Can Crusher

Tony · August 14, 2006, 09:39:21 PM

Hello Everyone, 8)

Does anyone have any plans for an aluminum can crusher. I had some but

now I can't find them. Local church collects cans for fund raiser. ;D The plans

I had were for an all wood model.

Thanks Tony 8)

Furby · August 14, 2006, 10:45:04 PM

I just use my foot on pop cans.

beenthere · August 14, 2006, 10:48:31 PM

I made one mostly of wood. Has a couple bolts that the press floats along. I patterned it after one I saw and gave it to my son, then made another. In the meantime, I had a plastic one that finally broke and since have not been crushing the cans. So this one is un-used. I will take some pix and post when the gallery is back up (sure miss that gallery but will appreciate it that much more when it's back).

Now, this probably could be made 'all wood' given some good hickory or ash dowels for pins, pivots, and slides.

Dan_Shade · August 15, 2006, 09:25:09 AM

give it a twist and smash it, i do it by hand!

actually, getting the geometry correct is probably a bigger issue, and you may want to angle one either the top or the bottom to start the crinkle. A can when directly weighed down can withstand a large amound of force. I believe an undeformed can can withstand up to 2700 lbs of force on it. but blow on the side of it at those pressures and it will collapse.

Larry · August 15, 2006, 12:47:20 PM

Built a whole herd of em for the fall craft season. Used a plan from www.meiselwoodhobby.com Made few minor changes, along with laminated wood to add little curb appeal.

tcsmpsi · August 15, 2006, 01:43:28 PM

I've built a couple, stomped them, beat them...but the best productive one I found is the front end loader on the tractor. Put them on a relatively hard surface and bring the bucket flat down on them. Can do a bunch of them at a whack that way.

beenthere · August 15, 2006, 02:14:23 PM

The site Larry pointed to has the can crusher I built.

Can crusher

That idea of using the front end loader must be like setting up domino's on end, in hopes they don't fall and knock the others down.

ely · August 15, 2006, 03:50:54 PM

i just throw all my cans in the driveway and drive over them every few days i pick up the smashed ones.

and yes it does look like a ghetto at my house. what of it.

tcsmpsi · August 15, 2006, 04:50:09 PM

Sorry. I keep them in heavy garbage bags, leave a little room in the bag when I tie it off and mash the whole package. I don't drink anything that comes in aluminum cans, though others at the house and the shop do. All I need to do is get them to the recyclers. Whether they are laying or standing. :D

Furby · August 15, 2006, 09:41:41 PM

We can't crush them, we lose $. :-\
Only a few places will take them crushed, all the others need to be able to read/scan the barcode. :

junkyard · August 16, 2006, 11:43:30 AM

Before the nickle deposit I worked for the township. part of my job was the land fill . I saved the aluminum cans put them in a pile on a heavy tarp foldes the tarp over them and ran over them wih the loader. At the time a case of emptys was worth 24 cents . with the copper brass and iron I salvaged. it made a low paying job quite bit better.
Junkyard

Snag · August 17, 2006, 07:04:09 AM

Same here Furby. If they're crushed, no nickel. It sure would be nice to squash em to save room.

Corley5 · August 17, 2006, 07:47:50 AM

Crushed can = no dime here 8)

beenthere · August 17, 2006, 10:59:57 AM

We don't get a dime, or a nickel. But then we don't pay that deposit on the can to begin with either.

I recall that the vendors (stores) in the 'deposit' states didn't want to be receiving cans that were crushed and that couldn't be identified from cans that they didn't receive a deposit when sold. The 'deposit' cans from Iowa are heavier than the thin aluminum cans from Wisconsin, but I am sure that some WI cans get mixed in with the IA cans when returned.