Maybe this is too obvious, but put a round tablecloth over one to make a bedside table or lamp table. If you are limited in space, you can stash stuff under the tablecloth (or hide from your kids ;-). Also, use them as outdoor chairs. I'd use them around our outdoors fire pit. Use as a stool or ottoman. Two smaller ones together might make a nice coffee table or a perch for putting your feet up while vegging in front of the TV. Have fun!

I saw one several years ago and wanted to make one like it but never did. They had painted the top to look like a sunflower, then the center post they drilled out little holes (for a bird house)all around the post at different heights, then drilled a smaller hole to put a dowel rod for the perch. It then could be used as a table. It was so cute. Please post some pics so we can see what you came up with all of yours.

Had a friend who turned it into a dinning table...just beautiful. One side he cut into 8 sided base and cut a track for ball bearings so it could be rolled. He took a blow torch to the top to give it "character" then put about 10 coats of poly. sealant. It was just beautiful.
Lynn

A picture of one just got posted over on Garden Junk forum. It's really cute made into a table and painted. ~Anj

For those who don't want to have to hunt for it, here is the link

Here is a link that might be useful:

I just posted under "new uses for old things"/ We use one for a patio table. Very durable--no need to worry about scratchews, spills etc--and unusual.
Miriam

My mom had one years ago she used for an aveary she secured woven wire stuff to the inside supports and around the outside with doors on both sides, for cleaning. She had some quails that sounded wonderful in it I know she had a roost or shelter, but can't remember what it was. Those little things loved it. They would chase each other and run all around it. There where a few perches and a few heat lamps and a small tub for baths a few days a week sometimes even dust baths, they really loved those.

What about a bench? You take 2 spools of the same size, put them up on their sides and lay a board across the middle of both of them. The bench actually looks like a wagon with the spools being the wheels.

I have just made a over sized watering can using a small
wooden spool. I got the spool at a electrical supply house.
I nailed wooden fence boards all the way around it, used
a towel bar for handle, and the arm from a direct tv dish
and inserted a metal funnell for the spout. I then filled the top with flowers. I really think it is a cute idea.
Someone had mentioned it over at garden junk.Oh and by the way all was free curb side finds for me.

Ok I love the ideas & some of them I know I already want to do but Where on the bloomin Earth do you GET the spools lol. Please help if you can I'm in Phoenix / Glendale AZ Thanks
Wendy

And Yes I would be willing to pay for SHIPPING I simply can't find them out here... Thanks again Wendy AKA Organic_Mouse

You are not gonna like my repsonse, but I picked these spools up for free!! At my work place, we rented space to an out-of-state company that was laying cable for our local phone company and they were going to throw them in the dumpster. So we rescued quite a few of different sizes. I have put them in the sand around our pond, varnished the top only with three heavy coats of varnish and added an umbrella ($24.00/ea) and inserted it in the hole in the middle of the spool and they look great and we get alot of compliments on them. Thanks for the ideas!!

DH uses his for when we go camping as campfire tables & adds an umbrella to his too. It doesn't matter if it gets burns from the cast iron pots & he added hooks to the underside of the top to hand his tools & mitts. It may not be ingenius, but it sure is practical & they were free!

Here's an idea.. I just love this!

Here is a link that might be useful: Before/After Spool Gold

You can cut a piece of mdf into a circle or square and mount it on the top to make a kids table. Then use some smaller spools with smaller tops to make the stools. You can then paint or decoupage the tops of the table and chairs.

I found this page.... scroll down about 1/2 way down the page.

Here is a link that might be useful: trunk from spool

lsjtc, I would love to see pictures if you have any. They sound perfect for pond side dining.

You can find spools in every good sized city.

The newspapers get their paper in on the very large spools. These are heavy duty spools - usually constructed of 2x4's for the tops and bottoms and 2x6's for the column. My dad was a pressman and we always had one of these in the backyard for a stand around picnic table and at our cabin for the water pump. These are very heavy and well constucted because they are made to literally hold a ton of paper.

Another place that has lots of spools is the local electical wholesaler. They will have all sizes and most will have plywood tops and bottoms.

Hope this helps.

This might be a stupid or super obvious question but where do I get these large spools!? My friend said to try the local power plant - are there other places though as well?

How cute is this!

Here is a link that might be useful: ohdeedoh

I love that little table, kass! Thanks for sharing the link. I'll add it to my favorites folder. I keep printing things out that I like in case I come across them in the future. You never know what you'll find in the trash or at flea markets......