Rustic Birdhouse… But What Did It Used2bee?

18 Saturday Apr 2015

Posted by used2bee in How To, Projects, Puzzle, Recycled Art

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Tags

birdhouse, reclaimed, recycled, they might be giants, tree decoration, upcycled

Say I’m the only bee in your bonnet Make a little birdhouse in your soul

-They Might Be Giants 1989

Sweeeet!

😍

These little tree decorations are all made from recycled materials, but what are the materials?

😏

There are 3 items that go to make up each one

😧

The main body, the roof, and something to hang it up with

☺️

There is also a nail perch, but i will give you that!

😁

Ok, so whats your guesses

😀

Here are the Answers….

The main body is made from pallet wood

The roof is made from tin cans

The hanging wire is made from electric cable

😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

Thanks for playing

These are available in our Torquay shop TQ26EL

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Recycled Ant Sculpture…But What Did It Used2bee?

17 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by used2bee in How To, Projects, Recycled Art

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Ant, art, craft, eco gifts, reclaimed, recycled, recycled gifts, sculpture, torquay recycle shop, upcycle, upcycled

Ant Figures Made from Recycled Materials

…but what are they made from?

what do you think?….

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

There are 3 different items used to make these Ants bodies, antlers and legs.

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The objects are drilled, glued and then spray painted different colours to finish

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Each Ant measures around 12cm long and about 5cm high

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

The body of the Ants were found and used outdoors

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

The legs were made from something found in a bedroom

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

The Antlers were made from something used everyday all around the home

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Hmmmm! puzzled…have a think…

♦

Sooooo! ok whats your guess? 3 objects made the ants… 1,2,3…..

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

The Answers Are….

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

BODY- Golf Balls

LEGS- Wire Coat HangersANTLERS- Electrical Cable Copper Wire

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Did you get it right..?

If you love these Golf Ball Ants you can buy them now!

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How To Make A Wind Generator From Scrap

22 Wednesday Oct 2014

Posted by used2bee in Advice, How To, Projects

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

bike, bike frame, cycle, Devon, devon england, diy generator, homemade, plastic blades, plastic bottles, recycled, treadmill motor, upcycle, used motor, used to bee, Used2bee, wind generator, wind power, wind turbine

Colourful Homemade Wind Turbine

Using a few simple tools, you can set up a homemade wind generator. This device will help in reducing your dependence on other energy sources. This in turn means more savings down the line.

Required Tools and Materials

Treadmill motor
Hose clamp
Hacksaw
6 bottles (2 liter)
1 inch pipe
Scissors
Zip ties
Metal bicycle frame
Welding tools
Instructions

One of The Things You’ll Need

Mount The Motor

Use the welding tools to modify the motor so it is centered on the bicycle pedal’s axle. Before you do this, remove the pedal. Use scaffolding if necessary. Put the motor housing in place by welding a pipe. Make sure the welded material connects the frame section up to the motor housing.
To ensure this homemade wind generator works, double check the motor housing. Make certain the motor is fastened. If it isn’t, the housing will spin along with the axle.

Recycle a motor from a scrap treadmill

Create the Blades

Get the bottles and secure plastic with the zip ties. Set the spokes so the wheel will spin when the wind blows. Make a cut on the bottle (2 inches) in a spiral manner. Punch a hole and set the zip ties here. Put in another zip tie if there are spaces left.
Make sure about 30% of the wheel is covered with the blades.
Slice the blades so they don’t hit anything when they start spinning. With this homemade wind generator, you can take away the rest of the bike’s components; they are not necessary and will only take up space.

Make Plastic Turbine Blades

Mounting the Generator

Position the generator high up. Use the scaffolding or ladder if necessary. A pole is the best option. Now set the wires to the power location. You can use batteries. However they can present problems. Number one, they can overcharge. Secondly, it might run the motor and not get a charge.
If you’re going to use batteries, install a heat sinker so it won’t overcharge. If you’re not sure how to set this up on your homemade wind generator, talk to an electrician. Don’t try installing the batteries if you are unsure.

