Saturday, January 31, 2009

Amazing uses for empty beer cans

The seamless aluminium beer can turns 50 years old this month. That's right, just a half a century ago, the beer-drinking world suffered the ignominy of drinking suds through seamed steel cans. The fine folks in Golden, Colorado, changed all that back in 1958 and we've been celebrating the contents of the aluminium can ever since. 

Perhaps even more useful than what lies inside the can is the can itself. It's recyclable, after all. And plenty of folks have put empty beer cans to astounding use. 

Check out our gallery of amazing empties and dream of what you might do (aside from passing out) after you finish your next four-pack.

The Beer Can House gives a reason to visit Houston. The house includes 50,000 beer cans and 50,000 reasons to stop putting your cans in the recycling. 

The good people of Darwin Australia started a beer can boat regatta to combat all the empty beer cans on their beaches. Of course, what do you do during the regatta but drink more beer?


If you have a spare USB hub you don't mind ripping apart, here's one that'll fit in your favorite beverage. 

A little late for Thanksgiving decorations, but you could buy this Turkey Statue for your Super Bowl party. 

Just using 50 aluminum cans, black paint and a few tools you can create a passive solar heater.

This recycled radio includes bottle tops and cans for its casing. 

This MacGyver wannabe had a broken exhaust pipe on his motorized bicycle, so he fitted a beer can into his new exhaust system.

For the ultralight backpacker set, a cooking pot made out of a Foster's can for boiling water. The weight loss from the cook pot will be offset if your backpack contains extra beer. Only $14 at Backpacking Light. 

Last year the Beer Can Crochet Hat made a comeback when designer Meghan Fabulous put one on each of her models during a fashion show. Expect all the cool kids to wear one this summer. 


Designer Nikos Floros created a show of opera gowns from a weave of recycled beer cans. Now we know why she's considered the fat lady. 


A man obsessed with PBR had a custom coffin made for himself. Until the ultimate Last Call, he'll use the coffin to store cold beers. 



Don't you hate that all the good beer is kept locked away? Now you can modify a beer can to make a shim to pop that fridge open, and save you $20 that you'd pay for a commercial shim.


Here's a hack anyone could love: making a TV antenna out of beer cans. Warning: indoor use only, unless your beer cans are equipped with a surge protector. 



A solid beer can might be used as a projectile for a beer can cannon, like this homemade job. Most of the better web HowTo's suggest filling the empty can with cement for best distance. 




Combining a few of our favorite things is the Beer Can Mustang. It's a replica of a '65 Mustang from 50,000 beer cans.


Say you might have some sort of stash that you might want to keep away from prying roommates. Like jewelry, cash, or something green and sticky that makes you want to eat Taco Bell. There are plenty of different models of beer can Stash Safes on the market, costing $14, but you could probably make your own. 


It might seem like a waste of beer, but the slugs love it, and you can make a simple slug or snail trap with an old beer can.


'Hey Steve, you ever get the feeling that something like a beer can is stuck up your ass?' Even bad beer will taste gourmet in a beer can chicken