Can Crusher?

[mickey cassiba]

Not sure if this goes in the design forum, off topic or where. My community has asked me to build a hand operated can crusher(aluminum drink cans). When I offered them my shorty 10 lb. sledge, they were not impressed. The old style wall mount metal type is not in keeping with the decor of the community center. Have any of you built, or seen one made of wood? I searched the creek and came up empty, and the wood plan net sites don't offer any either. A picture, or sketch will do, plans are better, but I'm at a loss as to ideas. The one I built as a prototype based on our old steel one barely made it through a dozen cans before breaking up.
Thanks,
Mickey

[Brian J McMillan]

Hi Mickey
I found these two:

http://www.gorillatough.com/Portals/0/pdfs/Project%20Plans/Project%20Plans%202/WJ097%20Can%20Crusher%20FINAL.pdf


http://www.michaelholigan.com/Departments/Projects/CanCrusher.asp?1009130201181825

The first one looks pretty heavy duty. Hope this helps

[mickey cassiba]

Hey Brian! Thanks. I thought I checked WWJ, guess I missed that one. Looks like it'll do the job.

[Jim Rimmer]

http://www.michaelholigan.com/Departments/Projects/CanCrusher.asp?1009130201181825



Whatever happened to Michael Holigan. I used to watch his TV show occassionally.

[Bill Huber]

You want a can smasher.....:D

Here is mine, but its not wood.

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[Andrew Schlosser]

at this year's New Holland Farmer's Fair, there was a carnival contest to simply smash an empty aluminum can with a short sledge. If you got it small enough to pass through the slotted gage, you won the prize. I spent my $5 trying to get a flat can, and it was harder than it looked!

[Richard Wolf]

C'mon Bill, now your just showing off:).

Richard

[Jeff Nicol]

Mickey, Besides the other projects we have going, and by the way I almost have a beautiful skew ready for you! I keep using it and am having a hard time parting with it!! Any way I will think of one that may use the foot/leg power to do the crushing, I always am up for a challenge!! Prizes on the way soon!!

Jeff

[mickey cassiba]

Mickey, Besides the other projects we have going, and by the way I almost have a beautiful skew ready for you! I keep using it and am having a hard time parting with it!! Any way I will think of one that may use the foot/leg power to do the crushing, I always am up for a challenge!! Prizes on the way soon!!

Jeff
The leg/foot powered one might be a good idea. My community consists of lots of retirees, and the biggest beef with the old metal one, besides appearance(uglier than homemade soap) was the difficulty of operation. We have a lot of bike riders here, but not many weight lifters. Give it a shot!
As to the prizes, I've got the lathe trued up and am finishing my mobile base/vertical storage rig. Ready for some tooling!
Mick

[mickey cassiba]

You want a can smasher.....:D

Here is mine, but its not wood.

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I like it Bill, but the community association probably wont go for it.:D
Up in Tennessee we built a hammer mill powered by a 20 horse diesel motor that could shred a car fender almost instantly.:eek:

[Kent A Bathurst]

You want a can smasher.....:D

Here is mine, but its not wood.

OK, BIll - You win. Aound our house, I am routinely accused of over-designing even the simplest things, but I am clearly not in the major leagues.:)

[Dennis McGarry]

Bill,

Nice design BUT you need to mount it on the side with a reserver pump for the piston. That way it can crush the can and drop it in a bin, all while mowing the lawn and you never have to worry about having cans taking up the cup holder on that thing!

[Jim Eller]

That's a little much there Bill.:eek:

Here's mine. Not as pretty as Bill's but cheaper and no maintenance.