Cutting a round metal object

[rnelson0]

Hi. My wife saw a recipe on the food network that called for some small rounds for baking. The chef's suggestion was to take some cans, use the can opener to take off both ends, and then saw it in half.

I have no idea who the chef is, but I now hate him! It took me 30 minutes to cut a single can in half and it came out all jagged and nasty, requiring another 10 minutes or so of extreme filing. There is no good way to hold a hollow cylindrical object, especially when said object is being subjected to a hacksaw.

The good news is that the potatoes came out well. The bad news is that my wife wants four more rounds of a smaller size, so at some point, I will have to do this again. any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[dielectric]

I'd use a cutoff wheel; a Dremel would be OK, but a Rotozip or angle grinder would be better. Cans are just so thin for the teeth of a hacksaw.

[crokett]

Use a cutoff saw. Rotozip or even an angle grinder. A metalcutting bandsaw might work too.

[Woodshark]

Save yourself the trouble of cutting a can in half. Just go to the store and find things in smaller cans like tuna or the smaller cans of tomato sauce.

[eccentrictinkerer]

I buy copper sheet from a local surplus metal guy here in Minneapolis, Amble/Dadsons.

I cut it into strips, bend as needed, then solder it togther.

My wife is a food writer and recipe developer. One cookie cutter I made was featured on a Pillsbury cookbook cover! (Actually, it was the cookie that was featured! )

[Stytooner]

They already make these type things for use in baking and cooking. Cookie cutters, egg rings for making round fried eggs etc...
Should be able to find what you need fairly easy. Check out Wally World.

[Pappy]

Call your cable provider and unsubscribe to the Food Network!

[rnelson0]

Call your cable provider and unsubscribe to the Food Network!

Ha, best suggestion yet!

The tuna cans and tomato cans are either too small or too big. Therein lies the problem. You can buy the rounds, but at $5/each that adds up quickly - plus I am too much of a yankee for that! I will look into the rotozip and dremel tools. I have a dremel and I never even though to look at it. It came with a million and one attachments, so I probably have something that will work.

Thanks!

[Mr__Bill]

Ya know, a single swipe with your light saber will do it.

[LCHIEN]

Don't cut the ends off. Freeze the can and its contents. Now it will be rigid when you cut it.
Now hacksaw it in half (maybe a reciprocating saw would be good at this time. Or even a Dremel tool.

After it thaws an emptied, you can use a can opener to remove the top and bottom from the half cans.

I'm not sure if I'm tongue in cheek or not?

PS Yeah OK - you might poke a hole in the can top and freeze it hole-side up so the can doen't buckle.
And you can empty the can eat the food and then fill with water and freeze. Kind of (hopefully) obvious improvements on the short technique described.

[BerniePA]

Don't cut the ends off. Freeze the can and its contents.Now it will be rigid when you cut it.
Now hacksaw it in half (maybe a reciprocating saw would be good at this time. Or even a Dremel tool.

After it thaws an emptied, you can use a can opener to remove the top and bottom from the half cans.

I'm not sure if I'm tongue in cheek or not?

Loring, you forgot the goberment warnin' that when usin' your method -- don't eat the stuff!!!

[dielectric]

I buy copper sheet from a local surplus metal guy here in Minneapolis, Amble/Dadsons.

I cut it into strips, bend as needed, then solder it togther.

You're using lead-free solder, right?

[pelligrini]

I've cut some cans like that by cutting them on a large dowel. I used a piece of wooden closet rod clamped in a vise and a hacksaw and rotated the can about the rod.

[radhak]

I think you need a different saw; the higher the teeth count the better. Try a coping saw.

Better still, seeing that your real problem is of holding a hollow cylinder, you might want to spend 20 minutes at the lathe creating a 'dowel' out of cheap wood - support from the inside of the can, and easy to clamp at the ends if the dowel is long enough.

[Uncle Cracker]

Better still, seeing that your real problem is of holding a hollow cylinder, you might want to spend 20 minutes at the lathe creating a 'dowel' out of cheap wood - support from the inside of the can, and easy to clamp at the ends if the dowel is long enough.

Exactly what I was thinking... You turn down a round that just fits inside the can, and then cut halfway through it and the can. Then rotate the can 180-degrees and use the kerf you just left in the wood blank to guide the second cut in the can. Then, go have a beer.

Alternative: Use a miter box and a hacksaw...