I call her "The Squishinator"

I built a pneumatic can crusher, but I wasn't satisfied with with just crushing it, I wanted to flatten them. So I put it it on a lever, it has ~2.4 mechanical advantage. So it goes from ~160lbs from the cylinder to about 400lbs on the "squishy plate".

Unfortunately, I was a little too hardcore, after a few tests, it managed to bend the entire base. Once I can get a some thicker metal I will put it back together.

Why do this? Because I have a tiny furnace and a mountain of cans that I melt down and cast into random shit.

81 points · 17 comments · view on lemmy.world

17 Comments

edgemaster72@lemmy.world · 40 pts · 1y (1 reply)

andrewrgross@slrpnk.net · 7 pts · 1y

That meme is... chef's kiss

technomad@slrpnk.net · 14 pts · 1y (3 replies)

We need to see it in action!

CarbonAlpine@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 1y (2 replies)

I should have recorded while I was testing it, once I replaced the base plate, I will absolutely record it!

clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 1y

Like a mini Hyudraulic Press Channel - let's see what kind of stuff this bad boy can squish!

mojofrododojo@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

how flat are we talking here? what's your squishest can?

moncharleskey@lemmy.zip · 13 pts · 1y

I would've called it Dr Crusher.

Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 1y

Post pics of the output

Zementid@feddit.nl · 6 pts · 1y

Okay. Now build yourself a cold press adapter for this and enjoy juices, oils and other delicious treats. =]

jpreston2005@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Cool. What are you casting?

Valmond@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Don't stick your dick in that!

zer0squar3d@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 1y

Wasn't planning on it before, but challenge accepted!

cheese_greater@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)

How do these things work? I cant fathom how its able to do that, it looks like it barely moves? What sorcery is this?

Also is it named after Futurama's The Crushinstor?

CarbonAlpine@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Well the cylinder has a stroke length of ~8 inches (it's a little less) it is 17 inches from the pivot point, the other arm is 6 inches from the pivot.

When the cylinder is fully extended, the crushing plate will move down about 3 inches which is greater than the width of most cans. (At least greater than all of the cans I have.)

It flattened cans sideways because I wanted to be able to put them through a shredder. It was very close to accomplishing that, if the base plate didn't bend to shit, I'm sure it would have worked.

Yes! But the crushinator is a big girl, mine couldn't hold a candle to that, so she squishes instead of crushes!

Sam_Bass@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y (2 replies)

wirefeed needs a bit of attenuation

CarbonAlpine@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Up or down? I'm still learning and trying to figure out the feed.

Also, how did you know it's the feed? What should I be looking for?

Sam_Bass@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1y

Feeder down or volts up. But I see your welder is Harbor Freight so that may be the best you can get although I have the HF Vulcan that has infinitely adjustable speed and volts. I assume you are using fluxcore wire? And the reason I say feed adjustment is too many bbs