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

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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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    Here in India, we get a citrus juicer for ~$20. It's a mechanical device, somewhat similar to what Ben has already tried with that stepper motor.

     

    http://www.kalsiproducts.com/products/b-1.jpg

     

    The key thing here is that you have to deliver the same energy to the can to crush it. If you try doing it instantaneously, like with the solenoid, you'll need a lot of power [Power = Work/Time]. If you design a system that takes even ~2 seconds to do that, you'll have drastically decreased the power you need.

     

    In the juicer shown above, you place half an orange in the bulb just above the glass, and then rotate the lever until the upper portion presses the fruit. I think this can be adapted to the can crusher as well. Just use a heavier weight and use some mechanism to press the end of the liver. Not that I need to say this here, but the longer the rod, the greater the torque, or in other words, the more you have to move the rod, greater is the time it will take to press it, hence lower is the power required.

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    Here in India, we get a citrus juicer for ~$20. It's a mechanical device, somewhat similar to what Ben has already tried with that stepper motor.

     

    http://www.kalsiproducts.com/products/b-1.jpg

     

    The key thing here is that you have to deliver the same energy to the can to crush it. If you try doing it instantaneously, like with the solenoid, you'll need a lot of power [Power = Work/Time]. If you design a system that takes even ~2 seconds to do that, you'll have drastically decreased the power you need.

     

    In the juicer shown above, you place half an orange in the bulb just above the glass, and then rotate the lever until the upper portion presses the fruit. I think this can be adapted to the can crusher as well. Just use a heavier weight and use some mechanism to press the end of the liver. Not that I need to say this here, but the longer the rod, the greater the torque, or in other words, the more you have to move the rod, greater is the time it will take to press it, hence lower is the power required.

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