Aluminium Measuring Cups

This project make a set of 4 measuring cups. These are useful in the kitchen for measuring cooking ingredients. While it may look as if the edges could be sharp they actually aren't as long as they are trimmed to be straight and smooth. I made the measuring cups to recycle some beverage cans I had on hand. While the measurements of these cans were determined using a set of purchased plastic measuring cups and pouring in a quantity of water, I will save you this expense by letting you know how high to cut the cans for different sized measuring cups. Another way would have been to pour water into a can and weigh it on some scales, as one gram of water equals one millilitre.

4 Aluminum Beverage cans

Tools

Box cutter

Scissors

Marking pen

Ruler

Cut the top off a washed aluminum beverage can using a box cutter then trim the edge with a pair of scissors

A plastic measuring cup was filled with water and then poured into an aluminum can. A mark was made on the outside of the can at the water level using a marker pen. The water was poured out and then the can was trimmed to this mark using a pair of scissors. Finally, the newly created aluminum measuring cup was labeled '1 Cup' with the marker pen.

The same steps listed in step 2 were used to create 3 more aluminum measuring cups of 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup.

But you don't need to use plastic measuring cups - just measure up from the bottom of the can and make cups of these heights:

1 cup (235 ml) : 75mm

1/2 cup (120ml) : 45mm

1/3 cup (80 ml) : 33mm

1/4 cup (60ml) : 25mm

Sometimes you have a need for a measuring cup which is between the standard sizes. For example when making porridge the amount of Oats and water to use can be individually adjusted by just trimming a little off a bespoke measuring cup until the amounts are just right, ensuring a perfect bowl of porridge is made every time.