Reuse Popsicle Sticks

There is a saying that my mother often employs when I work on projects, "Out with the old and in with the new".  If I do not get rid of my old projects, there is no room for the new ones.  

Here is the one of the ways I've tried to do so by taking apart my old models of suspension and truss bridges made out of Popsicle sticks and Elmer's glue.

To take apart the models, I used the following:

~Materials
-Model

~Tools
-Bucket with water 
-Dry Towel
-Dry Rag

***Keep in mind that these models were bonded by Elmer's glue which is easy to break the bonds with water.  Other adhesives might not be as easily taken apart and throwing away the model might just be your best bet.  

Take off the majority of the paper off the models since soggy paper can be annoying to deal with.  

Fill a bucket with warm to hot water and dunk the models into the bucket.

Wait 10 minutes and try to pry the soaked section apart, if it does not come off easily, wait another 10 minutes.  

As you take off more sections, you could also flip the model to ensure that the other side is soaked. 

Once in small sections, just leave it there to soak completely. 

After roughly 24 hrs soaking in the bucket, you are now ready to take out the sticks and dry them.

Spread out a large towel to place the wet wood onto, grab a small rag to wipe off the wet glue and remnants of wood ripped off.  

After placing them on the towel, wait another 24 hrs for it to dry. 

You are now ready to add your new stack to your cache of Popsicle sticks.
More sticks to make bigger, better, cooler models! 


Thanks for viewing this Instructable, happy DIYing!