Everyday, people – INCLUDING US MODELERS – throw away perfectly good material that would work in our modeling world. I’m not talking about the product you purchased, but the packaging you throw away – the ubiquitous Blister Packs that contain a multitude of our daily products. Did you realize these are commercially vacu-formed items?
I keep many of these, “just in case”. To say I have more than 100 is not an exaggeration (unfortunately). Here is a small sample of my hoard – four varieties of smaller blister packaging.
I have used the second from the top, previously – as the windscreen for my Jimmie Allen Special.
In preparing for the up-coming flying season, I decided to spice up my Durham Mystery Plane. I use this for small-field Embryo. The FAC Embryo rules state that you need a headrest with an open cockpit – I never put one on and never cared for the look on the Durham, so I decided to go to my local canopy supply. I chose this one:
A little trimming here and there, inking with a sharpie, and an over-night cure of the canopy cement resulted in this. I think it gives it a little bit of the look of the F-8 Crusader or the A-7 Corsair II.
So don’t throw away all of your blister packs! Think about how you can use them. Even some of the hard packs that salads and fruits come in can be used since they are flat pieces of clear plastic. Think outside of the box!
I hoard them too, George!