Tips and Warnings

These treadmill motors can be found in a variety of places. Your best bets are the apartments near colleges. These are usually just placed by the dumpster. You can get one there. The Web is also a good place to look for treadmill motors near you.
Be careful when using welding tools and equipment. Follow all the instructions. If you’re not sure how, have a welder shape the pipes for you. Do not stand near the blades when they’re running.
If you are having trouble mounting the generator, have some of your friends help you. This will prove especially useful if you’re going to use the scaffolding.
If the blades move too fast, they might fly off. Double check to make sure they’re installed properly. Wrongly installed blades won’t just fly off; they might shatter and explode.

These homemade wind generators require more work than most DIY projects. However the payoff can be substantial, so it’s worth giving it a try!

FURTHER READING

Buy A Book! – Dan Martin “How to build a wind turbine” http://diysufficient.com/product/diyguides/diy-build-a-wind-turbine/

eHow http://www.ehow.com/how_4796396_build-homemade-wind-generator.html

Where Can I Get Cash for My Old Furniture?

01 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by used2bee in Advice, Events, Projects

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Tags

antique, auctioneers, chair, ebay, furniture, furniture auction, gazette, gumtree, recycled, refurbish, second hand, table, trade-in, upcycle, used furniture

Pile Of Junk Furniture by Raumlabor

Raumlabor is from Berlin and specialises in large art installations in unusual media. Amazing! Unless you live next door, maybe! It is actually a building enclosure with the door that can just be seen front and centre; look closely!

Soooo! It is very possible to recycle any of your old furniture into something different and useful, but if you really, really, really have to get shot of it then the most obvious thing is to take it to the tip(recycling centre) or give it to charity. WAIT! You can get money for it!!

£10 Trade-in Offered By Our Little Shop!

Yes! We do want some re-usable furniture to upcycle, recycle into something new and we are prepared to give you £10 back on anything you buy in the shop worth £30 and over! You will love what we have done with some of the items bought in so far… Sewing box, record cabinet, lampshade, coffee table (with damaged top), side table (with loose leg) and more. These have been refurbished or repaired or re-used elsewhere and put up for sale again.
Dont be shy, just come in and find out more, have a look around!

Great Upcycled Sewing Box

Theres always eBay I suppose, but who can be bothered with that hastle! Picture, description, fees, fuss, hastle, bad feedback aarrrghh! I always found that Gumtree is a lot better as it is free, just as popular, and more friendly!

There are still good second-hand furniture dealers in most towns, some offer cash on collection, some will sell your items for a commission, usually about 30%-50% of the sale price. Some useful information on this can be found at Answers

Auction Houses can be a great way to sell more valuable pieces, but it is difficult to know what is in current demand unless you do your research. The auctioneers will normally charge a commission too, but this is around 15%, but also you may have to pay a fee if not sold at some so make sure of the terms before you submit your items. More expert advice and insider information can be found at Antiques Trade Gazette

Come in and see us, show us what you have to trade in and you only need to pick £30 worth of lovely things like: gifts, clothing, furniture, soaps, incence, coffee, chocolate, fairtrade craft, rugs, lighting, cards and glassware.

Here are some more pics of some furniture we have upcycled:

Wow! 5 Recycled Decor Projects that Burn Bright with Creativity

19 Tuesday Aug 2014

Posted by used2bee in Projects, Recycled Art

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Tags

interior design, pallet bed, pebble pathway, recycled bathroom, recycled bedroom, recycled furniture, recycled interiors, recycling doors, taosist quote, torquay furniture, torquay recycling

Impressive Garden Hide-Away

A truly beautiful home is organic, inspired with our experiences in life, treasured memories, our own blood sweat and tears.

Our busy busy lives: long hard careers, to pay the mortgage, run the car, to feed the family, chase the dream!

Let beauty in the simple things give the most pleasure.

A Fallen Tree makes for a Memorable Bathroom!

