# Disposal of metal cans



## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

_Disclaimer: I did a quick search, and didn't see this anywhere. If it's out there / been covered already, please just point me to that thred. Thanks!_

New poster here, and I have a question I'm hoping someone has covered already.

I'm prepping for 7 people, and 2 large dogs. Some of those preps com in the form of cans. As we have so many people, we have a LOT of cans. I'm suck in a semi-urban location. Town of 150K, but I'm on the outskirts in a subdivision right on the edge of the corn fields. We're stuck here with no bug-out options, so we're making due as best as we can w/ water collection, solar power generation, gardening, etc, etc. One of my worries however is trash disposal.

Obviously, I can burn (ignoring for right now the smoke and risk to OPSEC) most of the trash, but no matter what I'm going to be left with lots of empty steel cans. Aluminum is no issue. Easy to melt and cast into ingots if I ever had the need (I don't. Nor to I really have any aluminum in the preps). But what do you do w/ the steel cans? I don;t want them to just pile up. Melting them and casting them into useful items like nails, re-bar type bars, etc is an attractive idea, but melting/casting steel seems to be a bit hard at home w/o electricity.

Does anyone have any idea on what to do w/ these bloody cans?


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

I'm assuming that you are talking about the larger #10 cans? 

Fill them up with dirt or concrete and form safe barriers around various Lookout Post Bunkers that you have dug into the ground that guard your cornfield and gardens. 

You also could use them to carry items for bartering. Or you could have a lawn bowling tournament and use them as the pins. Or create an early warning system by tying some fishing line to the cans and spacing them around your perimeter. 

Tie them to the old people who have Alzheimers so they don't walk away silently and get lost. Or you could tie a string to two cans and talk to your buddy next door.

They are just damn cans Man....don't sweat it, you've probably got bigger shit to worry about.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Use for noise makers on a perimeter trip wire (opps, Slippy already said that). Set up outside in a field to catch rainwater. Remove both ends and cut seam to flaten out, and store easier. Create sheet metal patches to cover all the bullet holes in your house so critters can't get inside and same for car. Make IEDs out of them. Shingle the flat one together to make a weapon resistant vest (like the Indians used). Connect them together to make an air duct for your tunnel (first build escape tunnel from your house). Store worms for fishing (or barter). Melt lead. Let your imagination be your guide.

By the way, welcome to the group from Arizona. What state you in?


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

If it is simply a matter of disposal, dig a hole in a discrete location near by, cut the bottoms out flatten them with the lids inside and when you get a weeks worth or so bury them. Or bury them as you go.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

I put .224 or .356" diameter holes in them, then bury them behind the shooting berm. When I need more room,I dig next to the full spot and throw the dirt on the berm to make it more bigger


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

When you are done with them cut the ends out and put them in a fire.
This burns out any food that might turn putrid and cause health issues. And it helps make them a lot less shiny.

Then you an use them for shingles like mentioned above. Or anything else for that matter. Main thing is to burn off food and shinyness. That reflection can be seen from far off.


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## tango (Apr 12, 2013)

Cut out the ends and flatten them.
They can be used for various things, or store them until such time as steel is in demand, then trade or sell them.
Flattened cans do not require a lot of space.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

If you have lots of coffee cans and tin snips, cut around them in a zig zag pattern, thin strips, makeshift barbed wire.


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## SquirrelBait (Jun 6, 2014)

Burn them, Then pack earth into them and use them as building material by stacking staggered, Double or tripple thick. Use glass bottles at intervals to allow light to enter the structure with the open necks pointed inward. Sand the bottles to dull the shine. Use flattened cans for shingling.

Build a whole shed out of trash!


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## SquirrelBait (Jun 6, 2014)

1skrewsloose said:


> If you have lots of coffee cans and tin snips, cut around them in a zig zag pattern, thin strips, makeshift barbed wire.


You could embed something like that in the tops of walls, Window sills, Anywhere you don't want intruders climbing upon.


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## sparkyprep (Jul 5, 2013)

Use them as a makeshift cookware. You can boil water in them, cook meals in them. The point is to re-purpose, re-use, and recycle. In a SHTF scenario, almost nothing is trash.


