Recycling Tips!?

[Polda 4,281]

Let's start a community thread for those of us who will not be using pink foam and plasticard to scratch build their own buildings and machinery.

The thread name is fairly accurate: Got any tips of little stuff lying around the house you can use for terrain building? Share them here! (Seriously, I'm desperate for ideas.)

 

- random plastic boxes as super simple buildings

- small liquid cargo containers from empty paint bottles (esp. GW pots)

- empty cans as large containers

- nasal spray bottles as the base body of moisture vaporators or portable comms towers?

- zip ties (the "teethed" side) can double as industrial rail tracks or long drain covers

Pictures of stuff recycled into terrain pieces are appreciated ;-)

Edited April 10, 2018 by Polda

[Patteous 112]

I plan on using toilet paper and paper towel rolls to be the base structure for redwood trees. I had a sheet of plywood I found in my garage from the previous owner that I chopped up into pieces on my table saw. Had some black foam from packaging of something we ordered a few months ago that I’m glad I hung onto. I cut up some of the foam to make a block and build stairs around the foam out of the plywood. Just picked up some water putty and going to attempt to make the sides of this structure I made to look like a rocky spire. 

[Mr Tough Guy 397]

I've seen people do great things using old kids toys, supersoakers/nerf guns, used fireworks, it's not my own stuff or I'd post the pics directly but take a look here for some truly inspiring ideas (especially page 6 and 7):

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=76830.0

 

[Gorthaur25 130]

I always keep my eye our for little bits and bobs like plastic protectors for electrical contacts. Anything that taken out of context is not easily recognizable can be good. I bet you could do some cool things with an oil filter for example (after some cleaning).

Find and old printer and rip it apart. I bet you would get a lot of good stuff out of it. I see them in the trash all of the time.

Plastic containers for buildings can be done really well. My only pet peeve is when they are really flimsy. Try to get stuff that is more robust, not thin like a bottle of water.

[Force Majeure 4,108]

It's not exactly recycling, but here's a suggestion:

Drop by a thrift/second hand store for old Hot Wheels sets, Nerf guns or similar. Chop 'em up and paint & texture accordingly. It just takes a little imagination to re-purpose old toys--and they don't even have to work properly!

[Vandallorian 55]

Those container for Hubba Bubba that come in the long rolls sure look an awful lot like power generators.

[SaBeall 3]

Here's my idea for a Tibanna gas tank.  It's a yogurt container covered with Mel's Terrain Gloop to hide the label texture (and it reminded me of the apliqued armor on WW2 tanks). That's a relief stack on top, not a periscope, by the way...might shorten it.  The pump is soda bottle caps with drywall anchors for the pedastal. Still needs the rest of the feed pipes, controls, and fuelling hoses. 

The idea here is that everything was built in the field by Rebel operatives in order to keep a low profile. (And they're on a strict budget.)  They knew vaguely how a fuel pump worked, but had never made one themselves.  Next up is a covert antenna dish for their listening post.