What can you make out of non-working CDs and DVDs?

Question

I am the owner of a Yahoo group and we are looking for ways to recycle or reuse old CDs or DVDs instead of placing them in the landfill. If you have a good site for a project please send that also.
Example: Making a Clock out of one, Chistmas ornaments, ect.
Any ideas out there?
Thanks in advance for the help.

Answer 1

For this, you may have to think outside the box some. I found some great images online:

http://www.make-stuff.com/recycling/cd.html

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/top-5-most-creative-uses-for-old-cds

http://familycrafts.about.com/od/cdcrafts/

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5mmF8uNG.qoAGzOjzbkF/SIG=128e15uua/EXP=1189430277/**http%3A//www.flickr.com/photos/89363857@N00/169571733/

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5xXH8uNGpP8AEUujzbkF/SIG=129if164g/EXP=1189430343/**http%3A//www.flickr.com/photos/flubberwinkle/316976166/

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5mkc8.NGXqoApjijzbkF/SIG=125c8ssjg/EXP=1189430428/**http%3A//www.flickr.com/photos/racheblue/429808086/

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5m0y8.NGWBkAlCKjzbkF/SIG=1253sq2js/EXP=1189430450/**http%3A//www.flickr.com/photos/mjlaflaca/442921725/

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0Je5mXf8.NGRRsARyujzbkF/SIG=1270mhgpf/EXP=1189430623/**http%3A//www.flickr.com/photos/90462594@N00/21253270/

Some of my favorites involve string art:

http://www.cardinspirations-usa.com/forum/card049.htm

http://www.cardinspirations-usa.com/forum/card048.htm

http://www.cardinspirations-usa.com/forum/card065.htm

Good luck! Let me know more about your Yahoo group. It sounds interesting!

Answer 2

Recently, I was faced with the same problem. I covered the label side of the disc with some glitter paper. I burned two holes, one at 12 o clock, one at 6 o clock and inserted fishing swivels to join about 5 of them together. The effect produced by the swivels is that when the wind blows it, each disc can turn, independent of the other discs. I printed pictures of my grandson's birthday party, with Chuckie Cheese,about the size of a 4 inch oval and glued them to the center of each disc. There was about an inch of the readable side showing around the pictures. I had some of those pens that write with the puffy ink, in florescent colors, that I made designs with around each picture. On the last disc, I placed a ceramic dragonfly, for weight, and I had an interesting conversation piece for the underside of the porch. Every time the wind blows, you have a fantastic light show as the discs spin in the breeze. Hope this is an idea you might use.

Answer 3

First, find a source for panel-sized support materials. This can be piano crates or corrugated paper or discarded tent canvas.

Wear eye protection to drill or otherwise form pairs of holes in the CDs for mounting. Beginning at the lower edge, cover the surface with CDs as though they were overlapping scales. Solid panels may be hinged together. Fabric panels can be hung from eaves or whatever.

These are functional heat reflectors. You can increase sun exposure from a balcony in the winter and reposition to minimize the same in the summer.

Use double-stitch foam tape to attach such a panel to an entire door, just for recognition's sake.

Answer 4

You can make a pretty candle display. With the shiny side of the disc up, glue felt to the bottom of disc. THen find a pretty votive candle holder and a matching candle and place on top of the CD or DVD. Light the candle, and VOILA! when the candle is lit, it will reflect off the disc and look very nice. Make sure not to place the candle near anything flammable such as curtains, wood, paper, etc.

Answer 5

Try stacking them and making coffee table legs - then affix individual CDs to the top of the table (sure uses up a lot of discs that way).
Glue felt to the bottoms and make extra big coasters for parties.
Glue them to the ceiling of a kids room for a fun effect.
Dangle them from fruit trees to keep the birds away.
Make a kids game of tossing discs into a hat - put points on each CD with a Sharpie so they can add up their points.
Haloween is coming - turn them into a costume!!

Answer 6

I have made clocks out of them. I did a mosaic using stained glass, brought a clock piece from hobby lobby and inserted thru' the hole. Also can make mobiles by gluing the glass, insert fishing line with objects glued on it, then grout the dvd.

Answer 7

If you knit or crochet, you can make trivets or hot pad mats. You make 2 pieces of each and put the used CD's or DVD's in the center for stability.

Answer 8

silly but i am thinking have it as your dogs to play Frisbee with. i know its still like tossing it into a landfill and dangerous for your Fido, but um, cant u go to a hobby shop and let them check it out for you and see what you can do with them? Hmm its metal i also think u can recycle them in a recycle box or place. that's my 2 cents...

Answer 9

You will find a lot of resources online for latered CDs - where a CD is decorated with papers, fibres, inks etc to create a work of art

http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Techniques/Altered_Art/462.php

http://www.scrapfriends.us/articles/altered_cd.html

http://www.altered-book.com/altered-CDs.html

Hope this helps,
mum2 MH

Answer 10

I'll add these ideas, most of which use polymer clay with whole (pre-recorded) CD's or shapes cut from them (but could be other clays or materials too), from my website:

http://glassattic.com/polymer/covering.htm
(... click on CD's, under "Plastics"...)

http://glassattic.com/polymer/onlay.htm
(...click on CD SHARDS...)


HTH,

Diane B.