Free DIY rubber bands

This post is about making strong, versatile and perish-free rubber bands from inner tubes from pneumatic tyres. They can be made in a wide variety of sizes, thickness and strengths, cost nothing and will not perish.

Rubber bands from inner tubes

Rubber bands are wonderful things for outdoor adventures from carrying skis to closing bags of food. Unfortunately, mot are made with natural rubber and it will perish in time. Most uses of rubber bands involves stretching and stretching greatly increases the rate of perishing.

Pneumatic tyre inner tubes are generally made with synthetic rubber that usually does not have as much stretch as natural rubber, but it does not perish. Consequently, they can easily be cut into rings that make excellent high strength and long-lasting rubber bands for adventuring.

Rubber cutting. Despite its soft feel rubbers of most types are very wearing on sharp cutters. I have cut a lot of rubber over the years. Once I blamed inorganic fillers in the rubber for this issue Now I realized that this was probably wrong as pure silicone rubber is quite wearing also.

As well as being wearing, the friction of the cutter in the ‘cut’ is very strong. However, if the cutting zone is coated with a lubricant such as water or even better water plus detergent or soap, the cutting is so much easier and the wear on the blade is a little less. “Needles-to-say, don’t use your best blades for rubber cutting unless they are disposable or you are prepared to sharpen them.

Tin-snips. For cutting off slices of rubber inner tube, I find that a sheer action works well and I use sharp tin-snips for the task and I am prepared to sharpen them quite often. I also use a lubricant. “I find such a sheer cut is one of the most efficient actions for cutting rubber.”

Two layers in one cut. I fold the inner tube flat and cut through both layers at the same time. “It takes a little practice to keep the two layers level, but a dud band or two is of no consequence. And shhhhh any tiny scraps make very persistent (but stinky) little fire starters in bad weather. Just so full of energy.”

Tim