What to do with leftovers....

[Kim Spence]

They're not scraps, they're leftovers right? Leftovers just waiting for the next project. They're only scraps if I can't figure out something to do with them.

So I'm doing some production runs of some framed dry erase boards for a local business. I could be building many many dozens of these. For every two dry erase boards I build I end up with a leftover piece of dry erase material (1/8" hardboard backing) about 7" by 30". I'd hate to fill up our landfill with them...seems like there ought to be a use for these.

Couple things I thought of:
1. Cut to uniform sizes (6.5" x 10") and donate to elementary schools to use for classroom activities.

2. Build simple base to hold small pieces of dry erase material upright and market as simple signs, name placards, etc to local businesses. Base would just be a small board with an angled saw kerf to hold the material.

Any other ideas?

[Brian Willan]

Kim

Is it possible to make your dry erase boards a little bigger to minimize the waste? I am sure you have already thought of that, but I thought I would check.

Other ideas for your offcuts would include doing a dry erase wall with these offcuts in a tile pattern. Clip Boards come to mind too.

Cheers

Brian

[Don Abele]

Kim, how about making a small note board from them, like for next to a phone. A small light weight frame to dress it up and a spot to hold the pen. Even lighter weight and you could add a magnet and stick it to the refrigerator.

Be well,

Doc

[Bob Rufener]

If you cut the length down to about 12", the schools can use them for practicing problems. I taught elementary school and often had the class use small dry erase boards when teaching a new math concept to see how they were grasping it. They would work out the problem and hold up the board so I could see if they were able to solve the problem correctly and how they solved it. 7" is a little narrow but can work. Just a thought

[Dick Strauss]

Kim,
You might be able to mount pics on them with spray adhesive. You may be able to make a puzzle using a jigsaw (after gluing the pic onto the surface).

[Frank Drew]

I love wood, and hate waste, and particularly hated to throw away any usable, nice looking piece of wood, but you can be buried in clutter before too long that way. DAMHIK.

[David DeCristoforo]

I have long been of the opinion that the whole concept of "scrap" is a myth. There is no such thing as "scrap". If it's useable material, it's "inventory". If it's not useable it's garbage ("scrap" with the "s" taken off). Whether or not material is useable depends a lot on what you are doing. If you make small items like boxes, pens, knife and tool handles, door and drawer pulls, etc. the smaller pieces are valuable material. If not, the small pieces quickly become "clutter". You can dispose of them by throwing them away or you can find someone to take them. There is a guy who carves bugs (yes, bugs) out of wood and he stops by the shop from time to time and relieves me of much of my "clutter"....

[Lee Schierer]

If I had one of those pieces, I would make into a shopping list for the shop. I could mount it right near the door and list all the things I need to buy the next time I run to the store instead of remembering that I used the last of the propane for my torch last week after I just got home from buying the finish I needed this week.

I could also list the tools that it would be nice for LOML to buy for me. Wait, I might need a bigger piece for that list....

[Michael Schumacher]

What about making blocks for kids? Just cut them up to size for blocks, do a 1/8" round over on all the edges, sand and them get some nice coloring for them...eventually you'd have enough to make a nice gift or even just to sell...

[alex grams]

all of my hardwood scrap typically gets used on the smoker when I am cooking. It is great to have a nice supply of seasoned fruit bearing wood such as cherry, walnut, pecan, etc. Just dice em up into small 2-3inch sizes and throw them in a bucket, and they are good to go for the smoker to make some good eatin'!

[Matt Day]

When I was in college most dorm rooms had a dry erase board on the door. I'm sure that size would work just fine.