Sprues, sprues... oh look! MORE SPRUES.

[ZombieHunter26]

Just a random question, but how many of you actually keep your empty sprues?

I have a ton of 'em, and I'm thinking about tossing them.

Just wondering if there's a way to use them (other than scratchbuilding frames and whatnot, I have plenty of framework stuff to use) or if they're trash bin fodder?

Let's hear your ways of using them!

Edited January 7, 2012 by ZombieHunter26

[scale trucker]

if you heat it and pull it you can make dif size wire or hose so on..

[brad4321]

Garbage. Or they go in the box and I refuse to throw the box away. But the box eventually finds the garbage. Or else I'd have nowhere left to sit.

[Eshaver]

Rob , years ago, and I mean YEARS ago, I saw a guy build a Tow truck out of sprues , well the crane was anyway. I think he used a 61 Chevrolet Apachie to do the cab as the Ford depicted a Unitized body and bed . That was EONS ago as Evergreen and Plastruct came to our rescue . The time you spend sanding out a sprue could be simplified using the Aftermarket tubes and rods . I't s you're call on this one ............. Ed Shaver

[ZombieHunter26]

Garbage. Or they go in the box and I refuse to throw the box away. But the box eventually finds the garbage. Or else I'd have nowhere left to sit.

Yeah, I can see where you're gettin' at. I went on a workbench cleaning spree today, to find I had more trash than model parts laying about cluttering my work area.

Before, it looked like Hurricane Katrina came through my workspace.... now, it's nice and organized with plenty of room for building again. (although, I'm not sure how long that will last...)

Rob , years ago, and I mean YEARS ago, I saw a guy build a Tow truck out of sprues , well the crane was anyway. I think he used a 61 Chevrolet Apachie to do the cab as the Ford depicted a Unitized body and bed . That was EONS ago as Evergreen and Plastruct came to our rescue . The time you spend sanding out a sprue could be simplified using the Aftermarket tubes and rods . I't s you're call on this one ............. Ed Shaver

I've got plenty of plastic rods and tubes that I've salvaged from other sources, so I think I'll probably toss the box of empty sprues

...In the long run I'll probably thank myself. LOL

[greymack]

I agree with scale trucker but keep the bigger dia. stuff for doing wiring,brake line and hoses.I like using the smaller dia. sprue for making exhaust systems if need be and many other scratch built items.It never hurts to have some sprue kicking around.

[Maindrian Pace]

Sometimes I use it to spray paint small parts, attach with a tiny bit of glue, and everything stays put.

-MJS

[Junkman]

I always keep a few so I have a selection of colours. I then dissolve them in cellulose thinners and this makes a superb putty.

[SuperStockAndy]

I keep them, but I really do need to get rid of some.

[1320wayne]

This has probably been mentioned a thousand times before but one of the sprue sections from the Lindberg 64 Dodge kits makes a perfectly symetrical dual axle trailer, with fenders. The framework for it, anyways.

One thing that I do save is the red and amber sprues from any taillights/marker lights sections. You can use them to create custom lenses.

[ZombieHunter26]

these are all some very very good ideas...

I'm gonna have to get in that box and sort through the ones I'll keep or toss, then.

thanks guys!

oh, and feel free to keep posting ideas, it's awesome to see them.

[jbwelda]

heres the thing: presumably you are more or less building a kit. and cutting parts off of sprues. probably plenty of sprue pieces to make wiring to your hearts content.

so there is hardly any use in keeping them around afterward unless maybe you come across some unusual colors or transparency.

and you always got a whole shelf of donor kits if you are scratchbuilding.

[kenb]

I snip the long straight pieces and use them for paint stirrers.

Ken

[Lunajammer]

This has probably been mentioned a thousand times before but one of the sprue sections from the Lindberg 64 Dodge kits makes a perfectly symetrical dual axle trailer, with fenders. The framework for it, anyways.

What an unexpected and pleasant surprise to hear this mentioned. I wrote the article and provided the templates for this in the 2000 Car Modeler annual. But I never heard any feedback from it. That was about the last model I built until a year ago.

I'm not a thrower so keep my sprues and figured someday in a fit of purging I'd glue them all together into a Borg Starship and join The Collective.

[ZombieHunter26]

I'm not a thrower so keep my sprues and figured someday in a fit of purging I'd glue them all together into a Borg Starship and join The Collective.

Resistance is futile. You WILL be assimilated.

[Greg Wann]

A guy I know keeps them and makes something he calls sprue glue but I'm not sure what the recipe is.

[Tony T]

I toss out most...I have kept some sections, mostly longer straight sections, some that could be used as roll bars, etc.

[kratvmnd]

I'll usually keep some of the interesting shapes and bends for scratchbuilding,and also the transparent pieces(like mentioned above). Thinking about it though,this would make a great subject for a Community Build...maybe I'll build a Sprues Goose...

[Psychographic]

I then dissolve them in cellulose thinners and this makes a superb putty.

Same here.

[Dr. Cranky]

You can cut down a bunch of them and put them into your liquid cement to thicken it into a gap-filling paste.

I normally keep a few around, the long straight ones in case I need to make an antennae or some other length of thin wire. You hold it over a candle and stretch it.

Just little tricks and tips. It's all good.

[MikeMc]

A guy I know keeps them and makes something he calls sprue glue but I'm not sure what the recipe is.

You can cut down a bunch of them and put them into your liquid cement to thicken it into a gap-filling paste.

Yessir.....you can drop them in MEK or solvent glue, stir till thick, then use this to reinforce body cuts from behind..when chopping..

This will blend and sand better than CA with kicker for filling in gaps...it does dry slower than CA with kicker!

Edited January 7, 2012 by MikeMc

[Dr. Cranky]

Mike, you are right about it being slow, and I recommend you let the body sit for a couple of days with a running mini fan . . .

[Scale-Master]

Don't be too surprised when your finished or long since painted project acquires some ghosting where the "sprue glue" was applied. Old old old modelers trick that as far as I am concerned is best left in the history books and replaced with more modern and stable techniques and materials. The evaporation of the solvent takes months (or longer) to fully cure out.

As far as the sprues, I toss 'em after every build unless there is some possibly recyclable item in them, (there is a 60% chance I'll lose or toss later too...).

[Harry P.]

I agree with Mark... homemade filler (melted sprue) is a terrible filler. It will still be drying (and shrinking and cracking and causing all sorts of problems under your beautifully painted model) long after you thought it was "dry."

If you don't like nasty surprises weeks or months down the road, don't use it! Use a stable, chemically set (two-part) filler instead.

[Dr. Cranky]

Harry, for body work, sure it's not the best choice, but for places where it won't be seen, it's a great way to bond parts . . .