How to Make Insects From Aluminum Cans
For many people and businesses, recycling aluminum is a part their daily and weekly routines. But instead of simply tossing aluminum cans into a bin, there are other ways of recycling this versatile metal. Making decorative folk art pieces that resemble insects is one creative reuse of aluminum cans. The project will require time, a careful hand and concentration, but the end results are well worth it.
Things You'll Need
- Heavy-duty work gloves
- Goggles
- 10 aluminum cans (or more if desired)
- Tin snips or small kitchen shears.
- Scissors
- Sheet of cardstock or manila folder
- Stencil of an insect shape (your choice of insect)
- Fine-tip black marker
- Pencil
- Contact cement or super glue
- Package of regular paper clips
- Craft knife (such as Exacto, any blade type)
Instructions
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1
Put on the gloves and goggles to protect your eyes and hands from sharp or flying metal pieces.
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2
Cut off the tops and bottoms of all of the cans using the tin snips. Cut the cans open vertically and lay them flat with the can interior facing up. .
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3
Trace an image in marker of your desired type of insect (butterfly, ant, fly, bee, etc.) on the cardstock using a printed stencil or your own freeform design. The design can be as small as you want, but no larger than the length and width of the aluminum pieces. Make sure to draw the wings separate from the body for winged insects. Cut out the images from the cardstock.
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4
Place the cardstock image directly onto the aluminum surface. Trace the image onto the aluminum, then turn the cardstock image over on its opposite side and trace it again on another area of the can. This will ensure that both sides of the bug show the colorful outside of the can. Label each images 1 or 2 (A or B) to distinguish them. Do this for as many images as you have and as many insects as you desire to make.
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5
Cut out the image from the aluminum using the tin snips or shears. Place the insect bodies into a pile and the pairs of wings into another if your insects have wings. Be sure to also separate the 1's and 2's (or A's and B's) in each pile. Reserve scraps.
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6
Glue two mirror images of each insect part together (one 1 with one 2). You should see the can exterior on each side. The insect bodies and wings should still be separate. Allow these to harden and set.
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7
Attach a pair of wings to each insect. You may have to hold the wings on until they set.
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8
Straighten a number of paper clips (three clips for each insect you made). Bend the clips into a "V". Using the craft knife, poke three evenly-spaced pinholes into the bottom of each insect. Insert the V-shaped legs into the insects. Put a dab of glue into each hole.
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9
Cut very thin strips from the remaining scraps of aluminum--these should be less than 1mm. Carefully glue two, slightly-bent strips as antennae to each side of the insect's head.
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Tips & Warnings
Ten cans should be sufficient to create a variety of aluminum insects. You should be able to get one large insect from each can.
If you are using store-bought stencils, you may skip Step 4 and trace the images directly onto the aluminum.
Insect stencils can be printed from online websites for free.
Be very careful when working with these aluminum cans. When cut, cans can be as sharp as a razor.
