This is a helpful thread ... I've actually been looking for really big rubber bands for quite a while. They have a lot of useful applications.

I didn't realize these things actually had a name ("Ranger bands"), but I like the idea of just cutting up bicycle inner tubes.

Has anyone also tried slicing the tubular rubber bands that are typically supplied for slingshots or spearguns? Seems like those bands should be available with different amounts of stretch.

other Pete

When using bicycle inner tubes are you implying to use some sort of adhesive like Gorilla glue or Aqua Seal?

I think what people are referring to with the inner tubes is to cut a cross section out of one, not using the length of the tube.

I'm unimpressed with the elasticity of the inner tube bands I've made, I'm going for some industrial strength actual rubber bands from McMaster-Carr. 1/2" in width and available in different lengths in either natural rubber or red. Cheap enough to buy a box and stick into my preps box.

Other possibilities, get some heavy duty elastic banding from a fabric shop and stitch it into loops. Use a decent box type stitch and it'll stretch more and last longer than most rubber bands. Plus it comes in "tacticool stealth black"

JohnE: Got a McMaster-Carr catalog number for those?

other Pete

Not handy Pete but if you go to the McMaster-Carr website and enter "rubber bands" in the search window they'll pop right up. They've got a bunch of different sizes, from office type all the way up the scale.

There's only one page of them in the catalog.

I think the inner tube idea is a good one if you need especially wide bands, to do some of the things that dweste has been describing but if you need something with some real elasticity, the 1/2" wide rubber bands are a nice addition.

Used ranger bands during my stint as a wild land emergency fire fighter.

Balled 'em up tightly at the base of our Pulaskis to make sure they didn't slip out of our grips when we got exhausted.

Pete, and anyone else for that matter.

Here's a couple of McMaster-Carr part numbers for large, heavy duty type rubber bands that work as a nice adjunct to the inner tube-homemade jobbies.

#12205T82 2.5"x.5"
#12205T83 3.5"x.5"
#12205T84 5"x .625"

For anyone not familiar with McMaster-Carr, they are one of if not the best mail/web order sources for all kinds of neat industrial type stuff. From metal stock to first aid supplies they've got it. Their printed catalogues are considered collectable and fetch some high prices on ebay. They ship incredibly fast and they have no minimum order, you can order one item or a thousand and you don't have to be a business to order from them. I highly recommend bookmarking their website.

JohnE: Thanks! I didn't want to seem like I was lazy ... it's just that the McMaster-Carr catalog has a ton of stuff. This particular suggestion is very helpful, because I was searching around on the Internet some time ago for large-size rubber bands and just couldn't find a good source.

I am still going to experiment with cutting up bicycle inner tubes ... but mostly because it's in the spirit of this forum i.e. being resourceful.

thanks,
other Pete

No worries, yeah they've got an imposing amount of stuff in their catalogues.

Like I think I wrote earlier, the inner tubes work but they don't have a lot of elasticity to them, they're very good if you need a band that's really wide and that you can slip over onto whatever. Not so good if you've got to stretch them a lot.

And of course, there are a lot of different sized inner tubes. For what they cost, I'd probably just buy one to fit a "beach cruiser" type tire, you'll have "Ranger Bands" coming out of your ears.

Avoid the thorn resistant type, they're even less elastic and they're only thicker on the top portion which makes them stretch out kinda weird. I like nice, even stretching...;^)

In a similar vein, if you ever need a quick temporary clamp while gluing something up, try wrapping some surgical tubing around it. That stuff stretches for days and it's cheap and reusable. Also makes a handy flexible straw out in the field.

Surgical tubing is also great for blowing through to create a draft for starting/coaxing a fire to life. We could start a thread on survival uses of this item...