Can crusher

[nzmal]

So this is my latest lockdown think... getting to the bottom of sailing boredom now lol.

Currently sending the kids ashore to crush cans and tins with a rock and hammer. What device should I have to make this easier?
Cheap can crushers don't look up to doing baked bean tins and they look a bit bulky..

[JPA Cate]

can opener to take out bottom, too, then feet on can on dirt will pretty well do it.

But you may want it a little difficult for the kids, so they get the sense of satisfaction of thwarting the stubborn tins.

[nzmal]

Damn... thats obvious. Why didn't I think of that lol.

[wsmurdoch]

Two 2-1/2 foot long pieces of 2x4 joined at one end with a door hinge will do the job. The bottom 2x4 goes on the cockpit floor or the ground, the partially flattened beer or soup can goes in the pinch point at the hinge, and your foot goes on the top 2x4. A few nails properly placed will keep the can from escaping. Presto, flat can. I have one on board, but it is made of some 3" aluminum channel that I found.

Amazon, of course, sells a variety of can crushers if you want something more elaborate, but their drones don't yet come to my boat.

[RaymondR]

One of the schemes I dreamed up back in my steel boat days was to weld a couple of pieces of 4" schedule 40 pipe into my hull with a can crusher on top of each. Holes in the hull would let sea water in and the crushed cans in the pipe would act as alloy anodes and protect the hull as they corroded away.

[SaltwaterChef]

Amazon sell this and other stores Ram-Pro 12 oz Aluminum Can Crusher & Bottle Opener | Heavy Duty Metal Wall Mounted Soda Beer Smasher – Eco-Friendly Recycling Tool

[CaptTom]

Perhaps the kids have fun going ashore to crush cans.

[Aguabago]

I have a can crusher, but switched to just pounding them flat as a piece of paper using a rubber mallet.

[Tomodore]

We have a piece of Douglass fir lumber that we found on the beach about 10"x12"1.5" and a solitary keen sandal of death. Put board on cabin sole, can on board and sandal of death on foot.Fun for the whole family. BTW that chunk of wood is handy for a multitude of uses.

[Tetepare]

No more stuff on boat!

Rinse can in water. Put can on sole. Stand on can. Lean over, hit can gently simultaneously on left and right side. Can crushed. Throw can overboard for future archeologists (if we recycle everything there will be no record of us.)

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

...... Throw can overboard for future archeologists (if we recycle everything there will be no record of us.)

Where....Lake Ontario?

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Where....Lake Ontario?

I would hope not, that lake has seen enough pollution over the years. Even a can here or there is a can too much!


We have recycling facilities / bins available everywhere in Ontario, throwing recyclables into the lake (or any lake) is just a dick move.

[GreenWave]

crushing aluminum cans is easy- just stomp on them. Tin cans is another story.

[Manateeman]

Manatee drinks beer from aluminum can. Sits on empty can.
TIG cans together. Manatee now a sailor.

[OldManMirage]

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

Amazon, of course, sells a variety of can crushers if you want something more elaborate, but their drones don't yet come to my boat.

Wow, can't you just see the day coming when they will ? There you are anchored out in the middle of nowhere and yet Amazon will be able to send a drone to your foredeck based on GPS positioning...

No more running out of that special ingredient for your fish stew, or being stranded because your starter died.

But I also truly feel it will take away from some of the adventure.