Paint Can Crusher

The 2.2-tonne ram applies enough force to fold a five-litre steel tin into a disc roughly 40 mm high. Operation is foot-pedal controlled, leaving both hands free to position the can. Mount it at bench height on a sturdy surface — the frame bolts down through four holes, and you need enough clearance behind for the ram stroke. Air consumption sits around 150 litres per crush at 6–8 bar, so budget for a compressor already running spray guns if you're in a paint environment.

Steel cans only — aluminium and plastic containers aren't rigid enough and can jam the mechanism. Let tins drain and air out before crushing; residual solvent fumes are a hazard, and wet paint can gum up the ram face. Check your local recycling facility accepts crushed steel — most do, but a few still want cans uncrushed for sorting. The crusher reduces transport and storage volume either way; whether it speeds up your waste handling depends on how your collector works.

Sealey supplies this model. Seal kits for the pneumatic cylinder are available separately — typical service interval is every 5,000 to 10,000 crushes depending on how clean the cans are when you feed them in. If you're flattening fewer than twenty tins a week, a manual lever press might make more sense; above that, the air cylinder pays for itself in time saved.