Unusual uses for marbles

[m_j_reilly]

Hi guys,

We all know marbles are used for playing games and as objects of art, but there are a lot of other uses that no-one thinks about. I thought I would try to collect some weird uses for the humble marble.

I'll kick it off...

As a vet, I use marbles to prevent mares from cycling (coming into oestrus). The marble (35-40mm) is passed through the cervix when the mare is in season in a sterile manner. It acts as a kind of IUD and the mare stops cycling. This is important in the racing industry where the drugs to do this are banned.

Marbles in a birdbath attract birds

A marble or two in the saucepan when you make jam helps keep it off the bottom and prevent burning.

In the same way, marbles can help you stir the paint in a can (or act as a shaker).

A marble in the kettle lets you know when it is boiling (it rattles).

So, what is the most unusual use for a marble that you have seen? Or been asked for a marble for?

[akmewon]

marble in a sandwich bag of water hanging in a doorway will keep flies out

[Swampy]

at a push, as a simple but effective means of birth-control;

the marble is forced into the foreskin and retained by a very strong rubber band.

[earlbacher]

ben-wa balls... ladies insert them and try to keep them inside to strengthen kegel muscles....

[m_j_reilly]

hehe - tighter the better I imagine...

for both the previous posts ;)

[Ubatuba]

Not a Marble. Not your average paperweight anymore

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd63/Ubatuba_glass/IMG_5162.jpg

[Greymatter Glass]

put 3 or 4 large marbles in a sock and use them to bludgeon old people outside of walmart....

[faded]

slingshot ammo.

[coloringdan]

a level

[m_j_reilly]

That assumes that the marble is round - not too sure about some of mine...

[kage]

bowl extinguishers, make your tobacco last longer when your flying solo

[lil'roller]

Ok thanks for the insight . I was wondering what to do with my first in-perfect marbles . I just started marbles . Finally got sell able ones ,but was wondering what I was going to do with the ones I tried .

[The Madhatter]

You can put a bunch in the bottom of a water pipe (after they've been in the freezer) and it acts like a diffuser.

Awesome thread! +1

[ras_l-roy]

small marbles in a bottle of wine that u couldnt finish will keep the air out and thus keep ur wine fresher longer

[schmoinkel]

Start a fire with clear ones and some sunshine


Scott

[glassdocnc]

Replace your old unsightly aquarium gravel.

[cc_bob]

I remember reading that some one gave away marbles to kids as "Courage Marbles". That's probably the best use I have ever heard of.

My dad used to have several hundred marbles in the running boards of a 30 model A. I wish I had a pic of it, it looked really cool the running boards were polished aluminum and they sat in holes drilled half-way through. They were all Blue with FORD spelled out in dark blue.

[nicko0]

i used some one night on pressure points under an ace bandage on an overworked arm

[m_j_reilly]

Great replies guys - I'm really impressed with the ingenuity.

As for those imperfect ones - I threw a large bowl of them out at a craft fair and people went crazy - they loved sifting through them looking for a bargain. I sold well over 100 for $15 ea!

Another idea for the imperfects is as a coffe table centre piece. In a bowl or vase you don't notice the imperfections and again, people love sifting through them.

[CDot]

i roll a marble on my forearms to work out the knots

[faded]

i leave them at random places at the lake whenever i take my seadoo out. i always have a marble or two in my storage bin. whenever i go ashore for a safety break i'll leave a marble in a tree or on a log.

[Andy P]

I've left some in geocaches.

[MPGB]

I always have one or two in my car for when I see wet concrete. I stick them in the wet concrete. I've only found wet concrte twice.

Or for road rage throw them at cars who cut me off. (I'm kidding..... That's dangerous)

[B-Rye-oNeR]

why is it so fun to chuck glass pieces? ...I do it regularly,

[suriVJD]

throw them on top of potted plants (the dirt area)

blocks light and reflects, plus it looks cool with a bunch of em

----or----

squish for pendants

[jes]

UNIQUE TIME LEFT GAGE

Take like 85 marbles and put them in a jar then take the number of marbles that is your age is and put them in another jar. then every year on your birthaday put 1 marble from the jar with however many marbles left into the jar with lets say you are 35 in with the jar with 35 so you have 36 and every year you will have more in the one jar actual year and the other jar will get less and less.

If you are already over 50 it will give you a different way of looking at the number of years left to do great things. if you are 25 you will be amazed at how fast you turn 35 and in 35 more years you will only have 10 marbles left. Hopefully we will be around healthy and happy past 85, lets have a good time NOW though!

also putting big marble in a sock for personal security device is only for emergency use only, OK!!!

[m_j_reilly]

Had a guy ask me yesterday where he could buy the cheap marbles.
He puts them into cans of Danish oil to keep the air out.

[Greymatter Glass]

I use a bunch of fire polished sections of 16mm rod to keep my 100% methanol dry. Easier for me to make than buying bulk marbles.

[jes]

ammo for sling shot, OR wrist rocket ammo!

[Kato]

bar toys, I get drunk and spin em on the table at the bar. wicked fun and people always love to play.

[jes]

"bar toys, I get drunk and spin em on the table at the bar. wicked fun and people always love to play."

YEH, like old fashioned video games or old fashioned play station

stay and play

Make crazy glow in the dark mushrooms inside and see if anyone will use it for their glass eye,, that would be kinda weird...

[m_j_reilly]

Hey - I just had a guy ask me to make 9 marbles to propose to his girlfriend with.
I think the idea is that they all go into an amulet in settings that allow them to be rotated. The marbles have a North marker and some lines inside and together they somehow pinpoint a latitude and longitude to the ring.
Not sure if I can even make these yet butthe idea is a bit Indiana Jones...