With only raw wood and a few stainless brad nails, you can make this D.I.Y Wood Tofu Mold all by yourself, from start to finish–for under 6 dollars!
I have been using a makeshift tofu mold to make my own sprouted tofu for a while, and it worked well. However, at some point, I wanted something easier to use.
Unfortunately, most tofu molds I found online were too big for the amount of the tofu I wanted to make. I also didn’t feel like the high prices were worth it. So, I looked for a way to make this on my own–from scratch just like my favorite foods.
As I already had an idea of the size I wanted, I made sure I could get the supplies I needed to make it happen.
I went to my local home-improvement store to look for the material I wanted to build it with. I couldn’t find the exact pieces I wanted, but it was close enough that I was happy. So, I bought 2 pieces of wood in 2 different sizes, and a small box of stainless brad nails.
After I purchased the material, I drew a simple design according to the real size of the wood I bought. I experimented with a few different sizes and finally was happy with the size of 3 ¼” x 4-½” (about 9 x 13 cm.), measured on the inside.
With this dimension, I get the right amount of tofu I want to make for one meal. It’s also perfect for usinga pint jar (with water) as a weight to press the tofu.
When I was satisfied with the design and scale, I used a hand saw to cut the wood according to my design and assembled everything together in about an hour.
Making this D.I.Y Wood Tofu mold, I didn’t have any trash afterward.
If you are looking for a tofu mold that you can proudly make by yourself, let me show you how.
Things you need for making D.I.Y Wood Tofu Mold:
- 1 piece of .25” x 2.5” x 48” (0.6 x 6.4 x 122 cm) un-treated poplar wood or any kind of raw, food-safe wood.
- 1 piece of ⅜” x 3’ (1 x 92 cm) raw, food-safe wood
- One box of #18 x ⅝” (1.6 cm) stainless brad nails
- A hand saw and a hammer–you probably already have these at home.
- A wooden board or table you can use to nail the wood on top of.
Design & Dimensions:
Note: This D.I. Y Wood Tofu Mold is 3 ¼” x 4.5” (about 9 x 13 cm.) inside. Feel free to adjust the dimensions below. However, this size is perfect for a small tofu mold and great to use a pint jar filled with water for a weight.
- A: 2.5” x 5” (6.4 x 12.7 cm) = (2) total
- B: 2.5” x 3 ¼” (6.4 x 8.3 cm)= (2) total
- C: 3” x 4 ⅜” (7.6 x 14 cm) = (2) total. Note: you need to cut the wood 1.5” x 4 ⅜” (3.8 x 14 cm) for (2) pieces to make each piece C. Therefore, (4) pieces of the size of 1.5” x 4 ⅜” (3.8 x 14 cm) are needed to make (2) C pieces.
a simple design
practical dimension
Instructions:
- Mark the dimensions on the wood according to the design.
- Cut the wood, sand, wash and let it dry.
- Part 1: Assembling the box: mark the wood’s thickness on the A pieces at the edge, then mark spots in the middle where they will be nailed. Use brad nails to start on the A pieces, then nail into the B pieces. Now you have the box.
- Part 2: Assembling the base. Use a D piece to mark the C pieces. From the edge of the C piece, set it back ⅜ inch (1 cm), then use a D piece to mark its thickness on both sides. Next, mark spots in the middle of the piece where they will be nailed. Use brad nails to partially set, then nail into the D pieces on both ends. Now, you have the base.
- Part 3: Assembling the follower (lid). Use an E piece to mark its thickness on the C piece at both ends. Mark spots in the middle of the where they will be nailed. Use brad nails to start the nails, then nail into the E pieces. Now you have the follower.
- Done. You can use it to make tofu easily from now on.
cut and sand the wood
drying the wood after washing
partially set the nails
nail into the bottom piece
the box
the base
the follower
a pint jar filled with water is perfect for a weight
Have you made D.I.Y Wood Tofu Mold by yourself before? Please share it with me, I’d like to hear about it!