We live our lives dominated by the consumer mainstream of corporate conformity, but delve deep! You CAN find your true self, and a torrent of individual creative passion awaits…

Pebbles and Shells from Your Favourite Beach

We invest time, effort, commitment in the things we LOVE. In turn this fills our lives with purpose, calmness, and understanding to the point of fulfillment. It is not a goal to attain, but a way of life.

Love in the Spotlight: Pallet Bed, Inviting Cottons, Deep Pillows, Upcycled Downlight

It is the human spirit that inhabits a home and makes it whole. You may fill your home with things, but it is you that brings it all to life and makes it special.

“Shape clay into a vessel; It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room; It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there.”
― Lao Tzu

Eclectic Mix of all that is Recycled

Find more inspiration with our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/used2bee
Also: inspiration borrowed from:

Your Home Is Lovely http://yourhomeislovely.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/inspiring-interiors-ideas-best-of-2012.html

Pallet Furniture Diy http://palletfurniturediy.com/pallet-ideas/diverse-range-of-recycled-pallet-uses/

Inspiration Green http://www.inspirationgreen.com/pebble-pathways.html

Denim Jeans: 5 Unusual Things Made From Repurposed Jeans

28 Saturday Jun 2014

Posted by used2bee in Projects, Recycled Art

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Tags

designer jeans, nudie jeans, recycled, rugs

1. Where designer Jeans Go to Die!

Swedish designers Polytuft were responsible for this beautifully hand finished rug and is sold in sizes 140 x 200 cm or 160 x 240 cm from £399
The design was made under the slogan “Recycle” and laid in the patch-work style using discarded jeans, featuring high stability and durability.

2. Nudie Rag Rug

Conceived as part of the ‘post-recycled jeans initiative’ by swedish label nudie jeans, a series of scandinavian influenced denim rugs are produced with the remains of the company’s worn-out and destroyed pants.

Developed by cutting the worn textiles into jagged sections, the fabric is then rolled-up and sewn together.
Made in turkey, the rugs measure 2000mm x 1500mm and will be available exclusively at the nudie jeans house in L.A and concept stores around the world from 2012.

3. Who Likes My Wide Brimmed Chapeau?

Susan Moorhead is the designer behind this denim clad sunhat.
Susan just loves denim, loves recycling, and Ioves hats, so this sunhat is an obvious design for her. The plaid lining adds and extra point of interest.

4. Tuff Cuff from Mean Jeans

These trendy recycled jeans cuff wrist bracelets are a great accessory for a Rock Chic or Cyber Punk look.
Made from the waistbands of damaged jeans, this is is one of our most popular products right now, selling on our ETSY store at only £5.95. https://www.etsy.com/listing/185283864/levi-denim-cuff-bracelet-british

5. Denim Do Over: I Got This Covered!

This chair was featured on Susans recycling blog ‘Denim Do Over’ http://www.denimdoover.com/about/
Susan started by cutting 3 old pairs of jeans she had into many useful things to use in the home, and ideas have grown into a full time hobby!
We have made something similar too with a 3 piece corner suite bought at auction in 2011. This was a wonderful centrepiece at our warehouse reception room until it was sold later that year!

Also try these sites for useful ideas:

http://savedbylovecreations.com/2012/07/50-things-to-make-from-old-jeans.html

http://ecogreenlove.wordpress.com/2014/01/30/reusing-old-jeans-denim/

5 Really Useful Things To Make With Pallets

27 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by used2bee in Advice, Events, Projects

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Tags

birdhouse, blue tits, Devon, diy projects, garden gate, lamp, lighting, made in UK, nestbox, pallets, recycling, shelf, sparrows, spice rack, storage box, Torquay, wall lights, wood craft, wood shelf

Top 5 Useful Things You Can Make With Recycled Pallets

Beginning our promotion on recycling pallets we have picked some great projects for you to make, if your up to it! The event runs throughout July 2014 at our shop in Torquay Devon UK TQ26EL, and will feature all of these items and more, for you to buy.

1. Large Single Shelf Unit

This is a really simple idea and quite easy to do, but will take a lot of effort with sanding down the wood. You will need a long light weight pallet strengthened across its width by 4×2 timber instead of the usual blocks.

