Up until about the 1970s, thread spools were made from wood, and the switch was made when it became cheaper to make the spools from plastic. Even though they're no longer in production, wooden ...

Materials – Old wooden thread spool (at least 1 in wide) – Drill – Large drill bit – Smaller drill bit – Utility knife or other sharp knife – Pencil – Table vice or clamp (optional ...

Their rule was "waste not, want not," so it's not surprising that the bare wooden spools left after thread was used seemed too practical to ignore. Recycling isn't a new idea.

Learn how to make wood toys with thread spools, simple fasteners, cloth, ... Scrounge up a wooden spool, cut it in half, and cut a piece of 5/16″ dowel to a length of 2 1/8″.