holes for the nails, the sheets should marry fairly solidly.

Answer 3

You could do the Tab A fits into Slot B thing, the way cardboard displays are held together... one piece will have a tab sticking out from it, and the tab will fit into a slot on the adjoining piece.

Or you can cut slits halfway though each vertical where it crosses another at 90 degrees... this picture explains better
http://www.cactuscontainers.com/DieCutBoxes/box-dividers.html

Here's a clever step-by-step on how to build carton dividers
http://islandmovingsupplies.com/page/14goq/Home/Assembly_Help.html

have fun!

Answer 4

is water considered adhesive... u could soak the piece's, bind them together with allot of pressure, and let dry. good luck sounds difficult