How Many Cans Does It Take To Make $1000
With a value of $0.05 per can you will need 20,000 cans recycling normally. Creating models from pristine cans will reduce this number to around 200.
So how can I make good money recycling aluminum cans?
- Get cans in perfect condition with no dents or damage
- Wash and store them safely
- Glue them to card and add plastic, and foam, onto them to make them look like miniature silos or tanks
- Add sand, dirt, or other gritty materials for texture/realism
- Paint the model to enhance the realism
- Sell them on Etsy for massive profits of 200% to 1,000%
Is recycling cans profitable?
Yes, no matter how you recycle cans if you follow a plan then you will always make some money. However, there are, as mentioned above easier ways than others to make money using fewer cans or less money for cans that are damaged and/or scratched/dirty.
If you hunt around you will often find places where you can collect cans such as grocery stores, fast food restaurants, or even some large apartment complexes. Ask the responsible person at these places for permission and you may be surprised at their reaction as you are offering to remove a problem for them. You could also provide some recycling bins for them to use as an added incentive
How many aluminum cans does it take to make $100?
If you take a general CRV value of $0.05 and do the math then you will find that you need to collect 2,000 cans. If you can get to recycling areas where you may find a few hundred cans at a time then you could do this easily.
Crafting or upcycling is a better option where you would typically need around 25-30 cans in mint condition to craft 5 medium-sized models or dioramas and sell them at around $25 each.
How many aluminum cans does it take to make $1000?
Using my method it’s only about 100 cans, but if you take a general CRV value of $0.05 and do the math then you will find that you need to collect 20,000 cans just recycling them normally. Most people will not be able to collect this volume of aluminum cans so you may be able to find other sources of aluminum such as window frames or even some doors. This can bring up the weight value but these items will usually be much harder to find.
Crafting or upcycling is a great choice if you are looking to make a larger sum of money as you will not only need fewer cans you will need to spend your time creating. Making larger model sets or dioramas can be the way to do this. Using around 200 cans in mint condition you will be able to craft model sets that are worth substantially more to the buyer so a price tag of $50 -$60 is quite reasonable (by the way some professionally designed gaming kits can sell upwards of $200 so yours will be great value).
Why recycling cans by making things is the easiest way to make money
This kind of project looks really daunting to the untrained eye but the model shown above from Spikeybits shows us what can be achieved with a little practice, some paint cans, some cardboard inserts from toilet paper and kitchen towels, some toilet paper, plastic straws, cardboard and some fine gravel from your garden.
It’s not difficult to start as you will have many of these general items to hand already. You will need to outlay a few dollars for glue and paint but usually, you can get these things from the dollar store for cheap.
There are many videos on youtube where creators will guide you through the steps of creating pretty much anything from a futuristic fuel depot to a funky vehicle all made from cans! Your imagination is the limit!
Goonhammer here has shown us a project that has just been primed, that is had its undercoat before getting ready to be painted and aged to look grimy and cool!
We can see in this picture the main element is the can but a false hatch has been added to the front to make it less recognizable as a soda can. The bands and frame around the can and to the right may have come from a cheap dollar store tennis racket that has been cut down and the base is a mixture of sand and fine gravel glued and painted to look like rough terrain.
This last image, also from Goonhammer, shows us the finished setup. We can see a dozen or more cans in the image but most of the National elements like the bases, walkways, and side rails can be made from this cardstock, readily available at the back of legal pads or in packs at Amazon for very little cost.
You will often find yourself waiting for paint and/or glue to dry so this will be your chance to get the next order constructed and ready for the next step or even boxed up to ship.
You will also find yourself advertising on places like Etsy, and eBay, or even opening up your own shop on your own website when you have a more established brand and style.
Conclusion
Upcycling cans will always be more profitable in the long term as you can command higher prices for fewer cans. If you are willing to go through the short but steep learning curve to learn simple painting techniques and learn about aging and weathering your work then you will be making hundreds if not thousands each month as you work on your pieces and carve out a niche in this fun and lucrative hobby.
Looking to make money from crafts?
Click here to learn how with our step-by-step guide showing you everything you need to know.