How Would You As A TBNer Cut A Metal Coffee Can?

[Diggin It]

Sometimes I get a kick out of some of the How Tos and suggestions here. Some of them can be almost Pyrthon-esque, or maybe Red Green-ish.

I have a need to cut a standard 39 ounce (OK, probably 37 these days) metal coffee can in half where I can use both opened ends. I'll probably just use a hack saw or jig saw with a metal blade since I don't have fancy plasma cutters and what-nots.

But just for fun, in your best TBN style, explain how you would do it. Serious suggestions also welcome and considered.

:cool2:

 

[widefat]

12g Sabot Slugs.

 

[coldsteelva]

Band saw

 

[Gary Fowler]

4.5" Grinder with a 1/16" thick cut-off blade. I don't think any kind of hacksaw type blade is going to cut the thin metal smoothly.

 

[Shaneard]

4.5" Grinder with a 1/16" thick cut-off blade. I don't think any kind of hacksaw type blade is going to cut the thin metal smoothly.

^^^^^THIS^^^^^^ Any type of saw with a blade is going to grab and crush the can and possibly tear teeth out of the blade. I would wrap a piece of tape around where I want to cut then take a marker and mark a line all the way around and take the tape off so you don't have to get melted glue after using the cut off wheel.

 

[oosik]

Either a pair of tin snips or a low level thermonuclear detonation - whichever is handy at the moment.

 

[Ken]

Is this a standard can with crimped bottom and top ?
I use a can opener for my metal cans when need some thin metal.
Have one wall mounted in shop works for almost all cans.
Newer thin metric cans just toss consider unusable.
ken

 

[GLyford]

Chuck it in the lathe...don't know if using a lathe tool or just a utility knife would work better. If you have a way to keep the height consistent all the way around (clamp a utility knife pointing sideways in a vise, and rotate the can by hand (on blocks/spacers if needed to get the right cut height) against the knife? Yeah it will probably kill the edge on blade, but they're cheap.

Angle grinder and cutoff wheels is my go to for anything thicker than a can. You might also try clamping the body of a grinder in a vise or just onto a stack of blocks, and rotate the can on the bench. If some waviness is acceptable, just draw a line with a marker and follow the line with the grinder.

 

[4570Man]

I’d put the coffee can in my lathe and I doubt a regular lathe tool would work very good on the thin can. I’d probably use a grinder with a cutoff wheel while spinning the can to ensure its cut straight.

 

[TractorGuy]

Saw isn't going to work.

Die grinder or dremel with a cut off wheel will produce the smoothest cut. Draw a line around it and follow it close.