Cutting this timber about 17cm from both ends will give you the shelf frame which will need to be filled out with scrap pieces of board.
Like to buy one? http://www.used2bee.com/Pallet_Wood_Shelf_p/sr100.htm

2. Open Storage Boxes

Superbly simple idea and easy to make, these really useful boxes are made up entirely with the wider 14cm planks stripped from common EU pallets.
Make up a box frame with these 14cm planks but you can use the narrower 7cm ones for the base underneath. To make life easy make sure your box width is divisible by 7cm.
Finish off the box by either cutting handles, or attaching odd things to each end, like horse shoes, as featured in the above picture.

3. Stunning Wall Light

How impressive is this? Customise it to your own decor and taste.
It is made by building a support box frame that fixes to the wall with vanity panels either side to hide the electrics. You can then arrange the differing planks to the front in any design you wish. This must be PAT tested for electrical safety before you install though.

4. Standard Braced Garden Gate

These can be expensive items when bought from any hardware store. This one pictured is a design sold at B&Q for £35 but they can certainly cost up to £150!
This is made using 6 or 7 of the narrower 7cm planks spaced for a standard width of 90cm. You will need extra pieces top and bottom, and another mitred for the bracing.

5. Nestbox: Small House for Small Birds

Great looking garden item for attracting Sparrows and Tits to nest in your garden. I think this is probably the most difficult out of the 5 to make as there are different shapes to cut to make it fit together.

The design is approved by RSPB and the plan can be downloaded from their website: http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/Nestbox%20pdf_tcm9-173857.pdf

If your not up to the DIY then buy one here: http://www.used2bee.com/Recycled_Wood_BirdBox_p/dg1-bb.htm

Please visit the website used2bee.com regularly to see new recycled products we add every day. You can also get great ideas for recycled arts and crafts on the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/used2bee

Project – Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

07 Wednesday May 2014

Posted by used2bee in Projects

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bottles, greenhouse, installation, Paignton zoo, plastic, recycle, recycled, spoon handles, Used2bee

172 plastic water bottles went into making this Greenhouse

I originally had this idea last November when I was Inspired by an installation at Paignton Zoo. The local school had built a greenhouse there entirely from re-using recycled plastic drinks bottles to show an effective use of one of our most wasteful single use products.
Since November our lovely customers have been bringing their bottles in for us and had collected enough to get started; in fact 172 plastic water bottles went into making this Greenhouse.

Paignton Zoo Installation was my inspiration

cutting, measuring, sawing, drilling and screwing!

You have to start by laying out your tools and materials: 2×1 treated timber frame, enough water bottles for the job(see below), screws, and bamboo canes. You will also need 3×3 treated corner posts to support the frames but i already had these in place.
I hope your good at cutting, measuring, sawing, drilling and screwing! The bottles slide onto each cane by drilling a hole in the bottle base, then assembling the canes into each cut frame to make the sides and roof of your greenhouse, and then screwed to the posts.
You will need to estimate about 3 bottles per square foot for your panels, plus an additional row on top to cap off. The bottles are aprx 10cm wide so your greenhouse size should be a multiple of that plus the timber width. Each panel is made up of 2×1 timber 20mm thick so add 40mm to your total bottle width when cutting your timber ie: 1600mm +40mm = 1640mm.

Allow 10cm bottle cane width + 40mm for timber frame

Decide on your greenhouse size

The height usually is up to 1830mm for convenience as this is a standard 6′ length from most DIY stores. The bottle length are then cut to size to fit.
So decide on your greenhouse size: length, width and height to get your upright panel sizes.
Allow a space for the doorway, and decide on your roof style. Paignton Zoo featured a pitch roof made up of 2 panels and 2 triangular shaped ends; but my design was only a ‘lean to’ against my fence panel. This made mine alot easier to do!

