Processing soda cans

[keebo52]

I have a PB checkmaker ordered. What's the easiest way to process empty cans into strips? Any ideas?

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[Mike Hughes]

the easiest way I have found for cutting tops and bottoms off is a miter saw with a metal cutting blade (a fine tooth wood blade would probably work). First, I cut the top off, then I put something inside the cut end for stability and cut the other end. Next step is on the paper cutter, I quickly square it up by trimming all four edges. You can now cut into strips (a guide of some kind is really helpful). The easiest way is to just order some coil material from yonky. Comes in 100' rolls, ready to run through the checkmaker. Yonky is a member on this sight

[Swede44mag]

Scissors will work snip off the top then the bottom & split down the center.
Next cut into strips using Scissors or a paper cutter.

Or you could use a knife, sheetrock knife or boxcutter.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use a older scissors with pointy ends.
I cut a vertical slit down the middle, then with the scissors still in the slit,
I angle them and cut off the top.
them cut off the bottom.
I store the flat sheet like that, till I need some strips since my different PatMarlin checkmakers need different widths. I use a harbor frieght paper shear to cut the strips.
Jon

[fcvan]

I use shears to cut the top, down the side, and then the bottom. Before I got a paper cutter I would measure with a ruler and then mark with a pizza cutter to make a guide line. The paper cutter works a lot faster. The other day I tried something different. I cut the top and bottom off without cutting down the side, and then flattened the can before cutting. The double layered strips fed and punched nicely.

It was easier and faster to cut the top, side, bottom so i will keep doing that but now I'm folding the can flat onto itself before cutting the strips. Frank

[melter68]

I use tin snips, use sissors to make a hole under the top rim, then use the snips to cut, do the same for the bottom.
You can use the base of the can, even if it has a hump in, cut nicely round the edge of the base, then you have two choices, first cut the base into strips and flatten each strip or cut the base into four and flatten with hammer.

[keebo52]

Thanks for the replies. I now have a system set up to prep the cans for strips and I have a dedicated paper cutter for gas checks. Can someone tell me the correct strip width for 35PB checks?

[yonky]

should be .550" wide,in my experience selling coils to members this can differ + or - .010"
so you need to measure the slot before cutting up the strips.

[gundownunder]

I split my cans with a pair of bonsai pruning shears and then slice into strips using a paper guillotine from Officeworks. My 35PB likes strips of .540 and I sped up the cutting process by making an angle iron depth gauge, just push the can through till it stops then drop the blade.

[milprileb]

Far be it for me to deflect you from soda and beer cans , the emptying of them is a mission from God. However, I don't know how you get them to stay on shanks of cast bullets. I need a minimum of .014 and can metal is about .008.

Then its the cost: I am all for saving molecules of a penny but use of cans is saving fractions of molecules of a penny for NO SAVING on time and effort.

Look: it costs me 1/10 of a penny to make my own checks out of better metal and no drama doing so. I can't feel the pain of a .10 of a penny check and a .00 penny check when time and drama is factored in is.... is a royal pain in the neck. Actually the pain is far lower but you knew that.

[fcvan]

Milprileb, I use the beverage cans for plain based gas checks. They work great on boolits with no check shank. TODAY, I received my 30 cal Checkmaker from Patmarlins. I stopped by the hardware store and picked up some Amerimax aluminum flashing which is .014 thick, 6" wide, and 50' long, for about $19 after tax. I will cut 6" strips with my Harbor Freight paper cutter and get busy. I have used some checks made for me from this material using Pat's Checkmaker.

Another member on this site sent me checks made with soda cans laminated to double thickness as well as the aluminum flashing material. They seemed to work ok as well but seeing how the flashing material is so readily available I probably won't spend much effort doubling the thickness of beverage cans. I'll save the beverage cans for plain based boolits. I am aware that rolls of thin material are available from Yonky. I'm not sure I will go that route because half the fun of making plain based checks is making them from cans. Frank

[Gunslinger1911]

It's the experimenting !! lol
I have strip from Ian (SWEET!!!), got some .004 alum from Granger (12" x 3' ) slight work on the paper cutter, and I process cans.
Heck I have something like 6 or 8 different moulds for 45 - may as well play with different checks too !!

btw, pushed some pb checked boolits thru the Casull at 1700 f/s - no worries !!!