Crush a Can in .13 Seconds

After seeing the instructable How to crush a can in less then 30 milliseconds with only a can water and a heat souce., I was inspired to create an instructable on crushing a can quicker.

Quicker in: less setup time, no wait for water to boil, no prep. of cooling water. This method can be accomplished in virtually no time at all.

Needed equipment:

1 - empty pop can
1 - large mass

Find a solid surface on which can will be crushed. It should be strong enough to support the can and the large mass used. I have chosen the kitchen floor for my surface. It provides a nice solid yet slippery surface adding just a little to the difficulty factor. If you want to be safe, pick a surface that isn't so smooth.

I have chosen to apply 185 pounds of force on my can to crush it. A cylinder will support a large amount of force if applied properly and directly. After I have place the mass on top of the can, a slight adjustment to the positioning of the mass causes the cylinder to fail. Once that happens, a cascade of failures causes the can to be crushed flat. (see video)