Four Ways of Making Wheels of Tin Cans.—Both types of tin cans may be used for making wheels, the rolled rim and the soldered flange can, but the method of making the wheel is different for each type of can. The press-in can lids from molasses and syrup cans may also be used for making wheels.
Making a Wheel from a Can with Soldered Ends.—Suitable truck wheels may be made from the smallest size evaporated milk cans. Condensed milk cans are too large for a small truck, though either of the above mentioned cans have the soldered flanged ends.
The contents of these evaporated milk cans is usually poured through one of two holes punched through the cover. This renders the cover practically useless for making one side of the wheel, unless the holes are small, so that eight cans will have to be used for making four wheels.
If the cans are opened on the side with a can opener but four cans need be used, as each end of the can is then intact. These wheels are made by removing one lid from the can, cutting the can down to the required wheel width, and then soldering on the lid again. When the ends of the can are intact, the can is cut in two parts by cutting around the sides of the can with the can opener. One part of the can is cut down to the required height as in making a tray; this height represents the width of the wheel. The end is melted off the other part of the can and this end is placed over the first part of the can that is cut to the width of the wheel. It is then soldered in place and the wheel is made.
If plenty of evaporated milk cans are not handy, it is better to buy four new, filled cans from the grocer, as these small cans cost only eight cents when filled with milk.
Fig. 43.
Empty the cans by cutting a slit in the side with a sharp can opener, see [Fig. 43]. Hold the cans over a glass or jar until the milk runs out into the glass, then rinse the cans out with hot water which will also remove the label. Continue cutting around the can with the can opener until it is completely cut in half. All four cans should be emptied and cut in two in this manner. As for the milk, any cook will know what to do with that.
Open the dividers to ⅜ inch and scribe a line around the bottom of one of the cans that has been cut in two, using the soldered edge of the rim against which to rest one point of the dividers, as shown in [Fig. 44]. Cut away the surplus tin exactly as if you were making a tray. If the cans have become dented when they were being cut with the can opener, place them on a round anvil and remove the dents by hammering gently with a mallet.
