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

I don't understand why the solenoid powered version was rigged like it was.  It seems like it the idea would have worked better if the can was pushed against instead of being pulled against the solenoid.  Also, having to pierce a hole through the can was a little ridiculous.

Maybe have two solenoids opposite each other that fire in unison at a can in the middle.  Obviously taking care to actually have it mounted on something and have a shield of sort in place to prevent the cans from firing off like a pinball.

Ben's attempt with the capacitor bank was interesting, but it missed the finishing touch. He should have charged some 10mF/450V elcaps, those would have done the trick. You can not a mechanical activation switch anymore with those large currents, a GTO is better in it's place. In all a electromagnetic crusher would be expensive and lethal (if misused). The mechanical approach is far the best.

Probably because it was just quicker and easier than installing a stop plate.  I don't think they wanted the rod shooting across the room if they underestimated its power.

Keep it small. Use a screw drive and then a good size motor to drive the can to crushed.

Can use gearing or a chain to ensure no slippage. Stop the motor when movement stops or when the motor current goes high. Then a simple dc motor can be used whereby polarity in one direction crushes. Polarity in the other retracts. Simple circuitry can sense when the piston stops or motor current rises. This trips the polarity on the motor and starts the retraction of the piston. When the piston returns back to a home position, a switch is tripped and the motor polarity is again reversed, but stops the cycle.

A switch placed where the can is crushed can be used to start the system. Thus becoming an automatic system overall.

Try this at home! Stand on a can (with one foot, balancing) and then carefully reach down and lightly tap the sides with your finger - kerblam flat. So as a machine you should put about 100lbs of pressure on the ends, how ever you like, and then the solenoid can ping the sides. May or may not be the most efficient, but would be the most awesome : ). Ok, excluding the laser powered flamethrower thing.

My good friend has a can crusher just like this one:  Its called the "Can Ram".

http://www.amazon.com/Northern-Industrial-Tools-Automatic-Crusher/dp/B0000AXDY9/ref=pd_sim_k_2

It's a very clever design, and it works well.  The cans get loaded into the hopper, are crushed, and fall out the bottom.

Ben should automate this with a motor that actuates the lever arm sort of like a piston engine.  Like stated in the episode, he should add a counter for cans crushed, or weight of the total crushed cans.

What if you used two belts to crush the can instead of stomping on each can.

One cheap, yet powerful motor I have used are CIM motors. We use them in FIRST robotics to drive 130lb robots around like they weighed nothing. They are the size of a soda can, cheap as can be($28), and have an incredible amount of torque. Add on an inline gearbox, and itll be nearly unstoppable. (I believe a 10:1 ratio has the power to lift 150lbs from 1.5 ft away) CIM Motor

With this motor, you could go with something to the sort of the locomotive design you have, but you aren't limited to just that. Remember, you can use a motor, without having the motor actually crushing the can. Think of the plunger for a pinball machine. It is spring loaded. Now replace those springs with garage door springs, or lots of surgical tubing. If you have the right bits for your router, you can cut a cam that will be rotated by the cim motor. this can let you easily retract the plunger, and rapidly release it, making for a fast-action can crusher. This video is a perfect example of what can be done with this concept:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_profilepage&v=Sfc7erbtuoE

Also, I'd love to come over and help you out, Ben! If you like my ideas, instead of a t-shirt maybe you could send me a plane ticket to come on down!

Maybe the cans could be crushed a custom built vaccum?

try mixing the first idea (the solenoid powered) and twisting

1- make some thing to catch the can from both sides

2- then as what you first tried do it the same way, but with ading some very fast motor to spin the can while crushing

by that you get tow forces acting, the pushing and the spining

just to check how effecitvive this way is

try it by your hand, twist a can you'll find it crushing by it self, then stop twisting and crush, it will be so easy, and crush to a smaller size