Non traditional isn't quite the description I was looking for, but it is all I can think of.
What I mean is, items that you wouldn't think of as used for building models or dioramas.
For instance...my wife as been accumulating items to use in a doll house she is building. Last week she brought home some wallpaper sample books. When I looked through them I noticed some wall paper that looked like marble. Useful as the floor of a demolished gov't building? Also some that looked like dirt, a multi shaded brown with smaller dark brown and black specks. Useful for a road base and then add your ground cover. Remember, most wall papers are washable.Therefore water resistant.
Anyway, you should get my drift with this post.
Any other items you can think of?

Discarded pantyhose for grills, camo netting and stuff...

Brian,
I rarely wear those, but it's worth trying !

I thought I would open a can of worms with that statement

It's been a long time since I did any Shakespeare...but you rarely wear them? That means that you do wear them at times, the times are few in number...

Hi Ron;
I used medical gauze to make camouflage net to my MB jeep (see article), and tule ( kindda tissue used by brydals for veil.....) to make chicken wire (just soak it with water+glue and after dried paint it silver and weather).
Just to number a few...
HTH

This may sound a little nasty but it looks great. A few years back I needed the pipes to my house cleaned out from the tree roots getting into the pipes. After the guy was done doing it I went into the basement and he had left a pile of nasty, stinking, tiny tree roots laying on the floor. I took the pile and layed them in the sun for a couple of days and dried and aired them out. Looks perfect for 1/35 tree branches and camo. Or tying them together to make bundles of firewood to place on a tank.

I tend to save everything that might even potentially be useful for model-making or machining. I keep three separate bins: wood, plastic and metal.

I don't know whether it was sold internationally, but there was a popular game in the U.S. awhile back called "Jenga." It was basically just a bunch of wooden blocks about 75x25x15mm. The wood was fairly high quality, and suitable for carving or miniature wood machining. I built a tiny "puzzle" box using some of them. I would think they would be easy to find at yard sales and second-hand shops (I still haven't carved my way through my first set).

-Neil

I often use Future Floor Finish for gluing clear parts to my models. It doesn't craze clear styrene. It's too thin to use as a gap filler, so you have to make sure you've got a good bond. It can help restore the shine to clear parts you've got sanding scratches or marring on.

Gunnie

Gunnie! Another use for Future Floor Wax!!! I'm going to have to see if I can get my hands a bottle of that stuff. I think we have it over here in Sweden I'll have to look.

To my next question, how do you use it as a glue??

Brian,

if you can't find Future under that name in Sweden, look for Johnson wooden floor wax. I found the equivalent here in Holland under the name of Johnson's Parket Plus. It's the same as Future, only it is slightly more yellowish. Otherwise it is the same product. The yellow color is no problem as generally it is applied in such thin layers, it is invisible (you would probably have to apply more than 10 to notice).
HTH :-)

I apply it pretty much like you would epoxy or thin superglue. Just like expoy, you've gotta make sure you've got the parts clamped together until it sets up. Like for a windshield on a Jeep, before I put the "glass" in place, and run a tiny amount along the windshield frame with the tip of a brass wire. When I push the "glass" into place, I keep constant pressure on it with a prop - like a Q-Tip or a little piece of plastic rod. Voila, when it sets, you're done!

Gunnie