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Old 08-28-2008, 11:43 AM   #1
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Arrow Cheap source for plastic to make aero mods

I was in Lowe's today. I had been discussing using a black trashcan as a source of plastic for aero mods. I noticed 2 15 gallon black, rectangular trashcans were severely cracked on the top edge. I took them to the customer service desk and explained that I was looking for black plastic sheets, and if I could have them reduced. The guy said "How about $2/ea?" I said "I'd like to pay $1 each - I'm just going to cut them up anyway." There ya have it. Two black plastic cans for a total expense of $2.10. The cracks are on the edges anyway and would have been on the part I'm cutting off anyway.

So there ya have it. Go to your local hardware store and find a broken trashcan and ask them to mark it down.

-Jay
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Old 08-29-2008, 03:32 AM   #2
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that's a lot better than my $15 trash can.

when you get your mods done, you have to post pics.
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Old 08-29-2008, 04:50 AM   #3
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I did better I picked up a wastebasket out of a dumpster that had a cracked bottom, that's probably gonna get cut at an angle for wheel fairings.
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Old 08-29-2008, 06:00 AM   #4
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I had thought of that, but to me it was worth $2 to not have to clean a dirty old trashcan.

-Jay
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Old 08-29-2008, 06:06 AM   #5
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Nice!
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Old 08-30-2008, 08:11 AM   #6
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add those how to pics
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Old 08-30-2008, 03:11 PM   #7
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tin snips seem to work really well with that kind of plastic. I did an air dam with mine. pics in my garage.

like I said earlier. I got jipped, paid full price for a trash can.
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Old 08-30-2008, 04:40 PM   #8
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Arrow

Ok, this is how its done... with pics...

First we have 2 cracked trashcans. I paid $1/ea for them @ Lowe's.



Now bring on the necessary supplies to do the job... 2 different kinds of snips, a Black & Decker heat gun, and a bottle of Peach Snapple Tea.



First thing to do is cut the top lip and the bottom out of the trash can



Then slit the can down one corner.



Then heat the edges and slowly bend the corners flat. This is a pic about halfway through.



Suprisingly you get a lot out of plastic out of those little trashcans.

I will post pics of the grille block tomorrow. It was too dark to take photos by the time I got done.

-Jay
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Old 08-30-2008, 07:17 PM   #9
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my friend has some right angle snips. they work way better. you don't have to worry about fighting the material you are cutting.

mine are the crappy yellow ones, his are the left and right handed ones. I don't know where he got them from but I may have to get me some
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Old 08-30-2008, 07:42 PM   #10
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The pair of snips on the bottom does that. It cuts a 1/8 inch strip out of the middle, and you can cut straight w/o the material getting in the way.

-Jay
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