Aluminium Ingots from Scrap Cans

Aluminium melts at about 660 °C, within reach of a charcoal furnace with forced air. Drink cans are mostly aluminium alloy with a thin plastic coating and paint; melted down, the coating burns off and the oxide and dirt float to the top as dross, which is skimmed before the clean metal is poured into a mould. Cans are thin and oxidise a lot, so the yield is well below the cans' weight: weigh both and see. Water meeting molten aluminium turns to steam instantly and throws metal: every can, tool and mould must be dry.