Off Label Usage

**Big Mikey** · 26th June 12, 07:53 AM

Clean out old margarine (and similarly packaged foods) tubs. Use them as "tupperware" for work or home. That way if someone accidentally tosses you lunch leftovers from the work fridge, you don't loose your wife's expensive plastic.

Be advised that repeated heating of these types of plastic will cause them to "off gas". My nerdy science friend says that once or twice is fine but they should be turfed after that.

**rmccool** · 26th June 12, 08:02 AM

An even better alternative to carbonated soft drinks for cleaning corroded lead-acid battery terminals (such as those on automotive batteries) is to use a strong mixture of baking soda in hot water.

Just make very sure that if the battery has a removable cap for checking (and refilling) the electrolyte, that the cap is tightly closed. Even a bit of the baking soda solution getting into the battery will ruin the battery and may cause the battery case to burst.

**gary meakin** · 26th June 12, 08:53 AM

One of my favorites:
When the crysal on your watch gets scratched (which mine does quite often at work)
Rub with a little toothpaste and voila, it's as good as new.

**Braw Cathairneach** · 30th July 12, 01:53 AM

Mi missus and I use the cardboard tubes from wire clothes hangers to safely and neatly stow rigged fishing hooks in our tackle box. One barb of the treble hook goes into one end of the tube. The line is wrapped length wise around the tube (narrow slots are first cut into the ends of the tube) and secured with a rubber band.
[Note: Stowing fishing hooks was previously not a problem as I was accustomed to web sizes of 5” to 8.5“ mesh, 29.5 meshes deep, by 50 fathoms long.]

**ohiopiper** · 4th August 12, 08:24 PM

A variation of the camp stove is to use toilet paper. Take about four feet of it, wrap it loosely around your hand then fold this in on itself, making something of a donut. Toss a match in the middle. It'll burn long enough to heat a hot dog or such, or burn long enough to get a "real" fire going.

Lighter fluid is a good degreaser. It is basically naptha, which rinses away grease and oil, then dries leaving no residue.

Careful with the tampons for wounds. Don't pack them into deep wounds, just enough to close the surface. They can actually INCREASE blood losss due to their absorbent nature.

Barbasol Lemon-Lime shave cream works for sunburn relief.

Kool-Aid (and similar drinks) powder makes an excellent stainless steel and chrome polish.

Really dark sunglasses make my wife think I'm handsome...

**EagleJCS** · 26th June 12, 11:54 AM

I made one of those pop-can stoves a couple of years ago, but haven't really put it to use. Regular 'white gas' stoves are just as easy to use, and you can regulate the flame (can't do that with the pop can). It takes 2 soda cans, tin snips and a drill with a small bit (3/32 or smaller if I remember right).

Make sure to use denatured alcohol ONLY. Isopropyl and other alcohols may contain impurities that will either cause the stove to burn too hot and melt the can(s) or leave a residue that will eventually clog the apertures.

**PEEDYC** · 26th June 12, 12:08 PM

Tampons and condoms became part of my kit when with the Royal Marines. Not standard issue I may add. If you ran out of solid fuel blocks and had to start a conventional fire a tampon made a great fire starter instead of kindling and was always dry as anything like that and matches or a lighter was kept in an (unused) condom tied at the end for water tightness. As you may know they are very strong and expand quite a bit to so you can carry quite a lot in them to keep items dry.

I also found other uses

**CameronCat** · 27th June 12, 07:05 PM

Heh! I've done a lot of backstage tech work including actor wrangling for quick costume changes. When the actor is wearing a wireless mic, the radio pack often needs to be concealed beneath a costume and often against skin. Unlubed condoms are frequently used over the packs to protect the connections and batteries. (Sweat can be VERY damaging to electronics...) It's not at all uncommon to have a pocketful when the show starts and reduce the supply as mic packs are switched around backstage.

You may also imagine the number of raised eyebrows when the show's tech director asks the local drug store to order yet another box of two or three dozen dry condoms within a month of the last order.