How should Ben continue building his automatic can crusher? Post your idea + you might get a free Ben Heck t-shirt!

Ben Heck needs your help! In the latest episode he explores different ways to build a solenoid-powered automatic can crusher. They're looking for your suggestions on different ways to build and power the can crusher. Post your suggestions here for a chance to win a Ben Heck Show t-shirt! Ten submissions will be randomly selected after Oct. 24.

Just post a reply to this thread with your ideas, and you'll be automatically enrolled in the t-shirt giveaway.

We're looking forward to your suggestions!

Cheers,
Sagar

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0 Former Member over 15 years ago

Stepper motor and solenoid are overkill and somewhat expensive. There are plenty of surplus DC gearmotors, you can use a scissor jack powered by a gearmotor to crush the cans. To automate the process use a relay for the motor control and a switch that reverses the motor when it is done crushing the can. You can probably add some sort of linear actuator to push one can at a time into the crusher to make it even more automated.
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0 Viperforce30 over 15 years ago in reply to Former Member

I know one thing that helps when crushing a can is too slightly crease the sides of the can before hand. Maybe make the cylinder that holds the cans have a bar smack the sides before crushing the can.
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0 Former Member over 15 years ago in reply to Viperforce30

Charles has the right idea. The intial resistance to crushing will be very high, but once the thin wall start to buckle it will collapse quickly. So, you need to hit the can first from the sides to pinch it in, then hard down the axis. Inertia will be your friend, and keep in mind that work is define as force over distance. So accelerate the "hammer" for a longer distance to store more kinetic energy.

I like Warren's idea as well, but the cans still should be dented on the sides before trying to crush them betweem wheels/rollers.
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0 Former Member over 15 years ago in reply to Viperforce30

Charles has the right idea. The intial resistance to crushing will be very high, but once the thin wall start to buckle it will collapse quickly. So, you need to hit the can first from the sides to pinch it in, then hard down the axis. Inertia will be your friend, and keep in mind that work is define as force over distance. So accelerate the "hammer" for a longer distance to store more kinetic energy.

I like Warren's idea as well, but the cans still should be dented on the sides before trying to crush them betweem wheels/rollers.
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