The Can Chiller

myminifactory

Upcycle your empty cans into a cooler for unopened ones with a little help from 3D printing. Use the high thermal conductivity of aluminum to suck heat out of your 250 mL cans with this portable six-slotted hexagonal can cooler. Here's how it works: 1. Take several empties, fill them mostly with water and put them in the freezer (the gap is to allow water to expand as it freezes). 2. While they're freezing, print the cooler chassis, cap, and outer band (see below for parameters), and find some string or cord if you want a handy handle for carrying your cooler. 3. Thread your cord or string in a loop through the holes down the chassis (don't forget the cap). 4. Take an ice-filled can, slot it into the center of the cooler chassis, and pop the cap on. 5. Lay the outer band around the cooler chassis, slot in the cans you want to keep cool, and pull the band up around them to hold them in contact with the center can. 6. Wait! Let thermodynamics do its job, as heat is sucked into the center can through contacting sides. 7. Enjoy a refreshingly cool beverage! That's all there is to it. The orange tops on the cans here are simply from another project; don't worry about those!