Slide carousals cannot be used for their original purpose in today’s world of digital photography. But that does not mean that you have to chuck them away! Slide carousals are beautiful objects that can be repurposed and kept around to remind you of the good old days with photo slides. Here are some of the best ways to make the most of an old slide carousel.
Contents
What is a slide carousel and projector?
A slide carousel with a projector is the ancient way of projecting slide photographs for viewing. It was first patented in 1965 by David. E. Hansen. The first carousel projector was released by Kodak in 1961.
The carousel is a circular-shaped tray that looks like a merry-go-round. The tray has a metal plate with a 5mm opening that is just enough to pass a single slide to the projection gate below it.
The Kodak Carousel was discontinued on October 2004.
What to do with old slide carousels?
Upcycle them
Just type in old slide carousels on Pinterest, and you will be bombarded with a multitude of DIY ideas to turn them into something ornamental and useful. Some of my favorite ideas are turning it into a desk organizer, a cool retro-looking flower vase, turning it into a wall clock or spray painting them for some wall art.
Sell them
Yes, believe it or not, there are still people who are interested in buying old slide carousels. They don’t need it for storing photo slides, but they buy it for upcycling projects. So keep in mind not to quote a price that’s too exorbitant. You can sell them at a garage sale or thrift store or even try them on eBay. Slide carousels aren’t all that common, and many people are willing to buy them for the beautiful retro image.
Recycle them
Old slide carousels are quite difficult to recycle, but there are some centers that accept them. Recycling them is difficult because they have a mixture of plastic and metal that have to be separated. Contact your local recycling center and ask them if they accept slide carousels. Companies like Goodwill and GreenDisc do accept slide carousels.
Donate them
If you really have no idea to reuse an old slide carousel around your home, then try donating them. Give it to someone who is fond of upcycling DIY projects, and they would love the numerous possibilities a carousal offers for reuse.
What to do with old slide carousels? Summary
Old slide carousals are not in use anymore due to easy and more convenient digital photography. Yet, there are many uses for an old slide carousel. Look for various upcycling ideas on Pinterest. Or you can try selling or recycling them if you really have no space for them.
Also read: What can you do with your old handbags?
*All pics are courtesy of Unsplash.com
