Ideas for Using 8mm Film Reels

Wall Border

• Hang the 8mm film reels along the top edge of the walls of a room, such as the living room or the family room, forming a border inspired by the cinema. Such a use is particularly appropriate if you have a lot of film reels. You can arrange the film reels close together, flush to the ceiling, or space them further apart and stagger them a little bit, some higher some lower, for a more casual look.

Lamp Base

• Glue a stack of 8mm film reels together with glue or epoxy, being careful to line up the openings in the middles of the reels. Disassemble a lamp with a plain silver pole-like stem. Slide the stack of reels onto the stem like beads onto a necklace. Put the top of the lamp back on. Such a custom lamp would be a perfect accessory for a movie buff's cinema-inspired family room.

Clocks

• Purchase commercial clock-making kits that supply the hands of the clocks, the mechanisms that make them "go," and the miscellaneous hardware and power supply required to run them all. Create clocks that use 8mm film reels as the clock faces. You could paint, glue or otherwise attach numbers to the outer rim of the repurposed film reel or simply leave it number-free for a sleek, minimalist clock with cinematic flair.

Picture Frames

• Turn the 8mm film reels into one-of-a-kind handmade picture frames by selecting as many small-format photos as there are holes in the sides of the film reels. Position the photos behind the holes and secure them with glue or tape. If you desire a color other than the standard reel color of silver for your original photo frames, paint the film reels before inserting the photos.