# something old is new again



## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

it might be fun to start a thread on what an item might be used for. put up an idea and lets run with it. :2thumb:
for example :idea:
an old tire... a swing, tread on shoes, hinges for doors.
bent nails.....??


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

More about tires... Used as planters, can make snowshoes out of them, Can make a retaining wall with them.

Old bedsheets...Garden covers on frosty nights, cut into cloth diapers for babies, cut into squares for TP after TSHTF, braided into rugs, used as lining in quilts.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

gypsysue said:


> More about tires... Used as planters, can make snowshoes out of them, Can make a retaining wall with them.
> 
> Old bedsheets...Garden covers on frosty nights, cut into cloth diapers for babies, cut into squares for TP after TSHTF, braided into rugs, used as lining in quilts.


 old tires, a safe haven for mosquitos, I use a few for planters. but I leave as much dirt as possible in them to keep out the water and mosquitos


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

Used saws all blades become knives with a small amount of work.

The hammermill knives from my boys work become strikers fer flint an steel or can be made inta knives to.

Tin cans make great billy cans, cups an stoves.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

*News papers*

News papers!

Mulch for the garden to keep down weeds, torn strips for compost/organic material in the garden, insulation, block light from windows, cleaning/scrubbing, starting fires, reading material (even old news is new news if you had not heard it before!), toilet paper, child occupier (hats, boats, airplanes, snowflakes, dolls&#8230, adult occupier, (hats, boats, airplanes, snowflakes, dolls&#8230, clean up spills, exercise (tearing them into thin strips for compost pile)&#8230; So many uses!

I collect the Wall Street Journal from work; usually get three copies a day. By springtime I have a pretty good pile but they go quickly once the garden starts up. I would really miss having the constant supply if TSHTF. I used to buy the local Sunday paper for coupons (okokok and the comics) but discontinued due to their way too biased outlook.


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## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

Old tires can make a dandy backstop for a range. Set a fence post in the ground. Thread a few tires over it and fill them with dirt and pack. Add more tires and fill until the top of the post is reached. Repeat the process with more tires and fence posts in a line, then stagger a second line behind the first.


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## Turtle (Dec 10, 2009)

Old bicycle inner tubes can be really handy: cut them in the middle, tie off one end, fill with beach sand, and they make great little sandbags to contain spills, put in front of doors to stop a draft. They can also be cut up in to patches for other tubes or nonslip gaskets between metal to keep from scratching finishes.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Woody said:


> News papers!
> 
> Mulch for the garden to keep down weeds, torn strips for compost/organic material in the garden, insulation, block light from windows, cleaning/scrubbing, starting fires, reading material (even old news is new news if you had not heard it before!), toilet paper, child occupier (hats, boats, airplanes, snowflakes, dolls&#8230, adult occupier, (hats, boats, airplanes, snowflakes, dolls&#8230, clean up spills, exercise (tearing them into thin strips for compost pile)&#8230; So many uses!


Packing around glass objects, foundation papers for string quilts, roll into spills for starting fires, use strips for sewing thin suede without a roller or walking foot.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

The mesh bags we buy fruit in are used for storeing our onions & garlic. Rolled into a ball and secured with a string they make good scrubbies. I have a bar of lava hand soap in one tied to the out door sink for washing hands.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

I used a mesh bag from onions the other day to hold some tiny fabric items while they were in the wash.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

LilRedHen said:


> I used a mesh bag from onions the other day to hold some tiny fabric items while they were in the wash.


I use these to boil turkey carcasses in when making soup so that I don't have to worry about bones.


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## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

Frisbees!

When at the beach, I like to erect an "Easy Up" to provide some shade. Too often a stiff breeze likes to pick it up and move it, or even blow it over.

I took four frisbees I bought for .50 ea., drilled a hole through the middle, and attached an eye bolt using nuts and washers on front and back to keep it tight.

I dig a hole in the sand, lay the frisbee at the bottom, attach a guy line to the eye bolt, then cover it all up. The other end of the guy line is attached to the Easy Up, (or beach umbrella using a prusik). One "frisbee anchor" on each corner secures the shelter in about every thing besides a hurricane.:2thumb:


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

lotsoflead said:


> old tires, a safe haven for mosquitos, I use a few for planters. but I leave as much dirt as possible in them to keep out the water and mosquitos


We cut out the sidewalls and just use the 'tread' part, for planters. More usable planting space, plus no mosquito nurseries!


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

*Cardboard boxes*

Used as is to cram 'stuff' into for storage.

Used as a heavy 'mulch' between rows in the garden. Holds in moisture, holds down weed growth and hold down mud.

Burning of course.

Cushioning between items. A layer of cardboard keeps fragile items from bumping against each other.

