Upcycling/recycling inner tubes

[Gravity Aided]

These are nice for specialty needs. I use one to hold my broken credit card holder together. The thinner you make them, the more they stretch, and vice versa.

 

[ColinJ]

These are nice for specialty needs. I use one to hold my broken credit card holder together. The thinner you make them, the more they stretch, and vice versa.

Thinking about it, my free 'postal issue' bands tend to snap after a few weeks of use. I think it is because they have been lying around in the sun and rain for enough time before I pick them up for the rubber to start to perish.

Tube-sourced bands should be a lot tougher.

 

[classic33]

That's a very good idea, which I hadn't thought of! I'll make some next time I scrap a tube. Obviously, bands can be made by cutting across the width of a tube (MTB tubes would be good for longer ones made that way), but bands of arbitrary length could be made by cutting strips along the length of a tube and then joining the ends with a reef knot.

Mind you, our local postal workers drop so many used rubber bands on the streets round here that I don't really need more!

Make a diagonal cut when using larger tubes.

 

[ColinJ]

Make a diagonal cut when using larger tubes.

D'oh - I didn't think of that either!

 

[Tom B]

I started using old tubes as tree ties. They don't cut into the tree, the stretch with growth then after about 7 years perish and snap off.

I've given a bunch to one of the local woodland charities for them to try.

 

[Chris S]

I've just made a belt out of an old inner tube and a buckle from a rucksack. You can still see the lettering on it. It should look good on a pair of jeans at a rock gig.