Scrap Wood Challenge - DIY Can Crusher

Good morning!

If you are a new reader, WELCOME – and if you are a regular here then WAZZZZAAAAP! Today I am part of a scrap wood challenge with some of the biggest and best names in DIY blogging! I totally don’t fit in, but am nonetheless thrilled to be participating. The parameters for the challenge were to only use scrap wood that you had in your workshop – no new wood. Beyond that, go wild! If you have some scrap wood but you don’t know what to do with it, click here for some more ideas.

If you have followed along with my blog, or follow me on Pinterest at all, then you’ll know that scrap wood projects are my absolute FAV. I love using what would otherwise be useless wood to create something cute, useful or just plain different.

Today is no exception.

I knew that the other bloggers participating would come up with gorgeous projects like playhouses and patio sets using a few 2×2 scraps and a stapler (they really are amazing enough to be able to do that!), so I thought I’d throw my hat into the ring with a “different” project.

Different, but totally useful.

I mean, who doesn’t need a can crusher right?

I found the building plans for my DIY can crusher over at Rockler, so I can’t share the measurements or specifics here, but I can show you a few steps.

First off, this project is actually pretty easy – but the plans are a tad intimidating, so I decided to cut enough scrap wood to make two DIY can crushers, knowing that I’d need a mulligan at some point.

Here we have some red oak, some pressure treated, a bit of ¾” plywood and yes, I even have scrap dowels.

The building plans called for some hardware I’ve never used before, but hey, it’s all about fun and learning right?

I also had the opportunity to bring out the drill press that my Dad bought for Hubby years ago (and we’ve never used). Another learning experience – for instance; this is me drilling into the WRONG side of the DIY can crusher jaws. (facepalm)

I also had a chance to play with my barely used router…

yes, I could have chewed a better roundover than this. Mulligan #2 I’d say.

Eventually I got my groove back (thanks to a lot of sanding) and was able to start piecing together my scrap wood challenge submission.

I decided to use a bit of outdoor stain on the base frame to make it a little less of an eyesore with all of those different woods. I had some purple-ish stuff in the garage.

A couple of bolts here, a bit of epoxy there and done! (wrong holes and all!)

Now for the true test – because really, a can crusher is only useful if it actually works right?

Yup, prototype #1 was thrown across the yard in a fit of ~~rage~~ excitement to build DIY can crusher 2.0.

It works!

I mean of course it works, I’m a credible DIY blogger right? lol

The long, perfectly routed handle (ahem) makes crushing cans simple. My girls (10 and 12) came out and were crushing away.

When we ran out of cans (we really don’t drink very much pop), we started crushing water bottles and juice boxes.

That’s going to take up a lot less space in your recycling bin right?

Because my scrap wood challenge submission doesn’t work very well if it isn’t mounted on a vertical surface, I decided to attach it to Hubby’s garage shelving – right next to his beer fridge.