101 uses of a CRT monitor

My friend Saurabh challenged me to generate 101 uses of CRT. You can see the details of the conversation here He himself has generated them here.

Now I too felt very bad to sell my old monitor when it gave up the ghost. I remembered the countless hours of Age of Empires and Counter Strike it displayed for me! But guess it was obsolete.

According to the wikipedia article here, Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors have been around since 1897. Again according to the survey CRT has no future! But what about those that have now been obsolete? Or what do I do with those that no longer work? Here is the answer, or rather 101 answers!

101 uses of a old CRT monitor

1.    Stack together 3 – 4 CRTs to make a stool
2.    Build your muscles! Make gym equipments with CRT
3.    Tie those party balloons to CRT to prevent them from flying away
4.    Paint a CRT in funky style and make a found art piece
5.    Tie CRT to a bicycle whose brakes have failed. Drop it to stop the bicycle
6.    Use CRT instead of sandbags on hot air balloons
7.    Use CRT as counterweight to pull water from well using a bucket
8.    Make a room partition by stacking many CRTs together
9.    Drop CRT from a height to get a loud bang. Save money on crackers in Diwali
10.    Paint a CRT and use it a milestone
11.    Hang a CRT as a trophy. Show that you actually use computer so much that you burn CRTs!


12.    Remove the picture tube from the CRT and use it like a cage
13.    CRTs fetch a price in market so use it as a bribe
14.    Race the CRTs down the slope with your friends
15.    Pull out that old tooth by tying a string to your tooth and other
         to a CRT. Then drop the CRT from your window!
16.    Cut a slot on top of a CRT and use it like a ballot box
17.    Threaten your enemy to smash that old CRT on his head!
18.    Use the CRT casing as a pail
19.    Arrange the CRTs screen side up and save money on glass dining table!
20.    Bet your friends how many CRTs can he jump?
21.    Write messages on a CRT. Save money on a whiteboard!
22.    Swat flies with CRT instead of a newspaper
23.    Paint the CRTs white and use them as flagstones
24.    Use the casing of the old CRT for loudspeaker
25.    When at sea, use CRTs as anchor (if it sinks!)
26.    Arrange many CRTs screen up and use it as a skating rink
27.    Build a foot bridge using many old CRTs
28.    Use the old CRT for the tombstone. Show what a geek the deceased was
29.    Make a futuristic robot with a few CRT and other waste parts
30.    Punch holes in the CRT body and wear it for a fancy dress party!
31.    Impress your friends by using your CRT as a TV
32.    Make a deadweight mouse trap with the old CRT
33.    Take two drumsticks and play music on CRT
34.    Sharpen one edge of CRT and drag it in the lawn. Save on lawn mower
35.    Wear some light weight CRT as a crown! Proclaim yourself the Geek God
36.    Build a antiriot barrier with many old CRTs
37.    Punch small holes in the CRT and put your pet snake in it
38.    The casing of CRT will make a good picnic basket
39.    Hold the CRT by its wire, and use it for hammer throw!
40.    Hide the secret door in your house with a stack of old CRTs and no one will find it!
41.    Stack many old CRTs to make stairs
42.    Carefully cut the picture tube and use it as a plate to serve food
43.    Punch holes in CRT and pot plants in it
44.    Save and preserve that old CRT till it will become so antique that it will fetch a lot on money
45.    Make a world record of stacking CRTs on top of each other
46.    Make a statue using old CRTs
47.    Teach kids about static electricity by rubbing the glass screen with a cotton cloth
48.    The CRT can make a fun picture frame
49.    Attach two wheels to the CRT and use it like a shopping cart
50.    Cut slots in the old CRT as a magazine rack
51.    Burn the old CRT and use the smoke for smoking fish
52.    Burn the old CRT and use the smoke for distress signals
53.    Start up a CRT themed café
54.    Use the CRTs as a weight. “I’ll have 3 CRTs of potatoes please!”
55.    Melt the CRT and use it like a glue
56.    Make a window pane out of screen of CRT
57.    Stick one CRT to another to make a ladder
58.    CRTs can be hung from ceiling to make a nice chandelier
59.    Build your muscles. Lift the CRT instead of the dumbbells
60.    Place a bulb inside the CRT and use it as a night lamp
61.    Toss the CRTs instead of regular dice
62.    Use CRTs as a bet. “I’ll bet you 2 CRTs that India will win this match!”
63.    Try to see what kinds of fungus does CRT attracts
64.    It is said on the CRT boxes that don’t exceed 40% moisture.
         See what happens if it does and publish a research paper
65.    Make jokes on CRT. “How many men does it take to change a CRT?”
66.    Make a new money system that deals only with CRTs
67.    Make a religion that worships CRTs
68.    Cast shadows of CRT and make shadow puppet
69.    Instead of a bell, ring a CRT
70.    Arrange many CRTs to make a coffee table
71.    Train yourself in boxing. Punch the CRTs
72.    Blow air in a CRT and make nice music. Publish on Youtube, become famous
73.    Play indoor golf by hitting balls into the CRTs
74.    Cut a CRT and make a fan from it
75.    Use the old coil from the CRT to create magnetic field as a science project
76.    Build a tent with old CRTs and go on indoor picnic
77.    Use the perforated side of CRT as a sieve
78.    Replace traffic light with CRTs with bulbs inside
79.    Punch hole in CRT and make a scary mask
80.    Make a comic strip “CRT man” and become famous
81.    Make a new martial art style that uses CRT as a weapon! “CRT Lee”
82.    Place a plank on the old CRT and let the kids play see-saw
83.    Glass melts around 660 deg C and plastic at 110 deg C.
           So CRT can serve as double point thermometer
84.    Sing songs about the old CRT and make it famous!
85.    Take the wire of CRT and hang it from a building to measure its height.
86.    Fill the casing of CRT with helium and see it float
87.    Make a small hole in the CRT and use it like a pin hole camera
88.    Use the CRT as a door stopper
89.    Tie stings across the screen of CRT and play is like an harp
90.    Use CRTs in hurdle races
91.    Use CRT as a counterweight and make a medieval catapult
92.    Rotate the CRT on its stand to make a roulette wheel
93.    Use the CRT to draw straight lines, if straight otherwise to draw curves
94.    Use a CRT to store your secret stuff. No one looks in old CRT
95.    Use CRT to press clothes
96.    Put CRT screen up and paint squares on it to play chess
97.    Cut the plastic rear part of CRT and wear it like a hat
98.    Use the CRT as a coat hanger
99.    Use the CRT edges to measure ninety degrees
100.   Measure 4:3 aspect ratios using CRT
101.   Arrange 64 CRTs in alternate black and white in 8 x 8 square and play a BIG chess game!

Feel free to add more :)

It took me about 1 hour 20 minutes to come up with this list.  I used a method called 'attribute list'. The working page is shown in the above figure. Please feel free to comment.