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In the past, I’ve written several articles about how to salvage old cassette tapes, and fix old records. At the end, the process usually required some sort of audio transfer, because recording tape is a rather impermanent medium. So what do you do with all those tapes, once you’ve transferred all your cassettes to CD or DVD? This article will give you a few fun ideas for making those old tapes useful again. Since no one is going to buy them from you; much less take them, even if you’re giving them away, why not have a little bit of fun? A 60 minute cassette offers about 285 feet of fairly strong, flexible tape. It can be used as twine for bundling old newspapers, or even heavier things. Meanwhile, an audiophile might enjoy showcasing their love for analog with cassette tape jewelry. Cassettes make great belt buckles, and the micro cassettes can make a pair of matching earrings. To make a cassette tape belt buckle, first you will need to dismantle the cassette. Carefully take it apart and take all the insides out. You can throw away the insides, since you won’t need them (unless you need some twine). Next, you will need to drill the holes into the cassette casing. Make sure the size of your drill matches the size of screw you plan to use. To make the metal piece of the buckle (where your belt notches feed into) you can use a cut and measured piece of coat hanger. Finally, you can cut and paste a picture inside the cassette, for added flair. Then you will simply super glue the casing back together, clamp it, and wait for it to dry. Once the cassette is dry and stable, you can attach it to your favorite belt, and be the envy of your friends. If cassette tape belts aren’t quite your style, you can use your old cassettes to make a wallet or coin purse. First, carefully open the cassette the same way that you would if you were making a belt buckle. You can remove the tape reels and insert a small handmade pouch, or even a coin purse you picked up from a dollar store. Then, install a zipper at the top of the cassette. Or, instead of inserting the pouch and installing a zipper, you can simply insert your business cards and use the cassette as a business card holder. Still, if you really don’t see the need to flaunt your cassettes as fashion accessories, there is a more subtle, but still creative use for them. You can turn 20 cassette tapes into a nice lamp for your den or study. First, peel off all the labels. Then, glue the tapes together, end-to-end, with strong glue. You can glue 4 tapes together, top to bottom, in a line. Do this four times to cover each side of your lamp. You may need to use a clamp while you let them dry. Once they are dry, you will need to glue them to the four sides of the lamp you chose, and let that dry also. After it has dried, plug it in and enjoy your new retro lamp. To conclude, don’t just start taking apart old tapes for twine. Make sure you transfer all you music or video from tape to CD or DVD before attempting any of these fun projects. For all your transfer needs, I recommend a small media transfer shop; called Two Squares
Two Squares, Inc
6272 Boone Ave N.
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428
763-400-4510
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