Tin Can Kraft

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Don and his steam traction engine made from all types of cans - quite different. Courtesy of Don Reed, R.R. 1, Muscatine, Iowa 52761 Don Reed

R. R. 1, Muscatine, Iowa 52761

I came up with an idea last winter I think will interest you. I call it Tin Can Kraft. Like most families I found I had a lot of tin cans of all sizes and wondered if something of value or ornamental could be made from them. The picture shows both the resulting replica of a steam traction engine, and the man that made it. Thought some of you steam buffs, like me, might like to try your hand at it - so here it is.

The boiler is two Hi-C juice cans forced together to the right length and soldered. The rear wheels, are ends from gallon cans, one cut with three-fourths inch of can on it and the other with one-half inch. The extra inch on the one end is clipped around with tin snips, then the two ends are pressed together and soldered. The front wheels are made in the same way, but use ends from bean or corn cans.

Courtesy of Don Reed, R. R. 1, Muscatine, Iowa 52761

The fire box and ash catcher is cut from flat tin, shaped, and fitted to the bottom of the boiler, at the rear and soldered in place. The bottom of this ash container is open and should be fitted with a wooden block. Next, drill a hole through the metal and the wooden block to take a snug fitting copper tube at the place the rear wheels must go and allow to extend far enough on either side for the wheels to clear the boiler. The axle is a length of one-eighth welding rod, extending through the copper tube enough to extend through each wheel one-eighth inch. When the wheels are ready to mount, they are held on with small pieces of round tin drilled to fit the welding rod, and soldered. The front axle and housing are the same except, a bolster must be used to level the front end. A piece of three-eighths copper tubing is used, with one end having a large flare which is soldered to the boiler. The other end is notched and soldered to the center of the axle. A small chain is soldered to each side of the front axle housing and brought back to the front of the ash box and fastened. The steering wheel (dummy) is made of stiff wire, (see drawing).