Introduction & Uses for Old Tires??

[Boogity]

<snip> He used a chain saw . . . But you have to be REALLY careful not to get into the steel belts (stay on the sidewalls), and it wears the chain really fast, so you have to sharpen it every half a dozen tires. Sawzall, jigsaw (fairly slow), etc, works. <snip>

I cut the side walls with a utility knife. Very simple and easy to do. Many of the smaller size tires have very thin side walls. Some of the truck tires are thicker but still easy to do. I just cut 4 tires last week - I'm still carrying the 8 throw-away side walls in my truck because I keep forgetting to toss them out at a dumpster somewhere. Duh!

 

[lwheelr]

The sidewalls are useful too.

Put them around trees for a water collar, or around tomatoes or other heat lovers. Curve goes up, or down, depending on what you need it for.

 

[Denim Deb]

Wonder how they'd work around a tree to protect the bark from goats and horses.

 

[Farmfresh]

I just remembered another use ...

Winter water heater!

First you insulate the bottom of the stock tank, maybe by building a black box around it and stuffing with hay. Next you fill the stock tank with small sized tires (lawnmower etc) . The tires work in two ways. The small tires float on the surface of the tank and their black color absorbs the sun's heat then their mass slowly releases the heat back into the water after sundown. Second, when the livestock drink they tend to shove the tires about in the tank and that agitation helps keep the water open and ice free!

 

[Denim Deb]

I've heard of people using balls for that.

 

[Farmfresh]

The tires are supposed to work better due to their thermal mass and black color.