RE: rubber bands
I have found the Office Depot bands work well enough, but with just a little bit of sunlight they become brittle, and break easaly.
I had a whole bag of them go bad sitting on my work table, that gets afternoon sun through the window, it didn't take long before they were all useless and cracked, I only realized it after needing some for another project, pulled a few out and even the slightest tug would break them.