Replacement for old rubber bands

Alfredthebuttler

I was wondering if anyone has found a cheap suitable replacement for rubber bands. I hate to spend $1 on a 20 year old rubber band on Bricklink knowing that it will probably fall apart when I try to use it. I’m thinking that perhaps small hair ties might work. Anyone have any suggestions? By the way, I’m in the US. Thanks. 

Ben

Rails

Have you tried buying a pack of rubber bands with a selection of various sizes?

Fizyx

Not afraid to admit that, of all the LEGO items I have, over the long term I worry the most about the stickers and the rubber bands.  And the stickers I am reasonably sure I will be able to salvage when the time comes.  My rubber bands though... on sets that have them, I try to keep them from sitting for any period of time while under tension, and since I am not able to display many sets anyways, I tend to disassemble them pretty fast, and the rubber bands get their own little airtight plastic bag, and I hope that preserves them because I've no idea what I'm going to do when they start to fall apart. (Because I'm pretty sure when they do, there's a good chance all the other ones of that particular size will have been not included in sets for awhile, and everyone else's will be falling apart too.)

...I swear I am both sane and only slightly neurotic.

Bobflip

I've used the little hair elastics for x88/x151, but haven't found anything for the larger bands yet, and those x37 rubber belts I have no idea about! Sure there should be a place you can buy specific sized rubber bands without the detritus of unwanted sizes.

pxchris

It depends upon which size of rubber band you're looking for, but I was told that the loom bands are a good substitute for the smaller ones - I bought a bag of these a while back to replace some bands on old technic sets.

Also this graphic might be of help.

Bobflip

pxchris said:

It depends upon which size of rubber band you're looking for, but I was told that the loom bands are a good substitute for the smaller ones - I bought a bag of these a while back to replace some bands on old technic sets.

Also this graphic might be of help.

I've never seen that before and it *is* of help, printing and saving to my reference folder!

bookmum

I have used loom bands before. Can't speak for America but over here in the UK you can buy bags of them for about 25p a bag. 

Alfredthebuttler

So I got all the parts today to build my Hailfire Droid (4481) and I used my daughter’s hair ties and they worked perfectly. Although I’m not sure how they’ll hold up as they are more plasticy than elasticy. If they start wearing out to fast I’ll pick up some of those loom bands. I can get 600 for $3 at Michael’s so that ought to last me a few lifetimes (plus I can get glow-in-the-dark).