Remade into other useful size boxes. With my handy dandy glue gun I can make any size box I need. Perfect for on the metal shelving storage units. I can make a box to not only fit the shelves but to fit different items I have. And boxes can be had in lots of places, even the bailed ones can be reused, as in refrigerator or stove boxes. Check the local ABC (liquor store) they have lots of free boxes. Don't forget to take the dividers! They can be made into small boxes that turn the original box into a mini-storage unit for small items. Or burning them works too. Make a large one into several smaller ones or several small ones into a large one.

For small storage shelves. I took a heavy duty box and made it into smaller shelves in the small item storage closet. You could even take two or three layers of a standard box and glue them together to make a heavier shelf. For example: on one standard shelf I have two tiers, one to hold bandage/first aid supplies and on top of that medicinal supplies. Handy little boxes that fit perfectly on those shelves (and fit items nicely) slide onto the shelves and are labeled. Sure wood would be just as good but boxes are free and I bought *many* pounds of glue sticks years ago. Would I build a constant use thing out of them, no. But for occasional use storage they are great. Example: If I have a cut that requires a bandage I do not go into the closet every day, or twice a day to get one. I pull a box out and keep it out until the cut is healed then put the box back into storage. Of course, being an old bachelor this is feasible. With a lot of folks around it might not be possible to have something like that out on the table for a few days and expect it to be undisturbed (or where you left it for that matter!).


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## VUnder (Sep 1, 2011)

You can keep old nylon stockings with you in case you pass by a thriving convenience store or liquor store.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I've seen people use old tires to hold wood they were splitting with a maul to keep it from flying all over the place. There are videos on youtube and it seems to work fairly well.


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

VUnder said:


> You can keep old nylon stockings with you in case you pass by a thriving convenience store or liquor store.


They also make great varnish strainers.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

*nylons*

we used to keep nylons in the car in case a belt broke.used it once and it got me off the road and home where I could fix it right.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

*tea bags and tobacco*

used tea bags are good to put on burns. keep a couple in the fridge and use as a poultice. 
tobacco can be used on bee stings and other bites..


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

*reflective car shades*

reflective car shades can be used for making a solar oven. they can be used for back lighting candles. (they tend to be safer for candles because the are fire resistant.)


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

stayingthegame said:


> we used to keep nylons in the car in case a belt broke.used it once and it got me off the road and home where I could fix it right.


I like to think I at least have a fair modicum of mechanical knowledge and I have never been able to get this to work, ever.

What kind of vehicle and which belt did you replace on it?

you can make a very effective full body swimsuit that will stop many jellyfish stings(takes 4 pairs) out of a double layer of large pantyhose with a hole for your head to go through cut in the crotches of two & the other sets worn normal. you know, in case you want to be The Jellyfish Whisperer.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

water on an old vailent '68 only need to o about 10 miles but it was summer in the south.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

I have used old nylon stocking to tie up plants in the garden.


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## LilRedHen (Aug 28, 2011)

Clarice said:


> I have used old nylon stocking to tie up plants in the garden.


I cut up the Rooster's old T-shirts and use to tie up plants in the garden, also makes great dusting rags.

In the winter, if I take the plastic feed sacks back to the feed mill, they will refill them for me and give me a small discount for the sacks. For the second and later fill ups they use short lengths of baler twine to tie the end instead of sewing. I take a clean milk jug to the barn to save the strings in and use them later to tie up things in the garden.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

*flour sacks of old*

grandma used them to make quilts, aprons and dresses for little girls. I used them to wrap my fruitcake in when I soak them with whiskey.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Old tires: what, nobody here has made shoe soles of them? They work great. The last pair of tire sandals I made were very comfortable. They used to be better known back in the 60s during vietnam war.
Old Tee-shirts: cut into strips make wonderful crocheted rugs, baskets, mats, etc because they stretch and do not ravel. Cut them up for gun-cleaning patches. They also make nice, stretchy bandages for holding dressings on wounds; jelly-juice or cider strainers; and tie up tomatoes without hurting them as they grow (again, due to the stretch). Cut sleeves into rings and use on a potholder loom. 
Old socks: expedient mittens; as polishing cloths when worn on hands to fit into tight/intricate places; cut into loops for potholder looms; tied in multiple knots for a doggie tug-toy; make excellent fabric for fat lamp wicks.
Mesh bags: make great 'scrubbies', much, much stronger than store bought. Good for cleaning bugs off bumpers and such.
Old day-lily leaves: make excellent cordage, after you have eaten the edible parts, of course. Ditto nettle stems
Old pantyhose do indeed make an excellent motor belt, still. When they break from THAT, save for shoe polishing!
Old Mylar Space Blankets: can be squeegeed onto windows for privacy and climate control. 

Just a few things I can think of off the top of my head...I never throw out much, because nearly everything can be recycled!


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