Think This Can Be Saved?

[Andre Ming]

Pics illustrate both sides of the can.

Have any of you successfully saved a can like this?

If not, any suggestions? Compressed air? Fill with water then freeze? Concerned that any effort will not be localized to the dent, instead possibly ruining the other side, too.

Thanks for any input.

Andre

[Dan McEntee]

   Take the smooth , curved side of a tire tool and start working it out through the cap opening. The metal isn't very thick. Work at the areas with the crease in it and anything surrounding it will likely pop back out. This is typical paintless dent removal technique. If you know anyone that does that for a living, they could have it looking likely now in a few minutes I bet!! anything that is stiff and smooth on the end can be used as a tool.
    Musicians have guitars and base guitars made out of these. You play base, don't you?  Just another use for it besides sitting on a shelf looking cool!
 Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Gordon Tarbell]

I would not pressurize from inside as the pressure would be pushing on all surfaces. I watched one of those dent repair specialist use small suction cups and pull on them , then switched to balls on sticks and  spoon shaped steels to push from inside to work it out little by little. did not even chip the paint.

[Andre Ming]

Thanks Dan and Gordon.

Your cautions about pressurizing validate my concern. I will not go forward with that idea.

I may try to ding around with it using a tire iron or something.

As for sitting on a shelf... my intention was to use it as a field can for the .35-.36 sized combat planes. However, it would be filled with 10% nitro so it would be Missile Mist in can appearance only!


Andre

[Andre Ming]

Yup... used as a field can.

You know, like this...

[Dan McEntee]

  It's a shame you don't live closer. I have many other common fuel cans that I could give you to use for a field box. That pretty Missle Mist can needs to be saved!!
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Andre Ming]

Dan:

I wished you lived closer, too. 

As for the pretty can: It was unused and essentially in excellent shape. I think I saw it at Fox Mfg several decades ago during one of my "Hi Y'all!" stops to see old friends and visit a spell with Duke. I think it was when Fox Mfg was switching over to the poly jugs. I also "think" I recall a few cases of unused cans waiting patiently, destined to be used around the plant for parts containers as/when needed (the tops would be cut off.) I asked to purchase one of the remaining MM cans, instead I was gifted with it.

After moving into our home in '98, during one of my "off" periods of C/L flying, I stashed the empty can up in the attic here at our house. I'll bet it didn't survive one year before it sucked in like that. Once I had cause to go back up into the attic, as soon as my eyes fell on it my mind instantly thought "well THAT was stupid! (i.e. Storing it in the attic.)

I also have a like new pint-sized Fox "Blast" can and a really old style Missile Mist half pint can. I think these two were found during my last employment when I was digging through the "Bone Yard" (i.e. repository of obsolete parts) during one of my "projects" I was working on. I used to love to spend time in the partitioned off "Bone Yard" rummaging through the stuff. OH how I wish I could do that now!

When younger, I reckon a feller thinks there are things that will last forever. I guess that's what I thought that about Fox Mfg. I guess I sort of thought that it would be like an old friend... getting older... but always there.

At our ages now, we all know that's not the way it works.We've all had to say "good bye" to persons and things that were very important to us.


Andre

[john e. holliday]

The one time many years ago I drove to the FOX plant to load up on fuel.  The elderly gent that was there took me on a short tour of the plant.  When we were heading up front to pay for everything I saw a pallet with a pile of engines.  He stated that was engine sent in for repair or replacement.  Said there were probably some good engne in the pile but not worth digging for.  I could have spent days looking through the pile.

[GallopingGhostler]

Pics illustrate both sides of the can. Have any of you successfully saved a can like this? If not, any suggestions? Compressed air? Fill with water then freeze? Concerned that any effort will not be localized to the dent, instead possibly ruining the other side, too.

It would make a good body for an "oil can" guitar, once ends are removed so the metal can be carefully bumped out and cleaned up. Samantha Fish's bass player used a Fox Fuel can electric bass guitar while she used a K&B Supersonic fuel can electric guitar. Here's a video of them playing blues made 10 years ago:

[FLOYD CARTER]

Why do you want to "save" it?  It's just an empty can.

[Arlan McKee]

Why do you want to "save" it?  It's just an empty can.

Floyd,
One would think that someone that has been alive for as long as you would understand the concept of Nostalgia. Beyond that, drawing your fuel from a Missile Mist can is just cooler than most other containers. He will probably have to beat the women off with a stick.

[GallopingGhostler]

Why do you want to "save" it?  It's just an empty can.

The same reason why we save Fox .15's. They're not just another hurl item. 

[Andre Ming]

Why do you want to "save" it?  It's just an empty can.

Because it's very possibly the last can of Missile Mist I ever received from Fox Mfg. I'm unclear whether I was still working there, or if it was after I left. (For quite a while after leaving Fox Mfg, I would stop by the plant and visit with Duke as well as my friends that still worked there.)

Lots of good memories are attached to that can, and it may be the very can that's in the above flying field picture, which was post-Fox employment, but it could still be my last can of Missile Mist that obtained while at Fox. 

And yes, it WOULD be fun to use it when I attend a Fun Fly at the Tulsa C/L Gluedobbers or whatever.

Andre

[M Spencer]

getting technical , awkward , and time consumeing !

Youd clother any hammer or dolly used on the painted surface , in cotton or leather maybe - so as to not mar the paint .

looks like he only trivky bits the CREASE . Panel beating you work BACKWARD from the impact point . AS IN look at the impact & progession , START at the furthest out . teaseing it flatter ,
SO WHEN you belt the impact point , it tens to pop into line . ( you DONT first hit it at the impact point , as it STRECHES all the rest - further .

Strips / planks - of pine or other soft timber , SLAPPING , cajouling & on the face to catch ' the lever ' , or taped to the lever end . Eventually get you there . Patiance , tea breaks & observeing
sequence are necessary for a Bog free metal working session . Likely lots of plonkers expounding on ' panel beating ' on the toob . you wnt Metal forming / reforming ! Not relly panel bashing .