‘Lean To’ style roof panel is alot easier

drill a hole in the bottom

Once you have assembled your frames for the panels, remove caps/labels and clean bottles, then you can begin to cut the bottles and slide them onto the canes. You will need to remove the necks from two and drill a hole in the bottom, for each cane as the top and bottom caps.

remove the tops from 2 bottles for each cane
Then remove the bottoms of as many bottles required to fill the length of cane, and slide the neck over the cane to fit snug into each other.

with bottoms removed the bottles fit snug into each other

quick and easy to finish

Once all your bottles are on the canes and cut to fit into the frame, drill a hole big enough (about 10mm) for the canes into each frame, top and bottom 100mm apart starting 50mm from one side. This will make the job quick and easy to finish, but you may have to loosen the frame a little to get each one in.

Drill holes in frame to allow canes to fit

Dont forget to recycle your waste

This just leaves fitting it all together! My design was for two big barn doors at the front with fixed sides and lean to roof. So i completed the door frame, fixed the roof section to it and the fence posts, then mounted the doors on recycled hinges, using recycled spoons as handles!
Dont forget to recycle your waste! Most council sites now recycle hard plastics and bottles.

Recycled spoons as handles!

Further Reading

Paignton Zoo Green Projects. http://www.eaza.net/activities/sustainability/Documents/Paignton.pdf
Inspiration Green- Homes made from plastic bottles. http://www.inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-homes.html
Recycling Guide- plastic bottle facts. http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/facts.html
Used2bee – This is our shop website! Recycled Organic and Fairtrade products. Great for gifts furniture and clothing. http://www.used2bee.com

PROJECT -1950s GPlan Coffee Table

24 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by used2bee in Projects

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Tags

1950s, astronaut, atomic age, buckinghamshire, devon uk, furniture, g-plan, Gplan, high wycombe, mid century modern, recycled furniture, space race, table, upcycled, Used2bee

Working on this table I look back over the 20 years I had been director of a Waste Management company. Not a job I had picked when I left school, but who really knows what occupation is going to pay the bills when leaving school?

i was going to be an Astronaut

At school I demanded I was going to be an Astronaut, but when that wasnt achievable, an electrician, then fate had steered me in another direction and i became an Entreprenuer!
Having your own business has its own rewards, upsets and responsibilities: but the goals, achievements and direction are your own. It was being in the waste business so long that gave me ideas for making use of our mountains of unwanted things. Now i set upon restoring and upcycling furniture in my own unique way.

E Gomme Ltd, famously known as G-Plan

This English made Coffee Table came to me via a second hand furniture shop in Paignton Devon. It was originally made in the 1950s by E Gomme Ltd, famously known as G-Plan, who at the time made very high quality Danish style furniture from their Birch premises at High Wycombe in the glorious royal county of Buckinghamshire.

high-quality arts and craft furniture

This group of buildings was originally owned by Wm Birch Limited, manufacturers of high-quality arts and craft furniture. The three-storey factory was newly built in 1901 with a later four-storey range built fronting at Leigh Street in 1913 by Architect Thomas Thurlow. Time marches on and so production finished sometime in the 1990s: the site now has been developed for offices and mixed commercial use.

With this heritage in mind I want to reveal the quality of the fine workmanship found in the jointing and the use of different timbers to great effect in the top.

You realise the quality of materials

I have stripped off the layer of varnish to show the natural bare wood(pic), which i have now polished with beeswax.
The base is jointed with mortice and tenons, and originally painted with a black gloss that I have brought up to date with several coats of Blue Teal, sanded and polished.

You realise the quality of materials used when you see the solid brass adjustable feet and leg caps, which i have polished with brass cleaner.

reflecting Mid Century ideals

I love this piece and I am really impressed with the level of quality in its original manufacture. Growing up in the 80s this style of furniture went out of fashion in the UK, to be replaced by Scandinavian Pine. Fashions change and the classic simplicity of this style is back! reflecting Mid Century ideals of technology, the Atomic Age and the Space Race.

