Using the plastic frames (junk) of models for other uses!

I mostly use them for antenna and stock for round pieces. I also use them as the braces for my painting stand...

I use the stuff all the time. You can find all sorts of odd ball shapes in the mix not to mention the miles of stretched sprue for antennas, piping, wires ect. Pretty handy stuff when scratch building. I also remember someone having shaved off the part numbers and used them for serial numbers on a large scale tank.

Sprue can also be used for extra support, glued on the inside of the model.

I have never made buildings or scaffolding out of sprue, but I did make a multi barrel rocketlauncher with sprue.

I'd love to see some pics of some of this stuff you've all described. Especially the rocket launcher.

I made a german lookout tower and a brige with the sprue. Looked like they made it out of logs. That was years ago though.

I have made tool racks for some of my NASCAR garage dio's before using the sprue.

Just last night I used some old sprue to make rack for spraying landing gear parts. Wrap some fine wire around the oleos, string it up in a sprue frame and whammo all sides can be hit in one pass. I'm sure this wasn't an original thought though.

I cut a piece from a corner forming an L about 2 or so inches tall wtith the bottom of the L about a quater inch. Put in the Dremel chuck and mix old paints that have really settled out. I have the old speed control so I can get the RPM's down.

I've glued small parts to stretched sprue for painting. It's nice because you can make it just the size you need and it even comes with the kit! Sometimes I've even used stretched sprue to paint tiny parts.

Sprue is great stuff!
All 11 smoke dischargers (6 on the turret, 5 on the hull) on my old 1/25 Tamiya Tiger I are drilled out bits of sprue.
Here's a pic:




I also like using sprue to make weld beads. I used about a mile of stretched sprue to make all the welds on my MBT-70.
You can barely see some of them here:



Lots of uses for sprue!
I'd certainly hesitate to call it "garbage!"

those are great models Brian. can you describe what you do for the weld beads effect w/sprue?

I cut them about...4 to 5 inches long and use them to stir paints!

QUOTE: Originally posted by jcheung5150 those are great models Brian. can you describe what you do for the weld beads effect w/sprue?

Thanks!

For the welds, I roughly cut a bit of stretched sprue (of a diameter I think is "right" for the weld I want to make), lay it on the places I want the welds to be, then apply Tamiya Super Thin cement. Capillary action glues the bits of sprue down. After cutting off the excess sprue, I go back and cover the whole thing with more Tamiya Super Thin. I wait a second, then use an X-Acto (with a broken tip) to sculpt in the weld bead look into the softened sprue. Looks like a weld to me!
Couldn't be simpler.
Make sure to use Tamiya (or any other brand) Super Thin Cement, since the regular stuff is too thick and will gum up the bead and the surrounding plastic.

Good luck!

QUOTE: Originally posted by Duke Maddog Especially the rocket launcher.

I don't know if I stil have it, I will have to a look in my spares boxes.

QUOTE: Originally posted by RemcoGrob QUOTE: Originally posted by Duke Maddog Especially the rocket launcher. I don't know if I stil have it, I will have to a look in my spares boxes.

Cool! I'll be watching for it.

I scratch build a lot of parts for trucks. Round sprue cut into the proper lengths can make a respectable tail light. I hollow out the end with a drill bit, paint silver and then transparent red, and add a drop of Krystal Klear. The outside can be painted silver for a highway tractor or black for a construction vehicle.