10+ Tin Can Projects That Can Save Your Life One Day

Did you ever count how many tin cans have you tossed in your lifetime? You might have skipped the importance of this little piece of metal right now, but things are going to change once you need to survive with only what you have on hand.

Since these containers have so many uses, they will easily turn into a basic resource for different DIY survival projects. Small things can generate great results, and here are a few projects to prove it right!

1. The DIY Camping Stove

If you need to prepare a meal on the go while you’re camping, and you need only a small fire, then you might just turn a tin can into a stove, like people from Handimania did:

2. Baking Bread in Cans

Speaking of food, baking bread in small tin cans can be a solution, even if you haven’t thought about it before. Cooking and baking in smaller portions is a good way to control your food consumption so your survival stockpile would last longer in time of need.

You can use your own bread recipe or you follow the one that you find here.

3. DIY Fishing Hook

Never waist a can beer again, they say. And they are right, since there’s one good use for the hook, especially when you find yourself in need for fishing tools.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHTKhE5j1yf/?taken-by=nextlevel_caveman&hl=en

4. DIY Beer Can Roof

If you are a beer lover, than you might not find hard to gather enough tin cans for the next project: shingles and siding out of aluminium cans.

If you wonder what’s the use of this roof for survival, then think about a world where the only resources that you can get are those that you can find in a pile of garbage. Now you see what I mean?

So, if you want to go ahead with this project, you can find it right HERE.

5. Tin Can Shower Head

Some see this project as a good solution for a garden party, but think how useful would it be if you need to find a way to improvise a shower in a post-SHTF world, where what you get is what you can create from what you have.

Video first seen on Instructables.

6. Survival Kit in a Tin Can

Most of you already know at least a few ways to build a survival kit, but what about a survival kit in a small tin can? That small pack can help you survive for 3 days if you know how to make good use of it. You could buy this small kit for around 20 bucks, but why waste the money when you can make one by yourself? And it can be as small as an Altoid box.

Video first seen on RANDOUGH SURVIVOR.

7. The DIY Arrow Head

And here’s something you can easily do on the cheap for your survival defense if you have proper tools: arrows. This guy will make a demonstration, so you can replicate the process of making 3 blade broad heads:

Video first seen on Philosophy of Survival.

8. Ultralight Cooking Pot

Here comes another idea on how you can turn a tin can into something useful and light.

Video first seen on Trail Hound.

9. The Easiest DIY Tin Can Heater

Heating is something that you definitely can’t overlook in a survival situation. Just imagine that you’re stranded in the middle of nowhere or maybe blocked in a basement with nothing around that some usual supplies. Solve the heating problem easily with this DIY heater that you can put up in minutes.

Video first seen on desertsun02.

10. The DIY Small Trap

You can use it to get rid of rodents and practice your DIY skills at the same time, but it’s a good opportunity to recycle other stuff that you have around the house.

Video first seen on adambus77.

… And More

The list of projects that can be started with a tin can is much longer. You would be surprised how many ideas might appear if you find yourself in a survival situation where you have only canned food on hand.

Video first seen on YouWatch.

The real value of an old item is given by the way you make use of it when you need it. Would be able to make the most of this reusable material in times of need?

This article has been written by John Gilmore for Survivopedia.

Written by

John Gilmore is an army Vet, specialized in wilderness survival. Now he lives with his wife and 2 daughters on their farm close to Arizona. He has instructor level credentials and skills in various survival disciplines. He is an enthusiastic DIY expert, self-reliant and a proactive defender of our Constitutional rights. He strives to make a positive mark in this world and that's why he's writing for Survivopedia, using a pen name to protect his real identity.

Latest comments
  • And here I thought I couldn’t learn any thing new in canned survival! I can hardly wait to show this to hubby. That Hibachi in a can is flat out brilliant. Even the foil and coals and razors, one sided razors? Or a cheapo pocket knife with a can opener….this ‘opens’ all kinds of possibilities. I LOVE the beer can pop top tab fish hook! I’m putting a few in my ‘gift’ survival altoid tins for family.

    Wonder what would happen if you hosted a little competition of sorts? What can be done with trash; plastic bags, cans, plastic bottles, tin cans….the fastest person to open a can of beans without a can opener. My goodness this article got me thinking…! Thank you!

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