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

The most common can crusher design is pneumatic for its efficiency, ease  of use, and ability to build in a kicker to spit out the crushed cans.

As an american I have had the soda can build problem just like everyone else. At one point I even made a can throne from old Mnt Dew cans. I have been an avid can crusher for years, however due to a recent visit to Finland, and getting yelled at by my aunt on a daily basis for crushing the used cans. Because then the bottle banks can't read the barcodes, and then you can't get your money back for them.

Sorry if my idea is not in line with the project, but I think we need to break the USA habit of crushing cans, and figure out how to get the 3-5 cents back. We are throwing away money in blue bins, in the name of being good citizens, while the rest of the world gets thier money back to purchase more soda.

Bottle Return Finnish Style:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leu9m3lIglA&NR

Bottle Bank Arcade:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TidfhYOfknw

Either way you decide to do the mechanics it would be nice to have it internet enabled so people could logon and pay 5 cents to remote crush a can.

Or setup a arcade interface where you have to beat a level to crush a can, or tetris/pacman where the objective is to stay alive or the can gets crushed.

The most common can crusher design is pneumatic for its efficiency, ease  of use, and ability to build in a kicker to spit out the crushed cans.

As an american I have had the soda can build problem just like everyone else. At one point I even made a can throne from old Mnt Dew cans. I have been an avid can crusher for years, however due to a recent visit to Finland, and getting yelled at by my aunt on a daily basis for crushing the used cans. Because then the bottle banks can't read the barcodes, and then you can't get your money back for them.

Sorry if my idea is not in line with the project, but I think we need to break the USA habit of crushing cans, and figure out how to get the 3-5 cents back. We are throwing away money in blue bins, in the name of being good citizens, while the rest of the world gets thier money back to purchase more soda.

Bottle Return Finnish Style:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leu9m3lIglA&NR

Bottle Bank Arcade:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TidfhYOfknw

Either way you decide to do the mechanics it would be nice to have it internet enabled so people could logon and pay 5 cents to remote crush a can.

Or setup a arcade interface where you have to beat a level to crush a can, or tetris/pacman where the objective is to stay alive or the can gets crushed.