If you’ve ever had to ship a poster across the country, or wanted to have a play swordfight with your friends as a child, you know the value of cardboard tubes. This simple creation has many uses, and many different ways of getting each of these uses done. Here are a few of the things that a cardboard tube is great at.
Mailing
The most utilitarian use of them all. If you have a poster that you want sent to a friend in the mail, or perhaps you have architectural plans for your business you need to get to someone, then this is the way to ship it. What you may not be aware of, however, is that there are several different types of cardboard mailing tubes, which revolve mostly around the way they seal. You can get a basic tube with a plastic endcap that snaps onto the tube, or you can get a tube that actually folds in on itself on the end, eliminating the extra piece and helping to hold the contents in place. You can get a composite container, which consists of two pieces of tubing, one going into the other and that hold together from there. There are different types, with varying expenses, so look around before buying anything.
Storage
Once you get your package, you can then use the tube to store your things in. As a child I kept tennis balls in some large cardboard tubes we had, and I still have some old posters in my attic. Cardboard tubing relies on its strength as an advantage, and I have no fear of dropping them and seeing them get broken or the contents torn.
Crafts and Toys
Have you ever wanted to be a cardboard tube samurai? Then go do it! Ask any kid, cardboard tubes make fantastic swords, and as a child I played with them for hours with my friends. The tubes won’t hurt anyone, and they make a lot of noise when someone gets hit. Do you need any other reason to play with them?
For adults, the tubes can also be used as crafts. Just as an example, here is a layout on how to use tubes to create a Christmas wreath. Tubes, when cut into small lengths, also can make good foundations for puppets and people.
So as you can see, we have plenty of uses past cardboard shipping tubes. Cardboard tubing can be used for work or for play, and since it’s so inexpensive, it’s a no-brainer item to have in your home.
Related posts: