With Christmas coming up, I thought I would put up some hobby reuse ideas for after the presents have all been opened…
1. Wrapping paper – save a sheet or two to use as a backdrop when using an airbrush or primer to keep your surroundings safe from overspray.
2. Plastic clamshells / windows – the clear windows from cut out boxes are great to use for mixing 2 part epoxies or resins because they are disposable after application, and any vacuum formed clamshells from packaging are good for holding any small metal models while stripping also because they are disposable.
3. Securing bands – the tiny rubber bands holding toys in their packaging are good for keeping small pieces together while waiting for glue to set.
4. Thick wall cardboard - the best reuse item that I’ve found is cutting up boxes into strips, and then using them as model holders while batch painting. For models without a base, I use round dowels to hold them during priming and painting which fit nicely into the interior corrugations of the cardboard, and then transfer the models over to clear acrylic after they are finished. Previously, pushing the dowels into clay or foam to hold them between colors always ended up with them coming loose and falling, but I have not yet had any issues with cardboard.
Merry Christmas!
