Corrugating tin cans - how?

[Anonymous]

Have you tried Aluminum Cooking Pans?

Andrew F.

[csxt30]

Dave : thanks so much, this will revolutionize building some structures for me !! Great tips you have there also, & I was thinking of trying real short scissors, the kind the R/C car guys cut Lexan with. I have a pair somewhere !! ? Here 's a pic. of the actual Crimper from Michaels.

[FJ and G]

John,

That's great!

Some tips.

Heavy-duty scissors work but so do tinsnips. I use right-handed tinsnips and cut in appropriate direction.

I found that some "hard" cans are too hard to go thru the corrigator, but nearly all soda and beer cans work

Always give at least 2 passes with the tool, to get better ridges.

You can give it a very light 3rd pass to flatten out the curl

Wash out your cans or you'll invariably get coke or beer on your shoes or carpet

I'm using an airgun to fire nails into the material to affix to the bldg siding and under-wood layer. Sometimes, the gun fires too hard so a trick I learned is to hold another piece of alumnimum over the piece I want to attach and it slows the nail down enough to attach; then I simply pull off the piece I used to slow it down.

Always work from the bottom of the bldg up; overlapping sections. Doesn't need to be perfect checkerboard pattern. You can have odd sizes; looks even better!

When running the metal thru the corrigator for more than 1 pass, try to carefully align the ridges or else it will put diagonal ridges in that don't look right

Corrugate your dollar bills and business cards and even your resumes. Then, people will remember you better.
======

I'm considering now what type of rust or weathering to apply. You rarely see corrugation that shiny. At least auto primer would give it more a "new" look.
[:D]

[csxt30]

Dave ! Boy, am I excited now !! I ran this through 3 or 4 times & I think it works perfectly ! Hardest part is getting a technique for cutting the cans. I'm going to get some thin K&S brass tonight !
Thanks, John

[FJ and G]

John,

The second link is pretty cool. Describes another method for making a different corrugated type metal using what he calls a "sheet metal Break" tool. I happen to have one that i bought when erecting all my basement duckwork. I call it duckbill pliers.

BTW, I made close to 200 windows for my corrugated structure using Lionel metal ties. Also, made a couple of doors for the structure by banging flat some copper plumbing tubes. Working on some vents as well. I'll post some photos in a week or 2.

[csxt30]

I finally got one of those corugaters or crimpers at Michaels tonight ! It was on sale for 12 dollars, too ! Be cutting cans tomorrow. Here's a link below for some other ideas.
Thanks, John

http://users.stratuswave.net/~wd8jik/siloa/siloa.htm

Here is another good one for different spacing metal roofs & siding. I have made this Jig & used it.

http://users.stratuswave.net/~wd8jik/rib/rib.htm

[dougdagrump]

Wonder if copper flashing would work? That could really be weathered nicely.

[Anonymous]

This is what's so great about this forum, tricks of the hobby revealed. Thank-you so much and please keep sharing.....Anyone else out there have any technics they want to share?

[FJ and G]

Don,

It's in progress of being built. I posted photos in last week's Sunday photo fun and post from time to time there.

[dbaker48]

David,
It would be great to see some pics of your Garden RR

Don

[Birds]

Many thanks!

Birds

[FJ and G]

Oh, in a week or so I'll post photos of the 50-pound structure I'm building. Almost got one side corrugated. I'm becoming very incorregable at this [:D]

fact o matter; slinging down a coke as we speak so i can coregate!

[FJ and G]

Hi Birds: I briefly considered using tiny hammers and anvils [:D]


Or removing the tires from my pickup and running the rims over the material [:D]

First, you get a $16 paper crimper from Michael's. It does foil, which is what we want; up to 6.5 inches across. If you look at pictures of old corregated sided industries, you'll note that there often is a lot of overlapping pieces, so this should be just fine.

Then you get yourself a can of pop. I found a crushed one so the following photos will have some dings in the metal. Be sure to wash out the can.

Then get some tin snips or even heavy duty scissors and carve up the can.



Here's both sides, just put thru the roller one time. Very easily goes thru. You could do heavier gauge brass or other metal but at some point it would likely break the contraption so don't get carried away and try to roll steel thru it. Put your lettering or decals on before you roll it thru. The Dr Pepper lettering actually looks pretty slick.

Some Santa Fe F45 locomotives had corregated siding so you can even scratchbuild a brass loco using this technique.





Then when you are finished. Sit down and admire your work and have some Port wine. Now, if only I could find the cork. Where did I put it?

BB the beagle! You didn't.



Traditional corrugation…



Variations of corrugation…





(prior to using this device, I took hundreds of photos of different types of corrugation)

(lit bulbs pkgs are fine for indoors, but I use aluminum for outside)


Here's a picture (I didn't take this one) of 2 types of corregated sizes mixed. I don't know if you can see them as they're a bit far away.



Traditional corrugation…



Variations of corrugation…





(prior to using this device, I took hundreds of photos of different types of corrugation)

(lit bulbs pkgs are fine for indoors, but I use aluminum for outside)

Coffee cup holders could be used as well when turned inside out.

Here's a picture (I didn't take this one) of 2 types of corregated sizes mixed. I don't know if you can see them as they're a bit far away.



For traditional corregation in 1:48; I ran the aluminum thru the corregation tool from Michael's several times (left); compared to just once on the right side, more suitable for gauge 1. Hope this helps.



Speaking of scale, for outdoor trees, it's hard to get plants in 1:48 scale; impossible actually, but there are a number of plants that appear scale when placed in the background. Here are some Alberta spruce and a Rosemary tree that will become part of the forest soon.



BB the beagle already buried a bone in the garden RR area. Took her rabbit hunting yesterday (despite county leash laws). She's getting some rest now.



If you want an especially challenging project, try corrugating a diesel like this beauty...

[Birds]

FJ&G's picture of his corrugated tin cans in the thread "What's your favorite part of the hobby?", was very interesting.

How does one corrugate tin cans? (Besides using very tiny hammers and very tiny anvils)

Thanks,
Birds