How can I reuse or recycle big reels/bobbins?

00004We’ve already covered cotton bobbins – they were one of the first things we featured on the site – but how about ones that are quite a bit bigger?

John threw this one-piece plastic reel at me the other day after he finished wiring up some speakers. I’ve also ones with a little metal (aluminium?) core and cardboard flanges (if that’s the right word, I mean the sticky out bits at the top and the bottom), and really giant ones made from wood.

So any suggestions?

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6 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle big reels/bobbins?”


  1. Lizzy says:

    My grandad showed me how to make THE MOST BRILLIANT toys out of these.

    cut a cocktail/matchstick in half and put it through an elastic band. thread the other end through the reel so that the stick holds it in place . Tape the stick down. Put another stick (match/cocktail/skewer depending on size) through the other end of the elastic band (stick must be bigger than diameter and band small enough to hold it tight.) Turn this stick round and round until it is really tight and put it along a flat surface and watch it go!

    hope you like it!

  2. Give them to a kindergarten or special needs centre so children can learn to thread strings through the reels to make mobiles with, or make homemade wind-up toys like Lizzy suggested. Placed on their side, they also make good batting and rolling toys for cats and puppies.

    You could also try to see if you could use them to organise twist-tie and bits of pipe cleaner with, or use them as a cable organiser — you might have to tape the cables in place, though.

  3. Nicole says:

    The wooden ones can be used for loom knitting i-cords.

  4. gretta says:

    I use them to wrap my Christmas lights around, keeps them form tangling up and from getting the bulbs crushed

  5. As a knot tyer I am looking for reels just like this to wind small lenths of cord onto, say 15M of 3mm cord if any body has some of these and wish to get rid of them E-Mail me please howard@hdenyer.fsnet.co.uk

  6. Uluska says:

    Glue a plate to it to make a cake stand.



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