Unusal Stuff You Use For This Hobby?

Don, I remember seeing those kinds of needles at my grandmother's house when I was a kid (around 65 years ago). She was a seamstress, and made wedding dresses for a living. I don't know what she used them for, but they were always sitting right on top of the sewing machine so I guess she used them a lot.

I use the "blush brush", all types of nail sanding sticks, Q tips, plastic "credit cards" sent in trash mail, various pieces of material from electronics before they go out in the trash, and anything that looks like something I could use.

Jim

Lessee-----Baby Powder, Hand Cream, Toothpaste, Cold Cream, Nail Polish Remover, Clothes Pins, Asst. electronic parts, Change of Clothes, Vodka, Pack of Smokes and a Mossberg for when things REALLY go south.

I use quite a bit of those plastic things that keep the bread bags closed.  Not sure of what they are called or really made of but it gives me an almost endless supply of small scrap plastic.  Works with cement you use normally on your kit.

You Do Know :

That boat anchor has a modeling use too ? If you are building a large model (say the 1/350  Enterprise carrier) you can actually use it carefully to hold down the deck while gluing it .Yes ! the plastic will support it . Just make sure you have a piece of 1/4 inch plywood between it and the model !

I use straight pins to assemble Fruiels, small tapered dentil brushes for air brush cleaning and my 10# boat anchor to take my frustations out on an crappy kit.     acceses5     ON BENCH CYBER HOBBY 1/35 JADGPANZER IV A-O            

I used the plastic sticks from cheap q-tips (just cut off the ends) to fabricate the missing tube structures on my Eagle 1 model. I got it used off e-bay and it was missing a lot of the original ones. I also use a ton of the triangular makeup sponges for all kinds of things.

I use those cheapo make-up sponges that you get by the bagful at dollar stores. The most frequent use for them is wiping the brim of the paint bottle after opening it, or wiping up small paint spills. I'll also use one as a cushion for small painted parts I don't want to scratch up. (I even used about five of them to silence the rattling air-conditioning vent in the living room and others to silence the plastic drip tray under the refrigerator and keep it from "buzzing.")

Years ago, a respiratory therapist buddy of mine (who works in a hospital) gave me one of those vomit trays (clean, of course!), certainly as a joke, but I soon learned its unusual kidney shape fits around small or multiple sub-assemblies that I want to keep the dust off of, so the tray sees frequent use as a dust cover. 

Gee, I don't remember exactly.  They were needles with eyes, not hooks. I made the hook one myself by cutting away the eye in part.  Both had very large needle eyes on end. Bought two of same needle. One for hook, one for fork.

Hi , Texgunner !

Youse did dat too ? I useta take dem pick-up stick tingys (ya no da roun ones ) an use dem for piping on Tanker decks , worked great too . He ! He !     Tanker - Builder

I use guitar string for springs on 1/48 scale aircraft such as a tail wheel retracting spring. The strings come in different sizes so theres usually a size for the application. Paint em a steel color and apply a wash is all that's needed!

When I built model cars as a "yout", I fabricated funny car chassis from Pick Up Sticks.  I cut off the pointy ends and they made acceptable substitutes for steel tubing.

Gary

Were those knitting needles or crochet hooks? I don't remember any of my mom's knitting needles having eyes, or crochet hooks having them neither.

Lee

I made a set of ship rigging tooks from knitting needles.  Took two needles. On one I clipped out a section of the side of an eye, making a hook for hooking threads and pulling them back outside existing rigging.  On the other I sawed the eye in half making a fork, to push a length of thread inside of existing rigging.  Sometimes I use them consecutively, pushing a thread through with the fork, then hooking it with the hook to pull it back out on the other side of an existing thread like a stay.

I use plastic knitting needles for shafting and piping and other round stock items. They come in millimeter sizing which is a direct conversion to 1/25th scale. They machine very well in a mini-lathe.

Carl

Speaking of paper toweling earlier this summer the wife picked up a new product (new to me) for a road trip.

Its called "Viva-on the go paper napkins". They work like a box of Kleenex. Same material as Viva paper towels and about half the size.

I've been using the remainder of the box and so far I love them!!!

Chrisk-k

Well, I use an "Always Women's Pad" for removing paints for dry brushing.  A single pad absorbs a ton of paints and lasts for a year for me. 

Fingernail files-polish-remover, makeup brushes, sponges, powered makeup is one thing. Sanitary napkins? NOPE!!!!! I guess I'm just too "old school".

hi :

   I sometimes use those .Mostly my odd stuff is jewelry chain (very small ) slip rings ( Again , very small ) and other stuff that has me going to the beauty supply store .The " Big " brush (Blush Brush ) is very useful for bathing a dusty model too . I haunt my Home Depot and Lowes as well as " the " hardware store which is HENNE'S In New Braunfels . This place has been around so long they still know the names (proper ) for ALL the little woodworking files that are super valuable to a model builder . Then I make a trip to the local medical supply place for tweezers and things like that . This is where , believe it or not I got replacement air hose for my old compressor .It works great on the new one too .I can see if I am getting a moisture buildup and blow it out .             Tanker - Builder

Hairspray, Windex, Klear,  etc.

all sorts of stuff from the art & crafts shop, like tiger wire & irridescents

I keep a number of items of "supply" that I pick up at places other than hobby shops. I go through a lot of paper toweling. I also use a lot of toothpicks, q-tips, business cards and other items of card stock, and plastic wrap and plastic baggies. I also, like Colin, keep a supply of felt marking pens handy.

I use the thick brush that comes with woman's make-up to remove dust off of my models

John

A very fine black marker.  (0.3mm)  Great for eyebrows and other really fine lines.

I have found a sledge hammer useful at times....