You’re the only person I can find anywhere online who uses sheets of metal from cans for anything!!! Which is crazy to me but I’m so glad I found you! Thank you!!!
@@UpcycleDesignLab trying to make some armor out of it for a Ren Faire costume now! Never worked with it and never really made clothes so it should be interesting.
@@faithbresciani9425 Have you seen my trash fashion wedding dress? If not you might find some tips here. ru-vid.com/group/PLrO021b6nBBRFPgsPFBLj1iNqdRt6m_IS Have fun with your project 🙂
Hi thanks for watching. I know a lot of people are worried about the sharp edges but I have injured myself a lot more seriously and frequently with my glue gun. 🙂🙂🙂
If you used baking sheets between the cans this would stop the print transfer and will stop them sticking together. As I don’t have an oven or stove it will have to be the iron option for me, but this has given me a thought of how we flatten flowers in a pressing board🤔🤔if one could be made for doing cans that could be clamped and placed into the oven with even more sheets at a time. Thank you for sharing and making me think outside of the box🤗🤗
I have a shelf that is packed full with a load of parcel bags, cardboard envelopes & packaging material. I’ve just been sliding the metal sheets in between cardboard layers & leaving them to flatten. Putting them between cardboard sheets under a rug or carpet - or under anything flat & heavy would work too.
Thank you so much Cindy, I really really enjoyed watching you show how to flatten those can’s. Great!!!!!!! I really really found this so useful and helpful too. Please stay safe and well too xxx Mags ❤❤❤
I just tried 30 cans in the oven. I would not repeat 30 cans as there is too much curl pressure in the aluminum for the weight of my cast iron pan. More curl pressure than I am comfortable with.
I was thinking about a huge amount also. But I would place them between 2 sheets the same size to keep them flat, then use a Dutch oven with a huge picnic roast and veggies inside. If I have to heat the oven that high, I should be cooking something. Or put some fireplace bricks on top of the cookie sheets - those will take the heat and not off gas.
@@janasher4940 in my experence, the biggest problem with curl pressure was simply setting them up and keeping them flat enough to not recurl as I try to position the weight on top.
@@kreynolds1123I wonder if you could combine the 1st method with the 3rd? Just flatten the cans on a corner enough to lay semi flat, or two humps? Then you would have an easier time arranging the can sheets for the oven. I'm going to try it.
I like the video! Can you show us how you can remove the printed paint on the front in a fast way besides manual sandpapering? Also i would like to see them welded and different configurations of stacking them when welding and see how strong that is
Hi Mark thanks for watching. I haven't tried welding or soldering the cans but this video shows three methods I have used for removing the print from cans. Hope that helps. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2fY0o4ATDjs.htmlsi=Fb7l0XN8apd7FveO
For the oven ones that are more efficient ones, you can put some cooking paper between the sheets. Those can be used multiple times and also keeping the ink going to the good side. I think it's more efficient to do multiple sheets at once than a few. Ofc, it depends of your own work at the time and what you need to do. But for batching it's better to isolate print from the good side. I never did that, it's just an opinion. Please tell me if it could be working better or not. You're not wasting material because you'll reuse that cooking paper more and more. If that's possible.... Cheer for your good presentations and work!
Hi thanks for watching. You could certainly try putting paper between the layers but the curved metal might make it a little tricky. I sure there is a way to do it thought and it would keep the ink from transferring. 🙂
I was wondering if you had tried maybe stacking the same size cookie sheets on top of one another for multiple layers then put a pot on top of that to hold them down with weight.
Cool, I will try 20 using scrap masonry bricks in a leftover toaster oven with wax paper between half of the stack as a sample and let you know. Thanks for the video
Hi Pamela - I didn't think of that but I think it is a good idea. Another person suggested putting parchment paper between the layers which is also a good idea. Thanks for watching .
@@UpcycleDesignLab maybe chair method first then printed sides back to back in oven. Also with them being pretty flat already maybe that will shorten baking time
ivce found that if u have a 3d printer with a magnetic print bed u can manually raise the temp for the printbed as high as it will go and the put ur can sheet thing in between the printbed and the heated bit below and then just wait a bit
Have you ever heard the poem, Hector the Collector - By shel Silverstein It’s one of my favorite (and saddest) poems, but it always comes to mind when I come here. Thought I’d share it!
Hector the Collector Collected bits of string, Collected dolls with broken heads And rusty bells that would not ring. Bent-up nails and ice-cream sticks, Twists of wires, worn-out tires, Paper bags and broken bricks. Old chipped vases, half shoelaces, Gatlin' guns that wouldn't shoot, Leaky boasts that wouldn't float And stopped-up horns that wouldn't toot. Butter knives that had no handles, Copper keys that fit no locks Rings that were too small for fingers, Dried-up leaves and patched-up socks. Worn-out belts that had no buckles, 'Lectric trains that had no tracks, Airplane models, broken bottles, Three-legged chairs and cups with cracks. Hector the Collector Loved these things with all his soul-- Loved them more then shining diamonds, Loved them more then glistenin' gold. Hector called to all the people, 'Come and share my treasure trunk!' And all the silly sightless people Came and looked ... and called it junk. Where The Sidewalk Ends - Silverstein
@@christinavallem5669 right! I think it’s such a gift when a collector can help ordinary ppl see the beauty and creativity in what society mostly calls “junk”. That poem always made me smile; always helped me to remember that some ppl just needed help in opening their eyes to the treasures of a collector 💕
It’s never occurred to me in 23 years of working with aluminum cans creatively to flatten them out like this. I was always afraid of ruining the graphics/ink on them. The graphics always mattered to me. Also I wonder if heat alters the metal in some way? Breaks down the strength or something? I just worked with the curves as part as the unique nature as the material. 😁
@@occipitalneuralgia2339 hi sorry I just saw your comment. I have not found that the metal is altered by heating other than the flattening. The iron is the best method if you want to use the printed side of the aluminum. Thanks for watching 😊
Hi Rebecca - I have never done any sublimation. I do think it is an interesting craft to try but my understanding is that what ever you use as a blank has to be specially prepared to receive the sublimation artwork so I don't think it would work on the aluminum. But l don't know for sure sorry. As far as the cat food cans go I don't think they would work for a lot of the projects that I have made with aluminum cans because they are much heavier/thicker metal and would be harder to work with. Having said that I am a big proponent of experimenting so you could try working with the cat food cans. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching.
