The Crafting Station is an advanced crafting table that has multiple different functions. There’s an internal inventory from which items will be pulled automatically when crafting something. The 3×3 output grid is only used for certain special recipes that only work through the crafting station, like cardboard enchanting and repairing.
By default, the crafting station can’t craft automatically, but this can be turned on in the config file. The bottom of the block will look different depending on this setting. When enabled, automated systems, like hoppers, can pull the crafting result out of the bottom. Of course they won’t clear items from the crafting grid, so the items required for crafting the recipes have to be present in the internal inventory.
(If crates are disabled the recipe will use a chest instead.)
Cardboard Stuff!
Cardboard Sheets can be made from paper and slimeballs. They’re used to craft Cardboard Boxes, Armor and Tools. Yaaay cardboard!
Cardboard Boxes are one-use portable storage blocks with 9 slots. Place them, fill them, take them with you and then place them back down. After you’ve placed down a cardboard box which contains items, destroying it won’t drop another cardboard box.
Cardboard Armor and Tools are very weak and pretty much useless, but they can all be colored. Yes, even the tools. They’re meant as an alternative to leather armor for tournaments and such.
Cardboard items can be enchanted and repaired easily on the crafting station.
For a very low experience cost and without even using up the book you can put any enchantment you want on them. If you enchant them step by step, for example first applying protection I, then protection II, up to level IV, you can save 1 experience level per enchantment step. Simple enchantments such as protection and efficiency are free, but multiple enchantments on an item will increase the cost. The image below shows a full set of armor being enchanted with a protection 4 book.
Repairing is straight-forward too. One cardboard sheet can repair 100 points of damage. You have to fully repair all cardboard items in one crafting process, so you may need multiple cardboard sheets to repair multiple cardboard items. If the items are enchanted, you may have to pay some experience levels too. But unlike regular items in an anvil, the cost will never go up.