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Thread: Unusual uses for marbles

  1. #1
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    Default Unusual uses for marbles

    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?
    Flameworking is a bit like being a teenage boy - a lot of gas is considered a pretty good thing.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

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

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    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.
    It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at.
    Really.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

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

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    hehe - tighter the better I imagine...

    for both the previous posts
    Flameworking is a bit like being a teenage boy - a lot of gas is considered a pretty good thing.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    Not a Marble. Not your average paperweight anymore


  7. #7
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    put 3 or 4 large marbles in a sock and use them to bludgeon old people outside of walmart....
    Doug Harroun
    Greymatter Glass
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    (505) 884-0318

    A̿̐͒ͥ̏̅͋ͤͮ́́̒͢͏̨͙̩̦͔̫̠̲̤ͅ ̑ͨ̎͆͐̉̍̐ͤͮͨ͐̇ͩͦ̏ͣ̚͏̷̶̭̝̠͓̞̱̭̫͙̜̮̫͔̤̱͕͢b̓̓ͭ̿̓ͥ̐̒͂͂ͧ ̡̓͋̐ͥ҉̧̹͎̺̳̩̬̘̯̮̜̼̻͝ͅē̵̹̯̦̟͔͊̓̔͗͊̀͆͗̀ͭͭ̀̇͋͋ͩ̓̓͞͞͞ ̘̰̘͈a̧̹͙͇̫̲̻̳̦̦͛͑͂̌̊́̌̂̅ͤ̿͠ͅų̷̶̡̺̤̳͐̂ͣ̋̀ͅͅt̍̀͋̽͗̚ ̶͎͎̳̤͈̘̞͕̣̲̣̼͙͎̬̪̜͎̯ͤ̃̈́ͬͧ͒͟͞͝͡iͪ̋̌̄̎ͪ́̚҉̶̰͎̣̥͉̙̘̬͝ ͍͈̻̻f̡̟̤̥̝̞̈̋ͧͮ̂ͣͬͨ͆͊̌̇ͨ̚͠͞u̵ͥͦ̑ͧ̆͂͐̊̏̍̋̓͗ͭͫ͆́̃͊͘̕ ̛̱̳͓̠͖̕ḹ̢̧̦̬̲̟̳̉ͯͫ̊̏ͪͫ͝ͅ ̵̺̫͙̗̦̠̯̞̫̪̩͐ͭͮ̏̓͒̏͊͋̚̚͘ͅḧ̨̛̭̼̘ͤͥ̿ͫ̊ͦͧͮͮ̀̓̔͌̉̓̀̀͡ ̺͚e̷̦̤̘̯͎̜͇͚͔̱̙͖ͪ͛ͤͮͬ͆͆̾̾͂̑͆̓͜ȧ̴̋ͨ͂ͣͬ̓̆͐̾̿̐̃̒͊͌́͝ ̷͇̮̙̗͉͍r̵̜̰̣̫͙̦̻̖͕͎̘̲̗̘ͦ̋̑̀̌̎̓ͭ̚͞tͨ̅̇͛ͫͫ̆ͪ̌͋ͩ̉ͯ͊͌̌ ̴̨̢̭͚̳̦͖̻̮̬̣̮̟͓͉̪͈̍ ̷̷̫̬͈͓̞͈̞̬̹̟̯͚̹͇̩̏͋ͬ̍͛̎̑̄̽ͦ̆̔̈́̀͆ͩ̓


    .

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    slingshot ammo.
    .

    http://www.etsy.com/shop/fadedglassworks


    irony = smoking a cigarette in order to check your ventilation system.

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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    a level

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    That assumes that the marble is round - not too sure about some of mine...
    Flameworking is a bit like being a teenage boy - a lot of gas is considered a pretty good thing.

  11. #11
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

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

  12. #12
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    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 .

  13. #13
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    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
    ~~~All I ever wanted was to pick apart the day, and put the pieces back together my way....

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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

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

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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    Start a fire with clear ones and some sunshine


    Scott
    People of the world, relax.

  16. #16
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    Replace your old unsightly aquarium gravel.

  17. #17
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    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.

  18. #18
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

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

  19. #19
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    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.
    Flameworking is a bit like being a teenage boy - a lot of gas is considered a pretty good thing.

  20. #20
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    Default Re: Unusual uses for marbles

    i roll a marble on my forearms to work out the knots
    work, work, work, all day long. work, work, work, while i sing this song. gonna light my fire, gonna melt some glass. gonna make a bunch of pipes super fast.

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