Has anyone used them?

Yes, and it worked great!

Thank you, will try it.

What is it??

What a capital idea!! Or those very thin "similar substance" kitchen cutting mats I found once at WM or Target.

Jan in VA

I use plastic canvas in my totes and purses. Cheap and easy to use.

I'm imagining using an xray machine to stiffen fabric, which I'm sure is wrong... what are these?

I have been buying cheap plastic placemats at the dollar store and then cutting them to size. I cover them with matching fabric for the liner and they work great. I can get several from one placemat.

Be careful...if X-ray film gets wet it will stain anything, especially if it has been exposed(used)...found out the hard way when my fil was sorting film for recycling and ruined several of his good t-shirts,and the seat in his truck because he sat on a stack of wet film.

Not only will it stain the fabrics (because of silver solvent) but x-ray material is flammable.. had some x-rays in back of my car and the sun through the window scorched the films and the folder they were in. I do, however use them for templates.

I've used those cheap placemats from the dollar store to. They work great. What can be better than spending $l.00 for material that others charge big bucks for?

I use the foam board from dollar store. You can make a lot of them out of one piece. It is heavier than the plastic canvas, cheaper and if you cover with fabric sewn into a open end case you can take it off and still wash it.

Thank you everyone. Laura and Lucy what I was referring to was the Xray films that are given to you when you break a leg or they look for your non-functioning thyroid. They are thin and sturdy. I was saving them for stiffener for totes but because they may get wet, I will throw them away and go with foam board. Totes can get spilled on and I don't want them ruined.

Thanks for explaining. I never would have thought of that in a million years!

Ok..I thought that but then I wondered if there was something at Joanns called Xray.

LOL, I had the same thought!

Hi everyone, I use x-rays for templates as well as stiffing something, but I clean them first. I'm not sure what you call the stuff in America or other countries, but we have a whitening agent called, Jik here in RSA. You use it to whiten your dishcloths. Put a cup full in some water and lay the dishcloth in it and it comes out sparkling white after you washed it, (I'm not trying to advertise) but be care full , it is quite strong on your hands. In any case, I use this "Jik" on a sponge and you can whipe the x-ray clear of all ink and it is completely see-through afterwards. I hope I explained it clear enough and that you will know what I am talking about. Remember to wash the x ray afterwards with soapy water.

You can clean x-ray film by soaking in bleach water and washing off coating.
Nancy

LOL. They are the xray films, not the machines.
I don't know how they would do if you washed the tote though.

I wouldn't.

Even though the heavy metals are released when they are fixed, there may still be some left on the film.

I was under the understanding that they have lead in them. So check it out please. - J

Not everyone has access to x rays, but the $1 place mats sound great.

The plastic placements sound like an excellent idea for a stiffiner.

I used x-ray plastic once and it was a bit noisy...yes it made a noise like a crinkle when ever I moved, now I use plastic canvas that I pick up for a quarter each at the thrift shop...just as stiff, no noise. I still use the x-ray plastic for making templates and pattern pieces.

I would not do it and I have more xray film in storage than most of you will ever see in a lifetime.

Exposed or processed film must be recycled due to the silver and chemical content. This is regulated by the government...state EPA usually. It will melt and will let off toxic fumes...that's why the government regulates the darkrooms.

Dont cut corners like this.

Where would you get them ?

There seem to be so many good alternatives to x-ray film that it seems like it would be a waste of time and effort to clean them enough to be used--I tried foam board but it cracked too easily so I went with the plastic canvas. Much better.

Dana

Do you mean for the bottom of the tote bag, to help it hold the shape? I just made 9 bags for Christmas gifts. I have used foam core in the past. Is there a better idea?
Linda

I saved the long panels from an old set of vertical window blinds to use in the bottom of my tote bags. I just make a matching sleeve and no one knows what they are.

Our hospitals have gone filmless years ago. How long are you storing this x-ray film? I am really confused as to why someone would want to use this when there are so many other products to use.

Good question. Much too much work to clean them off, to say nothing of the questionable safety of using these films.

Dana

You can also try plastic canvas.

I wouldn't think xray material would be firm enough. I have used xrays to make templates. Try foam board for your totes, I found that to be very satisfactory.

My daughter gave me a bunch of xrays and someplace I heard that you can bleach the color off. Need to try that sometime>

You use the actual x-rays. I use mine for stencils.

The first quilting class I took at the local Community collage introduced me to X-rays for templates. They work great. I also work with 1" to 12" miniatures and we use a lot of "gator board". It's 1/4" thick with very thin wood on both sides of styrophone. We have lots of scraps so our cost is very little. Don't use the cardboard kind. It will bend too easily.

I have also tried the plastic cross stitch but that's too flexible.

I use vinyl flooring scraps, can cut easily with a used rotary blade that no longer will cut fabric. I put it inside between the lining and outer fabric (I use a few dabs of E6000 on the corners and center, drop thick books inside purse overnight), then pull up lining and hand or machine stitch opening closed. Others I will have it removeable by covering with a sleeve. Get scraps from flooring places or I have found in thrift shops also. The thicker kind works best. If washing with vinyl inside, I recommend hand wash & air dry. If removable, can machine wash the purse & hand wash the sleeve. Cheap & sturdy!

Most of the x-rays around here are recorded on disc. When you go to a dr who needs to see your x-rays you are given a disc. I am sure some places are still using it, but I haven't seen a film in ages, I used to use it for templates.

I used to work for a doctor --- I used to develop x-rays (in the old days)....the chemicals we used would be on the film. I wouldn't use it for anything.. Plastic canvas is cheap, easy to cut and is totally washable!

Oh, great idea. Hadn't thought of that. I use those mats to lay fabric on when I am glueing or painting. Thanks for the idea!