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## microprepper (Nov 21, 2013)

You can put holes in the bootoms and use them as plant containers. Also can flatten them and use them for shingles, as well as the flattening being easier to store. Just take bottoms as well as top off, easy to do.


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

You guys are a riot w/ some of these suggestions! ::clapping:: Thanks for all of them.

I can honestly say that I hadn't thought about cutting off the bottoms and flattening them. I had decided that some of them would be kept and reused, but I figure that I'll have way more than I need. Especially the "soup/vegtable" sized cans.


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## Prepadoodle (May 28, 2013)

Make small stoves out of them and use them as barter items.

Add wire bails and barter them as buckets.

Open them from the bottom, and when empty fill them with packed dirt. Then put them back in the cases, leave them out in a public place and laugh as someone runs off with them.


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## TXprepper (Apr 23, 2014)

I cut ends out and use them as plant guards/markers in the garden for seedling.


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## slewfoot (Nov 6, 2013)

Prepadoodle said:


> Open them from the bottom, and when empty fill them with packed dirt. Then put them back in the cases, leave them out in a public place and laugh as someone runs off with them.


Best darn idea on the whole thread.


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

Prepadoodle said:


> Open them from the bottom, and when empty fill them with packed dirt. Then put them back in the cases, leave them out in a public place and laugh as someone runs off with them.


That's just mean! ROFL


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Prepadoodle said:


> Make small stoves out of them and use them as barter items.
> 
> Add wire bails and barter them as buckets.
> 
> Open them from the bottom, and when empty fill them with packed dirt. Then put them back in the cases, leave them out in a public place and laugh as someone runs off with them.


I'm thinking the store parking lot where the cans came from would be great.
Leave them in a shopping cart,like they were forgotten.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

In a wood or charcoal forge you can forge them into usable items. Much stronger than casting and you could even forge them into arrowheads or knives. The steel isn't the best but there are ways to make it harder without melting it. Ground bones and rawhide covering the finished product will case harden the steel in a standard fire if you know how to do it. Even if you have no use for it there will be those of us looking for steel so you can barter it for a finished product you need.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Well I have a lot in stock for that . And it's next to the fire pit.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Ok, to make it worth having do NOT burn it! Keep it clean and dry - you can use old crankcase oil to keep it from rusting. You can cut the bottoms out, flatten the can and put the cans and lids in a box someplace dry.

If you have the desire you can build a small forge and learn how to forge then into small blocks or make some thise for use around the homestead. It really doesn't take much to get started and it is a really good skill to have.


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

PaulS said:


> If you have the desire you can build a small forge and learn how to forge then into small blocks or make some thise for use around the homestead. It really doesn't take much to get started and it is a really good skill to have.


I'd love to learn how to do this. But every forge design I find (using fire only) is for aluminum, not steel. The ones I find for steel are usually induction heating, and obviously I'll need an electricity free system. Does anyone out there have plans? I can think of useful thngs (like cast nails, rebar, etc) that I could make.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

You can make caltrops out of them. They may not work on tires, though they might make walking up on or around your BOL rather interesting.


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2014)

many great uses have been offered up already...here's a possibility 

Helepolis could be built out of tens of thousands of these cans for the siege of Oscar the not so Magnificient.


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## nephilim (Jan 20, 2014)

Aluminium ones can be made into small alcohol burners which are quite efficient. The scraps can be melted into ingots as well.

Steel ones can be melted down and made into blades. Takes around 20 cans to make a 6 inch blade with a reasonable size and enough for a good handle grip etc.

Steel ones can also be used for a temporary welding for exhausts or piping etc.


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## nephilim (Jan 20, 2014)

upon further thought...the ring pulls can be used as fishing hooks also...so another use!


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

Any forge that will melt aluminum, can be used to forge steel. You don't have to melt it to pound it into a small bar, you just have to get it hot enough to join under the pressure of the hammer blow.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Slippy said:


> I'm assuming that you are talking about the larger #10 cans?
> 
> Fill them up with dirt or concrete and form safe barriers around various Lookout Post Bunkers that you have dug into the ground that guard your cornfield and gardens.
> 
> ...


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