Home-built Overlander DIY: "Gascan-trashcan"

Feed me Seymour, feeeeed me... trash.

My rear swing out rack is a gas can or water can holder with a table. That’s great, but what about trash. I have used an ammo can I had for a trash can. Amazingly, there isn’t an ammo can or anything else that fits in a jerry can holder exactly.

So, I figured I’d take an old Jerry can and turn it into a trash can. Some good friends in the old pueblo (Tucson) had one laying around rusting away so I stopped by to check in and pick it up. This sucker was really rusted out, but in my eyes it just had a nice patina. Simple enough.

A. Cut off the top. (If your can has been used for fuel in the last century or so, you should fill the can with water while cutting it. Throwing a bunch of sparks at gasoline fumes isn’t very smart! Fill it with water and just let the water spill out as you cut. Be careful of where your grinder or sawzall’s cord is!!!! Water + Electricity = Excitement. Excitement may be =/< death...)

B. Weld on a hinge. (I used a cheap, but over-sized gate hinge)

C. Weld on a compression latch (available at any Hardware store, again I used a cheapo because it doesn’t need to hold a lot of weight)

D. Weld on some guides so when it’s shut it stays shut in line. (You could put an inner ring of thin metal that could follow the contour and it would work even better, but this was an after thought that I did once completed to keep it in place while offroading)

E. De-burr the edges, redneck sand blast the inside (not a fancy sandblast, but throw some sand and pea sized gravel in it and shake the HELL out of it to de burr and de-rust it a bit)

F. Lastly, paint the inside and the bottom.

That may sound like a lot, but it was easy. I just painted the inside and the bottom to prevent further rust. I left the outside because I like it. It has character. I am going to let the new hinges rust up and then maybe I’ll clear coat the whole thing.

This was about an hour job.

The great part is, almost all Jeeps or trucks have some sort of way to carry a standard gas can. That means you should be able to use it for future trucks or sell it to anyone if you need to.

Big thanks to Brent as always for the help and work on the 4runner and the gas can. He’s helped me built everything I’ve ever put on a truck of mine.

Simplicity at it’s best. (Note the half assed cut near the latch. I was in a rush to get this done and was using a cutting wheel)

Now, get out and use it!!