Hi I don't think there is any risk of them not coming apart with the oven method the 450 degrees is well below the melting point of aluminum. You could pit water in the pot if you needed to add some extra weight but it might boil off or make a mess so I would recommend using something else that is heavy but can withstand the 450 degrees. Thanks for watching.
Hi thanks for watching. This video will show you how I break down all my cans. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-K4lfskYe5Ck.htmlsi=DheO3ZP7B8KpD-fs
I wonder if sandwiching cans between sheets of parchment paper would help protect the finish and printing. It'd be even better if the sheets could be reused.
@@UpcycleDesignLab I seldom subscribe to crafting channels, but you snared my interest. I dig your sense of style and pleasant demeanor--and you solid knowledge. I've been harvesting can art for projects since the '90s, and I've had to make it up as I go along. It's nice to get some real high-level tips from someone who's a pro at this obscure craft. Thanks for sharing your expertise!
Hi - thanks for watching. I have used acrylic paint, spray paint and alcohol inks to add color to the aluminum. Depending on the end use I have added sealing finishes. One of my favorites is Americana DecoArt DuraClear Gloss Varnish.
Idk if this would ruin anything - has anyone tried a hair straightener? May need parchment paper or foil over the ink side but that seems like it would work
Hi that's an interesting question. You would want to have a good pair if heat resistant gloves to hold the metal as you pass it through the straightener but it might work. Thanks for watching. 🙂
Hi Judi - here is a playlist of things I have made from aluminum cans sheets if you are interested. Aluminum Can Sheet Projects: ru-vid.com/group/PLrO021b6nBBSR8_2ufBlxPcQWiUe7dcq5
Your first result is uneven because you are pulling the metal over a *curved* edge. Of course that makes it skewompitty! Instead, pull it over a straight edge of a counter or table. Two strokes and it's flat. And even. I have done hundreds of cans this way. It uses no electricity, which is better ecologically, right? I used to process our dinner beverage cans by rinsing them, letting them drain while I cleaned up, then freeing that sheet of aluminum. Only takes a couple of minutes, and a couple a day adds up in no time.
Hi Holly, thanks for watching and commenting. Yes I would say that flattening over a straight edge is the most ecological way to flatten cans. I probably need more practice because I always end up curling them backwards. 🙂🙂🙂
Thank you, yes. I have found just running them passed my metal ruler is sufficient and quick. I am doing HUNDREDS as I am siding my garden shed using a hatch pattern... so far, so good👍🏼
Hi - I have found that each method has its uses. Yes the chair or table is quick and works for a lot of projects. But I like to cut the aluminum sheets on my Cricut cutting machine and for that you need a smooth flat sheet so the iron or oven method is better. Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers Cindy
I like your ideas for flattening the cans - I have tried putting them through the die cut machine with success (using embossing folders as well). Unfortunately, I have noticed in the last year or two, that many aluminum cans are plain metal with the design printed on shrink wrap plastic. This is not suitable when you process the cans and want to keep the design.
Hi I have seen the shrink wrap plastic labels as well. They are pretty handy if you don't want the print on either side. I do save them for specific projects. I have never tried the die cutting machines with folders but I am curious about them. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for giving me a brain fart; if one doesn’t have a Dutch oven, use two sheet pans to sandwich the cans. Put them in oven with the same time as the Dutch oven. Apply pressure with a brick or Dutch oven.
Hi thanks for watching. In this video I show how I break down the cans. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-K4lfskYe5Ck.htmlsi=m7W-aUoQhvvsy9sx
Hi sorry you didn't find what you were looking for. I remove the tops by punching a hole with a knife and then cutting the rest with scissors. This does damage the can a little so if you want clean straight edges you can mark and re-trim the edges. I don't usually worry about the edges because I generally cut the aluminum sheet into other shapes. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching.
Or if you want to go hi tech just use a laser etching machine with a 10 Watt laser and some Laser rotary roller module. At maximum power and slow speed (5 mm/s) a diode laser can cut very thin metal sheets with ease.
Simple way: use an x-acto knife blade and two pieces of flat wood, place the blade inside the two pieces of wood in a way that only a tiny tip (5 mm) is showing, the bottom wood should be slightly above the desired cutting area, then just glue both pieces together with the blade inside and use it to press the can against the tip of the blade while rotating it on a flat surface. A few passes will be enough and the results are awesome; Perfectly cut straight lines. PS: similar jig can be found here on youtube: "How to Make a Soda Can Stove - Old vs Improved Design"
