Stuff crafters will buy / Etsy Thread

[Jillyenator]

Pull tabs - believe it or not, people make some really pretty fashion purses out of these:
Products | escamastudio



Notice especially, that a 2 pound box of clean pop tops are selling for $15 on this site and are SOLD OUT.
Pop Tops for Crochet and Craft | escamastudio

Here's what is says:

POP TOPS FOR CROCHET AND CRAFT
Sold Out - $15.00

Recycled aluminum pop tops for crochet and craft

2 lb box, enough to make several craft projects

Polished to a high shine, roughly sorted

The site also has some craft how-to demos on using the tabs in crafts.

Entire dresses made from pop tops -
Pop Top Clothing Fashion Show | escamastudio

This guy was on Project Runway, wearing a pop top necklace -
Project Runway Photos

Elsewhere, on some lousy other forum, some people said they get over a penny each for tabs on eBay, and on CL they sold 500 for 10 bucks, with 20 bucks for over 1000 tabs.

One person said they were watching an eBay auction for 2,500 tabs, with the bid at $30.00.

I'm running to pull my tabs, and start a new bucket. This is another excuse to drink some more beer!

[Jillyenator]

More on aluminum tabs. How to make chain mail:
Recycle Soda Pop Tabs Into Chain Mail

Have to admit, that's cool.

PS: i asked Mick if he thought if was worth making a separate Etsy thread.

[Sirscrapalot]

Soda, beer, tea..all kinds of places to find them!

Also...going to sound weird, but caprisun packages also can sell. Folks make purses, wallets, an other such items from them.

Sirscrapalot -

One of the sanest, surest, and most generous joys of life comes from being happy over the good fortune of others. - Robert A. Heinlein

[Mick]

It's not metal but I've seen requests by crafters for those rolls that toilet paper and paper towels come on.

[Jillyenator]

It's not metal but I've seen requests by crafters for those rolls that toilet paper and paper towels come on.

The paper rolls are good cage toys for people with rodent pets. They use them for tunnels and also enjoy chewing them up. Also you can plant seedlings in them.

For crafting? I have no idea. ...doing a Google search.... holy shiz! Search Images on Google for 'toilet paper rolls crafts'. Some of the non-kid stuff is fairly artistic.

[Sirscrapalot]

That's a new one..I can only imagine what their used for. Then again I've seen pictures from burning man, an those guys make all kinds of crazy stuff.

Sirscrapalot - Chili dogs, it's whats for dinner.

[beardo]

Burlap sacks and the woven plastic grain bags are used in a lot of crafts. Information and data plates from equipment. Any wrought iron or blacksmithed details like railings and lights. I had a lady ask us to hold onto rusty flat washers Also I have been finding most traditional crafts/trade tools and parts have value, either Antique, Collector, decoration, art or refurbished to be used by modern day craftsfolk. I personally have bought a 75 year old 5 foot one man timber saw from a junk store because the new ones are 500$ plus.

[Jillyenator]

Burlap sacks and the woven plastic grain bags are used in a lot of crafts. Information and data plates from equipment. Any wrought iron or blacksmithed details like railings and lights. I had a lady ask us to hold onto rusty flat washers Also I have been finding most traditional crafts/trade tools and parts have value, either Antique, Collector, decoration, art or refurbished to be used by modern day craftsfolk. I personally have bought a 75 year old 5 foot one man timber saw from a junk store because the new ones are 500$ plus.

"Information and data plates" - that's brilliant, Beardo. I can see people having a field day with those.

I like using old tools, myself - they have a durable, handcrafted feel to them. Not like a lot of the junk I see today. Also, I feel all connected to a larger past when I use them.

I'll have to separate out the rusty washers. I save the newer looking ones for my own tool bucket, but I usually toss the rusty ones in with steel. I found about 20 big rusty ones in an alley street today.

[Jillyenator]

Also...going to sound weird, but caprisun packages also can sell. Folks make purses, wallets, an other such items from them.

I remember those. Used to be a big thing. Looking...yeah, here's some stuff:
Caprisun crafts on Pinterest

Oh, Mick said he didn't see a need to make an Etsy-only thread, so there it is.

I'm beginning think if ANYTHING is collected in bulk, it might be sellable to crafters.
-----------
Another idea: packaging things, like the plastic air pillows, styro peanuts, bubble wrap. People who sell crafts need them, and also eBayers need them.

[Sirscrapalot]

All good. I just didn't want to mess up your thread!

An yep those are what i'm talking about. They also make them from candy wrappers, an all kinds of things. Anyone want to try selling a lb of gum wrappers on ebay or elsewhere? Ha ha!

An I think it was NH, those saw blades are a good idea, I've seen several painted an their pretty cool looking when done right. From big ones to table saw size.

Once again excellent thread. I'm sure more then a few folks learned something new from it, I know I have on several items.

