So, what do you do with all the extra plastic bits?

[taliesin 260]

Every kit has them on the parts trees, those extra bits that aren't used, don't seem to be useful for any other kit ever made, and will never ever (ever) be the parts that break. I've never caught them at it, but I strongly suspect they multiply whilst unattended.

So, what do you do with them?

[XV Pilot 1936]

Mine have started their own little colony in a storage box under the bed. I'm leaving them to it...

[KEV THE REV 2307]

Usually find some use for them on other projects - specials - customs , or even spacers if they are that sort of thing - not much gets left behind , except maybe Grasshopper A parts as I seem to have accumulated quite a few front arms , so yes , maybe the Grasshoppers are multiplying like rabbits

[ChrisRx718 4470]

I have two kit boxes rammed with leftover parts from plastic sprues. I used to clip all the parts from the sprue because this took up less space, but it can make finding parts more difficult. I separate out the plastic wheel hexes and any ball connectors as these are handy for all sorts. The rest just gets thrown into a box and I occasionally have to delve through it to find something. You have a mental recollection of what's in there and if a TC member wants something I'll sometimes dig through it and pass it on for the cost of postage or for nothing if I'm feeling flush - depends how close to payday it is!

[danb1974 93]

I'm lazy so I leave them on sprues; each car has it's bag of leftover parts (works when the number of cars is low). Link ends and spacers come handy from time to time (together with any leftover screws). The rest usually remain untouched, since I'm not a modder.

[beefmuffin 1156]

Alot of times other people need them, so I never throw them away. If I can't give them away and need to vacate space I sell them in parts lots for whatever people will pay - usually not much but then they can hopefully use them!

[wolfdogstinkus 1893]

You can use them to plastic solder, think it was Mongoose?(apologies if it wasn't) that soldered on the nose-cone of a blitzer shell with left over sprue parts.

That is a use for the tree and not the left over parts within though.

[markbt73 5310]

They just clutter up toolboxes and drawers. Sometimes they live in the kit box along with the instruction book and the remainders of the decal sheet for a while until I get around to getting rid of the box. I have never been able to properly "organize" my hobby stuff, try as I might. I start to sort everything out, and then I find a part, get an idea, and start tinkering with something, and never get back to organizing.

[berman 5315]

You can use them to plastic solder, think it was Mongoose?(apologies if it wasn't) that soldered on the nose-cone of a blitzer shell with left over sprue parts.

Kontemax I think.

Cut the sprue off and chuck them in the spares for that particular model.

[Nobbi1977 1793]

Anything that is cross model or universal gets put in the spares box. The rest get bagged and stored, as beermuffin points out they are often useful to others.

Plastic bearings on the other hand fill a bag and have limited uses

[taliesin 260]

I think the worst is Axial - especially if you buy an RTR. Each model comes with an extra pound or two of spares that I've yet to ever break or need any of. And when something gets customized or upgraded it's usually with an aftermarket part so none of the plastic bits ever gets used.

[mr crispy 2293]

What's wrong with you people, complaining about extra parts? 😉 I keep all mine and I can usually find something just right for whatever mod or project I'm working on. If you don't want them send it my way, I'll pay the postage 😜

[ukfox 347]

What's wrong with you people, complaining about extra parts? I keep all mine and I can usually find something just right for whatever mod or project I'm working on. If you don't want them send it my way, I'll pay the postage

When i have my next clear out i might hold you to that offer

[mr crispy 2293]

Deal! 😉

[Gruntfuggly 562]

Let them build up until theres quite a few, then send them to Kev...

[Fruitfly01 596]

Every model I own has a drawer dedicated to it and it's spares and optional parts. Since many cars share chassis designs, some drawers contain parts for more than one car - Terra Scorcher/Thunder Shot, DF01 Chassis cars, Madcap/Astute, etc...

Not all spares are needed, so I buy a sprue for one part and have a collection of sprues with parts that accumulate in number - Gearboxes or bulkheads - the type of thing that never breaks. The beauty of it is, that I often end up with enough spares to build another car, as was the case with My runner Boomerang, being built with mostly left overs from Boomer and Super Sabre restorations.