The oddest items you've used for your Model Railroad ?

[willy6]

Automobile tire valve stem caps for tree pots, rusty corragated nails for a junkyard fence and small o-ring cord stock for hoses.

[Water Level Route]

I used to have an old flower vase turned upside down for a municipal water tower. 

[MisterBeasley]

The hub base for my "pit-bashed" Atlas turntable, the black thing below the bridge in the picture, is an old 45 RPM record spindle:

I use coffee stirrers for pipes and plank fences, too.

I used a section of beekeepers' plastic honeycomb to make a mold for a hydrocal cobblestone pattern:

I use vinegar to slow the setting of the Durham's Water Putty I use for my roads.  One day I couldn't find the white vinegar, so I used some red wine vinegar instead.  My train room smelled like a salad for two weeks.

[hardcoalcase]

Way back when, I scratchbuilt a couple steam loco shells to go on existing chassis.  The boilers were made by making a form by glueing sections of thick paperboard rolls together with plastic wood filler for tapered segments.  The form was greased, then covered with paper towels and 12 hour epoxy, chucked into a rotisserie motor to turn all night to get a smooth, drip-free finish.  When dry, I pulled the rolls out, leaving the hollow shell.  I used .22 caliber shell casings with the base drilled out for the smoke stacks.

Jim

 

[PED]

Head pins for making jewelry.

I use Kato N scale Unitrack mounted on 2" foam. I did not want to glue it down but I wanted to keep it from sliding around. I found that "head pins" work great by drilling out the Kato holes (made for track nails) and then inserting in the head pins. Does good job of keeping track from sliding around but does a poor job of holding the track down if you need that.

Head pins are about 2" long and are used in jewelry making. Very soft pin and can be bent around with ease. Can be found in places that sell jewelry making stuff such as WalMart.

[dragonriversteel]

Hi ya folks,

 

   Still working on three project at the same time. Glue dries on one,resin cure on another and HO E-crane still on the sidelines for now.

 So what's the weirdest things you've found to use for you railroad. Being that most Model Railroaders are fairly frugal bunch. At times we find things to use around the house.I do at least. 

Just found the little rings on bottled water caps can be used for outside diameter rings on 3/4" PVC pipe. Why would anyone use these ? If you model Steel Mills . The rings can be used for BOF pipe exhaust. A little small for steel mill use. I  don't have a picture as reference but still can be used.

Yet another item is Quart Milk bottle caps (used for E-crane base). These milk caps can be found at Family Dollar stores nation wide. They have great structural appeal.

Ordinary kitchen matches can be used for a variaty of uses. 

6" wooden coffee stir sticks from your local convenience store (on your way to work) have even more uses.

I use small diameter wire for hydraulic lines. You'd be surprised at how well the model looks afterwards. Gives it that added detail.

I ask my grandson for Lego parts from time to time. Countless uses.

If you have kids. Their old toys hold treasures. Dunno how many projects I've used toy parts for. Dean Freytag method.

What items have you found ? Please share with the forum.

Patrick