Recycled Soda Can LED Lantern

I love drinking coke , especially when I work on projects . so I end up with a lot of waste cans.
So iI decide to turn them into something useful ,and people who are following my facebook page knows that we had Diwali recently , a festival of lights , to symbolize winning of light over darkness we decorate our house with all sorts of light , just like Christmas.
As I my a DIY-er I wanted to make something for my house that can be beautiful and also economical.
I ended up in making this small cool led soda can lantern.
I used a LED Instead of tea candles because of two things
Btw it is up for survival contest so do vote if you like it

• I have a lot of LEDS lying
• It is safer with LED to put inside the lantern and it last for more than 8 hours that is more than a candle.

To build this we will need the following items

• Soda Can
• 10 mm LED http://amzn.to/2f7DXnF
  
• CR2032 battery http://amzn.to/2f7ESEY
  
• Utility Knife : http://amzn.to/2ekGvgM

Step 1: After the Drink Clean the Can

whenever I finish my coke I always do this .It's like a habit now I will take the can and clean it properly to avoid anything to be inside. I rinse it for 1-2 min and shake properly and the make sure all the water and liquid is thrown out.
I keep the cans inverted for all night long to let the remaining liquid come out due to gravity

Step 2: Mark Your Intervals

This most people don't tell you to do, take out any tape . I have used masking tape as I had it you can use cello but masking tape works the best.
Attach the tape on a ruler and mark the intervals on the tape , I had chosen 1 cm for my shake ,you can use anything up to 2 cm.

Step 3: Stick the Upper Tape

Start by sticking tape on the upper part of the such that half of its width is sticking to the cylindrical part .Stick the top part and stick it on the upper part.
You can also cut it. I did that because the tape was big and I felt easy to fold it just rather than cutting it .
you can do what you feel comfortable with.

Step 4: Stick the Marked Tape on the Bottom

Now peel off the tape from the ruler which was marked in step 2 and attach it to the bottom of the can , take some time to align it straight .It is necessary that the alignment should be as perfect as you can because that will give ou the best cut later

Step 5: Make Straight Cuts

taking the reference from the intervals on the bottom parts tape cut straight lines .
Don't Cut it completely just make straight lines with the help of a ruler.
Apply slight pressure only we will cut it after we finish engraving all the reference lines with Ruler first.

Step 6: Make the Cut Deeper

After you have finish cut light straight line on the can its time to make the lines deeper take some time .
Don't rush on it can it can damage the straight cuts. you can also use a scissor , to cut the can .

We will cut all the lines starting from upper tape to lower taper limit . Not more Than that .
After finishing the cut remove the tapes.

Step 7: Transform the Can

Apply pressure from both end gently and the can will start transform. continue squeezing and releasing until you end up with the bends become more convex . Use your hands or a pencil if any case it bends inward.
make sure there is no flat bands

Step 8: Prepare the LED

Take the LED and the battery and hold to it light up , then take a string's ends and using a tape stick everything together , by winding it around and around . make sure the String doesn't get out of the tape easily .
I actually wrapped the string first and then the tape that gave the grip.

Step 9: Decorate the House With This Sweet Lamp

Hung the LED inside the can from the opening by tieing the string to the opener tightly .
Here you have a wonderful Bright light to change your ambiance.
This will last for eight hours if , just pull and change the battery if you finish it .

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Comments

[4sam]

I like this idea as well. What I don't like is rinsing a can for 1-2 minutes. Put it in the dishwasher and don't waste that water!

[MandyK12]

and you don't think that a dishwasher uses more water than rinsing by hand? COME ON GET REAL!

[teardrop1947]

I agree. Seems like a lot of wasted, polluted, water and a hell of a lot of time invested in one can. Recycling still seems to be best. I combine exercise and fresh air and recycling cans. Find a highway, check the roadside and ditches while walking. I have a rule of thumb (and 8+ years of experience), that tells me for every can I see easily there are 2, 3 or more hidden by dust, grass or whatever. I can cover a half mile in no time and up to 3 or more miles in a couple of hours. Price is up right now, too. Two days ago I covered a quick half mile or more, filled a 5 gallon bucket with cans I stomp them flat first). I had to go back to town, sadly. Sadly, because I had just found about 30 cans in one spot, shredded, by a mower, into several pieces which are still easily gathered. I use a grabber which is long enough to reach the ground and picks up most cans and other treasures, Buy the grabber at a Pharmacy for $10. A small price to pay for the benefits. I still get some stooping, bending and strecthing in the process of getting the cans. I use a five gallon bucket and try to carry some small trash bads for overflow *on the good days. I do find other treasures, too. Nice pairs of gloves, peoples driver licences, cell phones, coins and cash and one sawed off 22 rifle. The most cash I found? $66...all within 200 feet of my vehicle. I could go on and on about my adventures, experiences and people I have met. I guess I should figure out how to start a Wbsite or blog or whatever! LOL

[junits15]

but a dishwasher runs a lot longer than 2-1 minutes...

[geekrex]

yes that would be best but we don't have a dish washer

[pawtanwar]

I learned to make it from paper in class 5.But never thought of sharing :)

[weismonger4]

On another DIY site it says to fill the cans with water, freeze them, which makes it easier to cut the can without mashing the thin metal. Seems to work better. Then allow cans to melt, dry sufficiently, then spray paint. Kids can add sparkles and glitter. String small lights in through the top, then use a glue gun to hold the top wire in place.

Great idea.

[chazortiz]

This is awesome, great job.

[nick7321]

I'm gonna use this as a Christmas ornament!

[MarilynP26]

You can also fill with water and freeze to give the can more body when cutting the lines

[stephenf]

NICE!

[billbillt]

This project is important because it does more with less.. It recycles some materials effectively and costs very little while providing a usable product.. More things like this need to be implemented to relieve the financial and material burden on people.. A great job..

[geekrex]

Thanks , i will try to make more like in this future

[Fly4aWhiteGuy]

You have a Land Criuser & a Grang Wagoneer - nice. I almost bought both of those!

[ashlyn324]

I imagine you could make these and use a string of white lights and put the light under the can tab.......Or paint the cans a solid color and use a string of colored lights.....to eliminate the need to change batteries......

[geekrex]

I will surely try that , thanks for suggestion.

[M209T]

Very clever. These lights would sell quite well in my local hardware store if available. ?

[geekrex]

I guess by next Diwali I will see them in store .:P

[THE GOURMET GRANDPA]

Great idea; excellent job!

[geekrex]

Thank you Sir