Introduction: Making a Better Soda Can for Plinking, With a Fitted Carrier
The problems with plinking aluminum cans, regardless of the caliber of the ammo, or the power of the Air Gun, is that they are easily blown over in a light wind, and are destroyed in less than a dozen shots. Also, if you need to transport them to or from an area that you can safely shoot - since they are so flimsy, they get crushed. I have a fix for all that.
Items needed:
Two – 12 packs of your favorite soda
One - 16 oz. can of “Great Stuff” (pressurized expanding insulation foam)
(You can substitute those nasty "plastic foam packing peanuts", or even use those plastic shopping bags that you've been saving and don't know what to do with).
Four - scrap washers, nuts and bolts per can.
Items needed:
Two – 12 packs of your favorite soda
One - 16 oz. can of “Great Stuff” (pressurized expanding insulation foam)
(You can substitute those nasty "plastic foam packing peanuts", or even use those plastic shopping bags that you've been saving and don't know what to do with).
Four - scrap washers, nuts and bolts per can.
Step 1: Making a Better Soda Can for Plinking, With a Fitted Carrier
Step 1 – .
Open the 12 pack carefully. Remove a can of soda. Drink the contents. Rinse the empty can, drain it and let it dry. Remove the pull tab. Repeat for all 12 cans in the case. Mark the case "MT" (Empty). Add the empty, dried cans back to the cardboard carrier. Repeat for the 2nd 12-pack.
Open the 12 pack carefully. Remove a can of soda. Drink the contents. Rinse the empty can, drain it and let it dry. Remove the pull tab. Repeat for all 12 cans in the case. Mark the case "MT" (Empty). Add the empty, dried cans back to the cardboard carrier. Repeat for the 2nd 12-pack.
Step 2: Making a Better Soda Can for Plinking, With a Fitted Carrier
Step 2 –
For each of the 24 empty cans, carefully spray in enough Great Stuff (follow the label directions, especially about wearing plastic gloves, if you get this on your hands it can take hours to remove), to allow expansion to fill can, being careful to NOT overfill the can, as this will cause can to deform. Allow the foam to set for 24 hours. If you overfill, the foam will come out of the top of the can, and once set, will need to be sliced away. Once the cans are set (8 hours), return the foam filled can to the empty case. Repeat for all 24 cans.
For each of the 24 empty cans, carefully spray in enough Great Stuff (follow the label directions, especially about wearing plastic gloves, if you get this on your hands it can take hours to remove), to allow expansion to fill can, being careful to NOT overfill the can, as this will cause can to deform. Allow the foam to set for 24 hours. If you overfill, the foam will come out of the top of the can, and once set, will need to be sliced away. Once the cans are set (8 hours), return the foam filled can to the empty case. Repeat for all 24 cans.
Step 3: Making a Better Soda Can for Plinking, With a Fitted Carrier
Step 3 –
After the foam is set (8 hours), use a sharp knife to carefully trim off the excess from the top of the can. Store in the original paper carton. One 16 oz. can of Great stuff can fill up to twenty-four 12 oz. soda cans (once you learn how to properly fill).
Set the cans up on a proper support, in front of a proper pellet-proof backstop. Step back about 10 meters (33 ft.), and plink. The foam will keep the cans from deforming as quickly as a non-filled can. The weights in the bottom will keep the can upright in a light breeze. Cans can be re-used for dozens of shots, and can be easily transported or stored in the original 12 pack case.
After the foam is set (8 hours), use a sharp knife to carefully trim off the excess from the top of the can. Store in the original paper carton. One 16 oz. can of Great stuff can fill up to twenty-four 12 oz. soda cans (once you learn how to properly fill).
Set the cans up on a proper support, in front of a proper pellet-proof backstop. Step back about 10 meters (33 ft.), and plink. The foam will keep the cans from deforming as quickly as a non-filled can. The weights in the bottom will keep the can upright in a light breeze. Cans can be re-used for dozens of shots, and can be easily transported or stored in the original 12 pack case.