Wow! I've used the same bands since I started about 6 months ago. Hey still seem fine. Lol. I have loads spare but keep using them. I just stretch them to the limit before using to check they will be okay and as mentioned I also fit quite a few as backup.

The exhaust residue dissolves them

I use an empty peanut butter jar filled with soapy water. Give it a shake now and then and change the mixture every week or so. You can look at the bands after three or four uses and tell if they are degrading. But otherwise, #64 bands at Office Max are dirt cheap. Use them twice and pitch them.

Actually I agree. When I flew models that used #64 rubber bands to hold the wing I bought them by the pound at an office supply store and tossed the six I would use after a day's flying. Rubber bands are cheap, models, servoes, receiver and engine not so.

If you are cheap add a couple brass threaded inserts and use Nylon bolts. A simple upgrade. If you go beyond cheap into parsimonius use a threaded hardwood block saturated with CA and a few Nylon bolts.

But rubber bands still worlk and are a viable solution. One old method from my control-line days was to store them in talc (baby powder) after use.

Well regardless whether you use a band once, or a half dozen times, never use one without stretching it out to it's limit. Just hold it between your thumbs away from the rest of your hand to test each one. I've had new ones break as well as used, but never had them fail on the plane after testing.

The exhaust residue dissolves them.

I remember the good ol' days, you'd yank the elevator at bit too hard and hear the thump as the wing lifts and hits back down. Get it wrong and the wing would fly off for good :-)

Great for trimming rudder/elevator gliders with warped wings, just rotate the wing a bit until the rudder trim is straight again and/or offset the wing a few mm to one side.

Hand tosses for trimming, who remembers those days?

I think this depends on the make up of the rubber.

I think latex bands are prone to this as it is a natural rubber. Other types are much more resistant.