Using found objects on your layout

[Bob Keller]

I believe it was Dominos pizza that used to include a small tripod to prevent the top of the pizza box from getting smashed enroute to delivery. I've used a few of those from time to time to hold painted perscription bottles in a fuel tank farm...

[Anonymous]

How about Q-tips for smoke for small scale houses

[choochin3]

I read an article that used two new auto oil filters and some straws for a fuel oil depot.

[clinchfieldfan]

I have used quaker oats containers (the round ones) painted with flat grey paint as grain and coal silos with great sucess.

[MACADO]

you CAN be amazed...

[MACADO]

you CAN be amazes

[MACADO]

I have made several items with scap I found around. I look at something and think, "What can this be used for" an example, the tops for Aquafresh extreme clean toothpast work real good for large rooftop ventalator, after a paint job. discarded pens, to tags and parts off suitcases, can be used, you just need some imagination and paint, join with other things to scratch-buil or kit-bash, you cab be amazed......

[Dr. John]

I use wooden coffee stirrers for lumber loads - just cut off the rounded ends. I also have a box full of old rollers from thermalgraph paper (anyone remember that?) that I have cut up for pipe loads and culverts.

While this doesn't count as "found", a lot of craft stores, like Michaels, carry small wooden barrels and crates that can be used as well as doll house details.

[Anonymous]

when i was younger i would use linkon logs a telephone poles and to make houses.

[Anonymous]

I have lots of little found objects on my layouts, but mainly my HO one because it has a more realistic look to it as opposed to my O gauge layout which is a tinplate style. I have a bunch of hair curlers painted black that are stacked up by a pipe loader to represent pipes. Most of the other things I find, though, are used as junk that's lying around. Scraps of wood and plastic and other stuff just get scattered around the layout. I've got a pile of scrap metal that's made out of the metal things taken out of clothespins. Pieces of broken toys either from my childhood or else that have just been found somehow often make good junk for the layout. I always keep an eye out for things lke this.

[cnw1995]

When I was in N scale, I was always looking around for interesting objects I could use on the layout - such as using spaghetti (properly dried and painted) as modern highway light poles. I'm not being as successful in this scale - the best I've done is use the little dessicants that come in vitamin and med bottles as barrels. Don't ask about my working home-built aircraft pylon...Do you have any success stories?