Previously in part one of the coffee can lantern saga, I learned some valuable lessons. In the comments, my sister recommended a post on ehow.com that suggested freezing a can full of water to keep it from denting in so much as you are pounding on it. I gave that a try, but found the condensation on the outside of the can made it impossible to attach the pattern.
So, I went back to the original method, this time seeing if leaving the plastic wrapping on the can would make it any better. I figured if anything, it would help disperse the blows a little.
These are the tools I set off with. Note to future self: the decking nail with ridges tears the crap out of the can. No Ridges; No Good.
So, with five hole sizes ready to go, I attacked the first can (second, if you count the first monstrosity). I went through with the smallest nail, then the next, then the next, used it to “pre-drill” holes for the screw drivers in the largest spots, then hit it a few times with each of the screw drivers. Still denty, but not too bad.
The metal was a little unpredictable with the screw drivers. Sometimes tearing around them, other times coming out perfect.
Once I finished all three cans this way, I realized that the inside of the can was a very hazardous place to put a hand, with all the sharp edges sticking out (or in), so I put the can down flat on my leg, and proceeded to beat the crap out of the inside of the patterns with the tiny hammer to flatten the rough edges down. It worked very nicely for smoothing the edges down, but also gave the outside of the can a “hammered” look (for some reason).
I then made a bold decision to hammer around the outside of the cans in all the places that didn’t have patterns, denting them in like a crazy person, popping the dents out from the inside, doing it again and again until the whole can looked beat up. It’s actually kind of cool. Imagine what could be done with an actual “smithing” hammer, whatever they are called.
I put some votive candles inside and set them down on the shiny new laminate to see how the reflections looked. Of course, the patterns weren’t aimed at the floor and those little candles aren’t very bright (like the guy that lit them), so there wasn’t much of a light reflecting pattern on the floor. A little more than showed up in this picture, though.
Up against the wall, in the corner, where the reflection is meant to be seen, it looks pretty sweet.
Can’t wait to see it wired up with electrics. That will be in the next installment.
