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Old 14-08-20, 01:23
Grant Bowker Grant Bowker is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ottawa, Canada
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The pressed dimple is actually in a smaller part a bit less than 1-3/4" diameter that gets soldered into a depression in the can top. Make yourself a hardwood form and tap, tap, tap with a light (I used 8 oz.) ball pein hammer. The seam up the side is just two 180 degree folds brought down on each other with a grooving tool (and maybe soldered for better sealing). The rolling of the can body - well, small slip rolls are getting cheaper or you could do a series of small bends on a brake as some of the originals look like they were done that way (if spaced at 1" each bend would be a bit less than 20 degrees, if spaced at 1/2" they'd be less than 10 degrees). The part I need to experiment with is the top and bottom. The depression in the top to receive the part with the dome is easy, a depression in a plate or hardwood and press in the depression (only as deep as the thickness of the sheet metal) with a close to size washer (can adjust sizing of the depression a little to suit the available washer or turn down an oversize washer). The reinforcement for the threaded outlet in the base appears to be spot welded and solder sealed in place. I've done the experiments to be confident the parts described can be made by a stubborn idiot. I haven't figured a plan yet to do the folded edges on the top and bottom. They need to be at least close to truly round to give the can an acceptable shape and the folds accurate to hold the can body. The folds aren't large and as a result a bit more care is needed. More thought and trials are in order. I'm pretty sure the straps/legs were spot welded to the body before top/bottom were added.
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