Recycling More and More

Posted on: 8 October 2015

Certain holidays lend themselves to creating wonderful crafting projects either by yourself or with friends and family. Halloween is one of these holidays. You can never have enough spooktactular decorations to welcome all of the ghouls who will visit your home. They are even better when you can create them for free, or at minimum cost, out of your recycled aluminum cans. Here are two great lighting crafts that you can make in a minimum amount of time with minimum tools.

Tin Can Lanterns

You can never have enough lights in your yard when your guests come to trick or treat. Not only will these flickering tin can lights give you yard, walkways, and porch an eerie look, it will provide additional lighting which will help to keep your guest safe.

This is an easy project that anyone can pitch in and help with. Although they will have a greater impact if you use large coffee size can, you can mix and match them by using a variety of can sizes. You will need the following:

• Several tin cans
• A marker to draw out your design
• Cordless drill
• Various size drill bits to make different size holes
• Hanger wire for a handle
• Wire cutters
• Sand
• Battery operated tea lights or candles

If you do not have a cordless drill, this project can also be performed with a hammer and various size nails. The project will go much quicker with the drill and drill bits. 

1. Draw out the design you want to use on your cans. If you cannot do this freehand, simply copy a picture of the design you want to use and tape it to the side of your can. 
2. Outline your design by drilling a series of holes along the lines of your design. Remember, everywhere you have a hole, light will shine through. The more holes you add, the more detailed your lanterns will be.
3. Drill two holes across from each other at the top of your can to attach your handles.
4. Cut your wire for your handles with your wire cutters and attach it to the top of your can.
5. Place your lanterns along your walkway, or outside on your porch.
6. Place several inches of sand in the bottom of them to add weight and keep them from tipping over. You may not need sand if you are going to use them in your home, or even in a space protected from the wind outside.
7. Add your tealights or your candles for light.

Strings Of Tin Can Lights

You can use the same concept as outlined above to create strings of tin can lights. These would be great to string around your deck, along your fence, or in your trees. For this project, you will want to use a smaller can size. Consider using a small soup, or vegetable can. In additional to the equipment listed above, you will need:

• A string of lights (Consider using a larger bulb size for more light, or a battery powered set if you are going to place them away from a power source.)
• Glue or adhesive 
• Drill bit the size of the base of your lights

1. Drill your design into your cans
2. Drill a hole the size of the base of your bulb into the bottom of each can.
3. Insert your lights into the bottom of your cans. If using a larger size bulb, you will have to remove your bulb before inserting the base into the bottom of your can.
4. Apply glue or adhesive around the base of your lights to secure them to your cans.

Plug them in and enjoy. For other recycling ideas, contact a professional business like Main Street Fibers.