Sirscrapalot - Well I think they broke the mould when they made me and being humble is one of my great assets. - Larry Hagman

[eesakiwi]

I'd add, the plastic sheets from LED screens, they are white, prismatic, clear, opaque and pearl like white.
Any electric 'time delay devices'

[bigburtchino]

I give all my sewing related items to an organization that does craft "therapy". They rehabilitate stroke, accident, and trauma victims (and others in need). I met her at a yard sale and when she explained to the people having sale, what she was looking for (they had nothing she needed). I told her I have a lot of brand new fabric and all kinds of thread, needles and even some sewing machines. She was a little hesitant and I asked not what you needed? No she says we need all of that, I only have a $20 a month supply budget, I told her no you can have them! She had a little mini van, that appeared to be full (with her organization logo on it). I told her I don't think you have enough room though. She asked where I lived, I told her no it's at my business. I told her I have a hobby, I scrap I said. Funny she thought I did scrap books, now I was confused. She explained to me about the hobby of making photo scrap books and that it was mostly women (I assured her not this man). I took her to my secret, better than scrap room. I showed her the boxes of sewing stuff and said you can have it all. I thought she was going to faint, she tells me, I will need to make a few trips, I said no we will deliver it to your organization on Monday morning. Jill thank you for this thread, I'm going to get her to make me a list of craft items. If anybody knows about "crafting" it's this lady. Then if you give it or sell it may help someone, it's just not my speed (I like tools).

[happyscraper]

I give all my sewing related items to an organization that does craft "therapy". They rehabilitate stroke, accident, and trauma victims (and others in need). I met her at a yard sale and when she explained to the people having sale, what she was looking for (they had nothing she needed). I told her I have a lot of brand new fabric and all kinds of thread, needles and even some sewing machines. She was a little hesitant and I asked not what you needed? No she says we need all of that, I only have a $20 a month supply budget, I told her no you can have them! She had a little mini van, that appeared to be full (with her organization logo on it). I told her I don't think you have enough room though. She asked where I lived, I told her no it's at my business. I told her I have a hobby, I scrap I said. Funny she thought I did scrap books, now I was confused. She explained to me about the hobby of making photo scrap books and that it was mostly women (I assured her not this man). I took her to my secret, better than scrap room. I showed her the boxes of sewing stuff and said you can have it all. I thought she was going to faint, she tells me, I will need to make a few trips, I said no we will deliver it to your organization on Monday morning. Jill thank you for this thread, I'm going to get her to make me a list of craft items. If anybody knows about "crafting" it's this lady. Then if you give it or sell it may help someone, it's just not my speed (I like tools).

This was very good of you to give all that stuff away. Did you ask her to give you a call if she comes across any scrap? I bet she would remember you if does. What goes around comes around.

[beardo]

I totally agree with anything in bulk has value. I have the space to store things so I'm trying to get a good inventory before I work on selling. Something I want to try is painting some more mundane things with metallic paint. The real metallic paint that will tarnish and has the metal flakes in it, not the rustoleom stuff. I figure I can turn a boring lamp into a fixture fit for the supreme commander of the northern airship fleet.

[DrJamesDaddy]

One of my dearest friends is a High School Art Teacher and I save random things for her class that would otherwise get tossed out.

[jord0690]

Awesome thread! Iv heard of people buying those spiral turnings from metal lathes. Saw an ebay auction once, cant remember how much it went for though. Also seen people buy the reaaallly thin copper wire from relays, etc. Looks like hair. Also wonder if people would buy stuff like resistors, capacitors, etc for more than scrap price? Never know. Im not very crafty so not too sure what people want!

Edit: just checked out Etsy. Really cool site. Some great stuff on there. I Might try selling stuff. Theres listings for literally everything... from those little jewels that hang off lamp shades to blank reclamed wood tiles. Simple stuff to get and it sells!

[RLS0812]

Also wonder if people would buy stuff like resistors, capacitors, etc for more than scrap price? Never know. Im not very crafty so not too sure what people want!

Does THIS answer your question ?

[eesakiwi]

Does THIS answer your question ?

YES!!!!!!! It does!

Thankyou for that. I have been saying, and saving up for, E Scrap Art.
Someone I talked to told me his girlfriend, who was in England had told him about it. It was "the new best thing since Steam Punk".

Since then I have been saving the screws with the springs that hold some CPU heatsinks on.
And any optical chips at all, mice optical, Video camera optical (sooo beautiful, purple ceramic and Gold wires and legs with prismatic silicon chip.... oooh, Ahhhh) Scanner optical.
The flat 'standing wave delay circuits'. They are in CRT TVs. A chicklet sized metal box thats sometimes Gold plated underside. Inside is a small sheet of glass with 'circuity shaped, maybe crop circle shaped' designs on it. With Gold or Silver wires.

Since I know what to look for, but have a zero % artistic talent... Those pictures mean a lot to me. Thankyou very mucho./e

[Jillyenator]

i missed an obvious one - magnets. Not the hard drive ones, which always have buyers, but ones from speakers and motors. Crafters make their projects and then stick magnets on them, to sell as fridge magnets, office wallboard magnets, stuff for kids rooms, house decor -
Magnet Boards & Magnet Crafts on Pinterest

This is a nice example of combining beer caps and magnets -
Handmade Monday: Bottle Cap Magnets | Sunday Afternoon Housewife

...and here's a magnet craft us beer drinkers can appreciate!
Bottle Cap Magnet

As far as saving beer caps, i only save the nice clean ones for the crafters. Smushed and dirty ones go in my small steel bucket.

Related to the pop top post and along these lines, i pulled only the nice clean tabs off my cans last night. Pretty sure the crafters only want the shiny ones, based on the craft photos i linked to.

Anyway, all magnets seem to be worth more than scrap.

[scrapping4ever]

I think I got the market cornered on pop tabs