Diversion Safe / Can Safe

Intro: Diversion Safe / Can Safe

Here's how to make a diversion safe to store/hide small valuables or cash.

This version has a screw-off bottom, so that the whole thing can be picked up without falling apart and plaster makes it of comparable weight to its original contents to fool those that pick it up.

STEP 1: What You'll Need

Epoxy (preferably quick-setting)
Plaster of Paris
Soup can or other type of can
Small(er) plastic jar with threaded lid (with label removed for mildew resistance)
Side-cutting Can Opener (did I mention it HAS to be a side-cutting type?)
Several hundred dollars in cash
Hungarian Vizsla (optional)

STEP 2: Open Bottom of Can

With your fancy side-cutting can opener, open the bottom of the soup can leaving the top intact and remove the newly created lid.

STEP 3: Clean the Can

Eat the soup, then clean out the can with hot water, but be careful not to get the label wet. Rinse off the lid and dry everything out with a paper towel.

STEP 4: Pet the Hungarian Vizsla

Scratching behind the ears is best.

STEP 5: Attaching the Internal Lid to the External Lid

Mix up some epoxy and put a glob on the inside of the metal lid.

Stand the small container upside down on the metal lid and center the two lids as best as possible. You can slowly spin the metal lid around to see that the small lid is aligned along the same center point as the metal lid.

Let the epoxy dry until it can be handled.

Now the plastic jar should fit in the soup can.

STEP 6: Adding the Plaster

Mix up some Plaster of Paris. You'll only need enough to cover about an inch of the jar inside the soup can and if it's a little watery, it's easier to work with.

Pour the plaster of paris into the upside-down soup can then push the jar into the can and apply pressure so that the plaster makes good solid contact.

Wait until the plaster starts to set (2-4 mins) and unscrew the lid about a half to a full turn, then push down some more. This way when you screw down the metal lid in the future, it goes very snuggly in.

Let it sit for 20-30 minutes to solidify.

STEP 7: Look at the Hungarian Vizsla

Look at the Hungarian Vizsla to make sure he's still interested.

STEP 8: Use It

Put several hundred dollars inside and close the lid.

Let the Hungarian Vizsla inspect your work.

Comments

[rfeldmeyer]

Many thanks to you and the Hungarian Viszla

[Swansong]

Your dog is adorable :)

[Beszels Magyarul]

Nice dog, tell it I said "csa" he will know what it means.

[gma24]

 If I left mine in the cupboard, either I or someone else in the house would inadvertently donate it with other canned goods when there is a food drive.

I'll probably remove the food label, cover the can with card stock and put a label on it that says 'ribbon' or something like that.  I'll keep it in my craft room. 

[Danny]

only problem is if you have something like car keys or coins then they rattle

[gma24]

Fill it with Great Stuff spray foam.  That will buffer a lot of the noise too.

It will expand past the top of the can, but can easily be cut down to size with a serrated edged knife. 

[bighead3]

Stuff it full of cotton I guess. This jar is plastic, so that should attenuate some of the noise. You get a lot of earthquakes or something?

[sumlunatik]

you could coat the inside with the Plasti-kote stuff, that should deaden the sound. Nice instructable. Thanks

[tubbychick3n]

Great instructable. I plan on doing this, and i might try to make a small business out of it. I will probably be using soda/energy drink cans and cooking sprays or whipped cream, etc. Does anyone know where I can purchase empty jars (plastic or glass), that will work for soda cans, in a decent quantity? Maybe somewhere between 7-10 dollars for 10-12 jars?

[tubbychick3n]

would these work? (right size and whatnot?)

[bighead3]

No, not really;
1) Those are for canning.  The lids are typically in two pieces. 
2) They're glass. 

You should secure the outer container first then find inner containers that fit inside the outer containers -- and I recommend using a plastic container on the inside.  I'd be afraid to use glass anywhere in it, but I suppose it could be done.

I made one out of a can of Edge shaving cream and a couple of brown cylindrical medicine bottles.  I cut the top off of one medicine bottle and the bottom off of the other and taped them together, to make one roughly twice as long -- since the shaving cream can was so tall and skinny. 

Now, if you're not too proud -- and you're doing it über-cheaply -- you may find some luck rummaging through an apartment complex's dumpster or a neighborhood recycling bin.  You'd be looking mostly for aerosol cans, since the soup cans would not have been opened in a way friendly to your work.

I also found some small plastic generic spice bottles on sale at the local grocery store, two-for-a-dollar sort of thing.  Those worked reasonably well.

And on the bottom of any of these plastic containers, you can typically find the name of the manufacturer.  Google it and contact them and see what they have -- never tried this one, but I can see how it might work.

Good luck.

[heathbar64]

nice Job!, but probably my wife would get it out and cut the top out the first time she got hungry. and then be mad at me because she was all set for soup. I think maybe I'll make one out of an oil bottle or something that goes in the garage. it would be safer all around.

[DurkaDurka]

AAHAHAHAHA When i was looking at the step on picture..... it took me like 5 min to realize that your dog was there.... hahha Cool instructable though

[shadow12952]

but what if i got hungry and wanted a can of turkey pot pie?

[Grey_Wolfe]

Perhaps a thick Layer of epoxy in the can to Hold the jar, let set then fill in the sides with distilled water (or isopropyl, to prevent nastiness), then put another ring of epoxy around the tope of jar to seal (below the threads. Leave a bit of air between epoxy and liquid. When all set, this would creat the weight, while also sounding like the can has goods in it when shaken. Just an idea.

[James Haskin]

I made one a few minutes ago... so cool. I used a big Chef Boyardee can and a glass peanut butter jar.

[rjohnsonspam]

Great step-by-step guide! Thanks -- can't wait to try it. This should be a lot more fun and less expensive than paying $25 to buy one on-line!

[jpmartineau]

Well done! The design is simple, yet elegant. I like the idea of using Plaster of Paris.

[poolman]

Do you have to use epoxy if not what other types of adhesives could you use?

[daPerik]

Just wondrin', could u ask the Viszla something about the sharpness of the edge of the can? And if u can, could u please ask him?