This item can be bought at http://www.used2bee.com/Gplan_Mid_Century_Table_Torquay_p/fh1st-gp.htm
Or from our ETSY page at https://www.etsy.com/listing/183810746/g-plan-british-1950s-upcycled-coffee

Project: Sandra’s Table Turns Gypsy

01 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by used2bee in Projects

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

70s teak table, caravan, danish furniture, dining table, drop leaf, g-plan, gypsy, gypsy artwork, handpainted, nick dow, romany, rose pattern, Used2bee

G-Plan turned Gypsy

Sandra used to be a Carer, loves chocolate pudding, and regularly visits our shop.
She lives around the corner from the shop, beside the church and above the barbers shop, where she has a cosy snug cabin at the end of their garden. In this cabin, they both enjoy their time in the quiet reading the paper, watching the wildlife, and relaxing. Lovely!
The snug cabin is kitted out quite comfortably with the basic requirements: chair, cupboards, light and table. Over christmas, they decided to change the table.
After the christmas holidays had ended, Jo was working on the sale tickets in the shop when in she come and said ” can you recycle and old table?” : Jo agreed to send me round to have a look.
I found a 1970s Danish style G-Plan Drop-Leaf table sat centre stage in the cabin, waiting to be collected. Sandra knew i am a sucker for a new project, and that we needed one for a new dining shop display, so i obliged and said yes and her dad gave me a hand to carry it to the van.

This is why they were so popular for over 30 years!

It was in good clean condition, which is quite unusual for most of my recycling projects!
The table could seat six at a push, and didnt come with any chairs, so i may have to find those. Its original teak veneer is polished to a semi gloss finish and exposes the light golden grain. The two tapered ends drop neatly down when the supports are folded inwards and under, revealing a neat quarter moulded edge. The whole finish to the frame is smooth and rounded danish style, not a harsh corner in sight. This table amazingly folds down to virtually no space at all, this is why they were so popular for over 30 years!

the hardest part was deciding on the design!

The hardest part of this project for me was not the actual work, although the detail of the artwork was quite a challenge: the hardest part was deciding on the design!
I had found my inspiration when i researched the internet, trendy furniture shops, Kirsty Allsop Homemade Home show (@KirstieMAllsopp), and George Clarkes Amazing Spaces https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeClarkesAmazingSpaces. The best way to attack this was to make a plan of the design and practice some of the techniques.

I had already collected scraps of wallpaper and cuttings of floral designs i had found, so i could use these as decoupage within the design. I would make a large square of rose patterned paper the dominant block in the centre of the table and embellish with additional artwork around it.
Giving the table a good all over rough sanding to remove dirt and varnish, i then added a sound coat of chalk emulsion that was rubbed down to a smooth finish using fine sandpaper. This gives a good base to apply the paper design and paint on the final decoration.

you only grow when you seek to improve yourself

I could imagine the incredible flowing artwork used on traditional Gypsy caravans as the final decoration on my table, but these techniques take years to master, i would have to apply them in weeks. I had found much useful resource on YouTube, particularly with Nick Dows work. He famously restored a Romany Caravan for Ronnie Wood and you can watch him talking on the subject of gypsy art, life and his blues band http://youtu.be/9O8LyVnz9ls
My efforts are simple by comparison but you only grow when you seek to improve yourself.

Further reference on the subject of traditional gypsy caravans, their restoration, art, furniture and lifestyle can be found at http://www.gypsy-wagons.com. This site represents the Ingham and Fallon families, who are the oldest Irish families still living the traditional lifestyle in the UK.

What did it… used2bee

~ Recycled Craft Gifts Furniture and Clothing

Category Archives: Projects

Rustic Birdhouse… But What Did It Used2bee?

Recycled Ant Sculpture…But What Did It Used2bee?

Ant Figures Made from Recycled Materials

How To Make A Wind Generator From Scrap

Where Can I Get Cash for My Old Furniture?

Wow! 5 Recycled Decor Projects that Burn Bright with Creativity

Denim Jeans: 5 Unusual Things Made From Repurposed Jeans

5 Really Useful Things To Make With Pallets

Project – Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

PROJECT -1950s GPlan Coffee Table

Project: Sandra’s Table Turns Gypsy