On the 2014 build challenge, I did a standing seam metal roof, using beer cans as my source of material.

I was asked to explain how I did the roof, so I am going to try and explain the process. First of all, its not my idea, just my method. I got the idea from the websites of George Schreyer and Yogi Wallace.

For this build I made my panels 1/2 inch wide with 1/8th inch high seams. These measurements can be adjusted to suit whatever size panels you want on your building.

First thing was to gather the material.

Then, after a good night’s sleep it was time to get started.

To cut open the cans, I carefully cut along the bottom edge of the can using a utility knife, Kinda like using a manual can opener when we used to go camping.

Then using metal snips I cut up the side of the can. On my cans there is a line where the graphics overlap. I tried to cut along this line so I would have a straight cut.

But cutting all the way to the top rim, I had enough flexibility in the can to cut the top off the can, just below the flair at the top.

Then I washed the aluminum to remove any left over residue from the can contents.

Nice… Nick 666

Now it was time to cut the material to length. I usually see building materials coming in a maximum of 12 feet. That’s just what I have observed, and I know they can be special ordered longer. But I stick with that idea as a standard, so I cut my material around 6 inches long. I measured where I wanted the cut, laid my metal ruler on the aluminum and ran my hobby knife along the ruler, scoring the material.

then I just flexed the material back and fourth and it snapped along the line. Since I didn’t anneal the aluminum, it will snap if bent back and fourth too much.

Now the manufacturer of my material put a nice straight red line along one edge for me. So I measured up from that line 3/4 of an inch, and made a mark with my hobby knife, then I made a mark another 1/8th inch up from that. On both ends.

To make the marks easier to see, I rub a pencil point over the marks. A poor man’s machinist’s blue.

Yes Yes and?

Then I put the aluminum into my hand bending tool, lining it up with the second mark, so my bend would be 3/4 + 1/8 from the red line, and bent the aluminum.

Then I turned the material around, and pressed the bend flat with my tool. Then I lined the tool up with the mark I made 3/4 from the end.

Sort of a mini brake

Ron, I am 2 finger typist, so it takes me a while to write an article on the fly.

Ok, so I have my tool clamping down on the other marks. Then I took my steel ruler and slid it between the 2 layers of aluminum. Using the ruler as a brake table, I bend out both sides of the sheet.

Ron, exactly.

Now from the seam I have just made, I measure back toward the edge I started with. 1/2 of an inch and make a mark, then I make another mark about 1/8th inch from there and another one 3/32nds of an inch from the 1/8 mark.

I place my tool on the 1/2 + 1/8th line and bend it down.

I press it flat, and then bend up at the 1/2 inch line. Again using the steel ruler as my brake table for all bends, so I get a crisp bend line.

The rough edge now is facing down, looking at the top of the panels. I place my tool on the 3/32nd mark, and run my hobby knife along the tool, to score the aluminum, so I can brake off the waste.

Then bending the waste back and forth with my thumb, starting at one edge and working toward the other, it snaps along the score line and comes off.

Now measuring from the edge of the material that I just put a seam on, I measure out 1 inch and 1 1/8th inch. I bend the material at the 1 1/8th inch mark.

I then place my tool in the 1 inch mark. Again, using my steel ruler, and sliding it between the sheets of aluminum, I bend out one side and then the other.

Always measuring from the edge seam I made, I keep repeating the process in 1/2 inch increments across the aluminum. I always measure from the end, so any errors in forming the bends do not add to each other. If I have a seam slightly off from the 1 inch mark, for example, the 1 1/2 inch seam should still be in the right place by always measuring from the end.

When I get far enough along that there is no longer enough material to make a panel and have enough for the next panel. I measure to make the panel 1/2 inch, whatever multiple that works out to from the reference end, in this case its 2 inches. Then I make a mark, and I measure 3/32nds from that mark and make another one… Then I bend at the mark to make the panel, in this case its the 2 inch mark.

Then I clamp my tool on the 3/32nd mark, score it with the hobby knife, and break it off by bending back and forth.

To attach the panels to each other, I need to open up the seam I made at the seam end of the panel. But I have to be careful, this aluminum will snap if bent too much. So, using the point of my hobby knife I open the seam a bit on one end, then I use my pencil point to open it up along its length.

Here you see the panel laying on top has had its seam opened, the panel laying underneath has not had its seam opened. The seam doesn’t have to be opened much, but it has to be open.

The seam on one panel needs to fit over the rim on the preceding panel.

Before gluing the panels to the sub-roof, I roughen up the underside of the panels with some fine sandpaper. This is supposed to give the glue a little texture to bond to.

On the sub-roof I draw a line with my square, slightly beyond what the panel will cover. This line tells me how far to spread the glue, and its is a reference line to make sure the edge of the panel is straight. Then I spread my glue, I use Goop, using an old razor blade to spread an even coat of glue.

When placing the panel, I can adjust it to be even with the line by carefully working open a seam or two on one edge. This time I didn’t have to.