I've been saving tin (bi-metal) cans to make luminarias for a party.
Now I'm wondering why most cans have ridges around the middle. Simply
to make them easier to hold? Easier to attach labels? Something to do
with the canning process? Just because? The only cans I've collected
w/o ridges are for condensed milk.

Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
I'm wondering why most cans have ridges around the middle.

1. Ridges around the ends would look funny.
2. Because other cans do. They don't want to feel left out, so they wear
ridges like most others.
3. Lace and bows around the middle would be cost prohibitive.
4. But the correct answer is... for rigidity. They'e harder to dent,
although, soda cans are made of thin aluminum, which dents easily, so
maybe,
5. They make milk cans with ridges around the middle because they
always have.

Soda cans are under pressure. They will not dent inwards. In soda cans the
bottoms (bowed inward) and tops are bowed to prevent outward bulging.

"Baldy Cotton" wrote in message
...
Far as I can tell, someone wrote:
I'm wondering why most cans have ridges around the middle.

1. Ridges around the ends would look funny.
2. Because other cans do. They don't want to feel left out, so they wear
ridges like most others.
3. Lace and bows around the middle would be cost prohibitive.
4. But the correct answer is... for rigidity. They'e harder to dent,
although, soda cans are made of thin aluminum, which dents easily, so
maybe,
5. They make milk cans with ridges around the middle because they
always have.

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 18:31:04 GMT, in a clarity of expression
resembling Cicero, chillled wrote:

I've been saving tin (bi-metal) cans to make luminarias for a party.
Now I'm wondering why most cans have ridges around the middle. Simply
to make them easier to hold? Easier to attach labels? Something to do
with the canning process? Just because? The only cans I've collected
w/o ridges are for condensed milk.

To make them crunchier for the goats, like Ruffles potato chips.

Frank Lynch
The Samuel Johnson Sound Bite Page is at:
http://www.samueljohnson.com/

"rmp" wrote in message
...
Soda cans are under pressure. They will not dent inwards. In soda cans the
bottoms (bowed inward) and tops are bowed to prevent outward bulging.

This makes possible an amusing party trick known as "can dancing".
Take an empty and undented aluminum beer can, stand it on the floor and
carefully stand on it with one foot. It should support your weight. Now
using something other than your finger (you'll see why) give it a gentle
whack on the side. It collapses instantly, frequently trapping the pencil
or whatever you whacked it with.
Brian, in Cedar

Thanks to all who answered, humorously or factually or both.