can smasher

[sdiverjack]

I built this can smasher quite a few yrs ago with stuff that I had around mostly. The hubs are from a bent axle off a trailer that I got for free from a local trailer repair shop, and the bolts that I used I had to buy from Napa for like $10. Everything else I had was laying around/ found in wondering through the earth. It has served me very well, as I can smash a 30 gallon barrel of can in about 2 minutes. The only caveat that I have, and have not really tried to fix, is they have to sit out and dry to run through. if the tires get wet the cans don't get grabbed and pulled through, but I have a stick for the few times that seems to happen.

[Frank S]

You could always cut cross groves in the tire treads to give better grabbing traction

[sdiverjack]

If you look closer you can see I did try cutting grooves, didn't really help. I have thought about hex head screws but never got around to it because it is easy enough to let them sit for a week or two. Living I the high desert it is pretty dry so they dry out fast.

[DIYer]

Thanks sdiverjack! We've added your Can Compactor to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page: sdiverjack's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Can Compactor by sdiverjack

tags: pulley, can crusher, motor

[DrByte]

Great idea! Just like a ball pitching machine! Waht is the space between your tires at the center? How flat do the cans get? do you put the cans vertical or horizontal? Thanks for any additional info you can provide.

[DrByte]

What size (HP) motor you driving that beast with?

[sdiverjack]

There is no space between the tires. There is a custom made adapter that connects the motor to only one tire. It is a used 1 hp motor that I had around, as well as all the frame pieces. The one tire is adjustable to make sure is touches enough to the drive wheel. The cans wind up basically like you ran over them...as long as the tires are fully inflated. I found the tires and wheels when my neighbor left them after moving, they are in no way road worthy, but I had a local tire guy balance them. I had to explain what I was using them for, but he agreed. I had to slime them to keep them from deflating between every use.

When I go to put cans through it, I wait till I have about 2, thirty two gal trash cans full, and sometimes there is alum foil balls too, and I just start a slow pour into the hopper at the top while it is running, take just a couple min to smash them all. I don't remember, but I think four trashcans run through will fill my 30 gal catch barrel, I then pour those into a trash bag and save those till I have 4-10 bags before I make my run or if I need aluminum for a smelting project, etc...

[sdiverjack]

here is a video I made for this smasher:

[lanemfg]

That is super awesome, no muss, no fuss!