Medical Gauze for Nets
Can be used for cargo or fishing nets, or for camo / scrim net.
Paperclips
Another classic. Use them for banner poles, cables, rebar, weapons and more. Also ideal for pinning resin or metal parts which are glued with super...
Pastels
Art store pastels are a cheap way to get pigment powder - make sure they’re wax-free and then crush them up! Apply where needed with a brush in ver...
Aquarium Plants
Aquarium plants or other plastic plants are a cheap and quick way to make trees, foliage, jungle or alien vegetation. Just base them! They’re durab...
Plastic Guttering
The shape of these suits a sci-fi facility, small hangar or bunker, depending on the scale. Curved sections and downpipes offer some variety while ...
Baby Wipes
When these are soaked in PVA glue they can make tents or tarps when draped over other shapes. While still wet, you can pull on them to create the t...
Scouring Pads
These can be cut into long strips as hedgerows or finely cut up into flock for basing
Vinyl floor tiles
These make great bases for larger scenery pieces. They can be cut with large scissirs or a knife, they are tough and durable, and they won’t warp l...
Plasticard / Styrene sheet
Not really a hack since these are almost always used for some sort of model building or crafting. They are easily cut (best to score along a steel ...
Stirrers
A classic. Found almost everywhere coffee is sold. You can turn them into floors, pallets, fences and beams. If not primed, glued or otherwise seal...
Coffee Grounds
Once these have been baked at 65°C to dry out and kill any bacteria, they make good basing material. That’s not all though: if you sift / strain th...
Pasta shapes
There are many potential shapes and uses but here are 2: Macaroni for alien foliage or pipes / tubes Spaghetti for pipes / straight cables or ...
Insulation foam
In the UK this is one of the most common foams that has potential for crafting. Polyiso (Polyisocyanurate) foam is heat-resistant, so a hot wire cu...
Zip ties
These are available in different thicknesses and colours, and can be used to make ammo belts, grates or tank tracks. The tips can be tiny junction ...
Strapping Roll
For consumers, strapping roll is found around larger appliances when bought new. It is made from tough polypropylene and has a fine criss-cross hat...
Nail Art Gems
These and other crafting gemstones are great as rivets or studs. They usually come on a sticky surface parfect for adding to metal panels or wooden...
Makeup Sponges
On something like a Space Marine or a model car, the sponge can be dabbed on the body plates and no paint will get in between them. If you are gent...
Tea Bags
Once torn open and dried out (maybe bake them after your food!) these will make some great basing material which is basically free.
Corrugated Cardboard
There are different thicknesses of this that can be used for different scales.
Guitar Strings
Steel wound strings - especially the thicker ones (E, A and D on a typical 6-string) - make great cables or hoses once bent into shape.
Wine corks
Uses for corks include: painting handles (glue a metal washer on the bottom for balance) cut into basing material for rocky bases as barrels or ...
Aluminium foil
This can be crumpled and then shaped on a flat surface to make plaster casts of rocks for scenery and basing. Other types of rough mould can be mad...
Baby Food / Yoghurt pouch top
These are a classic way to make sci-fi air vents or extractor fan shrouds. Maybe even jet or rocket engines!
Better flying bases
Some bases for flying models are fragile and hard to repair. I saw these and immediately saw they could be an alternative. They even match one comm...
Black Enamel Paint
A small pot of this will last a long time for tabletop crafting. When heavily thinned with white spirit, it makes an oil wash that runs very well i...
Drinking Straws
Paper straws have an interesting spiral pattern and are easy to work with. It’s hard to make curved angles so they’re best used in straight lines. ...
Duct Tape
One use of this is to make foldable scenery joints, or in thin strips to hold models and parts when spray painting. It’s also ideal for holding dow...
Embroidery Mesh
This can be found in craft stores in different size sheets. Great for making grilles and vent covers, it’s durable and takes paint and glue very we...