Cool projects/uses of garbage cans?

[Whiskeymike]

Last week, I got a pretty great deal on garbage cans from an auction of a solar panel plant that closed locally. I ended up getting 22 Brute commercial cans in grey, blue, white and red from 35 gallon to 55 gallon, half of them with caster bases that separate, also a half dozen rectangle rubbermaid commercial cans, a half dozen slimjim rectangle cans (mostly the blue ones for recycling) and 20 of the smaller office desk cans. The good news is I paid $75 including auction fees/taxes.

So my plan is keep a half dozen of the best and put up the rest on craigslist.

But before they go on to CL, are there any cool projects that use a garbage can? I'm thinking of making one of them an electrolysis tank. Another I'll store deer corn and fish food in. At $3 a piece for a brute can, I'm tempted to have some fun with a few of them.

I saw this one on Pinterest....

 

[Kaizen]

nice score. the bases are 20 bucks themselves I think. I've seen the bases used with 5 gallon drywall compound buckets.
cans themselves are great quality.

 

[koditten]

More like $60 each.

 

[Catadj78]

great deal

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Those cans are awesome. I like using trash cans for, well, a trash can in the shop, but another in the shed for holding all the shovels and other long handle items, another for wood cutoffs from the saws for the fireplace later.

As for projects? The rolling bases are valuable and handy.

 

[404]

Ahhh, solar panel plant. I am glad to see that someone got something out of the millions of tax dollars stolen and wasted. Well Done!

 

[rburke65]

I know!.....who would have thought with all the money the government is handing out to HIS friends, and the great need of Solar power, and yet another plant closing down! Oh the humanity! How could this possibly be happening?!

 

[Voi]

But before they go on to CL, are there any cool projects that use a garbage can?

Probably not what you had in mind, but I sometimes fill my Brutes with water and make giant ice cubes out of them in the winter. My boys go nuts breaking them into pieces.

On a more helpful note, I've seen the square/rectangular ones converted into planters.

The slim ones would be great for dog food, driveway salt and the feeds you mentioned.

 

[BigGMC]

can offer any ideas, but where you located whiskey?

 

[angrystroker]

Ahhh, solar panel plant. I am glad to see that someone got something out of the millions of tax dollars stolen and wasted. Well Done!

 

[JRC3]

I use two of them to premix aquarium water.

When I was younger I had one with wheels just for a keg.

 

[Whiskeymike]

can offer any ideas, but where you located whiskey?

Austin, TX.


I forgot to mention when I picked them up they had trash in them. I dumped them before I left, but I salvaged some 1" thick Delrin pieces that were 1.5'x1.5', and a graphite plate 1/2" thick by 1.5x1.5, as well as bunch of little fittings, o rings and other misc stuff they were throwing away when closing down.

I bid on about 10 lots, but they went beyond my expertise in moving or using the stuff after purchase. Some guys got some great deals on pallet rack, tool boxes, etc.. Assuming some of the misc. stuff was able to be sold after the fact. Then again, some folks bought stuff near retail price for new of the same model. I guess it takes folks like that to make auctions worth while.

 

[MScott]

Austin, TX.
.

Why not put that info in your profile so people don't have to ask.

 

[rburke65]

Now why would you want to do that? First thing yak now, people are robing you. And besides, we love to keep asking the same question.

 

[Whiskeymike]

Why not put that info in your profile so people don't have to ask.

Actually, I thought it was. It's done.

 

[FloydShine]

Whiskey Mike, cans with wheels are great for mixing up a batch of sour mash! You can make a smooth whiskey...or at least get it started.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Ahhh, solar panel plant. I am glad to see that someone got something out of the millions of tax dollars stolen and wasted. Well Done!

My thoughts exactly.

On a separate note, we all know most tax dollars are wasted, but aren't they ALL stolen?

Tommy

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

Years ago I used to use them to make vortex filters for medium sized fish ponds. Could be used as rain buckets I suppose...

 

[rieferman]

You could make a nice separator for a dust collection system. Here's Phil Thien's well-known DIY plans for making one

Even if you don't have a dust collector, this setup works nicely with a shop vac too. A great way to keep your filters clean longer.

You could build a bunch and sell the extras online potentially.