We got one of those "Fruit Bouquets" and, while picking off some choice pieces, I noticed the "skewers" were made of PET (and numerous.) When I broke down the rest of the fruit for the fridge I pulled out the 20-30 skewers and washed them in the sink. I am still using them for a variety of purposes like mixing epoxy, spacers (that don't "glue" with common glues) and the like. If I had seen a box of these on sale, I might have bought 'em. But these were free-free-free!
![[:Y:]](./images/smilies/smiley20.gif "Thumbs Up")
I am using polycarbonate tubes used to shield fluorescent tubes from breakage to store fret/coping saw blades. I am using the T8 size. I wish they were a bit smaller, but I discovered that some PVC plumbing caps were "cork-sized" and it has been pretty easy to assemble them. I squished a little grey foam into the caps to give the tubes a little "bounce" and protect the blades. I cut the tubes with a razor cutter for PVC pipe that operates like a copper pipe cutter (spin it around, blade cuts) because the Polycarb is supposed to stay together, not be cut, and my shop-shears were not working well, like I thought they would.
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I am using long "sweater" or "underbed" boxes to store thin wood. I am in SoCal, so retaining humidity is more of an issue than getting rid of it. The long boxes have been handy.
Gotta have my self-adhesive labelmaker. Yes, I can write, actually really well, but there is something calming amid the chaos about having the multitude of storage containers clearly and neatly labeled. The stickers can be peeled off and reused from PET type containers as needs shift. BORG sells the super-stick label rolls for good price, too.
When we had a plastic-bristled broom that was coming apart, I took a second look at it. the bristles were kind of bundled. So I pulled off the cover of the bristles (hard plastic shell) and pulled out the bristles (<1 min.) I took some galvanized wire (at hand) and bent a "U" shape and took some duct tape and wrapped both the wire and a bundle of the bristles. Boom, whiskish dust brush, but custom sized. I made six or so before I got tired and threw away the remainder of the broom, which would have probably made 6 more. (pic attach.)
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(BTW, the wire made a large hang loop so I could hang 'em anywhere. I would do this again in a minute. I would even BUY a cheap broom from BigLots, if I had to!)
Craft stores sell poly-based screen for latch-hook use in sheets. Again, nothing but epoxy sticks to it, PVA peels right off. Even CA finds no hold. A couple times I was "dipping" some unstable wood and needed a place to "drain" the dipped pieces. This screen worked great. Not kitchen, I guess, but still....
I uses small "semi-disposable" plastic lid containers, like GladWare, etc. Lid is tight enough to preserve liquid for a day or two or long enough to recoat something.
At the moment, thats all I can think of. I'm sure there is more....
